The Reality of Death, the Urgency of Life
Book of Ecclesiastes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Service Notes
Service Notes
28 Days Until Easter
Special Sunday / Lord’s Supper (Evening)
Wednesday Series: Why Jesus?
Hope Ignited – Sunday night before
Summary Statement: In view of the certainty of death and the unpredictability of life, enjoy to the fullest the days God gives you!
Solomon has wrestled with a deep questions in ch 7-8
Solomon has wrestled with a deep questions in ch 7-8
Why do bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people?
This question challenges the idea of a just and sovereign God:
This observer reaches a humbling conclusion in Ecclesiastes 8:17 “17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.”
Even if a man works hard to understand God's ways, he cannot fully grasp them.
Human wisdom has limits when it comes to understanding divine justice and providence.
This sets the stage for chapter 9
This sets the stage for chapter 9
Solomon shifts from trying to figure everything out to encouraging us to trust God and enjoy the life He gives us, even when we don't have all the answers.
Ecclesiastes 9:1 “1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.”
Requires us to answer some questions.
What is the value of facing death?
Does God desire for us to enjoy life?
What about life should be a source of joy for us?
What about life really matters?
Prayer for the Church
Prayer for the Church
Youth Conference
Those among us who have lost their love for life and need to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Introduction:
Introduction:
I once walked with my grandmother through a graveyard. She told me to ask them "What are they doing?" She then asked me “What did they say?” My answer was "Nothing.”
Is this what my grandmother truly believed? Is it what Solomon believes?
They were both just giving us a view of life from those “under the sun.”
Death is the end of life, as we know it.
Like Paul to the Grecians on Mars Hill, have your poets not said?
I. Facing Death Teaches Us How to Live. v.1-6
I. Facing Death Teaches Us How to Live. v.1-6
Solomon begins this chapter with a sobering truth: life is uncertain and death is inevitable. Yet in that very truth, we find clarity.
Ecclesiastes 9:1 “1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.”
This verse anchors us. We are not in the hands of fate but in the hands of God.
Just because someone is suffering or prospering doesn't necessarily reflect God's love or hate toward them in any simplistic way.
Disciples upon seeing a blind man asks who is at fault, John 9:3 “3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
Our death and time is appointed, not chosen.
A. Death is the great equalizer that strips away all illusions of control. v.2-3
A. Death is the great equalizer that strips away all illusions of control. v.2-3
1. Death comes to all people, regardless of character or conduct.
Ecclesiastes 9:2 “2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.”
Death comes to all without distinction.
Clean and unclean.
Sacrifice and doesn’t sacrifice.
Good and sinner.
Illustration: Life insurance rep joke → Death is certain, but hope is for the living.
2. Death is the tragic result of sin
Ecclesiastes 9:3 “3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”
Death is the consequence of sin.
Paul is taunting death—almost like a mocking victory chant—because in light of Jesus' resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15:55–57 “55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We cannot inore the harsh reality that death brings a sting.
B. Death puts an end to all earthly work and joy. It forces us to face our limits and trust God. 5-6
B. Death puts an end to all earthly work and joy. It forces us to face our limits and trust God. 5-6
Hope is only for the living.
Ecclesiastes 9:4 “4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
Dogs were not see as they are often seen today, you might consider a rat.
Living dogs have more options than dead lions.
In Heaven you do not need hope - your faith has become sight. We need hope now.
You know about death now, make a decision while you can.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 “5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”
We will have no more stake in anything that's happening in this world.
Ecclesiastes 9:6 “6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.”
All emotions and ambitions—love, hate, and envy—perish with death, and the dead no longer participate in anything that happens under the sun.
Solomon strips death of all romance. He shows it for what it is under the sun: the great cut-off point, after which no further earthly joys or achievements are possible
Transition: Solomon does not only want us to know something but he wants us to fill something. This harsh reality about death and the future should shape how we live in our lives in the present.
II. God Commands Us to Enjoy Life v.7-10
II. God Commands Us to Enjoy Life v.7-10
Because life is short and unpredictable, God calls us to live with joyful obedience and purposeful delight in the good gifts He provides.
A. Joy in God is not a distraction from holiness—it is the heartbeat of true worship.
A. Joy in God is not a distraction from holiness—it is the heartbeat of true worship.
1. Enjoyment is not merely permitted but commanded.
Command here is to: GO!
The wicked live for pleasure and prosperity without concern for eternity. Isaiah 22:13 “13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.”
2. The Gospel redeems our understanding of life and death. It doesn’t tell us to sit this life out waiting for the next.
Historically, Christians has often reacted to this fallen view with a disdain and rejection of pleasure.
“If you grin, it must be sin” theology was confronted in Col 2
Simple terms:
Paul warns against strict religious rules that say, "Don’t eat this, don’t touch that," as if avoiding certain things makes someone holier.
This is not call to the hedonism of fools but the faith of a believer who recognizes God as the source of all good gifts.
Psalm 100:2 “2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”
B. Four ways to live fully and joyfully in the days God gives you.
B. Four ways to live fully and joyfully in the days God gives you.
1. God wants us to enjoy His daily blessings with a joyful heart.
1. God wants us to enjoy His daily blessings with a joyful heart.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 “7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”
Life is not meant to be endured but enjoyed.
Enjoy life as a gift, not a gain - something you earn or must maintain.
Rejoice in life’s simple joys—because God has already approved of them.
If God has given the gift, then it’s not selfish to enjoy it—it’s ungrateful not to.
The people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world!
2. God invites us to live with visible joy, not constant heaviness.
2. God invites us to live with visible joy, not constant heaviness.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 “8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.”
This imagery speaks of celebration, not mourning. True spirituality isn’t gloom, but gratitude.
Some of you think “If it brings a grin, it is a sin.”
Oil poured over the hair was common at weddings, feasts, and other times of celebration.
This is an oil of gladness as spoken of in Hebrews 1:9 “9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
3. God wants us to cherish our relationships and enjoy life with those we love.
3. God wants us to cherish our relationships and enjoy life with those we love.
Ecclesiastes 9:9 “9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.”
Doesn’t make a great hallmark card. [SLIDE]
Cherish your spouse. Cultivate joy in your relationships.
Marriage, friendship, and community are part of God’s good design. Don’t miss the beauty of love and companionship in your short time on earth.
God us these things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17 “17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”
4. God calls us to work hard and make the most of our time.
4. God calls us to work hard and make the most of our time.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 “10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
Life is a vapor. Don’t waste it. Lean in with purpose and joy.
Happy family dinners - happy fashion - meaningful relationships - work (one of these does not seem to be like the other)
Work is part of the whatsoever of our lives, embrace it with joy. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
It is the “whatsoever ye do” that often presents the greatest challenge. Brought a cake home on Thursday. Why do we allow the smallest of problems to outweigh the multitudes of gifts in our lives?
Study on Work - work will continue throughout eternity. Could be you continue with the passions and abilities you have now.
Work is not to be avoided or idoloized - but should be elevated to an expression of worship in our lives.
Transition: Solomon’s call to enjoy life isn’t an invitation to ignore reality—it’s rooted in it. After showing us how to live joyfully, he brings us back to the sobering truth: life is short, and our time is uncertain. So the question becomes, what truly matters most?
III. Life is short, find your greatest joy in knowing God. v.11-12
III. Life is short, find your greatest joy in knowing God. v.11-12
Because life is unpredictable and our time is unknown, we must stop chasing outcomes and start treasuring what matters most—knowing and trusting God.
A. Your best efforts don’t guarantee success, so don’t base your joy on outcomes.
A. Your best efforts don’t guarantee success, so don’t base your joy on outcomes.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 “11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
Life is not to be mastered but enjoyed.
Enjoy what we have. Trust God with what we do not know.
When we finally see God face to face, all the mysteries and confusions of life will suddenly become clear—and we’ll respond not with further questions, but with humble, joyful recognition. We will look around and say “Oh… of course.”
B. You don’t know when your life will end, so live for what truly matters.
B. You don’t know when your life will end, so live for what truly matters.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 “12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.”
We can’t control outcomes. The best don’t always win. The wisest don’t always succeed. Disaster can strike at any moment.
This leads us to Solomon's surprising conclusion: because death is certain and life unpredictable, enjoy life while you can.
Are you? If not, why?
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
This Is the Day the Lord Has Made
This Is the Day the Lord Has Made
Because of Christ, death is not the end—and that means every day is a sacred opportunity to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. [SLIDE]
Psalm 118:24 “24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
All that we need to rejoice is found in the gospel.
We are accepted in Christ → we eat and drink with joy.
We are clothed in Christ’s righteousness → we live with visible joy.
We are loved by God → we love others deeply.
We are called to purposeful work → we labor with eternal hope.
