THE WORTHWHILE THING TO DO

By William R. Cunningham
Sermon for Sunday September 28, 2003

INTRODUCTION

Have you every wondered what is really worthwhile doing during your lifetime? What thing or things should you do that would be worth the effort or have some form of meaning? Of course you hear that we should do the will of God and that we should obey God. That works well with general things such as forgiveness, loving people, being patient, etc. However, what specific thing or things should we pursue that are meaningful or worthwhile? Is our live only a tool in the tool shed for God or is God concerned about our pleasure and happiness? If so, what would bring this pleasure and happiness? Furthermore, what actually is pleasure and happiness as it relates to God and to us?

I hope to bring insight to the general question of those things being worthwhile doing during our lifetime. I will use Ecclesiastes Chapter Two as a foundation for this discussion. This will be more of a survey to this topic then a definitive answer because it involves many things. In any case, this lesson will address the question, "What is worthwhile doing during our lifetime?" I should also point out that this discussion deals with the Christian perspective of life as opposed to a general human existence covering all people. So the question then is really, "What is worthwhile for Christians to do during their lifetime?"

BACKGROUND

I think that it is very important to have some background information on the book of Ecclesiastes. The reason being is that there are several perceptions of this book. Some hold that Solomon wrote this book during his separation from God (he was out of fellowship). This was the time when his many wives caused him to participate in idol worship and thus separate himself from the one true God. Others hold that Solomon was simply reflecting on his past through reason and recording what he discovered. In either case we know that there is a message in this unique book of the Bible because all scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

Others hold that Solomon did not write this book and that it was written after his reign. The book identifies the author as Qoheleth, which is the Hebrew transliteration for "Teacher." Whether or not Solomon actually wrote this book is not as important as the message that the book presents to us. I do recommend that you read this unique and powerful book in its entirety. However, the information gathered from the book pertaining to its authorship point to Solomon.

Chapter 2:1-11

Solomon begins to embark on a journey to discover what is good. He decides in his heart to test himself with mirth.

The word "mirth" comes from a Hebrew word that means blithesomeness or glee. It refers to great pleasures. So Solomon began to pursue pleasures to determine what was good for man. However, he says that this was vanity.

The word vanity is translated from the Hebrew hebel, which literally means "vapor" or "breath." Solomon says that the pursuits of life are like grasping for that breath. The NIV and other translations translate this word to "meaningless."

Consider what Solomon says.

1. Of laughter: Madness!
2. Of mirth or pleasures: why does it accomplish

Solomon tastes various pleasures to see what difference it would make in one's life. Solomon says that his wisdom remained during this time, which leads us to believe that he hadn't gone mad but was in control of what he was therefore purposefully doing.

Solomon proceeded to indulge himself with all kinds of pleasures. He amassed great possessions, including wives and concubines. He withheld nothing from his heart in regards to finding what was good. Notice that there is nothing that refers to God in these descriptions.

There are a couple of things that we should notice here of Solomon's observation.

1. He said that he rejoiced in all of his labor
2. All that he accomplished was meaningless.
3. All of his work and his great possessions amounted to nothing (no profit).

Chapter 2:17-26

Solomon said that he hated life because all that is involved with life is meaningless. It is important to remember here the context of these statements. All that Solomon did were those things that pertained to self, such as acquiring wealth, possessions, and pleasures. Nothing that he did related to a relationship with God so in no way can we conclude that Solomon included a relationship with God and the things pertaining to such as meaningless.

He goes on to say that he hated the labor of his life because he will have to leave it for someone else that didn't work for it. The person could be wise or a fool. However, what does it all mean? It is all meaningless. What do we gain for all of the work that we toil our entire lives.

The only thing that we have is to enjoy our labor, which is a gift from God. We should be content with what we have and enjoy what we have. The pursuit for riches, wealth, possessions, and pleasures are meaningless. The only thing that means anything is to enjoy what God gives us at any moment in regards to our work.

God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight. However, the sinner is tasked with gathering in order to give to the righteous. The later is also vanity (meaningless).

The summation of what we have so far is as follows.

1. There is no profit for all of the work that we do during our lives
2. The best we can do is to enjoy the work that we do. That is God's gift to us
3. There can be no enjoyment apart from God
4. Life is meaningless apart from God. We must consider this point because nothing that Solomon has said is associated with God or a relationship with Him.

Chapter 3:9-13

What does the worker gain from all the work of his life? We gain nothing from our toil. Therefore, it is good to rejoice, and to do good in our lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. This is the gift of God.

We don't know what will happen after we are gone. We have no control over what will happen to the results of all of our labor (the amassing of wealth and such). Therefore, it is best to enjoy the work of our hands.

LESSONS LEARNED

The scriptures admonish us about seeking wealth and riches. Consider the following scriptures.

         1 Chronicles 29:12-13 (NKJV) Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.

All riches on this earth come from God. We cannot claim that we have anything. We also saw that the accumulation of such riches really profit us nothing.

         Psalm 39:5-6 (NKJV) Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.

         Proverbs 11:4 (NKJV) Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.

Here we see that riches will not deliver you from wrath. However, being righteous delivers us from death.

         Proverbs 11:28 (NKJV) He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.

         Proverbs 23:5 (NKJV) Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

         Proverbs 28:22 (NKJV) A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

         Proverbs 30:7-9 (NKJV) Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches-Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

         Mark 10:23-24 (NKJV) Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

         1 Timothy 6:17-18 (NKJV) Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

         Matthew 6:24 (NKJV) "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

         1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

There are many who believe that God wants us to be rich. Some suppose that riches are an indication of God's blessing and approval. However, the Bible does not suggest that God's approval is measured exclusively by riches and wealth. It is true that God can make one rich but this is only according to His will and for His purpose.

Deuteronomy 8:18 (NKJV) "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

What's Worth Doing in One's Life?

What do you pursue? What are your aspirations and why? Solomon examined his life and found that life is meaningless apart from God. This is the conclusion that Solomon came to.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

Solomon found that all of the things that he accumulated amounted to nothing. They were all meaningless, even the effort to acquire them. The only thing that really matters in one's life is what we do for God. God gives us the ability to enjoy our work and that we should. We should not work to receive wealth because that wealth is meaningless and will profit us nothing. However, if we obey God then our reward is great in His Kingdom.

The treasures on this earth are nothing. The treasures in heaven have great value. Consider the following scripture.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Where is your heart? What are your treasures? Do you seek God and His kingdom or do you seek wealth and riches? The history of man is full of the attempt to acquire riches only to lead to destruction. Why do we continue to seek for that which destroys? Why do we strive to obtain that which ultimately has no meaning.

Even in the Christian community we are told to seek riches. We are told to pay tithes, give offerings, and put a demand on the spirit and other such lies so that we would obtain riches. However, we must realize that life is more than the things that we accumulate and therefore not worth the great effort that we exert on such things. Solomon told us this from his own personal experiences.

We should instead seek those things that have meaning and realize the things in our lives that truly have meaning, which is to enjoy our work. So seek God and His righteousness and thus pursue those things that have true meaning. The worthwhile thing to do is to obey God.