Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20030806.htm

ECCLESIASTES: PROVIDING A CORRECT WORLD VIEW FOR A LIFE OF MEANING
Part VI: Finding Lasting Fulfillment In View Of The Vanity Of Life's Circumstances
A. Handling The Seeming Futility Of This Life's Oppressions And Work
(Ecclesiastes 4:1-3, 4-12 with 12:13-14)
  1. Introduction
    1. We human beings must achieve in our life's work what we know is valuable, and that especially in view of the oppressions we face in our efforts; otherwise, we can easily become depressed or suicidal.
    2. To meet this need, Ecclesiastes 4:1-3, 4-12 in view of Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 contrasts the errant route to take with the true pathway toward meaningful achievement in this life (with its oppressions) as follows:
  2. Handling The Seeming Futility Of This Life's Oppressions And Work, Eccles. 4:1-3, 4-12; 12:13-14.
    1. Viewing this life empirically only with the five senses ("under the sun"), Solomon noted this life's oppressions are so bad in view of the futility of this life that it is better for one not even to be born!
      1. Solomon noted the oppressions of life when viewed with the senses yield a great harm for many, 4:1:
        1. On the one hand, Solomon saw the oppressed grieve under their burdens with none to offer adequate comfort for their sorrows of oppression, Ecclesiastes 4:1a.
        2. Added to this problem, he observed a troubling reality that those who oppressed others had the power to alleviate pain and thus comfort others, but they were not willing to do so, Eccles. 4:1b.
      2. Thus, viewing this life only with the senses, Solomon concluded those who had died had a more desirable status since they no longer experienced oppression like those still living, Ecclesiastes 4:2.
      3. In fact, since the dead had previously experienced life's oppressions, Solomon concluded those who had never been born were the most blessed in view of this life's oppressions, Ecclesiastes 4:3!
    2. Then, viewing this life empirically only with the five senses ("under the sun"), Solomon found this life's achievements in one's work are likewise futile, Ecclesiastes 4:4-12:
      1. When it is considered only with the five senses, Solomon saw all labor that achieves what man values arises out of some form of envy regarding this life so that achievement itself is futile, 4:4a,b ESV, NIV.
      2. Thus, Solomon saw the fool who lazily hurts himself by not achieving in work is empirically more blessed than the overachiever since the fool at least gains peace in minimizing the stress of envy, 4:5-6!
      3. Solomon also observed that human greed mixes with this motivation of envy in man's effort to achieve (when considered only with the five senses), causing man's achievements to look even more futile: specifically, Solomon claimed he had seen a man who was toiling to achieve much even though he had no heirs; yet, he kept depriving himself of peace and pleasure just to achieve more riches in an exercise in futility (when viewed with the senses), Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 ESV, NIV.
      4. [Accordingly, Solomon gleaned some practical lessons on man's labor when viewing life empirically:
        1. First, it is better to sacrifice some greed in business ventures by sharing one's income in hiring other workers; doing so eases the risk of business failure due to the mutual support of the workers, 4:9-11.
        2. Second, sacrificing some greed to share one's income with fellow workers offers greater protection from business competitors via the mutual support of coworkers than were one to work alone , 4:12.]
    3. In view of the futility of this life's oppressions and work when viewed only with our five senses, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 offers us God's solution as follows:
      1. Solomon's summary of Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 applies to each part of his book, including 4:1-3, 4-12.
      2. So, in view of this life's oppressions and futility of work efforts when considered only with our senses, we must "work the works of God" as we will give an account for this in eternity, Eccles. 12:13-14.
Lesson: As our oppressions and work in this life are FUTILE when noted only by the senses, and as SCRIPTURE reveals we will give an ACCOUNT to GOD at the END of life FOR our work, in faith , we must work the works of GOD in accountability to HIM regardless of the oppressions we face in life!

Application: SCRIPTURE shows (1) the FIRST "work" GOD wants us to do is to trust in Christ for salvation from sin, Jn. 6:28-29. (2) Then, regardless of the oppressions we face in the process, or the seeming futility of it all when noted by the senses, GOD calls us (a) to present our bodies to God as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2) to (b) develop the spiritual gift (2 Tim. 1:6) God gave us at salvation (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:11-13) to disciple others for Him (Mtt. 28:19-20) as He leads us (Acts 16:6-10).