John was a man who lived a life of material success. He had served bravely in World War II. And like so many of that greatest generation, he returned home to his wife and children and became a business leader. And as John became more and more successful in the eyes of the world, he came to believe in this philosophy: “Whoever dies with the most toys wins.”
John began to see his value and self-worth tied into what he owned. That’s why he drove the best car in town. If someone else had a more-prestigious car, he would go to the dealership and buy a newer, better one.
But one day, it all suddenly ended. He left the ignition on while opening the trunk and, in a freak accident, the car slipped in to reverse and ended his life. How ironic. The possession that characterized his life, his car, in the end, took it.
So, if we are to find the meaning of life in our possessions, then not only John, but we also are in trouble! Yet, we want our lives to have meaning! Who wants to live a meaningless life?
And since we live in this world, it only makes sense that what this world has to offer, must in some way, give meaning to our lives. So, it can jilt us when we hear the writer of Ecclesiastes condemn all our efforts as being meaningless and empty.
So, if it’s true that what this world has to offer is in the end but meaningless, then what’s the solution? It’s this: in place of hopelessness and death, God enables us to know the true meaning of life. Although everything is without meaning if we exclude God; with God, it’s a different story.
So then, if we cannot find life’s meaning in earthly treasure, where do we find it? Are we to find life’s meaning in our search for peace? After all, who wants to live a life full of conflict and strife? I don’t, and you don’t either. Don’t we want to be at peace with others?
Now, our culture holds up material success as the key to that peace. Our culture tells us that if you have enough material goods, you can insulate yourself from conflict.
But that’s not true. Here’s why. Simply having money doesn’t buy peace with others. In truth, it may even increase conflict. How so? You have more than others, and now they want a piece of your pie, that’s how. Ecclesiastes tells us, “As goods increase, so do those who consume them. When, then, is the benefit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes?”
So, if money can’t buy peace with others, can it buy peace within? Ecclesiastes warns us, “As for the rich, his excess allows him no sleep.” When earthly possessions are the most valuable part of your life, they can quickly take over your mind and bring restlessness, worry, and sleepless nights. All the riches of this world cannot buy peace. It’s “meaningless,” says Ecclesiastes.
So then, where do we find the true meaning in our lives? Can we find meaning by our search for eternity? That, at least, sounds more lasting! After all, we’ve all seen buildings and monuments bearing the name of some wealthy person who gave the money to build such a lasting achievement.
Yet, even those lasting shrines of humanity do not last forever. They will crumble and fall and, on the Last Day, go the way with all the earth. So much for money buying eternity! It’s “meaningless,” says Ecclesiastes.
All right, what about leaving a legacy of wealth for your descendants? Even that is without meaning. Ecclesiastes, in its depressing style, reminds us that he had seen riches “lost in a bad investment, so when [a man had] fathered a son, there was nothing to support him.” Look atEurope. On the continent, you can find descendants of once-wealthy nobility who today still have grand titles but little else, whose family fortunes have been lost for generations. It’s “meaningless,” says Ecclesiastes.
And to add futility to meaninglessness, neither can you take what you own with you when you die. Have you ever seen a trailer hitch hooked to a hearse? Ecclesiastes puts it: “As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hands.” You cannot bring the riches of this world into eternity. It’s “meaningless,” says Ecclesiastes.
So, what is at the root of all this “meaninglessness” of earthly possessions? Remember our Old Testament reading for today: “The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is meaningless.” Did you catch the “L” word in there, love?
You see, Ecclesiastes is talking about the futility of loving something within creation in a way that one should only love the Creator. One of the most misquoted verses of Scripture is 1 Timothy 6:10, which we wrongly cite as “money is the root of all evil.” That’s not what that verse says. It says “the love of money” is the root of all evil.
And so it is. Whatever someone trusts in and loves so much that it becomes what is most valuable to him, that has become that person’s god. Remember the Small Catechism on the First Commandment: “Have no other gods.” What does this mean? “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” How you answer the question “Who or what is your god?” makes all the difference in whether your life has any lasting meaning.
Yet, earthly possessions are not in and of themselves evil. Even Ecclesiastes recognizes that. “When God gives someone wealth, possessions, and power to enjoy them, and to accept his place and be happy in his toil–this is the gift of God.”
All that we have is a gift from God. To understand this is to know that God gives us much to enjoy. Do we not confess every week, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth”? When we confess that, we recognize that God’s creation is good.
You see, having real peace is only possible when God is at peace with you. And this is His greatest gift: the gift of His Son’s words: “Peace be with you.” No, this is not peace as the world thinks of peace, but peace with Him. You cannot buy this peace with silver or gold. Such peace is bought with something far more precious: Jesus’ own blood.
That which endures into eternity gives us real meaning. When you live an earthly life in God’s peace, you are not tied to what will perish. You have an eternal soul, and that eternal soul is bound to the eternal God. God has loved you and has bound your life story to that of His own Son.
In baptism, God the Holy Spirit united you to the Son of God in all that He is. His earthly life was not one of earthly riches. He was, after all, born in a stable. His only possession, His garment, became a prize for the soldiers who crucified Him. His earthly life was not one of selfish gain, but of sacrificial giving of Himself to the poor, the needy, the hurting, and the afflicted.
In baptism, Christ and His righteousness replaced your unrighteousness. His innocent blood frees you and me from condemnation. Even His lifeless body was placed in a tomb He did not own, given by another.
But that tomb could never hold Him, for He is the Lord of Life. On Easter morning, the angels’ words let us know how eternity for you and me has changed: “He is not here. He has risen!”
Now, Jesus, who rose from death, even now intercedes for you as your heavenly High Priest. This became your story, your victory, and your life in and through the water of baptism. And it remains yours as Word and Sacrament spiritually continue to feed you as you remain in the one, true faith.
So, what is the meaning of life? You can never discover it in possessions, whether large or small. You can only find lasting meaning in that which brings eternal peace. It’s to know God as your heavenly Father, who embraces you through the love of His Son, revealed by the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament.
And here is where it even gets better! No matter who you are, how confused your priorities, or how much your possessions have become the object of your love–God is, even now, coming to you. He speaks the sweetest words a sinful human being can ever hear: “Your sins are forgiven.” He invites you to a meal that brings His own marriage feast to you, right where you are, as He gives you His body and blood.
So, what is the meaning of life? It is not in the world’s silver and gold or what they can buy. It’s in knowing God and His goodness and grace that keep you every day and fill your life with hope, peace, and joy that last to eternity.
So, whether you have much or little of this world’s wealth, you have the wealth that matters. You have God your Father embracing you through the love of His Son in the Holy Spirit. And that gives meaning to everything, which means it doesn’t get any better than that! Amen.
