All Pain, No Gain

Lead Vocalist (Joel)

Welcome & Announcements (Mike K)

Good morning family!

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Announcements:

1) Discover Class

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Now please take a moment of silence to prepare your heart for worship.

Call to Worship (Jeremiah 9:23–24)

Prayer of Praise (Jackie Wilson)

All My Boast is in Jesus

Take My Life and Let it Be

Prayer of Confession (Stephen Keatts), Pride

Assurance of Pardon (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Run and Run (Christ is All My Righteousness)

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

Scripture Reading (Eccl. 1:3-11)

You can find it on page 656 in the black Bibles

Pastoral Prayer (Mike K)

Prayer for PBC—Help us to have joy amid life's daily toil

Prayer for kingdom partner—Thrive

Prayer for US—President

Prayer for the world—Afghanistan

Pray for the sermon

SERMON

START TIMER!!!

In 1965, Admiral James Stockdale’s fighter jet was shot down over North Vietnam. He ejected into a small village, where he was captured, beaten by civilians, and turned over to enemy forces. He was taken to the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison—a place notorious for its cruelty. There, Stockdale would spend the next eight brutal years as a prisoner of war. He was kept in solitary confinement for over four years, denied medical care, shackled in leg irons, and tortured more than twenty times. At one point, to keep his captors from using him for propaganda, he beat his own face with a stool and slit his scalp to make himself unpresentable. His commitment to resist and protect fellow POWs came at incredible personal cost.

And yet—he survived. In 1973, Stockdale was finally released. He returned home battered but unbroken. Years later, author Jim Collins asked him how he made it through while others perished in despair. Stockdale said: “I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would turn the experience into the defining event of my life.” [1]

When Collins asked Stockdale, “Who didn’t make it out?” the Admiral replied without hesitation: “Oh, that’s easy—the optimists. They were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas,’ and then Christmas would come and go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter,’ and Easter would come and go. And then Thanksgiving... and then it would be Christmas again. Eventually they died of a broken heart.”

What helped Stockdale survive wasn’t blind optimism, but what’s now called the Stockdale Paradox—the ability to hold two hard truths at the same time: (1) Unshakable confidence that you will prevail in the end, and (2) Brutal honesty about the painful realities you face right now.

And that’s something like the tension that the book of Ecclesiastes invites us into.

Turn to Ecclesiastes 1:3

Ecclesiastes is not for the faint of heart. The Preacher doesn’t offer quick fixes or feel-good answers. He starts with a hard question—the kind of question that shakes our assumptions and forces us to take be brutally honest about life in a fallen world.

“What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”

As the passage unfolds, the answer to the Preacher’s rhetorical question is obvious: we gain nothing by all our toil under the sun.

That’s the brutal honesty about life under the sun. We ignore this to our peril.

But if that’s all we see, we’ve missed the larger point that the Preacher is trying to make.

He wants us to see the futility of life under the sun, not to depress us, but so we will look beyond the sun to the One who actually gives life meaning.

The Big Idea I hope to communicate with God’s help this morning is that Life without God is all pain, no gain.

We’ll develop this Big Idea by considering three truths...

First, we’ll consider The Reason for Futility—why is it that life without God is all pain and no gain?

Second, we’ll consider The Response of Fools—How do most people cope with the futility of life?

Third, we’ll conclude with The Response of Faith—how should we respond as followers of Jesus?

Let’s begin by considering...

1) The Reasons for FUTILITY

Look at the Preacher’s opening question again...

Ecclesiastes 1:3—What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

Again, this is a rhetorical question, and the answer—in a word—is NOTHING. We gain nothing by all our hard work and toil.

Based on estimates from sources like the World Health Organization and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you live to be 80 years old you will spend 13 years at work, 9 years looking at screens, 6 years working around your house, 4 years eating, 4 years spending time with friends and family, 3 years commuting, 2 years of education, 2 years of personal care, 1 year of exercise, 1 year at church, 8 years doing miscellaneous things, and 27 years sleeping!

Solomon looks at all of that toil and he says all of it is futile and meaningless!

In verses 4-11 he gives us two reasons why.

First, life without God is all pain, no gain because…

A) Nothing is NEW

There are four classical elements in nature—earth, fire, air, and water.

The Preacher begins his sermon by calling on each of these elements as witnesses to the futility of life.

Ecclesiastes 1:4–7—A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.

It is so easy to live and think and act as if the world revolves around us.

But the reality is, your existence does absolutely nothing to affect the rotation of the earth.

The sun will set tonight whether you’re around to see it or not.

The wind does not blow where you ask it to or when you ask it to.

And the water keeps flowing on and on and on and on until the world ends.

Before we move on, it’s important to point out that the Preacher is using poetic language here when he says in verse 4, “the earth remains forever.”

He is NOT claiming the universe is eternal—only God is eternal!

He’s using this language to make a startling point.

The earth, the sun, the wind, and the sea are all created things. None of them are created in God’s image. None of these created elements have the value of the smallest human being. And yet, billions and billions of human beings have died and been forgotten, while the elements keep rolling on and on and on.

One poet illustrated the irony this way:

A man said to the universe:

“Sir, I exist.”

“However,” replied the universe,

“The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation” [2]

And yet despite the fact that nature continues doing the same thing over and over again without change, humans keep looking for purpose.

We are hardwired to want our lives to mean something.

But Mick Jagger was right—we try, and we try, and we try but we can't get no satisfaction.

Ecclesiastes 1:8—All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Just think about how true this is.

Have you ever seen a movie or TV show that was so good you were truly satisfied, content to never watch another movie again?

Have you ever heard a song that was so good you were content to never listen to music again?

Have you ever visited somewhere so beautiful you decided to stay home and never vacation again?

Have you ever tasted something so delicious you felt satisfied forever?

None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but looking to them for satisfaction is like drinking saltwater. They just make you thirstier!

After the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1972, one of the stars of the game was asked, “What does it feel like to win the ultimate game?” The player replied, “If it’s the ultimate game, why is it being played again next year?” [3]

Why is it that—no matter how hard we try—we cannot find any satisfaction under the sun?

Because there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9–10—What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us.

At first glance, these verses seem outdated—maybe even wrong. You might think:

"Nothing new? Really? What about smartphones? Artificial intelligence? Space travel? Gene editing? Surely Solomon didn’t foresee ChatGPT!"

But Solomon isn't denying the existence of technological progress. He's making a deeper point about the human condition.

Yes, we have new tools. We live in smart homes and drive electric cars. But our fundamental problems—and our deepest questions—remain the same.

Like people did thousands of years ago, humans today still…

Work too much then wonder if it’s worth it.

Fall in love, then face heartbreak and loneliness.

Build empires, then lose them to nature, war, time, or death.

Invent technologies, then use them to build our own kingdoms.

So what does Solomon mean by "there is nothing new under the sun"?

He’s saying that human nature hasn’t changed.

Our pursuits, our ambitions, our struggles—they’re stuck on repeat.

History moves forward, but spiritually and morally, we’re running on a treadmill.

Technological advancements may change how we live, but they don’t change why we live—or solve the deepest questions of life.

In short: We’ve changed our tools, but not our souls.

Even in an age of AI, we still ask: Why am I here? What does it all mean? Why do I feel empty when I should feel full?

Life without God is all pain, no gain because nothing is new. But also because...

B) Nothing is REMEMBERED

Ecclesiastes 1:11—There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.

Life under the sun is life on a treadmill. And when you die, the treadmill keeps going with nobody remembering you were even there.

Have you ever thought about how quickly you will be forgotten once you’re gone?

Think of all the countless hours an author spends writing a book. He thinks and writes and edits and writes some more. And when it’s all said and done, his work is eventually forgotten. One poet put it this way...

The name of the author is the first to go

followed obediently by the title, the plot,

the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel

which suddenly becomes one you have never read, never even heard of.… [4]

Maybe you think, “Yeah that’s true because nobody reads anymore!”

But it’s not just books! Even some of the most famous people of yesteryear have already been forgotten.

In 1966, John Lennon said “Christianity will go. . . . It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first—rock and roll or Christianity.” [5]

The Beatles broke up 55 years ago, and they’re quickly being forgotten.

Nearly a third of Generation Z in the UK have never even heard of The Beatles. Fewer still could list the names of Fab Four. [6]

Or what about someone who did something more practical.

What about the man who invented paper? It’s hard to imagine an invention that has caused a greater impact on the world than the invention of paper. Do you know who it was?

Or what about the man who invented the C programming language? Nearly every major operating system is written using the programming language he invented. This man left a bigger impact on the world than most of us could ever dream. Do you know his name? [7]

And if you have to check the internet first, you’re proving my point.

Do you really think you will be remembered more than them? 55 years after you’re dead and gone, do you think anyone will remember you?

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. [8]

You can become the most powerful man or woman in the universe, and yet you will still die. And all your mighty works will eventually decay into a heap of forgotten rubble.

Life without God is all pain, no gain because nothing is remembered.

So what should we do about it?

Let’s consider first...

2) The Response of FOOLS

In his commentary, Douglas O’Donnell lists three main ways people respond to the futility of life. [9]

These three responses are not listed in our text, but they will pop up throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.

First, some people respond with...

A) Nihilism [neye-ah-lis-um]

The word nihilism comes from a Latin word literally means “nothing.”

It might help to remember this philosophy if you can remember that Christians sometimes say God created the universe ex nihilo—out of nothing.

As a philosophy or a worldview, nihilism argues that nothing matters.

It’s kind of the natural knee-jerk reaction to what the Preacher is saying, isn’t it?

If I’m going to live my life for 60, 70, 80, 90 years and in the end nothing is new and nothing is remembered what is the point?

Leo Tolstoy wrote two of the most influential books in the world, yet when he looked at his life he felt like nothing mattered.

In his book A Confession, he wrote: “My question—that which at the age of fifty brought me to the verge of suicide—was the simplest of questions, lying in the soul of every man … a question without an answer to which one cannot live. It was: “What will come of what I am doing today or tomorrow? What will come of my whole life? Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?” . . . Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?” [10]

Obviously these are depressing thoughts, but they represent one possible response to the truths that the Preacher is teaching us.

And yet, the reality is, it is almost impossible to live this way.

It is much easier to be nihilistic in theory than in actuality.

Even the people who say nothing matters don’t live like that’s true. Unless they make the tragic decision to end their lives entirely.

Far more people respond to the futility of life with...

B) Hedonism

Nihilism says “nothing matters,” and hedonism says “only pleasure matters.”

It’s the worldview that says “Eat, drink, and be merry—for tomorrow we die!”

Just think of the recent wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.

The entire event reportedly cost between $50 and $56 million—more than most people will make in a lifetime.

They spent $1.6 million on roses alone.

The security detail cost about $6 million to protect guests like Oprah, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kim Kardashian.

There were 200 to 250 guests, invited to multiple lavish parties over several days — including a Gatsby-themed gala, foam parties, and extravagant pajama soirees.

The bride’s dresses were custom-made by Dolce & Gabbana, one requiring 900 hours to complete.

Private concerts were performed by stars like Elton John and Lady Gaga.

Luxury yachts, private jets, and extravagant banquets filled the itinerary.

In short, no expense was spared to create an experience overflowing with pleasure and spectacle.

Now, when I say that life without God is all pain, no gain I’m NOT saying that pleasure isn’t real.

The Bible is honest that sin actually feels good. It is pleasurable. But it’s not lasting pleasure.

The bright and shiny path of hedonism doesn’t lead to deep joy.

We’ll learn how hollow hedonism can be as we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes.

Some of the saddest people in the world are those who have tasted the most of its pleasures.

Jim Carrey once said “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”

Most of us will not get that opportunity, so we settle for another foolish response to the futility of life...

C) Escapism

This is where most of us live.

We know better to say that nothing matters, so we reject nihilism.

And we also know it’s not right to say only pleasure matters, so we reject hedonism.

Besides, most of us aren’t wealthy enough to truly embrace a life of hedonism.

But we’re still left with the Preacher’s gnawing reminder that nothing is new and nothing is remembered.

So what do we do?

We pick up our phone and look at Facebook or X or TikTok.

We play Roblox or Candy Crush or Fishdom.

We turn on ESPN and watch golf until its football season.

We scroll Netflix or Hulu or Disney+ to find another series to binge watch.

We listen to another podcast, another audiobook, or another album from our favorite artist.

And if those relatively trivial habits don’t help us escape, we turn to more destructive ones.

We light up, drink up, or shoot up until we don’t feel anything.

Most of these things aren’t bad in and of themselves. But they become dangerous if we use them to escape the futility of life.

Life without God is all pain, no gain.

Don’t respond to that reality like a fool.

Don’t walk the empty paths of nihilism, hedonism, or escapism.

Instead, take the dark path to deep joy.

Consider with me...

3) The Response of FAITH

Remember the Stockdale Paradox. Admiral Stockdale survived because he was brutally honest about his present condition and he had unshakable confidence that he would prevail in the end.

Here’s the brutal truth: you live, you die, and then you will be forgotten.

When we look at our work, we have to be honest and admit that nothing we do is new and nothing we do will be remembered.

How can we have unshakable confidence in light of that?!?

To answer that question, we have to zoom out from the book of Ecclesiastes.

1,000 years after King Solomon’s death, the eternal Son of God was made incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin.

He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. He came to work. In the words of the Preacher, Jesus came “to toil under the sun.”

When we talk about Jesus’ work we aren’t talking about work He may have done with His dad Joseph as a carpenter.

We’re talking about the work Jesus did to save His people.

He lived 33 years under the sun, facing all the temptations we face, yet without sin.

Despite being the only truly innocent person who ever lived, despite devoting His life to teaching and healing and serving, Jesus was betrayed, arrested and crucified.

But that was part of His work too. He came to die in our place, to bear the penalty we deserve.

Jesus’ work is new.

Jesus was the first (and only!) person in human history to live a life without sin.

Adam was tempted in a garden paradise and he fell.

Jesus was tempted in a desert wilderness and He stood firm.

Jesus was the first (and only!) truly innocent person to die.

Even a baby that dies in the womb is not entirely innocent, for all of us have been defiled by the stain of sin.

As David prays…

Psalm 51:5—Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Even at the moment of conception, David had a sin nature. But Jesus did not.

So Jesus’ death did something new. His death paid the penalty for our sin.

As Douglas O’Donnell writes, “Through our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection, for the first and only time the fundamental problem of humanity’s sin has been fixed. Jesus has done what no one before or after him could accomplish: the Son of God has reconciled the children of Adam to their Creator.” [11]

Because Jesus’ work is new...

Jesus’ work is remembered.

On the night Jesus was betrayed—while He was celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples—He took some of the Passover bread and said “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

2000 years later, Christians still remember the work of Jesus through this symbolic meal we call communion.

And if you're a follower of Jesus, the work you do for His eternal Kingdom will be remembered too.

Let me ask you friend, have you put your faith in this Jesus?

You can keep pretending that the world isn’t broken. You can keep scrolling and consuming and chasing the wind. Or you can be honest about the futility of life under the sun—and place your hope in the only One who can give it meaning.

If you have already done that, you can respond to the futility of life like a Christian.

Not with nihilism, hedonism, or escapism, but with deep joy.

You can look at the brutal facts of life under the sun and have unshakable confidence and deep joy because you are in Christ.

I love the way Douglas O’Donnell puts it: “Our work under the sun: nothing new, nothing remembered. But our work in and through the Son: something very new. It is significant, substantial—something that will be remembered and even rewarded.” [12]

If you’ve already trusted in Jesus and made your faith public through baptism, you’ll be invited to celebrate communion with us in just a moment.

And when you do that, you’re not just eating a bit of bread and drinking a bit of juice.

You are saying to the world around you and the unseen demonic powers that there is someone who lives beyond the sun.

You’re saying that you have given your life to follow Him.

You’re saying you believe that without God, life is all pain and no gain.

But you’re also clinging to the Good News that, because of Jesus, our pain has purpose and our gain is eternal.

I’ll pray and then parents please pick up your children while we sing so our childcare workers can join us to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We Receive

Celebration of Communion

Doxology

Benediction (Psalm 90:12 & 14)