All right, let's open our Bibles
again to the scripture Brother Eccles read, Ecclesiastes 2. This is the question that I'm
dealing with this evening. Is it a sin, is it wrong, to
enjoy this earth, this life, this world in which we live? Now this story is repeated over
and over again. I'm describing myself, I'm describing
you. My little granddaughter is a
sophomore in high school and the teacher had them write a
paper on veterans of World War II. They're studying World War
II. And she gave me a list of questions to answer involving
my life from the time I was born until this day, briefly. Well, a person is born into this
world. This is what led me to think
on this subject tonight, that interview. A person's born into
this world. and grows into adulthood. During
that time, we go to school, go into the service, learn a profession,
a trade, a vocation, certain skills to support ourselves throughout
life. And then we join a company already
established and began our jobs, or we start
a business on our own. And we become pretty good at
what we're doing. All over this congregation of
men and women who are just proficient and skillful at what they do
in this world. And God prospers us. We make
a good living. We do well. Financially, we're blessed. He
gives us skills and gifts to make a good living. And then
we meet the love of our life and we marry. And we establish a home. And
we build or buy a home or a small farm. Like Solomon here in verse
4, did you notice that while he was reading it, I made me
great works. I built me houses. I built houses, built me a house.
I planted me vineyards. I planted grapevines and apple
trees and other trees, big trees, olive trees. I had a beautiful
landscape, lawn and I had fences and I had horses, all kind of
cattle. I made me gardens and orchards.
I planted trees of all kind of fruit. I made pools of water.
I stored water so that I could water my plants, water the wood that bringeth
forth trees. We have our children. They're
born. They're precious to us. We love them. We have a family.
We send our children to school. protect and care for them and
clothe them and instruct them and try to teach them a trade
and teach them the things God has taught us. We have friends
and fellowship. We're happy. We enjoy our children,
our grandchildren, our get-togethers. We're blessed. I get under conviction
sometimes I'm so blessed. Don't you? I feel that I've just
over-blessed in this life. God has just showered us with
this church, this congregation with innumerable blessings. We
have a church family. Came over here and built this
building and have a pastor and elders and a place to assemble
for the Lord's people to worship on Sunday and Wednesday night
and other times We hear the gospel of Christ that we love so much.
We just can't wait to meet with one another and can't hardly
get y'all to go home at night, so we turn the lights on. Same
on the light bill, you know. Everybody will stay and visit
because they love each other. Enjoy one another's company,
don't you? We help other ministers, other churches. God just, as
we've been able to help others, he's enabled us to help more. And Solomon, he got depressed
when he got to thinking that it wasn't going to last. You
remember reading, now let's go to read some of what he said.
He says in verse 14, listen to him here. The wise man's eyes
are in his head and the fool walks in darkness. And I myself
perceived also that one event happens to them all. Wiser or
foolish. Then said I in my heart, as it
happened to the fool, it's going to happen to me. One day the fool is going to
come to the end of life and the end of his labor and the end
of all these things and die and I'm going to die the same way. Now that's vanity. You know what
he said? He said, then I said in my heart,
that ain't right. There's something wrong with
that. That's vanity. Then why do I want to study them? Why do I want to improve? Why
do I want to be wise? Why not just be a fool with both
going the same route? That's what he's... It's all
vanity. Now, read on. Now, I'm not saying
he's right now. I'm saying that's what he...
He's telling us what he's thinking, just like David did in Psalm
73. Now, look at verse 16. And there's no remembrance of
the wise man any more than the fool forever. Seeing that which
now is in the days to come shall be forgotten, all be forgotten. Solomon's vineyards and orchards
aren't even there anymore. And how doth the wise man ask
the fool, therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought
under the sun is grievous to me for all his vanity and vexation.
Now watch this, verse 18. Yes, I hated all my labor. I've
worked and labored and which I'd taken under the sun, because
when I die I'm gonna leave it to a man that'll be after me.
And who knows whether he'll be a wise man or a fool. All these
things that I've built universities and colleges and for the people
and an army and I've built a nation and I've done all these things
and when I die I'm gonna leave it and somebody's gonna misuse
it. That's what he's thinking. Who knows whether he'll be a
wise man or a fool, yet shall he have rule over all my labor
and my people. Wherein I have labored and wherein
I have showed myself wise under the sun, maybe he won't be wise. This is vanity. Therefore I went
about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took
under the sun. For there is a man whose labor
is in wisdom and knowledge and equity and yet, listen, Yet he
leaves it to a man that hath not labored. Therein shall he
leave it. This is vanity. This is a great
evil. For what hath man of all his
laboring, all the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath labored
under the sun? His days are sour, they end in
sorrow. They're not sour all his days,
but in his travail of grief, his heart taketh not rest in
the night. This is vanity. Reading what he said there, and
we know the passion of this world faded away. What he said, it's all vanity. It will all
be burned up. There's no question about that.
It's all going to perish. Then is it wrong to work and
to build and to improve our situation and to educate our children and
build our nice homes our farms, cultivate friendship and fellowship,
work hard in the church, and enjoy and rejoice in what we
have here. Is that sinful, to enjoy this
earth, to enjoy this life? Yes, it's coming to an end. No,
we have no assurance of what's going to happen at that time.
We don't know what's going to happen to what we've made and
what we've built and what we've strived and what we've given
to to develop, it may be burned up, it may fall to smithereens,
it may be used for ugly, evil purposes. But I'm going to enjoy it while
I'm here. And God intends for us to. Now
watch this next verse. Watch this verse, read it. There
is nothing better for a man or a woman than he should eat and
drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor
and lifetime. This also I saw. I saw the truth of everything
material, everything in this world is temporary. The fashion of this world fadeth
away. It'll all be burned up. It'll
perish. I can't protect it after I'm
gone, nor can you. Can't guarantee the continuation
of anything, even of this pulpit. But while I'm here, while you're
here, by God's grace, we're going to enjoy the fruit of our labor. And I'm going to paraphrase that
verse. Now listen, verse 24. There is nothing better for a man than he should eat
what he grows and what he earns enjoy what he builds, drink of
the fruit of his vines, enjoy the land that he works upon which
he labors, enjoy the house which he has built, and the friends
and the family and the children which God has given him because,
it says, it's from the hand of God. That's right. It's from the hand of God. It's
God who gave it. In the book of John, chapter
3, verse 27, our Lord said, a man can receive nothing, he can have
nothing, except it be given him from the Father. So what we have,
what we enjoy, God has given us. And every good gift and perfect
gift comes from Him. Who makes us either different?
What hast thou that thou hast not received? Now if we received
it, why should we be lifted up with pride as though we didn't
receive it? The Lord killeth, the Lord maketh
alive, the Lord maketh rich, the Lord maketh poor, the Lord
bringeth up, the Lord bringeth down, the Lord raiseth the poor
from the dust and the dunghill and puts them on the throne.
It's all of God. It's all of God. So, no, it's
not sinful. It's not wrong to enjoy the gifts
and the blessings that God has bestowed upon us because it's
the hand of God. Read that verse again. There
is nothing better for a man than he should eat and drink and he
should make his soul enjoy good in his labor, in his work,
in his efforts. Because this I saw, it's from
the hand of the Lord. That answer, God gave it to me. God gave it to me. I have a nice
place to live, God gave it to me. I have nice clothes to wear. I have a wonderful family. I have a pretty good man. have
helped, friends, a fellowship, church, God gave it to me. Someday this rifle end and it'll
all be over there. But while it's going on, there's
nothing better than to give him praise and glory and thank him
and enjoy it. Participate, partake of his goodness. And Solomon, look at the next
verse. For who can eat Or who else can hasten here unto more
than I? You know what he's asking? Who
has more of these earthly gifts than I do? Who has enjoyed blessings more
than I? Some of you sitting here would
say the same thing. Who in God's kingdom has been
blessed more than I? That's what Solomon said. Who
knows this more than I? Who has the power to live well
more than I, the king? Who has been given more pleasure,
more success, more friends than I? Verse 26, but this I know,
God giveth to a man. I know that the gifts I have
are from God. There's not a doubt in my mind
about that. I have not the slightest inkling
imagination that any of it is because I did it or deserve it.
Do you? I don't even have a, not even
a smidgen of a thought. He didn't need it. God gave it.
He's saying that. It's from the hand of God. God
give it to you. I know that the heart to enjoy
these things, God gave me. And I know that the proper attitude
towards these things, that God gave me too. You understand,
you hear what I said there? Don't miss it. The gifts God
gave me, every last one of them. The heart and health to enjoy,
God gave me. And this attitude that I have
toward these things, that it is from God and not a product
of my own efforts, God gave me that too. That's important. He gave me that too. If we have
any humility, it wasn't born of us, it was born of Him. He
gave us that too. All right, here's the key, verse
26. Here's the key. This is, I hope I can teach this. I told my wife Doris before we
came over talking this afternoon, I said, I've got something good
tonight if I can just preach it. Just preach it. Verse 26, here's the key. For
God giveth to a man that is good in his sight." Now, there's none
good, no, not one, is there, in God's sight. I know that. But there are good men made good
by grace and good women. That's the people he's addressing
here. God giveth to a man that is good, that is justified. that is redeemed, that is righteous,
redeemed and justified by the blood of Christ Jesus, sanctified
and made holy by the life of Christ Jesus, having a new heart
and a new nature by the Spirit of God. God gives to that man
materially. Many, many blessings. All that
he had, God gives him. That's what he said. That's so.
Everything he had. But he gives him something else.
Look at the next line. For God give it to a man that
is saved, that knows Christ, that's in the Savior, that's
good and righteous in Christ, in his sight. He gives that man
and that woman wisdom and knowledge and joy. He gives them wisdom,
knowledge, and joy so that they can enjoy these gifts He gives. Now let's look at those three
things. He gives them wisdom. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1. What
is this wisdom? Well, this wisdom is a who. This
wisdom is a who? This wisdom that enables us to
enjoy the mercies and blessings of God is a person. Our Lord
Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 21. For
after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew
not God. It pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believed. For the Jews require
sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ
crucified under the Jews a stumbling block, under the Greeks foolishness,
but under them which are good, called, redeemed, justified,
both Jews and Greeks. Christ is the power of God and
the wisdom of God. He gives us all these blessings,
materially, physically, everywhere. and then gives us wisdom. Wisdom
to enjoy. Wisdom enables us to understand
the mysteries of His grace in Christ. Wisdom enables us to
understand that true riches are not material, but spiritual. He gives us that wisdom. Wisdom
to understand the mysteries of God's grace in Christ wisdom
to understand that true riches are not material, but a relationship
with Christ. Let me read you something over
here in Hebrews about Moses. Talk about true riches. Listen,
it says about Moses, Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures of Egypt. That's wisdom. God gave Moses, blessed him materially,
but Moses saw that the material things was not the real blessing.
Christ was the real blessing. He gave Moses and given you wisdom
to know that it came from him by his grace in Christ and that
the true riches are not the material things, but Christ. And while
they'll perish, he never will. And then something else. This
wisdom enables us to always remember that our life, our true life,
is not in the things we possess, but in the Lord, whom we know. A man's life does not consist
in the things he possesses, but in the Christ who lives within
him. That's true riches, and we know
that. That's wisdom. You see, there are a lot of people
who have material blessings. They have houses bigger than
yours and cars finer than yours and clothes finer than yours
and better food and a lot of other things, but they don't
enjoy it because they don't have this wisdom. I was reading about
a ball player the other day Signed a contract for millions and then
played ball and then got on drugs and then lost it all and now
He has nothing He never enjoyed it when he had it and it's gone.
He doesn't enjoy life now. He didn't have any wisdom God gives to his people wisdom
To know this all in Christ And always remember that a man's
life is not in the things he possesses, but in the Christ
he knows. To understand that true riches
are not physical or material, they're in Christ. And then,
this wisdom enables us to really look not on these things that
are seen, but on things that are not seen. Our inheritance
is ahead of us. Our glory is ahead of us. Our
joy is in front of us. Our satisfaction is when we awake
with His likeness. So this is really nothing compared
to that. Not worthy, he said, to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us. That's wisdom. So we don't... Paul said, I have... I know how to abound. I know
how to be abased. I know how to have plenty, enjoy
it. I know how to do without. It really is immaterial, because
I have Him. And that's the true riches. And
then this, this wisdom, this is so rich here. Nothing better
for a man than to enjoy the fruit of his labor, the things God
has given him, because God gave him. But this enjoyment is because
He has given us wisdom. And this wisdom enables us to
hold strongly in our hearts to Him, and lightly with our hands
to these possessions. Ready to thank God always for
them, but ready always to give them up. Ready to enjoy them,
participate with them and in them, And thank God for them,
but hold loosely to them, so that if he takes them, he won't
have to break our arms and our hands. Hold lightly. Cling to
him, but don't cling to them. Don't do that. Ready to thank God always for
them and enjoy them, but ready to give them up. cling to him
and not to them. Now that's wisdom. And then notice,
I've got to move on. He gives his people wisdom and
he gives them knowledge. See, one has to have wisdom to
acquire knowledge. Wisdom enables knowledge to hold
to that which is valuable and to keep and to use and improve
The good things of life. Knowledge. Somebody said knowledge
is a horse. And it can be a good thing. Or
it can be a dangerous thing. Depending on the rider. Wisdom's
the rider. Knowledge is the horse. The strength
and the power to do things. But wisdom directs it in the
right channel. And we have knowledge. We have
knowledge. And this wisdom enables us to
hold to and to keep and to use and to enjoy what we know. Now,
what do we know? I know whom I have believed. I know the source of every blessing
is my Lord. He giveth and He taketh away.
I know the Son of God has come and given us an understanding.
I know that all things work together for good to them who love God,
who are called according to His purpose. I know the earth is
the Lord's in the fullness thereof. I know Paul said how to be abased
and how to abound and learning to be content. I know it's more
blessed to give than to receive. That's wisdom. You see, wisdom
makes knowledge applicable. The people who know things, but
it takes wisdom to apply them. Is that making clear what I'm
saying? Just knowing a fact. It can be dangerous. It can be
misused. It can be used unwisely. But
this is the wisdom. I know it's more blessed to give
than to receive. I know that when He shall appear,
we shall see Him as He is and be like Him. The Lord has given
us knowledge of Him and wisdom in the right use of that knowledge. Oh, how thankful. And the third
thing he's given us, look. Verse 26, God give it to a man
that is good in his sight, redeemed by his blood, filled with his
spirit wisdom, gives him knowledge, and gives him joy. And Christ is that joy. Whether
we be young or old, our joy and rejoicing is in Him, His mercy. Whether we be very rich or very
poor, our rejoicing is in Him. Whether we have good health or
days of sickness, our rejoicing is still in Him, always in Him,
never changes. Whether we're feasting or fasting,
It's in Him. Whether we're in joy or sorrow,
there's always an inward joy. Knowing that sorrow endureth for the night,
but joy cometh in the morning. Whether it's raining or sunshine,
our joy is not in things. Our joy is in Him who gives all
things. God give it to a man that's good
in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy. And therefore, that
man can enjoy all the mercies that God has heaped upon him
in this life. And keep enjoying them even more.
Sweeter as the years go by. Not getting mean and old and
cantankerous depressed like Solomon got that way here, but he straightened
it out in that verse there, didn't he? He kept saying vanity, vexation. But then he
lightened up and he said nothing better for a man to enjoy the
fruit of his labor, eat the things he grows, drink from his vineyard,
rejoice in what he has, because God gave it. The way we can do
that is this wisdom, knowledge, and joy. Now, one other verse,
and I'll quit. But to the center. This is interesting. I thought, well, I'll just let
it go there, but no. I did a little work on this verse
here. But to the center. We're all
centers, but he's talking here about the worldly, materialistic,
unbeliever. It really controls most of the
wealth of this world, and the factories, and the shops, and
the empires, and the organizations, and the politics, and the parties,
and all these things. To that person, people of this
world, God give it travail. Now listen, let's see if I can
make good on this. He gives us wisdom, and knowledge,
and joy, but to the Wealthy, worldly, carnal, unbeliever. He gives travail to gather and
to heap up. Here's what it says, the people
of the world gather riches, possessions, but they don't have the knowledge
of Him who gave it. They don't have the wisdom to
use it profitably. properly, they don't have the
grace to enjoy them, and what can they do? Well, all
they can do is work harder, accumulate more, gather more, reach for
more honors, reach for more glory, keep up more treasures, get more
billions, Somebody said to J.C. Penney one time, how much will
it take to satisfy a man? He said, more, more, more. To try to keep what they have,
enlarge what they have, never any real comfort, never any real
peace, never any real joy. They fight over the riches, and
when they're gone, their relatives fight over their riches. So all that God gives, He's given
you wisdom. knowledge and joy, to enjoy the things he's given
to you. He's also, that what they have
is by his grace, by his mercy, but all they have with it is
prevail and sorrow and to gather and heap, now watch it, and to
do it, to gather, to heap up that they may give to him that
is good before God. What? Yes. Even all that these tycoons, wealthy people, building
great factories, refineries, organizations, they labor and
prevail, never having any joy or wisdom or happiness or contentment,
but they fulfill and serve God's purpose in all that they're doing.
And these worldlings, their effort, their organizations, and their
wealth is used for the good of his people, to give his people
work. That's right. To furnish them
with food. You sat down tonight and you
ate some chicken at some big organization somewhere by some
powerful fellow making millions of dollars, never satisfied doing
all, but he fed your children than I. You didn't have any chickens
in your coop, but you went down at Kroger's. Old Kroger built
a store for me to shop in. Ashton Oil built a filling station
for me to buy gas in. Bunch of people built a hospital
for me to take cancer treatment. He did that for, God did that
for his people. That's right. All that they labored
and surveilled and worked and cussed and sweated and toiled
and heaped up and gathered up, God used it to bless his people.
You got to work somewhere. You got to eat something. Doris
didn't make this suit. Now, my great-grandmother might
have made my great-granddaddy's suit, but I bought this and it's
stoned and timeless. And God Almighty put them in
business. So I could have it. I'm telling
you the truth. That's what that says there.
That the sinner, he gives travail. To gather, to heap up, that he
may give. Supply the needs of him that's
good before God. And he said, Solomon said, that's
vanity too. And that's vexation because,
listen, Or it's not vanity and vexation to us, because we're
profiting by it. But if that old boy knew that
he was just serving God's church, that'd make him very vexed. He'd
have a board meeting tomorrow night and shut her down, put
all these Christians out on welfare, you know. If he knew that he
wasn't doing one thing in this world but serving the cause of
God's church, Can you prove that, preacher? Yes, sir. He said to
Pharaoh, for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I
might get glory in you. God raised up Pharaoh to set
Israel free. And God raised up everybody that's
working in this United States for the happiness and joy and
well-being of his church. That's right. So my friends, did I answer my
question? Help myself, because I get under
conviction a lot of times because we are so blasphemous. We're
just... But listen, take it, enjoy it,
and thank God. Thank God. And share it with
one another. Share it with one another. And enjoy this life. Don't get depressed and down
and worried about what's going to happen after you leave here.
We won't have to be concerned about that. Let them go. Let
it blow up. Not to my children and grandchildren. Let it hang around till they
get through. I hope that's a blessing. It was to me.