為誰辛苦為誰忙 Toilsome Labour Under the Sun

臻靈團查經
生命重整系列
(四)為誰辛苦為誰忙

查考經文：Ecclesiastes 傳道書 2, Philippians 腓立比書 3

A. 破冰

若你得了一個不治之症，你家人及朋友不斷告訴你「還有希望」。但你心中有數，知道自己已接近人生的終點。在夜闌人靜時，當你回想一生做過的事情，請列舉三件你認為是最有價值或給你帶來最大的滿足感的。

你估計在你臨死前的晚上，是以甚麼來衡量事情價值？

一個人在臨終前，像會考放榜前一天：當時的心情是「後悔莫及」或「欣然等待」，是在乎我們一生的努力與否。讓我們一起向兩個將要離世的「老人家」學習怎樣善用餘生，明白我們應該是「為誰辛苦為誰忙」。


B. 研經／討論

傳道書2:1-2, 4-8, 10-11
「我心裏說：「來吧，我以喜樂試試你，你好享福！」誰知，這也是虛空。我指嬉笑說：「這是狂妄。」論喜樂說：「有何功效呢？」
「我為自己動大工程，建造房屋，栽種葡萄園，修造園囿，在其中栽種各樣果木樹；挖造水池，用以澆灌嫩小的樹木。我買了僕婢，也有生在家中的僕婢；又有許多牛群羊群，勝過以前在耶路撒冷眾人所有的。我又為自己積蓄金銀和君王的財寶，並各省的財寶；又得唱歌的男女和世人所喜愛的物，並許多的妃嬪。」
「凡我眼所求的，我沒有留下不給它的；我心所樂的，我沒有禁止不享受的；因我的心為我一切所勞碌的快樂，這就是我從勞碌中所得的分。後來，我察看我手所經營的一切事和我勞碌所成的功。誰知都是虛空，都是捕風；在日光之下毫無益處。」


1. 所羅門王提到他過去是甚麼動力支配他如何運用一生最寶貴的資源──時間及精力？在你生活圈子中，你有否找到一些例子是與所羅門王所追求的相似呢？

	甚麼動力	現代版
v.1「來吧！我以喜樂試試你，你好享福」
v.4「我為自己動大工程，建造房屋 …」
v.7「我置了僕婢，又有許多牛群羊群， 勝過耶路撒冷眾人所有的 … 又為自己積蓄金銀」

2. 當所羅門王年紀大的時候，對追求到的一切有何感覺（傳5:10-13）？你同意嗎? 你過去的經歷與所羅門所經歷的有甚麼異同？


3. 最終，所羅門勸世人追求甚麼（參12:1）？「記念」何解?
為何他會有這個提醒?



保羅快要離世前寫下腓立比書。

腓3:4-16

1. 保羅前半生是追求甚麼, 以甚麼為榮? 他現在對這些事的態度及感受又如何呢?


2. 現今保羅以甚麼為他的 「至寶」及「標竿」? 這些事怎樣反影他現在的價值觀及人生觀?


3. 這段經文的Keywords是「當作」(或「看作」)，在本文出現了多少次？何解？保羅特別選用這個字有何含意？


4. V8「我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶」
保羅己經信主多年, 為何還要「認識基督」, 「得著基督」呢? 可否為「認識」, 「得著」下一個定義?
他特別希望認識基督些甚麼 ? (v10) 背後有什甚麼目的及動力 ? （v 11）

（註：「或者我也得以從死裡復活」＝保羅期望自己能將基督復活得勝的生命具體地活出來）


5. 在經文中保羅用了甚麼字眼去形容他「認識基督」的態度及熱心? 你認為保羅是一個「宗教狂」嗎? 以保羅這個年齡(60+)及過去的經歷 , 為何保羅會選擇這種狂熱去成為他餘生的追求?


6. 保羅竭力跑的「標竿」是「要得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞」,指甚麼？他以甚麼態度去追求 ? (參v12-14)
這些人生目標及心志, 是只為牧師或傳道人? 或是為所有信徒? (參 v15-16)

註: 完全人=成熟的人


C. 反省／應用

7. 比對所羅門王及保羅, 你認為在縱橫上下兩線之中, 你的價值觀, 人生觀的位置在那裏?

得著基督；得以在他裡面; 經歷祂復活的大能; 得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞
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追求享樂, 物慾, 成就	<----|---->	物質, 享樂, 成就是虛空, 不能滿足, 唯有記念我們的造物主
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宗教狂熱, 律法主義, 維護宗教傳統, 建立/拆毀教會

8. 看完兩位長者的經歷及聖經的教訓, 若要為自己的下半生定一個辛苦忙碌的對象, 你會選擇甚麼? 若要重寫序言中的三件事, 你會怎樣寫?


9. 「認識基督」, 「得著基督」: 依你的經驗, 有甚麼可幫助你向這個標竿邁進?

Journey Fellowship Bible Study
Transforming, Overcoming, and the Power of God Series
IV. Toilsome Labour Under the Sun, What For?

Reference Scriptures：Ecclesiastes 2, Philippians 3

A. Ice Breaking

If you got an incurable illness, even though your family and your friends keep telling you that "there's still hope", you know it in your heart that you're near the end of your journey. In the quiet of the night, you reflect on everything you've done in your life, list three things that you think are the most valuable or that bring you the most satisfaction.

What will you use to weight the value of things the night before you die?

At the end of the tunnel, like the eve before releasing the results of your final high school exam, will it be "regretful, but too late" or "peacefully waiting" depend on whether we've worked hard in our lives. Let us learn from two of the "elders" who're near the end of their lives how we can make the most use of our lives and find out "what are we busying for?"

B. Study/Discussion

Ecclesiastes 2:1-2, 4-8, 10-11

'I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?”'

'I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.'

'I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labour.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;m
nothing was gained under the sun.'

1. King Solomon mentioned that what was the drive that determined how he used his most valuable resources - time and energy? In the circle of your life, can you find some examples of the things that are similar to what King Solomon was pursuing?

	drive	modern version
v.1 "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good."
v.4 "I undertook great projects: I built houses..."
v.7 "I bought male and female slaves... I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself"

2. When King Solomon was old, What's his feeling toward the things he had acquired (Ecclesiastes 5:10-13)? Do you agree? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between your own experiences and King Solomon's?


3. In the end, what was King Solomon's advice to us in terms of what we should pursue (Ecclesiastes 12:1)？ What's "remember"? Why would he gave that advice?


Paul wrote Philippians near the end of his life.

Philippians 3:4-16

1. What did Paul pursue in the first half of his life? What was he proud of? What's his view and feeling toward these same things at this point?


2. At this point, what are Paul's "surpassing greatness" and "goal"? How do these reflect his value and life-view?


3. The keywords of these verses is "consider. How many times does it appeared? Why? What is the reason behind Paul picked this keyboard?


4. v.8 "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord .... that I may gain Christ"
Paul had believed in Christ for many years. Why does he still need to "know Christ" and "gain Christ"? Define "know" and "gain".
What does he need to know Christ for (v.10)? What was the purpose and motivation behind this (v.11)?

(Note: v.11 "somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" = Paul hopes that he himself can wholly live out Christ's resurrected and champion life)


5. What keywords did Paul use to describe his attitude and passion for "knowing Christ"? Do you consider Paul a "theomaniac"? Considering Paul's age (60+) and his past experiences, why would he want to pursue that kind of passion for the rest of his life?


6. The "goal" that Paul keeps pressing on toward is "to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." What is it referring to? What's his attitude in the pursuit? (refer to vv.12-14)
Are these goals and commitments merely for the preachers or the pastors? or are they for all believers? (refer to vv.15-16)


C. Reflection/Application

7. Comparing King Solomon and Paul, where do you think your value and life-view be on the horizontal and vertical axes?

gain Christ; be found in him; experience the power of his resurrection win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus
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pursue pleasures, material satisfaction, accomplishments	<----|---->	pleasures, material satisfaction, accomplishments are meaningless, cannot satisfy only "Remember your Creator"
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theomaniac, legalism, define religious traditions, build/destroy the church

8. After looking at the two elders' experiences and the teachings from the Bible, what would you choose if you are to define who who'll work for the remainder of your life. How would you re-list the three things that you think are the most valuable or that bring you the most satisfaction.


9. "Knowing Christ", "gaining Christ": according to your experience, what can help you to move toward this goal?