Ecclesiastes 2:1-8 says,...

Today's verses are Ecclesiastes 2:1-8, which read,

I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure.  So enjoy yourself."  And behold, it too was futility.  I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"  I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.  I enlarged my works:  I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.  I bought male and female slaves and I had home born slaves.  Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.  Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces.  I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines.   

We will stop there for we have enough of a list to talk about.  Solomon gives us an overview of his journey to find meaning in life.  He does an experiment but this is a practical experiment that involves his very life.  It is not something put into a test tube to observe but rather him participating in these activities.

Pleasure is the overarching description given by Solomon.  Again, he tells us the outcome before telling us the process.  These pleasures were futile.  They did not accomplish what was lasting.  He laughed at himself and his ventures to find something that pleased him fully.

How could he take in wine to receive it euphoric effects while keeping wise to make judgments over the affairs of us short lived men and women?  Drinking on the job was the first thing that went through my mind when I read that verse.  Solomon is trying to figure out how he can have pleasure for himself while serving others and it not affecting his judgment.  I have personally heard this one.  "I can have a few and it won't bother me at all.  I have figured this out.  I can handle my booze."  Now replace the booze with whatever else pleasure that can cloud your judgment.  It could be entertainment.  It could be the internet.  It could be some "harmless" in quotations flirting.  It could be some liberties with responsibilities and possessions of others.  We think in our minds that it is possible for it to happen and not affect other important areas of our lives.  You and I are doing exactly what Solomon is talking about here.  We want our cake and eat it too.

Solomon then goes to the pleasure of building and creating things.  He built houses, plural, for himself.  He planted vineyards and fruit trees for himself.  He created nature centers, parks, for himself.  It sounds like he is doing what we still do with much of our resources to entertain ourselves.  He is amassing his surroundings and therefore it is so big that he can't take care of it himself so he acquires male and female slaves and they have children while his slaves to tend to all this work of things to bring pleasure to himself.  

Now he has a workforce so he possesses flocks and herds and they are larger than any of his predecessors.  We do look to largeness as a way to say we are important.  "Look how big their house is.  They must be important."  We do this also with what is the latest model and we have it.  We do this with the thought that mine is faster than yours or has more horsepower than yours.  We rely on things and their size to show how important we think we are and to make you think we are also at least more important than you.

Another area of pleasure is the gathering of silver and gold.  Solomon had so much as one man that it was equal to the treasures of kings and provinces.  What they had collectively he had individually.  If you would like to read about the extent of Solomon's riches it takes up 7 chapters of the Bible found in 1 Kings, chapters 4 through 10.  Here again is another way to gauge ourselves alongside of others.  Who has the most money?  Who has the most jewels?  Who has the most bling?

The last area is the pleasure of sexual activity that is outside the bounds of God's definition of marriage between one man and one woman and the union of them only.  Solomon provided for himself many concubines, those not officially married to him.  He was not only married many times over but he went beyond marriage to seek enjoyment from the furtherest of God's order.  He pushed way past the line that God gave and saw this as he did with the many male and female singers as just entertainment.  This was a form of pleasure to bring him some happiness, therefore he overemphasized human gratification at the expense of following God's words and ways.

We do the same today.  We make excuses for our sins.  We make allowances for our pleasures that lead to more sinful activities.  We push the line and pretty soon find out we are well on the other side of the line but we haven't seen an immediate consequences so we keep on going.  Know that Satan has you in the palm of his hand now.  He has convinced you, like in the garden, that you won't die.  No, no you are actually more advanced than others because of your indulgence and not following after what God says.  Have you ever been there?  I know I have.  The only way back is to fall on your knees before God and cry out for the rope that only He can give to get you out of the pit you have dug for yourself.  I better end here and we better pray.

"Lord, Solomon is speaking our language.  We have tried to make sin holy or honorable.  We have tried to create worth in our things rather than in being in total submission to You.  We have used what You have given us for just ourselves and purposes that elevate us rather than You.  Send down the rope Lord.  Amen."

Pastor Adam