Title: Let's Live Thinking About That Day
Contents
sunday green pasture
Text: Ecclesiastes 11:1-8
Let's live thinking about that day
Verse 8 says, “When a man lives many years, he will always rejoice. But there will be many days of darkness, and remember those days. All that is to come is futile.” Now King Solomon exhorts us to “remember those days, for there will be many dark days.” What day does the “day” or “dark day” here refer to? He commented, “That day refers to the day of death.” (Park Yun-sun) Now King Solomon is exhorting our Seongsan family to live in anticipation of the day when they will die. Then, what kind of life would it be to live in the dark (looking forward) thinking about the day of death? I pray that you will become a holy mountain family who listens to the sermon and lives a righteous life. Who lives thinking about that day?
I. We must live prudently by faith only
In today's text, Ecclesiastes 11:2, 5, 6, the same words are repeated three times. Repeated three times, verse 2 says, “You do not know,” verse 5 says, “You do not know,” verse 6 says, “Because you do not know.” Yes. The King of Wisdom, Solomon, is pointing out that we do not know what we need to know. What we do not know, despite what we must know, is simply that we do not know the future. That's right. The wise King Solomon points out that life really cannot know the future.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, “Rejoice in the days of prosperity, and look back in the days of trouble, for God has put these two things together, so that no man is able to fathom his future, so as not to know.” It is saying that He gives me, but He also allows me to be troubled. It is so that we may not be able to fathom our future events. So, how should we live in the future? faces the problem. It means that the saints do not live in fear, worry, and anxiety about the future, but rather, we must live our lives completely trusting and relying on God who knows and controls the future as if it were written on the palms of our hands. And since we don't know the future, it means that we have to live our lives more carefully and planned. In the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord that as you live a life that knows no bounds, you can make plans and live prudently with courage in your heart only with faith.
II. We must love our neighbors and live by giving.
Believers must love their neighbor as themselves. This is the whole Law and the Prophets. In particular, it is desirable to show love for neighbors through relief during the year-end and New Year holidays. In other words, we need to live our lives by giving our best by loving our neighbors while looking forward to the end of the world and the day of the personal end with the eyes of faith. How should we really love and give to our neighbors?
First, we must give relief with a generous heart without being stingy. In today's text, Ecclesiastes 11:1, "Throw your bread (in the Bible, food) on the water, and after many days you will find it again." What does "throw your bread (plant) on the water" mean here? This means that we should give charity to our neighbors, but with a generous heart without being stingy. (Park Yoon-sun) Why should we not expect any compensation from those we help? The reason is because we trust and hope that the Lord will repay us. In verse 1 of the text, “… In many days you will find it again.” In order to receive God's reward, it is saying that we should spread our hands of alms by loving our neighbor rather than expecting human rewards.
Second, we must show many mercy to many.
Verse 11:2 says, “Give it to seven or eight, for you do not know what calamity will come upon the earth.” means to do it. Or, it means to show as much mercy to as many people as possible. Why? This is because we do not know what kind of calamity will come upon the earth. So King Solomon says:
Verse 4 says, “He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who looks only at the clouds will not reap.” What does it mean? King Solomon is admonishing us not to hesitate to help others while we are concerned about the calamities to come. Dear Seongsan Family! When God has given us a prosperous day, we need to be merciful to many people and give relief. The reason is in Ecclesiastes 7:14, “Rejoice in the days of prosperity, and look back in the days of trouble. God has put these two things together, so that no one can fathom his future, so that he does not know.” I bless you in the name of the Lord that you love your neighbor and live while thinking of the day.
Ⅲ. We must obey God's word and do God's work.
In verses 5-6 we read, “You do not know the work of God who accomplishes all things, just as you do not know what the wind blows and how the bones grow in the womb of a child. For you do not know whether this will work out, whether that will go well, or whether both will go well.” What do you mean? King Solomon is telling us, “Sow your seed in the morning, and do not let go of your hand in the evening,” pointing out what man does not know.
Dr. Yun-sun Park interpreted this as follows: “In our youth (“morning”) we should strive to serve God with material things for righteousness, and in old age (“evening”) we should do the same.” We must sow the seeds diligently in our old age and throughout our lives. Sow the seeds, but how? In Psalm 126:5-6, the sower must weep and be prepared to sow. Then we will surely return with joy with the sheaf of the grain. Hopefully, we do not know what kind of fruit God will bring forth, so I bless you in the name of the Lord that all of you in the Seongsan family do not give up and work hard for the Lord's work.
Dear Seongsan Family! Today, I spoke with the title of ‘Let’s live with that day in mind’. A believer who lives with that day in mind must make plans with only faith and live prudently. And we must live and love our neighbors. Lastly, we must obey God's word and do God's work diligently. I hope that you will live thinking about that day, and I bless you in the name of the Lord.