Ecclesiastes 9:10

1. Intro.
1. if God had willed it, each one of us could have entered heaven at the moment of salvation
2. so why are we here?
1. would God keep His children out of heaven a moment longer than is necessary?
2. does God delight is teasing His people by keeping them in the wilderness?
3. would God keep us in this life if there was not an overwhelming reason for His delay
4. why are the armies of the living God still on the battle field, when one word could bring us to the center of our hope (heaven)
3. the answer
1. so that we may glorify God , and bring others to know His love
2. we are not here in vain
1. as sowers, we are here to scatter the good seed
2. as heralds, we are here to tell sinners of the wonderful Savior we have found
3. as salt, we are here to preserve this world from rot and decay
4. we are here as the very pillars of this worlds happiness
1. when God removes His saints, the moral fabric of this world will fall, and great will be its crash
2. the people of God are here to do something to bless their fellow-man
4. our text comes as a very applicable rule of life
1. we are here for a purpose (Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it...)
2. that purpose will soon end, whether it is accomplished or not, and there will never be a second opportunity(the grave, whither thou goest)
3. as far as this world is concerned, the grave is the end of our doing
2. the exhortation from our text
1. some people desire to serve Christ and ask what shall I do? (whatsoever thy hand findeth to do)
1. refers to work that is near at hand
1. most of us are not called upon to work in far off China or some other far off place
2. if we are not called to some far off place, then God is calling us to the work that is near at hand
3. it is a funny thing how people desire to do something that is miles away, but are not interested in the work that is near at hand
4. God does not call us to work in places we cannot get, nor does He ask us to do that which is beyond our power
5. God does ask us to do the work at hand
6. the question should not be "what shall I do for Christ", but "what shall I do first for Christ"
1. those that ask "what shall I do", show evidence of a lazy and idle spirit
2. truly there is much work that needs to be done
7. some people want to serve God in a way that He has not intended for them, so they do nothing
1. "I wish I could become a preacher", but will not pass out tracts
2. "I wish I could do this or that", but what God wants is for the work at hand to be done
8. if everybody did that which was at hand; much could be accomplished
9. to often our work is left for someone else to do
2. refers to works that are possible
1. there are many things which our heart may desire to do, but shall never be done
1. it is good that it is in our heart, and God knows the desire of our heart
2. if we want to be useful, then we must do the work that is at hand
3. we must make plans that are tangible
2. shoot for the moon philosophy (aim high)
1. nobody has ever hit the moon
2. aim at that which can be accomplished
3. don’t try to move mountains until you are able to move mole hills (give faith a chance to grow)
3. refers to work of any kind (whatsoever)
1. there will always be some duties which will are less desirable
2. it is a sad thing that any duty would be disagreeable to a man that has been saved by Christ
3. no matter how degrading or contrary to our taste; the exhortation is "whatsoever..."
4. if we did understand the glory of humility, and how great it is for a Christian to do little things; we would never again envy those that seem to be great (the good Samaritan)
2. how are we to do it?
1. just "do it"
1. do it promptly
2. what we plan to do tomorrow, will not make up for the idleness of today
3. no man ever served God by doing thing tomorrow
4. if we have honored Christ and are blessed by Him, it is for the things we have done today
5. the present is the only time we can serve the Lord, the past is gone & the future has not come
6. how many are in hell because we had plans for tomorrow and not today
2. "do it with thy might"
1. whatever we do for Christ, we should put our whole heart and soul into it
2. Christ does not want us to serve Him with just our fingers: He wants our hands, arms and heart
3. if our heart is not in our works for Christ, they are dead and useless
3. why should we work with all our might"
1. because death is near (in the grave, whither thou goest)
2. when death comes there will be an end to serving God on earth (for there is no work...in the grave)
3. if you know the time of your death, with what haste would you serve God
4. no one is given two lives on this earth
1. there comes a day when we will no longer be able to pray for our children and the lost
2. soon we will be unable to witness or work for Christ
3. all that we can do for our fellow man, we must do now
4. "let us work while we live, and live while we work"
3. some other things to consider in light of this verse
1. all that Christ has done for us (look at the cross), what have you done for Him?
1. how much time have you spent in service for Him
2. how much time have you spent praying for the progress of His kingdom
3. how much of your wealth have you given to the cause of Christ
4. when we add up all that we have done, we fall far short of what we owe
2. if men die unconverted their doom is fearful beyond all expression
1. when the lost die...
1. the sink into a pit that is bottomless
2. they fall into a fire that never can be quenched
3. they go to a place where they are fed on by a worm that does not die
2. the thought of the wrath that is to come upon them is more than the mind can conceive
3. can you be idle while your friends and fellow man are going to such an awful place
3. if you believe this Bible, act upon your belief