Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do

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Ecclesiastes — iconic scene

Service recording Sunday 26th July looking at Colossians.

Watch the service — 26 July 2026

▶ Jump to the sermon (Colossians 3:22-25) — 0:47:44

Chapters

Colossians 3:22-25

New Testament Reading: Colossians 3:22-25

As is our custom, because we’re in Ecclesiastes, a New Testament reading comes from Colossians chapter 3, verses 22 through 25. Here then is the word of God.

"Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."

Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going."

Just one verse. Today, it will be enough. Trust me, it will be enough.

Where We’ve Been in Ecclesiastes 9

Let’s have a think about where we’ve been in chapter 9 for the last few times together. Last week, by way of reminder, we talked about the fact that as believers we’ve got no business really to be constantly down in the dumps, no business not to be rejoicing in the Lord, because of all that God has done for us. We noted that a righteous and a wise man is able to rest secure in the hand of God, no matter what, for a start; and that a wise man ought therefore to be thankful to God for the good that we experience.

There is a time to weep, for sure, we know that; but there’s also a time for laughing. There should be much laughter amongst the people of God. There is a time to mourn, for sure, and we know those times perhaps all too well; but there is a time to dance, there is a time to be joyful. Let all Israel be glad in his Maker and let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King, says Psalm 149. We don’t want to maintain the reputation that some people have about the church and about Christians, that we’re a dour, morose lot. We have more reasons to give thanks and to rejoice in the Lord than anybody. Every blessing in the heavenly places is ours in Christ Jesus.

And even though, as Christians, sometimes we have that kind of reputation, and particularly those of us who are perhaps more dominated by the head rather than the heart as belivers, we don’t want to portray anything other than that we have much reason to rejoice. Eat your bread supplied by God, therefore, in happiness. Drink your wine gifted by God in cheerfulness. Wear the white clothes of righteousness with thankfulness. Anoint your heads with oil with gratefulness and enjoy life with the wife God has given you in humbleness. All of these things show us Jesus, who does it all for us. That was last week.

This Week: Diligence and Excellence

This week, we’ve turned our attention just to this verse 10. As we begin to think about it, I would say, and I suppose I’ve headed it up this way, that a wise man, or a Christian, ought to be one who is always offering up their best and trying to do their best from the heart for our Lord Jesus Christ. We should be diligent. Romans 12:11 says that. That’s a good word, isn’t it? Diligent. We should give excellent service to God. It’s all part of doing our best for the Lord Jesus Christ.

But it’s not just about what we do. It’s also about how we do it. And it’s not just about how we do it, but also for whom we do it.

The What: Working Out Our Salvation

What do we do? Well, Philippians 2 teaches us that we ought to be diligently working out our salvation with fear and trembling. So, the very first thing that you and I as believers need to be concerned about, because it’s really fundamental, and it’s the reason why we’re believers and not unbelievers, the reason we’re heavenward bound rather than hell bound, it is that we have been saved. We have experienced what it is to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And if that is the case, then we can surely give thanks to God for his grace.

We can surely recognize that he’s done it not because we’re better than anyone else, but because he just is gracious and he’s chosen to show his love in that way to us, by saving us. But it is for us, therefore, to go about the business to becoming, as the great Augustine said, to become what we are. We are saved. We are what we are because of God’s grace and love for us. But now life is given to us so that we might work at becoming, be diligent to become, what we are in Christ Jesus.

We need to present our bodies, as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 12, as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Why? Because that is our spiritual worship. So that’s the what.

The How: With All Our Might, From the Soul

How ought we to go about this business? Remember when someone approached the Lord Jesus Christ and said, what must I do to be saved? And he said, you’ve got the Scriptures. He was a religious man. What do the Scriptures say, and how do you read them? Because what the Scriptures say is important, for sure; but it makes a whole lot of difference how you read them. How do you interpret them? How do you understand them? That’s what’s important, really, as important as the what. Because you can go totally astray.

There are plenty of people out there that claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they would hold, as we hold, that the Scriptures are inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that we might be equipped for every good deed. Given to them to be pleasing to the Lord. Plenty of people; but they may not even be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners. And the reason is not that they don’t understand that the word of God is inspired, God-breathed. It’s that they interpret it wrong. They’ve come to a wrong understanding or interpretation of it. So, the what is good, we need the what, but we need also the how.

And the Scriptures would teach us that how we diligently serve the Lord: whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it with all of our might, from the heart, or literally from the soul, as it says in the original. With all diligence, as we’ve already said, and with excellence; that’s important also. In other words, with all our hearts and all of our souls.

For Whom: For Jesus’ Sake, and for Conscience

For whom? Why are we going about this business of being bothered about working and being diligent, whatever our hands find to do, to do the best that we can? What’s the reason behind what we do? What’s the motivation of our hearts? Well, according to the Scriptures, it is for Jesus’ sake. It is for our Father in heaven and his Son, Jesus’ sake, that we want to go about the business of whatever our hand finds to do, to do it with all diligence, with all our hearts and all our souls.

And because we’re believers, and because we want to please our Father in heaven and our Lord Jesus Christ, not just for his sake, but actually for our own conscience’ sake, we need to consider even ourselves and our own hearts. Remember, as regenerated believers, our consciences have been retuned. Those things that we did as unbelievers, and just skipped over, that wouldn’t have bothered us at all, perhaps a little lie that we told, perhaps a little gossip that we had, perhaps a little word that was discouraging rather than encouraging, as unbelievers we wouldn’t care about that. We wouldn’t be concerned, unless of course we were cornered by somebody on it, and then we’d be particularly worried about it, wouldn’t we?

But the reality is that as believers now, we realise that the true and faithful witness, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, sees what we’re up to; not only what we’re up to, but the way that we do it; not only the way we do it, but the motive that we have. And so, our consciences, as believers, have been retuned. We can’t actually get away with those sorts of things anymore. And that’s what drives us week in and week out, and day in and day out: please forgive us our sins, cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because we realise that even the very best things that we would offer up to God and call good are not really good in his eyes anyway.

So if that is the case it’s not just for Jesus’ sake are we to be diligent and to do the best that we can in all that we do, but also for our own conscience’ sake. And not just for our conscience, but also because we’re aware that the world looks upon us as believers, and as they look at us, they see our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t like it, but the reality is that’s what they see. The world looks at us and says, oh, they’re Christians, they’re followers of the Lord Jesus Christ; their conduct and their life represents the one whom they follow and whom they love.

So not just for Jesus’ sake, not just for our own conscience’ sake, but also because the world looks upon us, it’s important to do well, diligently, and to do the best we can in every aspect of our lives. The world should see a difference. Awkward question, isn’t it? But it’s worth thinking about. The world looking upon us ought to see a difference. Does it? If it doesn’t, then perhaps we need to rethink the way that we’re doing something, and the impact that we’re having on those around us.

Why: To Show Christ, and the Matter of Reward

Why should we be diligent, so that whatever our hand finds to do, as believers, is pleasing to God? Well, by doing that, we demonstrate the God we serve in the world. We show off Jesus, who diligently obeyed his Father one hundred percent and finished that which was entrusted to him. And we can expect, of course, a reward.

I’m not sure how much that figures. As a believer, I find that quite a hard line, because I don’t go around thinking, if I do this, I’m going to receive some reward in heaven as a result of it. I’m not sure that that’s so becoming of us as believers. Yet we’re taught in the Scriptures that everything we do, and if we do it diligently in particular, and if we do it well in life, then there will be a reward. I think it’s worth just stacking that in the back of your head, not in the front, so that you’re not just trying to do things to get what I would call heavenly cookie points. But we can be assured that just a cup of cold water given to the servant of the Lord shall receive its reward. The Scriptures teach us that.

Worship Includes Our Everyday Work

Let’s make some notes. The first note I would draw your attention to is this: that our worship of God includes our diligent and excellent work in everything that we do. It’s a fact that sometimes, in some religious circles, and I hope not in ours, that people want to divide between the spiritual and the practical things of life. We do that because we like to compartmentalize things. So we would think to ourselves, well, if we’re going to be super spiritual, I’m going to read the Bible, I’m going to study the Bible, I’m going to pray for so many hours a day. And we’re going to come to church, and we’re going to stand up and worship, and sit down and pray, and listen diligently without throwing eggs and rotten tomatoes at the preacher. We think about that as being the spiritual side of things.

But then when we leave here, somehow our worship of God goes out of our minds, and we get on to what we call the business of life; and that might be parenting, homemaking, work, learning. But the Bible doesn’t make that distinction in terms of our worship. The Scriptures teach us that when we worship God, we worship him in lots of ways. We don’t want to belittle the fact that anyone’s here today and worshipping God collectively with God’s people, how marvellous. But I can tell you that the worship we offer to God here isn’t a level above the worship we offer God in the work that we do, in the homes that we make, in the wives that bless their husbands, in the husbands that bless and serve and love their wives, and in the children that obey their parents and the Lord. There’s no difference. It’s all worship. And it’s not that we should be diligent in just one thing, but in everything in our lives. It says, whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all diligence. Why? Because by doing so, you’re honouring God and keeping a good conscience.

Part of our worship is to not be like the one man who buried the one talent in the ground and just left it there, but to use that which God has given us. We must invest that which God has given us in the best way. We ought not to squander our time. Time is short. That’s what our text says. Get on with it. Be diligent. Do everything from the heart, because where you’re going, Sheol, the grave, time is over. So, to be good and diligent, we must realize and take the times that God has given us and use them for good. With God’s help, we can be excellent.

The Colossians Example: Slaves, Wives, Husbands, Children

We didn’t read it fully, but the context of Colossians chapter 3 is interesting. It was just a portion to wet our New Testament whistle, as it were, on the principle of doing the best that we can. The example that is there is slaves. Now, we don’t have too many slaves in this congregation, I know; but we do have employees, and we do have people that are employers. It’s an interesting fact, isn’t it, that the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3 gives a specific task to those that are slaves.

Now, I’m sure they weren’t slaves because they wanted to be slaves. If they could have been free men, and not in the position that they were in, they would have been. But they were slaves, whatever they were, and it would be tempting, wouldn’t it, for them as slaves to not do the very best for their masters, that they could, to drop a little short in terms of their diligence. Surely it would be tempting. It would be for me. But the Apostle Paul takes that one example and says, look, you may be slaves to a man, but you’re servants of the living God, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. You should do everything as if you are pleasing the Lord, not primarily your master.

Previously in this chapter, in chapter 3, he also addresses wives. And here’s the challenge for you wives; I’m not a wife, so it’s not a challenge to me, but if you are a wife, do the very best that you can to be the best wife that you can be. Husbands, I am a husband: be the very best husband to your wives. Children, be the very best that you can, so that you’re honouring your father and your mother. So he gives instructions, all for the same reason: that we should bring glory and honour to God by being diligent and excellent at whatever we do. Make the changes that are necessary in your life. Identify those things that need to be changed, so that we can bring more honour and glory to our Father in heaven.

A Word of Testimony: Have I Lost My Edge?

Years ago, as a young believer and as a zealot, not long having been confronted by the Lord in terms of my life, having not lived a very godly life for a few years that today I might be ashamed of, and that I might have to pray, Lord, please forgive the sins of my youth, but the Lord in his graciousness and his love for me showed me the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I believed with all of my heart. I not only believed with all of my heart in the Lord Jesus Christ, but I wanted to give my whole life for him who had blessed me with salvation.

And those around me noticed a big change. The word went out: did you hear about Bayno? He was a wild man, but now I believe he’s come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I was confronted by one or two at that particular time, and they said, you know, religion is good, nothing wrong with it, but let’s keep a lid on it. And because I was outspoken, and because it was noticed at that time, these different ones accused me of being a fanatic. That was their word: a fanatic.

I’m still a bit of a fanatic, I’m afraid. But I had, in those days, such a sense of the forgiveness and the grace of God in my life that I had not understood previously, even though I was graciously brought up in a Christian home and faithfully taught the Scriptures. It must have appeared that I was a bit of a fanatic and an enthusiast, because of the change that went on. But I look back now and think, I wonder if I’ve lost a bit of my edge. I hope not. I hope that I’m still enthusiastic. I hope that I’m still a fanatic for Jesus. And I hope that I’m still able to conscientiously and boldly take the gospel to anyone, into any situation: that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

A Fire Under Us: The Example of Christ

Brothers and sisters, I think when it comes to being diligent in all that we do, it’s a good thing, isn’t it? Whether it’s a small thing, or seems to be a small thing, or a big thing, to be diligent and excellent and wholehearted about what we are to do. I think that’s the teaching of the Scripture here. And I think it’s also the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was, we might say, possessed and blessed of the Holy Spirit, to march towards the ministry that his Father in heaven had given him; to not only live a faithful life, but to give that faithful life to death on the cross. While we have the day, he said, we must work. My food, he said, is to do the will of my Father in heaven and to do his works. And when it came to things like cleansing the temple, it was said of him, zeal for my house has consumed me. Zeal.

Brothers and sisters, can I light a fire? Can I light a fire under us? Let’s repent of being half what we ought to be in Christ Jesus. Let’s repent of not being as faithful as we ought to be. Let’s repent of putting other things first in our lives and giving just what’s left over to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to go home and go to work next week. But whatever you do, whatever you do, be diligent, be excellent, whatever your hand finds to do. Why? To demonstrate Jesus Christ to the world in which we live.

Closing Prayer

Let’s ask his help.

Father, we thank you, Lord, for showing us in your word how we might live to be pleasing to you. We acknowledge, Lord, that we’re not yet what we ought to be; and for some of us, in some areas, and particularly this area, maybe we’ve lost ground. Maybe the first love that we had, as was spoken to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, the first love that we had has gone a little quiet, a little dead, or become a bit ordinary in our Christian lives.

Lord, help us to understand that what we have in Jesus Christ is not ordinary, it’s extraordinary; it’s not merely wonderful, it’s amazing. Help us then, Lord, we pray, to live lives where our tails are lit like the foxes of Samson’s time, that we’re burning the wheat of the Philistines around us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.