Does life have meaning?
Ecclesiastes: Does life have meaning? • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction: Ecclesiastes
Introduction: Ecclesiastes
Does life have meaning?
Does life have meaning?
Big questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Does my life have meaning?
Go and stand on the sidewalk at the courthouse from 3-5 PM
We ask why about so many things, but we do not ask the why when it comes to life
If people really asked why and really thought about their purpose in life, it would drive them crazy
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ecc 1:
If you are honest, there are a lot of things about Christianity that seem crazy
I want to tackle why life without God or with a god who cares is meaningless; and why our lives have meaning
I wish Ecclesiastes was first
I wish Ecclesiastes was first
The list of the Bible is not inspired
In the beginning, God… [It’s a good argument]
However, I think Ecclesiastes could be first
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes
Who wrote Ecclesiastes? Not Solomon
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
He was an Israelite who wrote like Solomon
It does not matter who wrote Scripture, because we know that God was ultimately behind it
The opening statements...
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Vanity of vanities… all is vanity
Appears 30-40 times in the book
We may think of vanity as pride (you’re so vain)
Vanity is emptiness, meaninglessness
Everything has no meaning
Under the sun
Only used in this book, but has a two fold meaning:
It has to do with life on earth: If all we have is life on this earth, then life is meaningless
Labor under the sun is hard - working outside is hard, again, if there is only a horizontal level when it comes to life, there’s no profit, no gain
“I’ll make the world a better place”
“I’ll make the world a better place”
No. No, you won’t.
No. No, you won’t.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
ecc 1
Whatever you do, will pass away
Nature tells us this
We are insignificant specks
Traveling at the speed of light
4.3 years to get to the nearest star; we could see the sun like it was another sun in the sky
26,000 years to get to the center of our galaxy
Another 74,000 years to get to the edge of the milky way
To get to the nearest major galaxy, would take 2.5 million light years
46.6 billion lightyears to edge of known universe
Natural history tells us that everything dies
All organic life dies
To say, “I’m going to make a difference is like repairing the engine on a sinking boat”
History also shows us this
There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
What do you know about your great-great grandparents
Everyone is forgotten - no matter the historical figure, eventually, they are forgotten
Whether you live a life of compassion or a life of cruelty, no one will remember
“I’ll just enjoy life”
“I’ll just enjoy life”
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
You will never be satisfied
Anthony Bourdain
It all becomes the same thing - there’s nothing new
You have to ignore reality - ignore your humanity
Life only has meaning when God exists and cares
Life only has meaning when God exists and cares
ecc 12
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
If your origin is meaningless, and your afterlife is meaningless, then your life is meaningless
This book can be pessimistic, but it is a true assessment of a world apart from the light of God’s redeeming love
As believers, everything that the preacher says is meaningless has meaning because Christ has restored it: wisdom, labor, love, life and even death