Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy gave his most famous one-liner: “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

He went on in the next sentence to say, “My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

The same sentiment of working together for the common good of all is found in Ecclesiastes 4, in which Solomon is writing about oppression and injustice.

Read vv.

1-3.

Oppression and injustice existed in Solomon’s day, and they still exist in our day.

How are we handling injustice?

What are we doing about oppression, social justice, racism, inequality, and poverty?

Is what we’re doing working?

Is there any hope for social justice in the world today?

Yes.

Body

Oppression inevitable because of the way we live and the things we value.

Exposition

Envy (v. 4)

Laziness (v. 5)

Materialism (comes at the expense of peace) (v. 6)

“In pursuing out of envy the neighbor above us on the ladder, we inevitably step on the head of the neighbor below us” (Provan, NIVAC, 105).

Individualism (vv.

7-8)

Vain ambition (vv.

13-16)

Application

There is no hope of social justice in a society that rejects God and lives for self.

Oppression exists not because we don’t tweet about it enough but because we live oppressive lives.

Injustice is inevitable because we are not a just people—we are sinners, and sin always creates oppression and injustice.

So what do we do?

We can talk about social justice, tweet about it, hashtag it, but what are we actually going to do about it?

“Reading the menu doesn't fill you up; eating the food does.”

– Wayne Cordeiro

But God calls us to live a different way and value different things.

Exposition

Live in harmony with God

Live in community with others (Ecc 4:9-12)

“The Bible is about persons-in-community, whether in the Godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit, or in the church, or in the world at large.

The proper goal of the Christian is not an individualistic heaven but is to be found in right relationship with God, neighbor, and God’s world now and in the future, which will include by God’s grace a future stretching beyond death” (Provan, NIVAC, 113).

Value… Mutual success instead of envy

Value… Working hard together instead of laziness (often disguised as self-care)

Value… Contentment with peace instead of getting more stuff with strife

Value… True friendship instead of more money

Value… The common good instead of self-advancement

Illustration: God’s way works

Public hospitals… 40% of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa is provided by Christian organizations.

Ending slavery… William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman

The Salvation Army… founded in 1865 by William Booth

Modern-day statistics (from Barna, Pew, CAFO)

Christians donate to charity more than 3x the % of their income compared to unbelievers—that includes both religious and non-religious charitable organizations.

Christians volunteer more than non-Christians.

Christians are more likely to donate blood.

Christians are more than twice as likely to adopt as the general population.

Christians are more likely to adopt older children, children with special needs, and children considered “hard to place.”

Christians are 3x more likely to serve as foster parents compared to non-Christians.

Christians make up 65% of non-kin foster parents.

In Arkansas, more than 40% of foster homes are recruited by a single Christian organization called The CALL of Arkansas.

Esperanza y Futuro… Followers of Jesus were committed to doing everything they could to alleviate the poverty and suffering in the world around them.

Application: Oppression is inevitable in a society that rejects God and lives for self.

But God calls us to live a different way—the way of Jesus.

Conclusion

Living life God’s way begins by coming to Jesus.