Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

MIS: "One of life’s greatest achievements is to enjoy the simple things in life.”

Introduction

Out of all the Rocky Movies that have been made, Rocky V is perhaps the worst one of them all.

However, if you are able to “peel off” the onion this movie is, somewhere along the way you find one or two good lessons.

One of them is Adrian’s confrontation to Rocky in the streets of Philadelphia.

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If you remember, Rocky was forced to retire from Boxing due to a brain injury while also learning that they are bankrupt due to Paulie’s poor financial oversight.

To make it back to the top, Rocky decides to train this new and talented protégé name Tommy. He puts so much time and effort into training this prospect, that Rocky begins to neglect his family, particularly, his son.

After a while things go south with his Tommy, and Rocky’s world come crashing yet again. For Rocky, Tommy represented his last chance to make a name for himself.

This is when Adrian “knocks” some sense into Rocky and opens his eyes to what’s important!

“If there's something that you want to pass on, pass it on to your son! For God's sakes, your son is lost! He needs you! I know Tommy makes you feel great-he makes you feel like you're winning again. But you're losing us! Rocky, you're losing your family!”

- Adrian

⏸️ “The thing is, this is not just a plot in a movie. This is also the plot of our lives...”

We have dreams and aspirations in life.

The family you hope to have

The ministry you wish to have.

These things are not bad in itself, but like Rocky, we sometimes fix our eyes so firmly in these things, that we miss to see what’s really important.

“We are so determined on gaining the forest, that we miss the beauty of the trees.”

“This is also one of the lesson’s the Teacher (or Preacher) from the Book of Ecclesiastes wants to teach us…”

To put it in simple terms…

"One of life’s greatest achievements is to enjoy the simple things in life.”

“If you have your Bible with you, turn to Ecclesiastes 3:9-14, and wait for me there…”

Understanding Ecclesiastes

“The Book of Ecclesiastes is a complex book… I am not going to sugarcoat it to you.”

Sometimes you read it and it sounds like you are reading Ancient Philosophy.

Other times, it sounds like you are reading the journal of a 1960’s Hippie.

However, to understand the Book of Ecclesiastes one simply has to find the key that opens the lock.

“And here is the key…”

⚠️ Ecclesiastes is an essay of Teacher who tries to find meaning and satisfaction in life apart from God.

And as an essay, you need to read the whole book to understand the message he wants to convey.

Context of our Passage

The passage we just read is one of the “Rest Area” in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

The teacher stops to reflect on everything he has been discussing so far and give us a hint of where he is headed.

But being just a rest area, he is not where he want to be yet.

This morning I want us to consider two (2) endeavors the Teacher wants us to consider:

A Meaningless Endeavor

A Meaningful Endeavor

1. A Meaningless Endeavor

Ecclesiastes 3:9–11 NIV

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

The backdrop of Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 is the famous “There is a time for everything” poem (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

These verses (Eccl 3:1-8) may give the impression of “great beauty and poetry.”

However, in context of the Teacher’s quest for meaning, this determinism in time seems futile.

Like being forced to dance, somebody’s else favorite song over and over again.

Why defend peace, if you can’t prevent war?

Why fight for life if at the end we all die?

Why love someone when you love will eventually fade away?

This determinism leads the Teacher to ponder again:

Ecclesiastes 3:9–10 NIV

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.

⬇️ The answer is evident: nothing.

The Burden of the Human Race

⚠️ This “burden” the Teacher talks about here, namely, having little say in the events and seasons that come into our lives, its only intensified by our ability to know these events follow a divine reason, and yet we cannot understand that reason, even if we tried to.

“Look at verse 11…”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

God makes everything beautiful (or appropriate)in its time (even death and suffering).

How do I know that? Because God has given us a sense of eternity. A voice that whispers to our soul: God has a reason for everything.

💥 But you can’t understand that reason! 🫤

It is like watching the trailers of a movies ⬇️ you will never get to watch.

Or worse…

❤️‍🩹 It’s like trying to make sense of the death of a love one.

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So, the question stands…

Ecclesiastes 3:9 NIV

9 What do workers gain from their toil?

Two Ends of the Spectrum

“Here is the thing, there are two ways you can approach this question.”

Like the Teacher - You ponder and ponder about the meaning of your toil and sooner or later you arrive at the conclusion that, apart from God, everything is meaningless.

Like common folks - You are simply oblivious of the question.

⚠️ “I’ll dare to say that most of us fall in the second category.”

For must of us, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is nothing more than a good reminder to find the right timing to maximize our opportunities.

And as a consequence, we work hard to achieve that in which we set our hearts on.

Finishing our next degree.

Launching a successful ministry.

Starting our family just at the moment we plan it.

Retire at a certain age.

💣 “All the while ignoring that we are meddling with things that we have no control over!

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❤️‍🩹 “Eventually, we set ourselves for frustration and heartache. Because we held on to our dream too tightly!

“Thankfully, the Teacher gives us an alternative. A solution to our conundrum. A second endeavor to consider…”

2. A Meaningful Endeavor

Ecclesiastes 3:12–14 NIV

12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

⚠️“The Teacher now turns the table on us! The same determinism he considered a burden, he now find it comforting!

Unlike ourselves, every one of God’s endeavors endures forever.

His plans cannot be altered by any season because he commands all the seasons!

It gives the Teacher a sense of joy and security knowing that not even the foolishest of man can undo what God says He will do.

Thus, the Teacher simply concludes that…

Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 (NIV)

12 […] there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

If you are happy, but not the happiness that comes from earthly pleasures for the Teacher already tried that and felt short (Eccl 2:10-11), but the authentic kind of happiness, the one that only comes from God (Eccl 2:26).

If you live a good and moral life before the eyes of God.

Then, there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t enjoy the few pleasures in life, for this is a gift from God!

Look what the Teacher says it later on…”

Ecclesiastes 9:7 (NIV)

7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Enjoy the Simple Things

In scriptures, eating and drinking are often portrait as the most common, simple task in life.

You remember the words of Paul?

“Whether you eat or drink […], do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).

So what is the Teacher trying to say with all this?

"One of life’s greatest achievements is to enjoy the simple things in life.”

Enjoy a walk in the park in a nice spring day.

Enjoy the company of those around you.

Enjoy your meal at McDonald’s!

Enjoy the kiss of a daughter, the playfulness of a son, the embrace of a wife.

⬇️ ❤️‍🩹

Enjoy trusting in God when finances are tight.

Enjoy the comfort of friend when grift comes to you.

As hard as it may be, enjoy this season in ministry, before get on the next one.

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Your Source of Joy

“Wait a minute, you may say, I understand enjoying a walk in the park, but enjoying a season of financial struggle?! That sounds ludicrous!”

If the source of your joy is found in these things, then yes, that is indeed ludicrous!

But if your source of joy is found is someone more transcendent that what you “eat or drink”, then yes!

Look at the words of Jesus in John 15.9-11

John 15:9–11 (NIV)

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. […] 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Even in our darkest days we can trust God because He loves us.

Jesus invites us to remain in his love. To filter all our reasoning through the lenses of his love for us demonstrated on the cross.

And when we abide in Him, we are filled with His joy, not ours!

A joy that cannot be shaken!

Conclusion

⚠️ The message of the Teacher is a message of conformity, but of gratitude.

Like Rocky Balboa, we may be so determine in finding meaning and purpose on the next thing, that we risk losing what we have now.

In other words:

🔥 Is what we want to gain worth what we are losing?