1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,500 Well, good morning and welcome to the final sermon 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,840 in Ecclesiastes for this calendar year. 3 00:00:06,940 --> 00:00:09,240 Yeah, not done yet. 4 00:00:09,340 --> 00:00:11,740 Lord willing, we'll pick back up in chapter 6 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:13,420 after the new year. 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,420 The holidays are nearly upon us. 7 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,320 We have Thanksgiving and most importantly, Christmas 8 00:00:18,420 --> 00:00:20,180 to look forward to. 9 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:21,680 Not just Grant cheered on that one. 10 00:00:21,780 --> 00:00:22,420 Praise the Lord. 11 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:23,860 Amen. 12 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,960 And preparing our hearts well to worship during our gatherings 13 00:00:27,060 --> 00:00:29,300 will be a consistent theme in the coming weeks. 14 00:00:29,300 --> 00:00:32,060 I think also chapter 5 here in Ecclesiastes 15 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:34,140 will bless us to that end. 16 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,940 Throughout this series, we've seen a lot of practical wisdom 17 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:39,300 from Solomon. 18 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,240 We've been reminded about the brevity of life. 19 00:00:42,340 --> 00:00:44,340 We've been encouraged to pay attention 20 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,840 to the little blessings to not be consumed with striving 21 00:00:48,940 --> 00:00:51,880 after wind and so much more. 22 00:00:51,980 --> 00:00:53,980 Now, in the close of chapter 5, we'll 23 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,620 see a well-known theological principle. 24 00:00:56,620 --> 00:00:59,720 You heard it as Jeff read the call to worship regarding 25 00:00:59,820 --> 00:01:02,660 wealth and materialism. 26 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,340 But before we look to the text, I want to set the stage. 27 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,740 Solomon's been speaking for these last five chapters 28 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,500 about the futility of chasing things that don't last. 29 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,240 Vanity is chasing soap bubbles. 30 00:01:14,340 --> 00:01:15,640 And throughout this argument, he's 31 00:01:15,740 --> 00:01:19,880 been gradually providing subtle hints to us, clues along the way, 32 00:01:19,980 --> 00:01:23,820 guiding the reader's attention to these central themes 33 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:28,220 of fearing God and appreciating His gifts. 34 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:31,160 And he keeps using real-world situations 35 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:34,660 to paint the picture of vanity, of futility, 36 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,500 of living for oneself. 37 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,760 Early on, I described this kind of vain person 38 00:01:40,860 --> 00:01:44,900 as one who has a materialistic mind, a mind that 39 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,340 is focused on what you can perceive in the moment here 40 00:01:48,340 --> 00:01:54,280 and now rather than on God and an eternal future. 41 00:01:54,380 --> 00:01:56,620 Now, in the New Testament, Paul would call this 42 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,560 a mind set on the flesh, desires for today 43 00:02:01,660 --> 00:02:05,060 without thought for tomorrow. 44 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,000 Now, one particular focus of a materialistic mind 45 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:13,300 is wealth, the accumulation of finances and assets. 46 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,100 There's a well-known Renaissance painting 47 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,840 called The Money Lender and His Wife 48 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:19,740 by artist Quentin Matzis. 49 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,220 Lord willing, you can see it on the screen here. 50 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,720 You see the money lender sitting down 51 00:02:25,820 --> 00:02:29,380 at his table with measuring scale and coins, 52 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,820 assessing the value of his wealth. 53 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:35,320 And then you look at his wife appearing to be 54 00:02:35,420 --> 00:02:37,200 thumbing through a Bible. 55 00:02:37,300 --> 00:02:40,560 You can see a picture that is likely of the Virgin Mary 56 00:02:40,660 --> 00:02:42,240 holding child. 57 00:02:42,340 --> 00:02:46,400 But she's distracted by all the money. 58 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,880 Though she holds a book that encourages her 59 00:02:48,980 --> 00:02:52,480 to not hope in this world, her gaze 60 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:57,180 is fixed on the false security that wealth may bring. 61 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,140 And the artist was making a point. 62 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:04,080 Though the year was 1514, so was a minute ago, 63 00:03:04,180 --> 00:03:08,420 the same principle held true, that the idea of accumulating 64 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,320 wealth can distract us from the things that we once 65 00:03:11,420 --> 00:03:14,600 held as dear and important. 66 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,560 Now in the artist's case, he was referencing a moment in time 67 00:03:17,660 --> 00:03:20,040 where there was rapid growth and commerce 68 00:03:20,140 --> 00:03:21,940 in the city of Antwerp. 69 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,240 And even common people, as depicted in the painting, 70 00:03:24,340 --> 00:03:25,640 they are not nobility. 71 00:03:25,740 --> 00:03:30,140 They have the opportunity to accumulate wealth. 72 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,640 And when you consider professing believers, 73 00:03:32,740 --> 00:03:36,820 claiming that they lack time for daily devotions in God's word, 74 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,460 for prayer, for scripture memorization, 75 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,020 and they cite work as the reason, 76 00:03:43,020 --> 00:03:46,500 maybe this painting should come to mind. 77 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,600 It's not out of a sense of righteous piety 78 00:03:49,700 --> 00:03:54,300 that I say that, but rather it's a helpful visual representation 79 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,900 of the common scenario that we preoccupy ourselves 80 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,240 with daily concerns, and we find it 81 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:06,540 challenging to prioritize matters of eternal significance. 82 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,020 I'll present another perspective. 83 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,160 This is no different from the parent glued to their cell phone 84 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,720 doom scrolling through an app or newsfeed 85 00:04:14,820 --> 00:04:17,900 while their child engages in something ordinary yet 86 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,960 memorable, missing the beauty of the child's growth 87 00:04:22,060 --> 00:04:23,760 amidst the fleeting entertainment provided 88 00:04:23,860 --> 00:04:27,400 by those amusing little glass panels. 89 00:04:27,500 --> 00:04:29,100 I don't know about you, but at times 90 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,040 that's a struggle in our household, 91 00:04:31,140 --> 00:04:33,880 where we're in the presence of one another, 92 00:04:33,980 --> 00:04:37,120 but not truly together. 93 00:04:37,220 --> 00:04:38,940 Because the heart, the human heart, 94 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,780 is the same today as it was in the days of the world 95 00:04:41,780 --> 00:04:45,420 and the days of the Renaissance, as it was in Solomon's day. 96 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:51,420 We focus often on the temporary and improper things. 97 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,560 We place a great emphasis on things 98 00:04:53,660 --> 00:04:56,060 that we believe are going to bring joy in the moment, 99 00:04:56,160 --> 00:05:00,660 security and hope, and then we miss the good things 100 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,400 that God has given. 101 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:06,500 As believers, those of you in here who claim Christ, 102 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,140 you know that nothing, nothing is more important. 103 00:05:10,140 --> 00:05:15,020 Nothing is more precious than the gospel of Jesus. 104 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,420 That sins can be forgiven eternally, 105 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,460 not by your work, but by his sacrifice. 106 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,620 And yet as beautiful as that truth is, 107 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:31,360 we are so easily distracted with the things of this world. 108 00:05:31,460 --> 00:05:34,700 Sometimes we would rather think about lunch, 109 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,040 current events, or some other vain plan or thought, 110 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:44,440 rather than to listen to what God has said in his word. 111 00:05:44,540 --> 00:05:49,180 So my appeal to you this morning is not to listen for my sake, 112 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:50,820 but for yours. 113 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,720 As we dig in together, don't find yourself 114 00:05:53,820 --> 00:05:58,720 to be either the money changer or his wife. 115 00:05:58,820 --> 00:06:02,120 Instead, take Solomon's advice from just a few verses 116 00:06:02,220 --> 00:06:03,120 earlier in this chapter. 117 00:06:03,220 --> 00:06:06,760 Take heed and listen to God's word. 118 00:06:06,860 --> 00:06:08,400 So with all of that in mind, go ahead 119 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,100 and turn your Bibles to Ecclesiastes chapter 5. 120 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,000 And we're going to begin to walk through this passage. 121 00:06:16,100 --> 00:06:17,700 Now for your reference, on the screen 122 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,140 is the overall outline we've been following. 123 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,780 You can see that we're very close to wrapping up 124 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,880 the second section of the book with the overarching theme 125 00:06:25,980 --> 00:06:30,960 here, the proof that all is vanity. 126 00:06:31,060 --> 00:06:32,860 Now I'm grateful that Jeff read through our passage 127 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,660 in the call to worship and that you noticed, I pray, 128 00:06:35,660 --> 00:06:38,560 the theme of materialism, little complex, 129 00:06:38,660 --> 00:06:42,400 but there are four sections in this passage. 130 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:44,240 And we're going to go through each one 131 00:06:44,340 --> 00:06:47,940 to arrive what I think is a wonderful conclusion 132 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:52,280 and exhortation to prepare us for the holiday season. 133 00:06:52,380 --> 00:06:53,980 Now this section on the vanity of riches 134 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:55,840 begins in an interesting way. 135 00:06:55,940 --> 00:06:59,380 Solomon references oppression and injustice 136 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,860 and kings and authorities. 137 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,380 Look at verses 8 and 9. 138 00:07:04,380 --> 00:07:09,060 Now the first lesson here is don't be surprised 139 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,260 at oppression and injustice. 140 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:13,860 Don't be surprised. 141 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:15,700 Before we connect that to materialism, 142 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:17,400 think about this principle. 143 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:24,480 Oppression and injustice are to be expected. 144 00:07:24,580 --> 00:07:26,540 Now notice, he didn't say anything 145 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,080 about whether such things were good, 146 00:07:29,180 --> 00:07:32,120 but that we shouldn't be surprised, 147 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,260 that this is part of life in a fallen world. 148 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,320 So when you see political pundits, 149 00:07:38,420 --> 00:07:41,700 celebrities, and unhelpful so-called journalists 150 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:46,160 act surprised when the world doesn't operate fairly 151 00:07:46,260 --> 00:07:50,260 or justly, remember that you, you as a believer, 152 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,940 should not be surprised. 153 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:58,140 This is part of life in a fallen world. 154 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,480 And while injustice shouldn't be ignored or excused, 155 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:07,020 we need to remember that it is to be expected in this world. 156 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:08,680 Now Solomon continues in verse 8. 157 00:08:08,780 --> 00:08:11,680 He explains that often the nature of oppression 158 00:08:11,780 --> 00:08:15,160 or injustice involves a hierarchy of people 159 00:08:15,260 --> 00:08:17,820 and authority, one over another. 160 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,400 So you have the local officials scamming the people who 161 00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:23,000 pays his dues to the provincial leader 162 00:08:23,100 --> 00:08:24,560 and finally then to the king. 163 00:08:24,660 --> 00:08:27,300 That's what was happening in the day. 164 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,180 Today, you may have a local gang member 165 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,000 extorting protection money who then pays 166 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,580 his money, a portion of it to his gang leader. 167 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:36,320 Or you have a tax collector squeezing the people 168 00:08:36,420 --> 00:08:40,720 to pay Caesar or if you live in California like we do, 169 00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:43,880 you pay exorbitant state taxes for the governor's untested 170 00:08:43,980 --> 00:08:45,360 and unwise endeavors. 171 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:50,460 Amen. 172 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:55,460 But here's Solomon's encouragement. 173 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,140 He says, don't think that such people can keep on oppressing 174 00:08:59,140 --> 00:09:01,340 without recourse. 175 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:05,180 He says there are always higher authorities. 176 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,480 Local government may be responsible to the federal 177 00:09:07,580 --> 00:09:10,780 government at some capacity, gang members to gang leaders. 178 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,720 And the king in a theocracy like Solomon was in 179 00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:17,880 is responsible to God himself. 180 00:09:17,980 --> 00:09:20,460 This thought helps us to remember that even when 181 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:24,300 oppression and injustice occurs by those who really should be 182 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:28,200 helping, not hurting, even when such evil happens, 183 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,660 everyone will answer to God. 184 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,600 He is the highest court, the highest throne, 185 00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:38,540 and everyone will be accountable to him. 186 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,240 He will have the final word. 187 00:09:40,340 --> 00:09:44,640 That is actually how the letter ends in Ecclesiastes 12. 188 00:09:44,740 --> 00:09:48,020 But our human hearts, they're prone to complain, right? 189 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,580 We like to find ways out of suffering and difficulty. 190 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:53,320 Solomon anticipates that thinking, 191 00:09:53,420 --> 00:09:56,120 and so he offers the wisdom of verse 9. 192 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,020 See, when we consider that officials or those in authority 193 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,900 in that hierarchy take advantage of others, 194 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,360 we're likely to think that to fix such injustice, 195 00:10:05,460 --> 00:10:09,140 we must advocate for the antithesis, the opposite. 196 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:15,380 So, anarchy, a land without rule or order must be the only 197 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,380 recourse to such oppression. 198 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,680 You literally see that kind of foolish wisdom in our society 199 00:10:22,780 --> 00:10:24,380 today. 200 00:10:24,380 --> 00:10:26,480 Look at the organization, Antifa. 201 00:10:26,580 --> 00:10:29,060 Consider the race or injustice rights we had a few years ago. 202 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,020 Do you remember Chaz in Seattle? 203 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:33,420 Not a person. 204 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,100 The place, how did it go? 205 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,660 That zone or territory without laws, right? 206 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,740 Without order, ruled by the people for the people. 207 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:49,580 It was an absolute dumpster fire, literally and figuratively. 208 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:53,480 And this is why Solomon says it is an advantage for the land 209 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,520 when the king is committed to a cultivated field. 210 00:10:56,620 --> 00:10:58,580 And I like the way that the LSB renders this, 211 00:10:58,680 --> 00:10:59,880 and that's on the screen. 212 00:10:59,980 --> 00:11:01,860 It's an incredibly difficult verse 213 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:03,660 to translate in the Hebrew. 214 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,200 One of many difficult phrases in Ecclesiastes. 215 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:08,200 But you need to remember this principle. 216 00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:09,700 Jeff has talked about this before, 217 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,460 the purpose-cuity of scripture. 218 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:12,840 He loves that word, by the way. 219 00:11:12,940 --> 00:11:14,300 You want to have a conversation with him, 220 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:15,900 just nerd out on that term. 221 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,400 Here's what that means, purpose-cuity. 222 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:21,740 It's the nature of scripture being clear, being plain, 223 00:11:21,740 --> 00:11:23,980 being easy to understand for the common person, 224 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,120 that you don't need a Bible degree to read the Bible. 225 00:11:28,220 --> 00:11:31,780 So relating back to verse 8, where there are officials, 226 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,180 over-officials, and so forth and so forth. 227 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,460 Solomon is saying this, that even when there is abuse 228 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:39,100 of authority and oppression, which you should expect, 229 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,300 this is still better than anarchy. 230 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,460 Order is better than chaos. 231 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:47,560 Even when people are sinful within that order, 232 00:11:47,660 --> 00:11:50,700 it is good for everyone when the ruler is committed 233 00:11:50,700 --> 00:11:53,700 to order, to a cultivated field, 234 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,820 rather than existing in chaos and anarchy. 235 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,980 Now that may be hard to stomach for some of you, 236 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,380 who love justice, who see things in black and white, 237 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,260 who expect the nature of order to be good and righteous. 238 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:14,400 We need to remember, perfect justice and righteous dealing 239 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:17,340 were not promised this side of glory. 240 00:12:17,340 --> 00:12:20,840 We demand in our hearts often that an authority would deal 241 00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:23,340 justly with us, right? 242 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,440 But I wonder, how many of us would be like that unmerciful 243 00:12:26,540 --> 00:12:30,140 servant, you can look it up later, but Matthew 18 talks 244 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:31,480 about that unmerciful servant. 245 00:12:31,580 --> 00:12:33,980 He was shown mercy and forgiveness, 246 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,180 and then he was not merciful in return. 247 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,860 He punishes actually his fellow servant, who owes him. 248 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:44,100 How likely are we to oppress others when given the chance? 249 00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:47,500 Even if we've been shown mercy, the human heart 250 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,300 is capable of great evil. 251 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,100 Now the connection of these verses with the remainder 252 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,600 of the passage is the human heart. 253 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:59,880 Solomon is next going to dig into why oppression, 254 00:12:59,980 --> 00:13:02,140 why injustice continue. 255 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,120 He's going to bring that sharp needle to our idea, 256 00:13:05,220 --> 00:13:08,880 our American idea of work and wealth. 257 00:13:08,980 --> 00:13:12,120 So take a look at Ecclesiastes 5 verses 7. 258 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:18,700 Look at Ecclesiastes 5 verses 10 through 11, or 10 through 12. 259 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,960 The oppressive authority, the one who takes from others, 260 00:13:22,060 --> 00:13:24,240 they have a reason. 261 00:13:24,340 --> 00:13:29,080 That reason is greed, a love of money and things. 262 00:13:29,180 --> 00:13:32,480 But Solomon is not just speaking of the oppressor here. 263 00:13:32,580 --> 00:13:35,620 He's not just saying the oppressor wants money and wealth 264 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:36,840 and possessions. 265 00:13:36,940 --> 00:13:40,420 In fact, Solomon is first indicting himself, himself, 266 00:13:40,420 --> 00:13:42,880 who was the greatest taxer in Israel. 267 00:13:42,980 --> 00:13:46,420 And he's also indicting the rest of those wealthy people 268 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,560 in Israel in his day who prospered under his reign, 269 00:13:49,660 --> 00:13:53,060 taxing others, taking advantage of others. 270 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,860 But he's also speaking to us today. 271 00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,600 Verse 10 is plain and clear. 272 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:01,940 Loving wealth, loving materialism, 273 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,740 will never satisfy. 274 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,280 It's a fool's endeavor to place your hope and your trust 275 00:14:07,380 --> 00:14:08,380 in such things. 276 00:14:08,380 --> 00:14:12,380 And the one who does so is the one who strives after wind. 277 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,420 I know there are many Harry Potter fans in here. 278 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,460 You don't have to raise your hand. 279 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:18,220 I know some Christians struggle with Harry Potter, too, 280 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:19,820 so don't take this as an endorsement. 281 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:21,920 But I think it's a helpful example. 282 00:14:22,020 --> 00:14:24,900 When the character Dumbledore, I can't 283 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,860 believe I'm referencing Harry Potter in this one. 284 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,700 I'm not. 285 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,860 To be fair, Calvin and Spurgeon, they 286 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,380 reference Greek and Roman stories of the day. 287 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,140 And so I think I'm in good company. 288 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:38,140 Popular thing. 289 00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:40,080 Anyways, back to saying that word. 290 00:14:40,180 --> 00:14:41,320 OK, Dumbledore. 291 00:14:41,420 --> 00:14:43,380 Dumbledore is assisting Harry. 292 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:44,280 He's helping him out. 293 00:14:44,380 --> 00:14:45,620 Some of you know this scene. 294 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,620 They arrive at a basin containing a liquid 295 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,120 that has to be consumed. 296 00:14:49,220 --> 00:14:54,000 But that liquid induces fear and delirium and despair. 297 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:56,260 And yet it also brings about this intense thirst, 298 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:58,660 so you have to drink more. 299 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,040 Despite its harmful effects, Dumbledore 300 00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:03,540 is compelled to drink the entire quantity, 301 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,740 even though it intensifies his suffering 302 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,000 and he keeps pleading with Harry to stop him. 303 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,940 But he has to persevere, even though it only 304 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,680 worsens his condition. 305 00:15:13,780 --> 00:15:17,480 That's called the drink of despair. 306 00:15:17,580 --> 00:15:20,080 Now considering Solomon's warning 307 00:15:20,180 --> 00:15:23,720 about the futility of loving money and wealth, 308 00:15:23,820 --> 00:15:27,360 I can't help but think of that tragic drink 309 00:15:27,460 --> 00:15:28,560 and the consequences of it. 310 00:15:28,660 --> 00:15:30,760 Once you begin, you're ensnared. 311 00:15:30,860 --> 00:15:31,860 It traps you. 312 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,600 And instead of consuming it, it consumes you. 313 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,240 Solomon continues his warning in verse 11. 314 00:15:39,340 --> 00:15:41,300 He points out that even when goods increase, 315 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,100 then there are just more people who want them. 316 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:45,980 Think of the person who wins the lottery. 317 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,040 And all of a sudden, every family member, 318 00:15:48,140 --> 00:15:50,380 even the estranged ones and the distant relatives, 319 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:52,980 they feel entitled to that wealth. 320 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,320 Think of the crazy amount of taxes upon such wealth, 321 00:15:56,420 --> 00:15:58,160 whether it's a lottery or business. 322 00:15:58,260 --> 00:16:00,920 That's why there are tax loopholes, LLCs, 323 00:16:01,020 --> 00:16:02,800 offshore accounts, all these things. 324 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:08,260 Because when you earn money, everyone wants some of it. 325 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:10,740 When you become wealthy, you find yourself 326 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:12,840 surrounded by people seeking to take 327 00:16:12,940 --> 00:16:15,740 advantage of your success. 328 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,200 So you witness the rise and the fall of your wealth. 329 00:16:18,300 --> 00:16:20,240 But instead of fully enjoying it, 330 00:16:20,340 --> 00:16:23,080 you find yourself just observing it, 331 00:16:23,180 --> 00:16:26,140 watching it go in and out. 332 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,180 Now even if you attempt to enjoy your wealth, 333 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:32,360 as verse 12 suggests, sleep is not restful for the wealthy who 334 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,360 indulge in their affluence. 335 00:16:35,460 --> 00:16:36,820 You know the general principle. 336 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,200 When you labor all day long in manual labor, 337 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:41,400 you're ready for a good night's sleep. 338 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:43,360 You know that principle. 339 00:16:43,460 --> 00:16:45,940 It doesn't matter if that person had dinner 340 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:48,000 or they go to bed hungry. 341 00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:51,040 They are tired enough to sleep. 342 00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:53,800 What about the rich person? 343 00:16:53,900 --> 00:16:55,480 I think there's anecdotal evidence 344 00:16:55,580 --> 00:16:57,440 that many Americans don't struggle 345 00:16:57,540 --> 00:16:59,480 to put food on the table. 346 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,580 But sleep may be a luxury they wish they had. 347 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,720 Now people may struggle with sleep for many reasons. 348 00:17:05,820 --> 00:17:07,760 But in this text, Solomon is pointing out 349 00:17:07,860 --> 00:17:12,460 a sickly self-indulgence that comes with gluttony, 350 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,760 an upset stomach, acid reflux. 351 00:17:14,860 --> 00:17:16,560 And so for those who say the Bible doesn't talk 352 00:17:16,660 --> 00:17:17,760 about practical things, the Bible 353 00:17:17,860 --> 00:17:20,260 talks about medical conditions. 354 00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:22,700 It is not silent on such practical matters, 355 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,580 even in wisdom literature. 356 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:27,640 God's word is applicable. 357 00:17:27,740 --> 00:17:29,040 So what a pickle. 358 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,320 The rich person has everyone coming after their wealth 359 00:17:32,420 --> 00:17:34,320 such that they can't enjoy it. 360 00:17:34,420 --> 00:17:35,780 And then if they try to enjoy it 361 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,620 and they indulge inordinately, then it's so bad 362 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,260 they can't even get a good night's rest. 363 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,260 Hmm. 364 00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:45,920 Now much more could be said about a love of money, 365 00:17:46,020 --> 00:17:48,700 but I'm sure you've heard a lot. 366 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,100 We're in America. 367 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,240 People talk about this. 368 00:17:52,340 --> 00:17:54,600 I'm sure you can also affirm the dangers 369 00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:58,340 of chasing after wealth and making money your idol. 370 00:17:58,340 --> 00:18:00,200 But if you're not convinced yet, 371 00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:04,220 Solomon has another warning for you in the next few verses. 372 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,620 Take a look at verses 13 through 17. 373 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,620 He talks about a sickening evil. 374 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,260 Now if his previous warnings about chasing wind 375 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:15,560 or pursuing wealth and vanity or trying 376 00:18:15,660 --> 00:18:19,100 to find satisfaction in things and money and possessions, 377 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,060 if none of that caught your attention, 378 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,260 then heed this warning. 379 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,540 What happens when you work so hard 380 00:18:27,540 --> 00:18:33,380 and you earn so much and then it's taken from you? 381 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:38,220 That's the tragedy in verses 13 through 17. 382 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,580 This man, he worked very hard, likely missing 383 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:45,060 the mundane yet precious moments of life in an endeavor 384 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,360 to lay up a treasure for his family. 385 00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:50,960 This man labored and pursued the best business ventures 386 00:18:51,060 --> 00:18:54,560 in search of satisfying treasure, this side of glory, 387 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:59,840 ultimately to have something to pass on to his family. 388 00:18:59,940 --> 00:19:01,840 Now there's a good biblical principle 389 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:04,140 in seeking to leave your children a legacy 390 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:05,340 or an inheritance. 391 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,140 And as Americans, we may think this 392 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:08,740 a noble and upright endeavor. 393 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,320 Some may even say it's a responsibility and a duty, 394 00:19:11,420 --> 00:19:14,480 given where we are born and what we have access to. 395 00:19:14,580 --> 00:19:20,720 But there is also a caution to not expect something that 396 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:27,100 is not promised, even if you do your best to pursue it. 397 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,400 That's Solomon's caution. 398 00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:31,240 You can work really hard. 399 00:19:31,340 --> 00:19:32,360 You can earn a lot. 400 00:19:32,460 --> 00:19:36,740 You can be prepared to pass on a blessed inheritance. 401 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,980 And in a moment, disaster can strike, 402 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,920 and everything that you've worked for can be lost. 403 00:19:45,020 --> 00:19:49,520 Some of you know what Jesus said in Luke chapter 12. 404 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:50,780 There's this story. 405 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:52,960 Somebody from the crowd said to him, 406 00:19:53,060 --> 00:19:56,460 teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance 407 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:57,600 with me. 408 00:19:57,700 --> 00:20:00,200 But Jesus said to him, man, who appointed me, a judge 409 00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:02,500 or arbiter over you? 410 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:06,060 And then he said to them, watch out and be on your guard 411 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,000 against every form of greed, for not even when one has 412 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:15,680 an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. 413 00:20:15,780 --> 00:20:17,440 And he told them a parable saying, 414 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,720 the land of a rich man was very productive. 415 00:20:19,820 --> 00:20:22,720 And he began reasoning to himself saying, hmm, 416 00:20:22,820 --> 00:20:24,880 what should I do? 417 00:20:24,980 --> 00:20:27,420 I have no place to store my crops. 418 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,020 Huh, this is what I'll do. 419 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:30,320 I'm going to tear down my barns. 420 00:20:30,420 --> 00:20:31,820 I'm going to build larger ones. 421 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,360 There I will store all my grain and my goods. 422 00:20:34,460 --> 00:20:38,360 And I'll say to my soul, soul, you have many goods laid up 423 00:20:38,460 --> 00:20:40,440 for many years to come. 424 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:41,640 Take your ease. 425 00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:45,880 Eat, drink, and be merry. 426 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:52,520 But God said to him, you fool, this very night your soul 427 00:20:52,620 --> 00:20:53,820 is required of you. 428 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:58,380 And now who will own what you prepared? 429 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:02,060 So is the one who stores up treasure for himself 430 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,720 and is not rich toward God. 431 00:21:05,820 --> 00:21:08,500 Now in this passage, Jesus addresses a family conflict. 432 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,440 A man desires this portion of his brother's inheritance. 433 00:21:11,540 --> 00:21:14,360 And there is a backdrop to the story culturally speaking, 434 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:16,740 whereas normal in that day for a greater percentage 435 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,140 or the whole inheritance to go towards the firstborn. 436 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,300 But that's not the main point here. 437 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,340 The main point is the response of Jesus highlighting 438 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,940 the lesson, be on guard against greed. 439 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,520 Recognize that life is more than possessions. 440 00:21:31,620 --> 00:21:35,560 You don't take anything with you when you go. 441 00:21:35,660 --> 00:21:39,120 So be careful what you treasure. 442 00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:43,400 And going back to Ecclesiastes 5, verses 13 through 17, 443 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,960 you can work diligently for the 30 or 40 years here in the US. 444 00:21:48,060 --> 00:21:48,760 You can earn. 445 00:21:48,860 --> 00:21:49,500 You can save. 446 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:50,600 You can invest. 447 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:52,700 You can feel like you're accomplishing a lot. 448 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,080 You can do good. 449 00:21:54,180 --> 00:21:55,600 You can earn for your loved ones. 450 00:21:55,700 --> 00:22:01,020 However, in an instant, a bad venture or endeavor 451 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:02,420 can cause your ruin. 452 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,880 And that's what Jesus and Solomon describe. 453 00:22:05,980 --> 00:22:08,980 It's like being an Olympic runner poised to pass the baton. 454 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,720 That father prepares to hand over everything he's achieved. 455 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,220 To his son, only to be met with a devastating calamity that 456 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,240 wipes out everything that he gained in an instant. 457 00:22:20,340 --> 00:22:23,140 And he discovers that all his efforts were in vain as if he 458 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:27,900 never even had a baton to begin with. 459 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,040 Isn't that a tragic story? 460 00:22:30,140 --> 00:22:32,740 It's the sickening evil that Solomon speaks of. 461 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,840 In verse 15, it borrows similar language from Job. 462 00:22:36,940 --> 00:22:40,180 That as one enters the world, so he exits. 463 00:22:40,180 --> 00:22:42,680 No matter what he accomplishes. 464 00:22:42,780 --> 00:22:45,460 In Job's story, we're also provided a clear response. 465 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:47,520 That we should bless the name of Yahweh. 466 00:22:47,620 --> 00:22:49,260 Nonetheless, some of you know. 467 00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:51,400 Naked I came from my mother's womb. 468 00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:52,760 And naked I shall return there. 469 00:22:52,860 --> 00:22:53,760 Yahweh gave. 470 00:22:53,860 --> 00:22:55,740 And Yahweh has taken away. 471 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,240 Blessed be the name of Yahweh. 472 00:22:58,340 --> 00:22:59,700 And some of you learned it as the Lord. 473 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,280 It's just a tetragrammaton. 474 00:23:03,380 --> 00:23:07,420 Now, mortality is a consistent theme in Ecclesiastes. 475 00:23:07,420 --> 00:23:11,380 Reminding us over and again that we cannot take anything with us 476 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:12,620 unto death. 477 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,120 There is no ultimate gain in possessions or in materialism. 478 00:23:17,220 --> 00:23:20,520 And the question in verse 16 of Ecclesiastes 5 479 00:23:20,620 --> 00:23:24,200 should be a very sharp punch to our kidneys. 480 00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:25,460 This is the question. 481 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:32,140 What is the advantage to him who labors for the wind? 482 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,440 Think about that question. 483 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:39,140 If you die naked carrying nothing, 484 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,640 just as you came into this world, 485 00:23:41,740 --> 00:23:44,580 where is your advantage in accumulating wealth 486 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,180 and possessions? 487 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,320 You can't take them with you. 488 00:23:49,420 --> 00:23:52,120 So is it all just for a few fleeting moments of enjoyment? 489 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:00,640 Verse 17 points out some negative results 490 00:24:00,740 --> 00:24:02,500 in chasing after wealth. 491 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,100 These are the three. 492 00:24:04,100 --> 00:24:07,940 Vexation, illness, and anger. 493 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:09,880 So what is vexation? 494 00:24:09,980 --> 00:24:14,140 To be vexed is to be irritated, to be bothered, to be worried. 495 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,820 A person can toil so much towards the accumulation 496 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,120 of wealth and possessions that they 497 00:24:18,220 --> 00:24:20,220 are consumed with that pursuit. 498 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,820 They spend their waking hours absorbed in that endeavor, 499 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,560 and they miss the simple and beautiful parts of life. 500 00:24:27,660 --> 00:24:29,200 Their meals are eaten in darkness, 501 00:24:29,300 --> 00:24:33,060 alone and without joy, without the warmth of light 502 00:24:33,060 --> 00:24:35,460 and life and fellowship. 503 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,840 That's the result of chasing. 504 00:24:37,940 --> 00:24:39,540 In a second, you see illness. 505 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,900 Literally here, it means bodily sickness and disease. 506 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,240 You know something that's interesting, though? 507 00:24:45,340 --> 00:24:47,680 Isaiah 53, many of you know that. 508 00:24:47,780 --> 00:24:49,040 Jesus bore our griefs. 509 00:24:49,140 --> 00:24:51,980 Isaiah 53, 4, that word for griefs 510 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,260 is the exact same word as illness here. 511 00:24:56,260 --> 00:25:03,120 He bore our illnesses, our sicknesses, even our appetite 512 00:25:03,220 --> 00:25:05,600 for things that kill us. 513 00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:09,140 A love of materialism will affect us not just spiritually, 514 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,640 but physically as well. 515 00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:13,540 And the third one you see is anger. 516 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:15,280 Now, the kind of anger here, it's 517 00:25:15,380 --> 00:25:19,840 closer to the unmerciful heart of that servant in Matthew 18. 518 00:25:19,940 --> 00:25:23,780 It is a wrathful heart seeking to gain something. 519 00:25:23,780 --> 00:25:26,980 A heart like somebody who wants to oppress others 520 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:31,500 that we read about in chapter 5, verse 8 here in Ecclesiastes. 521 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,400 And that's what a love for wealth and possessions 522 00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:36,140 can produce, jealousy toward others, 523 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,540 anger in the heart that somebody else has something 524 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:40,900 that you don't have. 525 00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:47,180 Now, these warnings on wealth, on materialism, 526 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:48,980 on setting your mind on things of this earth, 527 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,880 these warnings come from the man who had it all. 528 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,180 I've heard it said that he had gold, glitz, and gals. 529 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,160 That was the old Baptist way of talking about Solomon. 530 00:25:57,260 --> 00:25:59,860 That he didn't keep anything from himself. 531 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:02,260 He indulged in every want and pleasure. 532 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:06,020 That's what he says earlier in this letter. 533 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:11,200 But when he was done, he found it all utterly vapid, 534 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:15,300 meaningless, like grasping after wind. 535 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:16,940 It never satisfied. 536 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:18,600 And even in the end, he couldn't even 537 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:23,320 pass on his best blessings to his son for enjoyment. 538 00:26:23,420 --> 00:26:25,840 But remember, this letter is not the downcast 539 00:26:25,940 --> 00:26:29,320 or the dreary remembrances of an old man. 540 00:26:29,420 --> 00:26:32,620 This letter was penned by the man gifted with more wisdom 541 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,820 than any other human, so he has more to say and more 542 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:37,700 to guide on this subject. 543 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,260 So now look at his encouragement, his exhortation, 544 00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:44,560 in the final three verses of this chapter. 545 00:26:44,660 --> 00:26:47,880 In verse 18, first, you have Solomon's observation 546 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,540 of what is good. 547 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,780 To eat, to drink, and to find enjoyment in your toil 548 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,480 during this short and momentary life. 549 00:26:56,580 --> 00:26:59,020 Now, eating and drinking, they are the most basic aspects 550 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:00,220 of life. 551 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,220 And he's not saying to indulge in eating or to drink 552 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:04,760 and gluttony and get drunk. 553 00:27:04,860 --> 00:27:07,560 He's saying it's good and fitting to find enjoyment 554 00:27:07,660 --> 00:27:11,000 in what God has given you in every little part of life. 555 00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:14,100 So are you a busy student? 556 00:27:14,100 --> 00:27:17,940 Find enjoyment as a student, even in your assignments, 557 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,400 even in your tests, but especially in your learning 558 00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:23,180 and your growing. 559 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:26,020 Are you an overworked employee? 560 00:27:26,120 --> 00:27:30,340 Find enjoyment in your job, even if you think it's mundane. 561 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,120 Do your work unto the Lord and look for gospel opportunities 562 00:27:33,220 --> 00:27:35,460 to show the love of Christ. 563 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:37,620 Are you a tired parent? 564 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,820 You don't have to raise your hand, but you can. 565 00:27:41,820 --> 00:27:44,100 Find enjoyment in your season. 566 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,460 What can you praise and thank God for? 567 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,600 And what ways can you model Christ to your children, 568 00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:51,540 young or old? 569 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,880 All of this and more is possible because of the truth 570 00:27:53,980 --> 00:27:55,880 that God has given it. 571 00:27:55,980 --> 00:27:58,120 This is why I can lovingly and confidently 572 00:27:58,220 --> 00:28:00,140 encourage even the poorest children and families 573 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:06,580 in Africa with the same truth, the exact same truth, 574 00:28:06,580 --> 00:28:12,120 to eat, to drink, to find enjoyment, to see good 575 00:28:12,220 --> 00:28:15,500 in whatever God has given. 576 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:17,860 You know, often when I give that encouragement in Africa, 577 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:19,600 I point to the love and care of a local church. 578 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:22,640 That's the man with his back to us in that photo. 579 00:28:22,740 --> 00:28:25,540 The local church, a shepherd who leads and loves, 580 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,100 members who practice the one another's. 581 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,080 And when people are encouraged to praise God, 582 00:28:30,180 --> 00:28:31,440 even for the little they have, they 583 00:28:31,540 --> 00:28:34,480 think of the blessing of the local church 584 00:28:34,580 --> 00:28:36,020 over and over again. 585 00:28:36,020 --> 00:28:38,220 They may not have much. 586 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:39,780 They may not have savings. 587 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:41,560 They may not have any guarantee that tomorrow's 588 00:28:41,660 --> 00:28:43,060 going to bring food. 589 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:44,420 But they have the blessing of being 590 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,220 part of a local church who loves as Christ loves. 591 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:49,060 And that's enough. 592 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,700 The second encouragement in verse 19, 593 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:59,600 Solomon doesn't say being given riches is wicked and evil. 594 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:02,580 He says that God gives riches. 595 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:03,580 And we know this. 596 00:29:03,580 --> 00:29:07,140 1 Samuel chapter 2, verse 7 says, Yahweh makes rich 597 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,140 and makes poor. 598 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,620 He brings low and he also exalts. 599 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,280 But it says, if God gives riches, 600 00:29:13,380 --> 00:29:15,160 then he empowers a person to eat from them. 601 00:29:15,260 --> 00:29:17,960 And here's one area where I think the ESV didn't quite 602 00:29:18,060 --> 00:29:18,860 render it correctly. 603 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:20,260 It's very complex, though. 604 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:21,420 But the word is not enjoy. 605 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,100 There's a different word in Hebrew for enjoy. 606 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:24,500 That's not the right one. 607 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,660 So here's the connotation of verse 19. 608 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,860 If God gives you wealth, it is so 609 00:29:29,860 --> 00:29:34,300 that you eat from your own wealth, not from others. 610 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:36,980 Remember earlier in verse 8, the oppression and the injustice 611 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,780 from people taking from others. 612 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:41,580 Verse 10, the lack of satisfaction 613 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,380 in chasing more and more, the greed that fills us up, 614 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:46,220 all of that is in view here. 615 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,780 If God gives you riches, it's so that you don't burden others. 616 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,660 Eat from your own storehouse. 617 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,400 If he's gifted you, then be thankful. 618 00:29:56,500 --> 00:29:57,520 Rejoice. 619 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,160 Be glad in your labor or your toil. 620 00:30:00,260 --> 00:30:02,340 He says, rejoice in your toils. 621 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:03,560 Rejoice in your troubles. 622 00:30:03,660 --> 00:30:05,140 You know who else said that? 623 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:08,000 Many of you know how James spoke to the church. 624 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:11,100 He said, suffering in many ways counted all joy 625 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,880 when you encounter trials of various kinds. 626 00:30:14,980 --> 00:30:17,040 The same truth. 627 00:30:17,140 --> 00:30:22,180 So can you rejoice in your afflictions? 628 00:30:22,180 --> 00:30:27,960 Can you rejoice in your burdens? 629 00:30:28,060 --> 00:30:30,360 Can you rejoice in your difficulties? 630 00:30:34,460 --> 00:30:40,900 You can, but not when your eyes are fixed on this earth. 631 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,600 See, a materialistic mind will not 632 00:30:42,700 --> 00:30:45,800 find satisfaction in difficulty or strife. 633 00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:49,440 But a mind set on things above, that person 634 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:52,320 can rejoice whether brought high or brought low 635 00:30:52,420 --> 00:30:54,220 because they know the secret to contentment. 636 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:56,220 You know who else knew that? 637 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,680 Paul in Philippians 4. 638 00:30:58,780 --> 00:31:00,720 He said, not that I speak from want, 639 00:31:00,820 --> 00:31:04,620 for I learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 640 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:06,700 I know how to get along with humble means, 641 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:08,660 and I also know how to live in abundance. 642 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:10,840 In any and all things, I've learned the secret 643 00:31:10,940 --> 00:31:14,040 of being filled and going hungry. 644 00:31:14,140 --> 00:31:17,940 Both of having abundance and suffering need, 645 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:19,280 I can do all. 646 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,340 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 647 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:24,220 That's the right application to all the athletes. 648 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:25,040 I'm sorry. 649 00:31:25,140 --> 00:31:27,820 That's not where it's at. 650 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,660 Talk to me later. 651 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:34,760 So learn to accept your lot, your toil, 652 00:31:34,860 --> 00:31:36,800 because it's a gift from God, and it's the secret 653 00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:39,300 that Paul spoke of. 654 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:43,600 So the final encouragement that Solomon gives in verse 20 655 00:31:43,700 --> 00:31:47,400 about wealth is that if we focus on enjoying 656 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,880 what God has given, then we'll be occupied with gladness 657 00:31:51,980 --> 00:31:55,540 in our hearts, and we will not remember the hardships. 658 00:31:55,640 --> 00:32:00,480 They won't overtake the delights of God's provision. 659 00:32:00,580 --> 00:32:02,680 The believer who trusts God for his daily bread 660 00:32:02,780 --> 00:32:07,020 will not be excessively fixated on the accumulation of wealth 661 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,760 or question whether one's personal achievements 662 00:32:09,860 --> 00:32:12,960 are going to have a lasting impact on the world. 663 00:32:13,060 --> 00:32:16,640 And there is a sanctified sense in which the wise person simply 664 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:20,740 lives in the moment in the joy that God provides. 665 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:25,080 The secret of life is not held in toil or in riches, 666 00:32:25,180 --> 00:32:27,480 but in enjoying what God has given, 667 00:32:27,580 --> 00:32:29,080 seeing one's purpose and pleasure 668 00:32:29,180 --> 00:32:31,440 in light of the creator. 669 00:32:31,540 --> 00:32:35,080 So materialism cannot provide lasting fulfillment. 670 00:32:35,180 --> 00:32:37,380 Instead, we need to recognize that everything we possess, 671 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,260 even those things we think we've earned, are a gift from God. 672 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,220 And we should express gratitude for receiving blessings 673 00:32:44,220 --> 00:32:46,500 that we do not merit. 674 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,160 Further, we have to acknowledge that our ability 675 00:32:49,260 --> 00:32:53,160 to derive enjoyment even from our efforts, that is a gift. 676 00:32:53,260 --> 00:32:57,100 To find enjoyment in toil is a gift. 677 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,280 What a grace to be absorbed in a full life, 678 00:33:00,380 --> 00:33:03,340 such that the toils can be looked upon with gratitude. 679 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,440 Can you imagine? 680 00:33:06,540 --> 00:33:08,780 There's a famous Japanese actor. 681 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,020 Some of you may know him from the film The Last Samurai. 682 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,520 Again, not an endorsement. 683 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,720 His name is Hiroyuki Sanada. 684 00:33:15,820 --> 00:33:17,160 You see his picture up there. 685 00:33:17,260 --> 00:33:19,300 He's quoted as saying this. 686 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,660 There are those who want a swimming pool in the house, 687 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,160 while those who have one barely use it. 688 00:33:24,260 --> 00:33:27,740 Those who have lost a loved one feel a deep sense of loss, 689 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,600 while others who hold them close often complain about them. 690 00:33:31,700 --> 00:33:33,780 Those who do not have a partner yearn for him, 691 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,780 but those who have sometimes do not value him. 692 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:38,740 The hungry would give anything for a plate of food 693 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:42,180 while the well-fed complains about the taste. 694 00:33:42,180 --> 00:33:44,580 The one who doesn't own a house dreams, 695 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:48,480 while the one who has one is always looking for a better one. 696 00:33:48,580 --> 00:33:50,660 The key is to be grateful. 697 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:52,860 Look carefully at what we have and understand 698 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:55,660 that somewhere someone would give everything 699 00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:01,240 for what you already have and don't appreciate. 700 00:34:01,340 --> 00:34:04,300 That man is an unbeliever. 701 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,600 That man worships ancestors, yet even he 702 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:13,440 sees the importance of gratitude. 703 00:34:13,540 --> 00:34:16,180 We focus so much on what we don't have 704 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,280 that our eyes can scarcely see the blessings 705 00:34:19,380 --> 00:34:20,180 that we've been given. 706 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:26,120 God's word continues to give us encouragement, 707 00:34:26,220 --> 00:34:28,260 old and New Testaments. 708 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,360 I'm not going to belabor the same point over and over again, 709 00:34:31,460 --> 00:34:34,240 but let me just read 1 Timothy 6. 710 00:34:34,240 --> 00:34:38,500 But godliness actually is a means of great gain 711 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,500 when accompanied by contentment. 712 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:43,100 For we brought nothing into the world. 713 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:44,680 What does that echo? 714 00:34:44,780 --> 00:34:47,220 So we can't take anything out of it either. 715 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,740 And if we have food and shelter covering with these, 716 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:51,220 we should be content. 717 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:54,120 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation 718 00:34:54,220 --> 00:34:57,760 and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge 719 00:34:57,860 --> 00:35:00,460 men into ruin and destruction. 720 00:35:00,460 --> 00:35:04,300 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, 721 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,160 and some, by aspiring to it, have wandered away 722 00:35:07,260 --> 00:35:12,640 from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 723 00:35:12,740 --> 00:35:15,100 This is the Greek, obviously, not the Hebrew, 724 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,280 but it's the same context, griefs, illnesses, pangs. 725 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,480 So I pray that God would pierce each of us 726 00:35:23,580 --> 00:35:26,980 to consider our desirous hearts. 727 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,520 You may not be craving money right now, 728 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:33,220 but maybe it's other things that God has not given you. 729 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:39,760 A relationship, financial blessing, a relief, 730 00:35:39,860 --> 00:35:51,040 or a comfort, a job, a life direction, a child, a future. 731 00:35:51,140 --> 00:35:53,180 Whatever it is that you've been craving, 732 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:55,820 whatever it is you've been holding on to as if God 733 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,080 needed to do your bidding or others needed to agree with you 734 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,460 and follow you, recognize that if God hasn't given you 735 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:07,020 something, even a good thing, He's not made a mistake, 736 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:10,100 and His love for you has not wavered. 737 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,100 Your identity is no more in wealth or possessions 738 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,900 than it is in any other aspect of your life. 739 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,740 If you're a believer, your life is hidden with Christ in God, 740 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,440 and Christ died pierced for your transgressions, 741 00:36:24,540 --> 00:36:26,640 burying our griefs and our illnesses 742 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:31,380 that we would not be ruled by desires here on this earth, 743 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,080 no matter how good and godly they may be, 744 00:36:34,180 --> 00:36:37,820 but that He would rule and reign in our hearts. 745 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:41,000 We've been bought with a price, purchased by His blood, 746 00:36:41,100 --> 00:36:44,660 redeemed for His glory and for our good. 747 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:48,840 So as a believer, your heart can overflow with thankfulness 748 00:36:48,940 --> 00:36:52,100 and gladness of heart during the short days of your life, 749 00:36:52,100 --> 00:36:58,340 come riches or toil, whether you get what you want or not. 750 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:00,840 Some of you know the author, Randy Alcorn. 751 00:37:00,940 --> 00:37:02,620 He wrote a book called The Treasure Principle. 752 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:04,180 There's some decent thoughts in there. 753 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,020 But he has a section where he speaks 754 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:09,520 about this portion of Ecclesiastes 5. 755 00:37:09,620 --> 00:37:11,660 And so those are his paraphrasing. 756 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:14,860 I think that those principles are helpful. 757 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,900 Quoting verse 10, whoever loves money never has enough money. 758 00:37:18,900 --> 00:37:22,160 The more you have, the more you want. 759 00:37:22,260 --> 00:37:23,560 Whoever loves his wealth is never 760 00:37:23,660 --> 00:37:25,540 satisfied with his income. 761 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:28,800 The more you have, the less you're satisfied. 762 00:37:28,900 --> 00:37:31,080 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. 763 00:37:31,180 --> 00:37:32,940 The more you have, the more people, 764 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:36,740 including the government, will come after it. 765 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:38,240 And what benefit are they to the owner 766 00:37:38,340 --> 00:37:40,480 except to feast his eyes on them? 767 00:37:40,580 --> 00:37:44,880 The more you have, the more you realize it does you no good. 768 00:37:44,980 --> 00:37:46,820 Sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he 769 00:37:46,820 --> 00:37:48,920 eats little or much. 770 00:37:49,020 --> 00:37:51,720 But the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. 771 00:37:51,820 --> 00:37:55,500 The more you have, the more you have to worry about. 772 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:57,360 I've seen a grievous evil under the sun, 773 00:37:57,460 --> 00:38:00,640 wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner. 774 00:38:00,740 --> 00:38:03,040 The more you have, the more you can hurt yourself 775 00:38:03,140 --> 00:38:05,740 by holding onto it. 776 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:08,240 Wealth lost through some misfortune. 777 00:38:08,340 --> 00:38:11,940 The more you have, the more you have to lose. 778 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:14,280 Naked, a man comes from his mother's womb as he comes, 779 00:38:14,380 --> 00:38:15,480 so he departs. 780 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,480 He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. 781 00:38:18,580 --> 00:38:22,820 The more you have, the more you leave behind. 782 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,060 Now, Alcorn states in that book that giving is the only 783 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:27,900 antidote to materialism. 784 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,600 And I do think that's a fantastic response 785 00:38:30,700 --> 00:38:32,700 for the believer who recognizes their love of wealth 786 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:33,940 and possessions. 787 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:35,900 But I think the root heart issue needs 788 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:40,100 to be addressed first before responding with giving. 789 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:45,140 And that antidote that Solomon is speaking of is gratitude. 790 00:38:45,140 --> 00:38:46,340 Gratitude. 791 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:50,420 Remembering that there is a sovereign creator and judge 792 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:55,560 over this world, and we are to enjoy whatever he's given. 793 00:38:55,660 --> 00:38:57,560 So cease striving. 794 00:38:57,660 --> 00:38:58,820 Let go. 795 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,160 Let go, chasing what you want. 796 00:39:01,260 --> 00:39:04,000 And know that he is God and learn to enjoy 797 00:39:04,100 --> 00:39:06,560 what he has given. 798 00:39:06,660 --> 00:39:08,040 Some of you know that Jesus told us, 799 00:39:08,140 --> 00:39:11,740 we cannot serve two masters. 800 00:39:11,740 --> 00:39:16,580 So the prayer is that our Savior would be our greatest treasure, 801 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:20,280 that our Savior would be the focus of our hearts, 802 00:39:20,380 --> 00:39:22,920 the blessings that he provides, whether little or much, 803 00:39:23,020 --> 00:39:26,020 would be what we fix our eyes on. 804 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:27,160 So Jesus said this. 805 00:39:27,260 --> 00:39:29,720 Don't store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, 806 00:39:29,820 --> 00:39:31,920 where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in 807 00:39:32,020 --> 00:39:34,620 and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 808 00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:36,600 where neither moth nor rust destroys, 809 00:39:36,700 --> 00:39:38,560 and where thieves do not break in or steal, 810 00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:43,240 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 811 00:39:43,340 --> 00:39:45,140 And then a warning. 812 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:48,880 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one 813 00:39:48,980 --> 00:39:51,040 and love the other, or he'll be devoted to one 814 00:39:51,140 --> 00:39:52,240 and despise the other. 815 00:39:52,340 --> 00:39:57,120 You cannot serve God and wealth. 816 00:39:57,220 --> 00:39:58,920 Now in a moment, I'm going to put some questions 817 00:39:59,020 --> 00:40:00,160 on the screen. 818 00:40:00,260 --> 00:40:01,580 I encourage you to think about them, 819 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:04,720 or how you can avoid the vanity of materialism, 820 00:40:04,820 --> 00:40:07,120 how you can grow in your enjoyment of what God has given 821 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:08,600 to you. 822 00:40:08,700 --> 00:40:12,200 When you're done thinking about them, 823 00:40:12,300 --> 00:40:13,540 I'm going to pray for us. 824 00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:14,900 But as you think about materialism, 825 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:20,140 as Americans hear this, it's not a sin to have things. 826 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:24,120 Solomon said it's not sinful to be given wealth, 827 00:40:24,220 --> 00:40:29,080 but to whom much is given, much is required. 828 00:40:29,180 --> 00:40:31,280 So may we consider the blessings that he's given 829 00:40:31,380 --> 00:40:34,920 and respond in a way that pleases him. 830 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:37,720 And may we make sure that wealth is not our God, 831 00:40:37,820 --> 00:40:41,600 that security is not our God, but that God is our God. 832 00:40:41,700 --> 00:40:43,000 Amen? 833 00:40:43,100 --> 00:40:45,160 Here are some questions for you, and I'll close us 834 00:40:45,160 --> 00:41:07,780 in prayer in just a moment.