Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

"The Shrewd Steward" (Luke 16:1-15)

"The Shrewd Steward" (Luke 16:1-15)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, April 18, 2021
Luke 16:1-15, NIV
16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’
5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’
7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’
“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.
“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Main Idea: A disciple of Jesus will be wise in planning for his eternal future by being a generous and faithful steward of his resources.

"The Mystery of Time and Providence" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)

"The Mystery of Time and Providence" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 
Seeing the Bigger Picture
*Life in this world (“under the sun”) may be characterized as “Hebel” – mysterious, enigmatic, frustrating, and at times elusive. (1:2)
*Where (or how) can we find ultimate “gain” or “significance” in this world? (1:3)
*Opening Poem: Life is enigmatic and frustrating (1:4–11).
*“Gain” cannot ultimately be found in the pursuit of wisdom (1:12–18).
*“Gain” cannot ultimately be found in the pursuit of pleasure or projects (2:1–12).
*Wisdom is so much better than foolishness, but again, pursuing wisdom for its own sake will not bring “gain” (2:12–23).
*Preliminary Advice: Enjoy God’s good gifts in this world but realize that if they are pursued as “gain” they will disappoint (2:24–26).
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
*An obstacle to the pursuit of “gain” in this world:
-We are bound by the limits of time.
-Many events in this world are outside of our control and are ultimately under God’s providence.
3 There is a time for everything,    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,    a time to plant and a time to uproot,3     a time to kill and a time to heal,    a time to tear down and a time to build,4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,    a time to mourn and a time to dance,5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6     a time to search and a time to give up,    a time to keep and a time to throw away,7     a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,8     a time to love and a time to hate,    a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15 Whatever is has already been,    and what will be has been before;    and God will call the past to account.

"Welcoming Home the Prodigal" (Luke 15:11-32)

"Welcoming Home the Prodigal" (Luke 15:11-32)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, April 11, 2021
 
Luke 15:11–32 NIV
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
*The son is ruined by his sin.
Luke 15:11–13 NIV
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
 
Isaiah 53:6 NIV
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
 
Luke 15:14–16 NIV
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
*The son repents and returns home.
Luke 15:17–19 NIV
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
The Father rejoices when a lost sinner repents and comes home.
Luke 15:20–24 NIV
20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:25–32 NIV
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
*The brother responded with self-righteous jealousy.
Luke 15:29 NIV
29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
 
Mark 10:45 NIV
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
*The father invites the self-righteous to come home.
*As far as we know, the self-righteous brother never came inside.
The Father rejoices when a self-righteous sinner repents and comes in off the porch.
Main Idea: God rejoices when a repentant sinner comes to him, and so should we (Whether of the ruined kind or the self-righteous kind).

"Wisdom, Work, and What Is Worthwhile" (Ecclesiastes 2:12-26)

"Wisdom, Work, and What Is Worthwhile" (Ecclesiastes 2:12-26)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Guiding Question
*In a world that is marked by enigmas, frustration, and futility, where can a person find “profit”?
*Where can human beings find meaning in this finite life “under the sun”?
Finding “Profit” or “Gain”
*Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
-In the pursuit of wisdom?
*Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
-In the pursuit of pleasure?
*Ecclesiastes 2:12-26
-In the Comparison of Wisdom and Folly?
-In the Reward for Our Labor?
Wisdom is Better than folly, but… (Ecclesiastes 2:12-16)
Ecclesiastes 2:12–16 NIV
12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,    and also madness and folly.What more can the king’s successor do    than what has already been done?13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,    just as light is better than darkness.14 The wise have eyes in their heads,    while the fool walks in the darkness;but I came to realize    that the same fate overtakes them both.
15 Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.    What then do I gain by being wise?”I said to myself,    “This too is meaningless.”16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;    the days have already come when both have been forgotten.Like the fool, the wise too must die!
There is Reward for our Labor, But… (Ecclesiastes 2:17-23)
Ecclesiastes 2:17–23 NIV
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
Putting Things in Perspective (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)
Ecclesiastes 2:24–26 NIV
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Concluding Thoughts
*We should pursue wisdom, because it is so much better than foolishness. But we must realize that death comes to the wise and the fool, and wisdom in and of itself is not ultimately what we are seeking for.
*We can find satisfaction and reward in our work and efforts. But we must realize that those benefits are fleeting, and someone else will one day take over the fruit of our labors.
*It is worthwhile to pursue wisdom and live a wise life.
*It is worthwhile to give our time and efforts to quality work.
*But these will not bring us eternal “profit.” These also cannot hold off death, which overtakes us all.

"Resurrection Hope" (Ephesians 1:15-23)

"Resurrection Hope" (Ephesians 1:15-23)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchEaster Sunday AM, April 4, 2021
Ephesians 1:15-23, NIV
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
A Glorious Hope (vv. 18-19a)18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
A Hope Guaranteed by the Power of God (vv. 19b-20)That power is the same as the mighty strength20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
A Hope Assured by the Authority of Christ (vv. 20b-23)and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
A Hope that Fulfills God's Glorious Plan for the Ages (v. 22b-23)and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Main Idea: As Christians, we have a glorious resurrection hope, that is guaranteed by the power of God and the authority of Jesus Christ. The glorious hope that awaits us is the fulfillment of God's eternal plan for the ages.

"The Next Triumphal Entry" (Revelation 19:11-16)

"The Next Triumphal Entry" (Revelation 19:11-16)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchPalm Sunday, March 28, 2021
Revelation 19:11-16, NIV
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
A Righteous King11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.12 His eyes are like blazing fire,
A Majestic King...and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
A Gracious King14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
A Victorious King
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
Main Idea: The next time Jesus triumphantly enters it will be on the clouds of heaven as the righteous, majestic, gracious, and victorious King.

"The Pursuit of Pleasure" (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)

"The Pursuit of Pleasure" (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)A Study of the Book of EcclesiastesPastor Cameron JungelsWednesday, March 24, 2021
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, NIV
2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;    I refused my heart no pleasure.My heart took delight in all my labor,    and this was the reward for all my toil.11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done    and what I had toiled to achieve,everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;    nothing was gained under the sun.

"Seeking the Lost" (Luke 15:1-10)

"Seeking the Lost" (Luke 15:1-10)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 21, 2021
Luke 15:1–7 (NIV)
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
 
Isaiah 53:6–7 (NIV)
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
Luke 15:8–10 (NIV)
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
 
Main Idea: If you are going to lead unbelievers home to God, you must go out and find them where they are.

"Counting the Cost" (Luke 14:25-35)

"Counting the Cost" (Luke 14:25-35)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 14, 2021Luke 14:25–35 NIV
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
 
Luke 13:33 NIV
33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
 
Luke 14:25–26 NIV
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
 
Genesis 29:30–31 NIV
30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
 
Luke 12:53 NIV
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
 
Luke 9:23–24 NIV
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
 
Luke 14:27–35 NIV
27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
 
Main Idea: To believe in Jesus Christ as Savior is to make the ultimate commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord.

"The Pursuit of Wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)

"The Pursuit of Wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
 
Where Are We?
Title (1:1)
Theme Word: “Hebel” (1:2)
Programmatic Question: “Where is ‘yitron’ or ‘profit’?” (1:3)
Poem about the Enigma of Life (1:4-11)
Life keeps moving. Round and round it goes. Where can we find ultimate meaning and significance if there is nothing really new and we are so quickly forgotten? This ultimate meaning and significance cannot be found ‘under the sun.’ It must be found in eternity with our Creator (1:4-11).
 
Where Are We Going?
First Discourse: Observations on Various Areas of Life in Order to Demonstrate Finite Man’s Lack of Ultimate Gain (1:12-6:9)
Personal Observations on Various Life Situations (1:12-3:22)
Observations on Human Achievement and Wisdom (1:12-2:26)
The Pursuit of Wisdom (1:12-18)
Ecclesiastes 1:12–18 (NIV)
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
​
Ecclesiastes 1:12 NIV12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
 
Teacher
Qoheleth - קֹהֶ֫לֶת
Solomon?
Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
 
Mind
Lit. “heart”
To Study and to Explore
Pursuit
Wisdom
Goal of the Pursuit
Under the Heavens
Another way of saying “under the sun” - finite humanity
Heavy Burden
“evil task” or “unhappy business”
Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
 
Seen
Observational nature of wisdom literature
Under the Sun
Limited, finite perspective
Meaningless
Hebel - הֶ֫בֶל
“enigmatic” and “frustrating”
Chasing after the Wind
Elusive, uncontrollable by finite man
Ecclesiastes 1:15 NIV15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
 
What is Crooked Cannot Be Straightened
Finite power or control
What is Lacking Cannot Be Counted
Finite knowledge or understanding
Ecclesiastes 1:16 NIV16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
 
Wisdom and Knowledge
The goal of the current pursuit to find ‘yitron’ or ‘profit’
More Than/Much
Superlative pursuit
Ecclesiastes 1:17 NIV17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
 
Understanding of Wisdom
Beyond gaining wisdom to seeking to understand it and how it works
Madness and Folly
The other side of wisdom - to look at “both sides of the coin”
Exhaustive Pursuit
This Too - Chasing after the Wind
The superlative and exhaustive pursuit of wisdom is an unsatisfactory answer to the question of 1:3.
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
 
Gain
“Profit” or “Advantage” - יִתְרוֹן
Ecclesiastes 1:18 NIV18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
 
Sorrow/Grief
Frequent attendant circumstances of the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge
The pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is not simple.
It is complex.
What Is the Main Point?
It is not that the pursuit of wisdom is completely pointless or useless. Wisdom has many advantages and can result in many positive outcomes. But… If your pursuit of wisdom is in order to find life’s ultimate “profit” or “advantage” or “value,” then your pursuit is misguided and will ultimately leave you disappointed.
“Human accomplishments are as insubstantial and fleeting as a puff of air; trying to find ultimate meaning in them is as futile as trying to catch the wind.” - Edward Curtis

"Who Will Come to the Banquet?" (Luke 14:15-24)

"Who Will Come to the Banquet?" (Luke 14:15-24)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 7, 2021
Luke 14:15–24 (NIV)
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
 
Acts 13:44–47 (NIV)
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 28:28 (NIV)
28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
Luke 13:30 (NIV)
30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
 
Main Idea: Christ rejects those who try to make themselves righteous. Rather, he graciously makes righteous the spiritually blind, poor, and crippled.

"Running in Circles" (Ecclesiastes 1:4-11)

"Running in Circles" (Ecclesiastes 1:4-11)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
2“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Life is enigmatic and puzzling. This enigmatic nature of life (without a heavenly perspective) can lead to frustration, discouragement, and desperation (verse 2).
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
3What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Life is full of work and labor. But what are we really achieving with all of our labor? Is there any enduring profit or advantage as a result of all this work (verse 3)?
Verses 4-11 are a poem that addresses the programmatic question of verse 3 and sets the stage for the discussion that follows.
Are we really getting anywhere? Things come and go. Everything is cyclical. The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same (v. 4-7). Is there any “profit” in pursuing our desires or in achieving new things (vv. 8-10)? What does our labor get us if we are soon forgotten (v. 11)?
The Cyclical Pattern of Nature and Life (vv. 4-8).
The cyclical vs. the enduring (v. 4).
Ecclesiastes 1:4 NIV
4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
The Hebrew term “dor” could refer to a generation of people, which replaces the one that came before it. However, the root idea of “dor” is a “circle” or “circular motion.”
“Verse 4 contrasts a circular movement within nature with the steadfast and immovable earth.” - Graham Ogden
The cyclical pattern of the days (the rising and setting of the sun) (v. 5).
Ecclesiastes 1:5 NIV
5The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
The emphasis is on the constancy of movement. It is a never-ceasing activity which constantly repeats itself.
The cyclical pattern of the wind (v. 6).
Ecclesiastes 1:6 NIV
6The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
The sun moves east to west, and the wind is said to move north to south and back again. So, verses 5-6 cover all directions on earth.
The cyclical pattern of water (v. 7).
Ecclesiastes 1:7 NIV
7All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
“The never-ending motion within nature ... does not move toward completion; it knows only constant and cyclic motion.” - Graham Ogden.
The cyclical pattern of human activity (v. 8).
Ecclesiastes 1:8 NIV
8All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
 
Ecclesiastes 1:8 KJV
8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Human labor goes on and on.
The mouth never runs out of things to say.
The eye never runs out of things to see.
The ear never runs out of things to hear.
Like the sea is never filled up though water keeps flowing into it, so the words that people can speak are limitless, the things that people can see are limitless, and the things that people can hear are limitless.
“The ceaseless activity which has already been exemplified in the natural world of sun, wind, and stream in vv. 5-7, is true also of the human world.” - Graham Ogden
Something New, Something Old (vv. 9-10).
The repetitive nature of human achievement (v. 9).
Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV
9What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
The deceptive appearance of the “new” (v. 10).
Ecclesiastes 1:10 NIV
10Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
“The world remains, yet within it there is a flow, a cycle of regular and unceasing activity. Such cyclic motion may give the impression that certain occurrences are actually new and novel. Qoheleth suggests that what appears new is but the recurrence of some aspect of the past; it is new only to the one who newly experiences it.” - Graham Ogden
“‘Newness is not a category for describing this-worldly matters… Qoheleth has asked whether yitrôn [“profit” or “advantage”] is attainable ‘under the sun.’ He now suggests (v. 10) that ‘under the sun’ is not the appropriate place to look for yitrôn. For that which is completely new we must step outside this world and think in other-worldly terms.” - Graham Ogden
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (v. 11).
 
Ecclesiastes 1:11 NIV
11No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
“One cannot expect to live on in the collective memory, and thus have an ‘after life’. Such hope is illusory.” - Graham Ogden
What is the purpose of this poem?
It justifies and sets the stage for the study of life and human existence “under the sun.”
Life is a permanent feature of the world, though it is marked by ebb and flow and repetitive cylces.
In this world that is permanent but has repetitive cycles of actions and events, humanity struggles for comprehension of life.
That which is seen as ‘new’ is actually the ‘recurrent past’.
Neither ‘newness’ nor yitrôn [‘profit’] can ultimately be found “under the sun.” We need a meaning for our existence that comes from ‘beyond the sun.’
“The poem alerts us to two key issues that Qohelet will struggle with as he explores the benefit of labor and thus the meaning of life: the repetitiveness of history and the fact that people are not remembered...if on the basis of observation one concludes that history is endlessly repetitive, then it is indeed hard to see the value of labor and of life. One might find meaning in the fact that one’s hard work and achievements will be remembered, but as the poem notes, no matter what one’s achievements, people are quickly forgotten, so that meaning cannot be grounded in remembrance. Theologically, the poem therefore raises the issue of how we view history and of where we locate our identity or meaning in life. Scripture and the Christian tradition rightly recognize, with this poem, that a cyclical view of history is hope-less, and also alert us to the fact that we cannot root our identity in others and their remembrance of us.” - Craig Bartholomew
Life keeps moving. Round and round it goes. Where can we find ultimate meaning and significance if there is nothing really new and we are so quickly forgotten? This ultimate meaning and signficance cannot be found ‘under the sun.’ it must be found in eternity with our Creator.

"Is This Your Seat?" (Luke 14:1-14)

"Is This Your Seat?" (Luke 14:1-14)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, February 28, 2021
Luke 14:1-14, NIV
14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child[a] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” 6 And they had nothing to say.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Proverbs 25:6-7, NIV
6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,    and do not claim a place among his great men;7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.
Luke 13:30, NIV
30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
Main Idea: Humble yourself before God, because God invites the poor and needy to his table.

"No Entitlements" (Luke 13:22-35)

"No Entitlements" (Luke 13:22-35)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, February 21, 2021
 
Luke 13:22–35 NIV
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Genesis 15:6 NIV
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
 
Luke 13:22–24 NIV
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
There is only one door.
John 10:9 NIV
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Jesus controls the door.
Luke 13:25–27 NIV
Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
There is judgment outside the door.
Luke 13:28 NIV
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.
You are not entitled to a seat at the table. Not everyone will make it through the door.
Luke 13:29 NIV
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.
 
Luke 13:30 NIV
Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
There is blessing and salvation inside the door.
Time is running short before the door will be closed.
Luke 13:31 NIV
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
 
Luke 13:32–33 NIV
He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
 
Luke 13:34–35 NIV
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
The greatest tragedy is to be so close to blessing, and yet face the judgment of God.
Main Idea: No one is entitled to the Kingdom of God. It is only by grace that anyone enters the Kingdom of God, and everyone who enters must enter through Jesus Christ, the one and only way to God.

"Serving the King and Others" (Luke 13:10-21)

"Serving the King and Others" (Luke 13:10-21)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchFebruary 14, 2021, Sunday AM
Luke 13:10–21 NIV10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Luke 4:18–21 NIV
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,    because he has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners    and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
 
Luke 4:43 NIV43But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”
 
Main Idea: As servants of the King of Kings, we are called upon to show compassion and to love our neighbor.

"Puzzles and Profits" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)

"Puzzles and Profits" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist Church
February 10, 2021, Wednesday PM
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 CSB
“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 CEB
“Perfectly pointless,” says the Teacher, “perfectly pointless. Everything is pointless.”
 
What is the meaning of “Hebel”?
(hebel) הֶבֶל
Theme word of Ecclesiastes
Does it mean “vanity” or “meaningless” or “futility”?
Unique and purposeful meaning in Ecclesiastes
“Hebel” in Ecclesiastes
Consider scenarios that are described as “hebel” in Ecclesiastes.
Note that “hebel” is accompanied by other key expressions in Ecclesiastes.
“Hebel” is often balanced by calls to enjoy God’s good gifts.
How is “Hebel” used in Ecclesiastes?
The scenarios examined by Qoheleth and described as “hebel” do not fit the meaning of “meaningless” or “futile” or “vanity.”
The accompanying phrases “chasing the wind” (“shepherding the wind”), “a sore affliction,” and “an unhappy business” do not support the meaning of “meaningless,” “futility,” or “vanity.”
The repeated calls to enjoy God’s good gifts provide key structural clues and rule out the meanings of “meaningless,” “futility,” and “vanity.”
So, what does “Hebel” mean in Ecclesiastes?
“Hebel in Qoheleth has a distinctive function and meaning: it conveys the notion that life is enigmatic, and mysterious; that there are many unanswered and unanswerable questions. The person of faith recognizes this fact but moves forward positively to claim and enjoy the life and the work which God apportions.” - Graham Ogden
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
 
Key Question
If “hebel” is the key theme word in Ecclesiastes, verse 3 and the idea of “profit or gain” is the programmatic question.
What is the meaning of “Yitron”?
(yitron) יִתְרוֹן
Comes from a root word that normally conveys the idea of a “profit” or “gain.”
Used in contexts relating to commercial enterprise.
The term “yitron” is coined by Qoheleth.
It clearly does not have a material or financial meaning in Ecclesiastes.
It cannot be found “under the sun.”
“If it is not equated with some worldly, measurable benefit, then it probably belongs to a somewhat different order… Qoheleth is at least pointing in the direction of a yitrôn which transcends the present earthly experience.” - Graham Ogden
“Yitron” in Ecclesiastes
The term “yitron” (gain, profit, or advantage) has “a metaphorical sense to speak of that which is non-material. It might refer, in part, to an inner contentment which abides throughout an enigmatic life, but it seems also to incorporate the possibility of some experience beyond death.” - Graham Ogden
Puzzles and Profits
So, the true “profit” that the wise may receive and that will one day make sense of all of life’s “puzzles” is not to be found in this life “under the sun.” It is to be found in “eternity” (3:11).

"On Borrowed Time" (Luke 13:1-9)

"On Borrowed Time" (Luke 13:1-9)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, February 7, 2021
Luke 13:1-9, NIV
13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Main Idea: We are all sinners living on borrowed time; and unless we repent, we will all perish.

"Introducing Ecclesiastes" (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)

"Introducing Ecclesiastes" (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)
Wednesday Bible Study
February 3, 2021
Ecclesiastes has long been regarded as the most enigmatic book in the Bible. Its refrain that “all is vanity under the sun” sounds more like twentieth-century existentialism than biblical faith. On the other hand, several times the book counsels its readers to grasp the joys of life as gifts from God. How these seemingly opposite themes are viewed leads to dramatically different understandings of the text. By composing the book’s message in autobiographical terms, the author takes the readers along as he seeks to discover lasting significance in life. - Daniel J. Estes
Ecclesiastes 1:1 NIV
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
 
"Teacher" - קֹהֶלֶת (qohelet)
Derived from a verb meaning "to assemble" or "to gather."
"Teacher or Leader of the Assembly"
"One who gathers material for education of the public."
"Ecclesiastes" - derives from the Greek term ἐκκλησία (ekklesia), "assembly."
"Ecclesiastes" is the title of the book in the Greek Bible and the Latin Bible.
The book is referred to as "Qoheleth" in the Hebrew Bible.
"Son of David, King in Jerusalem"
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Solomon?
A later author around the time of the exile or after the exile?
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB95
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 Tanakh
Utter futility!—said Koheleth— Utter futility! All is futile!
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 (Bartholomew)
“Utterly enigmatic,” says Qohelet, “utterly enigmatic, everything is enigmatic.”
 
“Meaningless”? ( הֶבֶל "hevel")
"breath"
"wind"
"vanity"
"empty"
"idol"
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

"Time's Up! Whose Side Are You On?" (Luke 12:49-59)

"Time's Up! Whose Side Are You On?" (Luke 12:49-59)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, January 31, 2021
 
Luke 12:49–59 NIV
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Unbelievers Deserve Judgment from Jesus, but First He Is on a Mission to Deliver His Disciples.
Luke 12:49 NIV
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
 
Luke 3:16–17 NIV
16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
 
Luke 12:50 NIV
50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
 
Mark 10:37–40 NIV
37They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39“We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
Jesus and His Word Divide Disciples from Unbelievers.
Luke 12:51–53 NIV
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
 
Matthew 10:37–40 NIV
37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. 40“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
Disciples Discern Accurately Who Jesus Is by the Spirit.
Luke 12:54–56 NIV
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
 
1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV
3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
 
Matthew 16:15–17 NIV
15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Disciples Do Not Delay in Being Reconciled to God.
Luke 12:57–59 NIV
57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
 
Main Idea: The time is short; judgment is coming. Judgment is coming for unbelievers, but salvation for Jesus' disciples. Disciples of Jesus are marked by spiritual discernment and believing in Jesus, and by not delaying in being reconciled to God.

"Out of the Depths" (Psalm 130)

"Out of the Depths" (Psalm 130)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, January 27, 2021
Psalm 130
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;2     Lord, hear my voice.Let your ears be attentive    to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,    Lord, who could stand?4 But with you there is forgiveness,    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,    and in his word I put my hope.6 I wait for the Lord    more than watchmen wait for the morning,    more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,    for with the Lord is unfailing love    and with him is full redemption.8 He himself will redeem Israel    from all their sins.
May your time in the depths lead you to God not away from him (vv. 1–2).
May your time in the depths lead you to repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing (vv. 3–4).
May your time in the depths lead you to wait with great anticipation for God and his deliverance (vv. 5–6).
May your time in the depths lead you to put your hope and trust in God alone (vv. 7–8).
Main Idea: In the darkest and most difficult times of life, we must patiently trust in God, who hears, forgives, rescues, and redeems.