Message for THE LORD'S DAY MORNING, August 9, 2015 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister Message 5 in Finding Meaning In A Meaningless World (Series from Ecclesiastes) Trusting God In An Unfair World Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 (NKJV) As we continue with our series of messages from Ecclesiastes on Finding Meaning In A Meaningless World let's turn in our Bibles to Ecclesiastes chapter three and read verses 16-22. ECCLESIASTES 3:16-22 (NKJV) 16 Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. 17 I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18 I said in my heart, Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals. 19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? **************************
I N T R O D U C T I O N It was a beautiful July day in San Francisco. Kate Steinle (Stine-lee) was taking a casual stroll along a busy pier with her father when all the sudden there was a single popping sound in the air. Kate Steinle fell to the ground and died right in front of her father. She had been shot by 45 year old, Juan Francisco Lopez- Sanchez, an illegal immigrant and repeat felon who had been deported five times to Mexico. Authorities soon discovered following Sanchez's arrest that the he had a long criminal record and has spent over seventeen years in prison. Authorities also discovered the murder weapon he used to kill Kate Steinle was a high velocity rifle Sanchez had stolen from a Federal agent. Why was a career criminal and illegal alien freely roaming the streets of San Francisco? Because San Francisco provides a safe haven for illegal immigrants such as Sanchez, regardless of their criminal past, and refuses to deport them back to Mexico. We hear a tragic story such as this and we are absolutely appalled at the unfairness and injustice of it all. *********************************** Many of us probably grew up believing that life would always be fair. We were taught that if we shared with others they would share with us and if we treated people right they would treat us right. But we have learned differently, haven't we?
We have learned that life in this world is often filled with gross unfairness and injustice. We live in a world where the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer...a world where victims are often treated like criminals and criminals are often treated like victims...a world where those who cheat often come out on top while those who play by the rules often come out on bottom...a world where the good often die young, while the wicked live to a ripe old age...a world where the lazy man gets rewarded with government handouts, while the hard-working man gets taxed to death. All of this unfairness and injustice can turn everyone of us into bitter cynics if we're not careful. ************************** This is the issue Solomon addresses in today's scripture text. I have entitled today's message: Trusting God In An Unfair World. Let's take a closer look at what Solomon has to say. First of all Solomon tells us...
I. UNFAIRNESS Is A FACT of LIFE (v.16) v. 16 Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. 1. Wouldn't it be great if we lived in a perfect world where justice and fairness happened immediately? -I mean, wouldn't it be great if after someone cut you off on the highway that their car would break down about a mile down the road? Or, if someone cheated you in a business deal, they would go bankrupt a month later; or if someone made an obscene gesture at you, their middle finger would fall off. -But then again a perfect world like that might not be so great, because we would have to live by the same rules. So, every time you spread gossip about someone, your tongue would turn bright green; Or, every time you lusted after another man's wife, your eyes would swell shut; Or every time you lied to someone, a tooth fell out. 1. Everywhere Solomon looks he sees injustice and iniquity in the places where justice and righteousness should prevail.
(A) First of all, Solomon sees WICKEDNESS in the places of JUDGMENT. The place of judgment of course refers to the COURTS of LAW. The courts of law represents the highest place someone should be able to go to receive FAIRNESS and JUSTICE in this life. But what are the innocent to do when there is wickedness and corruption in the court system? Sometimes those with lots of money can buy justice regardless of how guilty they are. Sometimes corrupt judges are swayed by bribes. Sometimes crooked lawyers get together and cop plea deals that are more favorable to the criminal than the victim. Solomon saw this corrupt, injustice going on in the courts of law in his day, and we often see it our courts today. But not only did Solomon see WICKEDNESS IN THE PLACES OF JUDGMENT...
(B) Secondly, Solomon sees INIQUITY in the places of RIGHTEOUSNESS The places of righteousness refers to those in positions of GOVERNMENT. These people are to be the standard bearers. They took a public oath to uphold the laws of this land, and yet many of them are blatant lawbreakers. -If you and I don't pay our taxes we will receive a heavy penalty and possibly go to jail, while some in high positions within our government owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and they don't even get a slap on the wrist. -If you or I were involved in numerous financial scandals and cover-ups, we would be thrown in prison for years, and yet a high-ranking female in our government who has been involved in one scandal and cover-up after another is running for President of the United States. 2. If there is wickedness in our courts of law, and iniquity at the highest to the lowest levels of our government, then what hope do we have of ever seeing fairness and justice? Solomon answers that for us in VERSE 17...
II. UNFAIRNESS Will Be Ultimately Judged By GOD (v.17) v.17 I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 1. If that last sentence sounds familiar to you it is because its the same thing Solomon said at very beginning of this third chapter. 2. Just as there is a time and a season for everything else in life, Solomon takes great comfort in knowing there is a time and season for justice as well. While acknowledging that the wicked may win over the righteous for a time, there will come a time when GOD will turn the tables and due justice will be served. 3. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't pursue justice now if we have been a victim of injustice. Nor does it mean we will necessarily have to wait until eternity for GOD to right every injustice done to us in this life. 4. But what it does mean is that GOD will have the final word. There are people who have committed horrific crimes and gotten away with it. There are those who have never had to pay for the wrongs they have committed against others.
5. But every wicked man and woman will one day have to appear before GOD, and there will be no partiality, no leniency, and no plea deals, and no bribing the judge. GOD will judge every man upon the hidden secrets of his heart. 6. We hate it when people get away with crimes. We hate it when people get away with breaking the law. We hate it when people get away with causing us to suffer without any consequences. 7. But Solomon is reassuring us that No one will get away with it when all is said and done. Everyone who seemingly got away with it in this life, will one day face the music in God's courtroom. ILLUSTRATION The late Paul Harvey once told the humorous story of Gary Tindle, a man who was charged with robbery. While standing in the courtroom of Judge Armando Rodriguez, Tindle asked permission to go the the bathroom. He was escorted upstairs to the bathroom, and a deputy stood guard at the door while he was inside. But Tindle, determined to escape, climbed up the plumbing and opened a panel in the ceiling, and started slithering through the crawl space, heading south.
He had crawled about thirty feet when all the sudden the ceiling panels broke under him, and he fell to the floor right in front of Judge Rodriguez's bench. (Searching For Heaven on Earth, David Jeremiah, p.76 Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, Copyright 2004) 4. The guilty may escape judgment for a short time, but ultimately they will find themselves before the judgment throne of GOD, and it is there GOD will right every wrong...balance every scale... and correct every injustice. III. UNFAIRNESS Is A TEST of Our FAITH (vs. 18-22) 18 I said in my heart, Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals. 19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? 1. When you read that 18 th verse it almost sounds like something an evolutionist would say. That there is no difference between humans and animals. But that isn't what Solomon is saying.
2. He is simply saying, Humans and animals alike live their lives here on earth, and then die. In that sense, we and the animals have a beginning and an end here on earth. 3. But as humans, we must understand our present existence is a proving ground. This life is a test of our faith. And one of the greatest challenges to our faith is this: Will I trust in GOD in times when life isn't fair? Will I trust GOD to right the wrongs in my life? Will I trust GOD to bring justice when I have suffered injustice? *************************************************** C O N C L U S I O N As we close, I want to bring this down to a personal level. Have you ever been a victim of an injustice? Have you ever been on the receiving end of unfairness? If so, what should you do about it? Complain to everyone who will listen? Go through life like a whipped pup feeling sorry for yourself? Become obsessed with bitterness and hatred towards the one who wronged you? ANSWER: None of the above! You should leave it in the hands of GOD and move on with your life. Justice may not come today or tomorrow or this week, but justice will come... GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUSTICE WILL COME! That is why we must Trust God In This Unfair World!