God’s Concern for the Way We Think and Why It Matters
(Eccl. 11:1 to 12:14)
1. It is a challenge to preach sermons that are Biblical, relevant, and spiritual.
2. Some pastors do this by skipping around and avoiding the drier or more detailed sections of Scripture.
3. What many people miss, however, is the reality that the little things do matter.
4. We do not want to major on the minors, but sometimes the minors add up to a major.
5. And this is very true in the Christian life.
6. Since the mundane, everyday aspects of life happen to be the majority of our life’s experiences, God is very concerned that we live out our faith in all areas.
7. The particulars of everyday Christian life may seem irrelevant because we detach them from the big picture. But the truth is that we need God’s help in areas we often do not view as spiritual for a God reason.
God will bring every act, every aspect and detail of life, into judgment. That¡¦s why the Scripture addresses so many issues that seem "secular," or non-religious to so many people: handling finances, a philosophy of being young or old, being a social person, living a balanced life which includes fun...all these things ARE spiritual matters because God shares His will in these areas. We need God’s help in many areas for a good reason.
PROP: Today, we are going to look at a few more areas in which we need God’s help, and then look at WHY we need to be concerned about such non-churchy, non-stained glass, everyday mundane things.
TS---„³ Although these areas do not seem overtly religious, they expose some areas in which many of us are weak.
First, A Few of the Areas in Which We Need God¡¦s Help
I. Developing A Work Ethic (1-6)
A. Make present sacrifices for future benefits (1-2)
1. Bold moves (1)
2. Diversifying (2)
B. Learn to Conquer Procrastination: Do It Now (3-5)
1. Even though some things are out of our control (3) and much of life remains a mystery, we should not take a defensive posture
2. Procrastinators believe that they must wait for the right time and conditions while others just launch out, ¨just do it."
"There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza."
C. Better to Allow for Loss: Don¡¦t Cut it Close, But Use a Little Overkill (6)
II. Enjoying Your Youth Fully While You Are Young (11:7-12:1)
Most parents and young people do not have a well thought out philosophy as what their stage of life should be like: they just do what everyone else seems to be doing; or they fight the normal course God has designed. Youth can be a topsy-turvy time, but it helps if we have a few bearings.
1. Have FUN while you are young¡Xdo not grow up too fast
(1) kids dating too young
(2) "Be home when the big hand is on 12 and the little hand on 8"
(3) premarital sex forces young people to grow up prematurely and a society that separates sex from marriage and children and the responsibility to support a wife and kids means that some people never grow up. God intended this to be a package deal.
2. Parents should encourage their kids to have WHOLESOME fun.
(1) Not TV, video, computer
(2) Social times, games, sports, clubs, self-made entertainment¡Ka great time to learn to enjoy people¡Kparents should encourage their children to be participators in WHOLESOME environments
(3) I have seen some teens take life too seriously when young and then try to experience their teen years in their twenties or thirties
(4) If I have one regret about my teenage years, it is that I did not have enough fun
3. Fun is not the only priority of youth: this is a great time to come to know the Creator (12:1)
(1) most Christians were saved before the age of 18
(2) it is surprising how much depth younger people can gain: encourage your youth to take advantage of opportunities to learn & grow in the things of God
(3) If I have one great thing that happened to me during my teen years, it was getting saved, reading through the Bible, and being connected to a Bible church that took teaching the Word seriously
(4) Youth is a time of preparation for adulthood; maturity is the goal, and a life with God at the center is the way to live.
4. You can see the philosophical base for a good youth ministry: provide fun and social opportunities, disciple and train youth toward spiritual maturity toward God-centeredness and others-centeredness
5. The best way to prepare for youth is to not let your younger children make too many of their own decisions so that you have authority to release when they are older if they have privileges at the age of 12 that they should have at the age of 16, the only new freedoms teens will have is the freedom to do wrong.
III. Accepting the Realities of Aging (12:2-5)
1. My current Tribune series about maturing¡K.
(1) Youth is for the young; we have to constantly adjust to our phase of life rather than live in denial
(2) People are not maturing because they fear growing old or they live in denial
2. An 80 year old woman went to the doctor and said, "Doctor, I don’t want to get old." The doctor said, "Too late. You’ve been old for some time."
3. Old Age does not mean you do not enjoy life. Eccl. 11:8 says, "However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all."
4. Although it is not true that life begins at 50, it doesn’t have to end there. 100 years ago, the average life expectancy was 47. Now it is between 25 and 30 years longer.In the Bible, 60 is dying age, 70 is a long life.
5. Solomon paints us a picture of the negative aspects of old age using some wonderful imagery (2-5)
(1) A dark, cloudy time (2)
(2) Shaking (3a)
(3) Loss of teeth (3b)
(4) Weakening sight (3a)
(5) Loss of hearing (4a)
(6) Rising early (4b)
(7) Fearful caution (5a)
(8) Loss of interest in the opposite sex (5b)
6. Fortunately, all these things do not come at once! By why does Solomon address such a bleak theme? To prepare us for reality.
7.Human nature: as we age, we keep moving the "old age" line ahead of us. No matter how old we are, old age is always ahead of us. We are never old, just "getting old."
8. Solomon wants us to stare aging right in the eye. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH GETTING OLD. It may not be as an exciting era as other phases of life, but it is the destiny of those who do not die young.
9. So our choice: to age gracefully or somehow deny reality.
10. With age can come greater wisdom; we mellow and can become real servants to our families and friends; on the other hand, we can become sour.
11. As we age, we lose say (influence). Others value our opinions less, we have less clout, and many of us end life with others making decisions for us, selling our properties, and being cared for.
Second, Why We Need God’s Help In These and Other Areas
IV. Because Every Act Will Be Brought into Judgment (13-14)
1. God is concerned that we obey all the commands He has for us (13)
(1) if you think about, that is a good definition of a balanced life; people who are not balanced emphasize SOME of His commands to the exclusion of others. All work, no play; all play, no work;
(2) This is why EVERYTHING we do carries a spiritual point to it. True, Bible reading, praying, witnessing, listening to the Word being preach or taught, etc., develop us in deeper ways than walking the dog, everything we do, everything will be reviewed; that is why everything matters.
2. Now there is a lot of confusion about this judgment (Vasiceks harmonization):
(1) Salvation is by grace through faith, not works;
(2) Judgment of works is always to develop the degree of reward (believers) or punishment (lost)
(3) Our sins are not judged as sins, but as works (with a view toward disappointment at loss of reward or neglected opportunity)
(4) Christians who have done little actual ministry will regret their spiritual laziness as their rewards are few.
(5) Heaven will be wonderful for everyone, but not equally as wonderful; hell will horrible for everyone, but not equally as horrible.
(6) But everything will be reviewed:
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more."
1 Corinthians 3:12-15, "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
Romans 14:10, "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat."
CONCLUSION
1. Everything matters.
2. What we do is not just our own business. God offers a will for your life, and in each area, on each occasion, you choose whether to go His way or yours, unless you happen to agree, then there is no choice:
3. Perhaps 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 summarizes the ideal attitude best: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
