Dangers That Keep Us From Rejoicing in Our Toil - Week 5
Connecting to one another
A. Reflect quietly for a moment about a season in your life when you were deeply discontent with or even despairing of your lot, the portion God gave you.
Below are areas of common human discontent that might help you to process.
SELF – appearance, personality, intelligence, gifts, health, culture, race
COMMUNITY – family of origin, spouse, children, friends, co-workers, church
WORK – purpose, status, reputation, power, finances
STATE OF YOUR WORLD – city, state, country, globe
B. Briefly (1-2 minutes) share your season of discontent,
C. Consider what was shared. How does our discontent with the lot or portion God gave us indicate a discontent In God Himself?
The Preacher advises us to REJOICE because rejoicing is a BETTER alternative than discontent (cynicism, despair, depression). In chapter 4, the Preacher will provide examples of what the various shades of discontent with our lot can look like.
Understanding the Truth with one another
Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument
Keep your pacing for #’s 1-4 fairly lively. Your purpose is to see a sweep of examples.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:1-3.
1a. How might discontentment lead one to toil as an oppressor?
1b. What is the result? Observe the various details the Preacher provides to express the enormity of the result, especially his BETTER alternative.
1c. From the box on page 1, choose a “God truth” to convict the oppressor. Choose another one to comfort the oppressed.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:4.
2a. How might discontentment lead one to toil industriously and skillfully, yet with an improper motivation?
2b. What is the result?
2c. Choose a God truth to convict the envious toiler.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:5-6.
3a. In this verse, the Preacher is recalling an aphorism (saying, dicho) that describes a lazy person. How might discontentment lead to laziness?
3b. In verse 6, the Preacher shifts to offer another BETTER alternative. What is his point?
3c. Choose a God truth to convict the sloth.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:7-8.
4a. How is discontentment informing the choices of this toiler?
This toiler is choosing to be alone. Consider his motivations for that.
4b. What is the result?
4c. Choose a God truth to convict this greedy toiler.
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
One way to see where an author’s message is to note where he shifts and where he shifts majorly. By tracking an author’s tone as positive (+) or negative (-), you can often easily see where the shift occurs. Verses 1,2,3,4,5,7,8 are negative. We have a slight shift in verse 6. But now we have a major shift in verses 9-12 with another BETTER alternative.
5a. What are three rewards (see v10, 11, 12) for time traveling with another toiler?
5b. What do you think is the Preacher’s purpose in moving from 1 toiler to 2 and then to 3? Consider how this connects to how we might “Rejoice” (3:22) in our work and lot.
5c. How do these rewards in community connect to many of the God truths?
Read Ecclesiastes 4:13-16.
When we read stories of kings in the Hebrew Scriptures or even fictional stories of kings, a common story type is the humble one who loses his humility once he is exalted on the throne.
6a. Why does the Preacher shift once more with this negative example of a king whose story follows this same type? Consider the results of this king’s discontentment for his people.
6b. How is Jesus the BETTER king?
Consider His character, role, and work. How He is our portion forever?
Living the Truth by Praying Through the Truth for one another
Today we are going to enjoy an extended time of prayer. Read through the guidelines that will help you to live the truth by praying through the truth. But remember they are just guidelines. Father, help us to pray through Your Spirit for Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory. Amen.
Time for Rejoicing
In prayer, thank the Father for any of the God Truths that led you to rejoice in Him today.
Thank Him for sending Jesus who left His heavenly throne to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Thank Him for how His Person and Toil gave you and the whole world the BEST alternative – eternal life with Him, our portion forever. Thank the Father for sending the Holy Spirit, who seals us as a guarantee of our eternal life.
Time for Confession
In prayer, consider how this lesson addressed your discontent (power struggles, envy, laziness, greed, pride, etc.). Confess that and ask for God’s help to repent.
Time for Petition
Pray for those in our community and world who are in great struggle due to the discontentment of those who oppress and are envious, lazy, greedy, and prideful. Pray for those enemies as well.
Daily Personal Worship
At Grace we trust Christ to transform us as we abide in Him daily.
If you are not already engaged in a Bible reading plan, then below are two options for engaging in God’s Word this week –
Option 1
Read Philippians 2:1-18. Meditate on how Jesus’ choices reflect a deep contentment with the lot God gave to Him. Rejoice in Him. Consider how you are following in His steps as His disciple and rejoice in the lot God gave you as His disciple. Create a repentance plan that has you turning from discontentment toward God. This plan might include confession to God and others or memorizing key verses in this passage. If you ask Him, God will surely give you ideas for He loves the humble.
Option 2
Below I’ve included part of an article on how God is our portion from gotquestions.org. To read the entire article go to https://www.gotquestions.org/God-is-my-portion.html
Inheritance, as used in Scripture, can refer to more than inherited property. It also has a theological significance. The Israelites came to learn that God Himself was the portion or inheritance of His people (Jeremiah 10:16). In the New Testament, the concept of inheritance is prominent as well, being connected with the person and work of Christ. Christ is the heir by virtue of being God the Son (Mark 12:7; Hebrews 1:2). Through Christ’s redemptive work, believers are children of God by adoption and fellow-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). As a guarantee of this “eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15), Christ has given us the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:14).
The portion or inheritance is given to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3:6). The inheritance includes the kingdom of God with all its blessings (Matthew 25:34), both presently and in the future (Romans 8:17–23; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Hebrews 11:23; 1 Peter 1:3–4). It is wholly the gift of God’s sovereign grace. “Our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5, ESV). The Son of God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In other words, God is our portion.
When a biblical writer says, “God is my portion,” he means that God is the source of his happiness and blessing. He is content with all that the Lord is and provides. He has the best inheritance imaginable and does not seek any possession or comfort outside of God. Riches, honor, friends and fame—nothing is as valuable as the promises of God. “My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26, NASB). If God is our portion, we need nothing else.
You can pray through these passages for yourself and loved ones and for our church and community.
God’s joy and strength to you!
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org