Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Analytical
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Conscientiousness
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Introduction
Imagine God came to you and offered you a choice:
A long life
Great wealth
You’ll always win
Wisdom
Solomon chose wisdom (read about in 1 Kings 3).
That’s no surprise.
See Proverbs 3:13-15.
This aligns with our values today.
We tell our kids to work hard in school…
So, I was shocked when I read Ecclesiastes 7:16.
Wisdom is a good thing, right?
Subject: Wisdom is a good thing... except when it’s a bad thing.
Wisdom has value… except when it’s worthless.
Body
Advantages of Wisdom (Ecc 7:11-12)
Wisdom understands that life is limited, therefore life is precious (Ecc 7:1-2).
Precious metals and precious stones are precious because they are rare.
Your life is a “limited edition,” there’s only one.
Wisdom says, “Don’t waste your life by endless partying (Ecc 7:4) or by living in the past (Ecc 7:10).
Instead, begin with the end in mind (Ecc 7:8) and take life seriously.”
A rule of life: an intentional plan to love God, love people, and make disciples.
Wisdom understands that adversity is unavoidable, yet adversity produces the greatest growth (Ecc 7:3-5).
We often learn more from our failures than our successes.
We learn more from the “rebuke” of a wise coach than the empty praises of an overprotective parent.
We learn through losing the baseball game that we don’t always win in life, and how you play is more important than whether you win or lose.
We can’t control adversity, but we can control our response to it (Ecc 7:8-9).
Wisdom says: “Be patient.
Be humble.
Choose to learn from your mistakes and grow through adversity.”
Disadvantages of Wisdom
Wisdom can lead to pride (Ecc 7:13-18).
What’s he talking about here?
Refusing to accept the limitations God has placed on mortal human beings.
This is a vain pursuit (Ecc 7:23-24)… For all our wisdom, progress, education, and science, we still cannot make straight what God has made crooked.
We still can’t control the vast majority of life—and we never will.
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up,” (1 Cor 8:1).
The more knowledge we gain, the more we struggle with pride… It doesn’t matter how much wisdom or knowledge you have if you’re prideful.
Wisdom cannot eradicate sin (Ecc 7:19-20).
Don’t get all holier-than-thou in your judgment of other people.
Remember that you’re a sinner, too (Ecc 7:21-22).
“Don’t look down your nose at people who sin differently than you do.” ~ Brian Bill
Solomon’s observation: Ecc 7:29, echoed by the Apostle Paul in Rom 3:23.
Conclusion: Wisdom is a good thing, except when it’s a bad thing.
Wisdom does have great advantages.
But wisdom that produces self-righteous arrogance has no benefit.
It’s actually a disadvantage.
It’s vanity.
It’s nothing more than pride and folly masquerading as angels of light.
That kind of “wisdom” is meaningless.
So how should we live?
James 3:13-18 picks up where Solomon left off.
Come to Jesus, the One who broke the power of sin, and let Him show you how to live the good life filled with good work done in the humility that comes from godly wisdom.
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