There are times in this life when sorrow rolls over us and peace is far away. There are times when our sin is ever before us. The phrase, “Are we having fun yet?” is a sarcastic remark that permeates pop culture. Usually, when we ask this question, we are feeling the exact opposite. “Are we having fun yet?” may have, in fact, made a good title to some of the chapters in the book of Ecclesiastes. Many of the issues we find in the wisdom literature still exist today.
Solomon recognizes times of trouble, times of sin, times of conflict. He sees much around him that is without endurance and without foundation. He sees that we live in a broken world where bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. We see twisting of justice. We see a lack of fairness. It is not life itself that is unprofitable or vanity. Rather, vanity comes from living to the world’s standards of success and happiness. Successful jobs, praise from others, material possessions, pushing boundaries – none of these things fulfill man’s purpose nor provide enduring contentment.
Seeking the Next Fix
We grow dull and desensitized to those things that give us joy and excitement. Solomon begins looking for pleasure in chapter 2, but that is not enough. He then moves on to building great works – houses, gardens, parks, pools, etc. Verse 7 then transitions to material possessions. He has servants, flocks, silver and gold. It begins with him seeking pleasure, and he moves on time and again to the next fix. By verses 10-12, Solomon indulges in any and every joy he sees – whether wise or foolish.
By chapter 2:17-20, all of this brings him despair and dissatisfaction. He seeks pleasure in this life, regardless of the source. Hebrews 11:24-25, in the context of Moses’ life, speaks of the pleasures of sin, yet the writer calls these pleasures seasonal. They are temporary and transient. Moses recognizes this and chooses God. While we acknowledge the ability of sin to deliver pleasure and satisfaction, but what long-term gains come from it. Romans 6:20 calls sin freedom from righteousness, but verse 21 asks what the point it, though, when the end of that freedom is destruction.
Discovering True Contentment
Can respect, honor, dignity, and love come from living in sin? Paul says no – shame and death come from sin. Are we having fun yet, while we continue to distance ourselves from God? Returning to Ecclesiastes 2, however, Solomon sees hope. In verses 22-24, he sees that one can enjoy life in this broken world while acknowledging God and keeping Him in perspective. Chapter 5:18 reinforces this idea of enjoying our possessions and labors in gratitude to God. Chapter 8:12 reminds us that those who do good will do well before God. He concludes in chapter 12 by admonishing us all to remember our Creator and to live our lives for Him.
Solomon recognizes that striving after fulfillment in this life ultimately results in vanity. No matter how we try to ignore it or run from it, we know eternity awaits us. Many aspects of life lose meaning without God. Without Him, all these pleasures and achievements are mere distractions that will leave voids needing to be filled again and again. Are we having fun yet? Perhaps that is the wrong question altogether. Paul asks of the fruits of sin, but he offers hope in Romans 6:22-23. We are free from sin in Christ’s sacrifice, and he concludes where Solomon concludes: serve God. We can enjoy the things of this life, but we have meaning and contentment when we acknowledge the temporary nature of this world. In serving God and obeying Him, we can enjoy life and find peace in a broken world.
lesson by Tim Smelser
And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers.
And Jesus said unto them, “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
And straightway they left the nets, and followed him. And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him (Mark 1:16-20).
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, “Follow me.”
And he arose and followed him (Mark 2:14).
For Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi, it seemed like a usual day. They went to work as they always had. Everything was normal. The fishing for Simon, Andrew, James, and John was probably little different than usual. Levi probably had a usual day at the tax booth.
And then, out of nowhere, everything changed.
They had, no doubt, heard of Jesus of Nazareth, and the mighty works which He had done. They would have heard the whisperings and suggestions: is this the Messiah who is to come? Are God’s promises finally coming true? The prospect was, no doubt, exciting. But these were simple fishermen and a tax collector – what could the Messiah want with them?
And yet, here He is – and He summons them. He tells Simon and Andrew that He will make them fishers of men. He summons James and John and Levi with a clear and simple message – follow Me.
The call was uttered, and it was heard – what would these men do? Simon and Andrew have their own fishing business. James and John work for their father. Levi is the one manning the toll booth. They have responsibilities – Levi to Herod, James and John to their father, and Simon, if to no one else, his wife (cf. Mark 1:30). How would they survive? What about those for whom they are responsible?
These and perhaps other questions might have been on the minds of these five men. Yet notice their decisive actions– they get up and follow Him. Simon and Andrew leave their net as it is. James and John abandon their work to their father and his hired servants. Levi rises and leaves, perhaps leaving the toll booth empty. There is no hesitancy here and no looking back. The Lord has summoned them, and they follow the call, no matter where it may lead them.
Jesus would ultimately die on a cross for the forgiveness of sins, be raised in power on the third day, and ascend to the Father, where He now rules as Lord (cf. Matthew 26:29, Acts 1:1-11, Acts 2:38). His summons now goes out to every person on earth through His Gospel: follow Me (cf. Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16, 1 Timothy 2:4)!
The call has been uttered. Do you now hear it? You may stop and think about all of your obligations, all of the things that you may hold dear on the earth, and consider the many possible difficulties and dangers of the life of a disciple of Christ. You are not alone in those concerns. Nevertheless, we ought to have the same faith as Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi. We should rise up immediately and follow Jesus!
Jesus may not be calling you to leave your occupation, family obligations, and other such things as He did to these disciples, but He does call you to set aside the ways of sin and death in order to be conformed to His image, walking the path that He walked (Romans 6:1-10, Romans 8:29, 1 John 2:6). That will require leaving behind our old ways of thinking, our old attitudes, and many of our old habits. That will more likely than not be uncomfortable. It certainly requires faith.
Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi took that fateful step of faith on that day so long ago, and in earthly terms, many of them would pay dearly for it. Simon and James would eventually die for the cause of Christ, and John would suffer persecution for Jesus. Their eternal reward, however, far outweighed the difficulties they experienced on earth (Romans 8:18), and that same reward can be ours if we will take a similar step of faith.
Jesus calls you to follow Him. Will you renounce the ways of the world and serve Him today?
lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry
In Mark 9, the gospel writer records an encounter Jesus has with a possessed boy. His disciples had been unable to cast the unclean spirit out, and, in verse 20, the spirit reacts violently to being in Jesus’ presence. Jesus replies that all things are possible to one who believes, and the father of this boy pleads with Jesus, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” So many times, in prayer and in study I remember these words. Despite our faith and trust in God, we all struggle with times of unbelief.
Strengthening Faith
There are a couple of things we can do to perfect our faith in the face of unbelief.
- Romans 10:17 says that our faith comes through exposure to God’s word, and James 1:22-25 makes it clear we have to live that word for it to take hold in our lives.
- James 1:6 encourages to pray in faith, not allowing doubt to toss us around. Also, chapter 5:15-16 testifies to the power of sincere prayer.
We can increase our faith through greater knowledge, greater application, and a more active prayer life. How often do any of us pick up our Bibles or bend our knees? We schedule our lunches, our appointments, our dates, and our other activities. We should also have time set aside to talk to our God and to study from His word. The more time we spend in the presence of God, the less time we have to walk contrary to His will.
Abraham’s Example of Faith
In Genesis 15:6, God accounts Abraham’s faith to righteousness, and James 2:23 uses similar language in referring to the events of Genesis 22. Abraham, though, demonstrates many examples of faith prior to Genesis 15 or 22. What James is explaining is that the events of Genesis 22 is a culmination of the faith he demonstrates prior to that near-sacrifice.
Despite this faith, Genesis is replete with examples of Abraham falling short. He struggles with his faith. He stumbles in sin, but he presses forward. The overall direction of his life is typified by faith. We, as sons of Abraham, can be as faithful despite our weaknesses and doubts. His faith produces righteousness and overcomes those shortcomings. Can the same be said of us? Is our trust and confidence in God when it counts the most? Are we able to give control over to our God? While imperfect, Abraham lives in obedience and faith, and God declares him righteous because of that faith.
Conclusion
Read God’s word. Apply it. Spend time talking with God. Set aside time to remember God in our lives, and He will help our unbelief. Will God count our faith unto us as righteousness? We believe in our God and Father, may we allow Him to help our unbelief.
lesson by Tim Smelser
That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
The past two hundred years have been a blur of technological development. Few are the aspects of life that have not been radically altered by recent innovations. Automobiles and airplanes have entirely changed how we transport ourselves and goods. The telephone, the computer, and the Internet have changed how we communicate with each other and how we are able to work. Heaters, air conditioners, stoves, ovens, microwaves, washers, dryers, and other forms of electronic equipment have made the daily activities of life that much more efficient. Advancements in medicine and science have led to better quality of life and a more enhanced understanding of the world (and the universe) around us.
When seen in terms of the whole of human history, all of these advancements have come in the blink of an eye. Ways of life that existed for hundreds or thousands of years have been irretrievably changed. These changes and advancements have led most in society to take an overly optimistic and rosy view of human potential. This has led to the myth of progress – the idea that our advancements in the arts and sciences are making us into wiser, better people than our ancestors.
In fact, we have become downright snobbish about ourselves. Consciously or unconsciously, we believe that we are superior to our ancestors. We judge all things by the standard of our own belief systems and cultural prejudices. We think and/or speak rather patronizingly about our ancestors: “they did not know any better.” “They did not have x or y technology that we have.” “We have come to a better understanding of these things.” In short, all of these statements betray the idea that we think we have progressed so far in the past few generations and thus we are superior. That which was accepted in earlier times was “primitive” or “old-fashioned,” and those terms are not used affectionately! How many young people out there believe that their parents are ignorant fossils – after all, isn’t 2009 so radically different and more advanced than, say, 1979 or 1989?
But there is an uncomfortable question we must consider: are we really progressing? There is no doubt that we are becoming more technologically sophisticated. No one will argue against the idea that our technology is allowing us to have a better understanding of the world around us. But does that mean that we as a species are really moving forward?
Despite all of this advancement over the past two hundred years, people in 2009 are still asking the same questions as their forefathers did in 1999, 1899, 1499, and 99. Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life? Why do people suffer? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does evil exist? You would think that if we have really advanced so much over the past few hundred years that we would have made some progress on these questions. Yet the range of answers given are little different from those presented by the Greeks 2400 years ago or the Israelites 3000 years ago.
Furthermore, what are the moral challenges of our day? They do not involve people engaging in “ancient superstitions” as much as the same moral hazards that humans have suffered for generations. Drunkenness remains as much a problem today as was in Solomon’s day (cf. Proverbs 20:1). The pain and misery that results from adultery and other forms of sexual immorality is acutely felt today as it was in previous days (cf. Proverbs 5:3-14, 6:23-35). Divorce ruins homes like it did in the past (Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:9).
We may not want to admit it, but our technological advancements have not led to that many moral advancements. In fact, our technological advancements have highlighted human tendencies toward sin. Computer technology was harnessed early and often to peddle pornography. Advancements in healthcare give excuse for a lack of self-control and self-discipline in dietary habits. Humans still hate each other, desire to hurt each other, and kill each other, and now get to use more sophisticated technology to kill more people more effectively.
As it has been said, “the more things change, the more things stay the same.” The Preacher is right: there is nothing new under the sun. He is not arguing that people cannot discover new technologies or learn new things. He is simply stating a truism: in matters of existence, each generation follows after the past generation, and there is little real advancement. We can see clearly that despite thousands of years of human wisdom accrued by experience, each generation still has to go out and make many of the same mistakes as their fathers. And just as their fathers pleaded with them and warned them, so they will plead with and warn their children, and will likely have the same result!
Ever since the Tower of Babel, humans have wanted to believe that they are going up (cf. Genesis 11:1-4). In reality, humans are the same as they have always been. They are the fallen creation of God who require His love and mercy to be esteemed (cf. Romans 5:1-18). Let us keep a proper view of ourselves, and look to God who knows best!
lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry
The prayers of little children are quite revealing in their innocence and their frank honesty. One such prayer is, “Dear God, let the bad people be good and the good people be nice.” How true this is in a world where things God would consider good are held as bad and upholds evil as good. In our lives, we have two choices – between good and evil – and God reminds His people time and again of this choice in various ways, between life and death, between good and evil, between righteousness and unrighteousness.
This choice begins in our hearts. Proverbs 3:3, 4:4, 4:21, 6:21, 7:3 – these verses and more in that book of wisdom point out the importance of our hearts. Jesus would later say that the contents of our hearts are revealed in our lives. The condition of our hearts determines the conditions of our lives, and those decisions will dictate the paths of our lives.
The Paths of Good and Evil
Proverbs 4:19 parallels living in sin is like stumbling in the dark. Chapter 13:9 says those who live this way have knowingly put their lamps out, and Proverbs 12:21 warns that these will be filled with trouble. Chapter 10:28 and 11:19 cautions that living in evil brings misfortune and death. God’s word makes it clear that ungodly living leads to a life of trouble and misdirection.
In contrast, Proverbs 11:19 and 21:21 claim the righteous obtains life. Chapter 4:18 says the path of the righteous is as the dawn’s light, making their path clear. Proverbs 10:28 calls the hopes of the righteous joyful, and chapter 29:6 states the godly may sing and be glad.
Understanding Our Choice
Children have a pretty clear understanding of choices. They know the difference between making good choices and bad choices. We’ve read of the path presented by two choices, and the worth of each path is very clear. Not only does Proverbs make these differences clear, but the New Testament clearly reinforces this principle.
- Romans 6:23 contrasts between the consequences of sin and the mercy found in Christ. The writer of Hebrews says He is the author of salvation to those who obey Him.
- Galatians 6:7-8 admonishes us to not fool ourselves into thinking our actions do not bear consequences. We choose between spiritual life and death.
Consider the direction of your life today. Can you sing and be glad in the Lord, or are you stumbling in darkness? In Deuteronomy 30:15 records Moses telling the people that they have two choices – goodness and life or evil and death. He calls heaven and earth as witness to their choices, and he challenges them to choose life. We have the same choice today, and that choice begins in the heart.
Matthew 5:8 blesses those who are pure of heart, for they will see God. Will our hearts be calloused to God’s word, or will we tenderly submit to His will and choose the life of His salvation?
lesson by Tim Smelser
