Let's pray. Father God, thank you for this opportunity to come to hear your word preached.
Please bless the message. Please bless pastor. Please open our hearts and our ears to your word.
Help us keep distractions to a minimum. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Amen. All right. Well, we're there in Ecclesiastes chapter number two.
And as we announced already this morning, we're beginning a brand new series this morning on the subject of the afterlife.
We're going to be studying what the Bible teaches about what happens after we die.
We're going to be looking at a lot of interesting things in scripture.
We'll be talking about how the Bible describes and what the Bible teaches about heaven and about hell and about our resurrected bodies and all those things.
But I want to begin this series kind of with an introductory sermon on the subject of death.
And not just death, but on the subject of preparing to die.
And I know that sounds maybe a little odd, you know, but we want to talk about what it means to be ready to die.
You're there in Ecclesiastes chapter two. This morning we're going to spend our entire...
We're going to look at a lot of verses, but we're going to spend the entire time in the book of Ecclesiastes.
So if you're already there, you're good to go. We're going to flip back and forth.
Why don't you notice verse number seventeen in Ecclesiastes chapter number two.
And it's kind of an interesting verse.
Ecclesiastes chapter two and verse seventeen, just to kind of give you a reference for the frame of thought of the writer here, Solomon.
Ecclesiastes two seventeen says this, therefore... notice what he says.
He says, therefore I hated life. Do you see that?
He says, therefore I hated life because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
I want you to understand, the book of Ecclesiastes is a very interesting book because it's the word of God, of course.
The Bible says all scriptures given by inspiration of God.
The Bible says that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
God gave us this book, but what it is, is that we're basically reading the journal of Solomon.
And it gives us some insight into the mind of King Solomon.
King Solomon is at the end of his life and he's a very depressed and a very discouraged man.
I mean, he sat there, I hated life.
And you know, here's the thing about Solomon is that by the world standard, you and I would look at King Solomon and we would say, this was a very successful man.
This was a very accomplished man.
This man had every reason in the world to be happy, every reason in the world to be satisfied with his life.
But he comes to the end of his life and he basically is explaining to us that his life is very empty and very shallow and very discouraging.
He uses this word vanity throughout the book.
In this short book, this book is only 12 chapters long, he uses the word vanity 33 different times.
The word vanity means a lack of real value, pride and selfishness.
It means something that is worthless, trivial or pointless.
The word vanity means empty.
And here's what he's saying.
He's saying, my life is empty.
He says, my life has no real value.
He says, my life is worthless, it's pointless, it's trivial.
He says, he comes and I believe God allows him to write this book because it allows us to see someone who by any measure, you and I would say, this guy has it made.
This guy must be so happy.
This guy must be so proud of who he is.
And we get to see the mind of Solomon at the end of his life where he basically says, I wasted my life.
And here's why he wasted his life because he did not prepare to die.
And Solomon did much in his life.
Solomon did a lot of things.
And like I said, we're going to look at a lot of different passages and ecclesiastes but most of the passages here at the beginning will be in chapter 2.
But look at chapter 1 just real quickly and look down at verse number 12.
I want you to see how Solomon wasted his life.
See, Solomon had a lot of different pursuits in life.
He had a lot of different things that he gave his life to.
One of the things that Solomon gave his life to was to education.
He put education as a very high thing to pursue with his life.
Ecclesiastes chapter 1, look at verse number 12.
Notice what the Bible says.
He says, I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Notice verse 13.
And I gave my heart.
Notice what he says.
I gave my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven.
This sword travail have God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
Now here's what I want you to understand.
We're going to look at several things that Solomon gave his life to and pursued his life to.
And I would say that most of these things, the things we'll look at, are not bad in and of themselves.
There's nothing wrong with education.
Obviously, God wants us to be educated.
God wants us to be smart.
God wants us to study, to show ourselves, to prove unto God.
But there is a problem when we take some of these things and we make them the pursuit of our life.
When we allow these things to basically become the overall overarching theme of our lives, when we get consumed.
See, there's nothing wrong with education.
But I will submit to you this morning that there is something wrong with someone who is consumed with education.
Consumed with knowledge.
In the United States of America, we live in a country today where people literally worship education.
I don't necessarily think it's wrong for someone to go off to college, especially, you know, if they're going to be a doctor.
You know, I'd like the surgeon who's going to do an operation on me to know what he's doing.
All right?
You know, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
But, you know, I don't think everyone has to go to college either.
I don't think everyone, and by the way, I know many successful people who are not college educated,
that make a lot more money and a lot more successful, quote unquote, in life than college educated people.
But today, you know, we live in a society where, like, if you don't go to college, you know, it's almost like a sin.
You know, we've made education this idol that is to be worshiped.
And I would just encourage you to be very careful with that.
You know, if your children go off to college, great.
But if they don't, that's fine too.
You know, there's nothing wrong with working with their hands.
There's nothing wrong with, you know, being a carpenter, an electrician.
There's nothing wrong with learning a trade and starting a business.
There's nothing wrong with that.
But here, see, the problem with Solomon is not that he wanted to learn.
There's nothing wrong with that.
The problem is he gave his heart to it.
He gave his life to it.
He was consumed by liberty.
He says, and I gave my heart.
Now listen, Solomon, the only person you ought to be giving your heart to is gone.
But he says, I gave my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things.
He said, I wanted to know it all.
He said, I wanted to know everything that was done under the heaven.
Look at verse 16, same chapter, chapter 1.
Look at verse 16.
He says, I communed with mine own heart saying, lo, I am come to great estate.
Notice what he says, have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me.
He says, I got more degrees.
I got more education.
I have more wisdom.
I have more knowledge.
I know more than anyone who's ever came before me in Jerusalem.
Yea, my heart had, notice, great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
Look at verse 17, and I gave my heart.
He says, I gave my heart to know wisdom.
He said, I gave my heart.
I gave my life.
I gave my energy.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 7.
Look at verse number 25.
Ecclesiastes chapter number 7 and verse number 25.
Notice what he says in chapter 7 and verse 25.
He says, I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom.
Now again, there's nothing wrong with wisdom.
The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
But when you are consumed, when you give your life to, when you are raised in a society
that says, well, if you don't go to college and if you don't get this degree and if you
don't do this and if you don't do that, you know, you are just a neanderthal.
He says, I gave my life to it.
He said, I was consumed by it.
He says, and I did it better than anyone else.
He said, I knew more than anybody else.
He said, there wasn't a conversation that I walked into that I wasn't able to speak intelligibly about.
He said, there wasn't anything that I, he said, I could tell you about the trees.
I could tell you about the weather.
I could tell you about nature.
I could tell you about, about animals.
I mean, this is a man who wrote the book of Proverbs.
Very knowledgeable man.
And yet he gave his life in pursuit of education and it left him empty.
You say, why?
Why did it not fulfill?
See, the word fulfill means to be filled or to be full.
He says, I wasn't full.
He said, I was empty.
He said, I wasn't full.
He said, my life was vain.
My life was shallow.
My life was shallow when I pursued education.
It did not fill me.
You say, why?
Why did it not fill him?
Go to Ecclesiastes 12.
Look at verse 12.
He tells us why the pursuit of education was not filling.
Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 12, notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 12, the Bible says,
and further by these my son be admonished.
Notice, he said, let me give you some advice, son.
The word admonish means, let me give you some counsel.
He said, and further by these my son be admonished.
Notice what he says.
He says, for making many books, there is no end.
You see that?
He says, for making many books, there is no end.
And much study is weariness of the flesh.
See, here's what he said.
When you give your life to education,
he said, you'll never stop.
Because you'll never really know it all.
So you'll never, you know, I think all of us might know somebody who would,
we would call a career student.
You know those career students?
Where they're just like in college for the rest of their lives.
I mean, they go to college, they get one degree,
then they go off to a workplace, and they get bored,
so they go back to college and get another degree,
then go back to a workplace, you know?
Here's the thing.
To make, the Bible, here, the wisest man,
other than the Lord Jesus Christ, of course, who walked the earth,
says, hey, of making many books, there is no end.
He said, you'll never fulfill it.
You'll never be full of it.
He said, you'll always feel empty.
You'll always feel like there's more to do.
He said, I gave my life to pursue it.
I gave my life to pursue education.
He said, is education sinful?
I don't think it's sinful at all.
I don't think it's wrong to study and to know,
but when you are consumed by it, when you make a God out of it,
when you give your life to it, you will end your life empty.
Vain.
Shallow.
Because there is no end.
I want you to notice, Solomon gave his life to pursue education,
but notice there's another thing Solomon gave his life to.
Not only did he give his life to pursue education,
go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 1, look at verse 16.
Solomon also gave his life to pursue accomplishment.
He said, okay, well, I got all the education I can get,
and there's no end to it.
He said, so forget the education.
I'm just going to try to be successful in life.
He said, I'm just going to try to be accomplished in life.
He said, I'm just going to try to build something.
I'm going to try to do something.
People might look at me and say, wow, that is a productive man.
That is a successful man.
That is an accomplishment.
Notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes 1, look at verse 16.
He says, I commune with mine heart, saying, lo.
Notice what he says.
Lo, I am come to great estate.
He said, not only am I educated, he said, I have a lot.
He said, look at my estate.
Look at my kingdom.
Look at what I own.
Look at what I have.
I am come to great estate.
Go to chapter 2.
Look at verse 4.
Notice what he says.
He says, I gave my life.
He says, I gave my life to accomplish.
This is your entrepreneur.
Is there anything wrong with being an entrepreneur?
Absolutely not.
Is there anything wrong with trying to build a business?
Absolutely not.
Is there anything wrong with trying to build something that you can work at?
There's nothing wrong with that.
But there is something wrong with it when it consumes your life.
Do you understand me?
You say, well, I want to give my life to build a great business.
No, I'm wrong.
Work hard.
Build it.
Do what you can.
But when you are consumed by it, when you give your heart to it, when you say, my identity
is wrapped up in being an accomplished and successful and productive person, I'm here
to tell you it will leave you empty.
It left Solomon empty.
A very accomplished man.
Look at verse 4.
Notice what he says.
He says, I made me great works.
He said, I made me great works.
He says, I builded.
He said, I builded me houses.
He said, I planted me vineyards.
Look at verse 5.
I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.
He said, I planted vineyards.
He said, I planted orchards.
He said, I builded houses.
He said, I builded great works.
Look at verse 6.
I made me pools of water to water there with the wood that bringeth forth trees.
Notice verse 7.
I got.
You see, he's an accomplished man.
He's a successful man.
He said, I got me servants and maidens and had servants born in mine house.
Look down at verse number 9, chapter 2, verse 9.
Notice what he says.
So I was great.
He said, I was accomplished.
He said, there was no one more successful than me.
There's no one that built more than I did.
There's no one that did more than I.
He said, I gave my life to education but that left me empty because there's no end to it.
He said, so then I gave my heart and I gave my life to become an accomplished and successful person.
You know what Solomon's doing?
He's living the American dream.
I mean, he's living the American dream in Old Testament Israel.
Get an education, build a great business, be successful.
But it left him empty.
You say, why?
Why would that leave you empty?
Building a great business, building a great kingdom, building a great ministry.
Why would that leave you empty?
Were you there in Ecclesiastes chapter 2?
Look at verse number 18.
Notice what he says.
He says, here's why I left me empty.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, verse 18.
He says, yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun.
He says, Solomon, why did you hate all the work that you did?
Because, notice, because, you've got to underline this in your Bible.
Because I should leave it.
Because I'm not taking it with me.
Because it's staying here.
He says, because I should leave it, notice, unto the man that shall be after me.
So you go ahead and ruin your life by building that great business and ignore your wife and
ignore your children and ignore the church and ignore the things of God and say, well,
I need to be accomplished.
I need to be successful.
I need to be productive.
Here's the problem.
When you die, you're not taking it with you.
And you know what?
You don't know who's going to take it over.
I mean, you don't know who's going to be the next guy that comes along and takes that business
or that church or that whatever it is.
He says, I gave, he said, I gave my life to pursue accomplishment and it left me empty.
And I got to the end of my life and he said, I started looking at real Boam.
And he said, I started looking at my children.
And he said, I started looking at my grandchildren.
And I started realizing these are the people that are going to take the kingdom.
And he was right because what happens after Solomon dies?
The kingdom splits because he has a son that's foolish.
He said, he said, it left me.
He said, accomplishment left me empty.
Here's why.
Because I can't take it with me.
Because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
And he said, it didn't satisfy me.
So Solomon says, well, I'll pursue something else.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 1.
He said, I'll pursue education.
He said, that did not fulfill me because there is no end to it.
He said, I pursued accomplishment and productivity.
But he said, that didn't fulfill me because I can't take it with me.
And I'm not sure what the next guy is going to do with it.
So he says, you know what then?
I'll just pursue something that's consumed upon me.
He said, I'll pursue pleasure.
He gave his life to pursue pleasure.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 1.
I said in my heart, go to now, I will prove thee,
talking about proving his heart, with myrrh.
The word myrrh means amusement or laughter.
He said, if I can't build and be sure that it's not going to be wasted by somebody else,
then I'll just waste it myself on myrrh and laughter and pleasure.
Notice Ecclesiastes 2 verse 1.
I said in my heart, go to now, I will prove thee with myrrh.
Therefore, he's talking to himself.
He says, therefore enjoy pleasure.
And above and behold this also is vanity.
Look at verse 10.
And whatsoever, notice what he says.
Whatsoever mine eyes desired, I kept not from them.
This is the guy that the Bible tells us had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
He said, whatever my eyes desired, I kept not from them.
I withheld not my heart from any joy, anything I wanted, anything I desired,
anything I saw that I thought was appealing, I did not keep it from me, I kept it not from me.
He said, I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor,
and this was my portion of all my labor.
He said, I just told myself, anything you want, you can have it Solomon.
And by the way, Solomon was the richest man, most successful man on planet earth at this time.
He could do that.
Anything you see that you want, you can take it.
Anything you see that you want, any joy, any pleasure.
He said, I gave my life, I gave myself to pursue pleasure.
Isn't that the American dream?
Life, liberty and the pursuit of what?
Pleasure.
We don't say joy.
Joy comes from the Lord.
Happiness is not a bad thing, but sometimes what makes us happy is I just want to pursue pleasure.
The pursuit of pleasure.
I gave my life to it.
Okay, Solomon, how did that end up for you?
He said, it left me empty.
He said, it didn't fulfill me.
You say, why?
Solomon, why did the pursuit of pleasure, someone who had everything he could desire,
the finances, the resources, the authority to take whatever he wanted, why did it not fulfill you?
Well, he tells us why it didn't fulfill him.
Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 1, look at verse 8.
He knows what he says.
Ecclesiastes chapter 1, look at verse 8.
Ecclesiastes 1, 8 says this, all things are full of labor.
Man cannot utter it.
Notice what he says.
He says, the eye is not satisfied with seeing.
See, he says, when you live your life in a way where you tell your eye,
I will not withhold anything from you, anything you want, I will give it to you.
He said, here's the problem with that.
Your eye is never satisfied.
There's always something else to desire.
There's always something else to covet after.
There's always something else to want.
He says, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
He said, I gave myself to pleasure, but it left me empty because there's always something else I desire.
I mean, you would think by the time you got like 50 wives, you would think like, okay, I'm done.
You know what I mean?
But there's always just someone else, something else, another house, another car, another raise, another vacation.
He said, I gave myself to pleasure.
It left me vain, empty, shallow.
Why?
Because your eye is never satisfied with seeing and your ear is never filled with hearing.
He said, I gave myself to pleasure.
Notice what he says there in verse number...
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse number 3.
He said, I saw in mine heart to give myself unto wine.
You see that?
He said, wine, that'll do it.
Alcohol, that'll do it.
Drugs, that'll do it.
That'll satisfy.
But here's the problem.
If you ever struggled with drugs, if you ever struggled with alcohol, and I'm not mocking you if you do.
We have many people in our church that had those struggles and we're trying to help them along the way
and trying to help them live a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But if you've ever struggled with those things, here's what you know, is that it's never enough.
You get your fix, but that wears off.
And then you need more, and then you need more.
See, when you give your life and say, I'm just going to give myself to pleasure, it doesn't satisfy.
It doesn't fill.
It leaves you empty.
We saw Solomon gave his life to education.
We saw him pursue accomplishment.
We saw him pursue pleasure.
There's another thing he pursues.
Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 7.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 7.
He gave his life to the pursuit of wealth.
Look at chapter 2 verse 7.
I got me servants and maidens.
I had servants born in mine house.
Also, notice what he says, I had great possessions.
He said, I had a lot.
Great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me.
He's not saying there's no one in Jerusalem that has more than I do.
He says there's never been anyone in Jerusalem that had more than I do.
He's saying, I'm the Bill Gates of Israel.
He's saying, I am wealthy.
He said, I had more than anyone.
Look at verse 8.
I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasures of kings of the provinces.
He said, I pursued wealth.
Solomon, how'd that work out for you?
Left me empty.
Left me shallow.
Left me vain.
So why is that, Solomon?
Well, he tells us.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5, look at verse 10.
See, this is a confession of Solomon.
He's explaining to us how he wasted his life.
And in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and verse 10, he says this,
He that loveth silver.
Listen to me, young man.
Listen to me, young lady.
You're giving your life to covetousness.
You're giving your life to pursue wealth.
You're saying, well, if I can just get that first, you know, promotion or that first, whatever it might be.
Notice, here's what the most successful man on earth said.
He said, he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver.
Nor he that loveth abundance would increase.
This is also vanity.
He said, it'll never be enough.
Once you get that first million, you'll need another million.
Look at verse 13, same chapter.
There's a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
He said, it'll hurt them.
You know what I've noticed?
No matter how much money I have, I always need more.
You know what I mean?
I figure out a way to spend it.
And you know, there's nothing wrong with that.
In fact, he says, you know, go ahead and work hard and enjoy the labor.
I don't think there's anything wrong with you working hard and enjoying your labor and going on a nice vacation and owning a nice house and owning a nice vehicle.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
The Bible doesn't say that money is evil, but the Bible does say that the love of money is the root of all evil.
And see, when your life becomes a pursuit and a love for money, for wealth, I'm just here to tell you, it'll leave you empty.
It'll leave you shallow.
It'll leave you vain.
Why?
Because it doesn't satisfy.
Because he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase.
This is also vanity.
See, Solomon tells us, hey, you look at me on the outside and you would say, that guy's successful, that guy's accomplished, that guy is educated, that guy is wealthy, that guy has everything that life could desire.
He said, if you looked at my heart, you would find that it's empty and shallow.
He said, it didn't fulfill me.
He said, it did nothing for me.
You say, why?
See, here's the problem with all of these pursuits.
If you're pursuing pleasure, wealth, accomplishment, education, whatever it may be, whatever you're pursuing, here's the problem with all of that.
And he tells us this in the book of Ecclesiastes.
He says, the problem with all of that is that you are going to die.
So that's depressing.
But you know what, we all have to deal with it.
Because you know what, we're all going to die.
Research shows that 10 out of 10 people died.
Did you know that?
And you know, you're going to have to deal with it.
He tells us this.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 14.
Notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes chapter 2, look at verse 14.
Ecclesiastes 2, 14, he says, the wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness.
I myself perceive also, notice, he said, I myself perceive also that one event happeneth to them all.
Then said I in my heart, as it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me.
He said, I am the wisest, most knowledgeable man on earth, but I will die.
Like the fool dies.
He said, one event happeneth to them all.
He says, and I was, and why was I then more wise?
Then I said in my heart that this is also vanity.
For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever,
seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten.
Notice what he says, the last part of verse 16.
As a fool.
He said, you know what, rich people die, like poor people die.
Wise people die, like foolish people die.
He says, successful people die, like unsuccessful people die.
He said, they all die.
He said, we all die.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3, look at verse 20.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 20.
Pray for me, I am trying to do my best to preach this sermon, I am losing my voice.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3, look at verse 20.
Notice what the Bible says, all go unto one place, all are of the dust and all turn to dust again.
Look at chapter 12 and verse 7.
Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 7.
Ecclesiastes 12, 7, notice what he says.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was.
See, all you are is dust, all I am is dust.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
That's all where we are.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
See, the problem, you see, Solomon gave his life to all.
He wasted years and years and decades and decades pursuing education and wealth and pleasure and accomplishment.
And he gets to the end of his life when he is getting ready to die.
And he says, you know what I realize?
I am going to die like everyone else.
I am going to die as a rich man the same way that a poor man dies.
I am going to die as a wise man the same way that an unwise or foolish man dies.
He said, it doesn't matter how educated you are.
It doesn't matter how successful you are.
It doesn't matter how much fun you had, how much pleasure you had.
We all have to deal with death.
So what do you do about it?
Well, it's interesting because Solomon tells us.
Ecclesiastes chapter 8, look at verse 5.
He gives this book as a journal but also as an admonition, as a sermon.
He is a preacher.
He is giving his testimony.
He said, listen, I wasted my life. I wasted my life.
He said, because I pursued the wrong things.
Is there anything wrong with education?
Not at all.
Anything wrong with wealth?
Not at all.
Anything wrong with being accomplished and successful?
There's nothing wrong with those things but when those things become the point of your life.
I'm just here to tell you, you will end your life empty and unfulfilled.
Say, okay, well, Solomon, what do we do about it?
Well, notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes chapter 8, look at verse 5.
Now, here's the thing about Ecclesiastes 8, 5.
I believe, I believe, and I could be wrong.
I believe this is the key verse of the book of Ecclesiastes.
Now, some of you have read the Bible a lot and you say,
Ecclesiastes 8, 5 is not even a famous verse in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes has many famous passages in it.
But here's what's interesting.
I believe Ecclesiastes 8, 5, and not even the entire verse, just the end of it, brings the entire book together.
And it gives context to all of those famous passages that you and I know from Ecclesiastes.
You say, why?
Notice what it says.
Ecclesiastes chapter 8, verse 5.
Now, notice what he says.
And a wise man's heart.
Here's what Solomon says.
Here's what a wise man does.
He says, a wise man's heart discerneth both, notice, time and judgment.
He says, you know what?
If you were smart, he said, if you were wise, you know what you would do?
You wouldn't pursue wealth.
You wouldn't pursue pleasure.
You wouldn't pursue education or accomplishment.
And if those things happen, then praise the Lord for it.
But if you were smart, here's what you would wake up every day thinking about, discerning, asking God to help you with.
Time and judgment.
See, you want to get to the end of your life and be ready to die?
Here's how you get there.
You wake up every day and realize, my time is short and I will be judged for what I do with it.
My time on this earth is short.
The Bible says, what is life?
It is even but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
He said, if you were smart, you would discern these two things, time and judgment.
You would live your life realizing that your time on this earth is short.
And you will be judged by an Almighty God for what you did with it.
See, if you live your life in a way where you're constantly thinking about the fact that there's an afterlife,
then you will live your life in a way where you're ready to die.
And I would submit to you this morning that this is the theme of Ecclesiastes.
All the famous verses in Ecclesiastes have to do with these two things, time and judgment.
Let's look at it.
Ecclesiastes chapter number 8, look at verse 6.
We just read verse 5, look at verse 6.
Here's one of the famous verses in Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 6.
Because to every purpose there is a what?
Time.
And what?
Judgment.
He said, to every purpose there is time and judgment.
Therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3.
This is one of the most famous passages of the book of Ecclesiastes.
You've probably seen this on a Hallmark card.
You've probably seen this on a card at the Christian bookstore.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3, look at verse 1.
To everything there is a what?
What is that?
Time.
A time to every purpose under the heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which was planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to break down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh.
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones.
And a time to gather stones together.
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get and a time to lose.
A time to keep and a time to cast away.
A time to run and a time to sew.
A time to keep silence and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time of war and a time of peace.
He says, hey, live cognizant of this.
There's time for every season, for every purpose.
And he says, there's judgment.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3, look at verse 17.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 17, notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes 3, 17.
I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.
Notice, don't miss this, don't miss it.
I know some of you are spacing out, I already lost you, it's fine.
But don't miss this.
For there is a time.
Do you see that?
Notice the connection.
God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 9, look at verse number 12.
Ecclesiastes chapter 9, we're almost done.
Ecclesiastes chapter 9, we're going to have to be done because I'm just going to be done.
You know, my voice is going to be done, alright?
Ecclesiastes chapter 3, I got to preach tonight too.
Ecclesiastes chapter 3, look at verse 17.
Ecclesiastes 3, verse 17, notice what the Bible says.
I said in, I'm sorry, Ecclesiastes 9, 12.
We already looked at 3, 17.
9, 12.
Ecclesiastes 9, 12, notice what it says.
For man also knoweth not, what do you not know, his time?
See, your days are numbered, did you know that?
And you don't know.
You don't know.
There's an appointed day for you to meet your maker, but you don't know what that day is.
He says for a 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.
He said that fish didn't know it was going to get caught that day.
And he says that's you and that's me.
One day there's a net coming for us and we don't know when it's coming.
We're going to be going about our merry way.
Notice what he says.
And in the sight of thine eyes, no, notice, I'm sorry, Ecclesiastes 9, 12.
So are the sons of men snared in an evil time, did you catch that?
When it falleth suddenly upon them.
Notice chapter 11 and verse 9.
It's interesting because he then begins to speak to young people.
And notice what he says to young people.
He says in Ecclesiastes 11, 9, rejoice, O young man.
Rejoice, O young man in thy youth.
I was telling my wife, I went to Bel-Air late at night, picking up some things for us,
and when I was in there, I passed by this family.
This family has five Hispanic, you know, husband, wife, and three children.
And I don't know why, but when we were growing up, there was five of us in our home.
You know, my mom and dad, my sister, my brother and myself.
And this family just reminded me of us, you know.
Of course, we didn't stop at Bel-Air, you know.
But it was like us, you know, at Food Max, you know what I mean?
And I saw this family just reminded me of my childhood.
I saw them, you know, because we used to go grocery shopping together as when we were kids or whatever.
And then I just thought to myself, man, I'm 30 years old.
Now, I know some of you are like, 30, okay, because you're old, okay.
But for those of us that are not old, 30 is old.
I mean, I remember I used to look at 30-year-olds and think, wow, they're old.
And now, you know, I'm 30, I've got a wife, I've got four kids, a fifth on the way, I've got a dog.
I'm looking at my wife and thinking, how did we get here?
How did this happen?
You know, time is short.
It just happens.
I mean, I still feel like I'm 17 years old.
I still feel like I just met my wife.
You know, I just feel like we just got married.
But, you know, it just happens like that.
He says, look, he says, listen, and listen, young people, what's a young person?
30, all right, and below, all right?
I'm just kidding.
Some of you are offended now.
Iqaliz Al-Sillah, look at verse 9.
Rejoice.
Hey, young people, rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth.
Hey, enjoy your youth, kids.
It goes fast.
Enjoy it.
You know, I'm always amazed at these children, you know, these children,
and I'm always amazed when parents do this, where they try to get their kids to grow up.
Don't make your kids grow up.
Let them enjoy their youth as long as possible.
There's many years, many, many years to work and stress out and be angry.
Let them just live, you know.
He says, rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth,
and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth,
and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eye.
He said, it's good.
He said, it's good that you're young.
Don't miss this.
Iqaliz Al-Sillah, look at verse 9.
Look at the last part of verse 9.
But know thou, young people,
rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth,
but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
He says, look, the best thing a young person can do is enjoy their youth
and live their life in a way realizing that whatever you do,
even as a young person, God is going to judge you for it.
So you know how to live a fulfilled life?
Here's how you live a fulfilled life.
You wake up every day and you realize my time is short
and I will be judged with what I do with it.
My time is short and I will be judged by what I do with it.
Notice Ecclesiastes 12, look at verse 1.
Ecclesiastes chapter 12, look at verse 1.
Notice what he says.
He says, remember now, talking to young people still,
remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.
He says, realize your time is short and you will be judged by what you do with it.
While the evil days come naught, nor the years draw nigh,
when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 12, look at verse 13.
Ecclesiastes 12, 13 is probably the most famous verse in the book of Ecclesiastes.
And notice what he says.
He writes this entire journal and he says, I gave my life to education,
I gave my life to accomplishment, I gave my life to pleasure,
I gave my life to wealthies, and I gave my life to all these things.
They left me empty, they left me shallow, they left me vain.
He said, I wish, I wish when I was a young man,
I would have looked back and lived my life in a way realizing
that there's time and there's judgment.
I've got a certain amount of time on this earth.
It's short and I will have to give an account for what I did with it.
And then he finishes the book.
Notice what he says.
Ecclesiastes 12, 13.
He says, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
He said, here it is.
He said, let me wrap it up right now.
He said, here's the conclusion of the whole thing,
everything we've been talking about.
He says, the conclusion of the whole matter, make a lot of money.
Is that what he says?
Have a lot of fun.
Is that what he says?
Get a lot of degrees.
Is that what he says?
He says, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
Fear God and keep His commandments.
For this is the whole duty of man.
That's the most famous verse in Ecclesiastes.
But notice verse 14.
For, see what for?
For means because.
He says, here's why you want to fear God and keep His commandments.
Here's why this is the whole duty of man.
For God shall bring every work into judgment.
See the thing?
With every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
See, when you wake up tomorrow morning
and your kids are running around and they're kind of bothering you.
And you kind of just want to just say, go in the other room and just get, you know,
grab your little Nintendo and just play for the next six hours and leave me alone.
Listen to me.
You could do that.
Because you have a lot of work to do.
And you got to make money.
And you got to be accomplished.
And you got to pursue pleasures.
You can do that.
But listen to me, listen to me.
You will live a more fulfilled life.
You will end your life as a parent that raised children and grandchildren.
It will be better for you if you look at those children and you realize, my time is short.
My time is short.
And I will be judged for what I do with it.
See, the next time you're fighting with your spouse
and you're tempted to have one of those eight weeks, you know,
where you just give yourselves a silent treatment.
That's fine.
You can do that.
And I know it makes you feel, I'm going to show him.
I'm going to show her.
But listen to me.
You will live a more accomplished life.
If the next time you're going to fight with your spouse, you realize,
you just realize, my time is short.
And I will give an account for what I did with it.
See, the next time you say, well, let's just skip out on soul winning.
Let's just skip out on Bible reading.
Let's just skip out on prayer time.
Let's just skip out on church music.
I just need a break.
I just, you know, I don't want, it's just, it's too much.
Listen to me.
You will live a more accomplished life if you just tell yourself,
look, my time is short.
My time is short.
And I will be judged for what I do with it.
You want to be ready to die?
You want to be like the apostle Paul who gets to the end of his life
and says, my life, he says, I am now ready to be offered
and the time of my departure is at hand.
He said, I have fought a good fight.
He said, I have finished my course.
He said, I have kept the faith.
He said, I am ready to die.
You say, how did Paul get there?
Here's how he got there.
He lived his life realizing that his time is short
and he will be judged for what he did with it.
That's how you get ready to die.
That's how you get to the end of your life and you say, it's full, not empty.
It's of great value, not vain.
You live your life cognizant of the fact that your time is short.
See, next time you want to spend six hours on Facebook,
next time you want to spend eight hours binge watching whatever you watch on TV,
you may want to ask yourself or I should say remind yourself that your time is short.
Your time is short and you will be judged by what you do with it.
See, when people ask me, why are you starting that church in Vancouver
and why are you starting a Spanish ministry later on maybe next year
and why are you trying to preach more sermons and get more soul-willing and do more?
Why are you living your life that way?
Here's why.
Because my time is short and I will be judged by what I do with it.
That's how you get ready to die.
And if you get to the end of your life and waste it, it will be, just mark it down,
it will be because you pursued things that don't transfer over at death.
They're just a waste.
So see, my goal for you, my goal for me is to be ready to die.
We can't talk about the afterlife.
We can't talk about heaven, hell, the resurrection.
We can't even talk about those things until we've talked about this.
It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment.
And you need to be ready for it.
You know what, this morning if you are maybe a first time guest here
or maybe you're not a guest but you don't know this,
if you're here today, I can't preach this sermon without throwing this out there.
The number one thing you've got to do to get ready for the afterlife is be saved.
You've got to know for sure that you're on your way to heaven.
And maybe you're here this morning and you say,
I'm not sure that I'm on my way to heaven.
I hope I'm going to heaven.
I think I'm going to heaven.
I'm doing the best.
I'm here to tell you salvation is not dependent on what church you go to
or how religious you are or how good of a person you are.
It doesn't matter.
If you're here you say, I'm not sure.
The Bible says, these things have I written unto you,
talking about the word of God, that believe on the name of the Son of God.
He says, that ye may know.
He said that you may know that you have eternal life.
See, you can know.
And if you're here today you say, I don't know.
I'm not sure.
I don't know what would happen.
The number one thing you've got to settle in, after the service,
come talk to me, come talk to one of these ushers, the men in the matching coats
and say, hey, you know, I'd like somebody to show me how I can know for sure.
We'd love to show you.
You might have somebody walk up to you after the service and say,
do you know for sure that today you go to heaven?
Don't push them off and say, I don't have time for that.
Hey, hey, your time is short and you will be held accountable for what you do with it.
Why don't you let them show you how you can know for sure?
Why don't you not leave here today?
Because, look, if you die without Christ, your life will truly have been a waste.
If you die and go to hell.
See, it's all about time and judgment.
It doesn't really matter how much money you have in your account.
It doesn't really matter what kind of car you drive.
It doesn't really matter that you have designer clothes versus goodwill clothes.
It doesn't really matter at the end of the day.
Here's what matters.
What did you do with the short time you had on this earth?
Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you.