The Call to Community
Notes
Transcript
4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.
8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.
14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.
16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.
Introduction
Introduction
It has been a while since we have been in Ecclesiastes.
And as we go back and forth through the Old Testament, I reckoned that we can dip back in to this great book of Biblical Wisdom.
As a refresher, Ecclesiastes looks at life through the lens of a man called Qoheleth, which has been translated as the Preacher.
The preacher is Solomon, David’s son, who became King of Israel.
His wisdom was extolled by scripture to be great, and was the result of the answer of his prayer to God for the ability to rule and judge his subjects well.
God blessed him with great wisdom and great wealth.
In the beginning of Ecclesiastes, Qoheleth sets up the premise of the book by introducing us to the ideas of vanity and living under the sun.
These are very important to remember as we look at passages in this book.
Vanity has the idea of fleetingness or emptiness.
It means breath or wind.
The picture is like someone in a field running around trying to catch the wind, once they get their fingers around it, the wind just seeps through and they are left with nothing.
The preacher applies this to life and the world and the actions of those in the world.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
Without any context, this may seem to be a depressing thought.
What do we live for if everything we do is in vain, to no end, with no purpose?
Why have all of the rest of the scripture, with its instruction and comfort?
Why all of the encouragement to push through suffering and trials, if it is all for nothing?
That is where the second important theme comes into play: under the Sun.
This phrase is used 17 times in the book.
This has to do with life here on this world.
If all you are living for and working for is for here.
If you only live once is your philosophy.
Then All is vanity, everything you do will be like the child catching the wind in the field.
Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary i. The Failure of Secularism (1:2–11)
If his resources are entirely this-worldly, ‘No profit’ is the motto over all he does.
This is the failure of secularism.
Live your life for fame, fortune, or power completely for this current worldly system, and what will it all be for in the end?
26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
This idea turns the theme and teaching of this book from depressing and sad, to extremely hopeful.
We have been granted a greater purpose and higher calling, through Christ.
We have the ability to see past the banality and futileness, the vanity of this life under the Sun, and live a life in, and for, and through the Son.
Now everything we do has a purpose.
We wash dishes for His glory and with thanksgiving.
We work to support our families and our church and our missions, for His glory and with thanksgiving.
We’re not coming here to worship today to be seen by others so they can know what good people or citizens we are, we come for His glory and with thanksgiving.
When we go through great suffering and trials and sickness, even when we face death, we can look at a higher thing than just this short, fleeting life.
And so Qoheleth takes us through the folly of living this life as if it is all there is.
We would do well to read and study through this book as we try to discern what is really important in this life, and what is not.
After a couple of chapters of general overviews of the vanity of living life under the Sun, Qoheleth begins to look at more specific applications of his wisdom.
As we get into our passage today, the preacher is going to examine the wisdom of community, and how a life lived beyond just under the Sun is made for more than just going through alone.
We will see just how fleeting and useless a life lived just for your self can be, and how a life lived in the humble example of Christ, for others.
I believe the wisdom that the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us through the words of Solomon is that
Every believer must find the call to community in this life.
Every believer must find the call to community in this life.
Because of the Vanity of Living for Self v. 4-8
Because of the Vanity of Living for Self v. 4-8
4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.
8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
What we are presented in these topical looks at life by the preacher are contrasts between worldviews.
The secular worldview puts forth a view of individualism that is shortsighted and futile.
There is literally no end or purpose for the individual if all there is is this life under the Sun.
What ever charity or goodwill shown to fellow man will ultimately end up to no avail, their life is as short as yours.
And at the end of the day, genuine love for others must come from a Christian worldview.
Outside of care for the soul and eternity, there is no amount of charity that considers the real value of this life or the next.
I listen to a lot of podcasts and books on my commute to and from work.
Sometimes I finish everything I listen to and have to ride in silence.
In those times I often consider how many people are on the road with me.
Each one of those people have their own reasons for being on the road.
All of them have different life stories, joys and pains, longterm goals and short term reasons for being on the road with me.
It really is crazy to think about every person on this planet, living this short life out for various reasons and various contexts, and the only thing that will ever bring true purpose and lasting joy is the same for every single one of them.
So the secular worldview really has only one thing to offer, the here and now.
And that reality works itself out in various ways in different people, but Qoheleth shows a couple of ways that living for your self alone is a recipe for vanity.
Rivalry or Jealousy
4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
Our culture today has been infected with the godless idea that Communism is a better, more caring system than a free market.
We have heard clamoring by masses of our fellow Americans that the solution to our societies ills is to take someone else’s money and give it to me.
I’m not trying to get into a political discussion, but I’m trying to get through the political discussion to the core of the issue.
The underlying sin that Solomon is getting at is jealousy.
It’s not just that you want more money, it’s that you don’t want someone else to have more than you.
Sin has taken something good, that is work and skill, and turned it into a tool to wedge a spirit of envy between men and their neighbor.
Daniel Corey said,
…when you envy your neighbor's job, or the raise that he got, or their house, or their kids, or their lack of kids, Their physical abilities, if you are sickly, and they are not, you can envy their health. Their appreciation, their love of society, and you start to envy those things about your neighbor. Do you really think that you are going to engage them and love them as your neighbor, as the scriptures call you to? Or will you start to treat them very differently? Will you flip the mandate of Scripture and when they weep, you rejoice, and when they rejoice, you weep? And suddenly their successes drive you crazy and their failures fill you with a weird sense of glee.
This is a recipe for a life full of discouragement and anger, and it is the main course of a lot of our culture right now.
The solution is to look beyond this life under the Sun, and see that every gift comes from God, including the ability to work for what you have.
It is difficult to be jealous of your neighbor when you are praying for God to bless them.
People who live for themselves can live a life of envy and jealousy and it can also lead to a life of…
Laziness
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.
We have here the other extreme of living for yourself, this isn’t the rat-race, hectic sell, sell, sell life of the one scrambling the ladder of success for the big house, boat, and rv that his neighbor doesn’t have, it’s the opposite.
The fool who just sits there and watches life go by, wasting his God-given life and talents on a life of ease.
He is always seeking the easy way out, the hand-out, or the free lunch.
Solomon gives us a beautiful word picture here.
His hands are folded, because unfolding them and using them to be productive would be too much work.
10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”—
He’ll do it later, he’s too tired now.
But the next verse in Proverbs says
11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
This is self-destructive behavior. Self-cannibalism.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
It may seem like satisfaction to lay there and let everything that is difficult to pass you by, but it will not lead to any real satisfaction.
Hard work and building things, like families, and churches, and homes, may be difficult, but when done in the light of God’s calling are done with great satisfaction and joy.
Better than living the fast life for nothing but envy, and the easy life that destroys the soul is the middle way of working for true rest.
6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
Have you ever known someone who works hard to not do any work?
This word picture shows that it is better to have one handful ( an open, full hand) of rest, than to work so hard at getting a fist-full of wind by wasting your life away in laziness or by sinful ambition.
An Illustration of the Lone Wolf v. 8
8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
The Lone Wolf who lives for himself, works for himself, and dies by himself.
When we put it this way it sounds sad and lonely, but counter-intuitively this is what our culture has been pushing.
Get yours before it gets gotten by someone else.
Feminism’s lie that you can have it all.
The baby will get in your way.
Don’t get married until you have your career.
Qoheleth says there was this man who had no dependent, no other, or literally no second.
There was no one else he was living for but himself.
Maybe he would get married, but when the marriage stopped making him happy, it was over.
All of his drive and labor was for himself.
If we look at the verse again
8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
Notice that the “and he never asked” is in italics. When you see that in your bible, that means that the translators added that to make it easier to understand.
If we read it with out the translator’s help, I think we get a better sense of what Solomon is trying to get across…
8 …Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches…, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?”…
Solomon puts us in his shoes and shows us there is no answer to his question.
When his short life under the sun is over what is it for? Why was he here?
This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.
A life lived for itself and by itself is a sad life indeed.
But we know better because of the grace of God.
Even before sin and the curse entered the world through our first parents, God saw that life is better lived in community.
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
And that is true, whether the community is a family or a church, it is better for us to live life together with others for the real purpose of having this life at all, God’s glory.
One day that will be fully realized in glorious eternity, but until then it is good that we hear the call of scripture to godly community by seeing the vanity of being without it, and the wisdom of living in it…
The Wisdom of Godly Community v. 9-16
The Wisdom of Godly Community v. 9-16
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.
14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.
16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.
Like we have seen, it is not good for man to be alone.
We were designed to live and work in community.
Sadly, we live in a fallen world, so even Christian communities can be full of problems.
But God has always worked through communities, starting with families, then a nation, and now until Christ’s return, through His church.
We saw in Ephesians 3 that God’s wisdom created the church to display His glory…
10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
So living our lives together and for one another is a major part of what it means to be a Christian.
Though today the invisible church, all the Christians in the world, are spread throughout the visible church, the many different church communities that come and go throughout time and places.
One day the invisible will become visible in one great, holy visible community for eternity.
In other words, this is no accident.
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
So much of the New Testament is given to us to know how we should live in community as a local body of believers.
Most of the epistles are written to local churches.
The bible commands that we are to worship Him in certain ways in church together.
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
The letters written to Timothy and Titus were written by Paul to pastors of churches to encourage them and help them in matters of the churches they led.
And so much more evidence from scripture that it is good and right and God honoring to live this life together through our coming together in community.
We live and work and grow as Christians and men and women for the benefit of one another.
And here in our passage we see that even in the Old Testament, we can see the wisdom of this.
Solomon is calling us to live for more than just ourselves and our own benefits.
If we are to live a life that looks beyond this temporary life, we will see that church life and community is one of the greatest blessings of our Christian lives.
Even with the hard times and heartaches that will always be the result of living in this fallen world.
In fact, it is those hard times that help strengthen us where it really counts.
There is a true richness and blessing and strength and growth that can only be found in the fellowship of the community of saints that are striving together to follow Christ.
We bear each other’s burdens, we pray to the One who answers for each other, we hold each other accountable, we show real compassion and godly love for one another.
If we are doing it right, there is no other place like it.
The world tries to create second-rate substitutions for it, but they always come up short.
The preacher here gives us several reasons for seeking to live in community together.
The first is in verse 9, because it brings more return for our work.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
This life is more rewarding when you go through it with a partner.
Marriage is a good example of this.
Husband and wife can be such a team.
When it goes right, and their is godly love for one another, it is so easy to see how they complement each other.
I could go through this life without Rachel, but I wouldn’t want to.
Everything I have, everything I do, is made better by her.
Have you seen a single guys apartment?
Not only does it usually need to be cleaned, I’m not just talking about my life being better because she does chores around the house, it is usually barren.
If he has furniture it’s usually just one piece pointed at a tv so he can play video games while he eats his cup of noodles.
But a married man’s house is usually decorated and put together, made into a home.
Rachel is creative and talented, she gardens and makes clothing, solves problems, earns money.
There is absolutely a good return for our labor when we live together and operate as a family.
And the same is true here in church.
Philip and I share pastoral duties. We have different personalities and gifts to bring to the table.
We have deacons, we have all of you that bear each others burdens.
Every Christian here is called to every other Christian to share the load of the labor of this life.
It really is beautiful.
Second, we support each other.
10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
I recommend the book The Pilgrim’s Progress to each of you.
They have it in a modern english version that makes it really easy to read, but there is a reason why it’s the number 1 best selling novel of all time.
It is really good.
It is an allegory of the Christian life shown as the journey of a pilgrim through the treacherous path on the way to the Celestial City.
So many times the struggles and hardships of the Christian life are described and many times, the Pilgrim needed the help of other saints to get through them.
God has given us one another because we are promised hardship and struggle in this Christian life.
In these struggles, we need our brothers and sisters to carry us through.
If we trip, and have someone their to help us up, we will be ok.
But if we fall in a ditch with no one their to help us, woe to us.
And the thing is, either one of the traveling companions could fall, and the other one is there to help.
We should see this as a dire warning to anyone who thinks they would be better off in their Christian walk without the church.
Brothers and sisters, I believe I have already proven that the church is God’s plan for His people, don’t find yourself in a ditch with no one to help you out!
Third, we should build each other up
11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Again, we are building on the two traveling together metaphor.
Desert nights could be very cold, and it could be dangerous to sleep exposed by yourself.
It is wiser to sleep close to a friend, and share the heat with them.
He is illustrating the building up of one another.
If you go it alone, there will be no one with you to encourage you to press on, to call you out for your foolishness, or to teach you the right paths.
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
I’m going to be a little transparent here.
We had our Men’s Meatup this past friday.
And I’m exhausted. I’ve had a rough month or so at work because it’s our busy season, and I’m working on a project at home that takes up my afternoons.
I’ve been tired.
There was a part of me that wanted to stay home, but I was needed to lead the singing and work the audio.
But I was sure glad I went when it was over.
This place was filled with conversation, we heard a great presentation to the glory of God, and I am always blessed by the singing.
And I was able to bless others by my contributions as well.
Sometimes on Wednesdays I feel the same way before prayer meeting, but I’m never disappointed I went.
Maybe some of you feel that way sometimes about coming and going to church meetings, maybe you felt that way this morning, but let me just encourage you. We need you and you need us.
We are called to worship our savior together and it is for each of our benefits.
Let the warmth of your brother’s or sister’s zeal rekindle the zeal in your own heart.
It is better to travel together.
Lastly, we fight for each other.
12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
Solomon finishes off his traveling illustration with an encounter with a bandit.
Thieves against travelers were common.
Especially with single travelers.
A group would sometimes be enough to stop the bandits from even trying.
A healthy church locks arms and fights the battles together.
We are traveling to the same destination, we have the same goals, we have the same leader, we fight the same battles.
Paul encourages the Philippian church to this very idea when he wrote in
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.
Out there is a battle, everyday, but we are to stand firm together in one spirit and one mind, striving together for the gospel sake.
And we can only do that if we are together, in community as the church called and united by God through Christ by the Spirit.
Conclusion
Conclusion
He finishes this idea of the wisdom of godly community contrasted with the vanity of living for yourself with a story of a pauper and a king.
13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.
14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.
16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.
The young, poor boy who is wise, listens to his teaching.
He joins the cause of the like-minded and they usurp the throne of the old king who was foolish and tried to go it alone by his own power.
The throng, or multitude, went to the aid of the poor kid, but no one in the past, present, or future looked to the old, foolish king and the wealth and power he once had and said it was worth it.
There is no satisfaction in living for yourself alone, but there is great joy in living this life together for Christ.
Let us strive to live in Christian unity as a church that God has called to display has many glories to the world.
Brothers and sisters, we are called to it, and it is great wisdom to obey the call and grow together in Christ.
It can only be this way for those who are the called. They are the only ones this great promise of community is given to.
So I call any one who hears me, to come to the community that is called the church, and travel to the celestial kingdom with us.
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,
21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
