Ecclesiastes

"That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."  (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Ecclesiastes begins with the Words, "Vanity," or, "vapor, breath."  It can also mean, "emptiness, delusion, fleeting."  Simply stated, This is life "outside" Jesus Christ.

A social worker in the infamous Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco was once asked what was his biggest problem in working in that area.  His response, "The turtleneck fundy."  Okay, so he was a secularist appraising the Church.  But I can say that there are "turtlenecks" today who are not dissimilar to those in the late 60s.  They are people who believe that if you become or are more like "them," music, dress, even "doing church, etc., you will more likely lead them to Jesus Christ.  "Vapor, breath, fleeting."

Our text tells me that we should be vary wary of always attempting to come up with "new."  It can too often be motivated by, The "old" is inferior to the "new."  What would the Church be like if we referred to "The New Testament," as the "Fulfilled Testament?" (Rhetorical)  Jesus says that He did not come to destroy the "old," rather, "I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  I see this as a way the 21st Century Church should look at its "past."  Bring it along rather than abandon it altogether.

Much of the modern Church believes that the "old" music is irrelevant for "today."  It is a not-so-subtle judgment on past generations of those who Followed Jesus.  Songs today are no "better" than songs of yesterday.  Nothing I have ever heard can replace, "Be, Thou, My Vision," or, "Fairest Lord Jesus," or, "Holy, Holy, Holy."  So my "thought for the day" is, Get over the infatuation with "new."  After all, "There is nothing new under the sun."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much, "For all the saints who from their labor rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.  Alleluia, Alleluia."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2