Subject: Ecclesiastes #2 - How to Waste Your Life Title: Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll: How to Shorten Your Life Text: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

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1 Subject: Ecclesiastes #2 - How to Waste Your Life Title: Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll: How to Shorten Your Life Text: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 Ecclesiastes 1:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 1

2 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. Bulletin Blurb The key to Ecclesiastes is that a man is too big for this world. What Dr. Pierson was saying is that God made man for more than anything this world is able to provide. Man comes right from the factory with a yearning and desire for something more or something else. It is quite common for man to attempt to fill that more space, the void within, with several attractive options: money, position, relationships, status, and the like. Last week we stated that Everything is never enough! Of course, in man s quest to waste his life it is only reasonable to ignore such a wise and definitive statement. Chapter 2 of Ecclesiastes gives us a record of the many things Solomon acquired hoping to find purpose and fulfillment here, under the sun. The phrase is used six times in Chapter 2, meaning in essence, from a human vantage point or perspective. Solomon tries mirth, merriment, joy, happiness, the good life, party time! In the old days one might say, Wine, women, and song. Using a more familiar and contemporary term, Sex, drugs, and rock n roll. In addition to that, we find The American Dream, i.e., I was great (2:9), works, houses, vineyards, gardens, orchards, pools, servants, great possessions, silver, gold and treasure, music, etc., whatsoever mine eyes desired (2:10). Again and again, just like you and me, everything was never enough! All was vanity... vexation... no profi t. I hated life, (2:11, 17). Sex, drugs, and rock n roll left Solomon purposeless, frustrated and unfulfilled. This is where they leave everybody. vanity! Review and Introduction * Series Title: How to Waste Your Life * Message #1: Everything is never enough. * Author: Solomon * Background: I Kings Solomon starts well and finishes disgraced. - Pictures the Christian who loses his way. Distracted by the good life, The American Dream and stuffitis. 2

3 * The Question was asked, How much is enough? * A. T. Pierson, The Key to Ecclesiastes is that a man is too big for this world. * You and I were created for more! - Proverbs 27:20, Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfi ed. - Psalm 17:15, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfi ed, when I awake, with thy likeness. * Everything (here) is never enough. Ecclesiastes Chapter Two Outline I. Whatsoever mine eyes desired (1-10) A. Enjoy pleasure (1) B. Alcohol - drugs (3) C. Great works - houses, etc. (4) D. Parks (5, 6) E. Pools (6) F. Possessions (7, 8) - servants, women, money, music G. I was great! - living large (9) H. Absolute indulgence (10) II. The Bitter Truth (11-23) A. Everything is vanity...vexation...no profit (11) B. One event happeneth to them all - we all die (12-16) C. Some fool is going to get everything I ve worked for (17-23) III. Keep it simple, stupid...but so what? (24-26) A. There is nothing better...(24) B. I have the bestest and mostest (25) C. The good are rewarded positively, the sinner is not - so what? (26) Now looking at the Outline, there are many things that could be said, and a number of things that we could focus upon. I think what I have to say today will be most practical for this audience and stay true to the purpose of the text. Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll The mantra of the over indulgent, self-important, anti-establishment college students of the 60 s. 3

4 Urban Dictionary A nickname for the lifestyle of rock stars. The three things are stereo typically connected and none can be separated from the others. Basically, the idea is that the lives of rock stars are in their bigger part those three things: having sex, using drugs, and performing. Rock - The name to describe pop music marketed towards teenage males in modern times. Phrase coined from a 1977 song by Ian Drury by the same name. In the old days one might use the less caustic term, wine, women, and song. Alcohol Wikipedia - NBC News Health Addictions Info updated in 2005: * Alcohol abuse kills some 75,000 Americans each year and shortens the lives of these people by an average of 30 years. * The third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. * 34,833 people in 2001 died from cirrhosis of the liver, cancer and other diseases linked to drinking too much beer, wine and spirits. * Another 40,933 died from car crashes and other mishaps caused by excessive alcohol use. * Men accounted for 72% of the excessive drinking deaths in * Drinking increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disorders, certain cancers and liver disease. * Excessive drinkers are also more likely to die in car accidents. Wikipedia - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Fact Sheets - Alcohol Use and Health: * There are approximately 88,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use each year in the U.S. This makes excessive alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for the nation. Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 2.5 million years of potential life lost annually, or an average of about 30 years of potential life lost for each death. * Immediate Health Risks - Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions: - Unintentional injuries - Violence - Risky sexual behaviors - Miscarriage and stillbirth - Alcohol poisoning 4

5 * Long Term Health Risks - Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social problems: - Dementia, stroke and neuropathy - Cardiovascular problems - Psychiatric problems - Social problems - unemployment, lost productivity, family problems - Cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, breast - In general, the risk of cancer increases with increasing amounts of alcohol. - Liver diseases - Other gastrointestinal problems The Life of a Rock Star Wikipedia: In the history of rock and roll, there have been many notable deaths, many quite young but still leaving their mark on music. The list includes name, date, cause of death, location and age. The list begins February 4, 1951 and ends January 3, The list spans 64 years. It includes over 800 names. Average age of death by decade: 50 s 9 at 28.1 yrs. 60 s 39 at s 74 at s 89 at s 167 at at at 59.5 Average age for all 800+ = 48 The list includes 229 individuals who died of drug and alcohol abuse, STD s, suicide and murder. This does not include the heart disease, cancer and other diseases directly caused by a wreckless lifestyle of the over-indulgent. Let s give some specific examples: - Sam Cooke 33 12/11/6 murdered - Bobby Fuller 23 7/18/66 suicide - Brian Epstein 32 8/27/67 overdose - Brian Jones (Stones) 27 7/3/69 suicide - Jimi Hendrix 27 9/18/70 asphyxiation on vomit 5

6 - Janis Joplin 27 10/4/70 overdose - Brian Cole (Association) 29 8/2/72 overdose - Tommy Bolin (Deep Purple) 25 12/4/76 overdose - Elvis Presley 42 8/16/77 heart attack? - Terry Kath 31 1/23/78 suicide - Keith Moon (The Who) 32 9/7/78 overdose - Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols) 21 2/2/79 suicide? overdose? - Bon Scott (AC/DC) 33 2/19/80 alcohol poison - John Bonham (Led Z) 32 9/25/80 asphyxiation on vomit - John Lennon 40 12/8/80 murdered - Marvin Gaye 49 1/21/84 murdered - Andy Gibb 30 3/10/88 cocaine - Del Shannon 55 2/8/90 suicide - David Ruffin (Temptations) 50 6/1/91 cocaine - Freddy Mercury (Queen) 45 11/24/91 AIDS - Jeff Porcaro (Toto) 38 8/5/92 cocaine? - Ray Gillen (Black Sabbath) 34 12/1/93 AIDS - Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) 27 4/5/94 suicide - Allen Woody (Allman Btros) 44 8/26/00 heroin - David Brown (Santana) 53 9/4/00 liver/kidney failure - George Harrison (Beatles) 58 11/29/01 lung cancer - John Entwistle (The Who) 57 6/27/01 cocaine - Howie Epstein (Heartbreaker) 47 2/23/03 drug use - Barry White 58 7/4/03 renal failure - Bobby Hatfield (Righteous Bros) 63 11/4/03 cocaine - Clint Warwick (Moody Blues) 63 5/15/04 liver disease - Ray Charles 73 6/10/04 liver cancer - June Pointer 64 4/11/06 drug/alcohol abuse - Billy Preston 59 6/6/06 kidney failure - Ike Turner 76 12/12/07 cocaine - Michael Jackson 50 6/5/09 cardiac arrest - Amy Winehouse 27 7/23/11 alcohol poison/drugs - Larry Reinhardt (Iron Butterfly) 63 1//2/12 sclerosis of liver - Don Cornelius (Soul Train) 75 2/1/12 suicide - Whitney Houston 48 2/11/12 overdose - Robin Gibb (BG s) 62 5/20/12 liver/kidney failure - Bob Welch (Fleetwoods) 66 6/7/12 suicide As time has progressed, causes of death has become much more privatized. This list does not include the wrecked lives and human carnage that is a direct result of sex, drugs and rock n roll: multiple marriages, bankruptices, lawsuits and the tainted lives of those who held all of these people in such high esteem. How about the thousands of others who died taking their cues for life from such bad examples? Six percent of the alcohol death toll is made up of those 21 and younger. 6

7 Conclusion Solomon should have known better! Meaning, purpose, wisdom, and fulfillment in life were introduced to Solomon. He got distracted by all the stuff of life. He sought for meaning and purpose in the things of life. He should have known better and so should you! Proverbs 27:20, Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfi ed. Seeking fulfillment in the popular culture and allurements of this world are offensive to God and a dead-end street. Statistically you could shorten your one time go around here by years! Not to mention, purpose will be lost in the distractions and confusion of pursuing the party life - the good life. It is a great way to waste your life! Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfi ed, when I awake, with thy likeness. God created us for more. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our fl esh, fulfi lling the desires of the fl esh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 7