The Secret to The Meaning of Life

THE SECRET TO THE MEANING OF LIFE
(Eccl. 11:7-12:14)
A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 25 Oct 2009

C. 1- 11 : The Long Search for Meaning in Life
C. 12 : The Meaning in Life Discovered

I. REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR (12:1, 11:7-12:8)

1. REMEMBER - Obey and Submit

2. NOW - Before it is too late

Young Ones (11:7-10),
Young Once (12:1-5a)

METAPHORS OF AGING (12:2-5)
Gray Hairs, Few Teeth, Yet a Smile!

How can we prepare ourselves?
Life is Brief, so make the most of every opportunity
It is better to add life to your years than to add years to your life

3. THY CREATOR

Know where you came from Know where you are going.

Rabbi Akiba: one should “know whence you came (your source) whither you are going (your grave) and before whom you are destined to give an accounting (your Creator).”
A Filipino proverb says, A person who does not know how to look back to where he came from will not reach his destination.

GOD AS OUR CREATOR It reminds us that we are created beings. We are not our own, we are not the boss of our lives. We cannot live our lives apart from the Creator God. (Psalm 100:3)

Since God is the One who created us, He is also the One who has the right to determine how long we live and what that life is like.

If God can create us in the beginning He can also “recreate” and heal us.

God can give life; he can also take life away…
Man goes to his eternal home (12:5)? “Dust returns to the earth as it was, but the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

II. FEAR GOD! The Secret of the Wholeness of Man (12:13, 9-14)

Eccl. 12:13
“Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about.” (CEV)
“After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.” (GNB)
“The last and final word is this: “Fear God. Do what He tells you. And that’s it.” (Message)

Eccl. 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man (KJV)
Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the wholeness of man.

Everything hangs upon that word, “Fear God.” Fear God. Have faith in his existence; experience his grace; stand in awe of his Person; and resolve to obey him. That is what fearing God means. That is the secret to life; that is the secret of the wholeness of man, that is the secret to the meaning of life.