The Joy of Life

0:00Good morning. Can y'all hear me okay now? Yeah, okay. It's weird, I couldn't hear myself. Go ahead and turn with me to your book, uh, to the book of Ecclesiastes. That's that's where we are this morning. Uh last week we zoomed in a bit on wisdom uh to look a little more thoroughly on that topic. Uh, and that has been addressed several times uh now in the book, and this week we do the same. That is zooming in on a particular topic, uh, but this week we're gonna zoom in on joy. Uh joy is often a misunderstood emotion. And in some sense, it mirrors, that is, joy, mirrors uh much of the paradox that we have seen throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. Joy is not really what we think it is, often. And when you look for it, you rarely find it. Lord willing, we will make that distinction between joy and happiness. And we will seek out its source that by the grace of God we it may find us, meaning joy may find us more and more. To best summarize that thought as we begin, here are the words of C.S. Lewis, who has articulated joy perhaps better than anyone else, and he says this quote, joy must be sharply distinguished from both happiness and pleasure. Joy, in my sense, has indeed one characteristic and only one in common with them. The fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. I doubt whether anyone who has ever tasted it would wonder if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then joy is never in our power, and pleasure often is. And so that's at the heart of what I hope the Lord shows us this morning. Pleasure and happiness are things that we can control. And as a result, these are the emotions that we tend to chase after. When they elude us, as they often do, we try harder to get them back, don't we? It's like so many things we've talked about in this book and throughout this book. We want to control things, including our emotions. When we don't feel a certain way, we assume that if we just do a bunch of things, know a bunch of things, or have a bunch of things, we can manifest these emotions for ourselves. I guess and in some ways you can, but such emotions are cheap, unsustainable, imitations of real joy. Real joy often surprises us, as Lewis says. Quote, it jumps under one's ribs and tickles down one's back. Makes one forget meals. Joy. This joy, as I said, can cannot be found or forced. But if you know its source, if you draw near to that source, I think we will discover that this elusive gift will find us when we need it. So let's read our text this morning, and we'll get into it. This is uh chapter 9, starting in verse 1. If you would stand with me if you wish. Chapter 9, verse 1 of Ecclesiastes. 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. 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 the one uh and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun. 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. But he who is joined with all the living has hope. For a living dog is better than a dead lion. 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. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and for ever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white, let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life that He has given you under the sun, because this is your portion in life, and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your f hand finds to do, do it with all your do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol to which you are going. Again I saw, and 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. 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. This is the word of the Lord. Let's pray. Thank you again, Lord, for your word. We pray now and ask that you would speak for Christ's sake in this time. Ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. There's a lot to be anxious about in the world today, isn't there? The economy is a mess, and that's probably being kind about it. Uh inflation continues to rise. Politics are as bad as they've ever been. Uh life is flying by much faster than any of us thought, certainly faster than I thought. And all of these thoughts and concerns swirl around us. As a result, we often become paralyzed under its weight. This is an undeniable reality of life. And one that was clearly present even in the days that this book was written to us. Economic concerns were present, governmental concerns, life and health concerns, religious concerns, they've always been a part of our life on earth. At least since the fall. Because that is a vain effort. And further, to be successful at that endeavor, which is to rid ourselves of all concern, we would need to completely remove ourselves from all people and all forms of outside communication, and in that case, you would create for yourself a whole other set of problems. Our effort should be resting in Christ, trusting his purpose, so that by his grace we may experience joy in the midst of concern. I know I referenced Lord of the Rings way too much, but maybe this is the last time for a while. Here you go. There's this battle in the second book. I won't use names because if you haven't read it, you won't know what I'm talking about anyway. But the good guys are in this epic battle for their lives. The enemy seems too strong. The victory is very much uncertain. And faced with this reality, the two characters begin to play this game where they're counting their kills of these orcs. They make jokes about their kill count as they're defending themselves from the enemy. And you find yourself smiling and laughing in this otherwise really desperate and dark situation. And I have no idea the exact intent of Tolkien adding that bit of humor in a really non-humorous scene. But I suspect that he is communicating that our humanity, even joy, transcends our present circumstance. Can you experience that tickle down your back, as Lewis says? Or can a heart be merry while defending yourself against an orc attack? Oddly enough, yeah, I think it can. I think it does. With that in mind, though, there's a few steps that we have to walk through, and the first of which is, as our text gives us, is to be honest about life. To be honest about life. This is starting in verse 9. 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. It's skipping to verse 3. He says, this is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to them all. We don't get anywhere lying about God, presuming his hand is not present in all things. We don't make it better by lying to ourselves, pretending that everything is okay, when it might not be, and certainly when it isn't. If we learned anything in Ecclesiastes, it's that the Bible assumes and it even tells us explicitly that life is hard and at times is a misery. That life is going to seem unfair. It's going to seem unexplainable to us. That life is going to feel too short. It's going to feel like it's slipping away from us. It's going to seem like evil is being rewarded while righteousness is being punished. It will feel like we are on the wrong side, fighting the wrong war, and that we will lose. It will feel at times as though God has dropped us into a hamster wheel and we're just vainly taking steps, getting nowhere. Admitting that. But if we have a proper perspective, that life in this present fallen world is going to be thorn full of thorns and thistles, labor pains, hard work by the sweat of our brow, fights with orcs, battles against sin. These become things that we're not surprised by. We then become people who are surprised by joy. Which happens to be another line that Lewis uses, which he's not stole, but borrowed from a poem by the same name. Whether or not you like poetry or not, read Surprised by Joy, William Wordsworth. You're going to cry when you read it, just forewarning. But then you'll strangely feel better about life. So read that, Surprised by Joy by Wordsworth. Wouldn't you rather be surprised by joy? Wouldn't you rather be surprised by joy? Wouldn't you rather have a proper perspective on our present life and the reason for it? Ready and willing for whatever God uses to sanctify you and transform you. And then be taken aback at how good and gracious He is. I want us all to experience the breathtaking goodness of God. And I believe with all my heart that this only comes when we hold fast to the truth, how he has revealed himself to us in his word. And I believe that this is true with life because I know this is true with spirituality. All that that I just explained, I believe that it is true with life because I know that it is true with spirituality. I've told you this before, but most, if not all, of us have probably experienced this. The greatest joys of my spiritual life have come when I've been honest and real about my own sin. When I've sat with my own wickedness, the wickedness of my heart. How far I have separated myself from God. How undeserving I am of any goodness he has to show me. I have lied to him. I've tried to hide from him. I've betrayed and denied him. Pretended like he wasn't there. I assumed I knew more. Yet in these depths my soul can look to thee, who carries the weight of guilt I cannot hold. O light, shine again. Hide not your warmth from me. Restore my sight. Dry the moisture and clear the gray. Bless the mourning heart that cannot bear, that I might rest, for you have found me there. May we be honest about our own sin. And in doing so, find rest in Christ. May we also be honest about the unpredictability and difficulty of life. And in doing so, may we be surprised by joy. In keeping with the same theme, the second thing we knew we need to do about after being honest about life, right? And difficulties and struggles of life, being honest about life is being honest about death. I have to break it to you. Maybe I hate to break it to you. There isn't one event that happens to us all, and I guess it's really two after being born, and that is that we all die. Death is a reality. And our text says as much, for the living know that they will die. Again, it does us little good to deny or pretend like death isn't something that only happens to other people. This doesn't make any, it doesn't make it any less a thing to be feared, certainly at times, or a thing that we shouldn't do our best to avoid, which we should, as far as we're able, right? That's good wisdom. But sitting with the reality of death gives urgency. Sitting with the reality of death gives urgency and an elevation to life. Our text says that a living dog is better than a dead lion. What is a dog to those who read this originally compared to a lion? A dog was, in fact, somewhat different for them than it was for us, but we can understand what they're saying. A dog was a scavenger, often hungry, homeless, and unwanted. Even as pitiful as a dog's existence would have been in these days, it is still better than that of a lion who is dead. So do you see how that adds a little bit of a sweetness to life? No matter how difficult things are for us, for you, no matter how unwanted you feel, how much you despair, if you are breathing, you still have life. And our text says you still have hope. But he who is joined with all the living has hope. Has hope. In this wild existence that God has given us. The reality of death is the very thing that gives meaning to life. Gives us hope. That certainly wasn't always the case. Life prior to sin and death still had meaning prior to sin, prior to death. But this is again God working all things, even death, together for our good. It gets even better, though. It gets even better. You can hear the, as well, I read that. I hope you heard and felt the finality in the words of the teacher. He says, their love and their hate and their envy had already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. The teacher is still looking through a dimly lit mirror and doesn't yet have the benefits of this final revelation that we have. Even still, he sees life as this sacred blessing of God. The teacher of Ecclesiastes did not know Christ as we know him. Yet he still had hope in life fueled by the reality of death. How much more does this become true for us who do know Christ, who have been promised by our Savior, that though we die yet shall we live? And I'll have to turn there, but this is John 11, verse 23. Martha, faced with the reality of the death of her brother, seeks comfort in Jesus. Quote, Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. And Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? He says to Martha. Well, which is it? Which is it? Are we going to die yet still live? Or are we never going to die? The text says both, doesn't it? So which is it? Are we going to die yet still live? Or are we never going to die? The answer is yes. The reality of the first death should compel us to live with that ever-present sense of urgency and gratitude, because there will be a temporary separation from this bodily life. But this must always be coupled with the hope and assurance that though we are going to die here yet, we will live again. Just as we are living now, only sinless and perfect. Furthermore, because Christ has defeated death on the cross, which was the curse for our sin, we can be assured that we will not die spiritually. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. For how can death carry any sting for us when its hold over us has been broken by the one who became death, that we may not die? Christ has broken down. The gates of Hades. He's plundered its souls. No one in Christ has anything left to fear. For in him we will live. And in him we will never die. So then what do we do with this knowledge? What do we do with this knowledge? Our text tells us to live well in the light of these realities. This is verse 7 and following. Go eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white, let not oil be lacking on your head. 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. Further in ten, he says, Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol to which you are going. We still see a little bit of pessimism in there, don't we? Coming through. Which, thanks be to God, we can see more clearly now. But the wisdom is still the same. Has God created you and planned your days? Has he? Has he prepared your works for you that you may walk in them? Has he secured your salvation through the sending of his son? Has he applied saving faith to your heart that you may be found in him? Has he sealed you by his spirit as demonstrated in your baptism? Has he promised that you will live with him forever in eternal glories and riches? Has he done all of those things for you? Then may you be surprised by joy. Go, it says, eat your bread with joy. Practically speaking, that is, don't scarf your food down so you can just move on to something else, right? I know we have a habit of doing that. Me included. Take your time. Enjoy his provision. Eat your food with joy and gratitude. May you drink your wine with a merry heart and laugh while you slay giants. May your garments be white and your head not lacking oil. That is, may we be a reflection of the blessing that God has given us and the hope that He has promised to us. Enjoy life with your wife, it says, Whom you love. What a freedom that is that is offered to us. Amen. Marriage can be difficult. Life can be hard. But in light of the fact that difficult days are going to come, and temporary separation is a reality. Enjoy life with your wife, your spouse. May we cherish every second and hang on every word. And for those who are in the midst of a temporary separation, may you also enjoy life knowing that blessed promise that though we die yet shall we live again. Finally, whatever God has called you to put your hand to, do it with all your might. Whatever God has called you to put your hand to, do it with all your might. Whatever it may be, do it with all strength and the wisdom that he has given you. Honor him. And honor the life that he has given you by putting your hand to whatever he gives you with all your might. That teacher closes out the text again by reminding us again the unpredictability of life. It's like he keeps coming back to this over and over again, all throughout the book, but he he does that again at the end. He says, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, and so on. I think this is just to remind us again to avoid vain pursuits. So often we fritter away. I like that word. I think that was in the commentary I read, fritter. So often we fritter away our brief time here on earth with things that are meaningless. Petty arguments, stubborn grudges, unrighteous anger, silly frustrations. Have we all been there? Yeah. Life is but a breath. Tomorrow isn't a guarantee, so let us live without regrets. Let us cherish every moment and be thankful for every day. Like easier said than done, I know. But this is the command of Scripture and the blessing of our union with Christ. I'll close with Psalm 18. This is not the whole Psalm 18, but you don't have to turn. I'll start in verse 23. And this summarizes all that we've just said. This is the Lord's doing. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God and I will extol you. Oh, give thanks to the Lord. For He is good. Steadfast love endures forever. Amen. Let's pray. We thank you, Lord, again for your word. We pray and ask, Lord, that you would help us to face the realities of life on earth now, Lord, that we would not lie to you or to ourselves about our present circumstances. That would be honest about what's going on in our lives, Lord. And in doing so, Lord, may you give us joy. May you give us hope. That you are you have gone ahead of us, Lord. That you have prepared something so wonderful for us. Lord, and that through all of these experiences now in life, you are preparing us, preparing us for that which you have for us. You are molding us and refining us into that image that you will ultimately create us into be. We thank you for that, Lord. We thank you for the hope and the blessed promise that you've given us that though we die, we will live again. And the promise that we will never die. And that we will be with you forever. And now I'll pray for open hearts, Lord, as we go into this time of supper. May we confess our sins to you and see that you are faithful to forgive them. I ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.