Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 29, 2021
The End of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14
Review/Overview
-last section: 8:16-12:14
-8:16-9:9: Remaining incongruities shouldn’t diminish joy.
-9:10-11:6: Work hard and understand you don’t know everything.
-11:7-12:2: Dependence and delight are the keys to satisfaction.
1. Perspective from Solomon’s Proverbial Statements. 11:1-6
• Life is uncertain. Be generous anyway. (1-2)
• Take life as it comes. (3)
• When it comes to work, just do it! (4)
• Remember your limitations. (5-6)
2. Preparation for the Future Should Begin in the Present. 11:7-12:12
• Relish life while you can. (7-8)
• Rejoice in your youth and remember the judgment of God. (9)
• Remove vexation and evil. (10)
• Remember your Creator. (1-2)
• Observe the house/body analogy. (3-7)
• Grasp the implications for applying the message of Ecclesiastes. (8-12)
3. Consider the End of the Matter. 12:13-14
• Fear God and do what He says.
• Make the NT connection. (2 Corinthians 4:7-18)
• Real satisfaction comes only to those who depend on God’s guidance and delight in His governance.
• “This is my Father’s world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad!” (Babcock)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 22, 2021
The Righteousness of Another
Ecclesiastes 7:16-29
Review
-Satisfaction doesn’t come from within man. (1:1-2:26)
-God is sovereign. Objections are refuted. (3:1-5:20)
-Only God gives satisfaction/enjoyment in the midst of vanity. (6:1-8:15)
– Properly perceive external circumstances (6:1-7:15) and properly perceive humanity (7:16-29)
1. Apply the antidote of the fear of God. (16-22)
• our tendency to superficially assess circumstances and people
• the overly righteous/wise
• the overly wicked/foolish
• the survival of the “fearing”
• the strength of wisdom
• “…The God-given ability to see life objectively and to handle life with stability.” (Swindoll)
• the truth about all people
• cutting fellow-sinners some slack
2. Understand that the problem isn’t with God but with us. (23-29)
• acknowledgment of human inability
• under the sun discernment of danger (Proverbs 23:27-28)
• the scarcity of integrity
• the ongoing defiance of humanity
• the only remedy: the righteousness of Another (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
3. So What?
• Knowing that all situations and all humans are not as they may appear, avoid surface evaluations and rely on the righteousness of Christ.
• “…This is all my righteousness: nothing but the blood of Jesus…” (Lowry)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 15, 2021
The Sacrifice of Fools
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20
I. Review
• God places everything in its place according to His perfect perspective. 3:1-15
• Answering theoretical objections to sovereignty 3:16-4:16
• Focus: practical obstacles that hinder the understanding of sovereignty
• Two key considerations: how you think about God and how you live before God
II. Vertical Insights (1-7)
• fools at worship 1-3
• fools and thoughtless vows 4-7
• applications
♦ Draw near and listen well.
♦ Be quiet and stay calm.
♦ Make a commitment and keep it
III. Horizontal Obstacles (8-17)
• being naive 8-9
• being greedy 10-11
• being anxious 12-17
IV. Gifts to Claim (18-20)
• two key phrases
• capacity to enjoy 18
• fulfillment of work 19
• contentment of heart 20
V. So What?
• Because God gives the power for enjoyment, you can thrive under the sun!
• connection to Christ: 2 Cor. 1:20
• “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever…The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1647)
• “…And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, ‘twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.” (Hankey)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 8, 2021
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
1. Viewing Life through the Lens of God’s Sovereignty (1-8)
• life “under the loom”
• “everything” in the hands of God
• apportions times, seasons and tasks
• exhaustive sovereignty demonstrated through a series of contrasts
2. Applying the Joy-Fueling Principle of God’s Sovereignty (9-15)
• two questions: What’s the profit? (9) and What’s the purpose? (10)
• two affirmations:
God makes all things beautiful (fitting, appropriate) in His time
God has placed eternity in our hearts (11)
• two observations:
God gives ability, appetite and orientation (12-13)
God’s actions involve permanence, completeness, reverence and repetition (14-15)
3. So What?
• Because God really is in control, acknowledge your accountability to Him and trust Him to order your steps.
• incentive to look “above the sun” and to the Son (1 Cor. 1:26-31)
• Throw your hands up in faith!
• “Think not that God has thee forsaken when sorrows crown your acts of care, nor that He sleeps and cannot waken while evil prospers everywhere. Each recompense will have its hour. God sets the times with truth, with love and power.” (G. Neumark, “If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee”)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 1, 2021
Satisfaction in a Strange Place: Insights for Life under the Sun
Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:26
1. Introduction/Overview
• authorship: Solomon
• genre: wisdom literature
• structure: Satisfaction evaluated (1:1-2:26), Sovereignty explained (3:1-5:20)
Sovereignty applied (6:1-8:15), Concerns addressed (8:16-12:14)
2. Nature of the Book
• not a book for “cheerful fools”
• not a “grab-bag” of inspirational quotes
3. Three Key Emphases
• vanity, vanity…
• under the sun
• the great gift of God
4. Observations from 1:1-2:26
• search for satisfaction
• inscrutable repetition (1:1-11)
• truth about earthly existence (1:12-2:11)
• God gives things and the capacity to enjoy them (2:12-26)
5. The Doctrinal Foundation for Joy
• defining joy
• sovereignty of God
• grace of God
6. So What?
• Because the search for satisfaction is futile apart from God, commit yourself now to the fundamentals of fellowship with and fear of Him.
• connection to Christ: 2 Cor. 4:7-18
• “Who can satisfy my soul like You? Who can comfort me and love me like you do? Who could ever be more faithful and true? There is a fountain, who is a King, victorious Warrior and Lord of everything. My Rock, my Shelter, my very own, Blessed Redeemer who reigns upon the throne.” (Slaughter) (Psalm 107:9)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 25, 2021
Guest Speaker: Sherry Forester
Faith in God
Rahab’s Red-Letter Day
Joshua 2:1-7,2:8-24,6:20-26
I. COURAGEOUS FAITH (Joshua 2:1-7)
• God chooses unlikely people to accomplish His plan.
II. COMMITTED FAITH (Joshua 2:8-24, 6:20-26)
• Faith in God gives peace for today and assurance for eternity.
III. CHANGED THROUGH FAITH (Matthew 1:5)
• Faith in God is life changing.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 18, 2021
A Fitting Conclusion
Job 42:1-17
1. The Sufferer’s Confession (1-6)
• in response to Job 38-41
• absolute and uninhibited sovereignty
• ignorant of his ignorance
• anatomy of repentance
2. The Servant’s Intercession (7-9)
• repetition of “servant”
• displeasure with Job’s “friends”
• significance of “seven” and “burnt offering”
• Job’s priestly and mediatorial roles
3. The LORD’S Restoration (10-17)
• from deprivation to restoration: “back from captivity”
• from alienation to reconciliation
• “ …far as the curse is found…” (Watts)
• Job died…more to come!
• culminating connections to Christ: Isa. 52:13, 1 John 2:1-2, Rom. 8:28, James 1:17
4. So What?
• In light of who the LORD is and who you are, acknowledge that the LORD is in control when your life seems out of control.
• Carefully steward your words. (Prov. 10:19)
• “Repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special ingredients: sight of sin, sorrow for sin, confession of sin, shame for sin, hatred of sin and turning from sin.” (Thomas Watson)
• Only as you understand the truth about the LORD do you begin to understand the truth about yourself and your circumstances.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 11, 2021
Job in the Dock
Job 40:1-14
-insightful analogy from C. S. Lewis
-The LORD speaks (38:1-40:2 and 40:6-41:34)
-Job finds himself on the witness stand!
1. Challenge of Intent 1-2
• question that closes the first speech
• the blurred line between Creator and creature
• significance of “LORD” and “Almighty”
2. Speechless Sufferer 3-5
• vocabulary change (19:9, 29:20, 31:37)
• hand over his mouth
3. Challenge of Justice 6-9
• out of the “whirlwind” and “Brace yourself!”
• The LORD will ask the questions now!
• Job: in no position to pass judgment
• the arm and voice of God
4. Challenge of Identity 10-14
• majesty and splendor? (Psa. 93:1-5; 144:4; 147:4)
• answering the “If I were in charge…” lament
• self-savior or in need of a Rescuer?
Connection to Christ: Rom. 8:1; 11:33-36
5. So What?
• In light of God’s Self-revelation, prioritize personal submission to Him when suffering comes.
• “Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might, Thy justice like mountains high soaring above, Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.” (W. Smith)
• Grow downward in humiliation before God and upward in adoration of Christ. (C. Simeon)
• “Lord, show me myself…Lord, show me Thyself.” (H. McPhail)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 4, 2021
Past Finding Out
Job 36:1-37:24
-introduction to Elihu and his speeches (Job 32-37)
-angry with Job and Job’s three friends
-more engaging and orthodox theological presentation
1. Suffering as God’s Discipline 36:1-21
• affirmation of God’s power and knowledge
• educational aspect of suffering
• presence of creative purpose
• lessons about our character, God’s character and the character of faith
2. Suffering in Light of God’s Majestic Providence 37:22-37:24
• God’s goodness, incomprehensibility, and praiseworthiness
• exaltation of power and greatness
• examples of power and greatness
• series of humbling questions
• connection to Christ (John 8:46)
3. So What?
• Because God’s character and consequent actions are past finding out, determine to rely on him in the darkness of suffering.
• “When darkness seems to hide His face…” (Mote)
• “O joy that seekest me through pain…” (Matheson)
• “And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight…” (Spafford)
• “The wise man rides the wave; the fool is drowned by it.” (Flavel)
• “These inward trials I now employ from self and pride to set thee free, and break thy schemes of earthly joy that thou may’st seek thy all in Me.” (Newton, “Prayer Answered by Crosses”)
