“Faith in the promise gives life to the precept.” –Charles Bridges
Dear church family,
Is there a possible connection between Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 and living the life of faith that Christ calls us to? Yes, but let’s start with the text from Ecclesiastes:
Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. (Eccl. 11:1-2)
These verses recommend a life of bold risk, of diversified interests, and of incredible charity to those who are less fortunate. Regarding charity and good deeds, Stanley Greidanus noted, “Scholars have found a similar proverb in Egyptian wisdom literature. It reads like this: ‘Do a good deed and throw it in the water; when it dries you will find it.’ It may look like the good deed has disappeared in the water, but when the water dries up you will find it again.” (270) Amazing ancient wisdom, and yet, can we find this type of life embodied in a person? The answer is yes. As we noted on Sunday, the wife of excellent character both diversifies her business interests and takes care of the needy. Here is a portion of her description:
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Proverbs 31:14-20)
But how does this relate to the follower of Christ? I want to conclude with a sizable quote from the excellent pastor, Philip Graham Ryken:
There are ways to apply this sound financial advice to the spiritual business of God’s kingdom. Qoheleth’s [the Teacher] concern, writes Michael Eaton, is “that the wise man will invest everything he has in the life of faith.” Rather than holding on to what we have, hoarding it all for ourselves—which is the error that the man with one talent made in a parable that Jesus told (Matthew 25:24–28)—God invites us to be venture capitalists for the kingdom of God. This is not exclusively or even primarily about money. It is about having the holy boldness to do seven (or even eight) things to spread the gospel and then waiting for God’s ship to come in.
Some of the things that we attempt may fail (or at least seem to fail at the time)—some of the ministries we start, for example, or the churches we plant, or the efforts we make to share the good news of the cross and the empty tomb. But we should never stop investing with the gospel in as many places as we can. Whenever we engage in kingdom enterprises, we offer the Holy Spirit something he can and often will use to save people’s souls.
[Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2010), 256.]
Dear church, may you live this week with a gospel generosity and with great faith knowing that some of what we sow in time will result in a harvest unto eternity. Have a blessed week and we will see you on Sunday.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale
