Youth Teaching

Life advice from the wisest man

I’m going to start with a bit of a history lesson.

In the 1570’s (about 440 years ago) a guy named Sir Martin Frobisher sailed from England to Canada

When he arrived there, he parked his boat, got out and started looking around.

He did a little digging and happened upon a sparkly gold-ish rock.

He thought to himself “I’ve struck gold!”

And so he dug up more and more of this gold.

He found so much that it filled his ship and he sent it back to England to be sold.

And he actually made a return trip with more ships and men to dig up more of this gold.

All in all he sent 3,375,000 pounds of gold back to England.

He was probably feeling so excited about all this gold he found and how rich he was going to be.

But there was one problem.

Anyone want take a guess at what that problem was?

What was wrong with Sir Martin Frobisher’s gold?

IT WASN’T GOLD!

It was something else called iron pyrite.

It looks like gold to the untrained eye and it certainly fooled Sir Martin Frobisher.

And for this reason it’s commonly called fool’s gold.

It’s something that looks like gold, it looks very valuable, but in the end doesn’t have any real value.

And so it fools people. It fools fools.

Martin Frobisher thought he had found the key to being rich! But unfortunately he was mistaken.

He threw away months of his life, not to mention the lives of several men who died on the expeditions.

So why am I telling you this?

Because tonight we’re going to talk about the book of Ecclesiastes.

And Ecclesiastes talks about fools gold, not literally - but it does metaphorically.

I think you’ll see what I mean as we get going.

The author of the book is Solomon, who was a King of Israel and the son of King David.

And he’s known for being the wisest man who ever lived.

On top of that he was the richest man alive during his time.

And in Ecclesiastes he talks about his search for what’s good in the world.

He’s searching high and low for the purpose of life.

But he keeps coming up empty handed.

He keeps finding things that look worthwhile, things that might seem pleasing but ultimately are just fool’s gold.

Before we start I want to define a word that you’re going to see here a lot.

The word is vanity.

Optional: Anyone want to take a stab at what this word means?

What does vanity mean?

Vanity means empty, valueless.

Anything that has no eternal value could be considered vanity.

And by eternal value, I mean something that will be carried through into heaven and the new earth

Whatever we do that earns us eternal rewards - that could be considered eternally valuable.

Nothing else will last.

So that’s vanity - and we’ll start to get an even better sense of the word as we start reading so let’s get into it.

So let’s start in the beginning and see what sort of wisdom Solomon has for us.

Chapter 1 starting in verse 1.

Ecclesiastes 1:1–5 NASB95

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again.

So there’s that word - vanity!

And Solomon also gives us a few examples of vanity.

Let’s take a look at the last one in verse 5.

He’s saying the sun just does the same thing over and over with no effect.

This is a strange example to our ears because we know that the sun has to rise in order for life to keep going on earth.

But his point here is that it’s tiresome.

He’s using the sun as a metaphor.

It does the same thing over and over again.

The work that the sun does to rise is undone when it’s time for the sun to set.

Day in and day out, rising and setting again and again.

That’s why he says in verse 8 “All things are wearisome”.

It’s like working all day only to have your work undone overnight.

And when you get up the next morning, you just start over right back in the beginning.

Solomon is saying something about our efforts in work.

He talking about our jobs, our school, the work we do around the house, etc.

What are some examples of things like this? Things that you do again and again?

How do you feel when it’s time to do the thing again?

If you’ve ever felt like there’s no point to some of the things you do in school or at your job - you’re right!

Solomon says so a bunch of times in this book.

But that’s not all he says!

He has a lot to say about the benefit of work and our activities.

We’re going to see that a little bit later tonight.

Another aspect of vanity is the fact that nothing is new or novel to him.

Eccl 1:9 “That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.”

That which has been is that which will be.

So whatever has been done in the past will be done in the future.

It’s like when they remake movies over and over. Or when you recognize a certain type of puzzle game mechanic in a video game.

When you recognize that some movie or game is just a copy - you lose the excitement you had when you encountered that thing for the first time.

So in review - nothing lasts forever and nothing is original. It’s all going to burn up or be forgotten.

That’s vanity. It’s kind of depressing right?

And he applies the label of vanity to many things in life.

Money, possessions, status, power, and even laughter in some verses

But he’s not labeling these things as vanity without cause!

He actually knows what he’s talking about!

Because he did a series of experiments.

He tests several of life’s pleasures trying to see if any of them have an ability to bring long-lasting fulfillment.

So we’re going to follow Solomon on one of these experiments and look at his conclusions.

And then we’ll end with the answer to a big question - how do we live our lives? Or what’s the purpose of our lives?

So like I said Solomon did a series of experiments trying to find something that will leave him feeling fulfilled.

In this particular experiment he’s testing the value of gathering stuff. - possessions

We all like stuff right?

I know I like stuff.

I like coffee.

I also like cars and shoes and clothes and backpacks and the list could go on forever.

Solomon liked stuff too and so he decided that he was going to see whether it was worthwhile to collect stuff.

Take a look at Ecclesiastes 2:4-10

Ecclesiastes 2:4–10 NASB95

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines. Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

Solomon is on a different level here.

He’s not messing around with coffee, clothes, the next iPhone or the newest xbox or playstation.

This guy is building palaces for himself.

He had massive gardens made for himself with complex irrigation systems

He’s collecting servants and animals from all over.

He basically made it so that he could snap his fingers and have whatever he wanted.

That sounds pretty great!

But look what he says about it in verse 11.

Eccl 2:11 “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”

The experiment failed. He tried looking for fulfillment in possessions and he didn’t find it.

And we might think - that’s easy for you to say, Solomon.

You’ve got all the money in the world.

You can have whatever you want.

It’s easy for you to say that you’re not really satisfied with what you have.

Try being me. I’ve got plenty of things that I want that I don’t have.

But his wealth and his ability to get whatever he wants is really a strong reason for us to believe him.

Would you believe a poor person if they told you that being poor isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?

Sure you would!

So why wouldn’t you believe the testimony from a man on the other end of the spectrum?

Sure the rich man is a lot more physically comfortable, but those physical comforts mean nothing in eternity.

I think we have a hard time believing that possessions won’t satisfy us.

I remember feeling this way so often when I was younger.

My mind would get trapped into believing that my life would be perfect and fulfilled if I had the one thing that I wanted.

I remember when the iPod mini came out, I wanted one so desperately that I had dreams about owning one.

I thought that little device would bring me satisfaction and I would never want anything again after that.

But I was so dumb! It was incredibly short sighted of me to think that.

I was “striving after the wind”. Just like we read in verse 11 just a second ago.

And eventually, I did get an ipod. And guess what? My life was completely…unchanged.

And then the next one came out and I became disatisfied with what I had.

Solomon got whatever he wanted, and he ultimately felt the same way that I did.

And if I had read Ecclesiastes and understood it I would understood that

I would have known that the things I own would eventually cease to bring me joy.

And when I die - the fact that I owned them will mean nothing.

So this is the second failed experiment.

What was Solomon’s second experiment?

On top of these and other failed experiments Solomon tells us another fact about life.

Life is cruel.

By this he means that the world is full of suffering and terrible things are happening all around us.

I think most of us can think of one or two examples of this, right?

People losing their jobs.

Good friends have to move away.

People bullying other people.

People we love dying unexpectedly.

Natural disasters

School shootings

There’s so many awful things that happen in the world.

And there’s no rhyme or reason to it.

Solomon saw this and wrote about the unfairness of it in chapter 8 verse 14

Ecclesiastes 8:14 NASB95

There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.

That verse is a little bit hard to understand.

But what he’s saying is that things happen righteous men that you would think would only happen to wicked people.

And the other way around. The wicked people are sometimes rewarded in ways that you would expect only righteous people to be rewarded.

Elsewhere in this book he mentions the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice.

In chapter 5 verse 8 Solomon writes this

Ecclesiastes 5:8 NASB95

If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.

He says, “do not be shocked at the sight” of oppression of the poor and the denial of justice.

We’ve probably heard of this too happening too!

People not receiving the treatment they deserve.

Someone taking credit for someone else’s work.

Someone stealing something from you and nothing is done about it.

Or in more extreme examples

People being killed for having a certain faith

People being mistreated because of the color of their skin

There’s so much of this happening in the world today.

And so Solomon sees all of this.

All the pain

All the suffering

All the injustice

And his conclusion was pretty dark.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 NASB95

So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

Solomon says that it would be better off if we had never been born. (4:2-3)

Life is harsh and it’s senseless sometimes.

It’s like grief is waiting behind every door

What do we do with these observations?

Some people see life the way Solomon saw it and they press into the folly.

They’re seeking the party, they’re seeking the buzz of attention, drugs, or alcohol.

They do whatever feels good without thinking about the consequences.

Some people don’t see the vanity in accumulating money and stuff.

And you’ll hear it over and over again from people (just like Solomon) who have been to the end of that road, collecting money and things that money does not buy happiness.

So many of the rich and famous get divorced or commit suicide because like Solomon they come to the end of the road and realize that their life isn’t worth living.

They’re missing the purpose of life.

Still other people to romantic relationships for fulfillment.

They look to be fulfilled in a dating or marriage relationship.

They find a boyfriend or a girlfriend and their life becomes about their dating relationship.

This is a very dangerous way to find fulfillment - I can tell you from first hand experience.

I’ve been in romantic relationships like this and it’s awful because you lose sight of what’s important.

The other person just becomes your entire focus because you have all this affection for them!

They give you butterflies and so your focus shifts from God, to this person.

And dating them becomes a core part of your identity.

But they’ll never be able to fulfill you the way that God can.

So don’t make that mistake.

So you might be thinking “oh my goodness this is so heavy. What IS the point of life?

Is there anything good in life? Anything worth doing?

Well I’m glad you asked.

Solomon also had a lot to say about what is good in life.

He sprinkles in little tidbits of the good parts of life throughout the book.

The first one is in chapter 2 verse 24

He says Eccl 2:24 “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.”

He’s starting out small - it’s good to enjoy a meal.

And it’s good to enjoy your work or school.

These things are blessings straight from the hand of God.

And you might roll your eyes at this.

It’s such a small thing, right?

And it’s so temporary - meals are over in like an hour, right?

But I think that’s part of Solomon’s wisdom here.

He’s telling us to enjoy temporary things and to enjoy them for what they are

And we need to realize that simple gifts like this should remind us that God is the one giving us these gifts.

The trouble is when we take something temporary like a job or a car and we make them into something that we need in order to be happy.

Solomon moves on to mention money.

He says in chapter 5 verse 19

Ecclesiastes 5:19 NASB95

Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

Optional: Anyone want to take a guess here what this verse means?

Solomon says - if God has blessed you with money, don’t horde it!

Don’t become a miser with the gift that God has given you.

Provide for yourself with your money, be generous to others

It’s a gift from God, not something that you earned.

Don’t treat it like you need it to be happy.

Solomon has something to say about relationships too!

In chapter 9 he says this

Ecclesiastes 9:9 NASB95

Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

Solomon is saying that relationships are good!

He says that are also a gift from God.

Now Solomon didn’t write this book with this youth group in mind, so I would like to offer a word of advice.

Be very careful when considering dating relationships at your age.

If you’re old enough to be in youth group -you may want to steer clear of that whole scene.

Practically none of the kids that I went to high school with got married to their boyfriend or girlfriend.

I didn’t meet my wife until I was 20.

And the romantic relationships that I was in before that were such a waste of time.

But despite being complicated, relationships with someone you love is a gift. So as you get older, don’t run from relationships - but don’t treat them as an all satisfying part of life.

Now, if you’ve been listening you might be thinking “there’s a contradiction here, he just spent 20 minutes telling us about how worthless everything is in life, and now he’s telling us that we should be enjoying them?”

If you were thinking that - you’re right!. Good catch!

But there is a difference.

The difference between vanity and a gift is how you treat it.

If you let stuff or money or relationships define your entire purpose, that’s vanity.

But enjoying God’s gifts are never vanity, in fact enjoying the gifts that He gives us should move us to be thankful to God for them.

That brings God glory.

But there’s one more thing.

The purpose of life is not just to enjoy the things that God gives us.

Solomon is about to gives us some instructions.

He’s about to unveil the purpose of life.

Solomon’s instructions for us are found in chapter 12.

Let’s all turn there together so we can see what Solomon has to say.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 NASB95

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

So the ultimate purpose for believers is to fear God and keep His commandments.

What?

What is the ultimate purpose of our lives?

The ultimate purpose of our lives is just to “fear God and keep His commandments”?

Yeah. That’s it.

But let me break it down a little bit for you.

Fearing God means that we understand who we are in relation to God.

We understand that we’re not the center of things.

We’re to be humble, grounded, and gracious people.

It’s easy to be humble and gracious when you understand that it’s not about you.

When you realize that making much of God is the focus of your life, it’s a lot easier to be patient.

When glorifying God is the focus of my life - why should I care if I feel like I’m being treated unfairly? I’m not that important.

If we’re fully convinced that this life is not about us, our lives are freed up to be about bringing God glory.

Keeping His commandments means that we’re to be followers of Christ.

Keeping God’s commandments doesn’t mean that we need to follow a specific set of rules.

Like the rules found in the old testament.

Or the ten commandments (although the ten commandments are pretty good guidelines)

God didn’t give us a list of rules, scripture says that instead He wrote the law on our hearts

Jeremiah 31:33 NASB95

“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

What does this mean that the law is written on our hearts?

How can that be?

Well it’s a figure of speech that means that God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us to know how to follow Him.

when you’re a believer and you’re tempted with an opportunity to sin - if you stop and think

You’ll realize know what the right thing to do is.

And you’ll realize that you feel what the right thing to do is.

Deep down inside you’ll know what’s right.

Here’s an example -

Let’s say you’re at the movies or the mall and you’re at the cash register and the cashier has made a mistake

Maybe they lost track of the transactions or something

They didn’t charge you for an item, or maybe they didn’t charge you at all - and then they ask you if you’ve paid yet

You have an opportunity to obey the law written on your heart.

And if you were to sin, there wouldn’t really be any consequences.

But the Holy Spirit pushes you to be truthful and you obey.

That’s what it means to have the law written on your heart.

So Solomon is encouraging us to obey those feelings!

That’s what it means to keep his commandments.

But why?

Why do we serve Him?

The last verse in the book of Ecclesiastes answers that question.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 NASB95

For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

He’s going to reward us for serving Him!

And we know from other scriptures that these rewards will be given to us in heaven.

It’s the best paying job you’ll ever have.

He’s going to give us more than we could imagine for serving Him.

1 Corinthians puts it this way

1 Corinthians 2:9 NASB95

but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

You can’t even image how God will reward you in heaven for your service to Him on this earth.

And if you use your life for anything other than serving God, you’ll just be pursuing fool’s gold.

Money, stuff, intellect, looks, health - all of that will pass away when you die.

Don’t settle for less than that.

Don’t settle for short-lived fulfillment.

Don’t waste your life pursuing fool’s gold.

Father,

Thank you for these young women and young men in this room. I pray that you would show them through your Holy Spirit how You want them to live. Help them to be bold and live in a way that doesn’t make sense to the world. Help them to throw off the expectations that the world has put on them to pursue vanity. Give them hope and give us all hope as we look around this world that‘s so broken. Help them to focus on eternity and not the present state of the world. Please keep them from giving their lives to the pursuit of fool’s gold.

Amen.

What does it mean that money or stuff is fool’s gold?

Can you think of any examples of fool’s gold in your own life?