Happy Today, Gone Tomorrow

Lead Vocalist (Joel)

Welcome & Announcements (Mike L)

Good morning family!

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Announcements:

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

Call to Worship (Isaiah 55:1-3a) [ending at the word “live” in verse 3]

Prayer of Praise (Daphne Brewton)

All Who Are Thirsty

My Jesus I Love Thee

Prayer of Confession (Chris Berlin), Idolatry

Assurance of Pardon (Psalm 103:2–5)

Howells Missionary Video

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Scripture Reading (Eccl. 1:12-2:26)

You can find it on page _________ in the black Bibles

Pastoral Prayer (Mike L)

Prayer for PBC—Help us to find our greatest happiness in God

Prayer for kingdom partner—Howell, Joey & Callie (StoryRunners)

Prayer for US—Against abortion

Prayer for the world—Austria

Pray for the sermon

SERMON

Imagine standing at the edge of a high cliff, gazing down at the shimmering sea 20 feet below.

It’s the perfect spot ready to practice your dive. The only question is if the water is deep enough.

You could jump and find out… but if you’re wrong, the end result could be paralysis—or death.

Just as you step forward, a wild-looking man comes running toward you, waving his arms and yelling, “Don’t jump!”

As he gets closer, you notice a deep limp in his stride and scars etched across his face.

He tells you he once jumped from that very cliff—and nearly lost his life. Now, he begs you to turn around.

That man is the voice of Ecclesiastes.

Turn to Ecclesiastes 1:12

Solomon—writing as “the Preacher”—is that scarred figure—limping toward us through the centuries. He pursued every pleasure, chased every achievement, acquired every possession. And he hit bottom. Now, he pleads with us: “Don’t go down this road. I’ve already been there.”

He’s not trying to shame our search for meaning. He’s trying to save us from wasting our lives.

Because Meaning in this life cannot be found from this life.

That’s the Big Idea we’re going to learn from today’s passage.

We’re going to hear Solomon’s warnings by considering Three Themes:

First, we’ll consider the PURSUIT of meaning under the sun.

Then the PROBLEM with meaning under the sun.

And finally the PRESCRIPTION for meaning under the sun.

Don’t be like the fool at the edge of the cliff who refuses to believe the wild man’s warnings.

Don’t be so stubborn you have to figure it out the hard way.

Don’t assume you’ll be the exception.

Let Solomon’s scars be your safeguard.

Let his hard-earned wisdom spare you the heartache of chasing meaning under the sun.

First, let’s learn from Solomon about…

1) The PURSUIT of Meaning Under the Sun

Let me warn you from the outset, we’re going to spend most of our time here.

We can divide Solomon’s pursuit of meaning into two main categories:

First, Solomon pursues meaning under the sun by pursuing KNOWLEDGE.

Ecclesiastes 1:12–18—I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 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. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

King Solomon is undoubtedly the perfect candidate to dive to the bottom of the pool of knowledge.

The Bible repeatedly mentions he was the wisest sinner who ever lived.

Looking back a few thousand years later, that claim seems hard to swallow because Solomon at times seemed so foolish. Instead of doubting the wisdom of Solomon, it might be better to doubt your wisdom. Perhaps you and I are far more foolish than we realize.

Solomon’s point in these verses is simple: you cannot find meaning in life by pursuing knowledge.

Knowledge isn’t the answer because there’s always more to learn.

Verses 14 and 17 says it’s like chasing after the wind.

No matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn. You may be the smartest person in the room, but I guarantee you there is someone else in this room who knows a lot more than you do about something.

Example: Talking with 11/12-year-old boys at VBS

Also, knowledge isn’t the answer because knowledge isn’t the same as control.

We say “knowledge is power,” but the reality is you can know a lot of information and yet it doesn’t change reality.

This is what Solomon means in verse 15 when he says “what is crooked cannot be made straight.”

Knowing what causes hurricanes doesn’t stop them from coming.

Knowing what causes cancer won’t protect you from getting it.

Knowing the profile of a mass murderer won’t keep you from being one of his victims.

And knowledge isn’t the answer because knowledge often leads to heartache.

That’s why Solomon says in verse 18 “he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

We live in the age of instant 24/7 worldwide access to information. With a few swipes on your phone you can learn about flooding in Texas and Pakistan, bombings in Israel and Iran, earthquakes in Myanmar and Tibet, and starvation in Sub-Saharan Africa and Gaza. Has knowing all this made us any happier? No! We are the most anxious and depressed people in the history of the world!

It would be easy to respond to all this and say, “Alright, great! I’m never going to learn anything else ever again!”

Before we misunderstand the Preacher’s point, let’s skip ahead to...

2:12-14a—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. Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.…

Knowledge isn’t the point of life, but it’s still better to be wise than to be a fool.

Just like, if you’re going to climb a steep mountain, it would be better to do so with your eyes open.

Generally speaking, whether you’re a Christian or not, you will likely have a much more enjoyable life on this earth if you pursue knowledge.

If you make foolish decisions with your money and spend half your paycheck on Starbucks and Chick Fil-A, you’re going to struggle much more than the person who makes wiser decisions.

If you foolishly reject the advice of those who warn you not to indulge addictive habits, you’ll suffer more than the person who wisely develops good habits.

None of these things will send a person to heaven or hell, but they do affect our experience along the way.

The Bible isn’t anti-knowledge!

You should work hard to learn and grow.

But you shouldn’t look to knowledge for meaning in this life.

So Solomon shifted gears and pursued meaning in PLEASURE.

Ecclesiastes 2:1—I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.

Perhaps the meaning of life is simply to squeeze every drop of enjoyment and pleasure out of it. That’s the experiment that Solomon embarks upon in verses 1-11.

And oh my, what an experiment! Most of us have had moments when we’ve daydreamed about what we would do if we won a multi-million dollar lottery or something. Solomon didn’t have to daydream! Whatever pleasure he wanted, he indulged!

Consider all the ways Solomon tried to find meaning through pleasure, only to find that it was ultimately unsatisfying.

2:2-9—I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 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. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 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. 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. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

First, he tries laughter in verse 2.

Maybe he’s referring to a lighthearted approach to life that isn’t really concerned about the suffering around you.

Like Marie Antoinette who reportedly said, “Let them eat cake” when she heard that the peasants around her were starving from food shortages.

Or maybe Solomon’s referring to the pleasure of good comedy. It would certainly fit with the rest of this chapter if Solomon had surrounded himself with the best comedians of his day.

In verse 3 he tries alcohol.

Solomon is not your average wino who’s drunk by 11 AM. He’s a connoisseur. He’s drinking the best alcohol available to him, but not to excess.

He says his heart was still guiding him with wisdom, in other words he’s not getting plastered. He’s sober enough to really enjoy the drink and it’s effects without losing his wits.

In verses 4-7 Solomon tries luxury.

He built luxurious houses.

Of course, Solomon’s most famous building project was the temple. It’s construction took 7 years with 135,000 laborers.

But the temple may not have been Solomon’s most luxurious building project. The construction of his first house took more than twice as long as the temple. And that was merely the first of who knows how many houses Solomon built for himself.

But Solomon didn’t stop at luxurious houses. He’s also got luxurious landscaping! He’s got personal gardens, private parks, countless orchards and vineyards, and even a sophisticated irrigation system to keep everything looking green.

Solomon also has an entourage of slaves to answer his every beck and call.

Most of us can’t imagine owning slaves like Solomon boasts about in verse 7. And that’s a good thing.

But before we move too quickly, think about what it would be like to have an entourage of people doing all the things you hate doing yourself.

Men, how about a personal barber to keep your hair trimmed and your face shaved?

Ladies, how about your own personal cosmetician to perfectly apply your makeup every day?

Kids, how about a butler to clean your room for you?

How about personal masseuses, maids, gardeners, chefs, personal assistants, personal trainers, private security, chauffeurs, and nannies?

Solomon’s entourage may have been the greatest in world history. 1 Kings 4 tells us the daily allotment of food in his house was enough to feed 35,000 people.

In verses 7-8 Solomon tries to find satisfaction through wealth.

In a day when your livestock was often a measure of wealth, Solomon was loaded.

1 Kings 4:26 says he had 40,000 stalls for his horses and chariots and 12,000 horsemen.

Today’s equivalent would be a massive warehouse loaded with the most beautiful and powerful vehicles imaginable.

But it wasn’t just the animals. Solomon was stacked with cash.

1 Kings 10:14 says that every year he brought in about twenty-three tons of gold.

According to ChatGPT, that’s nearly 2 billion dollars in annual income every single year.

And that’s just the gold. The Bible also says Solomon had so much silver it was as common as stones in Jerusalem.

Also in verse 8, Solomon tries entertainment.

Today via the Internet we have personal access to music and other entertainment from all over the world.

What Solomon was even been better. He brought all the best musicians in the world to him! He had personal and private access to the best entertainment his world had to offer.

At the end of verse 8, Solomon tries to find satisfaction through sex.

The word translated “concubine” is only used here in the entire Bible.

Scholars believe it may be a word for female anatomy, making this statement all the more crude. [1]

1 Kings 11:3 tells us Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

In verse 9, Solomon tries to find satisfaction through fame.

Solomon enjoyed fame that was absolutely unrivaled in his day.

So when Solomon says “his wisdom remained with him” in verse 9, he’s saying God didn’t take away his gift of wisdom. Despite all his folly, Solomon continued to wow the world with wisdom. And as a result, nobody on the planet was as famous as he was.

But what was the end result of having everything?

2:10-11—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. 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.

Solomon isn’t denying the reality of pleasure.

Christians are often quick to point out how life is ultimately unsatisfying. But we’re often slow to admit this life is often pleasurable.

And then when our kids enter their teenage and young adult years and find out that sin is often fun and feels good, they feel they’ve been lied to.

But Solomon says “his heart found pleasure” in all of this stuff!

If you chase after meaning in luxury, alcohol, sex, etc. you will find pleasure. You’ll likely find a LOT of it. Life under the sun is often pleasurable. But its pleasure doesn’t last.

Worldly pleasures are like a scoop of ice cream. It tastes amazing, but in a moment it’s gone.

So too the pleasures under the sun often feel good in the short-term. But in the end they leave us always wanting more!

Like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons when Homer told him, “You’re the richest man I know.” Burns replied, “Ah yes… but I’d trade it all... for a little more.”

In the end, pursuing meaning through pleasure leads to the same results as pursuing pleasure through knowledge.

In 1:14 and 2:11 Solomon says both knowledge and pleasure are vanity.

Remember that word “vanity” is the word hevel in the original language. It literally means vapor.

Like your frozen breath outside on a cold winter’s morning, like a bubble that’s burst in seconds, like a puff of smoke, knowledge and pleasure are elusive and uncontrollable.

You might find temporary pleasures in knowledge and pleasure, but they will not last.

Because Meaning in this life cannot be found from this life.

We’ve listened to Solomon recount his pursuit of meaning, now let’s consider…

2) The PROBLEM with Meaning Under the Sun

Ecclesiastes 2:14–15—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. 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.

Both knowledge and pleasure have value. But their value is temporary! Why? Because everybody dies!!!

After a few years in the grave, the bones of Albert Einstein, Hugh Hefner, and the average John Doe will look the same to the naked eye!

Who cares how much you learn or how much pleasure you have if you’re going to die in the end?!?

Perhaps you’re thinking, “sure, life is temporary. But if we live a meaningful life we can leave a legacy that lasts forever. Can’t we?”

2:16-17—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! So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Sure it’s true some people are remembered and talked about long after they’re gone. But if you’re not there to hear about it, does it really matter?

Woody Allen once joked, “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying.”

Some of you are thinking, “Who’s Woody Allen?!?” Which proves Solomon’s point! We are so quickly forgotten! And Woody Allen’s not even dead yet!

As bad as it is to think about being gone and forgotten, Solomon says it gets even worse. What will happen to everything you worked so hard for in this life?

2:18-23—I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

Many people spend their whole lives building wealth, and then die before they enjoy it.

What happens with all that hard-earned money? Usually it goes to our next of kin, right?

Well what if that person is an absolute fool? What if they don’t appreciate anything you’ve worked so hard for?

When Howard Hughes died in 1976 he was one of the richest men in the world. But he had no direct descendants, and no immediate relatives, and no will to determine where his money should go. He made it clear that he didn’t want all his hard-earned money to go to a bunch of distant relatives he didn’t know, but after 7 years in court his $2.5 billion estate was divided up among 22 distant cousins.

Solomon says, “that’s a great evil!” And in Solomon’s case, this ended up being his legacy too. After his death, his son Rehoboam was such a fool that the entire kingdom split under his leadership. Everything Solomon built and stockpiled was eventually destroyed.

Meaning in this life cannot be found from this life because in the end death will steal it away from you!

Now all of that is pretty depressing, isn’t it?

When the pandemic first hit, I had the bright idea to preach a sermon series through the book of Lamentations. When we finished the series, one of our members told me “I’m so glad this is over! If Lamentations had one more chapter I think I would’ve jumped off a bridge!”

Some of you might feel like that already after two chapters of Ecclesiastes!

But Solomon isn’t done yet. There’s hope here!

Consider finally...

3) The PRESCRIPTION for Meaning Under the Sun

When Solomon talks about life “under the sun,” he means a life lived horizontally. A life only concerned with the things of earth, a life without any reference to the God who exists beyond the sun.

Yes, it’s true that meaning in this life cannot be found from this life.

The solution isn’t found in anything under the sun!

The solution is to get over the sun, to look to our Creator!

Let me suggest three practical ways we can do this:

A) Remember the GIVER

2:24-25—There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

Some people think the solution to the emptiness of hedonism is to live the simple life, free from all the gadgets and bells and whistles of our 21st century world. But that’s not the answer!

If the simple life was the answer, everybody living below the poverty line would be completely satisfied!

The answer isn’t having more or having less, but putting whatever pleasures you do have in their proper perspective. They are not gods, they are gifts. There is a God who has given you all those good things that you enjoy!

You will find meaning in this life as you remember Who gave it to you. But also, we find meaning as we...

B) Remember the GUARDRAILS

2:26—For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

As we use what we have in a way that pleases God, we will receive even more in the end. While the wicked will spend their lives gathering and collecting, but never truly enjoying.

It’s like they’re running on a treadmill but never getting anywhere.

But what does it mean to please God with what we have?

The rest of Scripture tells us that God sets guardrails for how His gifts should be enjoyed.

Most of the gifts Solomon enjoyed were not sinful in and of themselves. Most of them could have been enjoyed within their proper context.

For example comedy and entertainment are a gift from God! They can certainly be enjoyed by the Christian. But God sets guardrails on how we can use those gifts. We can’t turn entertainment into an idol. We can’t let it be our all-consuming pleasure in life. We can’t look to it for ultimate satisfaction. We also need to be careful that our entertainment is not tempting us to sin. So we should set personal boundaries about what things we will and will not be entertained by because we have a goal that’s bigger than our entertainment. Our goal is to glorify God!

Wealth is a gift from God. It is not a sin to be wealthy. But it is a sin to put our hope in our money. It’s a sin to hoard our wealth and not give sacrificially.

Sex is also a gift from God! But God sets the guardrails on how we can use that gift. It cannot be an idol. It cannot be enjoyed outside of the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman. It cannot be enjoyed in a way that devalues or demeans your spouse.

The same is true of every good gift we’ve received from the Lord. We look to the Scriptures for wisdom on how to use that gift rightly.

So how are you doing with the gifts you’ve received?

Are you using them properly? Are you idolizing them, looking to them for your joy and satisfaction? Are you rejecting what God says about how to use these gifts? Are you considering what the Scriptures say at all?

Are you pleasing God with what He’s given you?

Before you answer, “Yes,” consider what the Scripture says about pleasing God...

Romans 8:8—Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

If you really let this sink in, all of us are doomed!

As long as we’re in the flesh, we’re doomed to a life under the sun that is ultimately unsatisfying, a death that is absolutely unavoidable, and a final judgment where every good gift we do have is forever taken away!

Ultimately our hope comes only as we...

C) Remember the GOSPEL

Who is the only one who perfectly pleases God?

The same One who heard a voice from heaven at His baptism, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus had far less possessions and pleasurable experiences than his great-great-great grandpa Solomon.

And yet, Jesus never lost sight of the Giver. He lived His entire life in a perfect relationship with His Father.

He never ignored the guardrails God gave. He never abused alcohol. He never hoarded his possessions. He never had a lustful thought. He was tempted in all ways like we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was the only Person in human history who could look at verse 26 and say “that promise applies to me!”

And yet, instead of receiving the promise of verse 26, Jesus willingly endured it’s opposite.

Instead of all our stockpiled treasures going to Jesus, the One who pleases God, all our sin was piled on Him.

Why? So that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

As it turns out, there is a way for us to please God. But it’s not by working for it.

Hebrews 11:6—Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

We please God as we trust in Jesus, who lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died.

That and that alone is the only place where meaning under the sun can be found.

Placing your hope anywhere else is vanity and striving after wind.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

I Will Glory in My Redeemer

Benediction (1 Timothy 6:17)