THE OUTER LIMITS: ECCLESIASTES-Do The Impossible: Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

 Do The Impossible Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 The Impossible End I lost my wallet a few weeks ago. Maybe you’ve done that? I was installing a printer here in the building, I left to go to staples and to buy a wireless access point for it, I came back, came inside in a hurry and was here through youth group - after it was time to go and my wallet was no where to be found. I had checked my truck already, however, I went inside went to my office, looked around the printer and nothing. I walked around, looked in my backpack and went back outside to the truck - nothing. I looked in the drawers of my desk and thought - if it’s in my truck, I could have missed it because it’s dark - so I went back. I resolved that it was lost - but, as we drove off, I had Tye use a flashlight because it could have been in the truck on the floor. But, it wasn’t. Why did I keep going BACK to the same place, even though I KNEW it wasn’t there? Carry that question on, as you read Solomon. There is something here from my harmless example that may carry on into your life into something harmful. And so then, lets do the impossible with it, lets make the impossible leap - lets read Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 and lets be changed by God and lets find gain! Ecclesiastes 2:12–17 (ESV) The Vanity of Living Wisely 12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. Notice something in verse 12, Solomon has come full circle - he's come back to the consideration of wisdom and folly. Consider: Ecclesiastes 1:17 (ESV) 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. There he is again, he’s come full circle. … and we wonder how - why would you come BACK to where you’ve been and to a place that didn't work? The most wise man has concluded that wisdom isn't it, yet he comes back to it. Proverbs 26:11 (ESV) 11  Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. But, consider my trips back to the truck, looking for my wallet. It wasn’t there. In fact I went home, checked around there (though I knew it wasn’t there, because I’d used it that day at Staples) and checked my truck in the morning on my way into the church. Ultimately I found it on the bookshelf across from the printer in my office. That example is harmless. No harm no foul, but - we do this in other areas of our lives. And God who loves is describes this in a rough way through Solomon of all people in that proverb… like a dog returning to his vomit is the fool who repeats his folly… Solomon has categorically blocked something out, and that is, repentance. Here is the impossible, what if we break that cycle? In considering his sin, David Psalm 32:3 (ESV) 3  For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. There is something here - imagine if all your junk wasn’t secret. If everything you want no one to know, was known. How free would you be? I don’t mean, put it out there for everyone to know I mean, that you’ve dealt with it. You’ve freed yourself of the burden. Only through God, can you find the freedom and you lose the burden, and find a joy that doesn’t require constant toil but without that - you’ll look other places. Then the example of the wallet in the truck, seeing Solomon come back to trying to find satisfaction, through anything - Except God and repentance wasn’t an option. In removing God, Solomon removed the only way to God, the only way to peace, the only way to joy and satisfaction in this broken world. He left himself with ONLY toil, with ONLY work, with ONLY brokenness - and so, he concludes it’s all vanity. He could have no peace, no lasting joy, no conclusion to wisdom, as the most wise - Solomon then returns to what he knows - and finds it frustratingly cyclical, but maybe you do too. What are you returning to? Lets stick with Solomon: 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. But Solomon wont lie to you, and God doesn’t paint a simplistic / untrue picture. Maybe you’d think Christendom is to lay down your wisdom and pick up simple faith that isn’t true. Actually wisdom embraced fully would lead to faith in God. But sure, Solomon can see that in wisdom life is slightly better. And that’s true, I can know what makes me feel happier (though true wisdom tells me it only lasts a while) and so, what captures you rather than repentance? 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. What is happening here is that Solomon is seeing, that no matter fool or wise, life under the sun ends in death. This is the curse of life in a broken world, on the surface it’s foolishness, it’s vanity, its meaningless - but when wisdom leads to God we see God’s purpose in this life IS Himself. When you find God in this life, and open to repentance and find freedom, all these things Solomon is vexed over become your joy- life is lived, without the weight of guilt. Back to Solomon: 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. What if we live differently than Solomon, learning from his life and from his advice? To what do you return, over repentance and freedom? Do you want others to tell you you’re worth it, you’re great, and do you simply want to hear that you’re OK? Does being sexually pursued and overcome let you know you're desirable to someone and thereby, OK? Do substances give you joy, and/or numbing - but then they leave you dropped off and sober and worse off? To what do you return like the dog to its vomit or the fool to folly? Solomon returned, however he remained vexed, because he left out God as a conclusion and an end to his toil, and suffering, and meaninglessness of life. Have you left out God as a conclusion to life’s meaning/toil and weight? Have you turned to other things for pleasure, and joy in life? Because God is it. Wisdom’s conclusion is God. Paul in the book of Philippians 1:21 said: Philippians 1:21 (ESV) 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. And so he ended the trapping of Solomon that no matter how your life was lived it was meaningless vanity - but the story didn’t end there, it ended with Jesus who bought eternal life and broke the cycle of meaninglessness - my prayer is that we would not leave God out of the conclusion of wisdom, and that we’d not miss out on HIM as the blessing of this life. We changed up our shirts a little this year - and I think they’re what life is mean to be, when God is the end of wisdom’s conclusion, when repentance is an option, and when Christ is savior - here is what they say: In the center, Here For Jesus surrounded by: here to laugh, here to share, here to build up, here to give, here to love, here for hope, here for truth, here to cry, here for grace, here to serve, here to pray, here for joy Church when we’re here for God, in Christ, lead by the spirit of God in repentance, all of life is open to be lived for purpose, and it’s the end of Solomon cycle of insanity, and frustration, and toil - it’s a life Here For God. So - I lost my wallet and checked my truck and rechecked my truck and I rechecked my truck and still rechecked my truck again - to what do you return, other than God? I want to encourage you this morning, to escape the cycle of toil and turn to God in the rest of Christ. Matthew 11:28 (ESV) 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Will you come to Christ - the end of wisdom? Do The Impossible THE OUTER LIMITS: ECCLESIATES – Do The Impossible Pastor John Weathersby Transcend Church 5 of 5 Sunday 10/23/2016