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The whole duty of man Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 June 26th, 2011
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 ESV (9) Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. (10) The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. (11) The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. (12) My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (13) The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
THE TEXT: 1) This passage is summing up this book. 2) This passage gives us the bottom line of humanity – what is our duty and identity. 3) This passage reminds us that everything matters because everything will be judged someday.
ILLUSTRATION: Private/Sgt. Butch McGregor and General Collins (From Jerry Bridges – The Joy of Fearing God)
McCregor’s fear transformed from a feeling of dread to a feeling of respect and honor.
BOTTOM LINE – FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS 4 Questions: 1. What is the fear of the Lord? “a profound sense of loving or affectionate awe towards God that produces an appropriate response” a. Loving or Affectionate: trust, allegiance, obedience, devotion, familial b. Awe: fear, dread, wonder, distance in rank Fear of God is not just a fear of legal judgment. It truly respect this, but is relational – it trust in the judging God who offers promises. I want you to ponder how the Bible speaks of the fear of the Lord: (it is better described than defined) The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. – Prov 14:27 Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! – Psalm 112:1 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; - Psalm 19:9a The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. – Prov 19:23 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! – Psalm 34:9 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. – Psalm 86:11 2. Where does obedience fit in? “Fear God and keep his commandments” Obedience in this passage is to be done in the fear of the Lord or because we fear the Lord. It is possibly to obey without the fear of the Lord, but it is not true biblical obedience. Human morality can be done with bad motives and is not what is commanded here. The bible links obedience and the fear of the Lord. The one who fears the Lord obeys the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:1-2 ESV "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, (2) that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 ESV (12) "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (13) and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? Obey out of a reverent and loving allegiance. 3. Why is this the “whole duty of man”? Literally the passage does not have the word “duty” – instead, “this is the whole of man” Adam and Eve in the Garden: God created and placed them in the garden and blessed them with everything good. He called them to affectionately live in a relational awe of Him and they rebelled. When they sinned, they failed to fear the Lord and obey Him. In this sin, humanity defaulted on their obligation to their Creator. 4. Where does this leave us today? Romans 5:19 ESV For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. a. We need to fear and obey God but we can’t on our own. We, by nature, are in the old Adam To just take this passage alone as our marching orders without something else will leave us where we are – broken and failing. b. God sent Jesus to do and be what we can’t do and be on our own. We need to have our nature changed to be in the new Adam ILLUSTRATIONS: 1. Sgt McGregor and General Collins – war, explosion, rescue, salvation 2. The new Adam entered the fallen world and laid Himself down for us. c. God’s command (fear and obey) and Jesus’ Action must grip our hearts. This is necessary for us to have true fear and obedience. We must look to the Gospel. d. Thank God, trust in Jesus, and seek to obey Him with Your whole heart. · Where do you need to obey? (giving, habits, entertainment, attitudes) · Commit to obedience and ask God to help you do it out of a growing affection and awe towards Him.
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