Life Is A Gift, Enjoy It
05 SEPTEMBER 2021 | TRADITIONAL SERVICE
Rev David Ho
Scripture Passage: Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 (NIV)
WATCH | SERMON (VIDEO)
READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary | The tapestry of life comprises the sweet and the sour. When we choose to see the good and not just the bad, to delight in what we have and not despair over what we don’t, we can still see a world of beauty and live life joyfully and fully.
The passage contemplates death. Verses 1-6 emphasize the certainty of death, while verses 11-12 note the unpredictability of life. Meanwhile, as part of the chiastic structure, verses 7-10 focus on enjoying the gift of life fully. It is precisely because death is certain and life is unpredictable, that we must live life to the fullest (v9). The Christian life is more than just merely existing. We are called to fulfill the destiny that God has for us in Christ.
There are seven references to enjoying life in Ecclesiastes. The call is most urgent and elaborate in Chapter 9. There are five imperatives - to go, to eat, to drink, to enjoy and to do.
In grappling with the meaning of life, the Teacher’s call to live life to the fullest shows that he is not anti-life. We are to value the gift of life that God has given us. Amidst the depravity of the world, sin has not cancelled out the goodness of God’s creation. God is not against us, He is for us, and He is for joy.
Enjoy God’s gifts with thanksgiving. (v7-8) – We are to go eat with joy and drink with a merry heart and be grateful for what God has provided. In Genesis, God provided the first humans with an abundance of food for their enjoyment. Let us adopt a posture of gratefulness for what the Lord has given us. Instead of being disheartened and disgruntled, the teacher reminds us to be thankful and joyful people.
Exalt the gift of marriage and community. (v9) – Scripture upholds marriage as a God-instituted covenant. Life is short, love your husband/wife and family. Squandering our lives on fleeting pleasures and self-gratification inevitably leads to brokenness in families and lives. The Teacher calls us back to God’s framework of joy to be found in marriages and community. In the New Testament, joy is also found in the church which is our new spiritual family.
Embrace the call to work. (v10) – We are to wholeheartedly undertake the work entrusted to us by the Lord. God had put Adam to work before the fall. Work exists not because of sin, but because it is integral to who we are as the image-bearers of God. We need a purpose in life, the divine assignments that God has for us. By loving, caring, blessing, offering a listening ear or compassion to others, there is joy to be found. God gives us true joy and peace regardless of our circumstances.
Because of Christ, we need not live a life of futility, but can have peace, joy and restedness. Food, drink, garments we wear, family and friends, work are all good gifts from the Lord. They are but a foretaste of a greater feast that is yet to come.
Let us live our lives with joy, knowing that the Lord is with us as we go forth to light up the world with His joy and glory.
(Sermon notes by Denis Koh)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. On a scale from 1 to 10, how would rate your ‘enjoyment’ of life (or contentment in life) presently? Share your reasons.
2.1 Read Ecclesiastes 9:1-6. What is the ‘evil’ in verse 3 that the Teacher is referring to? Why do you think the Teacher is so outraged by this ‘evil’? Do you agree with him?
2.2 What insights about death can you glean from verses 1-6 that might give you greater urgency to cherish the blessings of life today?
3.1 List down the ‘imperatives’ that the Teacher makes to his readers in Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 i.e. Go, Eat, Drink, Let, Enjoy, Do!
3.2 Discuss the underlying attitudes and priorities that they encourage. To what extent do you agree that practicing them would help you to enjoy life more fully?
4. Consider and discuss how you may apply the imperatives in Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 in your personal context, so that you may grow in your enjoyment of life.
5. Is there anything that is hindering you from experiencing the joy of life more fully? Are the issues more internal or external? What are some steps that you can take so that you may experience more joy and contentment in your heart?
6. Take some time to count your blessings, and to give thanks for what the Lord has blessed you with.