• The question in the book isn’t whether there is a God; the question is whether or not God matters and to what degree?

• For the one who gives mental ascent without loving relationship with God• For the one who gives verbal ascent without submitting to

God’s loving rule

• Unique book: a plain description of an attempt to live without God

Ecclesiastes 1:1–4

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.

• The Time is Now

• Solomon as an author; God’s wisdom, perverted by flesh• What about you and your gifts/talents?

•Solomon begins with a conclusion: life is meaningless

•Vanity = puff of wind; air; vapor; breath; deceitful• The attractive things of this world that are unable to resolve

life’s greatest difficulties

• He indulges in every pleasure, and correctly says, “Life is the most vain thing.”

• A truth, but not an absolute truth

•Are you in that place?• The time is now to redirect your attempts at life without God• Christ is the key!

Ecclesiastes 2:1

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.

• Time to Test Yourself

• What is he testing?• Everything else is secondary to the primary testing of his own

heart

• We often think we’re testing things, circumstances, people, etc.• But those are secondary tests to the testing of our own

hearts

Ecclesiastes 2:10

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.

• Why all of this excess?• A little doesn’t do the trick, so of course more will• Fear that what I’m counting on won’t pay off, so I go all in• The lie that this is all there is, so enjoy it as long as I can

•I am the center of the universe!

•Where are you in excess? What is in neglect? Will you face yourself?

Ecclesiastes 3:3–9

A time to kill and a time to heal;A time to tear down and a time to build up.A time to weep and a time to laugh;A time to mourn and a time to dance.A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

Ecclesiastes 3:3–9 (Cont.)

A time to search and a time to give up as lost;A time to keep and a time to throw away.A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;A time to be silent and a time to speak.A time to love and a time to hate;A time for war and a time for peace.

• A Time for Everything

• There’s something unsettling with the “good” and the “bad” all in the same list

• We would like a list of just the good, please!• But there’s a God-ordained time for it all

•There’s a time for everything—will you take advantage of the time you have?

Ecclesiastes 3:10–11

I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

• We get a glimmer of the big conclusion—to bow the soul and mind to God’s goodness and sovereignty in all things

• God has already placed this desire for him and for satisfaction for us• “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until

they can find peace in You.” – Augustine

•Mostly this is finding daily joy in what he has given us to do

•Ministry/service aren’t the answer (that’s vanity!), but they give us a glimpse of what it looks like to experience this fulfillment—to make the most of time!

• Life is meaningless if:• It’s all for you and your pleasure• God doesn’t matter A LOT in everything• You confuse wisdom with success or knowledge or busyness

or stuff• You are not changed in this lifetime• You insist on not evaluating yourself• You insist on living apart from Christ