Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: A Continual Feast

Introduction

Introduction: This morning as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday, I wanted to talk about the importance of contentment.

And who better to teach us about contentment than Solomon, the man who had everything and learned that better things and better circumstances are not the secret to contentment.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is writing as an old man.

He’s looking back on his life, and he’s sharing from his mistakes.

He’s mentoring us on how to live a life of lasting joy in a world where things don’t last.

Solomon’s whole point in this book is not that life is meaningless; it’s that life is short.

Life’s a vapor, and so the question is, how do we get a sense of lasting joy and contentment in a world where nothing lasts?

That’s what he sets out to answer and that’s why today’s message is titled “A Continual Feast” because what Solomon is going to teach us is how to experience a feast without end in a world where every feast ends.

“Contentment will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.”

ILL> Clean Water

Read

18 Here is what I have seen: (The old wise king, his personal experiences) It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.

(Our human lot in life)

19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

It is obvious from this passage that God wants you and me to enjoy life.

It’s right here:

The God of the Bible—the true God—wants you to eat and drink and find enjoyment, so you know what this means… guilt free seconds on Thursday!

Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor.

This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.

So I commended enjoyment, (Young people…enjoy yourself) because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

I. What is Contentment?

“Contentment is an attitude that says, I will be satisfied with what God has given me.” and I will make the most out of what God has given me.

“Contentment comes from many great and small acceptances in life.”

Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor.

This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.

So I commended enjoyment, (Young people…enjoy yourself) because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

We’ve got the biblical warrant for it right here.

But obviously, the main thing that God is driving at through the wisdom of Solomon here is the experience of contentment.

Contentment is the real and lasting feast.

In , he says that a cheerful heart, or a contented heart, has a continual feast.

Contentment is a feast without end.

THT: No matter where we are, who we are, or what we have, true Christianity is meant to be a feast of contentment in the soul, which means becoming a Christian is like pulling up to a feast.

But Solomon knows something.

He knows that there’s nothing new under the sun and that so many people are living with discontentment.

In every congregation that’s meeting today, in every home, in every bar, in every stadium, in every hospital and health club, there’s someone who thinks,

· If only I were like him or like her.

· If only I were stronger.

· If only I were taller, cuter, smarter, younger, healthier, or wealthier, then I would be happy.

· If only my parents were different,

· if only my kids were different,

· or my job were different, then I would be set;

· I would be satisfied.

The very fact that we think this only goes to show that we need to reconsider our whole approach to contentment.

But what is contentment?

Why does contentment really matter, and how do we get it?

Those are the three aspects of contentment that I want to look at from this passage.

THT: We are going to look at the essence of contentment, the importance of contentment, and the experience of contentment.

Contentment is something that is learned:

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

One way we learn it is through not being content, thinking we need something, or we need more money, or we need to be rich and famous, or we need to be educated we need to be prettier or stronger.

we get it, but we are more miserable than ever…then we realize when we have it good.

Look at verse 18: Solomon puts contentment right in the active voice.

18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.

“Contentment is not just knowing there’s food and drink and work.

… No, it’s eating, drinking and toiling.

It’s taking what you have and making the most of it.

It’s not a passive satisfaction; it’s an active one.”

G. K. Chesterton put it this way: “True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture.

It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it.”

In other words, contentment is the joyful art of making the most of what you have.

This is why in , when Paul is describing the secret of contentment, he doesn’t say, “I can sit back and do nothing through Christ who strengthens me.”

No, he says, “I can do all things!”

In other words, through the strength of Christ, I can maximize the moment.

I can make the most of having a lot or having a little.

See, it’s not passive; it’s active.

Here are a couple of distinctions that may help anyone who’s like this gentleman and struggling with this false tension between improvement and contentment:

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You have to distinguish between desires and needs.

It’s not wrong for a spouse to want their marriage to improve.

What’s wrong is thinking they need their marriage to improve in order to find joy.

The language of discontentment is not “I wish I had”; it’s “if only I had.”

Appl.

So what we have to do is we have to give our desires to God in prayer and then make the most of what he’s given to us right now.

So is that spouse making the most of the marriage that they do have?

Are we making the most of this building that we do have?

Contentment doesn’t mean you can’t have dreams and desires; it’s just that you don’t confuse those with what you presently need to biblically succeed.

You have to distinguish between the present and the future.

I could find myself in a very difficult situation that I want to take steps to make sure that doesn’t happen again in the future, but I’m in the present and so contentment is making the most of the now, but it doesn’t mean I can’t take steps to improve the later.

When Solomon says in verse 19 to accept your lot,

19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

this is not a passive acceptance like, “Oh okay, well, I guess I have this.”

No, it’s “Alright, I have this.

Now how can I maximize it?

How can I find joy in it?”

It’s exactly like the old hit TV show MacGyver.

Many of you know I can’t talk about contentment without bringing this in.

If you’ve seen the show, you remember that MacGyver always gets into situations where you think there’s absolutely no way that he has what he needs to escape, but every single time he proves us wrong.

And he somehow makes a bomb out of a stereo and toothpaste.

See what he is doing—he’s not sitting back and saying, “Oh well, I guess this is my lot.”

No, his acceptance is taking what he has and making the most of it!

That’s contentment.

It’s seizing the day.

It’s seizing the moment.

It’s saying, “Alright, Lord, here’s where you’ve placed me.

Here’s what I’ve got on my plate or here’s what I’ve got on my schedule, or here’s what you’ve called me to do.

And I’m gonna Macgyver this day!

I’m gonna get out of it all that there is in it.”