Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 “Most Toys”
This next passage talks about wealth and possessions. As a Christians we need to have the right perspective on these things and why we have them. If we don’t we will be restless. If we do it will enhance our life of worship because it will focus in on the One who gave us these gifts.
Traps of wealth and possessions
Verse 8-9 Greed - Leo Tolstoy author of War and Peace told a short story about a men who was told he could buy all the land he could walk around in a full day.
Dropped dead and the servants dug a hole 6ft by 3ft and Tolstoy titles his story “How much Land does a man need?”
Vrs 10 Never enough- Possessions only satisfy a little so many are trapped into thinking the more I have the more satisfaction will come.
Vrs 11 People take advantage of you- hard to tell why people want to be around you. Real friends don’t care about what you own.
Vrs 12 Much to worry about- (house in Florida, hurricane ill)
Vrs 13 Hard to acquire- If you work hard for something, often times your attitude becomes prideful and you have sense of entitlement.
Vrs 14 Suffer loss - Martin Luther Said I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.
Verses 15-16 Temporal – only for this life, the things of this life will make no difference in the next unless you use them to bring Jesus glory.
Vrs 17 False sense of Protection – Just cause you have it does not mean you will keep it.
Leonard Lauder, Former president of Estee Lauder said
“When a person with experience meets a person with money, the person with experience will get the money. And the person with the money will get experience.”
Can’t protect you from sickness, death, sorrow
A parenthesis, Solomon pauses and tells us about the purpose
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Verses 18-20 The purposes of wealth and possessions
Not monastic living. Possessions are evil. This is actually a form of escape, rather then using wealth and possessions for a purpose.
1. Enjoy
It is important for us to understand that God is not anti material possessions
Randy Alcorn in his book entitled “Heaven” talks about how the idea of heaven as floating around on a cloud because you are with God and thinking about Him, is from Plato. And reminds us that Heaven is a material place for our enjoyment with the Lord. Go back to the Garden before sin when Eve picked a Mango from a tree and was like “wow this is good…Adam eat this” was it wrong for her to enjoy the material gifts…no, it made her realize and think of God and say things like what a great God.
2. Reward of work (Grandpa Czeck)
3. Bring joy (Celebrate)
4. Gift from God (God is a giver and we worship Him because He gives) GOSPEL Did not spare His own Son
5. Empowers us to do good. (how can you use your possessions to serve?)
6. Inspires Stewardship (take care of what you have)
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Vrs 1-6 Miss the purpose – Does not enjoy and worry about what will happen to his wealth when they are gone.
not blessing others with it and doing good and finding joy and being content.
John G. Wendel and his sisters were some of the most miserly people of all time. Although they had received a huge inheritance from their parents, they spent very little of it and did all they could to keep their wealth for themselves.
John was able to influence five of his six sisters never to marry, and they lived in the same house in New York City for 50 years. When the last sister died in 1931, her estate was valued at more than $100 million. Her only dress was one that she had made herself, and she had worn it for 25 years.
The Wendels had such a compulsion to hold on to their possessions that they lived like paupers.
Notices verse 3 “soul is not satisfied” GOSPEL.. better off dead
Result is verse 4 Darkness
V7 Consumption- if you just consume you will not be satisfied
V8 Waste- God does not bless us so we can be foolish and waste
V9 Dreamer-if I only had (dad and lotto tickets)
V10-11 False sense of power
God is in authority and you can’t fight it but things like acquiring wealth and possessions make you feel powerful
Vrs 12 Deception- don’t be deceived by a gift that was given to you so you focus on the Giver
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
"Restless" Don't Trip
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 “Don’t Trip”
Two issues…
1. Corporate worship
Coming to church is not paying your dues, you come to grow, and learn more about…
2. Life worship Out of the same mouth come cursing and blessing??
Verses 1-3 Cororate worship
1. Listen
Vrs 1
That we may not bring the sacrifice of fools, we must come to God’s house with hearts disposed to know and do our duty. We must be ready to hear, that is,
I read an article by JR Vasser , Pastor of Apostles Church in NYC: what to judge the preacher on.
1. Text sourced : From the Bible and in context
2. Christ exalting: Is Jesus the hero?
3. Gospel Centered: Can someone get saved listening
4. Audience focused: know the people in which you preach.
John Stange Mind, heart, hands
We must diligently attend to the word of God read and preached
More commonly we judge on was it funny, was it touching, did it make me cry, was it a new perspective
Someone visits a church and says the message was awesome, “great what was it about”
In a church much hinges on what is preached from the pulpit and this is convicting to me
George Whitefield the Great preacher that was a huge catalyst for the Great Awakening in 1700’s
“the reason why the congregations are so dead, is because dead men preach to them”
2. Offer
Music: We sing..you will not like every song
Give
Serve
Vrs 2 God is righteous and you are sinful (contrast of heaven and earth) we know as believers God is with us. He is not far off and uninvolved.
We are not even worthy to come and worship God with singing, but God allows us to.
We must be very cautious and considerate in all our approaches and addresses to God (Hey God) When Jesus says Abba like daddy it is a personalized term of endearment.
We do have a personal relationship with Jesus, and the fact that He is Jesus should demand that you speak to Him with respect.
The words of our mouths must always be the product of the meditation of our hearts.
“It is not enough that what we say comes from the heart, but it must come from a composed heart, and not from a sudden heat or passion” Matthew Henry
We see this all the time someone gets excited about the Lord, so they commit to everything and within days or weeks they drop the ball.
Let our words be few, that they may be well chosen, Job 9:14.
3. Reverance (casual but reverent vibe) Composure in Worship
Vrs 3 As confused dreams, frightful and perplexed, and such as disturb the sleep, are an evidence of a hurry of business which fills our head, so many words and hasty ones, are an evidence of folly reigning in the heart, ignorance of and unacquaintedness with both God and ourselves, low thoughts of God, and careless thoughts of our own souls.
The idea carried here is that you should be thinking about your composure, not hurried and mind all over the place.
What inspires reverence?
1. Look to the Cross GOSPEL
2. Look to the future Kingdom Hebrews 12
.
You come to worship service to know the Lord better, and be encouraged to do good.
If you “trip” in Corporate worship, you will “trip” in life worship
“Man cannot know himself without knowing God” John Calvin in the opening pages in The Institutes.
How can you know how to act if you don’t know Jesus
Here is what happens...you are created to worship and the corporate worship shows you how to in life. The worship service is designed to point you to Christ and without That the weekly reminder you can get off focus and start worshipping other things which will be sin and cause you sin.
Then what happens is your life worship becomes non-existence.
Life Worship: How do we worship with our life?
1. Follow Through
Vrs 4 Vows Deut 23:21 & Matt 5:37
The problem with vows is that it can lead us to a works based salvation ideology
Side note: Don’t barter with God, we have a God of love and justice, we don’t dangle a carrot stick in his face and say if you do this I will do that. Remember He is righteous and we are unrighteous…God is not pleased when we do something for Him only in view of what we can get out of Him.
That is almost like a smack in His face because everything you have is by His grace and you don’t deserve it anyway.
Many times when people rush into things they also rush out of things
2. Less is more
Vrs 5 Only take on what you can handle , sometimes people just want to please and others and they agree to more then they can handle.
I want to help, but instead of helping you hurt your testimony and maybe your family.
3. Act rather then speak: Talk is cheap Don’t make promises to people that you can’t keep it will damage your testimony for Christ and ruin your Life Worship
Vrs 6
4. Humble yourself
Vrs 7 At that time it was common for people to claim to know God through dreams. Last week we talked about being teachable. We will never arrive.
Some people sit around and dream all day, what could be done or what should be done but they never get anything done.
Be humble… you don’t know everything (people know everything)
5. Fear God: The end of the matter is in Corporate Worship and Life Worship we should do all things for the Glory of Jesus
Two issues…
1. Corporate worship
Coming to church is not paying your dues, you come to grow, and learn more about…
2. Life worship Out of the same mouth come cursing and blessing??
Verses 1-3 Cororate worship
1. Listen
Vrs 1
That we may not bring the sacrifice of fools, we must come to God’s house with hearts disposed to know and do our duty. We must be ready to hear, that is,
I read an article by JR Vasser , Pastor of Apostles Church in NYC: what to judge the preacher on.
1. Text sourced : From the Bible and in context
2. Christ exalting: Is Jesus the hero?
3. Gospel Centered: Can someone get saved listening
4. Audience focused: know the people in which you preach.
John Stange Mind, heart, hands
We must diligently attend to the word of God read and preached
More commonly we judge on was it funny, was it touching, did it make me cry, was it a new perspective
Someone visits a church and says the message was awesome, “great what was it about”
In a church much hinges on what is preached from the pulpit and this is convicting to me
George Whitefield the Great preacher that was a huge catalyst for the Great Awakening in 1700’s
“the reason why the congregations are so dead, is because dead men preach to them”
2. Offer
Music: We sing..you will not like every song
Give
Serve
Vrs 2 God is righteous and you are sinful (contrast of heaven and earth) we know as believers God is with us. He is not far off and uninvolved.
We are not even worthy to come and worship God with singing, but God allows us to.
We must be very cautious and considerate in all our approaches and addresses to God (Hey God) When Jesus says Abba like daddy it is a personalized term of endearment.
We do have a personal relationship with Jesus, and the fact that He is Jesus should demand that you speak to Him with respect.
The words of our mouths must always be the product of the meditation of our hearts.
“It is not enough that what we say comes from the heart, but it must come from a composed heart, and not from a sudden heat or passion” Matthew Henry
We see this all the time someone gets excited about the Lord, so they commit to everything and within days or weeks they drop the ball.
Let our words be few, that they may be well chosen, Job 9:14.
3. Reverance (casual but reverent vibe) Composure in Worship
Vrs 3 As confused dreams, frightful and perplexed, and such as disturb the sleep, are an evidence of a hurry of business which fills our head, so many words and hasty ones, are an evidence of folly reigning in the heart, ignorance of and unacquaintedness with both God and ourselves, low thoughts of God, and careless thoughts of our own souls.
The idea carried here is that you should be thinking about your composure, not hurried and mind all over the place.
What inspires reverence?
1. Look to the Cross GOSPEL
2. Look to the future Kingdom Hebrews 12
.
You come to worship service to know the Lord better, and be encouraged to do good.
If you “trip” in Corporate worship, you will “trip” in life worship
“Man cannot know himself without knowing God” John Calvin in the opening pages in The Institutes.
How can you know how to act if you don’t know Jesus
Here is what happens...you are created to worship and the corporate worship shows you how to in life. The worship service is designed to point you to Christ and without That the weekly reminder you can get off focus and start worshipping other things which will be sin and cause you sin.
Then what happens is your life worship becomes non-existence.
Life Worship: How do we worship with our life?
1. Follow Through
Vrs 4 Vows Deut 23:21 & Matt 5:37
The problem with vows is that it can lead us to a works based salvation ideology
Side note: Don’t barter with God, we have a God of love and justice, we don’t dangle a carrot stick in his face and say if you do this I will do that. Remember He is righteous and we are unrighteous…God is not pleased when we do something for Him only in view of what we can get out of Him.
That is almost like a smack in His face because everything you have is by His grace and you don’t deserve it anyway.
Many times when people rush into things they also rush out of things
2. Less is more
Vrs 5 Only take on what you can handle , sometimes people just want to please and others and they agree to more then they can handle.
I want to help, but instead of helping you hurt your testimony and maybe your family.
3. Act rather then speak: Talk is cheap Don’t make promises to people that you can’t keep it will damage your testimony for Christ and ruin your Life Worship
Vrs 6
4. Humble yourself
Vrs 7 At that time it was common for people to claim to know God through dreams. Last week we talked about being teachable. We will never arrive.
Some people sit around and dream all day, what could be done or what should be done but they never get anything done.
Be humble… you don’t know everything (people know everything)
5. Fear God: The end of the matter is in Corporate Worship and Life Worship we should do all things for the Glory of Jesus
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"Restless" Teachable
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 “teachable”
Vrs 13-15
Here we have an example of two kings…poor wise youth and Old foolish king who apparently knows it all.
Admonished=taught
Then in verse 16 he says this young wise king even though was a great ruler was not appreciated.
The vanity of this is another thing that is leaving Solomon “restless”
What we are going to do tonight.
1. Look at being teachable
2. Then challenge the idea of worrying about how people will respond to what we have accomplished.
-Solomon’s original reason for wanting wisdom was so he could govern God’s people, now all of sudden he wants to be able to boast.
Better to be “teachable” =capable of being taught
Not teachable people…
-Are Legalistic-they make the rules (add rules)
-Are Annoying-because they don’t listen
-Are Prideful- they know it all (while you are talking instead of listening they are thinking about what they are going to say)
-Miss blessings-
Keys to being teachable.
1. Environment-puts themselves in an environment in which they will learn (possible rant about how this goes to far, circles in class to all participate) Paul said check out WITH THE SCRIPTURES to the Beraen’s
The environment for learning we want to create here (at The Five)…Topic: Jesus Concept: Living for Him Curriculum: The Bible
Personal ideas, Read, ask questions, surround yourself
2. Attitude- I still have much to learn, I can be wrong, what can I gain from this?
Proverbs 1:7, “ Fools despise wisdom” Rom 12:1-2
In life you can receive a position because of your teachable character.
Solomon was teachable but when he thought he knew it all that is when he fell and something shifted.
Vrs 16 seems to be saying that the kings who come after this king did not learn from him, he can be a great teachable person that rises up from nothing and that popularity was not recognized by the next king.
Soloms’s attitude is “oh what is it worth”
Maybe you feel this way sometimes…
With your children
With your parents
With your spouse
With your boss
With your employees
I would agree with Solomon’s discouragement but what we can take away something better from this.
Are you only doing good for a particular response? It is a vain pursuit if everything you accomplish is for you.
Your popularity will always be challenged…but there is a way out…
Use your life to bring glory to the One who can glorify you GOSPEL
All of your accomplishments, responsibilities, positions should bring glory to Jesus. If they are for you will be “restless” .
How can you bring glory to Jesus? The first step is being “teachable”
let Jesus teach you how to be a good
child, parent, spouse, boss, employee
People will always find something wrong and something to criticize but a teachable spirit will win people and the Christian’s desire is to win people for Jesus.
When we do things for Jesus and learn from Him we then realize it is Him working through us and we cannot boast in our own power.
But there is something that we can then boast in…
Boast is the Lord Jer 9:24 Galatians 6:14
Our life and accomplishments should show Jesus to others in all that we do
Vrs 13-15
Here we have an example of two kings…poor wise youth and Old foolish king who apparently knows it all.
Admonished=taught
Then in verse 16 he says this young wise king even though was a great ruler was not appreciated.
The vanity of this is another thing that is leaving Solomon “restless”
What we are going to do tonight.
1. Look at being teachable
2. Then challenge the idea of worrying about how people will respond to what we have accomplished.
-Solomon’s original reason for wanting wisdom was so he could govern God’s people, now all of sudden he wants to be able to boast.
Better to be “teachable” =capable of being taught
Not teachable people…
-Are Legalistic-they make the rules (add rules)
-Are Annoying-because they don’t listen
-Are Prideful- they know it all (while you are talking instead of listening they are thinking about what they are going to say)
-Miss blessings-
Keys to being teachable.
1. Environment-puts themselves in an environment in which they will learn (possible rant about how this goes to far, circles in class to all participate) Paul said check out WITH THE SCRIPTURES to the Beraen’s
The environment for learning we want to create here (at The Five)…Topic: Jesus Concept: Living for Him Curriculum: The Bible
Personal ideas, Read, ask questions, surround yourself
2. Attitude- I still have much to learn, I can be wrong, what can I gain from this?
Proverbs 1:7, “ Fools despise wisdom” Rom 12:1-2
In life you can receive a position because of your teachable character.
Solomon was teachable but when he thought he knew it all that is when he fell and something shifted.
Vrs 16 seems to be saying that the kings who come after this king did not learn from him, he can be a great teachable person that rises up from nothing and that popularity was not recognized by the next king.
Soloms’s attitude is “oh what is it worth”
Maybe you feel this way sometimes…
With your children
With your parents
With your spouse
With your boss
With your employees
I would agree with Solomon’s discouragement but what we can take away something better from this.
Are you only doing good for a particular response? It is a vain pursuit if everything you accomplish is for you.
Your popularity will always be challenged…but there is a way out…
Use your life to bring glory to the One who can glorify you GOSPEL
All of your accomplishments, responsibilities, positions should bring glory to Jesus. If they are for you will be “restless” .
How can you bring glory to Jesus? The first step is being “teachable”
let Jesus teach you how to be a good
child, parent, spouse, boss, employee
People will always find something wrong and something to criticize but a teachable spirit will win people and the Christian’s desire is to win people for Jesus.
When we do things for Jesus and learn from Him we then realize it is Him working through us and we cannot boast in our own power.
But there is something that we can then boast in…
Boast is the Lord Jer 9:24 Galatians 6:14
Our life and accomplishments should show Jesus to others in all that we do
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