How to Live (A Study in Ecclesiastes)
Lesson #14: Cast Your Bread upon the Waters (Ecclesiastes 11:1-10)
In this chapter we see a great lesson on giving. In this lesson we will use the term giving in a broad sense. It can refer to giving basically anything that you have. The most obvious thought would be our money or resources, but this can also apply to our time, energy, and talents as well. This passage also makes a reference to sowing seed so we could use this passage for sowing the word of the Lord or whatever ministry God has given us to do. With this in mind we will look at some principles for why we should cast our bread upon the waters and make the application to how it fits us regarding the resources God has given us.
Why should we cast our bread upon the waters?
1) Because we will find it after many days (verse 1)
- Proverbs 11:24-26 is an excellent companion passage for this thought. We give today because we will need it tomorrow. This sounds backwards but with God it works.
- Note also 2 Corinthians 9:6-10.
2) Because you may not have another chance (verse 2)
- The truth is that we do not know what will be on the morrow (James 4:14-17). Therefore we must cast our bread upon the waters while we can.
3) Because you do not know how God will use it (verse 5)
- Sometimes we just have to cast our bread in faith (Romans 10:17) because it may not make sense but God can do the impossible with our bread. Remember the 5 loaves and two fishes?
4) Because we will give an account (verse 9)
- We are going to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give an account for things done in the body (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)
Life Lesson:
If we make a simply application of the verse then the more bread we cast today, the more we may find floating around tomorrow. But let us take heed the opposite would also be true as well.
How to Live (A Study in Ecclesiastes)
Lesson #14: Cast Your Bread upon the Waters (Ecclesiastes 11:1-10)
Handout
1) List some different ways that we can apply casting our bread upon the waters.
2) Why should we cast our bread upon the waters?
3) What is the life lesson from this passage?