Transcript ECCL. 3: 14-22 - Friends in Faith

THE HUMANIST CYNIC CONTINUES..
(With Occasional Godly Insight)
ECCL. 6: 1-12
MUSEUM OF PORTAITS
as painted by SOLOMON
 THE SERIOUS PHILOSOPHER WHO IS




BORED AND BEWILDERED
THE CLOWN WHO MAKES US LAUGH
THE PLAYBOY WHO FORGETS ALL
RESTRAINT
THE “GOOD TIME” CHARLIE WHO IS LIVING
IT UP
THE INDUSTRIOUS WORKER WHO HOPES
TO FIND SATISFACTION IN HIS JOB
PORTRAITS (CONTINUED)
 THE COMMITTED WORSHIPER WHO TRIES
TO CONNECT WITH GOD
 THE BLUE-COLLAR WORKER WHO LABORS
WITHOUT MUCH ANXIETY, YET NOT
WITHOUT HIS OWN STRUGGLES
 THE ENTREPRENEUR WHO LOSES IT ALL IN
BAD INVESTMENTS, WHO TOSSES AND
TURNS THROUGH THE NIGHT
 THE WEALTHY PERSON, THE “FILTHY RICH”
WHO SEEKS TO FIND SATISFACTION IN HIS
POSSESSIONS
SELF PORTRAIT
AS WE WALK THROUGH THE MUSEUM, WE COME TO A
CLEAR SELF-PORTRAIT OF THE TROUBLED KING
 HE DOESN’T SIGN HIS PORTRAIT, BUT IT
BECOMES OBVIOUS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE
MAN HIMSELF …..
 READ ECCL. 6:1-2
 “THERE IS AN EVIL WHICH I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE
SUN AND IT IS PREVALENT AMONG MEN – A MAN
TO WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN RICHES AND WEALTH
AND HONOR SO THAT HIS SOUL LACKS NOTHING
OF ALL THAT HE DESIRES, BUT GOD HAS NOT
EMPOWERED HIM TO EAT FROM THEM, FOR A
FOREIGNER ENJOYS THEM. THIS IS VANITY AND A
SORE AFFLICTION.”
TODAYS LESSON
 I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I AM GOING
TO TELL YOU
 THEN I AM GOING TO TELL YOU
 THEN I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I
TOLD YOU.
 ARE YOU WITH ME? in our Sunday School class
NO MATTER HOW MUCH (OR LITTLE)
HAVE
YOU
 “ENJOYMENT” IS A GIFT
FROM GOD
(INDEPENDENT OF LIFE’S
CIRCUMSTANCES)
PARADOX
 GOD GIFTS SOME WITH RICHES, WEALTH,
HONOR AND INFLUENCE….
 YET IS SPITE OF THE ENVIABLE
DELIGHTS,
 THE MAN/WOMEN IS
BLOCKED FROM ENJOYING
THESE BENEFITS.
NEED I AGAIN TELL YOU OF HOWARD
HUGHES
 FOOD – TWO OF EVERYTHING ..
REFRIGERATORS, STOVES, DISHES, UTENCILS. HE
WAS PARANOID OVER CATCHING A VIRUS OR
BACTERIA (MOST OF THE MOVIES DEPICTING HIS
LIFE SHOWS THIS BEHAVIOR) – PAUL KIBLER
 HE DID EVEN WANT TO BE IN A ROOM WITH
OTHERS … spot on clothes.. Had to remove item
 OBVIOUSLY, HE DID NOT ENJOY HIS EXTREME
WEALTH … eventually went to 22 cousins
 WHY?? ECCL. 6:1-2 GOD GIVES TO
SOME THE GIFT TO “ENJOY”
HOW ABOUT SOLOMON?
 READ 2 CHRON 1:11-12 “BECAUSE YOU HAD
THIS IN MIND, AND DID NOT ASK FOR
RICHES, WEALTH AND HONOR, OR THE
LIFE OF THOSE WHO HATE YOU….. “
 …“AND I WILL GIVE YOU RICHES AND
WEALTH AND HONOR, SUCH AS NONE
WHO WERE BEFORE YOU HAS POSSESSED,
NOR .. AFTER”
 WHAT WAS IMPLIED?
GODS GIVES EACH OF US GIFTS.. MOST
DIFFERENT THAT SOLOMON’S
 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HIS GIFTS TO US?
OLD TESTAMENT: GOD GAVE MATERIAL
BLESSINGS/GIFTS
e.g. JOB/ABRAHAM/DAVID/SOLOMON/ ET AL
NEW TESTAMENT: SPIRITUAL
BLESSINGS/GIFTS/gracious endowment
1 Cor 7:7 “BUT EVERY MAN (WOMAN) HATH
HIS/HER PROPER GIFT OF GOD” .. PURPOSE:
TO SERVE OTHERS .. (NEVER OURSELVES)
IT APPEARS THE “SELF PORTRAIT” OF
SOLOMON IS CONFIRMED
 HE USES GOD’S IDENTICAL WORDS…
 SOLOMON’S HUMANISTIC EVALUATION IS
 “THIS IS VANITY AND A SORE AFFLICTION”
(ECCL. 6:2)
 DO YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE
SAME EVALUATION IF HE HAD PURSUED
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE… “RIGHTEOUSNESS”?
 IS NOT THIS A LESSON FOR US?
OTHER “FOREIGNERS”
 THAT MAY PREVENT ENJOYMENT (FOR
MANY) …
 SICKNESS/CANCER/STROKE/POLIO/ET AL
 DOMESTIC CONFLICTS/WAR.. INCL FRATRICIDE
 NATURAL CALAMITY’S ..
EARTHQUAKES/FIRES/FLOODS/TORNADOES/
HURRICANES/BLIZZARDS/ETC.
 ACCIDENTS
HUMANISTS CALL THESE: “UNFAIR TWISTS/CRUEL
IRONY”
IS THE BELIEVER SUBJECT TO THESE “FOREIGNERS”?
MUST OUR RESPONSE BE THE SAME?
REMEMBER RABBI KUSHNER
 WROTE THE BOOK: “WHEN BAD THINGS
HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE” … AFTER HIS
SON DIED
 WRITES:
 “LIFE IS NOT FAIR…. THERE IS NO GOD, THE
WORLD IS NOTHING BUT CHAOS”
 HE STATED THAT GOD IS “SEVERALLY LIMITED”
 CLEARLY HIS DEFECTIVE THEOLOGY… IS MUCH
OF HIS PROBLEM (AND MANY WHO CALL
THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS). HE DOES NOT
BELIEVE IN A SOVEREIGN GOD.
SELF PORTRAIT PAINTED IN VERY DRAB
COLORS
 SO SOLOMON TRIES OTHER ISSUES TO TRY
TO BRIGHTEN UP HIS PICTURE
 1. HOW ABOUT IF YOU ADD MANY CHILDREN?
 ECCL 6:3 “IF A MAN FATHERS A HUNDRED
CHILDREN AND LIVES MANY YEARS, HOWEVER
MANY THEY BE, BUT HIS SOUL IS NOT SATISFIED
WITH GOOD THINGS AND HE DOES NOT EVEN
HAVE A PROPER BURIAL, THIS I SAY, BETTER THE
MISCARRIAGE THAN HE”
POINT: HAVING MANY MANY CHILDREN WILL
POINT:
HAVING
MANYLIFE
CHILDREN
WON’T
NOT
MAKE AMANY
DEPRESSED
FREE FROM
MAKE
A DEPRESSED LIFE FREE FROM
DEPRESSION
DEPRESSION
FAMILY REALITY SHOW
 TO THE CONTRARY…. LARGE FAMILIES BRING
INCREASED AND OFTEN THANKLESS
RESPONSIBILITES…
 TO CARE FOR
 TAKE CARE OF
 DEAL WITH
 RELATE TO
 LOVE AND DISCIPLINE
 AFFIRM AND PREPARE FOR LIFE AND RELEASE
 DID I FORGET ORTHODONTIST? (WE HAD FOUR)
HAVING MORE CHILDREN IS NOT THE
SOLUTION TO LIFE’S FRUSTRATION
 SOLOMON THEN SUGGESTS THAT
PERHAPS IF ONE LIVED MORE YEARS….
 MAYBE WHAT IS NEEDED IS A LONGER LIFE
 ECCL. 6:6 “Even if the other man lives a thousand
years twice and does not enjoy good things … do
not all go to one place (wind up in the grave)”
WELL?
 IF YOUR LIFE IS MARKED BY PAIN AND
HARDSHIP AND CALAMITY AND TRAGEDY,
 WHAT GOOD IS IT TO ADD A THOUSAND
MORE YEARS?
 THAT ONLY ADDS A THOUSAND MORE
SORROWS
 GENERALLY THE HUMANIST WANTS A SHORTER
LIFE THAN A LONGER ONE
ANOTHER POSSIBLITIY
 AH… ITS BECOMING A WORK-AHOLIC
 ECCL. 6:7 “ALL A MAN’S LABOR IS FOR HIS
MOUTH AND YET THE APPETITE (SOUL)
IS NOT SATISFIED”
I.E. WORK DOESN’T BRING SATISFACTION TO AN
EMPTY LIFE. HARD WORK DOESN’T BRING
RELIEF FROM DEPRESSION IF THERE ARE
CONFLICTS THAT FEED THE SOUL WITH
DISCOURAGEMENT.
SINCE NONE OF THESE THINGS HELP,
MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD A:
 SHARP MIND,
 WISDOM,
 …. A GOOD EDUCATION, YET…
 ECCL. 6:8 “FOR WHAT ADVANTAGE DOES THE
WISE MAN HAVE OVER THE FOOL? WHAT
ADVANTAGE DOES THE POOR MAN HAVE,
KNOWING HOW TO WALK BEFORE THE
LIVING?”
SOLOMON SEEMS TO BE SHOUTING AT
HIMSELF!
 STOP DREAMING/FANTACISING>>>>
 STOP THINKING YOU CAN ADD A FEW
DETAILS THAT WILL PUT SOME COLOR
INTO YOUR DRAB LIFE? … MANY CHILDREN
(WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?) .. MANY WIVES?
MORE YEARS? LONGER HOURS? MORE
EDUCATION? SHARPER MIND?
 NO, 1000 TIMES NO, IT WON’T WORK!
ARE YOU LIVING IN A DREAM
WORLD?
 IF I JUST HAD A 3 OR 4 CAR GARAGE,
 IF I JUST HAD ONE MORE LONG CRUISE
 IF I JUST DIDN’T HAVE ALL THESE WRINKLES
 IF MY BODY WOULD JUST WORK THE WAY IT
USED TO
 IF I WAS JUST MARRIED TO …
 IF I COULD JUST LOSE … POUNDS
 IF I COULD JUST OBTAIN AN ADDITIONAL $
PER MONTH …
SO
 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
 ECCL. 6: 9 “WHAT THE EYE’S SEE IS BETTER THAN
WHAT THE SOUL DESIRES”
 E.G. (A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH)
 IN AND OF LIFE IS UNIQUELY A GIFT FROM
ENJOYMENT GOD
 “HAVING IT ALL”, OR MANY CHILDREN OR A
LONG LIFE … IS NOT IN ITSELF THE WAY TO
HAPPINESS
“BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE” ..
WHAT YOUR EYE SEE’S
 “WITH GODLINESS IS GREAT GAIN” (PSALM
37:16, I TIM 6:6)
 SAINTS SHOULD EXHIBIT CONTENTMENT:






IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CALLINGS (I COR 7:20)
WITH APPOINTED WAGES (LUKE 3:14)
WITH WHAT THINGS YOU HAVE (HEB 1:35)
WITH FOOD AND CLOTHES (1 TIM 6:8)
BECAUSE OF GOD’S PROMISES (HEB 13:5)
ITS WHAT SOLOMON (HUMANISTS) DESIRE
 (ISA 5:8; ECCL 6)
 WORTH REPEATING…..
SOLOMON’S OBSERVATION NO.1
 “WHATEVER EXISTS HAS ALREADY BEEN
NAMED” (VS 10)
 GOD IS SOVEREIGN (IS GOD IN
CHARGE OR IS HE NOT?)
 IS GOD IN PANIC OVER HIS SAINTS
FINANCIAL LOSS?
 IS GOD IN PANIC OVER THE
POLITICAL MESS?
 DID YOU HEAR GOD SAY “OOPS”?
SOLOMON’S OBSERVATION NO. 2
 WE ARE NOT SOVEREIGN
 ECCL. 6:10B “AND IT IS KNOWN WHAT MAN IS”
 GOD IS THE POTTER, WE ARE THE CLAY..
 GOD IS INFINITE, WE ARE FINITE..
 GOD IS ALL POWERFUL, WE ARE SO LIMITED IN
STRENGTH AND ABILITY
 GOD IS FAITHFUL, WE ARE SO INCONSISTENT..
 IRRESPONSIBLE, FRACTURED, AND OFTEN
CONFUSED
QUIT TRYING TO TELL GOD HOW TO RUN
YOUR LIFE
 ECCL 6:10-11 “FOR HE CANNOT DISPUTE
WITH HIM WHO IS STRONGER THAN HE IS.
For there are many words which increase
futility. What then is the advantage to a
man?”
 READ ISAIAH 45: 9-12,
 READ DANIEL 4:35
 GOD IS SOVEREIGN.. HE DOES AS HE PLEASES
SO LONG AS I FIGHT/DISPUTE THE HAND OF GOD,
I WILL NOT LEARN THE LESSONS HE HAS BEFORE ME
 “EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES ME COMES
THROUGH THE HAND OF MY HEAVENLY
FATHER WHO CONTINUES TO LOVE ME
(AND FORGIVE ME), WHO CONTINUES TO
MAINTAIN CONTROL OF MY LIFE, WHO
CONTIUES TO BE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR MY LIFE AS HE DOES WITH ALL HIS
CREATED THINGS… THAT’S WHY HE IS
GOD”..
 C. SWINDOLL
WANT TO REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY
LEVEL?
 COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT SOLOMON IS
SAYING…
 PUT TO REST YOUR FRUSTRATION, YOUR
FANTICIZING, YOUR ARGUING WITH GOD
 YOUR TRYING TO REPLACE WHO IS ON THE
THRONE .. (WITH YOUR OWN
WILL/DEMANDS)
BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW… AND THE FUTURE?
 ECCL. 6:12 “FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT IS
GOOD FOR A MAN DURING HIS LIFETIME,
DURING THE FEW YEARS OF HIS FUTILE
LIFE? HE WILL SPEND THEM LIKE A
SHADOW. FOR WHO CAN TELL A MAN
WHAT WILL BE AFTER HIM UNDER THE
SUN?
 DOES LIFE SEEM FUTILE?
 GOD IS SAYING, “I AM WORKING ON YOUR LIFE,
QUIT FIGHTING ME”
 ARE YOU FEARFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE
IS THIS HOW YOU SEE THE
FUTURE?
SOLOMON’S FOCUS: SELF
PORTRAIT
GOD’S FOCUS
 HIS AWESOME PICTURE OF JESUS CHRIST IN




O.T.: THE TABERNACLE
PREEMINENT ARTICLE OF FURNITURE IS ARK
depicting JESUS CHRISTS TWO natures
A WOODEN CHEST (HUMANITY)
COVERED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WITH GOLD
(DIVINE) …. NEVER MIXED
ALL OTHER ARTICLES (6) OF FURNITURE
POINTED TO CHRIST’S WORK (OR ITS
EFFECTS)
BUT THE ARK SPOKE OF HIS
PERSON
 THE “SIX “ SPOKE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE,
THIS (THE ARK) SPOKE OF WHAT HE IS.
 IT IS THE BLESSED PERSON OF JESUS
CHRIST THAT GIVES VALUE TO HIS WORK
ARTHUR PINK
 “TODAY IN GOOD BIBLE-BELIEVING
CHURCHES EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON WHAT
THE SAVIOR HAS DONE FOR US, RATHER
THAN WHAT HE IS IN HIMSELF”
 SCRIPTURE REVERSES THIS ORDER”
NOTE THE CONSISTENT SEQUENCE
 JOHN THE BAPTIST: “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF
GOD (FIRST HIS PERSON) WHICH TAKETH
AWAY (SECOND, HIS WORK) THE SIN OF THE
WORLD.. John 1: 29
 APOSTLE PAUL: “I DETERMINED NOT TO
KNOW ANYTHING AMONG YOU SAVE JESUS
CHRIST (HIS PERSON) AND HIM CRUCIFIED
(HIS WORK)” .. I COR 2:2
 APOSTLE JOHN: “I BEHELD … AND IN THE
MIDST OF THE ELDERS, STOOD A LAMB (HIS
PERSON) AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN (HIS WORK)
..REV 5:6
AGAIN, IN TABERNACLE
(EXOD 25)
 FIRST THE ARK…. WHICH TELLS OF JESUS
CHRIST PERSON, THEN THE MERCY SEAT,
WHICH POINTS TO HIS WORK.
SHOULD WE NOT BE FOCUSED
WHERE GOD THE FATHER IS
FOCUSED?
 MEDIATE ON HIS NAMES (approx. 100)
 SURETY OF A BETTER COVENANT (HEB 7:23)
 MEDIATE ON THE THREE ITEMS IN THE ARK
 MEDIATE UPON THE MAJESTY OF HIS BEING
 MEDIATE ON HIM BEING THE “BREAD OF LIFE”
MEDIATE ON HIM BEING THE “LIGHT OF THE WORLD”
then
 PRAISE HIM FOR EACH ATTRIBUTE
 PRAY TO GOD THROUGH HIM
 THANK HIM FOR EACH ATTRIBUTE
 BE CONTENT/SATISFIED IN HIM
 SERVE HIM WITH JOYFULNESS
 LIFE WILL BECOME ENJOYABLE
 (THAT’S WHAT SOLOMON DID NOT HAVE)
 BUT YOU CAN ………. AMEN
What is
your
Worldly
footprint?