Wise Choices in the Face of Death

Sermon Text

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10

7 Truly the light is sweet,
And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun;
8 But if a man lives many years
And rejoices in them all,
Yet let him remember the days of darkness,
For they will be many.
All that is coming is vanity.

Seek God in Early Life

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Wise Choices in the Face of Death

Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7–10

Big Idea:
Life is a gracious gift from God, especially in youth, and must be enjoyed wisely, stewarded faithfully, and lived before the coming judgment of God—ultimately finding hope and joy in Christ.

Key Points:

• Life Is a Gift to Be Enjoyed (v. 7)

  • “Light is sweet” — life under the sun is a blessing from God.

  • Beauty, pleasure, and joy are intentional gifts meant to stir gratitude and worship.

• Life Is Real, and So Is Death (v. 8)

  • Even long lives include “days of darkness.”

  • Wisdom remembers mortality even while rejoicing.

  • Older saints model readiness for death grounded in hope, not fear.

• A Call to the Young: Rejoice and Seize the Day (v. 9a)

  • Youth brings unique strength, opportunity, and vitality.

  • God invites joy, initiative, learning, creativity, work, family, and service—now.

• But Live Before the Face of God (v. 9b)

  • Joy is not autonomy.

  • Every choice is lived coram Deo—before God—who will judge all things.

  • Pagan “YOLO” living ignores accountability; biblical joy embraces it.

• Remove Sorrow and Put Away Sin (v. 10)

  • Anxiety, bitterness, and fleshly sins rob joy.

  • Holiness matters because life is fleeting (“vanity” / hevel).

  • Youth passes quickly—like vapor—so steward it well.

• Hope in the Final Judgment

  • Judgment is terrifying apart from Christ.

  • In Christ, judgment becomes hope: sins forgiven, righteousness given.

  • The call: trust Christ early, live wisely, and rejoice deeply.

• Why does Ecclesiastes insist that joy and judgment belong together?

• What opportunities do you have now that may not always be available later?

• How does remembering death shape the way we live today?

• What does it mean to rejoice coram Deo rather than selfishly?

• How does Christ transform the fear of judgment into hope?

• Hevel (Vanity): Vapor, fleeting, temporary.

• Coram Deo: Living before the face of God.

• Carpe Diem: Seize the day—redeemed biblically, not hedonistically.

• Stewardship: Managing God’s gifts for His glory.

• Judgment: God’s righteous evaluation of all people, met with confidence only in Christ.