Living Life Backwards Pt.8- Things To Know When You Don't Know

Well, good morning, everyone. good to see you guys here this morning. It's a blessing that we're able to meet despite the inclement weather indoors, socially distanced and faces covered. Anyways, before we jump into the text for today, Ecclesiastes chapter 11, verses 1 through 6, let's go ahead and, and take a moment to pray.

Let's pray. Lord, we, we are reminded. As we have been working our way through the book of Ecclesiastes. That Lord, as we approach you, we do so with carefulness.

With respect, With reverence, Lord. You are God. And we bless your name, Lord. Our father, who are.

In heaven Hallowed be thy name. We ask Lord that as we take this time. To look at the passages before us that you would impart wisdom. To us Lord, we acknowledge that we need wisdom.

And Lord, your word tells us your, half-brother Jesus, James had written. to remind us of the fact that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask of you and that you give to all generously and without reproach you upbraid not. And so Lord, Grant to us wisdom. Through your words.

That might serve us well. All of these days that you give to us to live. And we pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

So we, we've been working our way through the book of Ecclesiastes and, I, I, for one, as I've heard the lessons being presented, I feel like I've just been greatly blessed, the teachers have done such a fantastic job, to help us to, to, to lay hold of wisdom really and so we'll continue to do that. just as a reminder that an overarching theme that comes out of this book is that life. Is a vapor. It's a vapor, We are alive and then we die, and it seems like it happens so, so quickly, so fast.

It's a vapor and, and we do well to live in light of that reality we do well to live in light of death and we are to live life backwards as the title of the book instructs us live life with with death in view. With death in view, with the death date on the calendar. we, we are, we are granted wisdom for living, through this book. such, such wisdom is, is ultimately, I believe, summarized in the last two verses of the book.

It seems like all of what the writer is, is wanting to do is to ultimately direct us to his conclusion. Everything is building up and it brings us to his conclusion and, and so I'm gonna jump ahead if you don't mind and, and, and just read the conclusion, in chapter 12 verses 13 through 14, this is what the preacher says that can. The conclusion When all has been heard. Is Fear God And keep his commandments.

Because. This applies to every person. For God will bring every act. To judgment Everything which is hidden, whether it is good.

Or evil. There's the conclusion that we could almost just stop right there. But we're not at the conclusion yet, so we're going to backtrack. But with this broader understanding in mind we're gonna focus on chapter 11 verses 1 through 6 where we discover flashes of wisdom that we do well to live by and understand these flashes of wisdom should be viewed with this conclusion in mind that they, they feed into the conclusion that the preacher takes us to.

Let's go ahead and read the passage and then we will begin to, to look at these guidelines for wise living. chapter 1, I'm sorry, chapter 11, verse 1. And cast your bread on the surface of the waters. For you will find it after many days.

Divide your portion to 7. Or even to 8. For you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth.

And whether a tree falls toward the south or towards the north. Wherever the tree falls, there it lies. He who watches the winds. Will not sow, and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God. Who makes all things. And sow your seed in the morning. And do not be idle in the evening.

For you do not know whether morning or evening sewing will succeed or whether both of them alike. Will be good. And so these verses are my assignment this morning. And when I first looked at them, there was a part of me that felt like I should have more.

I wasn't sure what I was gonna do with these verses and so here it goes, and God willing, it will prove to be a blessing. I encourage you, to, to hear what's being said and then afterwards to be like the Bereans to double check and to see, where I am on track and if there are places where it seems like maybe I'm not, then you can, you can, chew on the meat and spit out the bones. But, but guideline number one. Taking a risk may result in a pleasant surprise.

in other words, you never know what the Lord might do. You just never know. He might surprise you. Verse one again, cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days.

This verse calls the reader to do something that would seem to have an obvious result, right? You chuck bread in the water and what happens? Gonna sink Yet the preacher presents us with a result not expected. You end up finding the bread.

After many days. Surely after many days the bread has sunk, but the preacher presents us with a pleasant surprise. Things do not always turn out the way you think they will. We see this displayed in our own lives, do we not?

Have you not experienced surprises from the Lord? Have things at times in your life turned out differently than what you would have anticipated? Has he not pleasantly surprised you? By ways in which he has blessed you.

So we see this displayed in our lives, we see it displayed in the lives of others, do not assume exactly. How things will turn out. Of course, we know that God knows, but we don't always know. And again, you may in fact be in for a big surprise, and sometimes those surprises can hurt and sometimes those surprises can prove to be a great blessing.

I think in this passage, the idea is that it's a pleasant surprise. And I think part of what we can gather from this is this verse, don't be afraid to take a risk. Of course it's got to be a wise calculated a risk, but don't be afraid to, to cast your bread upon the waters. Such a risk may prove to be a blessing.

The preacher is not again necessarily calling us to a foolish choice as much as telling us that the things we do may result in pleasant surprises. When you let go, you may discover that you get back what you surrender. There are all kinds of examples that I think we can think of. I'm sure you've experienced that in your own life, but you release.

And sometimes That releases hard. And then on the other side of the release is blessing. That you did not anticipate from the Lord, and at the end of the day, you are left. In awe In wonder Worshiping When you let go, you may discover that you get back what you surrender.

An example of this might be the decision to surrender a relationship. I know of people who surrendered their desire for a relationship, for a future spouse, for example, and, and they get to that point only to discover that the Lord was then ready to bless them. I'm not saying it works that way all the time. But Certainly.

Taking risks at time may result in pleasant surprises from the Lord. A passage that comes to mind is Galatians 6:9. Let us not lose heart in doing good. For in due time we shall reap.

If we do not grow wary. You see, sometimes we are tempted to give up. What's the use? I have invested so much time to no avail.

That person is no longer worth the investment of my energy, resources, and time. I see no fruit. Yet Paul exhorts us in Galatians 6:9 to to go against the flesh and to press on in ministry with the hope. That a pleasant surprise awaits.

OK, so let's move on to guideline number 2. be generous to others. While you are able. Living life under the sun.

Seeking to do so wisely. It entails generosity. Be generous to others while you're able, in other words, we do well to reflect the Lord's generosity in our lives onto other people. Being generous.

Verse 2 says divide your portion to 7 or even to 8. Give out. For you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. Pastor John MacArthur, y'all know who he is, comments on this verse.

I'll quote from him. He says, be generous while there is plenty. And make friends while time remains. Because one never knows when he might need them to return the favor.

I like that And this is not to say that we should be generous in order to receive. But that generosity often results in favors returned. The wise man lives generously. He gives out.

Of his time, his energy, his resources, he's, he, he, he releases, if you will. Ultimately we should be generous for generosity's sake. Because we fear the Lord. We should be generous while we are able.

When we have the ability to be generous. And generosity is a blessing. We are blessed. When we are generous.

Jesus is the ultimate example. Jesus is the ultimate example of generosity. He was so kind, he was so generous. In giving his life for our sin.

And in giving his life, he was blessed. He was blessed in the fact that we who believe are now eternally saved. And will forever be amazed at the wonder of His grace and him alone. Glory Praise Honor Affection And it's an amazing thought to think that we are a source.

Of blessing To the Lord. When we practice generosity, we reflect Christ to others. To be conformed into the image of Christ means that we will be increasingly generous. What do others say about you?

Would they describe you as generous? Would they say. You are a generous person, you are a giving person, or what others describe you as selfish. Would they say you care.

Very little About others. This hits me pretty hard. It's come pretty close to home recently. Personally, if, if you would allow, some of, I know not everyone knows, but, My, my family.

In the last two months, got hit with what for us has felt like. A, a trial A challenge. A difficulty Mm In short, Dad. He ended up having to go into Loma Linda for brain surgery.

He had it. It was successful. Two days later, he had a stroke. And I cannot begin to tell you.

How how full my heart has been. By the grace and the kindness and the provision of God and through the body of Christ. And the prayers of this. Of the saints.

Dad's recovery at this point seems to be nothing short of miraculous. Even by the account of. the therapist there at the Loma Linda University Acute Rehab Center. We've been able to bring dad into the home.

Close to 7 weeks ago, I think, round about. My question was, is it time to throw in the towel? So dad's in the home and there's special care, there's special need, even though he's progressed so much. And I have, I have to be quite honest, I have found it very easy.

To, to love my dad. And to care for my dad. To do things like wake up every 2 hours in the middle of the night to assist them to the restroom. To get up in the morning and to give him showers, I have found it very easy.

But that's where the conviction comes. I'm called to love the brethren. And to lay down my life, even as Christ laid down his life for us and to love. The brethren, and to be quite frank, it isn't always quite that easy for me to do that.

Wisdom says be generous. To others Well, you are able. Listen to this parable of Jesus from Luke 12:15-20, and he said to them, Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed, for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. And he told them a parable saying the land of a certain rich man was very productive, and he began reasoning to himself saying, what shall I do since I have no place to store my crops?

That's an easy answer to that question, given what we're talking about, right? Easy answer. He said, This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods, and I will say to my soul, soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come.

Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, you fool. This very night your soul is required of you and now who will own what you have prepared? You see, we are, we are wise to live in light of the reality that we will face judgment someday, in light of the reality that we have a destiny with death someday and so we ought therefore to be generous while we are able.

He says, you fool this very night, your soul is required of you and, and now he will own what you have prepared. So is the man who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God. And part of the way that we express our richness towards God is in our generosity, generosity towards others. Another passage that comes to mind comes out of Acts 20:35.

Listen to what Paul says in his farewell speech to the Ephesian elders. And everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner, you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, it is more blessed to give. than to receive. Thus, wisdom tells us to be good to others, to be generous to others while able.

Let's turn to guideline 3. Do not presume upon the future. Do not presume upon the future, verse 2 says divide your portion to 7 or even to 8, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth, you just don't know. There are surprises awaiting, and some of those surprises are hard misfortunes, difficulties, challenges.

There comes across as we read through this passage, the assumption that some form of misfortune will come. We live in a fallen world which guarantees the likelihood that difficulties will come our way, yet we do not know the exact form in which such trials will come. It is far too easy. As we live life forward.

As opposed to backwards, to assume life will go a certain way. But life is often full of surprises. There are twists and turns, and things happen that we did not plan for. It goes without saying I did not plan for my dad to have a stroke and to be living with my family.

That wasn't on my calendar. And James offers wise counsel regarding our plans for the future. Listen to what he says in James 4:13. He says, come now, you who say today or tomorrow we shall go to such and such city and spend a year there and engage in business, make a profit, they've got their plans, right?

They know exactly what they're gonna do, right? And, and, and listen to what James says. He says, yeah, you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You don't know You don't know You really don't know.

You're just a vapor, James says, echoes of Solomon, right? echoes of Ecclesiastes. You're just a vapor that appears for a little while then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills.

If it is the Lord's will, then we shall live. And also do this or that. You plan, but you plan loosely, right? That's, there's wisdom to that.

You, you, you, you plan, but, but you're also open to the fact that the Lord may have a different agenda for you. You you plan knowing that you're not in control, you are not the sovereign. You got a plan with, with, with that in mind, and you need to say to yourself, and, if the Lord wills, this is what we will be doing. Again, I don't think it's a stretch to think that James derived such wisdom right from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Did you catch what James says? You're just a vapor. you do well to submit your plans to the Lord. Do not presume upon the Lord.

That's wisdom. When we embrace the fact that we are not sovereign and that plans may not go our way, then we'll be less affected by the misfortunes of life. In fact, we will be, far more likely to see the blessings in the midst of our misfortunes, and this helps to get us to guideline 44. Your generosity may serve you well in a day of misfortune.

The Lord may bless you in surprising ways for your generosity, verse 2. Divide your portion of 7, even to 8, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. What seems implied in this passage is that our generosity may serve us well when misfortune comes our way. We endear ourselves to others when we are generous, when we help others, when we show kindness, when we give to the need of others, we gain the affection and the appreciation of others.

We develop friendships. And what does a friend do? When those he cares about suffer misfortune. That friend is likely to act swiftly.

To help And, and do not underestimate the impact. Even the smallest act of kindness can have. The things you do for others you may forget, you probably will forget, but often the person on the receiving end remembers. I'm reminded of years ago when my wife Marcy met up with a couple of mothers at the ice rink so that our daughters could ice skate together at the ice rink there in Riverside, and the mom sat together getting to know each other and at one point my wife decided to do a coffee run and she asked the others, the other mothers, if they wanted a coffee.

And they all placed their order and they gave some money to my wife to cover the expense. Except for one of the moms. And she told my wife she was OK, that she didn't need a coffee. But while Marcy was placing the order, she decided to purchase an extra coffee for this.

Mom Something in her told her she should go ahead and purchase a coffee for this particular mother, and when she returned to the ice rink, she handed out the coffees and then she gave the one mom a choice between the two cups of coffee she had 2 remaining, one for her and 11 for this other mom, and she gave her the choice. It was weeks later when this mother met up with my wife. And she told Marcy that that she has no idea how much that cup of coffee meant to her. And she opened up to my wife and she shared some very difficult things that she was going through.

And that cup of coffee blessed. Her more than what Marcy would have known. She expressed deep appreciation. You have no idea.

What it meant to me. That you got me that cup of coffee. With all of what I've been going through, it was an act of kindness. That reminded me of the kindness of the Lord.

This mom since then has moved out of state, but to this day, our daughters are the best of friends. And, and I share this to say your simple acts of kindness can go a long way. You never know. A kind deed forgotten may return to you.

In a day of your own misfortune. And taken together verses 1 to 2 communicates the principle of doing as much good as you can knowing at least 2 things the results are in God's hands, and you don't know when you yourself will be in need of someone else's generosity. And so let us take a look at guideline number 5. For wise living.

Things to embrace, ideas to believe. Some things in life are constant. You could say that the Lord has established a natural order. To things, the natural order in the universe, thus we can depend upon him.

Verse 3 says, if the clouds are full. They pour out rain upon the earth. It's just the way it works. This is the natural order of.

Of what clouds do, there is a natural order to things. When the clouds are full, they will produce rain. this is but one example of something in life that's constant. Take heart, the sun sets, it'll rise again.

Plants are designed by God to do what? To bear fruit. there is a certain order in the world that should bring a sense of relief to our souls. It is a reminder that our God has established the world and it has been established as a gift to us and, and how God.

To pour out his rain. It is a source of life. Without it, we would die. It waters the crops from which we get food.

And scripture tells us that our loving God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. In saying this, Jesus directs us to an understanding of the grace of God, the love of God. His common grace goes out upon all of mankind. Incidentally, his love is constant as well.

We who have placed our trust in Christ for our salvation, we are children of God, and His love for us will never. Be withdrawn What a comforting thought that despite all that seems wrong in this world, the suffering and the sorrow and the misfortune, that, that there are things in life that are constant and there is an order to things. In this fallen world in which we live. This brings us to the next guideline number 6.

Some things in life cannot be changed. Some things in life just simply cannot be changed. There are things that the Lord allows to happen. That cannot be undone.

And those who are wise accept that. By the grace of God, they're able to move on from that. The passage says, and whether a tree falls towards the south or towards the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. And so this verse does speak of a certain randomness.

There is uncertainty. We, we don't know in which direction the tree might fall, but we know that once it falls there, it will lie. It will not move about. The falling of the tree is evidence of death.

It's fall cannot be undone. That's the end of it. And there are some things in life that just cannot be undone. For some, this is an agonizing thought.

It can be paralyzing. You hear folks say, if only. If only I would have made a different choice. If only I would not have done this, that or the other.

If, if only I would not have married that person, if, if only I would not have moved, or if only I had not taken that job, or if only. You hear folks say, if only. Perhaps Naomi thought to herself, if only. I had not listened to my husband when he moved us away from the Land of Promise to the land of Moab.

But there are things that happen that we cannot change and we do well to stop asking the what ifs. Rather, we should learn from the past, embrace the wisdom that God offers to us, the wisdom gained, and, and then move on. With wisdom at our side. It's helpful to understand, to, to embrace that we are not determined by our past.

We are shaped And so often we are shaped for the better. Despite those things in the past. That cannot be undone. It is a marvel that God is able to cause all things.

To work together for good. The Lord is more than able to make us the people He wants us to be. Not despite the past, but because of the past. Again, remember, all things work together for the good.

Of those who love God to those called according to His purpose, and we know ultimately. That they'd be conformed. Into the image of Christ. I, I don't believe that you can ask for anything.

Anything better than that. All things work together for good. This is true. Even about those things we cannot change.

Those who are wise realize this guideline number 7. The wise person does not just sit around and do nothing. The Lord desires productivity in our lives. Verse 4 says he who watches the wind will not sow, and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

It does a person no good just to sit around and watch the wind when he ought to be out sowing. do not think that you can just chill. And then experience a harvest. Life doesn't work that way.

Wisdom dictates that one ought to work. The preacher has already elsewhere in this book spoken about work. One noteworthy verse is Ecclesiastes 3:12, where the preacher declares, I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime. Moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all of his labor, it is the gift of God.

And here we have a positive spin on work. We, we are to see good in the labor that God has provided us to do. Ecclesiastes 4:4 and I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between the man and his neighbor. This too is vanity striving after the wind.

This passage reveals a negative spin on work, but look closely. When work, when labor is motivated by rivalry, It is vanity. And it is striving after the wind. Our motivation and attitude toward work does matter.

Ecclesiastes 5:18. Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him, for this is his reward. Ecclesiastes 5:19 reads, Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God.

So the preacher commends work. And this makes sense, especially when we consider the fact it is a command from God and remember the end fear God, keep His commands. In Exodus 20:19 we read, Six days you shall work. But on the 7th day you shall rest.

There is something to be said about the value of work. And there is something to be said about the reward of rest. And so to work is to obey the command of God. We must see work as a blessing, though it's hard.

Thorns and thistles. Difficult, challenging. Yet it is a, a gift from God. It is a blessing from God.

the preacher will hit this topic again later in verse 5. let's now consider guideline 8. Your knowledge is limited. The Lord is omniscient.

Verse 5, just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed. Right, the preacher declares to his audience that they possess a degree of ignorance, things that they don't know, and wise people embrace the fact that they are limited. the examples provided are one, the path of the wind, and 2, how bones are formed in the womb. Perhaps he could have come up with different examples or even other examples.

Those are the two he gave. again, there's all kinds of examples that we can think of that reveal to us our limitation, our limited understanding, and those who are wise know they do not know everything. And such a limitation of knowledge applies to one's understanding of what God is up to, which takes us to 9. Don't assume all of what the Lord is up to.

We could say it this way, the Lord is active in ways that you do not understand. Verse 5, just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. You, you, you don't know exactly all the time what it is that God in His sovereignty and goodness and wisdom and grace and kindness and mercy is up to. We'll go to number 10.

Live in light of the creator-c creature distinction. In other words, God. Is the creator. God is the creator.

Verse 5 says, God who makes all things. And again Hopefully, we're understanding this against that concluding remark where we are called to fear God. Reverence God. To hollow his name.

To have a a a clear understanding of who he is. And to understand our place in this fallen world before Almighty God. He is the creator. And he has created all things.

And that gives us much to think about as we seek to be men and women of wisdom. We'll, we'll get to guideline 11 now, and I've run out of time, so bear with me. Dedicate the entirety of your day to working hard. I said we'd get back to this idea again.

Knowing that you do not know from where your success may lie, God calls you to embrace the ethic of hard work. Verse 6 reads, sow your seed in the morning. Do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed. Or whether both of them alike.

Will be good. And just Work hard throughout the day, 6 days a week. Rest on the 7th day. Enjoy the labor that God has given for you to do and do such in the fear of the Lord, keeping his commandments, knowing.

As the last verse in the book tells us. Everything Will be brought to light. The good As well as the bad. And I think that it would be a mistake if I were to end without the reminder.

That the judgment. that we ought to fear. Has been placed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. So that we need not fear.

Remember that despite our fallenness and despite our sinfulness, despite the frailty, the, the, the, the fleshiness, the indwelling sin, and despite the fact that we struggle with these things to be wise as we try to live life under the sun, that the Lord Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God in our place and judgment was placed upon him. So that the Bible can say there is no condemnation. And more than that, The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is the epitome of wise living.

His righteousness has been bestowed upon us.

Can you believe that? I can look at you square in the eyes and I can say that in Christ you are without blame. You are holy, righteous, and blameless because you are clothed. In the righteousness of Christ.

How is that for a pleasant surprise? How is that? For a wisdom that is not of this world, but it comes from above. Blessed be his name.

Would you pray with me, please? Heavenly Father. You are the creator. And you are full of wisdom.

And you have responded to us in such Unbelievable kindness. Help us, Lord, to be wise, to know our place. To relate to you in a way that honors you. to not be quick with our words and our questions and our accusations, but to be.

Quick to listen. And slow to speak. Slow the anger Lord, as we transition to the service this morning, we pray that you would speak. That you would speak through the preacher this morning, that Lord, we would hear.

Not his word. But your word. Prepare our hearts for that, Lord, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.