sf767 - WHY ISN'T LIFE FAIR - 5 of 11 ANSWERING LIFES TOUGHEST QUESTIONS (Ecclesiastes 4 1)
Ecclesiastes 4:1
Introduction
Why do so many things happen to you that don't seem fair?
(Ecclesiastes 4:1 NCV) "Again I saw all the people who were mistreated here on earth. I saw their tears and that they had no one to comfort them. Cruel people had all the power, and there was no one to comfort those they hurt."
The question of injustice can be asked many different ways.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why do bad people seem to prosper?
Where is God when I hurt?
Why isn’t life fair?
This morning I want to look at the…
Reality of injustice
Reasons for injustice
Our response to injustice.
1A. The Reality of Injustice: Life is Unfair!
Ecclesiastes gives us five different examples of how life is unfair. Sometimes…
1B. Criminals go unpunished.
(Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT) "When a crime is not punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong."
Slow justice is really no justice
Ø Today court cases can drag on for years. Endless appeals.
Ø Who says crime does not pay.
(Ecclesiastes 3:16 NLT) "I also noticed that throughout the world there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!"
The one place we look for justice, the courtroom, justice is perverted.
Ø It seems that if you have enough money you can get away win almost anything.
2B. The oppressed are unhelped. (4:1)
History proves that mankind has always oppressed each other.
Ø The rich oppress the poor,
Ø The powerful oppress the powerless,
Ø One race oppresses another race,
Ø Men have oppressed women...
People still oppress each other today.
Ø Each year nearly a million Christians are martyred around the world.
Ø Most of them in China and other communist countries
3B. Politicians are unethical.
(Ecclesiastes 5:8 NLT) "If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried throughout the land, don't be surprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy."
(Ecclesiastes 10:5-6 NCV) "There is something else wrong that happens here on earth. It is the kind of mistake rulers make: {6} Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones;"
While intelligent people go unknown, dumb people rule us.
4B. Good people are unrewarded.
(Ecclesiastes 8:14 NIV) "There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. …."
Too often it seems that the dishonest get ahead, while honest people suffer.
(Ecclesiastes 7:15 NLT) "… I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on."
5B. Capable people are unsuccessful
(Ecclesiastes 9:11 NLT) "I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. …."
The fastest and the strongest do not always win.
The smartest and the best are not always wealthy.
The most educated are not aways successful.
2A. The Reason for Injustice: Why Does God Let it Happen?
The Bible gives us four reasons why God allows injustice in the world.
1B. Because God gives us the freedom to choose.
(Deuteronomy 11:26 NLT) ""Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse!"
God allows us to choose to accept or reject Him.
God gives us a choice so that we will do good because we want to not because we have to.
Evil consequences are the result of evil choices.
In order to eliminate all injustice God would have to eliminate our ability to choose.
2B. Because God’s judgement is still in the future.
(Ecclesiastes 3:17 NLT) "…In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.""
The time for judgement has not come.
(Isaiah 30:18 NIV) "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"
We must allow God to be God.
(Exodus 34:7 NIV) "maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished…"
3B. Because God wants to show us that we need a Savior.
(Ecclesiastes 3:18 NLT) "Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals."
We are sinners by nature.
(Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT) "There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins."
We are sinners by choice.
(Romans 3:23-24 NLT) "For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. {24} Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins."
Ø Sin is centered on self whichs produces injustice.
4B. Because difficulties develop character.
(Romans 5:3-4 NLT) "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. {4} And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation."
We always learn more from pain than pleasure.
Life is like photography. When you take a picture, what you get is a negative. You have to take it into a dark room, and turn a negative into a positive by shining light through it in an enlarger onto a photographic paper. When the light shines through the negative onto the photographic paper it becomes a positive.
Solomon is taking snapshots of life. He says life looks pretty negative. It's not fair and there are a lot of things that just aren't right in the world. But God can turn the negatives in your life into positives if you let the light of His love shine through it. And He'll build positive things out of it.
3A. Our Response to Injustice: How Should We React?
1B. Accept the fact that life is unfair.
You just need to accept it; injustice is a fact of life.
(John 16:33 NIV) "…In this world you will have trouble…."
Ø No matter how hard we try we will never rid the world of injustice.
Although you cannot control the circumstances in your life, you can control how you react to them.
Ø God is watching how you respond to the injustices of life, how you respond when life is unfair.
2B. Do the right thing regardless of the circumstances.
(Isaiah 1:17 NIV) "learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
Do what you can, when you can.
(Proverbs 29:7 NIV) "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
Resist the temptation to fight fire with fire.
(Romans 12:19-21 NIV) "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. {20} On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." {21} Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
3B. Seek to see life from God’s perspective.
Neither judgement or rewards come immeditately.
(Matthew 5:12 NIV) "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, …."
Realize that this life is short compared to eternity.
(2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV) "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
One day God is going to wipe away every tear, He's going to balance the books, settle the score, get even with the in justices. You do the right thing and you will be rewarded. These temporary troubles --even 70, 80, 90 years is temporary in light of eternity -- keep your perspective!
Application
How do we get these rewards?
1. You admit "I am as unjust as anybody else”
Ø Repentance and faith.
2. Let God settle the score in your life.
Ø Don't retaliate. Don't give evil for evil. Overcome evil with good. Don't get resentful. Don't get revenge. Let God handle it.
When life is unfair remember…
1. God has your best interest at heart.
2. He's given you the freedom of choice -- to choose good or bad.
3. You're going to be judged one day based on your choices.
4. If you respond in the right way, you're going to be rewarded for it.
WHY ISN'T LIFE FAIR?
Answering Life's Toughest Questions - Part 5 of 11
Ecclesiastes 4:1
1A. The Reality of Injustice: Life is Unfair!
Ecclesiastes gives us five different examples of how life is unfair. Sometimes…
1B. Criminals go _____________.
(Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT) "When a crime is not punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong."
2B. The oppressed are _______________. (4:1)
3B. Politicians are ________________.
(Ecclesiastes 5:8 NLT) "If you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and justice being miscarried throughout the land, don't be surprised! For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape and bureaucracy."
(Ecclesiastes 10:5-6 NCV) "There is something else wrong that happens here on earth. It is the kind of mistake rulers make: {6} Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones;"
4B. ____________________ people are unrewarded.
(Ecclesiastes 8:14 NIV) "There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. …."
5B. Capable ____________________ are unsuccessful
(Ecclesiastes 9:11 NLT) "I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. …."
2A. The Reason for Injustice: Why Does God Let it Happen?
1B. Because God gives us the ____________ to choose.
(Deuteronomy 11:26 NLT) "Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse!"
2B. Because God’s judgement is still in the _________.
(Ecclesiastes 3:17 NLT) "…In due season God will judge everyone, "
3B. Because God wants to show us that we need a __________________.
(Ecclesiastes 3:18 NLT) "Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them…."
(Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT) "There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins."
4B. Because ________________ develop character.
(Romans 5:3-4 NLT) "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. {4} And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation."
3A. Our Response to Injustice: How Should We React?
1B. ______________ the fact that life is unfair.
(John 16:33 NIV) "…In this world you will have trouble…."
2B. Do the ________ _______ regardless of the circumstances.
(Isaiah 1:17 NIV) "learn to do right! …."
3B. Seek to __________ life from God’s perspective.
(2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV) "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
