You take your Bible with me and
turn to Ecclesiastes chapter six, Ecclesiastes chapter six. It's right after Proverbs, Psalm, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. And. For those of you who are unfamiliar
with the book of Ecclesiastes, This book is written by Solomon,
King Solomon, the son of David. And it is a book about the vanity
of things under the sun. He writes in wisdom concerning
the things under the sun, the things of earth, the things of
men. And the title of the message
tonight is Christ is Christ, a believer's contentment. of
believers' contentment. If you'll turn over to verse
9, this will be our text. Better is the sight of the eyes
than the wondering of the desire. This is also vanity and vexation
of spirit. Better. Better. It seems to me that everyone
is always trying to make things better in this world. I was listening
to the radio and heard that the Apple Corporation is coming out
with a brand new phone, the iPhone six, and it's supposed to be
better than five. Yes, better than five, which
was better than four. which was better than three,
and you keep going. You see the point. Everyone is
trying to make something better. Well, the reason for this is
because man, by nature, is never satisfied with anything. Man, by nature, is a covetous
being, always looking for something better. always hoping for something better. This sin of covetousness is common
among all men under the sun. If you go back to Verse 1, Solomon
said, there is an evil which I have seen under the sun that
is common among men. And then he begins to talk about
a rich man, that he has riches and wealth and honor and all
of these things, and yet he is not satisfied with any of them. He has not found any goodness. Man by nature is always seeking
the things of this world to make him happy. He's always trying to fill the
void in his soul with something new or something better. Behold the wisdom of Solomon,
who was only less in wisdom than the one who gave him wisdom,
which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon, in the wisdom of God,
says throughout this book, vanity of vanity. All is vanity. Emptiness of emptiness. All is
emptiness under the sun. All is vanity. Vanity. As we look through verse one
through seven, I want to read this with us. Let's look at this
together. Solomon says there's an evil
which I have seen under the sun. And it is common among men, a
man to whom God has given riches, wealth and honor so that he wanted
nothing for his soul of all that he desirous. Yet God giveth him
not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. This is
vanity, it is an evil disease. If a man beget a hundred children
and live many years, so that the days of his years be many
and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no
burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he. The writer here is telling us
that a stillborn baby is better than a man who has lived hundreds
of years and seen no goodness of God's grace. An untimely birth. If you look down to verse 7,
it says, all the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the
appetite is not full. It's not full. If you could have, if God were
to grant you, all that your flesh could want. If God were to grant you all
your flesh could desire, a perfect house, a perfect spouse, a perfect
life envied by all men, wealth beyond imagination, I tell you,
by the authority of Holy Scripture and by the experience of your
own heart, you will not be satisfied. You will not be satisfied with
any of it. There will always be something
else you can have. There will always be something
in your mind that's better. Always. There is nothing here
that's satisfied. Solomon said an infant that dies
is better than a man living 2000 years and having all the wealth
his appetites could ever desire. Because he's never satisfied,
you see, the infant is better because the infant never sees
any want in that right. Some an infant that is stillborn,
an infant that is born at birth, he never sees want. He never
has desire. He has no sorrow, no pain under
the sun. And as soon as he's died, the
infant is carried into glory. How much better is an infant
stillborn than a man living 2000 years, not seeing the grace of
God? It's better. Because the infant
is ushered into heaven's glory, but the man who has not seen
the goodness of God's grace in two thousand years of living,
and is not satisfied, is not content with the things of God,
will be ushered into hell. Know that the contentment, that
it comes only by the goodness of God's grace. If there is to
be any contentment under the sun, if there is to be any contentment
among us, then it must be only if we see the goodness of God
in His grace. It's the only contentment we
could have. Have you seen the goodness of
God that leadeth thee to repentance? Have you seen that goodness? Have you been made content by
faith in Jesus Christ alone? Are you still looking for contentment
in the things of the world? Have you ever wondered why there
is no contentment in the things of this world? The Scriptures here are going
to show us what is truly better. Better than all the desires of
the flesh. The Scripture says better is
the sight of the eyes. Better is the sight of the eyes
than the wandering of desire. The reason why there is no contentment
in this world is first of all because this world is empty of
righteousness. That's why no man will be content
with the things of this world because there is nothing righteous
in this world. The reason that he that loveth
silver shall not be satisfied with silver. Is because there's
no righteousness in silver. You have all the silver you want.
There's no righteousness in silver. There's no righteousness. We
are born dead in sins, empty, devoid, dark, without righteousness
is how we are all born into this world. Have you ever wondered why men
run and hide when you start mentioning the gospel? They do. I was there this morning
eating breakfast and this man asked me a question. Of course,
I'm going to answer it. And those that know me, left.
Those that know exactly what I'm going to say, ran. And these
were grown men. They had no interest. Now, if
I were to talk about anything else, they would have stayed.
If I would have bored them to tears with an insurance seminar,
I think they would have stayed. But as soon as they knew I was
going to preach the gospel, they left as fast as they could. Why
is it that men run when the gospel is preached? The same reason
our father ran when he heard the voice of God in the cool
of the day. Adam, where art thou? And sure
enough, our father was hiding among the trees. Our father was
covered with fig leaves as though he thought that it could cover
his nakedness. Men run and hide themselves because
the self-righteousness of their fig leaves is exposed when the
gospel is preached. Their self-righteousness is not
enough to hide them from God. I'll tell you this, they may
run from me, they will never run from God. No matter where they go, no matter
what they do, God is always watching. I tell this to my children, not
to scare them, but because it is true. God is always watching. There is not one perverted thought
in your mind. Not one thing that you have kept
secret from your most beloved that God has not seen with His
eyes. Everything is naked and open
before God. The scripture says, neither is
there any creature not manifest in His sight, but all things
are naked and open in His eyes with whom we have to do. The Scriptures save us the trouble
of trying to find any righteousness in this world. It saves us the
trouble of trying to find any righteousness in ourselves. We
won't find it. The Scriptures are very plain.
There is none righteous. No, not even you. Not one. There is none, none that doeth
good. No, not one. Only a fool would try to go to
God with his own righteousness. Only a fool. Only fools try to go about to
establish their own righteousness. To build up their own righteousness.
It's a fool's errand. We're not righteous. Because
nothing in this world is righteous. Nothing can make you righteous
in this world. Nothing. Behold the blind wonderings
of false religion. Better is the sight of the believer
in Christ wherein we find our righteousness. But the false
religion of this world are groping and wondering in this darkness,
trying to establish their own righteousness. They're trying
to even satisfy their own conscience, and they can't do it. If a man can't satisfy his own
conscience, how does he think he'll satisfy God? There is no contentment in worse
religion because enough is never enough. This false religious world is
always trying to obtain righteousness by doing, and the more they do,
the more they see that they're not righteous enough. So they
must do more. They must continue to do more. And this will never satisfy. The only satisfaction for the
souls of men is found in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only righteous man. Jesus is the only righteous man.
He alone, by faith, pleased God. There's none of us who pleased
God in our own righteousness. There's only one that has ever
pleased God. There was only one who was anointed
to please God, and it was His Son, the Lord Jesus. Go to Isaiah
chapter 42. Flip over a couple of pages to
Isaiah 42. The prophecy concerning our Lord
Jesus Christ, it says in verse 21, The Lord is well pleased for
his righteousness sake. The Lord is well pleased for
his righteousness sake. He will magnify the law and make
it honorable. But this people have robbed and
spoiled. That's you and me. We've robbed. We've spoiled. We've tried to
rob God of his glory. Yet God has never set up us to
be our own righteousness. He has before set up the Lord
Jesus Christ to magnify the law and to make it honorable. Go
over to chapter 46 and verse 12. Hearken unto me, you stout hearted. That are far. From. Righteousness. Well, hey, I can
identify with that. Can you? You proud, arrogant
flesh, you self-righteous man, you are far from righteousness.
You that are far from righteousness. Listen, I bring my righteousness
near. It shall not be far off. And
my salvation shall not delay, not tarry, and I will place salvation
in Zion for Israel. My glory." The Lord Jesus Christ
is the righteousness of God. There is no righteousness in
this world, and therefore nothing will satisfy the souls of men
but this, Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God. Jesus Christ, the righteousness. Jesus came not to destroy the
law. but to fulfill it, to fulfill
the law, to honor it, to establish it that we could not do. We could
not establish the law. We could not honor the law. But
Jesus came so that he would honor God's law and all who believe
on him, you who have heard and believed in the goodness of God,
the grace of God, The righteousness of Jesus Christ
has been charged to your account. It's yours. The righteousness of Jesus Christ
is given to your account. And not only is it charged to
your account, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed and
imparted to you. It is the new creation. It is
the new man that God has made in your heart. The man of affection
and love toward God. The man that believes on the
Lord Jesus Christ. That is a created being of God. And that is the holiness that
God places in us. It's a holy nature that God puts
in us. I tell you, better is the sight of Christ's righteousness
by faith than the wonderings of false religion trying to establish
righteousness. There's only one place I find
contentment. That Jesus Christ is my righteousness. Second of all, this world and
this flesh are empty of contentment because they have no sacrifice.
They have no sacrifice. No matter how good you are in
the sight of men, No matter how much you sacrifice, no matter
how many tears you've shed, no matter how many decisions you've
made for Jesus, no matter how much you repent or turn from
your sins or turn over a new leaf, you will never be able
to pay for one sin. This is vanity and vexation of
spirit. This causes nothing but turmoil
that you cannot provide anything God wants for payment of sin. You can't. There is nothing in us, nor in
man, nor in this world that could ever redeem us from one sin. One. How many have you committed? Can you count them? Innumerable. Every thought is full of sin. My highest thought is counted
worthless, full of sin. There's nothing we can do to
redeem ourselves. Peter says in chapter one, first
Peter, 118, it says, For as much as you know that you were not
redeemed with corruptible things such as silver or gold. From your vain conversation received
by the tradition of your fathers, but You were redeemed with the
precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot. God is not vague on this situation. Without the shedding of blood
is no remission. God's not vague concerning redemption
from sin. He's not vague concerning atonement
for sin. Without shedding of blood, there
is no atonement. There is no redemption. There
is no remission of sin. None. The requirement is blood. A sacrifice. The wealth and position
of this world cannot redeem. It can't be bought with any price
of man. Redemption is very precious because
there's only one thing that pays for it. Innocent, sinless blood. The blood of bulls and goats
cannot redeem and neither can the blood of sinners. And I'll
tell you what, I can go out here and I can die for you or you
can die for me and it'll do us no good. Because our blood is tainted
with sin. If you died, it would only be
what you deserve. What good would that do me? It
wouldn't do me any good. It must be by spotless, blameless
blood, and the only one who qualifies is Jesus. Jesus knew no sin. He was a spotless
Lamb of God who was made sin for us. You see, Christ knew
no sin. He had no sin. And the only way
for him to be our savior is that he be made sin. By God. It's the only way. That he bear
our sins in his own body on the tree. Jesus was a spotless lamb of
God who was made sin by grace believer. Better is the sight
of the blood of Jesus Christ that has satisfied the justice
of God than the wonderings of this flesh." His blood has redeemed. The blood of Jesus Christ has
redeemed. It accomplished salvation. Finished
it. His blood has forever blotted
out our sins as a dark cloud, God says. And God who sees all things,
who knows all things, cannot see our sin. Do you see your sin? Very plainly. But I tell you this, God can't
see it. God can't see it because Christ
has already removed it, taken it out of the way, nailing it
to His cross, dying for it, paying for it. I love Jeremiah chapter
50 and verse 20. It's one of my favorite texts.
In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity
of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they
shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve." In Jeremiah 32, he says, I will
forgive. I will forgive their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more. This world doesn't have a sacrifice,
but we who believe in Christ have a sacrifice. We have the blood of Christ. How can a just God forgive a
guilty sinner? Because Jesus justly paid for
our sins. Justly. Righteously paid for
them. Is there anything in this world
more precious for us to rest in than the blood of Christ?
Is there anything that you would desire more than the blood of
Christ? Behold the fool wondering and
groping in the dark, trying to find redemption in this vain
world. I tell you this, I am content with the precious blood of Jesus.
I'm content. What more do I need? If I have the righteousness of
God, If I have the blood of Christ to atone for my sins, what then
in this world is going to satisfy me besides that? Nothing. And I don't expect it to. Better is the sight of the blood
of Christ than all the treasures and pleasures this world can
give you. It doesn't have a sacrifice. He is our sacrifice. He is our atonement. And third,
the world is empty of contentment because it has no hope. This
world and all it offers has no hope. Do you realize what all men have
in common? Besides seeing every man has
seen. Do you realize does it matter
who you are? or where you come from, or what
you've done, or what you haven't done. Whether you are a wise
man or a fool. Whether you are rich or in poverty. One thing happens to all men.
Death. Death. Look at verse 10 in your text. In chapter 6, verse 10, it says,
that which hath been is named already. That which is, which was, and
which shall be, that's what it means, has already been named. God has decreed all things. That which has been is named
already, and it is known that it is man. Neither may he contend
with him that is mightier than he. God's saints. Who have the blood
of Christ and the righteousness of Christ are content. Because our God has made us what
we are. I know this flesh envies others,
even of the faith. I have envied men of great faith. But I tell you, it is the height
of wisdom to be content with what God has made you to be. Be content with seeing what God
has done for you. Be content with the station and
place that God has given you. Don't be envious of other men,
of other saints. Psalm 100 verse 3 says, Know
ye that the Lord, He is God, that He hath made us. and not we ourselves. It's God
that made us righteous in Christ, isn't it? It's God that made us free from
the law of sin and death. It was God who redeemed us and
reconciled us to himself by the blood of Christ. It was God who
created in us a holy nature was God that gave us faith in Christ.
It was God that gave us the source and comfort and contentment of
our hearts. And not we ourselves. God made
us what we are. It's better. To have what God
has given you. than to wander around for something
God is not. God has given you his son. What
else do you need? You ever heard the expression,
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? That's what it's
saying. It's the same thing. Pay attention to what God has
given you and don't look around you. Don't, don't wander. Be content with God's salvation
in Christ. Believer, God has made a covenant
of grace with Himself for you. You should be content in His
covenant. What else do you need? Food? Clothing? Will He not provide
that for you? I tell you, many of our troubles
are caused by our own greediness. That's just all you can say. our covetousness. I won't, I
won't, I need, I need, and then we're not looking at what God
has given us. Why should we not be content
seeing that God has provided all things for our good? He said
He'll do you good. He's told you He'll do you good.
Do you believe Him? If you believe Him, why would
you not be content? God says it's better. Shouldn't
we believe it's better? Is not Christ better? May God keep us from wondering.
May God keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and not to be foolish. but be content. Godliness with
contentment. Godliness without contentment
is pride. Godliness with contentment is great gain. May God give us
a heart that's content with such things as we have. It's better. I pray God blesses to you. Stan
will be dismissed in prayer.