Friends, please turn your Bibles again to Ecclesiastes 5, verse 10.
We're going to be in that passage today, pretty closely.
! All the way to Ecclesiastes 6, verse 2.
Now, the book of Ecclesiastes is about wisdom.
How to grow in wisdom.
The book of Ecclesiastes actually tells us about the harshness of life.
The harsh realities of life.
How things of this world just simply does not make sense a lot of times.
That no matter how hard we try to make the things of this world,
and to make the places of this world our final home,
it continually reminds us again and again that we will continually fail to do so.
This place is not our home.
And the book of Ecclesiastes emphasizes that to really grow up in wisdom,
to grow in maturity, you need to confront yourself with the harsh realities of life.
You need to detach yourself from the world.
You need to sink yourself much deeper into God Himself.
In other words, the book of Ecclesiastes is reminding us again and again,
whatever it is in this world that you think would make this world your final home,
don't cling on to it.
You're going to fail.
Don't cling on to it.
Whether it's pleasure, whether it be wisdom,
whether it be righteousness and the pursuit of righteousness,
whether it be this pursuit of toil, for toil's work,
whatever it might be, don't cling on to it.
And in this specific passage, he's going to talk about love of wealth,
the sense of entitlement that you get in accruing wealth,
the sense of entitlement that you get in working and toiling.
And in chapter 5, verse 10, to all the way to chapter 6, verse 9 actually,
it's one central theme.
It's about how to deal wisely with wealth.
How to get joy, how to not be entitled, how to not be bitter,
how to actually sink your hopes, not in money or toil or wealth,
but in God and God alone.
So in chapter 5, verse 10, all the way to chapter 6, verse 9,
there's this one theme.
And in between chapter 5 and chapter 6, in verse 18 to 20,
you get this soft middle between chapter 5, verse 10, 16,
and chapter 6, verse 1 to 9.
The soft middle that tells you not just what not to do with wealth,
how not to get joy, but the key to joy itself.
So that's going to be where we're heading today here.
So I have three points that I want to point us to today.
First, how not to get joy.
Second, the key to joy.
Third, the greater gift.
So first, how not to get joy.
Second, the key to joy.
And third, the greater gift.
So first then, how not to get joy.
How should we not get joy?
Well, verse 10 tells us,
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money,
nor he who loves wealth with his income.
This also is vanity.
First thing, right off the bat here,
the author of the Ecclesiastes is telling us here,
if you want to grow in wisdom,
if you want to know what it is,
and how to find true joy and satisfaction,
do not look for it in money.
Verse 10 is incredibly clear.
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money,
nor he who loves wealth with his income.
This also is vanity.
And in this book,
this is not actually the first time
he's tackled with the temptation
of accruing joy by means of money.
He's already said this before in chapter 2,
verse 20 to 22.
So if you've got your Bibles open,
just turn there really quickly.
Chapter 2, verse 20 to 22,
he already says this,
So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair
over all the tolls of my labors under the sun.
Because sometimes a person who has toll with wisdom
and knowledge and skill
must mean everything to be enjoyed by someone
who did not toil for it.
This also is a vanity and a greater evil.
And in chapter 6, verse 2,
as we read earlier before,
it says that a man to whom God gives wealth,
possessions, and honor,
so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires,
that God does not give him power to enjoy them,
but a stranger enjoys them.
This is also vanity.
It is a grievous evil.
So in other words,
the book of Ecclesiastes,
despite going into different themes
and various kinds of temptations,
returns to the theme of joy and wealth
again and again and again.
He's already said it in chapter 2.
He's repeating it again here in chapter 5,
verse 10 to 16,
and then again in chapter 6, verse 2.
So, for some reason,
he keeps repeating this, right?
And interestingly enough,
when he tackles the temptation
of finding joy and pleasures,
whether it be in sex or relationships,
he only does that once.
He deals with it in chapter 2,
verses 1 to 11,
and then he deals with it,
he leaves it alone.
But it's just something about wealth
that causes the author
to keep coming back to it,
just to keep repeating himself.
He just wants to make sure
that you know not to keep coming back to this.
It's almost as if wealth
and love of money,
it's a perennial temptation, right?
So it's not without reason
that he repeats himself here.
One of the books that I've been reading
to prepare myself
to preach from the book of Ecclesiastes,
is Dave Gibson's book on destiny.
And the book of Ecclesiastes
is actually right there
in the back there.
And he actually skips
chapter 5 and 6.
To his shame.
But I did not shame him in person
a couple of days ago.
I wish I did now.
But I think there's something about it
because you're sensing,
if you're writing a book
on the book of Ecclesiastes,
you might be thinking to yourself,
why is he repeating himself again?
He's already tackled
wealth and accruing possessions
in chapter 2.
Why would he come back to it
in chapter 5
and then again in chapter 6,
some of his hammering it
again and again and again.
Well, it's not without reason.
Wealth is a perennial temptation.
We seek pleasure and joy
primarily in wealth.
And in fact,
Luther in his larger catechism,
he says that the most common idol
that we see in this world,
the most common enemy
to loving God
with all of our heart, soul, and mind
is precisely in love of money.
That's the first thing he tackles.
So again in chapter 5, verse 10,
he says,
how not to get joy?
Don't find it in wealth.
You're not going to get there.
You're not, you're simply not,
you're going to be satisfied with it.
So avoid it completely.
So what is the kind of person
who loves wealth?
Well, the second part of chapter 5,
verse 10 tells us.
The kind of person who loves wealth here
is he who loves wealth with his income.
That's the kind of person
he has in mind here.
He who loves wealth with his income.
The picture and the image here
is someone who simply
using his wealth
to accrue more wealth.
Someone who's toiling
for wealth,
for wealth's sake.
So if you're asking this person,
why are you working for your income?
This person will simply say,
well, more income.
Why are you gaining
and gaining more wealth?
Well, he would say,
I'm gaining wealth
so that I could get a greater income.
Why would you get more income?
Well, simply to get more wealth.
So there's a cyclical
kind of toil here
where he's accruing wealth
and he accrues wealth
for wealth's sake.
He loves wealth with his income.
So he uses his income
to gain even more wealth.
So this kind of person,
it's not the kind of person
who tries to look for profit
or gain
for the sake of love
of his neighbor.
Because that's a biblical view of work.
where you're accruing wealth
so that you can actually
reverse the effects of the fall,
so you could actually
alleviate poverty,
so that you could empower others,
so you could feed others.
You can actually give them
empowerment by means of employment.
That's not the kind of person
that he envisages here.
Rather, he envisages here
a person who accrues wealth
not for other people,
but simply wealth for wealth's sake.
And the author is utterly clear,
that is a one-way trip
to utter misery.
So not only does he
keep repeating himself,
not only does he have
this picture of this person
who loves wealth
and uses wealth for income
cyclically,
and income for income's sake,
he gives us some implications
of what happens here
when you love wealth
with your income.
Verse 11,
When goods increase,
they increase who eat them,
and what advantage is their owner
but to see them with his eyes.
So what's the implication
of the kind of person here
who loves wealth with his income,
who simply pursues wealth
for wealth's sake?
The implication here is that
the owner is going to see
that the more income
that he accrues,
the more wealth
that he gathers for himself,
the more gain that he has
for himself,
he's also going to feel
a kind of bitterness.
Because he's not accruing wealth
for other people's sake.
When other people enjoy
the fruits of his labor,
when other people gain
from the fruits of his labor,
he's going to only look at them
and he's going to think to himself,
what profit is there to me?
So he says again,
verse 11,
when it goes increase,
they just increase who eats them.
What advantage is your owner?
Because see them with his eyes.
So in other words,
he's saying here,
well,
I'm gaining all this wealth,
I'm working hard for all the fruits
of my labor,
I'm gaining all this money,
and all I'm seeing here
is other people
benefiting from it.
My employees
are getting
and benefiting from it.
A family member
said,
I don't like
benefiting from it.
And he's thinking to himself,
this doesn't profit me
or anything.
This is not giving me pleasure.
Right?
Again,
which is the opposite
of somebody
who works biblically.
The person who works biblically
will work
and then when he enjoys
the food of his labor,
is joyous with the fact
that other people
are enjoying it.
I'm sharing this with you.
I'm giving this away.
Right?
I'm generous with my toil,
with my labor,
with my gifts,
with my money.
But here instead,
you see somebody
who ends up bitter,
ends up feeding
this kind of territorialism.
I've worked hard for this
and it doesn't profit me
in any way
that other people
are benefiting from it.
There's no advantage
to my eyes
and it only makes me
more and more
and more miserable.
One of the best examples
of this that I've seen
recently,
I've been guilt-watching
and binge-watching
Gordon Ramsay's
Kitchen Nightmares
just constantly.
And I'm in the UK
so contextualization here
is important.
So I'm going to quote
a Gordon Ramsay clip
here for you.
So,
I've been binge-watching
Kitchen Nightmares
and you know,
the premise of
Kitchen Nightmares
is Gordon Ramsay,
who's a celebrity chef,
would come in
to kitchens and restaurants
that have been failing,
right?
And he would come in
and he would work
with the chefs,
work with the owners,
make sure that the kitchen
turns around,
they serve good food,
their service becomes better,
and make sure that
by the end of the weekend
that he spends there,
they would get their lives
up and running
and the restaurant
up and running again
and well, right?
Now,
it was interesting to me
because he probably recorded
hundreds of these episodes,
just seasons upon seasons,
like 12 years worth of it,
the American version
anyway, right?
And there's only one episode
where Gordon actually
turns away
and refuses to help
an owner
with this restaurant.
Every other restaurant,
no matter how dirty
their kitchens are,
no matter how messed up
their food is,
he stays,
he cooks with them,
he helps them out,
he makes sure that
everything is turned around.
There's just one episode
where he actually gives up.
He thinks,
I can't help them.
But on the second day,
he walked away.
And it made headline news
and became viral on Twitter
and it became a sensation
and stuff like that.
And what's interesting to me
is I watched this episode,
he left not because
the food was so bad
or because the service
was so bad,
he left because of
an attitude of the owners.
What he found out
is he went into this kitchenist
and the owner
was a husband and wife.
The husband
was so entitled
to his work,
he said to himself,
I'm the manager
of the floor,
I work harder
than all of my servers.
And you know what
he ended up doing?
He took all of the servers' tips.
He took all of it.
And in an American context,
that's atrocious.
That's a sin.
That's a cardinal sin, right?
Because in America,
the waitresses
and the waiters
and the bartenders,
they live off their tips.
They don't get a wage
outside of their tips.
That's what their wages are.
It's the tips itself.
And what Gordon found
was that
this husband,
his owner,
took all these tips
every night
and so the waiters
were getting paid nothing.
So there was a turnover
of waiters
again and again
and again.
And when Gordon asked him,
why would you do this?
Why would you take away
their livelihood?
You know what he said?
I work harder
than all of them.
I work harder
than all of them.
I deserve this tip.
They work for me.
When they prove to me
that they could get
this money,
I'll give it to them.
But until then,
I am entitled to this.
This is my view.
And likewise,
the wife,
who was the chef,
couldn't take criticisms
of her food.
She kept saying to everybody
who pushed the food back
or said that the food
was bad
and criticized her food,
she would simply say,
you know what?
They've been coming
to my restaurant
and I cook for them.
How dare they
critique my food?
I work hard
at working at this food.
There's this deep sense
of entitlement
with love of wealth
that what Gordon's sensing
there in these two couples
is this, right?
I am working hard
for wealth
and I'm working
harder than anybody
and it does not
profit me
what other people
are profiting
from my labors.
Other people
are benefiting from it.
And this isn't just
out there in TV, right?
Especially in the context
like Asia.
I know families
who are ripping
each other apart
simply because
they're fighting
for inheritances
from their parents.
Even though deep inside
they know
that they have done
nothing to gain
this trust fund
or to actually earn
any of the parents'
inheritances,
they're suing
one another
as brothers and sisters
simply to gain
this trust fund
or to get the inheritance
over their parents
who are now too old
to speak for themselves.
I know people
who therefore
out of a bad venture
out of people
fighting for
particular kinds
of properties
are fighting
to one another
simply because
of objects
and material possessions
because they're thinking
to themselves
I work harder
than all of you.
I deserve this
more than all of you.
I'm entitled to this.
So because of
the love of wealth
because of this
deep sense
of entitlement
we rip each other
apart.
We rip each other
apart.
And we feel
this difference
out of our hearts.
So it's not surprising
in verse 12
another implication
of love of wealth.
Not just that you get
this kind of
territorialism
not just that you get
the sense of
entitlement
but in verse 12
it tells us
sweet is the sleep
of a laborer
whether he eats
little or much
but the full
stomach of the rich
will not
let him
sleep.
Sweet as sleep
of labor
whether he eats
little or much
but the full
stomach of the rich
will not
let him sleep.
I love that verse.
In the context
of Jakarta
where crazy rich
Asians
is a reality
this is a verse
that needs to be
put up
in a lot of homes
and in bedrooms.
My goodness
because if there's
ever a reminder
that wealth
does not
give you
satisfaction
or pleasure.
Here it is.
Sweet is the sleep
of a laborer
whether he eats
little or much
but the full
stomach of the rich
will not
let him sleep.
There's a contrast
here between
the sleep
of a laborer
think of here
a blue collar
worker
who knows
simply the day's
worth of work.
He comes in
does his job
knows his responsibilities
for the day
thinks just about
that day
knows the day's
works ahead of him
knows his responsibilities
for the day
knows that he needs
to put bread
on the table
and then he eats
and then he sleeps
and then that's it
that's all he thinks about.
He knows the day's
worth of work
and there's a kind of
joy to this minimalism
of just knowing
your responsibilities
for the day
not thinking about
the future
all of your other
responsibilities
not thinking about
a queen
wealth for wealth's sake
that is in contrast
to the full stomach
of the rich
who will not
let him sleep.
And look at verse 17
this
is not just
a case of insomnia
in verse 17
it tells us here
again that
the rich
spends all his days
he eats
in darkness
and in much
vexation
and sickness
and anger
in other words
there's something here
about love of wealth
love of money
that causes
a holistic
kind of crumbling
you see
our bodies
and souls
are deeply connected
such that there's
a bitterness
and a vexation
that comes from
love of wealth
that causes
not just lack of sleep
but sickness
and anger
the person just
crumbles under
this weight
of bitterness
and entitlement
you see
and I hope you know
that this is true
isn't it
some of you
have actually
lived through this
right
when you've actually
felt what it's like
to work up
the professional ladder
and you realize
to yourself
as you're working
up the professional ladder
you're not actually
getting any happier
in fact it might
actually be the opposite
when you first
got your first job
and you were getting
your suits from
Primark and H&M
you know
you're walking
in the subway
and somebody rips
your suit
and you didn't
think a minute of it
you're like
well who cares
it's just a suit
from Primark
ten years later
you got a suit
from Hugo Boss
someone rips it
you can't sleep
at night
vexation
anger
you see
same thing with cars
same thing with
anything else
there's just
something insidious
about love of money
something that
attaches us to it
that
material things
seem to weigh us
down and bog us
up
right
and again
you know this
to be true
you know
we like to think
that we're not
that rich
we like to think
oh we're in
Ealing London
you know
we're not in
central London
we're not
the top 1%
in the world
but hey
friends
you are
you're in London
you are
in the UK
let's face it
compared to the
rest of the world
we're rich
and some
of you
you know
despite not
having a bank
account filled
with millions
you come home
and you know
that you've got
a couple months
worth saved up
and you've got
food on the table
and you're not
worrying about
what you're going
to eat in the
next month or two
or three or years
and yet
for some reason
you still can't
sleep at night
you're still
miserable
and you keep
thinking to yourself
if only
I could just
get up the
financial ladder
one more time
if only I could
just get one
more ring
if only I could
just get that
car
if only I could
just get that
promotion
as long as I
get one more
stage of life
up ahead of me
get more money
I'm just going
to be happy
well just think
back upon your
life
think back upon
your life
that wasn't the
case when you
were poor
sure
so why think
that it's going
to change
and be any
different now
in the future
so don't
don't fall
into the trap
of thinking
that wealth
will satisfy you
so again
think about
the sweetness
of the sleep
of a labor
whether he
eats little
or much
think about
the day's
worth of
trouble
it is enough
in itself
right
I remember
one time
my parents
and my
family
broader
family
they've done
quite enough
work for
themselves
so my dad
is getting
older now
and he's
hired a
caretaker
to come
in and
care for
his
knees
so this
caretaker
would come
in and
cook for
us
clean up
and things
like that
and I
remember
my parents
were not
believers
there was
a fight
that we
had one
day
about
something
particular
about
the business
and I
was involved
in it
because
you know
as a son
I had
to be
and we
were fighting
back and
forth for
hours and
hours over
the morning
right
and the
caretaker
was there
the caretaker
was there
and I
remember
I was
recovering
from this
conversation
that I
just had
spewed
within
family
and I
was having
a coffee
right
afterwards
and she
looked at
me
in a
quiet
moment
and she
said
you know
what
I can't
imagine
what it
must be
like
to have
to wrestle
with these
kind of
issues
I just
know that
I need
to come
in
I need
to cook
I need
to clean
up
I need
to go
home
and have
my kids
and I'm
happy
and I
thought to
myself
woe is
me
woe is
this
family
that we
have so
much
more
here we
are
psychologically
impaired
compared to
this
person
who could
have so
much
more
not
just
about
the
vexation
of
richness
that
causes
us
to be
attached
to
things
that
are
valuable
but
it's
also
I
think
the
disillusionment
that comes
with
richness
the
disillusionment
that comes
with
realizing
that we
have
everything
that we've
ever
needed
everything
that we've
ever
wanted
only to
find that
it
doesn't
actually
satisfy
us
and so
we lose
sleep
over it
and we
got to
consider
the fact
that
sometimes
God
gives
us
everything
we've
ever
Jim
Carrey
was
famous
in saying
that I
wish
everybody
could be
rich
and famous
so that
they would
know
being rich
and famous
isn't the
answer
being rich
and famous
isn't the
answer
and you
might be
thinking to
yourself
Jim
Carrey
of course
he would
say that
he's
rich
and famous
but who
else
would say
it
who
else
has
the
ability
and the
credence
to say
so that
it
would
be
valid
right
here's
somebody
who's
telling
you
I
wish
everybody
could
realize
that
if they
got
everything
they'd
ever
had
they'd
still
be
miserable
because
now
they
realize
it
I've
got
everything
why
am I
still
sad
why
do I
still
feel
unsatisfied
why
am I
still
disappointed
why
do I
still
feel
this
existential
angst
of living
in this
world
and so
they
lose
sleep
again
not
simply
because
of
their
attachment
to
material
things
because
now
they've
realized
it
for
themselves
because
they've
experienced
it
for
themselves
I've
had
everything
that I've
ever
wanted
in life
and yet
here
I am
still
miserable
that's
not the
only kind
of misery
that might
happen
to you
verse 13
tells us
all the way
to verse 16
another kind
of misery
that
endangers
the person
who is
attached
to wealth
there's a
grievous
evil that
I've
seen
under
the
son
riches
were
kept
by
their
owner
to
his
hurt
and
those
riches
were
lost
in a
bad
venture
!
Here
in this passage
he's not
talking just
about
the misery
of living
wealth
but how
the misery
of living
wealth
also could
double
your
suffering
precisely
because
here
whatever wealth
you've
accrued
for yourself
the book
of Ecclesiastes
is reminding
you
you will
lose it
again
you will
lose it
again
you might
in a
split
second
get into
a bad
venture
and you
lose
everything
you've
ever
had
or
if that
doesn't
happen
to you
in a
lifetime
in your
lifetime
one day
you will
die
death
is coming
it is
inevitable
and
naked
as he
came
and shall
take
nothing
for his
toll
it may
carry
in his
hand
just as
from the
mother's
womb
he
came
so
he
shall
go
you
can't
take
your
possessions
away
with
you
and if
you
love
money
you're
not
just
going
to
feel
this
loss
of
this
moment
of
loss
in a
bad
venture
or in a
moment
of
death
the fact
that you
can't
take
these
riches
away
with
you
but
if
you
love
wealth
you're
going
to
double
your
suffering
look at
what
it says
in
verse
13
losing
your
wealth
one
day
whether
it
be
by
bad
ventures
or in
death
but
you're
also
going
to
feel
this
sense
of
distraughtness
because
you
idolized
it
so
when you
lose
your
wealth
you're
not
just
going
be
shocked
by
the
loss
of
the
wealth
it's
going
to
utterly
destroy
you
if
you
lose
wealth
but
you
don't
attach
yourself
to
it
you're
going
to be
!
like
Job
who loses
everything
he's
ever
had
and
he's
distraught
about it
he's
lamenting
before
God
he loses
everything
he's
ever
had
but
yet
because
he
never
idolized
wealth
because
he
never
put
wealth
first
he
wasn't
destroyed
he
kept
worshipping
he
was
able
to
say
to
God
and
he
was
able
to
lament
before
God
he
was
able
to
keep
obeying
God
even
despite
the
loss
of
wealth
but
if
you
idolized
wealth
the
moment
this
loss
hits
you
you're
not
just
going
to
be
sad
or
lamenting
you're
going
to
be
utterly
distraught
that
means
you've
kept
your
riches
to
your
hurt
and
that's
not
the
way
to
go
so
then
that's
the
first
point
how
not
to
find
joy
which
is
not
to
find
that
satisfaction
and
wealth
or
money
or
anything
else
in
this
world
how
then
should
we
the
key
to
joy
and
this
is
found
in
verses
18
to
20
right
before
chapter
6
starts
right
verse
18
to
20
the
key
to
joy
right
so
here
in
this
passage
it
tells
us
what
to
do
and
what
not
to
do
right
here's
how
we
should
get
joy
there's
the
key
to
joy
and
there's
two
aspects
to
this
the
first
thing
you've
got to
understand
to have
lasting
joy
and
lasting
contentment
is to
realize
that
everything
you've
ever
gained
is
due
to
God
and
not
yourself
that's
the
first
thing
everything
!
you've
ever
gained
is
due
to
God
and
not
yourself
and
it's
utterly
counterintuitive
to us
because
as
modern
people
we
like
to
think
that
all
of
our
achievements
is
something
that
we
recruit
for
ourselves
we
were
the
ones
who
picked
ourselves
up
in
our
bootstraps
we
were
the
ones
that
worked
hard
we
were
the
ones
who
gained
all
these
things
for
ourselves
right
we
like
to
think
that
we
are
an
self
achievements
here's
all
my
publications
here's
all
my
work
experience
you've
listing
all
of
your
individual
achievements
right
and
so
that
gives
you
the
illusion
that
you're
a
self
made
person
and
no
wonder
then
you
feel
entitled
because
if
you
think
of
yourself
as
a
self
made
person
if
you
think
of
yourself
I've
accrued
wealth
for
myself
I'm
the one
who
worked
hard
for
this
I'm
a
self
made
man
then
of
course
you
feel
entitled
of
course
you
feel
bitter
when
you
feel
snubbed
when
people
get the
reward
and not
you
of
course
you
feel
entitled
when
things
don't
go
your
way
because
you
thought
to
yourself
I
have
earned
this
I'm
a
self
made
person
but
you
see
the
ancients
they
were
more
modest
and
they
were
more
realistic
the
ancient
form
of
the
CV
isn't
like
the
modern
form
of
the
CV
in
the
modern
form
again
we
list
all
of
our
achievements
all
of
our
entitlements
all
of
our
gains
in
life
and
as
an
individual
that's
what
we've
listed
in
our
CV
in
the
ancient
world
the
CV
is
a little
bit
different
when
you
open up
to
the
book
of
Matthew
and
Matthew
provides
an
argument
for
why
you
should
listen
to
Jesus
what
does
he
!
names
of
who
Jesus'
lineage
names
of
people
who
came
before
him
names
of
people
who
therefore
kept up
their
lineage
and
made
sure
that
families
were
intact
so that
here is
the
birth
of
a
Savior
coming
he
was
the
seed
of
David
seed
of
the
promised
one
right
out
of
Israel
he
came
here's
a
long
line
of
people
in
other
words
the
ancient
people
understood
that
who
you
are
today
!
and
why
you
are
the
way
you
are
today
it's
not
because
of
your
own
achievements
it's
all
because
of
God's
providential
plan
putting
you
in
your
specific
families
putting
you
in
the
areas
that
you're
living
in
because
no matter
how
talented
and
hardworking
you are
if you're
living
the
12th
century
under
the
bubonic
plague
you're
not
going
to
get
anywhere
and
you've
got
to
realize
and
think
back
to
your
own
bias
about
the
fact
that
there's
so
many
chance
encounters
that
you
had
to
go
through
so
many
sacrifices
that
your
families
had
to
go
through
so
many
ways
and
circumstances
that
God
had
to
a
second
aspect
to
lasting
joy
not
just
that
God
is
the
source
of
all
good
there
are
three
phrases
here
that
we
should
focus
on
the
first
phrase
is
the
toil
with which
one
tolls
under the
sun
that's
the
first
phrase
and
the
second
is
the
few
days
of his
life
that
God
has
given
him
and
the
third
is
this
is
his
!
let's
just focus
on
those
!
the
toil
and
the
few
days
of
his
life
and
this
is
his
lot
right
so
notice
what
the
book
is
reminding
you
of
suddenly
here's
what's
good
here's
how
you
get
joy
remember
that
you
ought
to
accept
the
toil
that
you
have
under
the
sun
because
you
have
a
few
days
of
life
and
this
is
your
lot
what
does
that
remind
you
of
you
have
only
a
few
days
in
this
toil
and
sweat
and
hard
work
and
you're
only
going
to
have
a
few
days
because
you're
going
to
die
and
this
is
your
lot
and
by
the
way
something
is
your
lot
it was
given
to
you
right
something
is
your
lot
this
is
my
lot
I've
got
to
accept
it
what
does
it
remind
you
of
Genesis
chapter
3
verse
19
doesn't
it
right
when Adam
and Eve
had
fallen
right
before
Adam
and Eve
ate
of
that
fruit
and
the
serpent
tempted
them
what
did
God
say
if
you
ate
of
this
fruit
you
shall
surely
die
and
Adam
and Eve
listened
to the
serpent
and
they
ate
of
the
fruit
and
what
happens
did
they
die
they
didn't
die
even
though
God
had
every
right
to
kill
them
right
there
and
there
in
accordance
with
this
word
they
didn't
die
what
did
God
say
to
them
after
killing
the
ram
and
covering
them
in
their
nakedness
what
did
God
say
here's
your
lot
from
dust
you
came
and
to
dust
you
shall
return
and
out
of
the
sweat
of
your
brow
you
shall
toil
in
other
words
the
relationship
that
you
have
with
this
world
is
broken
now
you're
going
to
work
under
the
sun
in
hardship
and
you're
going
to
have
only
a
few
days
and
one
day
you
will
die
you
will
return
to
the
dust
this
is
your
lot
this
is
your
lot
right
you
see
what's
the book
of
the
book
of
the
book
is
reminding
you
here
today
that
Adam
and
Eve
have
any
rights
to
come
before
God
and
say
to
him
after
God
have
pronounced
!
you
see
we
like
to
think
to
ourselves
again
as
autonomous
self-made
people
walking
around
in
this
life
and
the
reason
why
we're
so
disappointed
the
reason
why
we're
so
existentially
in
misery
all the
time
is
because
we
walked
around
in
life
perceiving
ourselves
not
as
sinful
criminals
on
death
row
but
as
princes
who are
pure
and
innocent
and
little
saviors
walking
around
so
we
walk
around
!
thinking
to
ourselves
what
do
I
deserve
how
are
people
treating
me
am
I
getting
what
I'm
due
am
I
getting
what
I'm
entitled
to
because
we
like
to
think
as
princess
walking
around
but
what
if
what
if
we're
not
little
princess
walking
around
what
if
we're
criminals
on
death
row
living
under
plural
capital
what
if
instead
of
princess
being
entitled
to
something
we're
actually
criminals
who are
supposed
to
die
and
yet
under
the
sun
and
we
have
to
consider
looking
back
upon
the
fact
that
we've
fallen
and
we're
looking
back
now
and
we're
saying
to
ourselves
I've
received
my lot
and I
should
have been
dead
long
ago
but
here
I
am
alive
you
know
what
that
does
to
you
you're
going
to
be
like
the
character
the
main
character
in
Les Mis
Jean
Beljean
right
who was
a
criminal
under
death
penalty
and
then
could
John
Beljean
ever
look
up
to
him
and
say
how
dare
you
just
give
me
a
bowl
of
soup
I
want
some
chicken
I
want
some
meat
you
gotta
shower
me
now
too
no
if
we
understand
we're
not
princes
entitled
to
something
but
rather
we're
criminals
living
on
death
row
living
a
few
more
days
of
our
lot
that
God
in
his
gracious
mercy
had
given
to
us
then
we
would
realize
that
everything
is a
gift
we're
here
living
on
borough
capital
and
everything
is
a
gift
of
God
so
this
is
how
the
text
closes
in
verse
19
closes
chapter
5
everyone
also
to whom
God
has
given
wealth
and
possessions
and
power
to
his
toil
to
accept
his
fight
and
rejoice
in
his
toil
this
is
the
gift
of
God
that's
the
key
that's
what
kills
entitlement
and gives
you
an
utter
sense
of
gratitude
and
wonder
to
everything
you've
ever
had
you're
realizing
now
that
everything
you've
ever
had
here
is
not
just
from
God
but
it's
actually
a
gracious
gift
from
God
everything
but
friends
you
know
especially
in
the
deep
testament
every
time
you
hear
that
something
is
a
gift
of
God
there's
a
particular
other
gift
that
you
have
to
be
reminded
of
there's
a
greater
gift
and
here's
my
third
point
than
the
gift
of
God
or
the
fact
that
you're
continually
alive
the
fact
that
God
sustains
you
in
his
mercy
there's
a
greater
gift
than
the
gift
that
is
given
Ephesians
chapter 2
verses
8
to
9
here's
the
amazing
thing
friends
you
see
in
Ephesians
chapter 2
verses
8
to
9
and
10
the
apostle
Paul
tells
us
the
greatest
gift
of
God
not
simply
of
the
fact
that
we
are
now
living
under
borrowed
capital
as
sinners
in
front
of
a
just
and
holy
and
merciful
God
but
here
he
tells
us
of
another
grace
another
gift
verse
8
9
and
10
some
of
you
probably
know
this
by
heart
for
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
through
faith
and
this
is
not
your
own
doing
it
is
the
gift
of
God
not
a
result
of
works
so
that
no
one
may
boast
for
we
are
his
workmanship
created in
Christ
Jesus
for
good
works
which
got
prepared
beforehand
that
we
should
walk
in
them
here
is
the
greater
gift
friends
greater
than
your
life
right
now
greater
than
the
wealth
and
riches
and
everything
you
enjoy
today
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
through
faith
and
this
is
not
your
own
doing
it
is
the
gift
of
God
what
is
a
greater
gift
friends
what
is
when
Adam
and he
fell
and you
and I
had
fallen
with
him
we
were
infected
by
sin
right
!
God
didn't
simply
just
give
us
this
borrowed
capital
this
remaining
time
for us
to live
here
today
but
rather
he
came
in
and he
entered
into
the
flesh
and he
lived
under
the
sun
for
you
and
for
me
and
friends
the
one
who
had
no
toil
entered
into
this
world
under
the
sun
so
that
he
might
toil
not
his
own
toil
but
the
sinner's
toil
the
sinner's
lot
he
took
upon
himself
because
friends
even
though
you
and
I
might
die
you
and
I
are
not
going
to
die
under
the
wrath
of
God
because
someone
else
did
and
you
know
what
happened
with
Adam
and Eve
when
Adam
and Eve
sinned
against
God
and God
killed
them
immediately
what
did
God
do
he
killed
an
animal
in
their
place
he
clothed
in
nakedness
what
did
God
do
in
other
words
what
is
God's
!
greater
gift
there
he
provided
not
just
life
and
breath
and
clothing
but
he
provided
a
substitute
and
a
substitute
should
cause
you
to
ask
the
question
how
can
the
blood
of
an
animal
cover
the
sins
of
naked
and
fallen
man
and
the
answer
now
is
here
isn't
it
here's
the
greater
gift
friends
that
substitute
was
pointing
to
the
greater
gift
of
salvation
which
is
in
Christ
Jesus
here's
a
man
who
had
no
lot
given
to
him
who
entered
into
our
toil
under
the
sun
and
he
worked
the
work
that
we
should
have
worked
died
the
death
that
we
should
have
died
worked
the
righteousness
that
we
couldn't
owe
for
ourselves
and
he
rose
again
on
our
behalf
so
that
he
would
become
your
substitute
here
today
this
is
the
gift
of
God
that
no
one
may
boast
the
one
who
never
!
So now
we're not
just
living
in our
toil
with a
sense
of
the
mercy
of
God
that
he's
given
us
some
more
time
to
live
and
enjoy
this
life
and
to
work
with
our
hands
now
we
have
a
second
motivation
we're
toiling
not to
prove
ourselves
anymore
or simply
toiling
out of
mercy
no
we're
toiling
with
the
power
of
God
himself
in
Christ
Jesus
he
was
not
just
our
sacrifice
he
was
also
our
power
so
we
cannot
go
back
now
away
from
Sunday
until
Monday
and be
reminded
today
that our
deepest
toils
was really
taken care
of by
Christ
on the
cross
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
and
it
is
not
for
yourselves
it
is
from
God
let
us
pray