Welcome to Reign of Grace. This
program is brought to you by Reign of Grace Media Ministries,
an outreach ministry of Eager Avenue Grace Church in Albany,
Georgia. It is our pleasure and privilege
to present to you the gospel message of the sovereign grace
and glory of God in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that today's program
will be a blessing to you. Thank you for listening. And
now for today's program. Welcome to our program today.
I'm glad you could join us. If you'd like to follow along
in your Bibles, I'm going to go back into the Old Testament
to one of the books of wisdom. It's the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes, and I'm going to
go to chapter 3. And the title of the message
is, May God Fill Our Void. May God fill our void. I'm going to begin at verse 10
for my text of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, but before I get to that verse,
you read on your own. This passage is very familiar
to people. It speaks about how everything,
there's a season, a time to every purpose under heaven, a time
to be born, a time to die, and then goes right on through all
the times. And what that is teaching is
the sovereignty of God over time. God is the sovereign God who
has appointed all the times of men and women on this earth.
I know people don't want to believe this now. It has to do with predestination. It has to do with God controlling
things. You know, a lot of people today
will say, well, God is in control, but they really mean that He's
limited in His control. or that he has voluntarily limited
himself. It's often said by some people
who don't know the gospel that God's going to save his people
only if they will cooperate because God would not dare step on the
dignity of man's free will. And that is not biblical. Man
doesn't have a free will. Oh, I know we make choices every
day of our lives, and I understand that. But if man left to himself,
will not choose God and His way of salvation by grace in Christ.
And I'm gonna talk to you about that. But he goes through all
these times, and verse nine he says, of Ecclesiastes three,
he says, what prophet hath he that worketh in that wherein
he laboreth? Man laboring, women laboring. And he says in verse 10, now
this is where we begin our text, I have seen the travail which
God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. There's a travail. Now, you know
what travail means? That's trouble. Oftentimes, a
woman who is about to have a baby, when she goes into labor, it's
called her travail, her labor, her pain. And there is a travail
that is common to everyone without exception. who is born into this
world, and it's a God-given travail. He's given it to the sons of
men to be exercised in it. It's a trouble. Now, some people
say it's a void. That's why I titled the message,
May God Fill Your Void. It's an emptiness. And we're
gonna talk about that, but look at verse 11. It says, God hath
made everything beautiful in his time. God's made everything
for His glory. Everything that goes on. And
if you don't believe that, don't ever quote Romans 8, 28 again,
which says, all things work together for good to them that love God,
who are the called according to His purpose. All things, all
things good, all things evil work together. God's working
all things together. God's in control. So He hath
made everything beautiful in His time. Also He hath set the
world in their heart. Now the heart is the mind, the
affections, the will, the conscience, the inner man. And He set the
world. Now that word world there, a
lot of commentators say this. They say He's talking about eternity.
God has set eternity. in the hearts of people. And it says in verse 11, so that
no man can find out the work that God maketh from beginning
to end. Now the Bible says God declares
the end from the beginning. But man cannot figure out God
and His purpose and His ways from beginning to end. And it
says here that God has set eternity in their heart. So let me talk
to you about this travail. this emptiness, this void. And what it is, it's a lack of
a sense of purpose in life. Why am I here? What is my purpose? Man cannot figure that out on
his own. He can talk about different things,
different ways, and it's not only a sense of purpose, but
it's a sense of eternity. We're going to die. We realize
that death is imminent. And as we grow older, it becomes
more and more, we become more and more aware that our life
here on earth is going to end. And we wonder, is there life
after death? Is there a judgment? You see, this is one of the things
that separate man from the animals. That's why I tell people all
the time, our kids go to school and they go into biology class
and they think that man is just another class of animal. Oh no,
my friend. Man is not an animal. Man was
originally made in the image of God, but in the fall of Adam,
who represented the whole human race, man lost that image, but
he retained this travail, this void, That's why after the fall,
Adam and Eve hid from God. They realized they were naked.
Nakedness being a metaphor for lack of righteousness. And they
hid from God and they covered their nakedness with fig leaf
aprons. What were they doing? They were
trying to fill that God-shaped void in their hearts. So man, listen, we all fell in
Adam into a state of sin and death and depravity, spiritual
death, but we still have that God-shaped void, which causes
us to wonder, what is my purpose in life? What about dying and
death? Is there life after death? What
about eternity and judgment and eternity? Man wrestles with these
and it's a travail. and he cannot even though God
has a purpose and it's His glory in Christ. He said eternity in
the hearts of all people and we retain that much even after
the fall but it's a void that man tries to fill in ways that
dishonor God. That's why he says that no man
can find out the work that God maketh from beginning to end.
Man cannot find it on his own. Here's the thing about man without
God. This is the theme of Ecclesiastes.
When you think of Ecclesiastes, if you know anything about the
book, you think about the term vanity of vanities. All is vanity. But the theme of Ecclesiastes
is the vanity, the worthlessness, the emptiness of life without
God, without Christ, without truth, without God's grace. And man cannot fill that void
on his own, not even with his best. If you look with me to
Psalm 39, I want you to see this. Now here's the point. Man by
nature, in an unregenerate, unbelieving state, he will try to fill that
void. But it will always be futile. It will always be with ways that
deny and dishonor God. Some try to fill it with material
possessions. You remember the story that Christ
told of the man who had so much possessions, and he's wondering
what he was gonna do, so he built bigger barns. He's trying to
fill that void, but it won't last. He said, thou fool, this
night your soul shall be required of you. Some try to fill it with human
wisdom, philosophy, and religion. In fact, the most popular way
For man trying to fill that void is by his own self-righteous
works, free will religion. And it may last for a while,
but it won't last in the end. Let me show you that. This is
Psalm 39, verse one. David wrote this. He said, I
said, I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue,
I'm gonna stop sinning with my tongue. I will keep my mouth
with a bridle while the wicked is before me. And verse two says,
I was dumb with silence. I just had to shut up. I held
my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred. Trouble,
that travail still came up. Verse three, my heart was hot
within me while I was musing the fire burned. Then spoke I
with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end and the measure
of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am. And
then look at verse five. Now, listen to this. Behold,
thou hast made my days as an handbreadth. That's how short
my life is in comparison with eternity. and mine age is as
nothing before thee, verily every man at his best state is altogether
vanity." Think about it. That's what the word Sela means
in that psalm. Go back to Ecclesiastes 3. Eternity. And even atheists. Atheists spend their life denying
eternity, denying God. Agnostics say, well, we don't
know. And so they seek other ways of filling the void. But here's the point that's made
in Ecclesiastes 3 and in the whole Bible. Only God, by His
power and His grace and His goodness in Christ, can fill that void. Look at verse 12. This is Ecclesiastes
chapter three. He says, I know, this is verse
12, I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice
and to do good in his life. try to be happy, try to do good. And verse 13, and also that every
man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor.
And notice the last words here. It is the gift of God. It's the
gift of God. You know, you may go out in life
and you may work hard. You may be one of the smartest
individuals and use your mind to help other people and to get
gain for yourself. But if you don't realize that
every breath you take is a free, undeserved, unearned gift from
God, it's all vanity. So what is he telling us here?
He's telling us that the only way that that void can be filled
is with God. And so look at verse 14 of Ecclesiastes
3. He says, I know that whatsoever
God doeth, it shall be forever. Now whatsoever man doeth won't
last. If you're trying to be saved
by your works, it won't last. You recall in Matthew chapter
7, those false preachers who stood before Christ and said,
Lord, haven't we preached in your name? Haven't we cast out
demons? Haven't we done many wonderful
works? Only to hear him say, depart
from me, you that work iniquity, I never knew you. What was the
problem there? I've heard preachers say, well,
they weren't sincere enough. My friend, try to fill your void
with your sincerity. It won't last either. Besides,
those preachers, I believe, were sincere. What were they doing? They were pleading their own
works rather than the work of God. Now read verse 14 again,
Ecclesiastes 3. I know that whatsoever God doeth,
it shall be forever. Eternity, eternal life, can only
be found in God, in Christ. And he says it this way, nothing
can be put to it. That means you can't add anything
to it. nor anything taken from it. You
can't take anything away from it. And God doeth it that men
should fear before him, worship him. That's what that fear means.
Serve him. In other words, that the only
way that that void can be filled is by the work of God. And what's
he talking about? Eternal life? Remember in John
17, The high priestly prayer of Christ, I believe it's verse
three or verses two and three. He says, this is life eternal
that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ
whom thou has sent. My friend, only God can fill
that void. And he does so by the power of
his spirit through the preaching of the gospel. which teaches
us that God has a people whom he redeemed through the blood
of his son. And he gives them, he puts away
their sins by the blood of Christ so that they cannot be charged
with sin. There's no condemnation for them.
And he gives them a perfect righteousness, which is in and by the Lord Jesus
Christ. That's how God fills that void.
He fills it with Christ crucified and risen from the dead. And
that's the only way that that travail will be satisfied. You know, over in the book of
Isaiah chapter 53, it speaks of the travail of Christ. He
went through the travail of his soul. The scripture says, it's
Isaiah 53, 11. Listen to it. Christ, he there
is Christ, shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. And by his knowledge, his experience
to no suffering unto death, shall my righteous servant justify
many for he shall bear their iniquities. You see, that's the
travail that Christ went through. He'll be satisfied. In other
words, all for whom he lived and died, was buried and arose
again the third day, shall be saved. Just like a woman in childbirth,
when she goes through that hard labor, suffering, and she comes
out and it comes out on the other side of that with a healthy baby
boy or girl, she's satisfied. Christ will have no stillborn
children. And His work, you can't add to
it, and you can't take away from it. People say, well, He died
for everybody without exception on condition that they believe,
or they believe and repent, or they believe and repent and persevere.
Oh, no. He died for His people, and they
will believe, they will repent, they will persevere. That's what
the scripture teaches. Their believing doesn't save
them. Their repenting doesn't save them. Their persevering
doesn't save them. Christ saves them. And as the
fruit and result of His salvation, His work, His blood, His righteousness,
they shall believe, they shall repent, and they shall persevere
in the faith. You see, salvation is not conditioned
on your believing. It's conditioned on Christ. And
once he's fulfilled those conditions by his obedience unto death on
the cross, he gives his people faith. Faith is the gift of God.
Bible says the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, neither can he know them, they're spiritually discerned.
That's why the natural man, the unregenerate man, spends his
life trying to fill that void with other things, works of religion,
works of material, all kinds of things that will not do. Look back at Ecclesiastes 3,
look at verse 15. It says here, that which hath
been is now, and that which is to be hath already been, and
God requireth that which is past. All time, in the fullness of
the time. Think about, God created time. Before time even began, before
this world was ever began, He chose a people in Christ. Gave
them to Christ and put all of the conditions of their salvation
on Christ. But God created the world, man
fell, and it was at that fall that God revealed His purpose
to glorify Himself in the salvation of His chosen people through
the blood and the righteousness of Christ, represented in that
robe that He made them. He slew an animal and made them
coats of skin. That's the imputed righteousness
of Christ. You see, God fills that void
with His glory. And that's what he says here
in Ecclesiastes chapter three. He says, read it again, that
men, verse 14, that men should fear before him. What is that
fear? It's not running scared from
God. That's what Adam and Eve was
doing before they were converted with their fig leaf aprons. No,
it's not running scared from God. It's seeking the Lord and
finding Him and finding His way of salvation that honors and
glorifies Him, worshiping Him, serving Him, motivated by grace,
love, and gratitude. And you know, over in the book
of Ecclesiastes, turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 12, and let's read the
last two verses. You know, remember I told you
a lot of people when they think of Ecclesiastes, they think of
the terms vanity of vanities, always vanity. Well, what does
the Bible tell us? Without God, without Christ,
without truth, without grace, it's all vanity. That's why in
the book of Proverbs it tells us, seek the Lord, seek his wisdom,
and don't lean to your own understanding. Your own understanding will cause
you to try to fill that void with things that will not fill
it. You know, the Bible says, blessed
are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they
shall be filled, Matthew 5, 6. Well, how does He fill our hunger
and thirst? It's God who gives us that hunger
and thirst for righteousness that can only be satisfied in
Christ. We'll look here in Ecclesiastes
12, the last two verses, verse 13. Let us hear the conclusion
of the whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man. Verse 14, for God shall
bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether
it be good or whether it be evil. Here's the conclusion of the
whole matter. Fear God. What does that mean then? It
means to seek God. Seek the true and living God
in His word. And the only way you're gonna
know is by the power of the Spirit. Worship God, serve God, believe
God. Whatever He says in His word.
If He says He chose a people before the foundation of the
world, believe it. Read it in Ephesians chapter
one and other passages. Fear God. And then how are you
gonna seek God? Keep His commandments. What are
His commandments? Don't think about the 10 commandments
here. You cannot find God by trying to keep the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments and the whole Old Covenant was given
to show you your sinfulness, show the Israelites their sinfulness
and their need of salvation by grace through the promised Messiah. And so, keep his command. What
does he say? This is the commandments of God.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Love
the brethren. Those are His commandments. It's
salvation by grace, not by works. Submit to Christ's righteousness.
That's what Paul wrote in Romans 9 and 10. The Israelites who
sought righteousness didn't find it because they sought it by
their works and not by faith, which is to seek it in Christ.
And he says in Romans 10 and verse 4, Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it. That's
his righteousness imputed. The gospel, Romans 1, 16 and
17, is the revelation of the righteousness of God. You see,
that's what we read back in Ecclesiastes 3. The work of God is a perfect
work. You can't add anything to it.
You can't take anything away from it. It's all Christ. That's
the simplicity that's in Christ, that all of my salvation, from
beginning to final culmination, is all in and by the Lord Jesus
Christ and based upon His obedience unto death, His merits, His righteousness
alone. That's what fills the void. Run
the race of grace, looking unto Jesus, the author, the beginner,
the originator, and the finisher, the completer of our faith. And
that's what it means. And the reason is God's gonna
bring every secret thing into judgment. Men may look at you
and they may say, oh boy, he's a righteous man. Look at what
he does. My friend, it'll all be brought out in the open that
if you stand before God at judgment without Christ, it'll all be
declared iniquity. God is going to judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, and that
he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised
him from the dead. My only hope of salvation and
eternal life and glory is to be found in Christ, not having
mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which
is through the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness of
God by faith, washed in His blood, clothed in His righteousness.
That's my hope. That's how God fills that void. And it's my prayer that God will
fill your void with that same message because that's the way
God fills the void of every one of His people. It's the same. Same way of salvation. Same gospel. Same God. Same Christ. Same grace. Grace that reigns through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. And then when we stand
before judgment, we can sing that hymn, my hope is built on
nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not
trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name, on
Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. That's the God-shaped void. That's
how God fills that void. And only God can do it. The preacher
can't do it. The church can't do it. Baptism
can't do it. Only God can do it. May God fill
your void. And that's the only one who can.
And the only one who will for his people. And if you're one
of His people for whom He chose before the foundation of the
world, for whom Christ died on the cross, He'll send the Spirit
and bring you under the preaching of the gospel and He'll fill
your void with the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and
no other way. I hope you'll join us next week
for another message from God's Word. We are glad you could join us
for another edition of Reign of Grace. This program is brought
to you by Reign of Grace Media Ministries, an outreach ministry
of Eager Avenue Grace Church in Albany, Georgia. To receive
a copy of today's program or to learn more about Reign of
Grace Media Ministries or Eager Avenue Grace Church, write us
at 1102 Eager Drive. Albany, Georgia, 31707. Contact us by phone at 229-432-6969
or email us through our website at www.TheLetterRofGrace.com. Thank you again for listening
today and may the Lord be with you.