Why Am I Here?

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Ecclesiastes 1:1-111 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 1:1-113 What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-115 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it arose.6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-117 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-118 All things are full of labor;man cannot express it. the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-119 That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-1110 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-1111 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after.

“The two most important days in your life is the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

~ Mark Twain

Why Am I Here? Not to accumulate “things”

Mark 8:36,3736 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 12:16-2116 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’

Luke 12:16-2118 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

Luke 12:16-2119 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’

Luke 12:16-2120 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

Luke 12:16-2121 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Matthew 6:19-2119 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

Matthew 6:19-2120 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Why Am I Here? Not to accumulate “things” Not to have a vaulted

reputation

Luke 22:24-2724 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

Luke 22:24-2725 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’

Luke 22:24-2726 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

Luke 22:24-2727 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

John 13:13-1513 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Why Am I Here? Not to accumulate “things” Not to have a vaulted

reputation Not to preserve life above all

else

John 12:24,2524 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

2Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Why Am I Here? Not to accumulate “things” Not to have a vaulted

reputation Not to preserve life above all

else Life is about transformation

Romans 12:1,21 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1,22 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2Peter 1:5-85 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

2Peter 1:5-87 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Am I Here? Not to accumulate “things” Not to have a vaulted

reputation Not to preserve life above all

else Life is about transformation

Ecclesiastes 12:13,1413 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments,for this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.