26th March 2024

26th March 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 9v1-6)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


There are currently around eight billion people on this planet and all of them are unique. Did you know that there is no one in this world with the same fingerprints as you? Humans come in all shapes and sizes with a wonderful diversity but nevertheless, humans are united by the fact that they will all know death.


There is a famous phrase that says in life only death and taxes are guaranteed but that’s not strictly true. Some people never pay taxes and others do their very best to avoid them. This isn’t the case when it comes to death. Every human is guaranteed to die. We can do all we can to avoid death but we will never outrun it.


Solomon understood this completely. Every person’s life is in the hand of God (v1) and regardless of how they live, each one of them will die. Humans walk a multitude of roads. They choose love or hate, righteousness or wickedness whilst some worship while others don’t (v2). But each one will experience the same event of death (v3).


It has been this way since the first man and woman rebelled against God and it will be this way until Christ’s return. Indeed what makes death even worse is it’s finality. Solomon declared that the dead know nothing and soon they are remembered no more (v5). It doesn’t matter how they lived, death brings an end to their love, hate and envy with the dead playing no further part to life under the sun (v6).


What a bleak picture! No wonder we find Ecclesiastes a difficult read! Yet even in the grim shadow of death there is hope. As far as the wise King was concerned a living dog was in a better position than a dead lion (v4). In Solomon’s day dogs were vermin and nothing like your modern precious pooch. The lion on the other hand was a fearsome beast who rightly earned the title “King of the jungle” Even so, a living dog has more hope than a dead lion or in human terms even the most wretched person has more hope than a dead king. How so? Because while there is breath in a body, there is room to call upon the Lord.


Ecclesiastes can be a tough and uncompromising read but while we often prefer “fluff”, Solomon gives us meat. Death cannot be avoided but the wise person prepares for their inevitable demise by doing business with the Lord. The one who repents of their sin and puts their faith in Christ will not perish but have everlasting life. Tragically whilst all will die, not all will believe the Gospel. Ensure that you are not on the wrong side of the Lord. Remember you will die and in turn, remember Jesus.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q103 What do we pray for in the third petition? In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” we pray, that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.
​