SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Live with joy in God’s grace and goodness before you die.

SERMON NOTES:

Introduction

Context

1. Your Death is Certain [Ecclesiastes 9:1–3]
     a. Your Life is in God’s Hand [Ecclesiastes 9:1, cf. Ex. 7:4–5; Ps. 10:12; Is. 50:2]
     b. Everyone’s Death is in God’s Hand [Ecclesiastes 9:2–3, cf. Gn. 2:17; Is. 53:6, 64:6; Ro. 3:10–12, 23, 6:23; Lk. 23:46; Mk. 8:31, 9:31, 10:33–34]

2. You’re Alive, So There’s Hope [Ecclesiastes 9:4–6]
     a. You’ve Got it Better than a Dead Lion [Ecclesiastes 9:4, cf. Heb. 12:23; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23; Lk. 23:43; 1 Th. 4:14; Is. 57:2; Job 19:26, 27; Lk. 16:23, 24; Acts 2:24; Jude 5, 7; 1 Pt. 3:19; Ps. 49:14; 1 Kg. 14:11; 1 Sa. 17:43, 24:14; Gn. 49:9; Nu. 23:24, 24:9; Mi. 5:8; Dt. 33:22; 1 Ch. 12:8; Is. 5:29; Je. 4:7, 50:17]
     b. So Don’t Give Up [Ecclesiastes 9:5–6]

3. You Should Live While You’re Living [Ecclesiastes 9:7–10]
     a. Be Active Because You’re Approved [Ecclesiastes 9:7, cf. Gn. 27:28, Dt. 7:13; Ps. 4:7; Pr. 3:9–10; Jn. 2:1–11; Acts 4:12; Jn. 8:56; Gn. 3:15]
     b. Let Your Life Be Filled with Laughter and Love [Ecclesiastes 9:8–9]
     c. Do Your Work with Zeal [Ecclesiastes 9:10, cf. Col. 3:23–24]

4. Your Time is Uncertain [Ecclesiastes 9:11–12]
     a. Everyone Dies [Ecclesiastes 9:11]
     b. Everyone is Surprised [Ecclesiastes 9:12]

Conclusion