Quote from Forum Archives on June 7, 2004, 11:00 am

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

WORLDVIEW
June 6, 2004

Text: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

You have heard me say it before, and you will hear me say it again this
morning: It is astounding what can be found in the Bible, God’s Word. It
would be far less surprising to me if the Bible portrayed its various
heroes of the faith as more “perfect” than they are. After all, if you
were making up your own belief system, wouldn’t you want to show how
righteous the believers are? If someone had their doubts, or failed to
make the grade, wouldn’t you just write them out of the story? Leave it
for the really successful ones to pass along the witness and testimony of
the faith.

But right here in Ecclesiastes, from God’s Word, Solomon, the king of
Israel, sounds so ordinary. “Meaningless! Meaningless!… Utterly
meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his
labor at which he toils under the sun?” Not only does he go on in a
despairing manner in the next few verses, he carries this tone virtually
throughout the entire book. “Everything is meaningless; everything is
toilsome. There is no reward for labor, and no peace for the righteous.”
His list of activities that result in being declared meaningless includes
pleasure, work, riches, even wisdom and folly. A recurring refrain found
throughout the book reads, “This too is meaningless, a chasing after the
wind.” I would think that God could have done better editing His work.

I say this tongue-in-cheek. I’m not quite serious in my admonishment of
God. I also recognize that Solomon connects with modern society. Most of
American culture thinks life is meaningless. This is nothing new, of
course. Shakespeare's Macbeth says, "Life is but a walking shadow, a poor
player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no
more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying
nothing." (William Shakespeare, “Macbeth,” H.H. Furness Jr., Ed., New
York: Dover Publications, 1963.) Signifying what? Nothing. Makes me
believe that Shakespeare was familiar with Solomon.

Country music artist Faith Hill sings a song called "The Secret of Life."
So you ready for this pearl of wisdom to impart to us “the secret of
life?” “The secret of life is a good cup of coffee... keeping your eye on
the ball ... a beautiful woman...
The secret of life is in Sam's martinis... Marilyn's eyes ... Monday
night football, Rolling Stones records and Mom's apple pie ...
The secret of life is there ain't no secret. ... The secret of life is
nothin' at all.” (Faith Hill, “The Secret of Life,” Lyricscaft [Online],
www.lyricscafe.com/h/hill_faith/thesecretoflife.html). Maybe Faith Hill
is familiar with both Solomon and Shakespeare.

Dr. William Brown, president of Cedarville University in Ohio, observes,
“You might say that's just a song. But millions of people listen to and
sing this song. It tells the culture how to live, what to believe, what's
important, and what's not important. You must recognize the impact that
cultural phenomena have on those around you. For example, Britney Spears
and Christina Aguilera have more impact on the thinking, values, and
culture of young girls today than a year of Sunday school will. Those of
us who want to minister and make a difference in the world must realize
this and engage this fact with the heart and the mind of Jesus Christ.”
(William Brown, “Thinking Worldviewishly,” Cedarville Torch, Spring 2004,
pp. 5-6)

This is a sobering revelation. Cultural stars are telling us, our
friends, and our neighbors how to live. Most of that advice is not very
good. One well-known entertainer has been quoted saying, "Whenever I
watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't
help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all
those flies and death and stuff." (Brain Cramps, EGreeley [Online],
www.egreeley.com/ messages/1382.html.) These are the comments by popular
men and women that are reaching our culture today.

This is not a phenomenon or attack that has popped up overnight. Jean
Paul Sartre, a well-known atheistic philosopher said in the 1950s, "It is
meaningless that we are born; it is meaningless that we die." (Jean Paul
Sartre, Being and Nothingness, New York: Philosophical Library, 1956.)
The famous Dr. Albert Einstein didn't agree and said in reply, "The man
who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless
is not merely unhappy but hardly fit for life." (A. Calaprice, Ed., The
Quotable Einstein, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996.)

I would hope that Christians view such matters in the manner of Einstein.
The very real presence of God’s Spirit in our lives provides us a
worldview that far exceeds the lessons of atheistic philosophers and
contemporary pop stars. In fact, the worldview available through faith in
Christ exceeds that of even Solomon himself at this point of his writing
in Ecclesiastes. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” is not the final cry of the
Christian.

But we have to believe in the worldview of the Christian faith, and we
must make our worldview known. Solomon did this. Turn to Ecclesiastes 12,
the final chapter of this book of the Bible, and hear how Solomon
resolved the matter. Verses 13 and 14: “Now all has been heard; here is
the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for
this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into
judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

This is familiar to us, isn’t it? It is a consistent theme throughout the
Bible. Jesus was asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most
important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all
your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)

As Christians, our worldview is that God creates us and sustains us for
His purpose. We worship God, and we serve God. In serving God, we serve
one another. We minister to those who we know and even to those who we do
not know. When this worldview directs our decisions and involvement in
life, we move away from “meaningless” to “meaningful.” Yes, Solomon is
correct in Ecclesiastes by pointing out all the things, even some good
things, that are meaningless when they are the sum total of our striving.
Songwriters and pop stars today connect with fans young and old with some
pretty despondent lyrics when God becomes squeezed out of the worldview
that holds sway to their lives. Some factions of our culture are actually
trying to elevate a culture of death! Supporters of abortion and assisted
suicide continue to assault us and sway young minds to believe that these
are good things. Judge Phyllis Hamilton, a U.S. District Judge in San
Francisco who is attempting to overturn the ban on partial abortion has
said “That a woman’s right to choose is paramount, and that it is
therefore ’irrelevant’ whether a fetus suffers pain.” (Associated Press,
“Partial-birth abortion ban struck down,” Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo,
Indiana, June 2, 2004, p. A8). No wonder the worldview of so many people
today continues to echo Solomon’s ponderings from so long ago:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!”

In complete contrast to such despondent worldviews of death, the
Christian faith encourages believers to live out higher, positive
standards. Life is meaningful because we serve Jesus. The one we serve
gives us life. Death is not a meaningless end to a toilsome existence; it
is the continuation of a life devoted to Christ, made well and whole.
This is the Christian testimony and worldview.

The Christian worldview is on display every time we give ourselves over
to the service of others, especially those who are the most vulnerable in
any society. The Bible frequently refers to widows and orphans because
they were representative of those who had no one to care for them. If
someone did not step in to care for them, they would likely perish.
Because of our love for Christ, and his love for his children, we
continue to take the compassion of Christ to others in helpless
situations.

The One Great Hour of Sharing offering being received this month is one
way to share in Christ’s concern and compassion for our fellow pilgrims
in this world. Involving ourselves as redemptive forces in the lives of
others transforms our lives from meaningless to meaningful. It is our way
of being “not being conformed to the pattern of this world.” (Romans
12:2)

Gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering may be used overseas,
such as in Haiti and the Dominican Republic which have been devastated by
rains and floods; they may be used around our nation where tornados have
ripped through; they may even be used in nearby ministries we know. “When
Dr. Larry D. Mason, executive minister of American Baptist Churches of
Indiana and Kentucky, worshiped at First Baptist Church, Burnettsville,
Indiana, last year, pastor Rev. Michael Williams invited him to tour
Emmaus Mission Center in nearby Logansport. Local American Baptist
congregations support the center - a nonprofit social service agency that
ministers to marginalized families and individuals. Impressed with the
center’s work, and aware of the ongoing need for financial resources, Dr.
Mason wrote a letter to National Ministries’ office of Direct Human
Services asking if One Great Hour of Sharing funds could be used to
support the ecumenical ministry. The Emmaus Center operates a homeless
shelter serving from 10 to 15 families per week and a food pantry, open
five days a week, that distributes government commodities as well as
donated food to more than 900 individuals each month. Some recipients
temporarily have a difficult time qualifying for commodities. The mission
provides enough food for two to three days from donations and purchases.
Additionally, bread, formula and special need items are given without a
full food request. The center’s ministry qualified for a One Great Hour
of Sharing Emergency Feeding and Shelter grant of $10,000.” (“God Uses
All Gifts for Big Purposes,” American Baptists In Mission, Valley Forge:
American Baptist Churches, USA, Summer 2004, p. 6)

What a great contrast to the often-heard attitude of “meaninglessness” in
our day. Service to others in the saving name of the loving God who rules
us is what it takes to change a life from meaningless toil to meaningful
giving. God has given us the gifts we need to practice a meaningful life.
We just need to implement them. Solomon knew God and was able to learn
which worldview makes for a meaningful life. How much better should we
who know the richness of the saving mercy of Jesus be able to practice
and exhibit a life-giving, life-enriching worldview. “Now all has been
heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his
commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Rev. Charles A. Layne, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bunker Hill, IN

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