Under the Sun / Week 8

Don’t play it safe, take risks
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 - August 21, 2022 - Picnic

1. Introduction:
   1. How do you normally respond when you have an opportunity to do something or a decision that has to be made but you really do not know what to do because the future is uncertain and out of your control?  
      1. Do you wait for better circumstances before acting?  Circumstances, which seem never to come!
      2. Do you get frozen by the fear of failure or getting it wrong?
      3. Or do you are stuck in the paralysis of analysis mode and never move out? 
   2. If you remember our chart of the big picture of Ecclesiastes in the second half of the book he is giving insight and advice on how to live in light of 
      1. The things he learned in his investigation
      2. Also, the fact that everyone is going to die
      3. Finally, the fact that no one knows the future

• Last week we looked at the lessons he teaches us on death, today we are going to see the key lesson he teaches us since 

1.  No one knows the future!
   1. At least 21 times in this book, this idea comes up.  
      1. It is not the idea that man “does” not know something but if he studied a little harder he’d know it, but it is the fact that man “can” not know, he does not have the ability to know certain things even if he studied a lifetime.
   2. Ecclesiastes mentions five things in particular that man “cannot” know
      1. What will happen in the future – 6:12; 9:1; 10:14; 11:2
      2. When things will happen in the future – 8:7; 9:12;  
      3. The great mysteries of life – 7:23-24; 11:5 a-b
      4. What God is doing here on earth –8:16-17; 3:11; 11:5c   
      5. If what we do will succeed or not - read 11:6 

• This is the passage we are going to address this morning and it will give us some surprising advice on 

1.  How to live life when the future is uncertain and out of our control.  
   1. We will learn this lesson in Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 and it is divided into two main sections:   
      1. A merchant in v1-2 
      2. A farmer in v4-6.
   2. As I read v1-6 watch for this idea of not knowing which is a repeated theme in this passage. read v1-6
   3. The merchant - in v 1-2 he gives us an illustration from the world of merchants.   
      1. Solomon had a fleet of ships and the belief is that Solomon sent out merchandise in these various ships and brought back the return on his invest after a period of time.  Some of that merchandise was grain.  
      2. Now listen to v 1-2 in that light.  

The Hebrew word for “cast” is literally “send” read v1-2

1. The point is that there are risks involved taking the resources we have and investing them, but do it wisely, diversify your investments because we do not know what calamity may occur on the earth

1. V3 teaches us that there are things that are beyond our control, things we cannot change.  Things we have to learn to deal with.  Read v3
2. The farmer in v4-6 is essentially teaching us the same thing.
   1. V4 he tells us not to play it safe, do not be overcautious, do not wait for perfect conditions and circumstances.  Read v4
   2. In v5, he comes back to the backdrop that tells us that we cannot understand the great mysteries in life and God’s activities right here on earth and in our lives and circumstances.  
      1. Read v5
      2. Note that Solomon has a supernatural view in this passage as he is really implying that God is behind all of these opportunities, misfortunes and circumstances beyond our control and as we will see in the next verse whether our efforts are successful or not.
   3. V6 becomes the “so what” of this whole passage that drives the application God is seeking to impress upon us. Read v6

1.  Application
   1. This passage gives us some very surprising wisdom when you have an opportunity to do something or a decision that has to be made but you really do not know what to do because the future is uncertain and out of your control 
      1. Here it is – don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks! 
   2. We like “sure things” but most of life is unknowable, unsure and beyond our control. 
      1. Did you know that faith requires taking risks, 
         1. Faith requires stepping into the unknowable and unsure future that is beyond our control
         2. Hebrews 11:6 
      2. It is impossible to please God without faith, so it is impossible to please God without taking risks  
      3. The only way I can regroup when all those feelings and thoughts of the uncertainty and risk start to fill my heart is to I remind myself what God says in his word and that he is faithful and big enough to do what he says he will do!
   3. What risk is God calling you to today?
      1. For some it may be letting go of all the religion, being good and moral, or doing good deeds to make you right with God, and grabbing on fully to Jesus as your only hope of being right with God and going to heaven some day! God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
      2. For some believers it may be presenting your entire life to Jesus to let him work into your heart and change you at your core, so you live your entire life for him.  God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
      3. It may be sharing the gospel with someone who you have been waiting for months or even years for just the right opportunity.  Or you do not know if you will to lose the relationship or their image of you will change.  God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
      4. I know for some it is to join a small group, church activity or serve in a ministry even though you do not know how that will work out with your schedule or how they will receive you.  God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
      5. Afraid to start giving because do not know how it will fit into your budget or afraid you will not have enough for your future. God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
      6. As believers we are called to be hospitable – step out today at the at picnic or each week at the end of the service to introduce yourself to someone and really get to know them!  Yes, you do not know if they will like you or feel like you are bothering them.   But God would say don’t play it safe – take wise adventurous risks!  
   4. According to Hebrews 11:6 God is a rewarder of those who do!