Love Worth Finding

Adrian Rogers: Sometimes they tell us that youth is for fun, middle age is for work, and old age is for God. That's not true. Man, every age is for fun, work, and God. But if you're young, live it up. Don't tell these kids, "Why don't you grow up?" No, no. Learn to rejoice. Never let anybody take the childhood out of your heart. There ought to be a little boy in every man. Learn to rejoice.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Love Worth Finding. The book of Ecclesiastes reveals life as a complex mystery. And as acclaimed pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers said, "History may tell us what, science may tell us how, but neither tells us why." Yesterday, in part one of this message, we learned that God, in His infinite wisdom, makes life a mystery to draw us to Him.

Apart from God, wisdom, wealth, and work are all meaningless. In spite of its mystery, though, God urges us to live with enthusiasm and joy. We cannot let our problems make cynics out of us. There are going to be some hard times. We would be foolish to not enjoy the good times. But how can we rejoice in every season? What do we have now that King Solomon did not when he wrote Ecclesiastes? With part two of "It's Time for You to Get a Life," here's Adrian Rogers.

Adrian Rogers: Now the book of Ecclesiastes is the journal of King Solomon. Now King Solomon had everything. I mean, you talk about a man that had everything? Listen, folks, he had power, he had popularity, he had prosperity, he had prestige, he had pleasure, anything his heart could desire. And yet it was a washout for him. He learned how to have a living but not a life. He was drawing his breath and dying at the same time.

And I think that if he had been living today, somebody might say to him, "Hey man, get a life." Now what you have here in the book of Ecclesiastes is his journal and his record of some of the perplexities that he had, some of the mistakes that he had. And I want you to learn now about the life that we need to live, the life that God wants you to live, as we are in this series of messages of a lifestyle for the last days.

First of all, I want you to see what I'm going to call the complex mysteries of life, if you will. Again, verses one and two, "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." He said, "I can't figure life out. Life is a puzzle. Life is a mystery." And every thinking person knows that it is.

And I'm going to tell you a secret: God engineered it that way. Did you know that God does not want life to make sense to you? That may surprise you. But God, in His infinite wisdom, makes life a mystery. Now He did that not because He doesn't love us, but because He does love us. And God knows that if you and I, in our wisdom and ingenuity and sagacity, could figure it all out, we would never come to Him. If we could find meaning apart from Him, we would never come to Him. And so this vanity, this confusion, this mystery is a tool that God uses to draw us to Him.

History may tell us what, science may tell us how, but neither tells us why. Now what I'm trying to say is that the answer, friend, is not in these things. The more a man learns, the more he realizes he doesn't understand. Bertrand Russell said, "Philosophy proved a washout for me." You see, apart from God, God has engineered that your life is going to be meaningless.

Look down in chapter 2, verse 14. "The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness." It is much better to be wise than it is to be a fool. "And I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all." Now here is a man who looks where he's going, here is a man who lives with sagacity and perspective. Here is a fool, a happy-go-lucky. But notice, "I perceived also that one event happeneth to them all."

"Then said I in my heart, 'As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, 'That also is vanity.' For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? As the fool."

Here is a man who goes off to school, he studies and studies and studies and studies. He gets a PhD, he learns all of these things. He walks this way, his eyes are in his head. Here is another guy, he couldn't care less, he doesn't do anything. And they both somehow get through life, they die, they go to the ground, and they're both gone. Solomon says, "What happened to all this knowledge? Down into the dirt, it's gone, gone, gone." He's saying, apart from God, wisdom is meaningless.

He's saying apart from God, wealth is meaningless. Look in chapter 6, verses 1 and 2. "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. This is vanity, it is an evil disease."

Remember when you were young, you couldn't afford anything but beans and rice, but you had a cast iron stomach? And now you can eat prime rib, but the doctor won't let you. Isn't that amazing? That's what Solomon is saying. And so somebody else eats the things that you have worked for. He's saying, apart from God, wisdom is meaningless. Apart from God, wealth is meaningless. Apart from God, work is meaningless.

Look in chapter 9, verse 11. "I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." You would think that if a man is wise, if he works hard, if he does so and so and so and so, that he's going to be wealthy and if a man isn't, he's not going to be wealthy. But Solomon said, "Don't forget time and chance."

Maybe you've got boocoos of money. Maybe you, Madam Gotrocks, Mr. Moneybags, you say, "Boy, look what I did." Time and chance. Time and chance. There are people there in the Sudan that have got more brains than you have, but they don't have the time and the chance that you have.

And there's some people who just, hey man, they fell into it. Sammy could hardly make a C in school. But they had the class reunion about 15 years later. Sammy came up in a car so long he had to have a hinge to get around the corner, wearing incredible clothes, all big diamonds on his fingers and everything. They said, "Sammy, where'd you get all that dough? How'd you do that, Sammy?"

He said, "Well," he said, "you know," he said, "I found out that I could make a deal for a dollar and sell it for two dollars and everybody wants one." And he said, "I just sold them. I keep selling them." He said, "You know that 2% really adds up." Sometimes people who are not too bright do real well. Sometimes people who are very smart don't do that well. What he's saying is, you're not going to figure it out. Apart from God, wisdom is meaningless. Apart from God, wealth is meaningless. Apart from God, work is meaningless. You will not get it figured out. Those, my friend, are the complex mysteries of life.

Now I want you to see, secondly, I want you to see the challenging adventure of life. Do you think I'm trying to make you a cynic? No. Beware lest you become cynical. Now look, if you will, God tells us that life is an adventure and you need to live it with enthusiasm and joy. Just because you can't figure it out doesn't mean that you're not to go through it with joy. I'm going to give you a number of verses in a hurry and I'm going to read them and I want you to jot them down if you want to.

Ecclesiastes 2:24, "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God." Eat and drink and enjoy things.

Look if you will in chapter 3, verses 11 through 13. "He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. It is also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God."

Notice Ecclesiastes 3:22, "Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own work; for that is his portion."

Look if you will in Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verses 18 and 19. "Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God."

And Ecclesiastes 9, verse 10 says, "And whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." God says, "Look, this is life. Get with it. Enjoy it."

Now He's not talking about "go eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die." That's not what He's talking about. But He is saying, don't drop out. He's saying, don't get cynical. Don't get bitter. Attack life. If God has given you things, enjoy it. Jesus did that. Jesus lived life to the fullest. The Bible says of Him, "Thou hast anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows."

Jesus was not some sanctimonious religious recluse. Little children loved to come and sit in His lap. They crucified Him because they called Him a wine-bibber and a glutton. Of course, He was not. But Jesus was a man who enjoyed life and He enjoyed life to the fullest. And that's what you ought to do. Jesus had a life full of zest.

Now let me tell you how to live life. Remember this: God is good. The devil wants you to get a warped view of life. God is good, so live life joyfully. Ecclesiastes 2:24, "There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw that it was from the hand of God." Chapter 3, verses 12 and 13, "I know that there is no good in them but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his labor and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God."

Now even if you are bewildered and perplexed and you have problems and you will have problems, don't let it make a cynic out of you. Friend, when you go to lunch today, eat your food and enjoy it. You go to work tomorrow, enjoy your job. You're married, enjoy your wife, enjoy your husband, enjoy your children, enjoy your grandchildren, enjoy your friends. Attack life and squeeze all of the juice out of life that you can. It is the gift of God. Stop wanting a better life and enjoy the life that you have.

Chuck Swindoll said, "Have you ever noticed a man never earns enough, a woman is never beautiful enough, clothes are never fashionable enough, cars are never nice enough, gadgets are never modern enough, houses are never furnished enough, food is never fancy enough, relationships are never romantic enough, life is never full enough?" A wise man said, "To whom little is not enough, nothing is enough."

God has blessed you. Friend, if you don't enjoy life, not only is it a shame, it's a sin. The Bible says, "This is the day the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." There are going to be some hard times and because there are going to be hard times, you're a fool if you don't enjoy the good times. I mean, they're two tracks. Enjoy the good.

Now, since God is good, we should live joyfully. Since God is sovereign, listen, we should live confidently. Look in chapter 3, verse 14. "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him."

What does that tell us? God is in control. I have a motto on my desk. I look at it almost daily. It says, "Adrian, trust Me, I have everything under control." Now, it may seem vain to you, but it is not vain to God. Remember our verse in Romans 8, verse 20, "For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him that hath subjected the same in hope." And then verse 28, "And we know that all things are working together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose."

If it doesn't make sense to you, that doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to God. God is sovereign. If you cannot understand God's ways, you can know God's heart. Somebody said, "When we cannot trace His hand, we can still trust His heart." God is God, let Him be God. But remember, God is sovereign and God is in control. And not a blade of grass moves without His permission. That's what Solomon is teaching.

Dr. Einstein, Professor Einstein, was absolutely brilliant. He came up with the theory of relativity. They say only 12 men have been able to understand it. I can't vouch for that. I don't know who the other 11 are. Somebody asked Mrs. Einstein, "Do you understand the theory of relativity?" She said, "No, but I understand Dr. Einstein." You see, you can know Him. You don't have to know what He does. God is good, so enjoy life. God is sovereign, so live life not only joyfully but confidently.

And then thirdly, God is holy, so live life reverently, reverently. Look again, if you will, in Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses 13 and 14. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, and every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

You live life joyfully and you live life confidently, but you do not live life recklessly. Remember, God is watching. Life, friend, is a complex mystery. Life is a challenging adventure. Life is a comprehensive test. Life is a test. You're here to be tested. Everything's going to come into judgment.

Look again, if you will, in verse 13. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment." Three things and I'm going to finish.

First of all, you learn to rejoice. Learn to rejoice. Look if you will in Ecclesiastes 11:9, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."

Are you young? Live it up. Sometimes they tell us that youth is for fun, middle age is for work, and old age is for God. That's not true. Man, every age is for fun, work, and God. But if you're young, live it up. Don't tell these kids, "Why don't you grow up?" No, no. Learn to rejoice. Never let anybody take the childhood out of your heart. There ought to be a little boy in every man. Learn to rejoice.

But he says, know this: He's not saying live high, wide, and handsome. He's not saying young people sow your wild oats. That's not what he's saying. He's saying have the joy of the Lord, but remember, God is watching. Play by the rules. God's laws do not restrict us; they liberate us. Learn to rejoice.

Number two, not only should we learn to rejoice, but we need to learn to rest. Look if you will in verse 10. "Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh." The word sorrow there in 11, verse 10 actually is vexation and it comes from two words that mean anger and resentment. Get the anger out. Get the resentment out. Get the bitterness out. Learn to rejoice and learn to rest. And you can't rest with anger and resentment. And if you're full of anger right now, get on your knees, get rid of it. Ask God to take it out. And that resentment.

And then learn to remember. Learn to rejoice, learn to rest, learn to remember. Remember now, chapter 12, verse 1, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, 'I have no pleasure in them.'" To remember doesn't mean to call to mind. It means to honor, to obey, to serve. Remember God. That's what it's all about.

Hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God. Friend, listen, life is a mystery, life is an adventure, and life is a test, and it's soon going to be over. Now Solomon lived before Calvary. Everything that he wrote is by divine inspiration, but we know some things he didn't know because we have the New Testament. We have an understanding that even Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, did not have before he died.

Karl Barth was a brilliant theologian. Toward the end of his life, he took a trip. It was the trip of a lifetime. He traveled in the continents, he went to the great cathedrals, he went to the great universities, he lectured, he preached, he studied, he taught, he interchanged ideas with the doctors of law and philosophy and theology. It was a fitting climax to the life of a man who'd been a brilliant scholar.

He came back home. This man who'd seen it all was in a classroom with other younger men there. And there was a time of questions. A young man lifted his hand and said, "Dr. Barth, in all of your travels, in all that you've seen, what is the most profound thought you have ever had?"

The old man smiled and he said, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." What is life all about? Jesus said, "I have come that ye might have life and that ye might have it abundantly."

And apart from Him, friend, it is vanity of vanities apart from Jesus. If you're not saved, God brought you here today to get saved. And I tell you, I promise you on the authority of the word of God, God will save you today. I mean save you, make you over anew. It's a miracle if you'll trust Christ. Would you pray a prayer like this?

"O God, I am a sinner and I'm lost and life is a mystery I cannot solve. But Lord, I know that You are in control and I know that one day I'll face You and I want to be right with You. Jesus, I believe You're the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross and paid my sin debt with Your shed blood. I believe the Father raised You from the dead. I trust You, Jesus. Come into my life, forgive my sin, save me, Jesus."

Pray it from your heart. "Save me, Lord Jesus." Did you ask Him? Then thank Him. Say, "Thank You for doing it. I receive it by faith and that settles it. You're now my Lord, my Savior, my God, my friend. Thank You for saving me. Begin now to make me the person You want me to be and give me the courage to stand for You." In Your name I pray, Amen.

Guest (Male): Well, we want to give you the chance to stand for Jesus and let us know if you made a decision to follow Him in faith just now. If you can, go to lwf.org/radio and click the tab, "Discover Jesus." You'll find answers that you may need about your faith as well as a response section. You can share your decision with us, ask for prayer, or tell us how this message spoke to you. Welcome to God's forever family. Please let us hear from you today. Go to lwf.org/radio and click "Discover Jesus."

Hi, this is Cary Vaughn and this program has been brought to you by Love Worth Finding, a nonprofit ministry showcasing the powerful preaching and teaching of Pastor Adrian Rogers. We operate solely through the generous gifts of individual supporters just like you. To give a gift today, call 1-877-LOVEGOD, that's 1-877-568-3463, or write to us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38-600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. You can also connect with us online by going to lwf.org/radio. There we offer helpful resources inspired by the timeless teachings of Pastor Adrian Rogers. Additionally, you can sign up for daily emails, donate to the ministry, and learn more about how to become an ambassador of the Word. Thank you so much for listening today. Be sure to join us next time for more profound truth simply stated, right here on Love Worth Finding.

Guest (Female): We loved hearing feedback from this young woman who took one of our online courses, "How to Deal with How You Feel." She commented, "I absolutely loved this course. I loved the self-paced style and how easy it was to navigate. I took so many notes during the course that I can't wait to share them with others."

Guest (Male): Well, at Love Worth Finding, we are committed to equipping you with the timeless truth of the Gospel in each stage of your walk with Christ. And when you give a gift to the ministry this month, we'd love to send a copy of our book, "Reconciliation with God." Throughout time, human beings have asked essential questions about origin, purpose, and destiny. This first book in the "Timeless Truth" series provides thoughtful answers to these crucial questions straight from God's Word. Request a copy of this resource when you call us at 1-877-LOVEGOD or you can go online at lwf.org/radio. And thanks for your generous support of Love Worth Finding.