Young People MUST embrace Life (within God’s Commands)
Intro: Well Morning South Sydney Anglican Church. My name is Pastor Matt Johnson and today we continue our study of Ecclesiastes. Particularly – I am encouraging Gen Y and Gen Z to seize the days of their youth – as best they can – while respecting God’s commands.
PRAYER: Well today’s passage is kind of summed up in Ecclesiastes 12:1 (Slide 1) “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the days of trouble come…” Now are the DAYS OF TROUBLE your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or 70’s? At some point 1) the ticker don’t tick right, 2) the eyes don’t see right, 3) the grinders fall out and 4) the delight of dentures comes for us all. So given the trajectory of life is diapers to diapers Solomon urges young people to remember God and embrace life while they are still young. But is Gen Y and Gen Z doing this?
Last week – I shared with you that Gen Y and Gen Z are perhaps the MOST ANXIOUS generation to ever live. They see real problems on the horizon – with debt and climate change. They also face DIMINISHING RETURNS on their work. It is projected they will have a lower standard of living than parents and maybe even grandparents, That’s pretty deflating. So let me show you some more articles. (Slide 3). This is a FORBES article from JUNE 2022 entitled “How and Why Managing Gen Z employees can be challenging for Companies.” Now there are countless articles like this on the internet because older generations – can’t work out what makes Gen Y and Gen Z tick. NEITHER A) dangling the carrot of money or B) threatening the big stick of unemployment seems to get them moving.
Gen Y and Gen Z say they are trying to prioritize a work-life balance, with less work, more living in the moment. It seems ludicrous to them – to work harder and harder for lower and lower returns. As I said – GEN Y AND GEN Z face the real possibility of lower standards of living than their parents and grandparents. I’d like to say perhaps that is true. But you don’t actually know that for sure…
Nonetheless, this slightly pessimistic attitude among Gen Y and Gen Z is resonating in both the west and the east. Look at this (Slide 3). “Naked Quitting is the latest work trend taking Gen Z by storm. Is it worth it.” Now this is NOT QUITTING in your birthday suit or in the buff. NAKED QUITTING is simply leaving your job – without having another job lined up to go to. (Now previous generations would never have dreamed of naked quitting a job. I mean how will I survive). But for Gen Y and Gen Z mental health is a bigger concern than survival.
Now an alternative to NAKED QUITTING is what young Chinese people call “TANG PING” which means lying flat. Rejecting the 996 work ethic in China that demands people work 9am to 9pm – 6 days a week, many young people are responding “Tang Ping”. I’m lying flat. They may still turn up at work. But they now do the bare minimum. There is no aspiration to climb the ladder. Just a kind of cynical “WHY BOTHER?”. This then led to another phrase going viral in China – “BAI LAN” which means “let it rot.” The idea is that the situation is irredeemable. So Bai Lan. Let it rot.
Similar CYNICAL IDEAS are being expressed in both the east and the west by Gen Y and Gen Z. I think a better work-life balance may be a noble pursuit. But it could also become another selfish idol…
Point 1: Work is Hard, but real Success is Possible with God
Show: Eccles.11:1-2 (READ)
Explain: Solomon tells young people 1) ship your grain. 2) Invest in many ventures. Despite risk do something. Because of risk carry a diversified portfolio of seven or eight different investments. Who says God doesn’t give financial advice? Then in verse 4 Solomon says STOP watching the wind and plant something. STOP watching the clouds and reap something. There comes a point where we just have to trust God is with us. You’re not going to get everything right. But if you are revering God and you’re trying to keep His commands – God promises He is with you. So in verse 6 – he says “Sow your seed in the morning and stay productive in the evening because some things will succeed.” If God is with you – you should expect some success (despite time and chance).
Now throughout Ecclesiastes Solomon has talked about WORK. Let me show you. In Ecclesiastes 1:3 Solomon asked (Slide 6 & 7). We spend so much of our life working – these are reasonable questions. What am I really gaining from all my hard work? Why am I doing this? Now this question is especially relevant to Gen Y and Gen Z – because they seem to be working harder and harder for smaller and smaller “gains”. SO WHY WORK? Why not naked quit, lie flat and choose work-life balance? Why does Solomon need to tell young people to work?
The problem is – Adam and Eve’s sin turned work into toil. When we work we SWEAT. Our muscles ACHE. Our heads HURT. We feel STRESSED. Its not really fun. ADAM found it hard to produce food. EVE found it hard to have and raise babies. Sin turned work into painful toil. Now in previous generations the big carrot of money and the big stick of starvation and death overcame most people’s lethargy to work.
But in the west the big stick of starvation and death seems unlikely AND the big carrot is no longer so big. So many people in Gen Y and Gen Z now want money for nothing and their chicks for free.
Of course that was Dire Straits back in 1985. Every generation wants money for nothing. Wealth without hard work. So they sang this ain’t working… Being a pop star was money for nothing. These days its all about being an influencer on Tik-Tok or Instagram. It looks like easy money. But all work is hard work. Get this – 50% of influencers working full time on Tik Tok make less than $15,000 dollars per year. That’s less than $8/hr. And only 13% of all influencers on Tik Tok make more than $100,000 dollars per year. 13%. But that’s exactly the same as the Australian workforce. In 2021 – about 13% of workers in Australia made more than $100,000 dollars a year. So whether you have regular job or you’re an influencer – only 13% of the population make more than $100,000 a year. But 50% of all influencers make less than a kid at McDonalds. So this is not a great career choice. What’s more, (at the end of the day) an influencer is just a glorified salesperson. Now if that’s what you want to do – so be it. But whatever you do – work is going to be hard – because we live in a fallen, sinful world.
But if you fear God and work hard – I trust that you will eventually be better off – than many Gen Y and Gen Z’rs who are kind of throwing in the towel. Now I’m not accusing Gen Y and Gen Z of being any more lazy than previous generations. LAZINESS is the natural fleshly response to the reality that work is hard. I don’t want to do it. Now in previous generations – the things that tended to overcome our laziness was either a big carrot of money OR a big stick of starvation and death. BUT WHEN A) the bag of money is getting smaller and B) the likelihood of starvation and death is also getting smaller – you have to find other better reasons to work. So King Solomon says to the next generation (Slide 7; Eccles.12:13-14 (READ)) This is Solomons final conclusion about life, but it is also a true motivation for work.
How might you sum up all Gods commands in the Bible? (PAUSE). That’s right, Jesus said – love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. And those who don’t love God and love neighbour as themself will one day be judged by God.
So the real motivation for work should be love of God and love of neighbour. Sadly, Solomon loved idols more than God and he loved himself more than his neighbour. Similarly, many baby boomers and Gen X’rs have done the same thing. Work is all about the love of IDOLS like money, power, real-estate, fame and pleasure more than love of God. Work is also about loving themselves – in self fulfillment, self identity, self-actualization, self-glory rather than love of children, love of spouse or love of country.
But when you start listening to God’s commands – you start to realise that work (like all of life) is about serving God and serving others (more than self). The thing that should motivate us to work (is not carrot or stick) but love of God and love of neighbour? So what is something really good you can do to serve God and serve your neighbour?
Well you could be a teacher, or an accountant, a pastor or a garbage collector. In fact, most jobs – can be done in A) love of God and B) love of neighbour – if you are providing a good product or good service to others. The focus of Christians should be on doing the most good with the gifts they have. But even basic, menial jobs can be done for God and neighbour. THE SINGLE MUM who gets a job packing shelves at Coles (at night) to give her children a sllghtly better education – is loving her neighbour. She is serving her children and she is serving everyone who needs food. She is also serving God if she is doing her job in obedience to Him. My point is – the main reason to work is NOT carrot or stick. But love of God and love of neighbour. Love of God and love of neighbour may even call you to sacrifice some of your all important work-life balance. BE CAREFUL that work-life balance isn’t just another idol that serves self more than others…
Point 2: Light is Sweet, despite the shadow of Death
Show: Ezek.11:7-8 (READ)
Explain: Well, Solomon reminds young people that life under the sun is full of LIGHT and darkness; LIFE and death; perhaps even GOOD and evil. We like light. Light reveals A) Gods goodness and B) makes us feel safe. But our eyes also see darkness and death. This makes us insecure. Every generation has to come to terms with this DUALITY – the good and the evil, the light and the darkness, life and death.
In the history of the world there have been times when it looks like the light is triumphing over the darkness and a certain OPTIMISM prevails. But there are also times – where the darkness appears to be swallowing up the light and PESSIMISM reigns. Now where do you think Gen Y, Gen Z and Alpha is on this spectrum of optimism and pessimism? (PAUSE) I think this is why ANXIETY is growing.
But as Christians who fear God and keep His commandments – we live by FAITH, not by SIGHT. As John 1:4-5 says (Slide 9) – in him (Jesus) was life and that life was the light of the world. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. The darkness does not ultimately win. The light wins. As Christians we know this because Jesus defeated death and rose from the grave. As Christians we know this because we have the book of Revelation. Jesus wins in the end. So despite the duality of good and evil – Christians embrace life optimistically by fixing their eyes on Jesus, rather than focussing on all the mess and darkness they see in the world. By faith, in Jesus’ death for your sins (you know God loves you). By faith in Jesus’ resurrection (you know God has power to help you). So Christians embrace the battle of life with the OPTIMISM that God is with us, God loves us and God has power to help us if we trust Him.
But this is something we MUST remember. We must remember GOD.
When we see light and life – we remember God and find optimism to actually live. When we see lots of darkness and death its easy to forget God and become pessimistic. So what are you seeing? Is it the light of Gods GENERAL REVELATION written into nature? There is still something good about being outdoors in the sunshine – because nature itself testifies to Gods goodness and power. But even better is the light of Gods SPECIAL REVELATION in the Bible. Quiet times each day in the light of God’s Word reminds you of God’s love, God’s power and Gods presence. This is good for your heart. This gives you optimism for life.
But if the only light you bask in – is that weird blue light coming from your phones and gaming consoles – what is that light doing to your heart? The light you choose to bask in every day will ultimately shape you as a person. The problem is – the blue light we bask in on our devices is primarily playing a negative story (with little reference to God). The blue light is inviting you to escape life (by gaming) or simply watch life (by scrolling). But Gods revelation of Himself in nature and in Scripture is playing a very optimistic, meaningful, beautiful story that is inviting you to actually live with Gods help.
Apply: So Gen Y, Gen Z (and Alpha) I encourage you to actually live. Yes the darkness is daunting. But God is inviting you to go on a great adventure with him. AN ADVENTURE that is better than 1) any game you can play on PS5 and 2) a story that is better than any you can follow online. Its your story with God. So be careful because what you are seeing is affecting your ability to embrace life. I want to show you some words from the New Testament. (Slide 9; Slide 10). The point is God’s light is calling you to embrace life with His help. But the darkness is telling you to withdraw from life OR just watch life – because you can’t do it.
Point 3: Being Young is Great, so Embrace Life fully (with God)
Show: Eccles.11:9-10 (READ)
Explain: Notice Solomon says; embrace your youthfulness and vigour. For it doesn’t last long. Now that’s true. But Solomon makes a really surprising statement. He says follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes desire… What the? Following the ways of the heart and the desire of the eyes is what got Solomon into all sorts of trouble in Ecclesiastes 2. (Exccles.2:8, 10). So what does Solomon mean by follow your heart?
As Jeremiah says – the heart is deceptive above all things (Jer.17:9). In Proverbs 4 Solomon says “Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Pr.4:23). The reality is – much of the desires of our heart are God given desires. They just need to be redeemed by Gods word. That’s why Solomon says follow your hearts desires, but know that everything you do will be judged by God. That’s why you need Gods commands.
Many of our desires are actually good, God given desires. Every young person has a basic desire for sex and intimacy. God made you with this sexual desire for the propagation of the species. The desire of your heart is not wrong. But when you express this desire in ways contrary to Gods commands it is wrong. So recognize the desire and pursue the desire (within the confines of Gods word).
Every young man also has a desire to be strong and heroic. God made men the stronger sex and gave them this desire because he wants us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps – truly serving, protecting and rescuing those weaker than ourselves. The desire to rescue and protect is good. But very often – we end up expressing this manliness, heroism and greatness playing imaginary games on Playstation that are not real. We save the princess and defeat the dragon – but its all make believe. So God says; no really go out save the princess and defeat the dragon. I’m with you. But men – are you following your hearts desire OR are you switching off the desire or perhaps letting it take you in bad directions?
I believe most women (as the fairer sex) have a desire of the heart to be loved and admired for their beauty. The desires are not wrong per se. But expressing this desire in the wrong way, can be wrong. I’d also say most women have a desire for motherhood. That is a good God given desire. But what does it mean to follow these heart desires as a woman? Can you win a man’s attention and become a mother? How do you do that within the limits of Gods commands?
Even your desire for fine things – like fine music, fine food, fine art, fine clothes, a fine house is not necessarily wrong. This is simply part of our hearts desire for heaven, perfection and security. Yes these desires can easily become idols. But the desires themselves are not necessarily wrong. We also have desires for IDENTITY and desires to BELONG. God gave us these desires because He wants us to find our true identity in Him and our sense of belonging in His church.
Sadly, we now live in a world where YOUNG PEOPLE are still full of all the desires of youth, but with no roadmap for how to express them. What’s more, having expressed these desires in ways contrary to Gods commands and reaping negative consequences – many young people are now trying to turn off their desires altogether. Technically, Gen Z are the most sexually liberated people group of all time. Only 66% now identify as heterosexual. But they are also the most sexless people group of all time. They are not marrying, They are not having sex. They are not having children. Natural God given desires are being turned off or misused to their own detriment. But the natural desires of the heart are still good if they are expressed in accordance with Gods word.
Apply: So to such young people – Solomon says BANISH ANXIETY. That’s easier said than done. But it is possible with Gods help. He also says – cast off the troubles of your body. Yes, we live in a fallen world. You may need glasses. You may struggle with acne. You may not fit the typical stereotype of a strong man or a beautiful woman. You might even believe you are gay or transgender.
We’ll cast off all the troubles you have with yourself and remember God in the days of your youth. Accept God is for you, God loves you and God has power to help you sort out your messed up heads and your messed up hearts – so that you can Carpe Diem.
Yes. As young people you may have already done a lot of damage to yourselves – following your heart’s desire into dark places. But remember God loves you; He sent Jesus to die for your sins and He will forgive you and help you if you ask Him. But as you accept Gods forgiveness – He calls you to get back on the horse and have another go at the wonderful gift called life. Yes, it is broken. Yes, at times its risky. But that’s what makes it exciting. Thankfully we have this! (hold up Bible) BIBLE stands for BASIC INSTRUCTION BEFORE LEAVING EARTH. Its worked for pretty much all the generations of the world and it can work for the young today – if they will only fear God and keep His commands.
