Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 — Introduction and Overview – Chasing the Wind – The Cycle of Futility
THE EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE OF SOLOMON TESTIFY TO THE EMPTINESS OF LIFE AND THE LACK OF ANY SATISFYING ANSWERS TO THE HUMAN CYCLE OF FUTILITY
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 — Living It Up Will Always Let You Down
INVESTIGATION UNDER THE SUN REVEALS THE FUTILITY OF
PLEASURE, POSSESSIONS AND PRIDE
Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 — Futility of Wisdom and Work
A LIFE OF PURSUING WISDOM OR ACCOMPLISHMENT ONLY ACCUMULATES A LEGACY OF FUTILITY
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 — Wrestling with Eternity –The Futility of Trying to Comprehend the Divine Master Plan
THE INSCRUTABLE NATURE OF ETERNITY WILL FRUSTRATE MAN’S EFFORTS TO FIGURE THINGS OUT – JUST SUBMIT AND TAKE THINGS AS THEY COME
Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 — The Futility of Chasing Worldly Success
THE 5 ROTTEN STEPS ON THE WORLD’S LADDER OF SUCCESS
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 — Be Careful to Worship as the Wise instead of the Fool
WISE WORSHIP CALLS FOR OBEDIENT LISTENING, CONTROLLED SPEECH, FAITHFUL COMMITMENT AND REVERENTIAL AWE
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 — Pursuit of Wealth Can Create Huge Problems
APART FROM CONTENTMENT IN ENJOYING GOD’S GIFTS, THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH CAN CREATE HUGE PROBLEMS
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 — The Futility of Chasing the Good Life
EVEN THOSE WHO APPEAR TO HAVE GRABBED HOLD OF THE GOOD LIFE STRUGGLE WITH NO ENJOYMENT, NO SATISFACTION AND NO ANSWERS TO LIFE’S ULTIMATE QUESTIONS
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 — Recognize that God Is in Control — Both in Happy Times and Sad
SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN, THE WISE MUST BENEFIT FROM SORROW AND SUBMIT RATHER THAN EXPRESS PRIDEFUL IMPATIENCE AND FRUSTRATION
Ecclesiastes 7:2 — Funeral Message — God’s Perspective on Dealing with Morality
WE ARE ALL HEADED FOR DEATH SO BE PREPARED TO FACE GOD
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 — Pursue the Path of Wisdom and the Fear of God
UNDERSTANDING THE PERVASIVENESS OF FUTILITY AND THE REALITY OF PERSONAL PERVERSITY, PURSUE THE PATH OF WISDOM AND THE FEAR OF GOD
Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 — Limits of Wisdom in Interacting with Sovereign Power
WISDOM TREADS CAREFULLY IN INTERACTING WITH SOVEREIGN POWER BECAUSE OF THE PRIORITY OF SUBMISSION AND THE REALITY OF LIMITATIONS
Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 — Sometimes Life Doesn’t Make Sense
WISDOM CANNOT FIGURE OUT LIFE’S PERPLEXITIES
Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 — Life Just Doesn’t Add Up — But We Can Still Resolve to Live It Up
WHEN YOU CAN’T MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DESTINY, AT LEAST ENJOY THE PRESENT
Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 — Sometimes Life Just Doesn’t Add Up
WISDOM CANNOT INSULATE ONE FROM LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES OR GUARANTEE RECOGNITION AND REWARD
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 — Nuggets of Wisdom — Wise Response to Foolish Leadership
FOLLY ON THE PART OF RULERS PUTS A NATION IN JEOPARDY AND REQUIRES A RESPONSE OF WISDOM – YET WISDOM IS PRECARIOUS AT BEST
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 — Secrets to a Productive and Enjoyable Life
BY OPPORTUNISTIC FAITH AND JOYFUL CONTENTMENT WE CAN LIVE BOTH A PRODUCTIVE AND ENJOYABLE LIFE
Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 — The Point of It All
THIS LIFE HAS MEANING WHEN WE RISE ABOVE THE FUTILITY OF MAN’S WISDOM TO EMBRACE GOD’S WISDOM =
FEAR GOD AND OBEY HIM BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE BECAUSE WE ALL WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE