18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor–this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
This chapter closes with a simple command to enjoy God’s blessings and be thankful to Him. God is the source of all our wealth and material blessings. Without Him, we would have nothing.
Being content requires us to focus on what God has done for us. We should give thanks each day for the litany of blessings He has bestowed upon us. He is worthy of all our praise. Hear the words of the psalmist.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
One aspect of Christianity that separates it from virtually all other faith systems is the way God bestows His grace on us. Someone once described biblical grace as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Such a description is applicable indeed. We receive the best that God has through the sacrifice of Christ.
Jesus paid the debt so that we could be free. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin so that we could reconciled to God. Jesus endured the horrors of separation so that we would never be separated from God. God’s grace is amazing indeed!
I pray that you will be encouraged from the Scriptures with these thoughts about God’s amazing grace.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Romans 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.
1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be rash with your mouth,And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.For God is in heaven, and you on earth;Therefore let your words be few.3 For a dream comes through much activity,And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
Worship and generosity occupy Solomon’s musings In Ecclesiastes 5 as he considers life on this planet. This passage is filled with warnings and exhortations. Let’s take these seriously as we study this week’s lesson.
The first warning from the preacher deals with our worship. He exhorts us to be careful in how we approach and worship God. Evidently, many words and large-scale activities do not make for true praise. Worship is always a matter of the heart first. Prudence and wisdom are needed for effective adoration.
The same warnings apply to us. Worship can become mindless and routine if we allow it. Our goal should be to come before God with longing and yearning to worship. Let us not allow our praise to denigrate into mere songs, words, and deeds which have no meaning. May our hearts, minds, and souls be engaged as we worship the one, true God.
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. 5 The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh. 6 Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. 7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun: 8 There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-8
We are examining the second characteristic of “life under the sun” from the book of Ecclesiastes this week. And that second characteristic found in chapter 4 is the dearth of lasting peace. Life without God does not lead to peace and contentment. Let’s examine.
Characteristic 2—No Lasting Peace
Another feature of life on this earth is a lack of peace. Nothing in this life can fulfill us for very long.
Our work doesn’t lead us to peace. Instead, it leads to bitterness, envy, and covetousness. Solomon laments the meaninglessness and vanity of labor under the sun.
Don’t misunderstand the point. Work is good and is given by God. God provides for us through our work and labor. It is far better to work and be productive than to be lazy and ineffectual.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that though work has a purpose, it can never bring lasting peace. Labor when seen outside of the sovereignty and the purview of God, is mere drudgery and monotony. But, when work is kept in its proper perspective as a gift from God, it becomes something altogether different. Keep this in mind when the alarm clock rings next Monday!
1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed,But they have no comforter–On the side of their oppressors there is power,But they have no comforter.2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,More than the living who are still alive.3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
“Life under the sun” is a phrase that Solomon uses extensively in this book. Some say it simply implies to the earth and all things related to it.
Other scholars also believe that the phrase refers to a purely humanistic perspective of life that precludes the presence of God. In this view, Solomon is examining life purely in human terms with only limited references to God or His working. Both views have interpretive merit. Keep these in mind as we examine the characteristics of life under the sun.
Characteristic 1—Oppression “Under The Sun”
Oppression is abundant in our world. Unfairness and injustice permeate the very fiber of this sinful planet. Injustice in our day and time is overt and systemic.
Yet, there seems to be little that can done to overcome it. While we must fight for justice and help the poor and oppressed, we know that our efforts will never be powerful enough to help everyone. Thanks be to God for His ultimate judgement which will set things right once and for all.
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? 26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
Solomon’s counsel here is stark. Due to the meaninglessness of life, we should enjoy God’s blessings. God’s provision is reason enough to give thanks and praise for all that He does.
As we view life from God’s perspective, we find that life is not meaningless. As we trust in Christ and follow Him, our life develops an eternal nature that gives us something the world cannot give.
God is the giver of all blessings (James 1) and all good things. And He is with us every step of the way.
This world’s goods, pleasures, and power can never give us the meaning and significance we so desire. But, when we are adopted into God’s family, our life takes on an entirely new dimension. We receive a hope and purpose that is not of this world.
Don’t get me wrong. The life of the Christian is not perfect and trials and difficulties await us all. Through our Savior, we are able to endure even the most challenging of circumstances and come through them in victory. As a Christian, life is anything but meaningless.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:4-6
Paul speaks here of the “ones” of the Christian faith. They are…
**One Body
**One Spirit
**One Hope
**One Lord
**One Faith
**One Baptism
**One Father
There are not many ways to heaven. Only one way leads to paradise. Jesus is the way. Christ is the one way. Christ is the only way.
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
This portion of Scripture was called the Shema by the Jewish rabbis. It was often quoted by Jewish worshipers in the synagogue meetings. The lessons it teaches are universal and important for Christian believers in our day. What are those lessons?
**There is only one God.
The great truth of this passage tells us that there is only one true, authentic God. In a society that trumpeted a multitude of gods and goddesses, Moses declares that the only true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
We would do well to remember this truth in our time. Many idols still vie for our attention. Yet, for the Christian, there is only one God revealed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
**We must pass the Christian faith on to the young.
The Hebrew people were commanded to continually teach the precepts and principles of the Law. They were to pass on their faith to the next generation. Failure to transfer these principles from God’s Word resulted in much pain and heartache for the nation of Israel. The people of God were to continue to faithfully teach the Word of God so that future generations would not forget the miracles, blessings, and provisions that God had provided for His people.
This principle still has great import for today’s Christian. If we don’t teach the truths of Scripture through word and deed to our children and young people, who will? The world system is contrary to the truths of the Scriptures. Therefore, we must teach the truth, preach it, and live it so that our children may grow in the faith.
**We must teach the truths of the Bible by utilizing every opportunity.
The Jewish people were commanded to teach the truths of the Law in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening. The point was this; use every teachable moment to pass along the ways of God, the truth of God, and the greatness of God to the young.
As Christians today, our command and call is exactly the same. We should be taking advantage of every occasion we are given to teach the plain truths of Scripture. Let us point out God’s blessing and goodness. May we remind our children that God is with us at all times. Let us teach them of Christ’s died and rose again for the salvation of souls. Let us not hold onto our faith, let’s pass it on.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
James 3:14-16
In this passage, James teaches the Church about the failure of worldly wisdom. Jealousy and selfish ambition causes people to have an improper view of themselves and “lie against the truth.” Human beings can be deceived so easily and it’s important for God’s people to be on guard against this scheme of the evil one.
Worldly wisdom does not come from the Lord. James describes this wisdom as “earthly,” “natural,” and even “demonic” in nature. What sounds good and right to the worldly person is often diametrically opposed to Christ’s will and His Word. This earthly philosophy leads to chaos and further sinfulness when followed.
God’s people have the wisdom that comes from above. God’s Word provides us with the truth. The Holy Spirit leads us to righteousness and true goodness. And the Lord’s Church holds us accountable to the truth as we meet regularly for worship.
Let us be thankful and give praise for the wisdom of Christ. Without it, we would be tossed to and fro by godless teaching and wisdom.
Serving Jesus should be a burning desire within the life of a Christian. We are called, commissioned, and sent to serve Christ through serving others. This post will deal with concrete reasons we can and should serve Jesus every day. Why should we serve?
*He loves us. Christ loves us, therefore, we ought to serve Him. His love was manifested to us when were at our worst. Shouldn’t we be willing to give Him our best?
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:8-11
*We should also minister to others because it is worth the cost. Service is never easy. We would much rather be served than serve our fellow humans. In the end, attending to the needs of others will cost us. However, it also gives us blessing, strength, and joy knowing that when we love others we are following in Christ’s footsteps. Serving Jesus is always worth the effort.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
*Finally, let us serve out of our growing love for Christ. Giving ourselves to others is an expression of our love for God. Let us serve Him because we love Him.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. Psalm 103:21
And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. 1 John 4:21
Dear Believer, commit to serving Jesus this week. After all, it’s the least that we can do!
mrtonyfrench 