Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

Sermon Notes: Ecclesiastes Chapter 1.

Are you searching for some meaning, some purpose, some point, some direction to your life, in this busy, secular world of ours, that has no time for God?

Does life make any sense to you? What is the point of it all? What is the purpose of your life?

This Book was written 3000 years ago, and yet it’s still so powerful, it’s still so relevant, it has still so much to teach us!

So, what does this Book of Ecclesiastes want to teach us?

LORD, teach us today and help us to hear the things that are relevant to our lives and situations. V1.

‘The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.’

Question: Lord, what are YOU saying to me today. Grant me a teachable heart so that I can learn, change and grow?

a: Without GOD in our lives, life makes absolutely no sense whatsoever – it is totally pointless. V2-v3

‘meaningless, meaningless, says the Teacher. Utterly meaningless. Everything is meaningless. V2

Question: What is the real meaning of your life? Have you ever thought that through and worked that out for yourself?

b: Without GOD in our lives we just seem to be running, round in endless circles, going nowhere. V4-v7

‘The sun rises! The wind blows. All the streams flow. V5-v7

Question: Where is my life heading? What have I ever achieved in life? Am I just running, round in endless circles? Is there something more to life that I am missing?

c: Without GOD in our lives, nothing that we have or get or do, will ever truly satisfy. V8

‘Everything is so weary and tiresome. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are never content.’ V8

Question: Is there a restlessness within you that has never been satisfied? Do you sense that for all you already do have, that there is still something missing in your life?

d: Without GOD in our lives, our lives will never seem to have any significance or value whatsoever. V9-v11.

‘there is nothing new under the sun.’ ‘We don’t remember what happened in those former times. And in future generations no one will remember what we are doing now.’ V11

Question: Do you ask yourself those really important questions like – Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Does anyone really care about you and do you really matter to anyone?

e: Without GOD in our lives, we will never figure out the meaning and the purposes of our lives? V12-v18.

‘I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. V14

‘The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more hurts.’ V18

Question: Does this all sound very depressing to you?

I think the Teacher is trying to drive us to reality and despair, so that we can see for ourselves that real happiness, true happiness, eternal happiness is only to be found in GOD, through a saving relationship with JESUS.

Question: Do we need to stop playing ‘trivial pursuits’ in our lives, so that we can pursue GOD’S purposes for our lives here on earth and into eternity?