Money, Money, Money
Ecclesiastes 5:10-20
August 9, 2015
I want to talk with you about what is probably the most controversial and disliked subject in the church. Right now your mind is racing . . . what is it? It could be lots of different things, but it’s not . . . . The most controversial subject in the church is - - - -
MONEY! It’s been said the most sensitive nerve in the human body is the one that runs from our brain to our wallet. That’s because money has significant power in our lives.
We all come from different backgrounds and different families and we were all taught and learned different things about money. As a result we approach money from a variety of perspectives. Given that money is a major component of our lives, and that it has the power to help us and other people or hurt us and other people, we all need lessons on how to make money a blessing rather than a curse.
We’ve been looking at the book of Ecclesiastes for the past 4 weeks, and today we enter week 5 and are looking at parts of chapter 5. In this chapter, King Solomon addresses the issue of money. Again, as in other chapters, he gives us the bad news, then ends with the good news. So, let’s take a look at some of what Solomon had to say . . .
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
Solomon is telling us that some people really love money. He says if you love money – now, let’s get it straight what he’s saying — — we all kind of love money. Who wouldn’t want a few extra dollars in the bank or in your wallet. But Solomon’s point is that your love of money is what’s driving you. It motivates you. It drives you to make more.
Asking the question, “How much is enough” seems almost un-American, doesn’t it? Whatever our current salary or income, we want more. However much we’ve invested, we want it to grow to become more. No matter how big our business, we want to make it bigger. “More” is woven into the very fabric of our psyche. After all, we’re led to believe we can super-size everything.
Multimillionaire, John D. Rockefeller, was once asked the question, “How much money is enough?” His answer was amazingly transparent. He said, “Just a little bit more.” In other words, “I will never have enough.” Is this what resides in our conscious or unconscious mindset?
We are led to believe we’ll never have enough — we’ll never be content or satisfied — because we always think we need more. That creates problems because you’re going to lose sleep over how to make it, grow it and manage it. In fact, if you love money it may lead to your own destruction. When Paul was writing to Timothy, he wrote —
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. – 1 Timothy 6:10
Remember, money is not evil. There is absolutely nothing wrong with money, it’s the love of money which will lead us to destruction. Solomon would agree with Paul’s words.
We’ve all heard of get rich quick schemes. For 4 easy payments of $19.99, I can help you to become debt free by the time you make your last payment. In fact, to help you along, I’ll cut off one payment, so send only 3 easy payments of $19.99 and you will be debt free. If you send one payment of $59.97, you will be debt free even sooner.
If you’re not debt free, I’ll give you your money back, less shipping and handling.
And we’ll help you turn $5 a week into $5,000 after 26 weeks.
Then we can show you how to turn $25 into $3,900 per week!
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Just joking . . . but we buy into that stuff don’t we?!
Solomon then goes on to tell us
13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?
17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
I thought I’d lump them all together and get all of the bad news out of the way! Do you hear the point of verse 13, keeping your money to yourself, hoarding it, not giving it away, not helping others, obsessing over it, works against you. It hurts you physical, emotionally and spiritually.
How many people do we know who hoarded wealth, who subscribed to the Rockefeller view that a little bit more is always better — ended up regretting those decisions. I’ve read countless stories of people who won millions in the lottery and ended up bankrupt, homeless, friendless and divorced from spouse and family. We want to grab that money, but instead the money grabs us.
Job’s statement reminds us of Solomon’s words — 21 And Job said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Solomon tells us the same thing. We came into the world with nothing and we can’t take it with us. Yet we try. Jesus made this point in Luke 12:16-20 when He told a parable about a rich man who had a great harvest and said, it’s time to kick back, eat, drink and be merry.
The Egyptian pyramids were filled with gold, jewels, grain and more. Servants were even killed so they could accompany the pharaoh to the other side of death along with all of their treasures.
But those pharaohs couldn’t take their riches with them. It’s no different today. There are no U-haul trailers hitched to the back of funeral hearses. There are no bank branches in heaven.
If we were to stop reading at verse 17, it would be a disaster . . . because we may think this is Solomon’s conclusion . . .
17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. This is such great uplifting scripture. But, Solomon wants us to understand the pitfalls of placing money as our focus.
Solomon helps us with the answer in verses 18-20 ~
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
We’re told everywhere by everyone, to make all the money we can. Ever since we were little kids we’ve been told to knock ourselves out to get rich because then we’ll certainly be happy!! We’ll have happiness, popularity, contentment, and fulfillment. But then Solomon comes along and tells us — “I was one of the richest, most affluent people who ever lived. Money is nice. But if you think money makes you happy and fulfilled, you’re mistaken because that’s a lie.”
He’s saying money is a necessary fact of life but don’t be led by it. It’s got a lot of limitations. Remember it’s fleeting, like a chasing after the wind. In our culture we divide people into the haves and have nots. The one-percenters and then all the rest of us.
So, what’s Solomon getting at in these final verses of chapter 5.
Remember who the source of your wealth is. In Deuteronomy 8, we read ~
17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’
18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth... — Deuteronomy 8:17-18
God is the source of your money and of your life.
It’s not your money because it’s not your life. It all belongs to God. It does not come from you.
Are you an artist? Your creativity comes from God. Are you skilled with numbers? Do you have the ability to write computer code? It comes from God.
Are you a teacher? It comes from God. Are you mechanically inclined? Can you take an engine apart, put it back together, and then get it to run? That comes from God.
Your life and the money you gain with your skills, knowledge and time, come from God
Finally, I believe the greatest way to find peace and contentment with your money is to do the unthinkable . . . Give it Away!
You can’t spend your way to a satisfied life
You can’t work your way to a satisfied life.
You can’t save your way to a satisfied life.
You can’t borrow your way to a satisfied life
You can’t cheat, steal, beg or gamble your way to a satisfied life.
The greatest way to a satisfied and content life is to give your life away. This goes back to what Solomon said in 5:18 ~
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and FIND ENJOYMENT in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
What I hear Solomon saying is enjoy the work that you do. Find enjoyment in your work! Let your work be your passion. It’s better to make $30,000 a year doing what you love doing, than making $100,000 doing something you can’t stand. Do what you love doing, so that you find enjoyment in your work. Otherwise it becomes too easy to get caught up in the money and other stuff so that you think you are finding satisfaction.
If you’re living this type of life, you will be much freer with giving away your money, your time, your possessions, your grace! Your relationship with God will be much better, because you are so much more thankful, instead of bitter and angry!
In Proverbs 3:9-10, we read this ~ 9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
We give back because we’ve been so blessed by God. Usually, we honor God with our leftovers, if even that. We have a God who loves us so much that He sent His Son for you and I. He didn’t think the price was too much to see His Son suffer and die for us. How can we give Him our leftovers? We should be giving God our first fruits. We should be giving Him the best of what we have, our money, our time, all of ourselves.
Our time, energy, passion, possessions and love!
We can’t buy into the lies.
Money and possessions are not the answer.
Money is the test.
Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
What kind of a life are you living?
