Life is Harsh

Sermon Text

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3

16 Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness,
Iniquity was there.

17 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” 19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

The Uselessness of Selfish Toil

4 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:

And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

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

• Ecclesiastes refuses to sugarcoat life: wickedness can occupy the very places where judgment and righteousness ought to be found.
• Human injustice does not have the final word, because God will judge both the righteous and the wicked without partiality through Jesus Christ.
• The certainty of divine judgment exposes every person's guilt; no sinner can stand by personal goodness, and the only hope is Christ's righteousness and atoning death.
• Death returns every human body to the dust, yet believers can know that their spirits go to be with Christ and that death cannot separate them from his love.
• God sees the tears of the oppressed and will finally set things right, while those entrusted with authority must use it for the good of people made in God's image rather than for abuse or self-interest.

• When I see injustice, is my standard my own outrage or the revealed word of God?
• Can I entrust final judgment to Christ while still pursuing justice and protecting the oppressed now?
• Do I view myself as naturally righteous, or as a lawbreaker whose only hope is the righteousness of Christ?
• Am I resting in Christ alone to rescue me from sin and the judgment to come?
• How does the certainty of being with Christ change the way I face death?
• Where has God entrusted me with authority, and am I using it for the good of those under my care?
• Whose tears or suffering am I tempted to overlook because helping would cost me comfort or influence?
• How can I pray and act faithfully for people suffering oppression or persecution?

Justice

Judgment according to God's righteous and impartial standard rather than personal advantage, favoritism, or human invention.

Oppression

The abusive use of power against people who should instead be protected, served, and treated with God-given dignity.

Final judgment

God's certain and universal judgment of every person and work through Jesus Christ.

Partiality

Favoring or condemning people because of status, wealth, identity, or advantage instead of judging according to truth.

Justification

God's gracious act of pardoning sinners and accepting them as righteous because Christ's obedience and satisfaction are imputed to them and received by faith.

Physical death

The separation of body and soul under the curse of sin, with the body returning to dust while the spirit returns to God.

Intermediate state

The condition between death and resurrection, when believers' souls are with Christ while their bodies rest in the grave.

Comforter

God's presence and care for sufferers, made known through Christ and the Holy Spirit even when earthly power offers no relief.