VANITY OR IT
IS NOT IN VAIN
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Philippinap
2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Introduction:
We
read two different phrase or words from the mouth of two people concluding the
last days of their life. One
said all is vanity while the other one said it is not in vain.
They
were both believers of God. They were both preachers. They also both labored – but why a different
ending?
Life
has a purpose. The Bible says we are wonderfully created by God – and every
creature has his purpose, and not only we are created by God but the Bible says
we are bought with a price… God came to earth physically two times for us!!! Therefore
not only we are created but our creator bought us.
We
are precious. We are valuable in the sight of God – that is why we have a purpose. And you can only
glorify God if you live according to His purpose why He bought you with a
price.
Vanity
means emptiness or something unsatisfactory, void or
nothing – is that your price?
You
are wonderfully created and then your creator bought you! What a precious
valuable thing in the sight of God – BUT the sad thing is that many of us here
tonight will conclude at the end of their life all is vanity!
Why
because the intended purpose in your life did not happen – You can only live a
meaningful life if you live according to His purpose. And that’s the only life
that will glorify God -
Every
decision we made make us closer or farther to your God’s intended purpose….
The
book of Ecclesiastes written by King Solomon at the later days of his life is
one of the most difficult book to understand…but if not of this Book we will
not really know what would bring a life given wholly to selfish gratification
and lasciviousness would really bring.
In
this book: Vanity – 29, vain – 1, vanities – 3 = 33 times.
This
word was mention by the wisest and richest man ever lived on earth – King Solomon.
First
and last chapter Ecc. 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity
of vanities; all is vanity. Ecc. 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is
vanity.
While
on the other hand –
The
book of Philippians was written by Apostle Paul while he was in prison. He was
a person who always said in his many epistles the phrase “it is not in vain”. -
1Cor. 15:10, 1Cor. 15:58, Phil. 2:16, 1Thess. 2:1.
He
was not rich. He has no house built he can called his home. He has no kingdom
to rule. He was greatly persecuted, malign, unloved by his friends and country
man. Many times his life was in danger. Many times he found himself in either
prison cell or in dungeon. His last home before he was martyred by beheading
was the severest kind of imprisonment. But he always uttered the phrase “it is
not in vain”…
Both
the writers knew God. They were both Bible writers and preachers. The
other preach with wisdom the while other lived what he preached.
They
both labored. The other started humbly but turn out wrongly as his life ended,
the other started a proud religious man but later on he was converted.
They
are both old and almost at the end of their life as they wrote these books.
But
why they wrote differently as they concluded their life?
The
other said “all is vanity” while the other said “it was not in vain”
I. Their Life In
Comparison –
The
other lived selfishly the other lived for God and for others.
King
Solomon lived a life of exuberance and luxury - His unequalled learning was
renowned throughout the East. In every
kind of temporal prosperity he was preeminently favored. His unquestioned dominion extended from the
Euphrates to the "river of Egypt;" and unto other neighboring
countries.
He
accomplished David's purpose by erecting a temple with the utmost
magnificence. Many other important
public and private works were executed during his reign. He established a lucrative commerce with
Tyre, Egypt, Arabia, India, and Babylon. He was the wisest, wealthiest, most honored,
and fortunate of men.
Solomon has the life
everybody wants to become. A dream fortune, wealth, wisdom and fame – yet he
concluded his life – EMPTY…
Because not unless
you used your life to glorify God – which is the purpose why God created you
and why He bought you with a
price you will live in vain…EMPTY. Restless and unsatisfied.
Happiness in life is
not based on fame and fortune nor by human wisdom and wealth but happiness is
happen when you become what God wants you to become.
How
about apostle Paul?
2Co 11:23-27 “…in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five
times received I forty stripes save one.Thrice was I beaten
with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I
have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils
in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among
false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and
thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
Apostle
Paul lives a life with a death sentence to himself. He said I die daily.
The secret of
happiness is death to self. The secret of a miserable life is to live
selfishly.
He
said “to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
John 12:24 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it
abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit
King
Solomon lived in search of wisdom and folly. He lived a life of experimentation
of the leisure and pleasures of this world. He lived in fame and extravagant
yet unsatisfied life.
While
apostle Paul promotes a life of faith and of godliness and contentment. A life
of grace and sacrifice for the cause of Christ which he was committed.
King
Solomon experienced all the things this world can give – leisure, pleasures,
extravagance, material things, etc. But still EMPTY – vain, nothing….
Matt. 6:19-20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal:”
How you lay treasures
in heaven? (Heavenly Account)
a.
If you labor for God – God won’t forget it
b.
The souls of men – more than the wealth of the whole world
Happiness in life is
not based on fame and fortune nor by human wisdom and wealth but happiness is
happen when you become what God wants you to become.
Not unless you will say “not my will but your will be done” we cannot
find rest and satisfaction in this life….
What is you life? It is
just a vapor – very short. We should not used this short life in our endless
endeavors and experimentation. But we should use this to glorify Him.
Illus. The watch however beautiful it is if it does not tells a
time it is useless.
Many Christians wants to
gain material and beautiful things of this world but the question – are you
sure 100% that is God’s purpose in your life? Is that what God pay for you? Is
that why God created you?
Only one life will soon be
past only what’s done for Christ will last.
But
if you chose serve the Lord of Lords and King of Kings you can conclude at the
end of your life it is not in vain!
What
is your life? And how do you end it? It is God’s purpose why He created you and
why He bought you with a price?
What
hinders you to serve God? Material things, health, wealth or fame?
Apostle
Paul died beheaded at about sixty five years of age while King Solomon became King at the age of about twenty and died after he reign for forty years. A total about sixty years old.
II. Their Labor in
Comparison
-
One labor for self, the other labor for other.
Both
of them said they laboured.
King
Solomon built the greatest and grandeurest kingdom of Israel. Read the first 2
chapters of Ecclesiastes – it talks about all his accomplishment. (See also Chron. 2:4-9).
But
King Solomon labored for himself. He always boasted of his accomplishment, glory
and fame.
While
Apostle Paul labored for others. 2Cor.
11:23 “Are they ministers of Christ?
(I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above
measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.”
Church
historians told us that apostle Paul helped or established more than 50 local
churches. Yet he always said "I am the least of all the apostles.. I am the chief
of all sinners… and I am what I am by the grace of God."
"...Not
I but Christ that liveth in me."
Apostle
Paul has no personal interest in all his doings but always to give God glory
and for others – not for himself.
Because
that was his purpose and he was not disobedient.
That’s
why at the end of his life he was a happy man saying “it was not in vain”
Great
and popular names who built a name for themselves did not end their life
happily.
Voltaire
was not a happy man. Charles Darwin was not a happy man. Elvis Presley, Michael
Jackson, Marilyn Monroe very popular and rich persons but they died not a happy
person.
Why?
Because they all labored selfishly.
We need to consider
that when God created us and when He bought us there is a purpose. And we need
to labor to attain that purpose… else, all is EMPTY! And vain…
Many
great and popular personalities, just like King Solomon said “all is vanity” at
their death bed – simply because they lived a selfish kind of living – a life
of greed and covetousness.
There
is no single person who lived in this world selfishly and become happy.
But
we can also read the biography of David Livingston – missionary to Africa.
George Mueller – the great founder of orphanage in England. Allan Brainerd –
missionary to American Indians. Adoniram Hudson – missionary to Burma. Hudson
Taylor – missionary to China, whose 3 wives died and 5 children. John Paton –
Missionary to New Hebrides (a land of cannibal) whose wife died of
childbirth. And among others who live a life of sacrifice both
physical and emotional but these people as you read their biography concluded at
the end of their life “it is not in vain”.
Why?
Because they lived and labored with a purpose – They know why God created them
and why God bought them with a price - for others.
Luke 10:2 “The
harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few:”
Why only few laborers
– because only few knew that they are bought with a price. And only few knew
their real purpose.
And many Christians
at the end of their life and at the judgment seat of Christ they will say I
laboured in vain – EMPTY handed!
III. Their Love in
Comparison
King
Solomon loved many strange women. He got 700 wives and 300
concubines. These strange women represent the world - the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - 1John 2:15-17
He
loves all the pleasures the world can offer to him – but he said in the
concluding part of his life – “all is vanity”
While
Apostle Paul was controlled by the love of God - 2Cor. 5:14 For the love of
Christ constraineth us…
constraineth - force or controlled (by God’s love)
Col
3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth…
While
Apostle Paul have none of the things King Solomon enjoyed but he said “it’s not
in vain” because as he love GOD he also felt the love of God. God knows how to
reciprocate your love towards Him.
We
love him because he first love us.
Real love forgets self. Real love
knows no danger. Real love doesn't count the cost.
Deut. 6:5 And thou shalt
love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy might.
King
Solomon had a strange kind of love while Apostle Paul found his true love.
The happiness of man
depends if he has something to do, something to love, and something to hope
for.
What
do you hope for ? what do you do? And who do you love?
Those
things determines your happiness.
Conclusion:
Do
you want to say in the end of your life “all is vanity” or “it is not in vain?”
If
you want to conclude your life with what Apostle Paul said “it is not in vain”
- Look for Christ
as our only Saviour (Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith)
- Look for Heaven
as our future. (Looking for that city whose maker and builder is God)
- Look for this
world as Failure – a sin sick wicked world – there’s nothing good on it.
And:
- Let us live a
life of faith, godliness and contentment
- Let us continuously and abundantly labor for the work of God, and
- Let us to love God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our might.
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