REALITIES THAT GIVE LIFE DEFINITION AND MEANING
ECCLESIASTES 9:1- 10
GOODNEWS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
BUCAS, Daraga Albay
January 7, 2007
Introduction
A. About the Disaster that hits Albay
B. About the predictions in year 2007 by some Psychics
Philosophies of life that wont’ work
1. Materialism – Philosophy says, “Possessions satisfy – provide yourself!” When we buy into this system, we accumulate things because we think objects will make us happy or comfortable, somehow bringing us contentment
Illustrations: He who dies with the most toys wins
What does it means? It is “materialism to the max.” For them, it is a meaningful and fulfilling life. Oh, I can say, it’s a futility of materialism.
2. Epicureanism – It centered around the idea that the pleasure of the individual was the sole or chief good in life. If it feels good, grab it. This philososphyadvocated living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one’s lifetime
To the Epicureans, virtue in itself had no value and was beneficial only when it served as a means to gain happiness. Reciprocity was recommended, not because it was right and noble, but because it paid off. Friendships rested on the same selfish basis, that is, the pleasure resulting to the possessor. While the pursuit of pleasure formed the focal point of the philosophy, paradoxically Epicurus referred to life as a “bitter gift.” (wikpedia.org)
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3. Humanism – It says, “Humanity is glorious – exalt yourself!” It’s the age-old idea that there is no such thing as depravity. According to this believe. We humans possess great potential. We can therefore do it on our own. We’re good enough, were strong enough and certainly capable enough to pull it off, regardless. Example of this philosophy is embodied in the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley.
Got the picture? Humanists teach we are masters of our own fate, captain of our souls. We are indomitable, unconquerable, and invincible. This is a philosophy that needs to be blasted.
4. Fatalism – The view that human deliberation and actions are pointless and ineffectual in determining events, because whatever will be will be. “The game is fixed – resign yourself!”
For examples:
• If it is fated for you to recover from your illness, then you will recover whether you call a doctor or not.
• Likewise, if you are fated not to recover, you will not do so even if you call a doctor.
This philosophy sucks the hope and motivation from life. We feels like we are robots on this earth. Life becomes depressing.
December of last year, local radio station presented a documentary film that tells about the destruction that will bring about on this earth. A big and huge flood will submerged cities of the world. A person who listened to the program may feels miserable or may be depressed. “If all this is going to happen- why go on living?”
Brothers and sisters, don’t be a victim to these kind of philosophy of life. Take these off in your life.
Now let’s take a look of the realties that give life definition and meaning.
THE SOVEREIGN HAND OF GOD (9:1)
There is no attribute of God more comforting and delightful to his children than his great and glorious sovereignty. Regardless of rank, status, color, creed, age, heritage, intelligence, or temperament, “the hand of God” is upon us. Every believer rejoices in the sovereignty of God. There is no truth of Holy Scripture for which we must more earnestly contend than God’s dominion over all creation, his sovereignty over all the works of his hands, the supremacy of his throne and his right to sit upon it.
God is there and He is not silent. It tells us, among other things, that nothing is out of control. Every thing is under the control of God. “Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased” (Ps. 115:3).
Being in the sovereign hand of God does not mean a life of smooth sailing or being economically prosperous, physically healthy, protected from pain, enjoying a trouble free occupation, and having everyone smile and appreciate us. As Solomon wrote “Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.” But what does help is the knowledge that behind whatever happens is a God who care, who hasn’t lost a handle on the controls.
“Because of our confidence in God’s providential care, we need not fear any evil or harm, even if it does come to us - it can only come by God’s will and ultimately for our good.” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, pp.341)
(Illus: the time I got sick)
Now, since men are ever bent upon perverting the things of God, here’s a piece of advice regarding the will of God’s purpose: The sovereignty of God’s purpose does not destroy man’s responsibility. Man’s sin has put his will in bondage to sin, not by God’s purpose. We must never use the doctrine of God’s sovereign to excuse our own sinful actions or decisions that hurt another person. He will still hold us accountable four our harmful decisions and sinful actions.
In Deuteronomy 29:29 we read, “The secret things belongs to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” The things that are secrets belongs to God. These are things that are not revealed to us. Our duty then, is to obey the “things revealed,” that is, the will of God as revealed in Scriptures in every area of life. Scriptures teaches us to be prudent, conscientious, and responsible, and to do our job as best we can.
However, there are many secret things of His plan he not revealed: about the future events , specific details of hardships or of blessing. With this matter we have to trust God.
God will always direct according to His sovereign will and purpose and for our own good.
THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH (9:2-3)
Death awaits us all. You can count on it. As Euripides, a Greek poet, once said, “Death is the debt we all must pay.” This time theme is repeated over and over again throughout Scripture:
“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to the dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19)
“What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? (Ps. 89:48)
The inevitability of death is an undeniable fact about the future of every person. There is a direct assertion of this in Hebrew 9:27: “ It is appointed to man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
So we all have to come face to face with death. That’s the certainty of it. Death is one of the realities of life: we grow old and die, be taken to cemetery and buried in the ground. The bold and daring can’t outbreak it. Each of us must die. All our combined wisdom cannot lengthen the days of one of you even a single minute. You may calculate the distance of the stars, and the weights of the planets, but you cannot tell when one of you will die; nor how many minutes are left until the exit of each spirit from the world.
We all come into the world one by one, and we will go out of it in the same way- all alone we will go out again.
Actually death is not painful, it is a joyful homecoming, coming face to face with Christ. To Christian death is an appointment in Jesus’ calendar, which he will faithfully keep.
DEPRAVITY OF THE HUMAN HEART (9:3)
Lurking the human heart is a permanent mixture of evil and insanity. All of our lives are spiritually depraved. It is not just some parts of us are sinful and others are good. Rather, all our lives – intellects, emotions, and desires, our hearts, and our motives, are affected.
Think about it. How else can we explain the moral depravation of men? The sexual insanity? The homicidal insanity? The materialistic madness? The intellectual madness? The judicial madness of our times? It’s absolutely insane!
In Jeremiah 17:9 we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?”
Not only that we lack any spiritual good in ourselves, but we don’t have any abilities to please God and come to Him.
Romans 8:8 says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
However, this not necessarily mean man can’t do good in some senses. The text simply stating, that men can’t do any spiritual good or to be good in terms of a relationship with God.
How else can we explain the rebellion of our age?
HOPE FOR THE LIVING (9:4-6)
There is nothing quite comforting and encouraging as hope. When Solomon says that whoever is joined with the living will find hope, it turns the tide. It brings light an otherwise dark chamber.
John Gill commented:
“That is, who is among the living, is one of them, and, as long as he is, there is hope, if his circumstances are mean, and he is poor and afflicted, that it may be better with him in time; see Job_14:7; or of his being a good man, though now wicked; of his being called and converted, as some are at the eleventh hour, even on a death bed; and especially there is a hope of men, if they are under the means of grace, seeing persons have been made partakers of the grace of God after long waiting.”
We often says, “Pag may buhay, may pag-asa.” (“while there is life, there is hope”) and “ Kung mi hinangos pa, mi pag-alam pa” (While we still breathe, there is hope.”) What do you mean by that statement? It means that while men are still alive there still hope for him, that by the grace of God there may be a blessed change in his life. As long as there’s life, there is a dream, there’s the anticipation of a new plan, there’s love, there’s purpose. In one word, along with life comes the presence of hope.
Look verse 5a, “For the living know that they shall die…” We can get ready for it. There’s the hope of getting ready, the hope of preparation. But the dead do not know anything, for their memory is forgotten.
“The living know they shall die; it is a thing yet to come, and therefore provision may be made for it. The dead know they are dead, and it is too late; they are on the other side the great gulf fixed.” (Matthew Henry)
The point is clear. If we are alive, we have hope. Now, since that is true, how are we to respond to these inevitable and inescapable realities? In the next verses, Solomon has these counsels:
A. Let there be joy and a merry heart within. - We must enjoy ourselves, enjoy our friends, enjoy our God. We must serve God with gladness, in the use of what he gives us, and be liberal in communicating it to others, and not suffer ourselves to be oppressed with inordinate care and grief about the world. Yes, we must serve God with joy and gladness. God “has already approved your works.” Why? Because we are in Christ. We are no longer distant foes, we’re intimate friends.
What a wonderful hope for believers! We don’t have to live under guilt! We don’t’ have to worry each morning about whether or not God is going to club us into eternity! We don’t have to live in fear, wondering if wer’re in the family or not in the family. We’re there.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28)
B. Walk in holiness and in the Power of the Spirit – It’s mean to live a pure and a godly life, walking in righteousness and letting the power of the Spirit flow through us. Because God’s grace frees us from the guilt of sin, we can be plugged into His liberating power. We are free! Now that is the way to walk.
The believer’s “walk” can may mean pursuing the course of life, or the manner in which one conducts himself. The believer’s “walk’ includes the whole round of his activities as an individual. “Walk” also means the keeping in step with another with submission of heart to that other who is the Holy Spirit.
Keep in mind that walking in the spiritual sense is a walk of faith.
C. Whatever you do, do well – In this life, it is not a matter of something we had, but it is a matter of something to be done. Do we do our job well? Do we serve others the best we can? Do we perform our duty and responsibilities?
According to Matthew Henry, “This is the world of probation and preparation for eternity; we are here upon business, and upon our good behaviour.”
Throw yourself fully into all of life. Don’t hold back. Don’t put living until you retire.
We are talking here about our hands, our hearts, our whole lives! What have you done with it?
As we just read, whatever your hand finds to do, whether it’s a hobby or a thrill or a challenge or a pastime or work or ministry or home or travel or just plain play, get it all together there.
CONCLUSION
If we follow Solomon’s advice and God’s plan, the options is simple. We are to live life to its fullest
• Free of guilt
• Contagiously happy
• Committed to God and our family
• Thoroughly involved
