Truth will offend

Morning. So I've come up with a theory

that the level of comfort of the person standing by the pulpit is

directly correlated to the distance they create between

them and the pulpit. If you see Rory preach, he'll be

walking up and down, back and forth, and Steven walks that

side and this side and this is me.

So please pray for me. I'm working on it.

There's a line in one of my favorite movies, A Few Good Men,

where Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson are in the courtroom.

And Jack Nicholson says to Tom Cruise, do you want answers?

And Tom Cruise says, I think I'm entitled to it.

And Jack Nicholson says, do you want answers?

And Tom Cruise says, I want the truth.

And then Jack Nicholson says, there we go.

You can't handle the truth. For the rest of you that don't

know that, let's have a look. You want answers?

I think I'm entitled the truth. You can't handle the truth.

All right, we can't handle the truth.

When Rory came up to me and he said get ready to preach on

Ecclesiastes, I got fired up and I went into full prep mode and I

was ready for this. But then as the weeks went on,

Rory and Stephen kind of covered every topic that I was preparing

on. So I'd sit there and just go

like, OK, not that one, not that one.

So today I thought instead of preaching out of Ecclesiastes, I

would preach on Ecclesiastes. Because something I've heard

over the past couple of weeks covering the series and in

general is that Ecclesiastes is one of the most difficult books

to read. And some resources rank it after

Revelation as the third or fourth most difficult book to

read. But I would actually argue the

opposite. I think Ecclesiastes is one of

the easiest books to read. That's just one of the hardest

to accept because the challenge isn't in understanding the

words, it's in facing the truth that they reveal in this book.

And if there's one thing that us humans struggle with, it's

hearing the truth right. We can't handle the truth.

So Ecclesiastes is also a book of feedback because it strips

away the illusions we cling to. That belief of our efforts, our

wealth, our pleasures, and even our wisdom will give us lasting

fulfillment in Ecclesiastes 1-2, Solomon, the wisest man that

ever lived. You've heard Stephen say this.

He declares meaningless, meaningless.

Everything is meaningless. And that's a hard truth to you.

And it's an even harder truth for us to accept.

And in my line of work, we have a saying that if you can't

accept feedback, you have an ego problem.

And I'll get to that in a second.

Let's see. We live in a world that thrives

on instant gratification. People mistake what feels good

for what is true. We chase things that entertain

us rather than things that transform us, and we choose

comfort over correction. We prefer lies that affirm us

over the truth that convicts us. But Ecclesiastes reminds us that

all these things pleasure, wealth, power, status, they're

temporary, They fade, they fail, they disappoint.

Yet people keep running after them, convinced that this time

the world will keep its promise. But it never does.

We also live in a world where many people seem to be easily

offended, where any disagreement or challenge is seen as an

attack rather than an opportunity of growth.

The rise of social media has amplified this, reinforcing

emotional reactions rather than encouraging thinking or

resilience. So if what I say today is

offensive, I would like to apologize to absolutely nobody

because my prayers that we walk away and not offended but

encouraged about what God is trying to do in our hearts.

So from a biblical perspective, offenses is often linked to

pride. That's linked to lack of

patience and unwillingness to bear in love with others.

If we look at Proverbs 1911 that says a person's wisdom yields

patience. It is to one's glory to overlook

an offence. So the Bible encourages us,

encourages us to be slow to anger.

In James 119 it says, my dear brothers and sisters, take note

of this. Everyone should be quick to

listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

And then if we add Ephesians 4, two to that, it says, be

completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one

another in love. The Bible also warns us that

truth will be offensive to those who reject it.

In one Peter it says that Jesus himself was a stumbling block to

those who refused to accept him. And Paul reminds us in One

Corinthians, For the message of the cross is foolishness to

those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is

the power of God. In other words, offense often

comes when people resist truth, they resist correction, and they

resist conviction. So while society encourages us

to take offense as a form of self protection, Scripture calls

for humility, endurance, and a willingness to engage with one

another in truth and love. Colossians 3 says to us,

Therefore, as God's chosen people, wholly and dearly loved,

clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness,

and patience. So instead of reacting

emotionally, the Bible teaches us to forgive, to be patient,

and not to let offense take control of our lives.

Looking at Ecclesiastes as we have in the past couple of

weeks, we might see this book as offensive.

That tells us that no matter how hard we work, no matter how much

we gain, no much how, no matter how much we think we are in

control, our lives are fleeting, meaningless, meaningless.

Everything is meaningless. And in Ecclesiastes, as always,

God speaks truth and the truth offends people who build their

lives on lies. Proverbs 1618 says pride goes

before destruction and a haughty spirit before fall.

Pride is what makes people reject truth.

Pride is what makes people offended rather than convicted,

and pride is what makes people fight feedback rather than grow

from it. When it comes to pride and ego,

the irony is that in the war of ego, the loser always wins.

And the person who lays down their pride, who humbles

themselves and receives the truth, even if it stings, they

will win the battle that really matters.

So Rory mentioned this a while ago, but it's at the end of last

year. A couple of months ago I was

considering uprooting my entire family, leaving this amazing

community, and moving to Cape Town for a job offer that I

received. And if I'm completely honest,

even though I was praying about it and reading seeking

scripture, I was purely doing this to chase generational

wealth for my family. So I saw counsel from Rory, I

sat down with him, I told him I plan.

And Rory was nice enough not to tell me in that exact moment

what he thought about my plan. And I think that didn't happen

because God had already planned that he was going to reveal the

truth to me. And that decision has come and

gone. Instead of Cape Town.

We are firmly rooted in Pretoria with this community.

Instead of chasing generational wealth, I'm chasing generational

faith for my children and their children.

But The thing is, if Rory told me in that moment that my plan

to move to Cape Town is a bad plan and I shouldn't do it

instead of seeing the truth in it, I would have been offended

because it would have bruised my ego because it's not what I

wanted to hear from him. I even walked out and I phoned

my wife is like he didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, right.

So looking back at at that as it played out, I realized that if

we see God in everything, he will reveal and confirm the

truth to us. But if we seek the world, the

truth will offend us a little less serious.

But for those of you that know me well, you know, I'm very

passionate about my archery. I spend way too much time at

Arch's Edge that I'd like to admit.

I don't know if I should thank or blame Reg Grant for that.

But I go to my wife with these thoughts in my head and I say to

like baby, you know, I'm really enjoying this archery.

I'm getting into competitions. I'm getting pretty good at it,

but I'm competing with a hunting bow and these guys, I can't

really compete if I don't have a competition bow, you know, And

like for me to be competitive, they just launched this new

competition bow that'll make me, it'll make me stable and

accurate. And this is something that I

have to get. And in my head, there's no other

response. She can have that other than

babe, go and get it right. But then she hits me with a, OK,

does this make financial sense right now to do that?

Or is it something that you really need?

So obviously my response isn't thank you for revealing the

truth to me, right? My response is I go to my office

and I said all grumpy and I feel sorry for myself because she

didn't tell me what I wanted to hear.

So how often do you seek someone's advice or opinion only

because you want them to confirm what you want to hear?

How often do you read scripture but you selectively ignore or

apply some of it because the rest doesn't stroke your ego?

How often do we pray to God and we ask Him for something, but

then we get frustrated and we feel sorry for ourselves because

God didn't answer us the way that we wanted Him to?

What is it that we are chasing ultimately in life?

We sat here this morning with stress, anxiety, and worry, not

because of what God has said, but because we've been chasing

what the world has promised us. We believe that success will

bring peace, but it never does. We believe that the more money,

the more things, or the more status we have, it'll satisfy

us. But it doesn't.

And we believe that avoiding discomfort will make us better,

but it only makes us weaker. Because Solomon had everything.

He had wealth, He had wisdom, power, pleasure.

But in the end, he realized that none of that mattered apart from

God. So with a series of

Ecclesiastes, we've heard the truth, but will we accept it and

believe it, or will we be offended by it?

So in the church today, I believe we're at crossroads.

We can't preach messages that keep people comfortable, or we

can preach messages that keep people comfortable, or we can

preach messages that convicted, But we can't do both.

The world doesn't need another soft gospel.

The world doesn't need more motivational speeches disguised

as sermons. The world needs the truth.

We need the truth. The truth that offends before it

heals, the truth that humbles before it lifts up, and the

truth that tears down pride before it builds up faith.

Paul said in Two Timothy 4, verse 3.

For the time will come when people will not put up with

sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own

desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers

to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to

myths. It says, Therefore the time will

come. And I believe we are living in

those times. But As for you and me, we've

been called to stand in truth. Not because it's popular, Not

because it's easy, because it's eternal.

Solomon's final conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12 is this.

Fear God and keep his commandments.

Commandments. For this is the whole duty of

man. Everything else is noise.

Everything else fades. So when we come to church and we

hear the truth or we read the truth, accept it even if it

offends, even if it costs you because John 832 says then you

will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

One of my favourite quotes, Richard C Halvorson, he says a

man can never be the same after hearing God's truth spoken in

the power of the Holy Spirit. He will either obey and go

forward or ignore and die a little.

This is not just a poetic statement, it's a spiritual law

because when God's truth is revealed to a person that

demands a response that does not allow neutrality.

The moment truth is received that places a weight upon the

soul that must be reckoned with. This is why the Gospel is both

life giving and it's dangerous because it forces a choice.

When the Holy Spirit moves through the preaching of God's

truth, the erer us, we are confronted with a crossroad,

obedience or resistance. Option number one, we obey and

go forward. When we hear God's truth and

submit to it, transformation begins within us, our hearts.

Often we step, our steps align with God's will, and His life

begins to bear fruit of righteousness in us.

We are refined, we are renewed, and we are drawn closer to Him.

Option #2 We ignore and we die a little.

When we hear the truth and we resist it, we don't remain

unchanged. We harden on the inside.

Our heart becomes dull, our spirits become resistant, and

the ability to hear God's Spirit or the Holy Spirit diminishes.

So we step further away from God's presence.

And with every rejection of truth, something in US Withers.

This is why no man is ever the same.

After hearing truth preached in the power of the Spirit, he has

either taken a step toward life or a step towards spiritual

decay. Throughout Scripture we see

these principles play out in the lives of those who encountered

God's truth. So in Matthew 26 we see Peter

and Judas. Both men sinned against Christ.

Both men heard truth from the mouth of Jesus.

Peter repented and he was restored.

He went forward in obedience and became a pillar of the early

church. Judas rejected the truth and he

chose self destruction. His rejection of grace led to

spiritual and literal death. Another example, in Exodus,

Pharaoh heard God's truth through Moses, but each time he

refused, his heart hardened into Samuel.

David, when confronted by Nathan over his sin, he repented

immediately, though it cost him dearly.

But his response allowed him to remain a man after God's heart.

And then in Luke 18, the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus the

rich young ruler, heard Jesus called to surrender his wealth,

but he walked away sorrowful and his heart shrank.

Zacchaeus, when confronted with Jesus, responded with joyful

obedience, and his life was forever changed.

So in each case, truth demands a response.

Some obeyed and they walk closer to God, while others resisted

and stepped towards death. And the thing about truth,

especially God's truth, ignoring it, does not leave us unchanged.

It deadens our soul and it dims our spiritual vision.

It decreases our capacity to hear God's voice.

Hearing truth and rejecting it makes the next rejection easier.

The conscience becomes seared. One Timothy.

The heart becomes calloused. Hebrews 3.

Sin becomes easier and repentance becomes harder.

Every time a man chooses to ignore God's voice, he dies a

little inside, not physically, but spiritually.

This is why Jesus often said Matthew 1115.

He who has ears led him here, because to hear without

responding is a dangerous thing. Preaching is new to me, right?

As you can see, it's only my third time up here.

But I've come to realize that those who preach and teach

understand the weight of this reality.

Every time the gospel is proclaimed, people are either

being drawn towards Christ or they drifting further away from

Him. And This is why truth must be

preached boldly, not softened, not diluted, not made palatable

to our ego. When preachers watered down

truth to avoid offense, they robbed people from the

opportunity to make that life changing decision.

When churches avoid conviction, they create lukewarm believers

who think that there's they can just ignore truth without any

consequence. The reality is that every

sermon, every teaching, and every encounter with God's Word

is a life or death moment, a call to move forward or a call

to weather. Truth is also not passive.

It doesn't allow us to just sit comfortably in indifference.

You are either moving towards God or you are moving away from

Him. Joshua 24 verse 15 says choose

Joshua 24:15

this day whom you will serve. This choice happens every time

that we hear God's truth. Over the past few weeks we've

heard God's truth in Ecclesiastes and the question is

when we hear that, will we obey and go forward or will we ignore

it and just die a little? We cannot spend our lives

clinging to what we expected the world to offer us.

Vanities. Are vanities meaningless?

Everything is meaningless. God has a far greater plan for

each and us and He's given us the choice.

Seek His truth or as Roman 12/2 says, be conformed to this

world. And like Mark 8 verse 36 says,

Mark 8:36

for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeit

his soul? Beautiful.

Ecclesiastes teaches us that the true gain is not found in what

we accumulate, but it's found in what we become in Christ.

We've heard this over the past few weeks, we've read this, we

know this. But is it what we want to hear,

or does it offend our ego? That's a decision only we can

make. No one can do that for us.

We need the truth. But like Jack Nicholson said, we

can't handle the truth. Instead of accepting truth, the

enemy tells us we can't handle it.

And the enemy gives us things like ego and pride and offence

to fight truth. But Philippians 413 says this, I

can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Through Christ we are empowered to handle truth with courage and

perseverance. 2 Timothy one verse 7 says for the Spirit God

gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and

discipline. So we are given a spirit of

strength, not fear, to embrace and live out the truth of God.

God does not shield us from the truth, but He equips us to

embrace it. He equips us to receive it, to

process it, and to act on it with wisdom and courage.

Truth refines us and through His grace we are able to handle

whatever He reveals to us. So my prayer over the past

couple of weeks for all of us is when we are faced with something

like the series of Ecclesiastes or when we hear somebody preach

something from the frontier that is difficult, it's hard to

process, it's hard to accept. My prayer is that instead of

acting on that, we ask God to humble us, to lay down our pride

and our ego and not to take offence, and to ask God to

reveal the truth in it for us. Thanks.