What God Approves
Sermon Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 9 (ESV)
1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. 2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Sermon Outline
We learn to live well when we consider what God approves of.
1. What we approve of
v15 “by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ”
v16 “wisdom is better than might”
2. Whether or not we are approved
v1 “Whether it is love or hate, man does not know”
V11-12 “time and chance happen to them all… an evil time… suddenly falls upon them”
3. God’s approval
v7 “God has already approved what you do” (vv7-10)
Prayer of Confession
Our God and Father, you are upright in all of your ways. We need your help. We not only do what we should not do, but we approve of what should not be done. There is corruption in our judgment and discernment. We misunderstand you, your ways, and your working in the world. Forgive us. We pray that you would approve of us, not on the basis of what we have done, but because of your very great mercy. We look to Jesus, who was rejected by humanity, but approved of by you. We accept him by faith. In him, accept us as your children, and give us eyes to see what you approve of, and strength to devote ourselves energetically and joyfully to it. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What factors influence what you approve of? How do the desires and opinions of others shape your own? Who (or what kinds of people) has the most influence on you?
What sources of power do people try to develop or possess for themselves? What forms of power are most admired? What forms of power are most effective?
How does wisdom give power to person who has it?
Can you know if God approves of you? How can you know?
Are there any ways to discern what God is doing in your present circumstances? What principles help frame a way to trust God’s providential involvement and learn without overreaching (assuming we know all God is doing)?
Should the crucifixion of Jesus cause us to question the love of the Father for the Son? How do we know Jesus has the Father’s approval?
How does Jesus make it possible for us to be accepted by God?
How do we learn what God approves of (or disapproves of)?
What can it look like for you to energetically and joyfully devote yourself to doing what God approves of?