A Conclusion on Life. Ecclesiastes chapter 12:9-14.
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Footnotes:
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
- Make sure that you have the right attitude to God.
v13… fear God and keep his commandments…
- Make sure that you have the right objective in life.
v13…for this is the duty of all mankind…
- Make sure that you have the right perspective on good and evil.
v14…For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Take time to pray.
- The Lord, who is my Shepherd, the one who speaks what is upright and true. Help me to fear you and keep your commands.
- Lord help me to live as you intend for all mankind
- Lord help me to run to you to get the right perspective on good and evil.
A Productive Life Ecclesiastes chapters 11-12
1. Put everything you can into your life for Christ... Even when you can’t immediately see the results!
“Cast your bread upon the waters for you will find it after many days.” Eccl. 11:1
“Whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters,) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Col. 3:23-24
2. Make the most of what you have...while you have it!
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’”. Eccl 12:1
Ask yourself these questions. (See Eccl. 11:3)
- Have you ever tried to plant (or do) something and given up when it is windy? Why?
- Have you ever spent time looking at the clouds and just not done anything that day? Why?
Remember that God has provided every day and every circumstance in the day. These are given that you should put everything into your life in Christ...even when you can't immediately see the results! Each day is given so that you can make the most of what you have while you have it. Who knows what might happen as you step over the spiritual threshold today as you feel the wind in your face or catch a glimpse of the sun through the clouds!
Ecclesiastes 8:2-9. An OBEDIENT life.
- Obedience is ultimately given to God [8:2]. Living a life grounded in obedience to God as your highest authority, means that in areas of lesser authority you will have a greater chance of expressing great integrity.
- Obedience amazingly derives from God [8:3-6]. You need to acknowledge the authority structures in your lives.
- Obedience wonderfully focused on God [8:7-9]. You need to obey his word. [Luke6:47]
This week take time to pray - For yourself and others.
- To have a highly exalted view of God in every moment of life.
- To express great integrity in every authority area of life. Family, workplace, country and church.
- To obey God’s word, today and every day. Luke6:47-48.
47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12 - The Business of Life.
- Life is tough (4:1-3), if the goal of our lives is to be trouble-free. We will never be satisfied!
- Life is tricky (4:4-6:11), if the goal of our lives is to gratify ourselves with our own successes. We will never be satisfied.
- Life is tied to God (6:12), if the goal of our lives is to glorify God, we will always be satisfied.
Now if my waking thoughts are, “I want a trouble free day (4:1-3), followed by how can I be more successful than my neighbour (4:4)” , then life becomes increasingly tough and tricky. However if with my waking breath, I ask God for help to glorify him. Then even in the troubles of the day that will surely arrive and the moments of failures that will hound me, every moment will be a moment of taking hold of that for which he has taken hold of me!
Philippians 3:12 - Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 - “The Time Of Our Life.”
1. God has a time – for everything (3:1-11)
If you are tempted to think God’s timing is awful. Why now? Then bring to mind that God uses both his promises of the sweet by and by and the reality of the bitter here and now to conform us to the image of his Son.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose… to become conformed to the image of His Son” Romans 8:28-29
2. Good has a source – that source is God (3:12-13)
We have been made to be satisfied in God alone.
"God, you open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:16
"For from the fullness of his [Jesus’] grace we have all received, one blessing after another [grace upon grace. Or grace in place of grace.]" John 1:16
"God, as Creator, formed man to be a vessel in which He could show forth His power and goodness. Man was not to have in himself a fountain of life, or strength, or happiness: the ever-living and only living one was each moment to be the Communicator to him of all that he needed. Man’s glory and blessedness was not to be independent, or dependent upon himself, but dependent on a God of such infinite riches and love. Man was to have the joy of receiving every moment out of the fullness of God.” Andrew Murray, Waiting on God
- Perspective has a purpose – a higher and a future purpose (3:14-22)
We need a God perspective for life now.
- God who is over the sun.
- God who is exalted above the heavens.
- God who is the only righteous Judge.
Our God is, a consuming fire, a burning holy flame with glory and freedom, Our God is the only righteous judge, Ruling over us with kindness and wisdom.
We will keep our eyes on You!
We will keep our eyes on You!
A mighty fortress is our God.
A sacred refuge is Your name.
Your kingdom is unshakeable.
With You forever we will reign.
Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 - The Futility of Life – Explained
Wisdom is better than folly 2:12-13. However...
- Like the fool, the wise will die (2:14b,16b)
- The wise and the fool will be forgotten (2:16a)
- Both the wise and the fool leave everything behind (2:18)
- Neither the wise nor the fool can find lasting enjoyment in life without God's gracious provision (2:24-26)
Give thanks to God for his provision of common graces to us (sinners) in this life, including wisdom, knowledge and happiness. 2:25,26. (Acts17:25)
God himself gives all mankind life, breath and everything else Acts17:25
Ask our Gracious and Merciful God who is above the sun and above the heavens. (Psalm113:4-6.), to give you His Wisdom, His Knowledge and His Happiness. 2:26a
The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 133:4-6
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; 2:1-11. The Futility of Life Explored
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…1:12-14…
2v10-11...I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labour, 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.
Here are three thoughts from the preaching on Sunday.
Your Mind will never find true enlightenment no matter how much you try! 1:12-14.
13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. [1:13]
Your Heart will never find true satisfaction no matter how much you try! 2v10-11.
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. [2v10]
Your Soul will never find true rest no matter how much you try!
35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Mark 8v35-36
Here are my conclusions after musing on the preaching from Sunday.
Your Mind can find true enlightenment in God alone. Your Heart can find true satisfaction in God alone. Your Soul can find true rest in God alone. At that time Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11v28.
Therefore don’t waste your life! Love God and others with all mind, heart, soul and strength! 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark12v30-31
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3. The Futility of Life Declared.
The words of the Teacher,son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?
Life is meaningless, “under the sun” (v2). The Bible makes it clear that most of us will still attempt to prove that life “under the sun” is not meaningless! We need to pray for one another that we will have wisdom enough to look “over the sun”!
When we look “over the sun”, we will discover…
- That God opens his hands and satisfies the desires of every living thing! Psalm 145:16. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
- That God fills us with joy and eternal pleasures! Psalm 16:11. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
When we look “over the sun” we discover with God in the picture, life is full of meaning!
“Meaningful! Meaningful!”… “Infinitely meaningful!
Everything is meaningful”, with God in the picture!!
