Ecclesiastes 1 (2)

MAIN IDEA

Everything is meaningless without Christ!

1.2: HEVEL - Smoke/Vapor

SUB POINT 1: Everything is meaningless because all of our activity is pointless.

1.3: What does a person gain?

Any gains achieved by hard work are eventually negated by death.

What does it profit us or advantage are we given?

“Under the sun” - What is considered under the sun?

If this is all there is - if there’s no God, no afterlife, no final judgement - it’s all meaningless.

1.4: Life is fleeting

1.5-6: Life happens in cycles, and they just keep going.

1.7-10: Just like the sea we very often struggle to be filled by or find satisfaction in life. How true is that for us? We’re always looking for the next best thing.

What does this do to us?

Anybody in here tired?

Nothing is new

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1.11: Few people are remembered for more than a generation.

Fred is a prime example.

SUB POINT 2: Everything is meaningless because nothing satisfies.

1.12: Who is the author?

1.13: The goal here is to wisely examine life.

1.14: Seen it all and it’s like chasing the wind.

1.15: Crooked: both morally and intellectually. Can’t count what’s not there.

1.16: This is a legitimacy claim.

1.17: He examined it all.

1.18: These pursuits will never truly satisfy.

LOOK AHEAD: Everything is meaningless, because our frustration is meant to drive us to Christ.

The ultimate purpose of this book is this: To convict our hearts of their need for Jesus.

Yes, it is all meaningless if we don’t have Him!

QUESTIONS

What are some things you do that seem monotonous?

What do you look to for relieving the redundancy of life?

What is HEVEL?

Why do we think happiness can be found in what we don’t have?