Life Pursuits (Resting in the promises)

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered.

Ecclesiastes 5:12–20 ESV

Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Ecclesiastes

Sermon Scripture

Matthew 18:10–14 ESV

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew

ECCLESIASTES

Ecclesiastes 5:15–20 ESV

As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Labor, rest (peace), loss, sickness, anger, joy, occupation, death, birthright, inheritance. In each of these things we try to find life’s meaning and it ends up shaping our lives and our pursuits. But in a frank statement of reality comes a revealing question with a truth that must be recieved.

Ecclesiasties

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:15–20 ESV

Labor, rest (peace), loss, sickness, anger, joy, occupation, death, birthright, inheritance

Questions to be answered:

This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?

The theme of Ecclesiastes is that life only has meaning in God. Only in God does live have any true pleasure, peace or rest. Without God satisfaction can be found in nothing. True pleasure, true joy, comes only when we acknowledge and revere God. Only when we trust and thus make obedience our joy and purpose.

This truth is unpacked even more and in deeper ways throughout scripture. Scripture will help us see how greivious an evil the pursuit of vanity is. It is far more than just an emptiness and naked death. It is the birth of pride, envy, hate, wars, theft, murder and the dividing of nations.

Let us then look to God’s word to recognize the havic of chasing the wind and learn how to cultivate what is true.

GENESIS

gives the account of Abrahams death, we read:

Genesis 25:1–11 ESV

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country. These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

Genesis 25:

Now after the death of Abraham we are introduced to the generations of his sons:

Genesis 25:12–21 ESV

These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen. These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Genesis 25:12

Now it is upon the son’s of Isaac (Abraham’s grandsons) that will focus in on. This begins first by what we just read: Isaac prayed for his wife to concieve and God answered His prayer. I highlight that because to often today we think humanity and scientific advancment as having the power to give life. Life my friends is given by God alone, nothing exist, nothing breaths it first or last, unless God permits it.

Having said that, notice what is spoken of next:

Genesis 25:22 ESV

The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

Genesis 25:

There is life within the womb. So much so that a battle is taking place within her, a battle for strength, for greatness as described by the LORD:

Genesis 25:23 ESV

And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:23

The brothers are each representing two different nations, two divided peoples. There will be a battle, a battle of deceit, contempt and hate. It will be a battle to want what the other has and to seek to gain it by all means necessary even murder. The battle will be for placement, for stature, for birthright, for blessing and inheritance. The account is as follows:

Genesis 25:24–34 ESV

When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:19–34 ESV

These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:19-34

Genesis 25:

Now this is our heart on display, each man looking out for himself, with hatred growing strong. This division will grow and continue. Even at the time of Christ and even today. Israel will be the line of Jacob. This takes place in where Jacob wrestles with God was named Israel.

Here however is our observation, the strife and division is representative of two nations, those who operate in such a divisive way cannot be of the same nation. The one who seeks to be greater than his brother or the brothers who seek to be greater than one another, display that they are not of the same kingdom but are divided nations. Not only this, but all such nations of this world come and go, they know only seasons of peace but are overwhelmed with toil, striving, fear and death. So where is the Kingdom of life and peace?

That Kingdom, such as what was promised to Abraham, does not come by the conniving of this world or obtaining of this world or birthrights: it cannot (Jacob and Esau) display that. It is a Kingdom not of this world that is entered by faith, just as the faith of Abraham which was counted unto him as righteousness. In other words, one is not saved by being of the line of Abraham or Jacob, but rather though salvation comes through that line - salvation is obtained by faith (even the faith of Abraham).

There is a different structure that is introduced that will change how we labor, strive and live.

Now when we turn to Matthew to get clarity. The disciples are ready to go at the Kingdom of Heaven just like Jacob and Esau went at the birthright of Abraham, but listen:

MATTHEW

Matthew 18:1–6 ESV

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:

takes place after the transfiguration and after Jesus’s foretelling of His coming death and resurrection. The disciples had gotten the “mental concept” of a Heavenly Kingdom, a new coming order with Jesus as King, but they were still far from grasping the heart of what the occupants of this new kingdom will be.

Jesus makes it clear hear that this heart is something grasped here and that is then taken with you in entrance to the kingdom of heaven.

His directive to the disciples is to turn (repent). The rest of this teaching will be on the repentance that cultivates a heart that enters the kingdom of heaven.

Think of this as a teaching of becoming Abraham instead of Lot, a teaching of trusting God which changes even how we interact with our brother (such as Jacob and Esau) because our trust and aim is not in our own gain or in things of this world.

Turn (repent) - By our very nature we see things just as the disciples were. This is a mental shift. Stop looking out for number one. The disciples thought of Heaven with a mind of the world. “How can I be number one?” It’s not that they disliked each other, they just wanted to know how to be the best.

This life and certainly not the next is about being “the best” or “the greatest”. That is a worldly and fleshly driven approach. It breads a lack of peace, a rivalry (even sibling), contempt, jelousy and hate. We often don’t even recognize this drive within us. We think of it as just wanting attention or credit or nice things (and for others to notice them).

But if we are not to aim or worry of who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven then how ought we be?

Like Children: Trust & Unpretentious

The little in little child is key here. In the first the greek refers to an infant, a newborn - full dependance. In verse six the greek changes from paidion to mikro. From specifically a little/newborn child to one who is little or least. The world sees a fully dependent child as week and so it will look upon the fully dependent child of God and see the same. But this week one, this least of ones in the world, to them belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.

Trust - From our own accomplishments and accumulations being our future good, to God being our future good.

Unpretentious -not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed. What does a child possess? A child is but the possession of their parents and in being that has their care fulfilled.

As a practical mater of fact that every parent can relate to, one of the earliest struggles you may have with a child, esspessialy when siblings enter the picture is when they go from complete dependence to trying to accumulate things for themselves. Then what does the parent have to do in training as the cries escalate but try to teach sharing. You have heard it all before: “that’s mine” The principle here is: no it’s not. Naked you came and naked you go, so why don’t we learn how to truly be clothed in righteousness rather than possession.

Warning: We now have two options as we are faced with such trusting and unpretentious children. We can train them to accumulate, to want and to get or to trust in God. When someone is trusting in the provision of the Lord and needing not the things of this world, we can encourage that trust or tempt another pursuit.

Parents - Let me say this, we really need to re-think education from elementry through college. I am afraid that the road paved before us makes it far to easy to encourage our children while fastening millstone around our neck. Learn that you can get is the modo. Get an education so that you can provide seems to be as deep as our learning philosiphy goes. I learn to know God, that in knowing God I can know He who provides for me and in know from where my provision comes I can in all circumstances say with confidence “It is well with my soul”

Pastors, Elders & Teachers: I fear that we have followed the path of earthly education by entertaing our congregation with self-help principles to help them succeed in this world rather than cultivate a heart and mind for the Kingdom of Heaven. Again, to lead the children of God in this way is to tie a milstone around our neck.

Christian - Do you come to the congregation of the beloved to display what you have, what you can do and your many accomplishments? Do you get so that you may gain praise or position? Do you seek to serve or do you rather seek to be praised? Do you communicate the fleeting things of this world as a need to those who are fighting to be dependent upon God alone? Need I say again what you may be doing to yourself and placing around your neck?

Church let us not concern ourselves, our children or others with a striving to be the greatest, but rather let us encourage a turning from way of thinking and truly see the battle that is before us. It is not one of getting to the top, but one of us each, together, persevering against the many temptations that will come.

Matthew 18:

Matthew 18:7–9 ESV

“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Temptation will come. The focus here is not to be the channel by which it comes. If temptation comes to you and sets in roots of sin, then whatever that is - remove it. Remove it that you might not sin, but even more so that you might not cause another to sin. Notice even in the battle against temptation and sin our aim is not in becoming the most righteous but protecting the purity of our brothers and sisters. It is to cultivate a Heavenly heart by which we see each other as God does, that we have a healthy value and care for one another rather than seeking to use each other or rid ourselves of another when inconvenient.

Matthew 18:10-

Matthew 18:10–14 ESV

The one who believes in God, the child of God, belongs to God. To write one off, to despise one is to despise what is God’s, it is to devalue what God values greatly.

Here is what we need to recognize, when a brother or sister in the Lord, returns to the Lord, repents of the worldly walking and position that they once went astray to obtain God rejoices. It is easy for us to feel jaded by them, but is this about you or God? Does God not have more than enough cause to feel jaded by you and yet does He not still rejoice over you when you return?

Or what about while you go astray? What about while you were yet an enemy of God? Did He not display His infinite value of you by in full pursuit sacrificing His very self upon the cross? Therefore:

Matthew 18:15–20 ESV

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Matthew 18:15-20

Note: In theses steps from going to the offender to seeing them as a gentile or tax collector, nowhere do we gain ground to despise. Rather we are to continue to cultivate a heavenly heart in how we walk and care for our brother. We exersise care for another and when that care is unrecognized and even rejected we release it in God’s hands, and all parties that addressed the offender gather before the throne of God to seek His care in the situation.

Matthew 18:21-

Matthew 18:21–35 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Friends, the Kingdom of Heaven is a beautiful reality. The things of this world are a vain, vanishing pursuit. What will last is our trust in Christ Jesus our Lord and our love each other. When our lives become about things outside of those two things then we forfeit life itself and cultivate contempt, divisiveness and death.

To labor for our own selves or to labor for possessions of this world is to toil after the wind. And as we began… “what can be gained by he who toils after the wind?” Naked you were born and naked you will die. Instead by the grace of Christ let us seek to walk by the eternal righteousness that we are clothed with by His great grace.

This year let us cultivate within our lives and that of our families hearts that trust God to care for all of our provisions and as such be freed to care for the need, the good and the encouragement in godliness of others.

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