In The End... God

Introduction:

As we continue our worship of the Lord this morning, I want to invite you to pray with me as we prepare to encounter God through the preaching of His word.

Let’s pray together.

One of the more popular Catechisms was the Westminster Catechism, and in this Catechism was the question, “What is the Cheif End Of Man?”

This is a great question to ponder. This is something that we all need to be asking ourselves. The question is getting to the point of why we exist.

That is what is being asked here in this catechism. Why am I here? What is the purpose of all of this? What Am I to Do?

We get that! We understand the reasoning behind that type of question because deep down we know that there is a point to life.... and we spend all of our lives trying to figure that out.

People are hell-bent on trying any and every means to find fulfillment in this life… and what we know to be true from experience and from the Word of God is that those things will not satisfy our hearts. No amount of money, wealth, or earthly possessions, is going to fill this longing we have in our hearts.

We want to know what is our “chief End?” We want to know, “What is Our Purpose?” We want to know if there is meaning in this life that seems to have no meaning.

This is the question that God is directly dealing with in the book of Ecclesiastes. Does He deal with this problem in other parts of Scripture? Sure He does. But this has been our focus here in this book. We are wanting to see what God says about our lives and how to find meaning in this world.

Body:

So, as we close out this series this morning, I want to invite you to open up your Bibles to Ecclesiastes 11:1- 12:7 with me as we study God’s word together.

There are a few things I want us to see this morning from this text, but I there is ONE major point I want us to walk away with. That is to say, there are a few subpoints and they all feed into the overall point that I think the text is telling us.

Main Point: In The End... God.

This is where the text is leading us. We know that there are many different things that are said in and through this entire book… but it all really boils down to this one phrase.... In The End… God. That is where life is leading us. That is where we are heading this morning.

Let’s walk through this passage together.

Look back at verses 11:1-6 with me.

Send your bread on the surface of the water, for after many days you may find it. 2 Give a portion to seven or even to eight, for you don’t know what disaster may happen on earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or the north, the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. 4 One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so also you don’t know the work of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don’t know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good. (Ecc 11:1-6).

This section, in its original context, is talking about investments. It might seem strange to us that the Bible talks about such matters, but truth be told, the Bible speaks a great deal about how we are to handle our money.

The advice that Solomon is giving here is that a person should take risks and invest in many different things. A person should not be so concerned with what “might” happen in the future because they really have no clue! He says that “the one who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who who looks at the clouds will not reap”, meaning a person might look outside and determine that today is not the best day to get his work done because of the risk that is involved.

But look at verse 5, what does it say?

“Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so also you don’t know the work of God who makes everything”

You Do Not Know What God Is Going to Do. Who is it that causes crops to grow? God. Who is it that causes us to succeed? God. We Do not know what God is up to… and that is ok. We are to rest in our limited knowledge.

So, what are we to do? Verse 6 tells us. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don’t know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good.

I would say we are to give our all to God. We are called to go about doing the things we are told to do and leave the results up to Him.

Yea, but this was in a farming culture, it does not really apply to us now, right? Wrong. Look, I am not getting up in the morning to go and plant crops… that is not my thing. However, remember, this is about faithfulness to God.

The first point I want us to see here in this text is that.. We Are To Work Diligently Unto God.

Why? Because In The End… God is the One who determines our results. This is how we find satisfaction in life. We find it by surrendering it over to God. We work hard, as we were designed to do. We obey His word and commands, but we rest knowing that God is at work and He will take care of us.

From here, Solomon begins to take a turn and seems to talk about something completely random, and will do so until the end of our passage this morning, but it is not random… there is a point that he is wanting us to see.

First, look at verses 7-8 with me.

7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun. 8 Indeed, if someone lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, since they will be many. All that comes is futile. (Ecc. 11:7-8).

The command here for us, as long as we are alive, is to rejoice in the days that we have been given! God has been so good to us and we need to take the time out of the day to acknowledge His goodness to us and to rejoice in the day.

Now, does that mean all days will be pleasant? NO! These verses even acknowledge that for us. Not only are we to rejoice…but we are commanded to remember the days of darkness.....since there will be many.

God does not promise us a pain-free life. He does not promise us that we will go through this life without pain and suffering… the days of darkness will be many. Once we understand this, then life begins to make sense. God didn't lie to us. Something is not wrong… this is how life in a broken world goes…and yet the command to rejoice still stands.

I think of James’ words in the NT when he says, “2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”

God uses our dark days to shape and mold us into the image of Christ.... that is how we rejoice. We know that it is not meaningless… even though in the moment it can feel like it is.

Here is what I would say for us... You Are To Rejoice & Remember Because, In The End, God Is Working In Your Life.

The text then takes a somewhat unexpected shift as Solomon begins to address young people directly in this passage and will continue to do so.

So, listen up young people… and those who you who still think you are young. It does not say an age. It is going to give some parameters, but it does not say it only applies to a certain age. Let's look at the text together. Look down at verses 11:9-12:7 with me.

9 Rejoice, young person, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the desire of your eyes; but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment. 10 Remove sorrow from your heart, and put away pain from your flesh, because youth and the prime of life are fleeting. 12 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the sun and the light are darkened, and the moon and the stars, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 on the day when the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, the women who grind grain cease because they are few, and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly, 4 the doors at the street are shut while the sound of the mill fades; when one rises at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song grow faint. 5 Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry has no effect; for the mere mortal is headed to his eternal home, and mourners will walk around in the street; 6 before the silver cord is snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.(Ecc 11:9-12:7)

If you are like me, after reading that you are like, what in the world is going on here? What in the heck is Solomon talking about here in this passage? Because let’s be honest, some of the language is strange… some of the language is like the end of the world type of language…when you start talking about the sun and moon getting dark and stuff.... you start to wonder what he is saying.

Let’s walk through this text to see what exactly is going on.

Look at verses 9-10 with me. At first, these verses seem to contradict other passages of scripture that tell us not to do these things. We are not to follow our hearts and our desires. So, how can God tell young people to rejoice and do those exact things?

I think we have to remember the context of what is being written here. Solomon is talking to a group of young men who are in a covenant relationship with God, thus their heart's desire should be to walk with the Lord their God. That is the first thing we have to see here.

Also, we have to understand that this passage is also conditioned by two other statements that would limit someone from seeking to live life however they wanted. The 1st is this… God will bring everything into judgment. Solomon is telling them to live life to its fullest. Not to waste their youth. To pursue their dreams and goals. To set their hearts and minds on big activity.... but remember that you will have to stand before God on Judgment day to give an account for your activity.

The second condition that we find in in 12:1 when he says to “remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” This is a way of saying… stay faithful to Him. Live Life for Him. Live according to His Law and His Ways. He is the one who made you so walk with HIM. That is how life is done best.

Remember, in context, all throughout this book Solomon has been saying that the world will not satisfy your heart....but God will.

Here Solomon is telling the youth to Live Life. Love Life. Do Not be weighed down by this world. Our youth need to hear this message in our day and age. They are pressed to grow up so fast. To deal with problems and issues that they do not need to deal with. You are called to remove pain and sorrow from your heart because your youth is fading. You will not be young forever.

I know that you have heard it said a number of times, “Do not grow up too fast. Enjoy these days because you will not get them back.” There are many of us in this room who can look back and say… yes… those youthful days were great. I wish I could go back and be 15 again… 20 again… 30 again… Don’t waste your life trying to grow up so fast. Enjoy the moment while you have it because once it is gone.... it is gone.

Spend these years living for and seeking after God because He will give you the desires of your heart!!! This is what we miss when we try to do life on our own. This is why are never happy with how life is going… because far too often we try to live life apart from HIM.

This is why Solomon tells us to remember our Creator…when? And this is when the language gets strange to us, but Solomon just enters into a really long metaphor that reads like a personal doomsday. In short, he tells us to remember our Creator before we get old and die. That is the short version. But let me read you another translation that explains the metaphor so that you can get the picture here. This is from the NLT translation. It reads...2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. 5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

The call here, again, and I think that many of us need to hear this, regardless of age, is to seek after God while we have time.

Don’t Waste Your Life, because, In the End, You Wil Stand Before God.

That is the shortest way possible for me to put that section. If you have breath in your lungs, then come to Christ today and start living for Him.

This is where all of Scripture leads us… it leads us to the cross of Christ. It is in Him that we find life. Do not wait till it is too late. Seek Him now while He may be found.

Conclusion:

We started off this morning with a question, “What is the Chief End Of Man?” The Catachism answer for that question is this… To Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever.

John Piper modified this a little bit by saying That the Chief end of Man is to Glorify God BY Enjoying Him Forever.

The difference, although small, means that we glorify God by finding our joy in HIM.

That is what Ecclesiastes has been teaching us. Every week, this is where we land. Everything that this world has to offer is meaningless. It will not satisfy our hearts and lives. If we live for this world… we will be wanting more and more. It is when we see life here in this moment that it is meaningless.

However, when we understand that we are actually called, by God, to live life to the fullest to Him....that we find meaning.

You were created by God to bring Him glory by enjoying Him forever.

That is your purpose. Finding meaning here only happens when we learn to live for Him and Give Him Our lives.

This can look different for each and every one of us… and will change throughout your life. You have to determine now, who are you going to live for? Are you going to live for the world or are you going to live for Christ, regardless of what you are going through?

What does this look like? This looks like:

Living A Life of Prayer.

Spending Time Seeking God Through His Word.

Engaging in Personal Worship.

Obeying The Commands of God.

I want to encourage you this week, do not waste the time you have been given. Live for something bigger than yourself. Find meaning by seeking after Christ. He is there for you. He is with you. He will never leave nor forsake you.

Remember.... In The End… God.

He is the one who will call us into judgment on the last day and the one whom we will all stand before. He is the one we are to live for. He is to be our End. Let’s live life for Him and through Him as He gives us the strength.

Let’s pray together.