The Vanity of Earthly Pleasures
Notes
Transcript
TURN— ECC. CH. 2...
PROVERBS/SONG of SOLOMON—PG. 576
PICKING UP CH. 2…VS. 1...
Open in Prayer
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Introduction: The Pursuit of Happiness
Introduction: The Pursuit of Happiness
Just shy of 250 years ago now…GROUP of MEN—WROTE
DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE
FAMOUSLY, THEY STATE:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
PROBABLY FAMILIAR to ALL of US--
LIFE… LIBERTY… PURSUIT of HAPPINESS.
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BASIS for AMERICAN DREAM:
START OWN COMPANY/BUSINESS...
PROSPER IT
WHITE-PICKET FENCE,,
2 CAR GARAGE,,
NICE 401(K)
YOU CAN FIND SUCCESS—HAPPINESS.
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Despite belief— “PURSUIT of HAPPINESS” — HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CATCH IT??
TODAY:
GREAT DAY of PROSPERITY
MATERIAL THINGS to SPARE
HOUSE SIZES:
1960— 1,600 SQ FT
2020’S— 2,300 SQ FT
ANOTHER SOURCE:
1920’S— 1,048...
2010’S— 2,700 SQ FT.
LAST 100 YEARS— HOUSE SIZES HAVE DOUBLED,, FAMILY SIZES SURELY HAVEN’T.
EVOLUTION of CAR: from MODEL-T — to MODERN VEHICLES
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT
SUPERCOMPUTER in POCKET
AMAZON—WALMART— BRINGING UNLIMITED THINGS RIGHT to YOUR DOOR
ADVANCEMENTS in MEDICINE
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(Q) Have we caught happiness?
PURSUING for 250ISH YEARS
LOOK @ MODERN BLESSINGS...
(Q) Have we caught happiness?.... or do we just need one more thing??
PERHAPS—CATCH it MOMENTARILY— SQUEEZES IT’S WAY OUT of OUR GRIP...
IF IT’S SO HARD to CATCH—SHOULD YOU EVEN TRY?
IF YOU’RE a BELIEVER— IS IT WRONG to PURSUE HAPPINESS?
(T) What all this looks like = TEACHER’S RECOLLECTION/PONDERING TODAY...
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Brief Recap
Brief Recap
REMEMBER—TEACHER (AUTHOR) = ON a JOURNEY
SEEKING MEANING/PURPOSE/UNDERSTANDING in LIFE
LAST WK: SEEKING THROUGH WISDOM/KNOWLEDGE
CONCLUSION:
WISDOM = = VEXATION
KNOWLEDGE = = SORROW
EVERYTHING “UNDER the SUN” = VANITY… EMPTY.... MEANINGLESS.
TEACHER is 0-1
(T) WE’LL SEE HIM CONTINUE HIS QUEST—
MEANING/
UNDERSTANDING/
PURPOSE in LIFE
LOOK W/ ME @ ECC. CH. 2— VS. 1-11
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Passage Reading:
Passage Reading:
Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 (ESV)
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”
3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.
6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
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Passage Preaching:
Passage Preaching:
Thought 1: Introduction (V1)
Thought 1: Introduction (V1)
2:1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.
SO TEACHER GOES from TESTING WISDOM— TO TESTING PLEASURE.
REMEMBER: HE’S RECAPPING HIS PAST JOURNEY
TRYING to FIGURE IT OUT LEFT HIM EMPTY:
THEN FIGURES OUT HOW to ENJOY HIMSELF
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HEDONISM! THAT’S the ANSWER— LIVE for PLEASURE as YOUR HIGHEST GOOD & GOD....
ANSWER, OUTSET: VANITY—EMPTY.
—> A LIFE DEVOTED to PERSONAL PLEASURE = POINTLESS...
(T) WHY?
HE’S GOING to QUALIFY IT TODAY… BY SHOWING US HIS STORY
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Thought 2: The Teacher’s Initial Conclusion & Searching (V2-3)
Thought 2: The Teacher’s Initial Conclusion & Searching (V2-3)
2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
1ST FOCUS— ENTERTAINMENT & PLEASURE
ENTERTAINMENT//LAUGHTER = MADNESS
IT’S CRAZY, POINTLESS,, & FREQUENTLY & MORALLY PERVERSE
**CONSIDER: ENTERTAINMENT OFTEN CELEBRATES, GLORIFIES SIN**
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ENTERTAINMENT/LAUGHTER — PURSUED APART from GOD — EMPTY & RECKLESS
(Q) HOW OFTEN DOES ENTERTAINMENT REMAIN PURE & CLEAN?
CONSIDER # of P.G. MOVIES (JACK BLACK, WILL FERRELL)
PEOPLE LIKE STUFF THAT’S RAUNCHY
**DOESN’T HAVE to BE** — YOUTH GROUP
TEACHER’S CONCLUSION:
JOURNEY of ENTERTAINMENT = PERVERSE…
& PLEASURE = EMPTY...
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(V3) I. TURNS to WINE — CHEERING HIMSELF UP
STILL MAINTAINING WISDOM = STILL on QUEST
DROWNING SORROWS W/ ALCOHOL— SO FAR JOURNEY = UNFULFILLING!
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II. LAY HOLD on FOLLY— GIVE HIMSELF to PLEASURES — "FEW DAYS of THEIR LIFE”
FEW YEARS AGO— “YOLO” (YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE)
TERM —GONE WAY of DODO BIRD—
BUT THE PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN AROUND for THOUSANDS of YEARS
LIVE ONCE—LIFE = SHORT… SO LIVE IT UP. NO THOUGHT to CONSEQUENCES...
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INTERESTING: WE ALL AGREE— YOU LIVE ONCE, & IT’S SHORT...
BUT HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
LIVING RECKLESSLY....for SELF & PLEASURE— YOLO
LIVING WISELY/STEWARDING LIFE… for GOD’S GLORY
TEACHER—GOES WAY of YOLO— LIVING RECKLESSLY— LAYING HOLD on FOLLY.
(T) FURTHERMORE....HE PROSPERS...
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Thought 3: The Teacher’s Pursuit of Pleasure (V4-8)
Thought 3: The Teacher’s Pursuit of Pleasure (V4-8)
4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
(V4-8) TEACHER RECOUNTS HIS SUCCESS…HIS “PURSUIT of HAPPINESS”
MATERIAL PLEASURES— ALL SORTS of STUFF (HOUSES, VINEYARDS, GARDENS, ETC.)
SUCCESS — BUILT GREAT THINGS— MORE THAN ANY OTHER BEFORE HIM
PLEASURES — ALL the WOMEN a MAN COULD WANT
SOLOMON— 1,000 SEXUAL PARTNERS
FULLY DEVOTED to SELF-INDULGENCE…DID IT FULFILL HIM? WE ALREADY KNOW HE SAID IT’S ALL EMPTY
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(Q) YET HOW MANY PEOPLE TODAY THINK THESE THINGS WILL MAKE THEM HAPPY?
SUCCESS:
BUILD BUSINESS/COMPANY
GET ENOUGH “FOLLOWERS” “LIKES” ETC… BECOMING an “INFLUENCER”
MATERIALISM:
KEEPING UP W/JONES’S
IF I JUST HAD ONE MORE THING— THEN I’D BE HAPPY.
BIGGER HOUSE
BETTER CAR
ETC.
PLEASURES:
SEXUAL FULFILLMENT—
AFFAIR
PORN
**I’M SURE WE COULD ALL LOOK to CELEBRITY EXAMPLES WHO “HAVE it ALL” AND ARE EMPTY**
(T) And so what’s the TEACHER’S CONCLUSION in all this??
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Thought 4: Conclusion (V9-11)
Thought 4: Conclusion (V9-11)
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
GREATER THAN ALL WHO PRECEDED...
CONTINUED QUEST W/ WISDOM...
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(V10) KEPT NOTHING from HIS EYES THAT THEY DESIRED…KEPT HEART from NO PLEASURE… NEVER SAID “NO”!!
(Q) HOW OFTEN DO PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THIS?
SOURCES SAY— CREDIT CARD DEBT HIT ALL TIME HIGH LAST YEAR… OVER $$ 1.17 TRILLION $$
**SOME FACE HARD TIMES & ARE DESPERATE**
BUT HOW MANY?:
GO on VACATION—CAN’T AFFORD
BUY STUFF— CAN’T AFFORD
GO OUT to EAT— CAN’T AFFORD
**NEVER TELL THEMSELVES NO**
....THIS WILL MAKE ME HAPPY....
AFTERWARDS— LOADED W/ DEBT— NO IDEA WHAT THEY GOT for IT…
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AMERICAN PURSUIT of HAPPINESS— CREDIT CARDS GIVE ACCESS to ANYTHING— BUYING THINGS YOU CAN’T AFFORD
(Q) Have we caught happiness??
INDULGING RARELY SATISFIES...
HOW MANY of US HAVE OVER-EATEN… AND WE STILL WANT ANOTHER BITE— TASTES GOOD— BUT STOMACH SAYS NO?
AND ARE WE SATISFIED?? NO!— WE WANT to KEEP EATING.
STOMACH WAS SATISFIED a LONG TIME AGO—BUT TASTE BUDS AREN’T...
THIS is HOW LIFE WORKS— TASTE BUDS AREN’T EVER SATISFIED—
IF YOU GIVE YOURSELF to PLEASURES IT’S an EMPTY ROAD to FULFILLMENT...
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(V10B) ALL THIS STUFF = REWARD for TOIL
(V11) CONLCUSION//REWARD for ALL the TOIL/PURSUIT of PLEASURE???
VANITY — EMPTY...
STRIVING AFTER WIND...
NOTHING GAINED UNDER the SUN...
WORKED SO HARD—TO DEVOTE LIFE to PLEASURES — AND CAME UP ENTIRELY EMPTY...
Ecclesiastes 1:3 (ESV)
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
NOT MUCH.
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(T) And so what’s the teacher saying to us, this morning?
Preaching Idea:
Preaching Idea:
The pursuit of lasting satisfaction through earthly pleasures apart from God will leave you empty-handed.
TEACHER STRUCK OUT AGAIN.
PURSUIT through KNOWLEDGE/WISDOM— “FIGURING IT ALL OUT” --- CAME UP EMPTY
PURSUIT through FLESHLY INDULGENCE/PLEASURE — CAME UP EMPTY
IT’S ALL VANITY— STRIVING AFTER WIND— IT’S EMPTY & POINTLESS!
EVERYTHING “UNDER the SUN” = UNFULFILLING...
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Gospel:
Gospel:
ALMOST LIKE— WE WERE MADE for MORE THAN “UNDER the SUN”
DISSATISFACTION W/ LIFE
DISILLUSIONMENT W/ LIFE
DISAPPOINTMENT W/ LIFE...
THESE THINGS SHOULD GET US LONGING for MORE.
TEACHER HADN’T QUITE ARRIVED THERE YET...
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THIS WORLD WAS NEVER MEANT to SATISFY US.
WE WERE CREATED for RELATIONSHIP W/ LIVING GOD...
PERFECT FELLOWSHIP in GARDEN— BROKEN BY SIN...
§ Or as Augustine once prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”[2]
GOD SIZED HOLE in the HUMAN HEART....
YOU CAN TRY & ACCUMULATE STUFF DOWN HERE— FIND IT’S EMPTY
OR.....
YOU CAN FIND PURPOSE in MEANING,, THROUGH RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD— TODAY...
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YOU CAN TRY & FIND MEANING in MATERIAL THINGS & PLEASURES...
....OR YOU CAN LAY UP TREASURES in HEAVEN— HAVING HEAVENLY INHERITANCE:
IMPERISHABLE
UNDEFILED
UNFADING
KEPT in HEAVEN for YOU...
YOU WERE MADE for MORE THAN MATERIAL THINGS & NATURAL PLEASURES...
CALL: IF YOU DON’T HAVE a RELATIONSHIP W/ LIVING GOD THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST— I’D LOVE to SPEAK WITH YOU AFTER the SERVICE
JESUS DIED for YOU
SO THAT YOU DON’T HAVE to REMAIN SEPARATED from YOUR CREATOR...
SO YOU CAN HAVE HIGHER PURPOSE THAN “UNDER the SUN”
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App: Treasures in Heaven?
App: Treasures in Heaven?
IF YOU’RE HERE TODAY—
PURSUING LASTING SATISFACTION & PLEASURES.... WITHOUT CHRIST....
proverbial: DONKEY PURSUING CARROT on TREADMILL...
Life under the sun isn’t meant to satisfy us.
WE’RE SUPPOSED to FIRST FIND CONTENTMENT in CHRIST
PURSUIT of HAPPINESS APART from PURSUIT of GOD WILL LEAVE YOU EMPTY....
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IF YOU HAVE GOD in YOUR LIFE:
GOD ISN’T AGAINST PLEASURE
GOD ISN’T a COSMIC KILL-JOY.
GOD DOESN’T WANT US UTTERLY MISERABLE & DEPRESSED...
HE JUST WANTS US to FIND OUR SATISFACTION in HIM.
Scholar Philip Ryken says, “Satisfaction only comes in God himself, so that our dissatisfaction may teach us to turn to him.”[3]
ILLUSTRATION: FILLING the “GOD-SIZED HOLE” ALLOWS YOU to ENJOY LIFE’S GIFTS...
WITHOUT GOD— IT’S EMPTY— DUMPS OUT FOREVER...
WITH GOD— WE CAN ENJOY IT.
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GOD’S DESIRE— WE DELIGHT in the “GIVER” NOT JUST the “GIFTS”
**WHEN WE GET the ORDER RIGHT— WE CAN ENJOY a LOT of HIS GIFTS!!**
James 1:17 (ESV)
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
EVERY GOOD GIFT is FROM HIM.
GOD ISN’T a COSMIC KILL-JOY.
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ENTERTAINMENT/ LAUGHTER CAN BE MADNESS…PLEASURE CAN BE EMPTY...
—> BUT GOD GIVES US GIFT of LAUGHTER & COMMUNITY
**LAUGHTER WAS GOD’S INVENTION**
I’VE LAUGHED TILL I’VE CRIED W/ CHURCH FAMILY in PERFECTLY CLEAN CONTEXTS
THIS = GIFT from GOD.
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MATERIAL THINGS—AREN’T MEANT to SATISFY… WILL NEVER BRING US JOY ENTIRELY ALL on THEIR OWN....
GOD PROVIDES FOR US— AND WE CAN ENJOY HIS GIFTS...
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TEACHER FOUND: UNLIMITED SEX DOESN’T SATISFY
SEX = GOD’S IDEA— GIFT to HUMANKIND.
MANY PERVERT IT
PORNOGRAPHY RUINS IT.
BUT GOD ISN’T a COSMIC KILL-JOY… HE’S GIVEN US this GIFT— CONTEXT of MARRIAGE.
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IF YOU GET the ORDER RIGHT—YOU CAN ENJOY GOD’S GIFTS—IF YOU FIRST FIND YOUR SATISFACTION & JOY in the GIVER...
YOU CAN CHASE LIFE’S PLEASURES APART from HIM...
o Success
o Wealth
o Stuff
o Sex
YOU CAN GO the JOURNEY YOURSELF— AND FIND IT’S EMPTY....
.....OR....YOU CAN LEARN from the TEACHER’S EXAMPLE...
TEACHER HAD EVERYTHING in HIS DAY....
SPEAKING from “CELEBRITY-STATUS”
HE’S BEEN THERE!
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YOUNG PEOPLE:
YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAY
PURSUING AFTER “WORLD’S DEFINITION of SUCCESS/HAPPINESS”
FIND IT’S EMPTY
OR YOU CAN LEARN from OTHERS’ MISTAKES...
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TO ALL:
YOU CAN PURSUE AFTER LIFE’S PLEASURES
“ONE MORE THING” .... THEN I’LL BE HAPPY...
OR YOU CAN REJOICE in the GIVER— NOT the GIFTS...
EVEN as BELIEVERS WE CAN FORGET THIS....
WILL YOU REALLY BE HAPPY....IF??
NEWER CAR
BIGGER HOUSE
BETTER JOB
MIGHT MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER…
BUT IT WON’T FINALLY SATISFY YOU IF THAT’S YOUR HOPE.
EVEN NEW CARS HAVE RECALLS
BIGGER HOUSES GET FILLED W/ MORE STUFF
BETTER JOB—GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER
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WILL YOU FIND YOUR SATISFACTION,, JOY,, MEANING....
IN KNOWING the LIVING GOD
IN YOUR ETERNAL INHERITANCE THAT WON’T ROT…RUST.... OR DECAY?
YOU CAN FIND ENJOYMENT in GOD’S DAILY GIFTS—IF YOU GET the ORDER RIGHT...
BUT IF YOU PUT THESE THINGS FIRST,, YOU’LL PROBABLY MISS OUT on ALL of IT...
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I. WILL YOU PURSUE AFTER HAPPINESS—LIKE DONKEY on TREADMILL?
II. OR WILL YOU PURSUE AFTER GOD,,,
THE GIVER...
— AND FIND TRUE AND LASTING JOY
& ALSO ENJOYMENT in HIS GIFTS TOWARDS YOU?
The Choice is Yours...
Close in Prayer
