Ecclesiastes: When Life Isn't Fair

ECCLESIASTES SERIES THREE

WHEN LIFE ISN’T FAIR

PASTOR GLENN BARTEAU

1/28/07

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(Hook)

“The Original Three Little Pigs” Well, in the original 3 little pigs, the wolf blows

down the straw house and eats the pig, he goes to the wood house blows it down

and eats the little pig… all the kids are crying… and the little pig who built house

out of brick is left all alone for the rest of his life – No one likes that story…

So when Disney did the remake… all the pigs make it.

~ We like Disney’s version better… because it’s fare… we want life to

be fare… but, what the problem with that? – Life’s not fair…

The Injustice Solomon Observed

1st The Judicial System

Ecc 3:16

And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—

wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

Duke Lacrosse team three of these players have been dragged through a nightmare of being

charged for terrible crimes. And now it comes out that for a long time the District

Attorney had DNA evidence that cleared the boys but he kept it from the Defense.

(Quote) Robert Frost - “A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the

best lawyer.”

2nd Death was unjust

Ecc 3:18-19a

I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they

are like the animals. Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate

awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other….

3rd Oppression

Ecc 4:1-3

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the

sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power

was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter

Casa Grande this past Friday, a little girl is just trying to get a ride to school w/ her mother’s boyfriend.. who turns out to be a sexual predator, He kidnaps her and assaults her

4th & 5th Government Officials & Taxies

Ecc 5:8b-9

… for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The

increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields

I figured that we didn’t need to read the verses to know these two are true…

They’re self explanatory

Q: How do we handle life when it unjust or unfair?

Application

1. When you see Injustice, Don’t be shocked. It is in the nature of mankind.

Ecc 5:8a

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do

not be surprised at such things;

Q: Symbol of justice? “It’s the woman blindfolded holding a set of scales. That’s a problem… - It just means she can’t see the lawyers cheating.

Julie I raised a pig for the county fair in High School. You raise the pig, take it to the

fair and then sell it. After I sold it I had to call a butcher. This was a little hard for

my sister. She became the advocate for Blanco. Pleading that we could keep all

250 lbs of Blanco as a pet. The Butcher gave us the choice of coming out on

Tuesday or Thursday… and of course Julie was the advocate of Thursday… give

the poor little pig an extra 2 days of life…. “Please wait until Thursday…

Julie went down visit Blanco on Monday… well, Blanco became a little testy and

bit Julie… This was deep betrayal… the girl who campaigned for his continued

life… His defender, champion, advocate… and he bit her…

Julie came in the house with the single statement… butcher’em on Tuesday…

(that pig bit the wrong little girl)

~ When you see injustice in this world – you don’t have to like it… don’t be

passive about it… just don’t be shocked by it.

2. Don’t give in to Injustice – be a difference maker.

Remember the first time: You’re parents said… “If you’re friends jumped off a

cliff, would you jump off too?

Q: Why do you think you’re parents said those words to you… for the same reason you told you’re children… for the same reason your children will tell your

grandchildren… It’s become a kind of American legacy thing.

The everyone’s doing mind set.

• 
  The IRS has cheated me… therefore, I can cheat them

• 
  My boss is always being manipulative… Therefore it’s justifiable to cut some

• corners… do some things that undermine my boss.

• 
  My employees don’t work hard enough; therefore it’s alright to take

• advantage of them.

My spouse doesn’t treat me right, so I’m not going to treat him/her right.

Instead of giving into the unfairness of this world… take a completely different

tact. Make a difference. Be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Matt 25

Jesus encourages us to be difference makers for those marginalized in life…

struggling or hurting… In fact, when you minister to one of them… Think of it as

ministering to Jesus… Because he loves the hurt of this world.

Steve S

My elder Steve Shell is a good friend and one day he invited me to work on a

Habitat for Humanity house. I spent part of a day working on the house.

Roger

Roger is in the Middle East ministering to pastors and Christian leaders facing

incredible injustices, terrible opposition… (We had an entire team over there)

Small Group Every other week the women in our small group get together to have dinner or coffee… to talk

This past week while they were having coffee they noticed a bad smell. What in the world is that smell… What they didn’t realize, was it was the lady sitting behind them. She was homeless, embarrassed, and apologetic. At that point they had a choice… They could have gone on… If it were the men in our Small Group… we probably wouldn’t have done anything… we lack the empathy, but mostly we wouldn’t have noticed the smell.

But in the moments that followed they talked with this lady, they bought her

dinner, something to drink. It was a cold night and Lisa gave her the sweater off

her back… But most of all they didn’t shun her… they just talked with her for a

little bit… It was an offering of dignity.

Worship dept

Love to Go – Every month our worship team is leading out to minister.

Helped to provide bibles to an orphanage in Africa

Delivered cold water to downtown Tucson on a hot Sunday afternoon

Had a party for 19 homeless children of the Grace Home

Provided over $300 in gift cards to homeless families (extended to the

congregation)

Collected diapers for a new family

• You can do this. We can all be difference makers. There not one way to do this.

Encourage your Bible Fellowship to do this.

Organize a community service project.

• 
  Send a handful of people from your BF on a mission trip.

• 
  If you ever want to be apart of what our Worship dept is doing in any given

• month… give us a call, and join us.

i.e. Kathi Stafford… has a passion for this… describes how God has greatly blessed

her in her leadership to bless others… the same will happen for you.

Be a difference maker.

T>> The constant call of scripture is for people to gain a greater view of life. To open

our hearts and minds to a context that reaches into the spiritual realm.

3. Allow God to draw your heart into his heart

You know this is a point at which Solomon struggled. He was an analyzer… He

struggled to trust God when he did not understand.

Q: The question is: What do I do when I don’t understand… or When my sense of

justice, or my sense of right & wrong is so violated… that God feels distant I

can’t just turn it off, and go “oh well, that’s life… boy do I love Jesus.”

Rev 2:8

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came

to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I

know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a

synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. (this is

serous… but it’s NOT about pain avoidance) I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,

Promo SW

(The last two weeks of February we are going to have a short two week series on

Spiritual Warfare)

“… and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point

of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear

what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all

by the second death.

** I wish Solomon in all his wisdom could have heard and embrace John’s

insights.

Rev 2:11a

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says…

John uses this phrase over and over in the first part of Rev. He calling us to open

our heart and mind into connection with God.

Prayer

• 
  It’s Moments to think on God.

• 
  To ponder how God might be interacting in the events of out lives.

• 
  Moments to relax… push back the cares of this world… even for a few

• moments… to ponder spiritual things.

• 
  Time to communicate a fear or concern to God… that dominates our

• minds.

• 
  It’s moments to feel the encouragement of God through a passage of

• scripture.

• 
  The opportunity to express deep emotion of fear, anger or pain…. A

• kind of unloading…

• 
  Moments to slow down and sense what the Bible calls the still small

• voice of God.

  
  

Q: This is something we can all do… Take a little time… and don’t turn on the TV,

or computer… don’t dive strait into the rush of your day…

Go for a walk, sit in a chair, even while we’re driving to the next appointment.

Prayer Q: The Bible has a word for what I just described… what is it? (prayer)

Too often we think of prayer as something I’m “supposed to do” like taking out

the garbage, picking up dirty laundry… “It’s time to change the oil in my car.”

But that is not how the Bible ever describes prayer.

I hear too many Christians who think of prayer as a mundane or arduous task

that’s some sort of spiritual duty… “It may not be fun, but just suck it up and put

your time in…”

~ The result is we talk about prayer more than we actually pray.

(ILL)

I might be a little crazy, I might gag a few theologians… they’ll cough up long

words formed from combinations of Latin words… but here’s how I’ve really

begun to see scripture describe prayer

~ When Jesus described the kingdom of God he never said this is what it is…

rather he painted pictures of it by saying the Kingdom of Heaven is like…

i.e. Prayer is like going out to dinner with close friends… where you just stay and

don’t want to go. Because you enjoy their company and you know they enjoy

your company… You know they want to be with you.

~ You never worry about what you’re going to say… There friends… You simply

soak in the time.

i.e. Prayer is like time w/ a warm cup of coffee early in the morning… that settles and

centers you… because it’s your moment by yourself… a moment to live outside

the tyranny of the urgent.

i.e. It’s like a child who finds the arms of mom or dad after they’ve smashed a thumb.

~ It feels like their world is falling apart… but there’s one place they want to be…

in the arms of mom or dad.

That’s what prayer is like… The Bible never describes prayer as a duty or good deed… it’s something we’re blessed to have.

This past Friday I had dinner w/ close friends… it was a gift… I looked forward

to it all day, and I missed it when it was over.

• In scripture prayer was something people turned to in times of fear or need.

• In scripture prayer of a gift of being heard by God

• It was something spiritual men & women bathed themselves into to connect

  with life in the Spiritual realm.

• Never to earn a great status on the righteous meter…

  
  

Friends,

You have a gift… it’s prayer… it’s your chance to connect with God… To allow

Him to draw your heart into his… He’s listening w/ arms wide open.

Aliens

Rev 2:10b

“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

I’m not really into crowns… I don’t think John’s listeners were into crowns…

that’s not the point.

Crown represents a kind of reward… something good beyond imagination is

coming… BUT ITS NOT FOUND IN THIS WORLD.

• When he says be faithful… he asking us to hold onto a particular perspective

about life.

Under the Sun

Solomon uses the phrase “Life under the sun.” again, and again…

He’s referring to this universe we know. The things that can be analyzed, tested,

measured, and quantified.

Solomon’s struggle put another way is: He thought of this world as home.

4. Don’t think of this world as your home

1 Peter 2:11

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world

Friends We are aliens in this world. Our home is in heaven, in the spiritual world. This

place will not last… we are just passing through.

BUT… all the cares, and injustices and problems of this world cloud my vision of

the life to come…. If I’m not careful I forget… I forget I’m an alien in this world.

I forget my home is with God…

• Prayer connects me to a spiritual reality that contradicts life under the sun… and

reminds me that… my home is not in this world, but in heaven.

Megumi Yokotas (Japanese girl kidnapped in 1977)

This past year a documentary was made about a Japanese girl who was kidnapped

when she was 13 on her way home from badminton practice.

For years, and years they didn’t know what happened until a North Korean

defector told of 13 children kidnapped to help train spies better understand

Japanese culture. In 2004 President Bush put enough pressure on the North

Koreans to admit what happened. Their little girl was dead now. But they sent her

ashes to the parents along with several photographs of her in her 30’s. Christian

author Philip Yancey knew the parents and remembers how parents coveted the

pictures… and asked: “Did she remember her home? Did she remember she was

Japanese and not a North Korean?”

One of her captors told how she called for her mom again, and again. Spoke

of how she never gave up badminton… she even taught it to her captors, because

it was her connection to her really home.

That was the hope and cry of her parents. That she would never forget

home… that no matter what the North Koreans said… that she would remember

she was Japanese… that she had parents and a home.

Prayer reminds me that I have a home in heaven… in good times, and bad

times… I am still an alien in this world.

I must not forget that I am a child of God.