Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 “Measuring Pleasure”

INTRO> Right after I had graduated high school, I had bought a car, was working for my brother and living with him until I started college. I had asked for an advance on a paycheck to help float me for a little while. One day he asked my to buy a calendar and to meet him at his office. He began to ask my about my car payment, my expenses and then the loan that he gave me. He walked me through the month and when we got to the last day of the month he turned to me and said.. “Craig… you an’t got no money.”

CONTEXT> My brother was teaching me a valuable lesson, a life lesson, how to manage money. In a way Solomon is doing the same thing with us today. He is the older, wiser and wealthier person, he is sitting us down and teaching us some very valuable insights. Now a few things:

1. Solomon is qualified to talk about money. In a recent study, they ranked the wealthiest people who ever lived according to todays standards. Solomons estimated net worth would be somewhere around 2.1 Trillion dollars. 1 Kings 10:14
2. The Bible talks about money a lot and so does Jesus. The statement is true that Jesus taught on money more than any other subject. If I were to use Jesus preaching as my schedule, I would speak on money once a month.
3. Money isn’t bad, the love of money is. “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10 This is a warning to PASTORS! Which is why some of you have been burned when it comes to church and money. Money is personal, emotional and spiritual.

• “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21 *ILL> Jerry Mcguire! Show me the money!!

Big Idea > Money is a way to measure where I find pleasure.

APP> I absolutely have to give credit where credit is due. Dr. David Jeremiah broke this text down in such a beautiful way in his book, “Searching for Heaven on Earth” pg 125-127. We will see 1) What we need to know about Money 2) What we need to know about God.

1. What we need to know about Money:

1. The more we have, the more we want. v10 “he who loves money will not be satisfied.” Again remember this guy is writing from experience, he is saying, listen… there isn’t “the perfect amount”. Why? Remember what he said in chapter 3, “He has also placed eternity into man’s heart…” 3:11 APP> There is no perfect amount.
2. The more we have, the more we spend. v11 “When goods increase, they increase who eat them…” Again, Solomon was a King he knows this to be true.. Im sure when he ascended the throne he found out about all the “new cousins” he had. *ILL> Did you know that 70 percent of people who win the lottery go broke within 3-5 years!
3. The more we have, the more we worry. v12 “the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep…” I wonder if Solomon is remembering “the good ole” days when he didn’t have much. Do you ever do that? *ILL> The Dave Ramsey Group says that finances are the #1 cause of divorce and stress in marriages, Also Psyhcology today reports that your financial health is almost a direct correlation to your mental health.
4. The more we have, the more we lose.v13-14 “grievous evil.. riches were kept.. riches were lost” It’s very interesting, Solomon says there was 2 ways to lose your money. 1)Through Greed. v13 “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” Proverbs 11:24 2)Then through a bad investment. v14 “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” Proverbs 13:11
5. The more we have, the more we leave behind.v14-17 “just as he came, so he will go.” We know this to be true, but it is a good reminder for us. We don’t take any of this stuff with us. APP> Solomon is reminding us again, live with the end in mind!

Big Idea > Money is a way to measure where I find pleasure.

2) What we need to know about God:

1. God owns everything. 6:10 “already been named” Solomon is using ancient wisdom here, to name something means that you have authority over that, ownership. APP> Ownership vs Stewardship
2. God gives good gifts. “God has given…” When you realize that your life and your wealth is a gift of God, it takes the pressure off of you. It doesn’t depend on you.
3. God gives us the ability to enjoy those gifts. 6:2 “God does not give him the power to enjoy..” Remember, the gift is suppose to point us to the giver. God wants us, all of us. APP> You will never fully enjoy anything in life until you see past the gift to the giver.

APP> You can either worship money or you can worship God with your money but you can’t do both.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

APP> Christians budget with a calculator in their hand, and a cross in their heart.