Working Hard

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 46

Psalm 46 ESV

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Scripture Reading: Eph 2:8-10

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Sermon:

Good Morning Church!

I was glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord!

Thus far in our working through the book of Ecclesiastes, we've been spending our time — By and large aside from the first two weeks -- Grasping and wrestling with Solomon's quest for the meaning and purpose of life. Ultimately he's tried various different places: wisdom, just in and of itself. And that was not the meaning of life that was vanity. So he looked to pleasure, maybe pleasure is what i need and pleasure, It turns out, was also just vanity. So last week we looked at: what about living a wise life? Maybe that's the meaning and purpose. And while wisdom is greater than folly, it is far better to be wise than to be foolish, just as much as it's better to be walking around with the lights on rather than stumbling around in the darkness, still This is -- verse 17 of Ecclesiastes 2 — All vanity and a striving after the wind.

But, what about A life of hard work and diligence. Working to get what you need/want to provide for your family. Or working because that's the task that's set before us. Maybe if it's not pleasure, it's not wisdom. Maybe It's just a bunch of hard work. Spoiler alert! This too, Solomon Will find to be vanity.

But in this also, We will start to get the beginnings of the positive case that Solomon is making in the book of Ecclesiastes. In this, we will begin to understand our place in life and what god has called us to.

Our passage for today will be Ecclesiastes. Chapter 2 verses 18 through 26. Let's read god's word together.

Ecclesiastes 2:17–26 ESV

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

These are the words, the lord for us this morning. Let's open with the word of prayer.

Almighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, the sovereign lord of all things. The one, who knows the end from the beginning who is in control of the affairs of all men. We praise you and thank you for today. Another day that you have made. Another day that is ultimately, We proclaim, a gift from you. We thank you for your goodness and your grace. For your provision, for your protection. For even in this vain life we see your hand of mercy that is upon us. We pray that you would meet with us this morning, we pray that you would use this time to conform us into the image of your son. We pray that you would be pleased to teach us and shape us and mold us. Speak through your word and speak through your servant this morning. It's in jesus name that we pray. Amen. And amen.

We'll in case you haven't noted or heard or been around for the past, five weeks, as we've been really six weeks as we've been covering this. Solomon has been harping on the idea of Vanity. And so this morning, i'd like to look at what I've called the final four vanities.

The FINAL FOUR VANITIES

I should probably should have put a little bit of an asterisk here. These are not the final four vanities in the book of Ecclesiastes. We will hear this Word much more as we go on. Rather, At the beginning here of Ecclesiastes, as I've mentioned, Solomon seeking to find the the meaning of life. These are the final four vanities here in this section before, he'll move on to what is ultimately, probably one of the most famous passages in the book of Ecclesiastes. The “for everything there is a time and a season” passage.

And so, as we end this portion of him looking for the meaning and the purpose of life, we can't miss that, it's still vain everything. Basically what we're going to see in this first part is that EVERYTHING that Solomon will set his thought and heart to ends up being vain. If we just read, let me edit a little bit what we read to help. Get this point across

verse 18, something something verse 19. This also is vanity Something something, something, verse 21. This also is a vanity in a great evil. Something something, something verse 23, This also is vanity. Something something, something, verse 26. This also is vanity and a striving. After wind.

The chorus of this book has been, and will continue to be: Vanity vanity, all is vanity. There's no escaping this truth for Solomon, anything and everything, done under the sun, anything and everything we set our hands to, even... We will see… the good things, Ultimately, they are Vanity.

So what do we do? Should we not be wise? Well, last week we saw, it's better to be wise, just know. That is the end result of your life as vanity. This week. It's toil. It's hard work. Working hard. That's vanity. Scripture teaches. It's still better. You should work hard. But that's not the ultimate purpose in life. That's not the end goal, the end aim of your life. So, let's look at these final four vanities in turn. So the first vanity, Is the vanity of not Enduring.

The vanity of NOT ENDURING

Ecclesiastes 2:18–19 ESV

I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.

here's the problem: Solomon looks at the work of his hands. He looks at the things that he is working at. And just like last week, he has this epiphany. I'm gonna die. And so then what then is going to happen to all that i worked for? This is compounded from last week. There it was I am going to die, here it is what is going to happen AFTER I die. Not to me, yet, we have to wrestle with that, but there we are still thinking on this earth. what is going to happen here after I die? Who knows, what's going to happen to everything that i toiled And labored using my wisdom and discernment.

I -- the wisest king to ever live. This is one of those cases where understanding Solomon's life helps us see how brutally honest he's being here. Solomon spent his life as the wisest king growing and prospering the nation of Israel. The richest, most wise most influential king. Surpassing even his father David. he had riches, his people saw prosperity, he saw and knew all of these things. But who's he going to leave the kingdom to? A wicked Son who will drive the nation into civil war.

Who knows? Solomon asks in verse 19 whether he will be wise or a fool. Yet, he will be the master of all which i toiled and use my wisdom under the sun. We know, in the case of Solomon it was a fool. So this is not just reflecting, this is real life. I did this work. I worked hard. I'm going to die and then my fool of a son is going to take over And ruin everything.

The vanity of work is this: i will not endure. And so all the work that i will do, everything that i will set my hand to… Who knows what will happen to it after i'm dead and gone? Sure, I have a life insurance policy because i want to take care of my family and we do these things. But what is the guarantee that the people? I leave my work, my life my legacy too. What's the guarantee that they're not just going to ruin everything? there is none!

I was reading a commentary by a pastor on this passage. And he made a very insightful, comment. He said, i look around and i see the state of many churches in our country today. What promise do i have As a pastor. That 30 years from now the person standing where i'm standing right now isn't spouting off all sorts of heresies. I don't have any guarantee. It doesn't take much for a church to steer, completely off into left field. What promises do i have? That the work that i do that the things that i set my hands to that these things will endure? And I sit back and think that I am doing “eternal work”. while that is partially true, there is this same thought, that my work will not endure. What Promise do i have? NONE, So the vanity here is that i won't endure and even my work will not endure. This also Solomon says Is vanity. So, work hard, sure. It won't endure.

It gets worse though.. You also don't get to enjoy it.

The vanity of NOT ENJOYING

So there's the vanity of knowing my work will not endure and i will not endure, but there's also this thought that i'm not the one who gets to enjoy it.

Ecclesiastes 2:20 ESV

So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun,

This idea of giving his heart over to despair… This is Solomon just being in the depths of sorrow and self-pity and self-loathing. It's awful. But WHY is it awful? Because sometimes... verse 21....

Ecclesiastes 2:21 (ESV)

because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it.

I do all the work. Someone else gets all the reward. I don't even get to enjoy What i have worked so hard for. We've all seen this happen. We've all seen, what Solomon's talking about here take place. Someone works hard and they push, and they work hard and they push And for some reason, it's this person who did all the work and did everything right and worked their tail off who ends up dying in some tragic event early in life, not getting to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

We all long for the time where we can sit back and and retire. That's the great american dream, you work hard and then you retire and then you enjoy it. But we're not guaranteed that. Sometimes i work hard and i do everything i can just for someone else to enjoy the reward. Just for someone else to gain the peace. Just for someone else to get to put their feet up. Just for someone else to do these things. This, Solomon says, is vanity.

Why am i working so hard? I work so hard Just to not to get to endure. And I work so hard just for someone else to enjoy the fruits of my labor. And I wors so hard. I work my fingers to the bone and until my back hurts. But Why? What's the point? This is also vanity. And a great evil. T

his doesn't seem just. this isn't fair. this isn't “good” in any way we might frame it. This isn't what we signed up for. It wasn't wisdom… that didn't work! And it wasn't pleasure… that didn't work! It wasn't living wisely… we saw that didn’t work either. but at least working hard... well this makes sense to me. Your work hard, you get a reward. Solomon says that it's not that easy. It doesn't work like that. Even hard work. It's nothing but vanity.

So we are back to square one. What's the point? And Maybe, just maybe. The point then is not the reward, it's not the enduring nature, it's not i work so that it's finished (BECAUSE it's never finished!). it's not work so that i get the reward, i might not get it.

maybe, just maybe, it's work for the sake of work. It's toil. Because i need to toil. It's good for you. A little hard work is great. It it builds character. hard work in and of itself. thats the point! Nope, not that either says Solomon. There is a vanity here too, and this is The vanity of work itself.

The vanity of WORK ITSELF

Ecclesiastes 2:22 ESV

What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun?

What do i have to show for it? Nothing, but... What if it's just work itself?

No.

Ecclesiastes 2:23 (ESV)

For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest.

The days that you work hard are full of sorrow and trouble. You know its hard work Working hard. And the work itself is a vexation, it causes turmoil and trouble, and confusion, and pain, and uncertainty, and difficulty. The work itself, Solomon says, vexes us. But maybe it's not just the work itself, even though that sorrowful and it's not just the vexation that set before me. Maybe the point is work, work,work because that'll make you tired and you rest.

Sorry again. “No” says Solomon. even in the night, your heart doesn't rest. You work all day. Work your hands to the bone, you're exhausted. Just to find yourself laying in bed with no rest in sight. Maybe it is Contemplating the same thing Solomon's contemplating here. What's the meaning of purpose of life? What good is all this?

Sure, i do this work... My heart has no peace.... My heart has no rest. Sure. I'm tired. And every now and again, you get those blessed nights where you work SOOO hard and you're SOOO tired that, as soon as you lay down, you fall asleep, your head hits the pillow you're gone till tomorrow. You are not PROMISED even that.

Sometimes we're so tired. Tired of being tired and we cannot fall asleep.

Work itself, can't fulfill us. Work itself, can't give us meaning and purpose work itself is not our solution. You can't endure, you can't enjoy it. It does not bring peace or rest. It, in of itself, is also vanity.

Solomon's asking us to look back to genesis chapter 3. Why can't work in and of itself Be the meaning? Well this is partly because though work is good. That we were made to do work. God set us on this earth to work, this was all messed up.

Genesis 3:17–19 ESV

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It's all vanity. Ashes to ashes dust to dust. Work work work just so you can die. That's your lot in life. That is the vanity of all of this.

Thanks Solomon. For that positive and uplifting message. It's just what i needed to hear… But he’s not done.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 ESV

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,

It's vanity. It's pointless. Can't do anything about it. “So you know what you should do?” Said Solomon... As you are eating that bread, which comes from the sweat of your pores. Enjoy. Even knowing it's vanity. “As you do the work that is set before you. What should you do?” asks Solomon. Enjoy it. Even acknowledging that it's vanity. Because it's what's god has given.

It is what god has given to us. And verse 25: apart from him. Who can eat? Or have enjoyment.

Here's the point. Yes. Life under this sun is vain. Yes. Life under this sun is difficult. Yes, life under this sun is a striving after wind. But you know what? This is the life you were called to live by the god who made you. And so, he will give you enjoyment and pleasure in the midst of the toil and the trial, and the struggle, he will give to you what you need.

Note very carefully. What Solomon does not say here is follow after god, life is great and fantastic. You will not face any trials or struggles or troubles. You'll think life is awesome with no problem. No. Instead Solomon is exhorting us. Encouraging us, eat and toil and work. Because this also is from the hand of god. And so our final vanity, Is in some ways the most beautiful. It's the vanity. I put it in quotes. Of our place.

The “vanity” of our place

He does something different in this last paragraph. And so if you go read the commentaries and you try to figure out what is going on here you will find that People struggle mightily to figure out what exactly is happening in verse 26. Because it kind of sounds like, Solomon is disagreeing with himself. Right?

If you go out, you try to share the gospel with people and share the bible. They love to bring what about all those times. The bible contradicts itself.

Here's one that seems to happen in the same chapter. Ecclesiastes 2:18 “I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me,” then we come to Ecclesiastes 2:26 “For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God.”

wait a second! To the righteous one. He's given Wisdom knowledge and joy, but the sinner... but the sinner gets the joyless trouble of just collecting.... But you said earlier, well, i'm going to work and i'll leave it after to the one behind who might be a fool… Which one of these is true Solomon?

If we were to ask: which is true. That i will work and i might leave it to a fool or that i will work and god will give me wisdom and joy and enjoyment and the sinner will work and he'll have nothing but pointless gathering. Which one is true Solomon. I believe would say: “YES.”

Both are. The world is broken. Sometimes sinners reap the rewards of a righteous life lived by someone else. But it's also true that God will give wisdom and knowledge and joy.

But there is more… Here's what's also true about verse 26. To the one who knows and pleases god. The wisdom, the knowledge, the joy that we have is not solely here under the sun, rather we have treasure in heaven. The sinner has life on this earth to find all the joy and all the fulfillment they could ever want to have. But then after their few short years on this earth when they are dead and gone, that's done, and all their life was was in reality a pointless gathering and collecting.

But to those who are in God, to those who are hid in christ, there is wisdom and knowledge and joy because our treasure is not here on this earth, but rather in heaven,

So sure that's vanity. In some sense, but that's our place. And this is a vanity worth rejoicing over.

In grace group, we've talked now, for multiple weeks about this idea that when we work for things on the other side of eternity our mindset shifts. And then we can still say life on this, earth is vanity. We have hope for a future. That we can still say. Yeah, it's pointless. You know what? Life is tough and you die. That's true for all people. WE still have hope for the future.

So sure. Eat and drink and find fulfillment in your toil. Knowing that everything here under the sun is vanity. We're not made for everything here under the sun so it's okay. This last paragraph. I don't think is, as hard as many commentators make it out to be. I say that not in pride, but humility, because I feel like I have lived the fruitless life Solomon has discussed before and I know the heart of where this leads us to. So this is really just Solomon, making peace with the fact that all is vanity and a striving after the wind, and resigning himself into the loving hands of God.

So if vanity is all there is, and vanity is what god has called me to.... Then that's what god has called me to. I'm going to enjoy. The vanity. Of life. Here under this sun.

He started looking at wisdom. Wisdom, as an end to your life. They can't do much for you. But there's joy in living a wise life. There's joy in learning new things and understanding in grasping, understanding things that you did not know before. So enjoy it.

Pleasure in and of itself is not the end of mankind. This is not what we were made for, but yet god made us that we could enjoy and feel pleasure. So walk in your garden and enjoy the pools, that water the forest. Look at the smiles of your children and enjoy the pleasures of this life. Eat good food, enjoy the tacos from Andele’s. It's good. God has given it to us. Enjoy your place in life.

Enjoy living a wise life. In the wisdom that god has given to, you see what good things he has given to us. In the wisdom that he's given to, you set your eyes on things that are above and there find great joy.

And he's given you a task. And who knows how vain and toilsome and vexing that task may be. But this i have learned and can tell you with full assurance and full confidence: doing the vexing work that god has set before you. You will find more joy and in fulfillment and Everything that you need, you will find that in what god has given you. More than you will find you. Whatever you think, fun thing that you might be called to do. So work hard to do what God has called you to.

Understanding our place... We have the rest of Ecclesiastes where we'll see things like What is man? But a vapor a mist. What is this life? But a few short years, And then nothing. What what are these things? …

How do we cope with these things? By not focusing our attention here but rather on the god from whom all things are given. The one who loves us enough to send his son, that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So sure. These few short years are vain. But If we trust in jesus christ, look to him for the forgiveness of our sins, we have life eternal. Now, our place isn't so vain. There's a mindset shift where we're okay with life under the sun here. The way it is presented for us because we look ahead to the days where these things will be made rights. And so, we trust. In our savior.

Let's pray.