Pastor’s Letter – May 13, 2020 – What is Good for Man?

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow?

Ecclesiastes 6:12a

Dear Church and Friends,

Testing was never my favorite part of school. I got anxious the nearer the day of the test came. I always felt like my nervousness hampered my performance. That is until I entered graduate school. I had a professor who would give us the test questions and go over the answers with us in the week leading up to the exam. I always felt confident going into those because I knew what would be asked and I knew the answers because my teacher told me.

Many parts of Ecclesiastes are like a test for the believer. Solomon asks questions that seem to challenge faith. Instead of being upset over the questions, which usually leads to us not reading the book, let’s face them head on and answer them.

In chapter 6 he asked two questions at the end of the chapter.

• Who knows what is good for man in this life? Solomon thinks this is a rhetorical question which no one can answer because everything under the sun is vain. But we know there is an answer. The answer has two parts; 1] God knows what’s good for man in this life, 2] He tells us what is good in his word, which if we follow will lead us to goodness.
• Who can tell a man what shall be after him? Another rhetorical question to which we have the answer. God knows and not only can he tell us what shall be but has told us about man’s eternal future.

I don’t know about you but it makes me feel better knowing the answers to those questions. Other questions populate this chapter, take a moment to find them and answer them according to the Scripture. Please find the outline for Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 linked here. Download it or view it online.

Sermon: Parables of Sowing.

Prayer: Please pray for the following.

• Karen Monahan’s sister, Judy Phipps who is having severe circulation issues and is facing skin grafts.
• Please lift up the listeners of Daily Dose Radio in Australia, France, and Hungry. Ask the Lord to encourage the church and reach the lost in those countries.
• Please lift up the listeners of Creek Road Baptist Pulpit in Canada, Oregon, Colorado, and North Carolina. Ask the Lord to encourage the church and reach the lost in those places.

“And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.”

All my best.

For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 6:12b