And if you would now take your Bibles and open
up to the Old Testament. Wisdom book. Of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes chapter 7. As we continue in our
sermon series through this book, we're going
to start in verse 15, simply picking up where
we left off and taking it through the end of
the chapter. And I would ask you to pay close
attention because this is God's word, Ecclesiastes
7 -15. In my vain life, I have seen everything.
There is a righteous man who perishes in his
righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs
his life in his evil doing. Be not overly righteous
and do not make yourself too wise. Why should
you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither
be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
It is good that you should take hold of this,
and from that withhold not your hand, for the
one who fears God shall come out from both of
them. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man,
more than ten rulers who are in a city. Surely
there is not a righteous man on earth who does
good and never sins. Do not take to heart all
the things that people say lest you hear your
servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many
times you yourself have cursed others. All this
I have tested by wisdom. I said I will be wise,
but it was far from me. That which has been is
far off and deep, very deep. Who can find it
out? I turned my heart to know and to search
out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things.
and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness
that is madness, and I find something more bitter
than death. The woman whose heart is snares and
nets, and whose hands are fetters, he who pleases
God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
Behold, this is what I found, says the preacher,
while adding one thing to another to find the
scheme of things, which my soul has sought repeatedly,
but I have not found. One man among a thousand
I found. But a woman among all these I have not
found See this alone I found that God made man
upright But they have sought out many schemes
Friends this is God's word. Let's pray Our Lord
and our God and the father of the one who is
called the word I Do ask that you would illumine
our hearts and our minds that we would understand
What is perhaps a perplexing text to us? Help
us to see how this points to our Savior Jesus
Christ Would you grant us the help of your spirit?
We pray for Christ's sake amen If you can remember
What did you think of the Christian faith before
you were a Christian? Did you understand and
maybe you're still figuring this out now Did
you understand that the Christian faith is one
of at times suffering of? Trouble of challenge
of difficulty of sadness We know that Jesus said
there would be times of trouble and we know that
Jesus said take up your cross and follow me But
do we really get it? What are our thoughts about
the Christian faith? When we're going through
something terribly difficult Do we expect that
all things will go well? Because we're Christians
Well friends Maybe we think it'll go well for
a time or a season But trouble is coming we will
all experience it no doubt you've felt it before.
You've seen it before. A young pastor recently
ordained loses his son to death in the night.
The doctors don't know why. A missionary is killed
by the very people he sought to convert. A woman
comes down with terminal cancer who's doing a
phenomenal job loving her husband and her children.
Why do these things happen? It's the classic
question. Why do bad things happen to good people?
Have you ever been asked that? Have you ever
yourself asked that question? Why do bad things
happen to good people? I was asked this question.
I think I've shared this before. I was inside
of a women's prison doing prison ministry and
a young woman incarcerated for a long time asked
me that question. Why do bad things happen to
good people? Why am I here? To be honest with
you, I didn't know the answer. R .C. Sproul gave
perhaps the finest answer I have ever heard.
Why do bad things happen to good people? He said,
that's only happened once. And he volunteered.
Jesus is the one who does good all of the time.
But when bad things happen, people tend to respond
in very unhealthy, ungodly ways. When things
aren't going our way, do we just think, well,
I must not be living up to God's standard. I
must not be righteous enough. I just need to
try harder. Or you have those who say, well,
I'll just give up. What's the point? You know
what we probably would not say? Verses 16 and
17. Be not overly righteous. Don't be too wise,
don't be too wicked, just don't. Amen, let's
pray, right? No, this is a perplexing statement.
Professor Benjamin Shaw says these verses are
a commentator's nightmare. He probably wrote
that from the comfort of his own home or office
rather than preaching in front of people. So
let's ask ourselves, how is this passage to quote
from Second Timothy, profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training
in righteousness. How is this passage useful
to us? Well, let's remember what Solomon is doing
here. Solomon is putting on his detective's hat.
He's going after some of the mysteries, some
of the things that he sees in life that he doesn't
understand. It's like he's on unsolved mysteries.
He's trying to unlock life's most baffling whodunits.
And this one relates to righteousness and to
wisdom. And so, look at verse 15. In my vain
life, I have seen everything. everything he says.
Now this is hyperbole, this is exaggeration.
It's seen everything, but what's really perplexing
to him is what continues. There is a righteous
man who perishes in his righteousness and there
is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his
evil doing. Meaning the righteous sometimes die
and suffer while the wicked prosper. And so as
he sees this in his life, It is perplexing. He
doesn't understand. It's tough for him, and it's
probably tough for us as well. Why do the wicked
prosper while the faithful suffer? The crook
should not get rich, and the liar should not
get his way, and the murderer should be the one
who loses his life, but sometimes it doesn't
seem to happen that way. But friends, long life.
Maybe this makes it more perplexing long life
and the scriptures are often seen as a blessing
from God, right? And so that makes it even more
challenging, right? It seems like life is maybe
unfair You think of the fifth commandment to
honor your father and your mother and your days
will be long in the land that God gives to you
How do we understand that kind of a commandment
that kind of a even a promise? Well friends,
this is not a blanket statement We have plenty
of examples in the scriptures of those who love
God suffering for it, right? We've already mentioned
many times Cain and Abel. What about this from
Psalm 73? The observation from the psalmist who
says, such are the wicked, always at ease, the
increase in riches, all in vain. I have kept
my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence
for all day long I have been plagued and am punished
every morning. Sometimes friends the faithful
just don't live to a ripe old age while the wicked
prosper. How perplexed you think must Solomon
would Solomon have been to see all of Jesus's
disciples suffering as they did. Solomon though
knows the answer to why things are this way.
He's already shown us many times the bigger question
to why these things happen is How shall we live
in such paradox? how shall we live in such a
world where the righteous die and the wicked
prosper Well, here's to get back to it a little
bit the two dangers the two unhealthy ungodly
ways that people approach trouble and suffering
people who say on this hand things aren't going
well, I just got to do better. I got to lace
up my sneakers a little bit tighter. I got to
get my hands dirty. I got a knuckle down. I'm
just not righteous enough. These are those that
Brian Chappell calls sola bootstrappa. I like
it too, right? Pulling oneself by one's own bootstraps,
but the other On the other hand, those who say
if the same end befits us all and the wicked
prosper, why not just sin more? Let's put God's
grace to work. So these are the two dangers.
And if I can use more technical terms, legalism
and antinomianism, right? Legalism that says,
yes, I can do those things, God, but I can do
them better. The antinomian, which quite literally
means against the law, those who perhaps say,
oh, I've been baptized, I profess faith in Jesus
Christ, and therefore I'm good to go, I can live
however I want. Friends, hear this quote from
Thornwell who said, the gospel, like its blessed
master, is always crucified between two thieves.
Legalism of all sorts on the one hand and antinomians
on the other. The former robbing the Savior of
the glory of his work for us and the other robbing
him of the glory of his work within us. Friends,
as we look at these two dangers, I want us to
see that there is a better way. There is a better
path forward and His name is Jesus. But please,
as you see this perplexing statement here, don't
be too righteous. Please understand this. Solomon
is not saying disregard practical means of growth
and holiness. He's not saying that. Actually,
he upholds wisdom and righteousness in verse
19. But look at verse 20. This is where it all
hinges. Surely there is not a righteous man on
earth who does good and never sins. There's not.
That was true in Solomon's day, and that is true
in our day. All of our strivings will not make
us righteous before God, and yet this is how
many people think. I heard a song just yesterday
and I wanted to share the lyrics because I think
it captures this perfectly. It's by a Christian
contemporary artist named Matthew West. He said,
I used to think grace was a ladder. Every sinner
had to climb. If only I could do better, I could
earn it over time. Tried to work my way to good,
trouble is I never could. But then you showed
me just exactly how grace works. I'm not loved
because I'm worthy. I'm loved because you're
good. Period. I'm loved because you're good.
Looking to ourselves for righteousness, being
wise in our own eyes, pursuing wickedness, the
results of this kind of behavior will be utterly
devastating upon us. You need the righteousness
of another. And for you who have it, keep looking
to Him and trusting in Him for His righteousness
because you see what the problem is. Look at
verse 29. This alone I found that God made man
upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
We are to think here of what happened after creation.
We are to think of the fall into sin. With Adam
and Eve, they were walking in perfect relationship
with God. All was right in the world until it
wasn't. God gave them freedom to sin and freedom
not to sin. Thinking that they would acquire
wisdom, Adam plunged the whole world into sin.
And Solomon's statement has been correct ever
since. And so what is Solomon doing here? He's
looking around. He's looking near and he's looking
far. He's looking high and he's looking low,
trying to find is there anybody on the face of
this earth who does good all the time and never
sins? And does he find it? No. No. A similar
episode happens with Abraham. Do you remember
Abraham haggling with God? over mercy towards
Sodom? What a statement that is. Abraham in prayer
says, God, will you destroy this place if there
are 50 righteous people in it? And God says no.
And he talks him down from 50 to 45 to 40 to
30 to 20 to 10 and says, God, if there are 10
righteous people in this place, will you destroy
it? And God says no to these things. But then
Abraham stops. and he doesn't continue haggling
with God, why? The text doesn't tell us, but
I think we can understand two things about it.
One, he stops because he understands the mercy
of God. If any one will be saved, it'll be because
God shows him mercy, the righteous for the unrighteous.
And two, Abraham stops because there is no unrighteous.
He gets to the end of the line. Here's the good
news, though. Abraham stops. God does not. Abraham
stops. God does not. He spares Lot and his daughters.
And yet with Solomon here, he's looking around.
He doesn't haggle at all. He just looks and sees
there is none. There are none righteous. Why?
Because we are urged to look for righteousness
elsewhere He also understands that in our unrighteousness
oftentimes we give in to temptation that sometimes
we play with the fire of temptation look in verses
26 and 27 This kind of temptation Solomon knows
a thing or two about that He's been burned by
it, and he's done the burning. What Solomon's
doing here is he's describing a particular kind
of woman. Do you remember the sort of women that
Solomon pursued? Let me give an innocent plug
for Sunday school, particularly the fellowship
Sunday school class in which we have been reading
about this. First King's Chapter 11, verses 1
through 4, reads like this. Now King Solomon
loved many foreign women, along with the daughter
of Pharaoh, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian,
and Hittite women. From the nations concerning
which the Lord had said to the people of Israel,
you shall not Enter into covenant into marriage
with them neither shall they with you for surely
they will turn away your heart after their gods
Solomon clung to these in love he had 700 wives
who were princesses and 300 concubines and his
wives turned away his hearts and so as you see
Solomon here the teacher, the preacher, the one
called Kohelet. As you see him making these statements
about women and temptation that is here, we must
understand that this is not a condemnation of
women. This is not a gender issue. What he is
getting at is the real problem. Our fallenness,
the temptation to sin, those who toy with our
sin instead of fleeing from it. You all know
John Owen who famously said be killing sin or
it be killing you. And so what he's showing us
here is is that when we give into these things
they are terribly destructive. And I find something
more bitter than death. The woman whose heart
is snares and nets and whose hands are fetters.
He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner
is taken by her. Who else could write that? But
Solomon. And so his experience is playing into
this. But please also see this. Men are not faring
any better. The playing field is level, according
to verse 20 and 29. And even if you crunch the
numbers of 28 men, come out only one -tenth of
a percentage point better than women in Solomon's
experience. And this is not dogma. This is his
experience. That we all fall short of the glory
of God. Look at verses 21 and 22, because this
illustrates this. Do not take to heart all the
things that people say, lest you hear your servant
cursing you. Your heart. Knows that many times
you yourself have cursed others What is he doing
but illustrating this point? That we all struggle
with sin We all struggle with temptation But
because we all do Shouldn't we be much more quick
to forgive? Do we really need to be hung up?
on every single little problem that we have with
one another, knowing how sinful we are as well,
that's what he wants you to see, right? And he
wants us to see that men and women left to their
own devices are hopelessly unrighteous, foolish,
and wicked. Have you ever heard of the name G
.K. Chesterton? In 1908, the Times newspaper
reached out to a number of famous writers and
said, would you please respond to this question?
And the question was this, what is wrong with
the world? Chesterton wrote back, dear sirs,
I am. Sincerely, GK Chesterton. Friends, since
we have all fallen short, what are we to do?
We must recognize that God provides the way of
escape, and he provides the righteousness. Look
at verse 26. I've already read this a couple
of times, but he says there's something worse
than death. People sought out many schemes. What
they do and what we do sometimes is to twist
what is good into something that which is wicked,
right? But God's word is clear on this. Hebrews
12 one. let us lay aside every weight and sin
which clings so closely. Jesus says it too, right?
He talks about our hand causing us to sin or
our eye, right? To take that out, right? And
so maybe we can apply that into our own lives.
I don't have a phone up here with me, but if
your cell phone causes you, tempts you to sin,
throw it in the trash can. If your job over and
over again tempts you to sin, then maybe you
need to consider a new job. If your friends over
and over again tempt you to sin, maybe you need
some new friends. You see it from our text, the
one who does good before God is the one who escapes
his sin. Perhaps there's no better spot to see
this than in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Verse
13, some of you I believe have this memorized.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common
to man and God is faithful and he will not let
you be tempted beyond your ability. But with
the temptation, he will also provide the way
of escape that you may be able to endure it.
Friends, it is true. God provides the way of
escape. But let's say that your sin has you so
wrapped up in it. You're so entangled by it that
you cannot get out of it on your own. What then?
Well, friends, that's kind of the point, isn't
it? That's kind of the point. You need God's
help. You need His rescue. You cannot do it on
your own. Ancient Church Father John Chrysostom
said, Paul implies, reflecting on 1 Corinthians
10 .13, Paul implies that there are temptations
that we cannot bear. What are they? All of them,
in effect. The ability to bear them comes only
from God's grace. And that is a very, very true
statement. Just like Solomon's observation, Surely
there is not a righteous man on earth. Well friends
Surely there is Surely there is and this is Christ
For second Corinthians 521 says for our sake
he made him who knew no sin to be sin So that
in him we might become the righteousness of God
Jesus is our righteousness and Jesus is our wisdom
and so Christian Whether you're battling sin,
whether you're enduring temptation, whether you're
suffering through the miseries of this life,
you need one thing. You need the righteousness
of Christ. You see, Christ fulfills verse 20
that I've said many times over. Christ also fulfills
verse 15. Let me read it again. In my vain life,
I've seen everything. There is a righteous man
who perishes in his righteousness. Jesus perished
in his righteousness so you could have it. The
righteous for the unrighteous. Let's pray.