Well, good morning, church. It's good to see you all this morning. Would you turn with me again to the book of Ecclesiastes?
Today, we're nearing the end of the book, not quite the end. We'll do one more sermon after today, but we're near the end.
We're looking at chapter 11, verse 7, and we'll read through chapter 12, verse 7.
So, chapter 11, verse 7, chapter 12, verse 7.
So, let me pray for us, and then I'll read our text.
Father, as we come to your Word, we ask that you would give us ears to hear and hearts ready to receive what it is your Spirit is saying to us through these words.
Lord, lift our eyes to you by your Spirit. Help us to see Christ in His glory, that in beholding His glory, we might be changed more and more into His image as you intend us to be.
We pray this in His mighty name. Amen.
All right, Ecclesiastes 11, 7 through 12, 7.
It says this,
So, act one, scene three of Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
And at the climax of his speech to his son, Laertes, the character Polonius says this.
Do you remember what he says?
This above all, this above all, to thine own self be true.
Here's the sum of wisdom that Polonius wants to impart to his son.
Before his son leaves for the university, this father says,
This above all, to thine own self be true.
Now, as late moderns broaching the second quarter of the 21st century, this sort of life wisdom is the kind we've grown very accustomed to, right?
We love the sound of this.
To thine own self be true.
Who would argue with that today?
And isn't that the key to real flourishing, right?
Who wouldn't tell their son or their daughter leaving for college the same thing?
Be true to yourself.
Be authentic.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Now, the irony in Shakespeare's play is that these words come from Polonius.
Now, if you've read Hamlet, you know that Polonius is not the paragon of wisdom and a life well lived,
but he's a self-serving, meddling, and downright unpleasant bore.
You see, for Shakespeare, to thine own self be true, is actually the pompous, hypocritical, and empty advice of a man who ends up spying on his own children
and who dies hiding behind a curtain in order to eavesdrop on a private conversation.
Not exactly the sort of character from whom you want to take overarching life wisdom, right?
Now, consider how different that is.
Consider how different that is to what we've been considering this semester in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Unlike Polonius, the speaker of Ecclesiastes actually tried to live life to the fullest under the sun.
He actually pursued pleasure and wealth and wisdom and set his mind to build a lasting legacy.
He was true to himself in the deepest degree.
He lived the life most of us are telling ourselves we ought to be living.
Be authentic.
Live your truth.
To thine own self be true.
And for the most part, Ecclesiastes achieved that goal.
But what did he find?
He found that it was fleeting and it was empty.
The vanity of vanities.
And so, here, as Ecclesiastes nears the end of his exploration of life under the sun,
as he now begins to sum up the message he wants to pass on to the next generation,
the hard-earned wisdom he's won, the key to real flourishing,
his central message becomes this.
Remember your creator in the days of your youth.
It's not a message of self-centeredness or self-actualization or self-expression,
but God-centeredness.
That's the key.
Remember your creator in the days of your youth.
Now, with our time together, I want to meditate on why and how.
Why should we remember our creator in the days of our youth?
And how can we do that?
First, let's meditate on why.
Why should we remember our creator in the days of our youth?
And I think we can point to at least three reasons that Ecclesiastes has been putting up before us.
And the first is this.
Remembering our creator in the days of our youth is the only pathway to lasting joy in our youth.
And this message runs throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.
As Ecclesiastes has lived for wealth and for pleasure and for fame,
he found that it was all empty.
And then when he turned to base his life on earthly wisdom and earthly philosophy,
he found that that too couldn't provide the meaning and stability that his soul was looking for.
In fact, even the best human wisdom, which was certainly better than foolishness, of course,
but even the best of human wisdom was at the end of the day, fleeting.
It was vanity.
What does this mean?
It means that lasting joy can only be found not by living life exclusively for what's under the sun.
Instead, we must seek the one who created all these things.
Only in relationship with our creator will life have lasting meaning.
Too often we think,
I'll care about God when I'm older.
When I'm young,
I want to live.
But Ecclesiastes comes to us and says,
listen,
life apart from your creator isn't living.
It's chasing the wind.
Trust me.
I've tried it.
When Beth and I first moved to New Haven,
we would make regular trips to Ikea to get things for our apartment.
Some of you may be moved here this summer and have been to Ikea far more than you care to admit.
Right?
And if you've ever purchased furniture at Ikea,
you know that when you bring it home,
it doesn't look anything like it looks like on the showroom floor.
It comes in a flat brown cardboard box.
And when you open the box,
you don't find inside the box a nice piece of furniture all ready to go.
You basically find a bunch of pieces and parts.
It doesn't look anything like a sofa or a bookshelf.
You have to put it all together.
But thankfully,
as you shake out all the hardware and the particle board,
there's a set of instructions
with that weird nondescript guy there,
whatever his name is,
the Ikea guy.
Now,
does it make much sense
to look at that pile of parts
that you know you really want to become your sofa
and say,
who needs instructions?
When I'm young,
I want to live.
And just plunge headlong into the project.
How many hours will go by
before you realize
that you're just chasing the wind?
And come on,
in our town,
some of you are very mechanically adept
and very skilled.
But come on,
a lot of us are not that mechanically skilled,
right?
That's not what brought us to New Haven.
Wouldn't your time have been better spent
remembering
that this piece of furniture
was designed by someone
who in grace has showed you
how it all goes together?
And friends,
if that's true of a piece of furniture,
how much more true of a human life?
You have a designer
who wants to show you
how it all goes together,
who wants to show you
how life is meant to be lived
because He made it for you
as a gift.
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth.
That's the path to joy.
But let's press this point a little deeper.
What if,
in the days of your youth,
you meet not just with success
or prosperity
and all the pieces fitting together,
but with failure
or adversity?
What about when trials come?
It's easy to think
that trials and hardships
are actually barriers
to believing in God.
That adversity makes it harder
to believe in God.
And the truth is
we never want to downplay
genuine questions
or genuine doubts, right?
Ecclesiastes is a book
that welcomes questions
and doubts.
And given the fact
that Ecclesiastes
is in the Bible,
that must mean that God
welcomes your genuine questions
and doubts too.
He's put a whole book in there
so that you can know,
you can bring your doubts
and questions to Him.
But when it comes to trials
and hardships,
Scripture doesn't come
and answer all of our questions,
but it does offer hope.
If you believe that life
is ultimately
a random series of accidents,
time and matter
and energy and chance
sort of just bouncing off
of one another,
then suffering really
is meaningless.
And you have very few resources
to face it.
And probably the best you can do
is avoid it
as long as you can.
But if there is a Creator
whose good and wise purposes
are being worked out
even in the midst of trials,
then even if you don't
and can't know
all the reasons,
you can know
that suffering
is not purposeless
or meaningless.
You see,
remembering your Creator
in the days of your youth,
it won't just save you
a lot of heartache,
it will also bring you
a lot of comfort
in the midst of heartache too.
But this is not just advice
for our younger years.
Why should we remember
our Creator
in the days of our youth?
It doesn't just bring joy
in our younger years,
but second,
remembering our Creator
in the days of our youth
is what brings peace
in old age.
Look again at verse 1
of chapter 12.
Remember also your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come.
And that word evil there
can mean something like
before the trying
and troubling days come.
Before the evil days come
and the years draw near
of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them.
And then,
in verses 2 through 6,
Ecclesiastes presents
this extended metaphor
of aging.
Look over those metaphors.
Don't you see there?
Our eyesight grows dim.
Our hands tremble.
Our hearing goes away.
Our hair turns gray.
If we have any,
our strength wanes.
Scan through these verses
for yourself.
Imagine how many of these images
of a household
are pictures of human aging.
Ecclesiastes is reminding us
that a day is coming
when the vigor of our youth
will pass
and old age will set in.
And we will find ourselves
beset with many limitations.
And friend,
as you begin to age,
what will keep you
from becoming increasingly bitter
or cynical
or afraid?
as all the things
that you used to be able
to do
and all the honor
and admiration
you used to receive
from others
begins to be lost.
Ecclesiastes says,
start practicing
now
what will be
your only hope
of peace then.
Start practicing
now,
young person.
Start practicing
now
what it means
to be a dependent
creature
before your
almighty creator.
Because the days
are swiftly coming
when you will be
dependent
whether you like it
or not.
And if you've learned
to lean
on your creator
in the days
of your youth,
then old age
will be
just one
more step
on the path
of learning
to rest
in God's goodness
and sovereignty.
If in the days
of your youth
you've already
come to grips
with the fact
that your life
is not your own
but a gift
from God
that you don't
belong to yourself
but you belong
to your creator
who made you,
then old age
won't steal
your dignity
or your hope
or your peace
because you've
already learned
that your dignity
and your hope
don't come
from your independence
or your productive
capacities.
peace.
They come from
being a creature
made in God's image
bearing the image
of a holy,
good,
loving,
and excellent
creator.
And so you can face
old age
with peace
because you've already
learned
where your true
dignity
comes from.
And old age
far from stealing
it away
makes it shine
all the more.
But what if you've
already come
to the brink
of old age
and maybe you're
starting to realize
that you haven't
lived your younger
years remembering
your creator?
What if all of this
is just now
coming into view
for you?
Is it too late
to begin?
Not at all.
Ecclesiastes
aims his words
at the young
but there's good
reason to think
that he speaks
as an old man.
He came to
his realization
late in life
and so can you.
You don't need
to face
your latter years
apart from the
truth that there
is a God
who created
all things
and who created
us human beings
in his own image
to love
and know
and serve him.
It is not
too late
to come
to the deep
realization
that your life
is not
a meaningless
blip
in a silent
cosmos
but your life
is the gift
of a loving
and good God
who calls you
to himself
to know him
and to love him
and to worship him
with as many days
as you have left
and to turn
to him
in hope
that as a creature
made in his image
you were created
to live forever
in his presence.
The end of our passage
says
the dust returns
to the earth
as it was
and the spirit
returns to God
who gave it.
And this brings us
to the third reason
why we must remember
our creator
in the days
of our youth.
It's not just about
joy in our younger years
and peace
in our older years.
It's also about hope
when our years
come to an end.
You see
verses 2 through 6
aren't just
an allegory
of old age.
They are
at the same time
deeply apocalyptic
imagery
of God's
final judgment
and reckoning
of creation.
When the sun
and the moon
and the stars
are darkened
and all the earth
is silenced
before the creator
when he comes
to judge the earth
in perfect justice
see in those images
and hear in those images
resonance
of what the prophets
spoke of.
When in deeply
symbolic language
they talked about
the creator
coming back
to his creation
and his glory
being so weighty
that even the stars
fall from the sky
and we stand
before the one
who is awesome
in holiness.
Friend,
imagine facing
that day
having lived
your whole life
for wealth
or pleasure
or fame.
Imagine facing
that day
having lived
your whole life
for wisdom
or knowledge.
Imagine facing
that day
having lived
your whole life
even for morality
and good works
but not having
lived them
for God
your creator.
Imagine facing
that day
when the creator
finally calls
creation to account
and realizing
that you've
lived your whole
life
using God's
good gifts
but having
given no thought
to him
the giver
but instead
having
functionally
rejected him
in your heart.
What will you
and I bring
to God
on that day
when he calls
our lives
to account?
Remember
your creator
in the days
of your youth
before the sun
and moon
and stars
give way
and before
the picture
is shattered
of the fountain
before the creator
returns
to reclaim
his creation
in perfect
judgment.
As C.S. Lewis
said in that
memorable part
of mere Christianity
he said
that won't be
the day
for choosing
sides
it will be
the day
when it is
revealed
whose side
you are
truly on
and on that
day it will
be no use
saying that
you choose
to bow
before God
when in fact
you are
unable
to stand.
But how
can a creature
stand
before the creator?
Because after all
we humans
are not just
creatures
are we?
Beautiful
in his image
yes
but we are
not just
creatures
we are
sinners.
In light
of that
how
how should
we remember
our creator?
we have seen
why we need
to do it
but now
we need
to consider
how
how do
we remember
our creator?
And here
the Bible
gives a
somewhat
surprising
answer
because you
know the
natural human
response
seems to be
well if we are
going to
remember our
creator
then we have
to lift
our thoughts
up to God
we have to
somehow
seek
God above
we have to
climb up
out of our
mundane existence
somehow
someway
get to God
and many
religions will
offer you a
path for
achieving some
sort of
transcendent
connection
some kind of
path that you
can climb
but Christianity
is very
different
Christianity
says you can't
actually climb
your way to
God
not through
moral efforts
not through
spiritual
practices
you and I
are creatures
finite
limited
we can't
traverse the
distance
between our
finite existence
and God's
infinitely
holy
presence
but more
than that
we're sinners
we're flawed
and fallen
there's no
way we can
get from us
to God
the only
hope
we have
of remembering
our creator
and being in
relationship with
our creator
is if the
creator comes
down to us
only if the
creator
remembers us
will we have
any hope of
remembering him
and that
friends is
exactly
what the
earliest
Christians
believed
and proclaimed
had happened
in the
person of
Jesus Christ
the creator
had come
to us
listen to
what the
apostle Paul
wrote about
Jesus
during the
lifetime
of the
eyewitnesses
of Jesus
ministry
Paul writes
this
when there
were plenty
of people
around
who lived
with Jesus
and knew
Jesus
and walked
with him
and could
testify to
him
Paul writes
this
he says
Jesus
Christ
is the
image
of the
invisible
God
and the
rightful
owner
of all
creation
because
by him
all things
were created
in heaven
and on
earth
visible
and invisible
whether
thrones
or dominions
or rulers
or authorities
all things
were created
through him
and for
him
and he's
before all
things
and in him
all things
hold together
what did
the eyewitnesses
of Jesus's
ministry
see
they saw him
heal the
sick
and they saw
him restore
sight to the
blind
and they saw
him cause
the weak
to walk
again
and they
saw him
calm storms
and cast
out demons
and they saw
him even
raise the
dead to
life
who could
do such
a thing
who could
exercise
such complete
control
over the
material
of the
created
order
both seen
and unseen
friends
it was not
without
evidence
that the
earliest
Christians
proclaimed
Jesus
to be
one
with
God
the very
creator
of all
things
the one
through whom
and by whom
all things
exist
but look
again
at that
evidence
and what
do you
see
you see
the broken
made whole
and you see
chaos
restored
to order
you see
frightened
fishermen
brought peace
in the midst
of a storm
you see
death
pushed back
and life
restored
you see
these mighty
deeds
that Jesus
did
were not
just
evidence
that Jesus
was the
creator
although
certainly
that
but that
he was also
the redeemer
that he had
come to
heal
the broken
creation
he'd come
to reconcile
sinners
to himself
and to
do
supremely
what only
God
could do
forgive
sins
and how
would the
creator
forgive
the sins
of his
creatures
this way
on the cross
Jesus
underwent
that divine
judgment
that sinners
deserved
so that we
sinners could
receive the
perfect righteousness
that Jesus
deserved
and so this
really is
the only
way
to remember
your creator
rightly
and fully
we must
look
upon the
face of
Jesus Christ
crucified
and risen
for in
Jesus Christ
our creator
lived among
us and we
have seen
his glory
glory as
of the only
son from
the father
full of
grace and
truth
and in
Jesus Christ
crucified
and risen
our sins
can be
forgiven
only in
his work
can we
face
death
and judgment
with hope
because he
died and
faced that
judgment
for all
who turn
from sin
and trust
in him
you see
friends
the good
news
of the
gospel
is that
when we
had rejected
and forgotten
our creator
remembered
us
and he
came and
he lived
among us
accomplishing
everything
necessary
so that
we might
repent
and be
reconciled
to him
and so
now
remember
your creator
and your
redeemer
Jesus Christ
the Lord
remember
him
now
live for
him
now
why would
you chase
after the
wind
when the
one who
commands
the wind
and the
waves
calls you
to follow
himself
with as
many years
as you
have left
whether you
have many
earthly years
ahead of you
or whether you
have more
earthly years
behind you
the reality
is there is
an eternity
to come
so remember
your creator
don't live
another day
without making
him
the center
of your
thoughts
and your
affections
and your
desires
and your
goals
live for him
with all
your strength
and when
your strength
then begins
to wane
and when
your years
in this
earthly
pilgrimage
come to
an end
then may
we hear
well done
good and
faithful servant
enter into
the kingdom
of your
father
let's pray
holy spirit
we pray
that you
would come
and help
us to do
what this
passage
is saying
we must do
to turn
our hearts
to our
creator
lord
there's so
many things
that crowd
our minds
and our hearts
so many fears
so many
distractions
so many
worries
jesus
come and be
the prince of
peace in our
midst
open our
eyes to see
you as the
only trustworthy
one
that we might
follow you
and live our
days knowing
that we've been
forgiven
and that we
might know
the joy
and the peace
of following
you
in our
young age
and in our
old age
pray this in
jesus name
amen