Never Forfeit or Quit
Pastor Luke Walker preaches this sermon exploring Solomon's wisdom about life, death, and living with purpose in the present moment.
Ecclesiastes 9:3-6
"The hearts of the children of man are full of evil and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that, they go to the dead. But he who is joined with all the living has hope for a living dog is better than a dead lion, for the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward for the memory of them is forgotten. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun."
Outline
I. Low Quality Life - The reality of evil and madness in human hearts, even among believers. Understanding our sinful nature and the need for daily grace.
II. Living Hope - Why it's better to be alive: we have opportunity and the present moment. Like pawns on God's chessboard, we're still in the game and called to seize the day for Christ's glory.
III. Little Knowledge - Facing the uncomfortable truth that we will die and be forgotten. Solomon calls us to look mortality in the face rather than suppress this reality.
IV. Complete Loss - Everything we do is animated by love, hate, or envy, and when we die, all perishes. Our works and memories fade, which shows us the seriousness of sin.
Four Applications
I. Repent of Our Evil and Madness - Acknowledge the sin in our hearts and walk humbly before God, choosing love over hate and envy.
II. Take Advantage of Life as We Have It - Embrace the present moment and live fully in the circumstances God has placed us in today.
III. Look Death in the Hairy Eyeball - Face our mortality honestly, which leads us to trust in Christ who removes death's sting.
IV. Praise God for the Living Memory of Christ's Love - Unlike us, Jesus lived perfectly without evil, envy, or hate. His life and memory live on through Scripture and through His people.
Key Themes
⚙️ The human heart as an idol factory (John Calvin)
🌅 Living in the present moment as Jesus did
⚖️ Death as the great equalizer
👀 The superiority of being alive and having opportunity
✝️ Christ as the answer to human brokenness
📖 The living memory of Christ preserved in Scripture
This message reminds us that while our lives are marked by sin and will end in death, we have hope in Christ who conquered death and gives us eternal life. Let us live fully in the present, face our mortality with courage, and trust in the Savior who transforms our low-quality lives into something eternally meaningful.
