Good morning. I'm so glad you are here today. We've spent this fall in the book of Ecclesiastes exploring what it is to live a meaning-full life. I'm aware that Ecclesiastes is probably the last book on earth a person might look to find such insight—Solomon repeatedly declares everything in life “meaning-less." But as we've seen, Solomon's charge is a kind of hook, to draw us into a conversation. The whole key to filling our life with meaning is to first and foremost fear God.
Today I want to unpack some of what Solomon has to say about WORDS. They say that on average men speak 2-3,000 words a day. This explains why preachers are so exhausted on Sunday afternoons. My average sermon is around 2-3,000 words. I preach twice every Sunday, plus I have dozens of conversations before, between, and after our services. By lunch I've spent my 3,000 words--I'm mentally shot! I'm not very good company for Lara after church. She'll want to talk and I'll be like, “Uh huh. Yeah. Hmm. Okay.”
Now, if the research is right, women speak 10-20,000 words a day, up to ten times that of men! About the time a man’s word count is fizzling out, a woman is just getting warmed up! No worries, I wasn't looking for an AMEN, just awkward silence! But don't you think that is a crazy difference?
Some of the most prolific writers or bloggers make it their goal to write 1,000 words a day. I was a preaching conference once and they said the average preacher writes the equivalent of three to four books a year, or up to 52 chapters of writing. And every chapter of every book has to be interesting and engaging! No pressure! I’ve been preaching over 30 years. Just how much content have I produced? How many bad books, how many bad chapters? How many of those chapters or books would I like to retract at this point in my life?
Let me share one more interesting statistic. On average, how many words do you think the average person “hears" every day? The typical person hears 20-30,000 words a day. A lot of wives would say their husbands are a-typical. “He doesn't listen to anything I say! He has selective hearing.” Friends, you hear up to 30,000 words a day! Let that sit for a moment. You may find it hard to take in a 3,000-word sermon, just one day, once a week. But every day you are being bombarded with up to 30 sermons, 30,000 words. Every week you are actually being bombarded with 210 sermons, or 210,000 words!
Words are our attempt to influence others; and words are other people's attempt to influence us. Words are power. Words create life or destroy it. Words promote good or promote evil. The quality of your life is in the quality of words that you speak PLUS the quality of words you consume. Garbage in, garbage out. Goodness in, goodness out. They say that “we are what we eat” --I'm sure that's physically true. But in another sense spiritually, mentally, intellectually, emotionally… “we are what we say… we are what we hear."
Before I get to Solomon, I want to mention a few things Jesus said. First of all, in John 6:63 Jesus tells his disciples, “The words that I have spoken are spirit and life!” The most worthwhile, meaning-filled, substantive words that exist in this universe are the ones God has spoken. That is why we refer to the Bible as “THE” Word, “THE word of God.” Probably the single most consistent message the church of Jesus Christ has preached through the centuries concerns the mysterious power of God's Word to produce new life, new birth, new hope wherever life and hope have died. Cue up one of a hundred verses like Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”. God's Word has a way of cutting through the cacophony of noise both within our soul and out in our world!
But another profound saying of Jesus is his invitation across the span of the gospel of John that we “Abide in Him.”: That we Abide in His Words! That we understand Jesus' Words ARE Life. The secret to a powerful prayer life—John 15:7, “if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” The essence of being a Christ follower. John 8:31, “If you abide in my words you are truly my disciples.” The essence of spiritual liberation. Again John 8:31, “If you abide in my words… you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!” The essence of loving God, John 14:21, is abiding in his words and “keeping my commandments.” The key to sanctification and true life change! John 17:17, Jesus prays, “Father sanctify them by the truth, your word is the truth!”
It crossed my mind that maybe we misdiagnose ourselves all the time. If I'm hearing Jesus correctly, the most fundamental part of our human struggle is whose words (what words) are we trying to abide in to find life? Are the words of cable TV news life-giving? Are the lyrics of Taylor Swift—I was at Barnes and Noble Friday, and she was on the cover of dozens of magazines at the register! Is the content we consume on social media, on our phones, in texts and emails, in the novels we read, the movies we see… the 30,000, 30 plus sermons were bombarded with every day…. How life-giving? How life-changing? How liberating?
In a word, what would you say your biggest problem is in your life? Some might say depression, maybe anxiety. Some might say addiction. Some might say anger, jealousy, envy. What if our most fundamental problem is with the words we most abide in. All day long we set aside the Word of God for the words of flesh. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but only the Spirit can give life to our spirit. What if you don't have a depression problem, but a word problem? What if you don't have an anger problem but a word problem? You're tuning into the wrong channel!
In Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 Solomon says, “10 Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what mankind is. . .” Now if I could just pause a second and interject a little Romans 14:17. The Apostle Paul says the God of Abraham is “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” In the beginning “God said." God has spoken by his Word and told us exactly who we are, and exactly who HE IS, and exactly what we must do to be saved. God's word is foundational to all humanity, indeed to all reality. God's words are in fact eternal!
But then what does the rest of Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 say? “But he is not able to contend with the one stronger than he. 11 For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for mankind? 12 For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?”
Words, words, words. Have you noticed everyone is an expert in how we should live. Everyone is an expert on yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We speak out of the presumption that our words are weighty, meaningful, true, right, trustworthy, perfect. But our words are hot air compared to those of God. The more our words multiply, the more futility itself multiplies. Why are people so depressed? So down? Because we're multiplying futile words! We're speaking them ourselves… we're consuming them. Think of all the words spoken by experts in just the past months, much less past years or decades that have proven false. Every expert imagines they have a crystal ball. If we truly want an advantage in life, we will take advantage of God's life-giving Words.
Another thing Solomon says, and this really bothers me the more I contemplate it. In Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 he says, “Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.” This echoes Ecclesiastes 6:11, “when words are many, futility is multiplied.” This echoes Proverbs 10:19, “When words are many sin is not absent; but the one who holds his tongue is wise.” James admonition “be slow to speak…” Also, “be slow to teach… you will be judged more harshly than others! Solomon is simply saying, “You are not God in heaven, you are on earth.” If you are going to speak (as Paul, Peter command) speak as one speaking the very oracles of God. Calibrate, align your words to God's Word. It’s only when we’re holding out God's words that we’re truly holding out words of life to our fellow man.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, “When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For many dreams bring futility; so do many words. Therefore, fear God.”
I hear echoes of Jesus’s sermon on the mount all over the place here. Jesus said let your yes, be yes and your no, no. Jesus cautioned against swearing by God's names, God's throne, God's earth, or even the hair on your head. In the vacuum of character, we multiply our words. In the vacuum of character, we multiply the volume, the volatility of our words. Just how seriously do we want God taking our words? I have regret in my life things I've said to God. I so often wish I'd just kept my mouth shut, than bring guilt on my life.
Solomon mentions dreams in Ecclesiastes 5:7. Dreams are like words. We like to dream big, we like to talk big. Think of how many promises we make about tomorrow, promises we make to our husband or wife that we're going to change. The words that change us, and change our world for the better aren't our hollow, futile words… but are God's words. So, Solomon says, “Fear God!” Respect God. Respect his words. Abide in his words. Anchor yourself to his words. Don't echo hollow promises… abide in the word and let God rebuild your character.
Ecclesiastes 7:5-6, so poetic, “5 It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools, 6 for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.” ; Ecclesiastes 9:17-18, “17 The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good.”
Ecclesiastes 10:12-14, “12 The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the words from his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness; 14 yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?”