"Nobody Does It Better" - Part 2
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Quick Eye Examination.
I am seeing more and more, as we go though Ecclesiastes, how this is an all is vanity kind of world. So much of life under the sun is meaningless. But is there a way to live in this all is vanity kind of world? We know and will continue to see that this life does not and will not work without Christ. But how should we then live? Do we just quit living or is there a better way? We live in accordance to the Word of God plain and simple. But again…are we? We are constantly seeing comparisons of the right way and wrong way to live from the philosophies, ideologies, and the brilliant ingenuity of man. It never ceases to amaze me as to how much worldly principles have penetrated our lives and we don’t even know it. Maybe we don’t really have a complete biblical world view. One of the ways to flip the light switch on this is the proverbs. We are gonna look at more today.
Ecclesiastes 7:5-12
Better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.
A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
Extortion turns wise people into fools,
and bribes corrupt the heart.
Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.
Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool.
Don’t long for “the good old days.”
This is not wise.
Wisdom is even better when you have money.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
Heaven and Earth will pass away, but The Word of God will never pass away.
Wisdom’s Corrective Lenses
Wisdom’s Far Sightedness
Wisdom is 20/20
The Power and Wisdom of God
The first thing we will explore is the corrective lenses of wisdom and how it leads us away from foolishness. Second, we will analyze the far sighted long term nature of wisdom. Third, we will see the value of wisdom’s 20/20 clarity. And finally, we will rejoice in the the power and wisdom of God which is Christ our Lord.
Thesis: Though deception and the pattern of this world cause our worldview to become distorted and blurry with sin’s astigmatism, it is the Holy Spirit and wisdom’s corrective lenses that will help us to see the way the truth and the life found only in the power and wisdom of God which is Christ our Lord.
I. Wisdom’s Corrective Lenses
Preaching the Word: Ecclesiastes—Why Everything Matters Wisdom’s Correction
receive correction from people who are wiser than we are.
- To receive correction from people who are wiser than we are.
A. Solomon continues with the “better than” juxtapositions or comparisons. We saw that it was better to have integrity than have precious perfumes and we saw that funerals are better than parties. Sorrow is better than laughter. and thinking about death is better than thinking about having a good time. Now its time for a slight change.
receive correction from people who are wiser than we are.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 155). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.
A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes
B. Man we live in a world where we don’t like criticism no matter how constructive it may or may not be. One place we clearly see this is social media, especially twitter. Just can’t take it.
C. But Solomon is giving us a nugget of wisdom here. The point of these verses is that wisdom’s rebuke or correction is better than folly’s laughter. One of the best ways to learn how to live well in life under the sun is to receive correction from people who are wiser than we are. But that does seem to go against our culture today. People would rather hear the the praise of fools…more literally in the Hebrew is the song of fools.
D. The picture here is vivid. It could suggest the foolish things people say or, better yet, sing when they had to much booze to drink. Or it could be more the songs of the irreverent or the ungodly lyrics about violence, sex, and every kind of Idolatry. It is better to receive the criticism from wisdom, than the praise of the foolishness of the world.
The point of these verses, simply stated, is that wisdom’s rebuke is better than folly’s laughter. One of the best ways to learn how to live well in this vain world is to receive correction from people who are wiser than we are.
E. It is amazing to me how many of us would rather have the praise of the foolish world than wisdoms rebuke. When I was in the christian band and we ran into other bands on tour, it as amazing how much compromises would be made to be accepted from the secular music world.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 155). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
F. Let me tell you why you do not want to desire the laughter of fools.
Whenever we encounter a metaphor like this, we need to look for the point of comparison. How is foolish laughter like an open fire fueled by branches from a thorn bush? First of all, they both sound somewhat similar. How do you mean. One commentator writes, “The noise made by the crackling of a fire is like the cackling of fools.”
G. Moreover, a fire made of small thorns is very short-lived. Sure an bush of thorns will fire up very quickly (another point of comparison—the fool is ready to laugh at anything), it will not keep burning for long, the way a fire does when it is fueled by logs or burning coals. As a result, a thorny burning does not give off very much heat—Martin Luther writes, “more flame than fire.”
Whenever we encounter a metaphor like this, we need to look for the point of comparison. In what way is foolish laughter like an open fire fueled by branches from a thorn bush? To begin with, they sound somewhat similar. The noise made by the crackling of a fire is like the cackling of fools. More importantly perhaps, a fire made of thorns is very short-lived. Although it will flame up very quickly (another point of comparison—the fool is ready to laugh at anything), it will not keep burning for long, the way a fire does when it is fueled by logs or burning coals. As a result, a thorny burning does not give off very much heat—“more flame than fire.”
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 155). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
H. So why do we long for the praise of the world or the laughter of fools? So it is with fools and the way of the world that we find in scripture. Sure, it has all the frivolity. Sure laughter may come easily to the fool, but oh does it die out quickly. Sure, he who laughs the loudest will not necessarily laugh the longest.
So it is with foolish people. Their laughter does not have very much warmth. It has all the frivolity without the jollity. Although laughter may come easily to the fool, it dies out quickly. He who laughs the loudest will not necessarily laugh the longest. Indeed, Jesus said, “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep” (). Our Savior was thinking of the fires of the final judgment, when foolish laughter will perish forever.
Oh but our Lord dealt with this...
What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
- Our Savior was thinking of the fires of the final judgment, when foolish laughter will perish forever. Better to seek correction and rebuke from wisdom than to receive praise from fools which will in the end perish forever.
I. It is better to listen to someone who cares enough to confront will tell us to get serious about life and death. It is better to listen to the constructive criticism of a godly friend which could mean life or death.
Someone who cares enough to confront will tell us to get serious about life and death. Listening to the constructive criticism of a godly friend can save our soul. Wise people will say all of the things that Ecclesiastes says. They will tell us that living for pleasure and working for selfish gain are striving after wind. They will tell us that God has a time for everything, including a time to be born and a time to die. They will tell us that two are better than one in facing all of the toils and trials of life. They will tell us that because God is in Heaven and we are on earth, we should be careful what we say. They will tell us that money will never satisfy our souls. In short, they will teach us not to live for today but to live for eternity.
- It is better to listen to the wise who will tell us that living for pleasure and working for selfish gain are meaningless striving after wind.
- It is better to listen to the wise who will tell us that God has a time for everything, including a time to be born and a time to die.
- It is better to listen to the wise who will tell us that two are better than one in facing all of the toils and trials of life.
- It is better to listen to the wise who will tell us that because God is in Heaven and we are on earth, we should be careful what we say.
- It is better to listen to the wise who will tell us that money will never satisfy our souls. Wisdom will not burn out quickly because it teaches us not to live for today but to live for eternity.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 156). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
J. Be wise, therefore, and go to the places where you can receive wise and life-giving correction. The best place… the scriptures. Read the Bible. Consume ourselves with Christ-centered preaching and teaching. When we hear something serious about spiritual things, do not laugh it off, but take it to heart. It is better to do it that way.
II. Wisdom’s Far Sightedness
Be wise, therefore, and go to the places where you can receive wise and life-giving correction. Read the Bible. Listen to Christ-centered, Spirit-filled preaching. Spend more time with people who are farther along in their spiritual pilgrimage than you are. When you hear something serious about spiritual things, do not laugh it off, but take it to heart.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 156). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
- Wisdom is always calling us to look ahead.
Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.
A.
A. Solomon here when he talks about the “end” of something, he is talking about its result or outcome—the end product, the final product. This is a principle that is illuminated throughout all of scripture.
B. Many things that do not seem all that promising at the beginning turn out well in the end. This is always true of anything that has the blessing of God.
When he talks about the “end” of something, he is talking about its result or outcome—the end product.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Many things that do not seem all that promising at the beginning turn out well in the end. This is always true of anything that has the blessing of God.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 156). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
C. Do you remember when the people of God returned to Jerusalem after their long exile in Babylon, they built another temple. As construction began, some people frankly doubted whether it would be very impressive. Yet the prophet Zechariah promised
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (pp. 156–157). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 157). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
(The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)
that “whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice” (). Although the new temple was starting small, by the grace of God its end would be better than its beginning.
- Although the new temple was starting small, by the grace of God its end would be better than its beginning.
D. Man is this not a clear principle of the normal Christian life. Isn’t it true that sometimes a few simple and small steps of obedience eventually lead to a stronger life of prayer or greater generosity.
We often see this principle worked out in our own lives. A few simple steps of obedience eventually lead to a stronger life of prayer or greater generosity in kingdom giving. We see it in our families, where sons and daughters who have so much to learn in life gradually grow more mature until finally they are able to offer useful service to the kingdom of God. We see it in church planting, where the vision and prayers of just a handful of people may eventually produce a congregation with hundreds of members. The end of a thing is better than its beginning.
- We see it in our families, where sons and daughters who have so much to learn in life gradually grow more mature until finally they are able to offer useful service to the kingdom of God.
- We see it in church planting, where the vision and prayers of just a handful of people may eventually produce a congregation. So we can see that the end of a thing is better than its beginning. We should always look ahead.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 157). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
E. The best example of this is God’s wonderful plan of salvation. When we go to Bethlehem, and what do you see? A young bride with her husband, a humble stable, a few lowly shepherds, and a baby in a manger. Who would ever imagine that this was the start of an empire and massive kingdom, that the baby would become a king, and that by offering himself as a sacrifice, he would gain the forgiveness of sins for people from all nations?
F. Yet the end will be much better than the beginning. What began with the coming of the Christ-child will end with the consummation of his eternal kingdom.
We see this most clearly of all in God’s plan of salvation. Go to Bethlehem, and what do you see? A young bride with her older husband, a humble stable, a few lowly shepherds, and a baby in a manger. Who would ever imagine that this was the start of an empire, that the baby would become a king, and that by offering himself as a sacrifice, he would gain the forgiveness of sins for people from all nations? Yet the end will be much better than the beginning. What began with the coming of the Christ-child will end with the consummation of his eternal kingdom.
Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Matthew 13:
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 157). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
III. Wisdom is 20/20
- Wisdom preserves the life of the one who has it.
A. He ends these exhortations by restating the value of wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 7:
Wisdom is even better when you have money.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
He ends these exhortations by restating the value of wisdom
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 158). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
B. The connection that the Preacher makes here is very surprising. After everything else he has said about money and the way it fails to satisfy our soul, we hardly expect him to say that wisdom is like money.
C. The Preacher knows all too well that money does not last forever. But as long as we have it, money is useful in providing some protection against the practical difficulties of daily life. Money is the not the root of all evil, it is the love of money.
The connection that the Preacher makes here is very surprising. After everything else he has said about money and the way it fails to satisfy our soul, we hardly expect him to say that wisdom is like money.
The Preacher knows all too well that money does not last forever. But as long as we have it, money is useful in providing some protection against the practical difficulties of daily life.
D. So we see that wisdom is a protection for the soul. It helps us deal with the reality of death. It guards us against the folly of rash anger. It helps us take a long-term view of what God is doing in the world. Wisdom can take care of us more than we know. That’s why I recommend reading the proverbs every day.
Similarly, wisdom is a protection for the soul. It helps us deal with the reality of death. It guards us against the folly of rash anger. It helps us take a long-term view of what God is doing in the world.
E. One scholar wrote, “By laying death to heart and looking ahead to what God has planned for us in Christ, we will live wisely … and die well.”
By laying death to heart and looking ahead to what God has planned for us in Christ, we will live wisely … and die well.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 159). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
IV. The Power and Wisdom of God
-Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 159). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
A. One of the most beautiful things we see come to life is how wisdom all biblical wisdom literature all points beautifully to Christ. Christ is the ultimate standard of measure when it comes to wisdom. He is the wisdom of God.
But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
B. And we see something beautifully pictured here in Ecclesiastes...
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
C. Only wisdom can save your life. Money can’t do it. Pleasure cant do it. Laughter cant do it. Foolishness cant do it. Only wisdom can do it. And here only the ultimate of wisdom can ultimately save our lives. Only Christ and Christ alone the wisdom of God can truly save us.
D. When it comes to salvation, Christ is not just the better way, He is the only way. Salvation belongs to the Lord.
E. Sin and its foolishness, the pattern of this world, the philosophies of this world, all cause us to be deceived and led astray in rebellion towards God. This is why we want the praise of fools, why we love money, why we do not ahead, why we don’t value wisdom, why we don’t love God and our neighbor.
F. Unfortunately all of this sin incurs the dreadful wrath of God. Eternal condemnation and eternal death. And we are all subject to it. The scriptures declare… All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.3
G. But only wisdom can save your life. Yes in this situation only the wisdom of God which is Christ can save us and he has come to seek and save that which was lost. Yes there is hope for us today. He became sin who knew no sin...
H. Jesus died for our sins… “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
I. For those who have not heard… there are more promises for us.
J. Wisdom is truly the better way. Hopefully we can now see the big picture much clearer. Wisdom corrects our vision. Wisdom helps us to see farther. Wisdom helps us to see clearer. And now we see that wisdom will also save our lives. He is and always will be the one who brings us life and life more abundant.