It Is Up To You Eccl 12 13

“It Is Up To You” Eccl 12: 13 -14 Dr. Dane Boyles 05/21/2006 PM

“It Is Up To You” Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Eccl 12: 12 -13) 12

“It Is Up To You” v. OUR CHARACTERS ARE THE ACCUMULATION OF THE DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE • When we are dissatisfied with our state in life, it is tempting to blame circumstances beyond our control. • Yet we are each the product of decisions that we have made in the freedom of our wills.

“It Is Up To You” “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you. ” (1 Sam. 13: 14) 14

“It Is Up To You” So Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you’” (1 Sam. 15: 28). 28

“It Is Up To You” • We need to accept responsibility for what we have made of ourselves. • We are what we have chosen to be. • We will reap what we have sown (Gal. 6: 7). • Decisions and choices have a cumulative effect -- they tend to “snowball. ” • None of us is standing still.

“It Is Up To You” • With every choice we are becoming more like God or more like Satan. (Cf. John 8: 44, 47). 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. (Eph 4: 17)

“It Is Up To You” They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (Eph 4: 18) 18

“It Is Up To You” Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (Eph. 4: 19) 19

“It Is Up To You” v OUR CHARACTERS ARE THE ACCUMULATION OF THE DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE. • When we are dissatisfied with our state in life, it is tempting to blame circumstances beyond our control--we tend to think we would be better off if we had been “dealt a better hand. ”

“It Is Up To You” “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you. ” (1 Sam. 13: 14) 28 So Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you’” (1 Sam. 15: 28). 14

“It Is Up To You” v. IT IS SOBERING TO THINK THAT EVERY ACT COUNTS 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5: 14)

“It Is Up To You” • God will take every act into account in His judging of our lives. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment (Mt. 12: 36). 36

“It Is Up To You” • Hell will not be the arbitrary punishment of people who engaged in certain acts. • It will be the end, goal, or outcome of those acts, the inevitable consequence of our choices. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! (Rom. 6: 21).

“It Is Up To You” • God will not “inadvertently” or “mistakenly” consign anyone to eternal punishment.

“It Is Up To You” v. IT IS ALSO ENCOURAGING TO THINK THAT EVERY ACT COUNTS • We can never truly say that our lives are helpless and hopeless -- we can always do something.

“It Is Up To You” • We can act in the faith that steps in the direction of goodness and truth, however small and seemingly insignificant, do make a difference. (Cf. Mk. 12: 41 -44). 1. God does not require larger steps than we can take, only small steps taken in faith.

“It Is Up To You” 2. God is not looking for people who can do everything, but for those willing to do what they can! 3. Heaven will be the outcome if we learn to choose actions that lean in God’s direction. (Cf. Rom. 6: 21 -23).

“It Is Up To You” v. Conclusion • Life is serious business -- it pays to live carefully (Eph. 5: 15). • In all things, let us be grateful for the opportunity to make better choices today. (Cf. 1 Cor. 15: 9, 10).

“It Is Up To You” Eccl 12: 13 -14 Dr. Dane Boyles 05/21/2006 PM