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There’s a neighborhood in Venice, California where life looks like a dream—friends share pizza, families celebrate birthdays, and people binge-watch shows late into the night. But down the street lives Bryan Johnson, a tech entrepreneur who spends millions trying to defeat death. His entire life revolves around avoiding the one thing he fears most.

He won’t succeed.

Death comes for us all. Whether you live recklessly or carefully, whether you pursue pleasure or pour yourself into hard work, the grave swallows everything in the end. Ecclesiastes 9:1–12 brings us face-to-face with this sobering reality. But it doesn’t leave us in despair—it teaches us how to truly live.

The message is simple: we can only enjoy life by preparing for death.

Death Is Certain

The Preacher begins by reminding us that “the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God… the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 9:1–2). Death is the great equalizer. Whether you’re moral or immoral, rich or poor, wise or foolish, your life will one day end.

That truth makes many people uncomfortable. We avoid thinking about death. We distract ourselves with busyness, entertainment, or even health routines, hoping to keep the thought of mortality at bay. But pretending death isn’t coming doesn’t change the fact that it is.

Worse still, death exposes the reality of sin: “The hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead” (v. 3). We don’t just die because of natural causes—we die because sin has broken the world.

Life Is a Gift

But if death is unavoidable, does that mean life is meaningless? Not at all. In fact, the certainty of death makes every day of life a precious gift.

“But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (v. 4). In the ancient world, lions were majestic and dogs were despised. Yet even a mangy dog alive has more opportunity than a noble lion in the grave.

Life may be fragile and fleeting, but it is still good. The Preacher urges us:

  • Enjoy your food and drink. “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do” (v. 7).

  • Enjoy your relationships. “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun” (v. 9).

  • Enjoy your work. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (v. 10).

These aren’t calls to hedonism but to gratitude. Every meal, every friendship, every day of work is a reminder that God has given us life as a gift to be enjoyed before it slips away.

Time Is Unpredictable

The Preacher closes with a sobering reminder: life doesn’t follow our scripts. “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong… but time and chance happen to them all” (v. 11).

No matter how talented, prepared, or disciplined you are, you cannot predict the twists and turns of life. A sudden diagnosis, a tragic accident, or an unforeseen setback can derail your plans in an instant. “Man does not know his time” (v. 12).

We are like fish caught in a net or birds trapped in a snare—death often comes suddenly and unexpectedly. That’s why preparing for death is so essential.

Preparing for Death, Enjoying Life

So how do we prepare for death in a way that frees us to enjoy life? The answer is found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus entered our world under the same curse of death. He lived with joy, savoring meals, friendships, and purposeful work. Yet He also came to conquer the grave. On the cross, He bore the penalty of our sin, and in His resurrection, He defeated death once and for all.

Now He offers eternal life to all who trust Him. For the Christian, death is not the end but the doorway to everlasting joy. That’s why Paul could say, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

When you’re prepared to die in Christ, you’re finally free to live with joy. You don’t have to cling desperately to every passing moment—you can receive each one as a gift. You don’t have to make your life “count” by chasing worldly success—you can live faithfully, trusting God with the results.

Living with Joy Today

What does this look like for you?

  • It means sitting down at the dinner table tonight and thanking God for the food before you.

  • It means cherishing your spouse, your children, or your friends as the treasures they are.

  • It means doing your work—not grudgingly, but with all your might—because work itself is a gift from God.

  • And it means living every day with eternity in view, knowing death is certain but Christ is greater.

You cannot control your time, but you can prepare for your death. And when you do, you’ll discover that you are finally able to enjoy your life.

Big Idea: We can only enjoy life by preparing for death.

Are you prepared?