December 31, 2017 | Bob Bartlett
Passage: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18
“The Circle of Life” Ecclesiastes 1:1-18
Poetic justice: The fact of experiencing a fitting or deserved consequence for one’s choices.
Who is Solomon? 2Chronicles 1:7-12 The w__________________ and r______________ man to ever live.
What is wisdom?
Worldly: The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills to succeed in life.
Godly: The ability to spiritually discern, understand and apply God’s truths to one’s life.
- Jeremiah 2:13
America and the world are in need of spiritual awakening. 2Timothy 4:2-4
Vs 2: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
- Life is pointless! Is life pointless? Depends on: how one l___________________________ and what one p______________________________.
Vs 3: “What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?”
- Is the sum of (my) life the pursuit of things?
- If the sum of (my) life is the pursuit of things: w________________________? Luke12:15
Vs 4-14: “I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
The wisest and richest man to ever live is asking you to consider carefully h________________________ you will live.
- What is the heavy burden God has laid on mankind? Luke 12:18-21
God allows me to c______________________ how I live – to miss or understand the meaning of life.
Vs 15: “What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.”
No one can change the o_______________________ of the choices they make in how they will live. Galatians 6:7-8
Vs 16-18: “I thought to myself, ‘Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.’ Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”
- Solomon: It g_______________ him when people made the wrong choice on how they live.
- God: It g_______________ him when people make the wrong choice on how they will live.
- Make no mistake, life is a daily choice! Joshua 24:15
Conclusion: There are Two Circles of Life – two choices every day:
- Life under the Sun:
- Life under the Son:
- Living for God’s Glory. John 17:4
- Living for Christ’s cause. 1Corinthians 4:1
Can you take it with you? You can’t take it with you! It depends…