Sabbath 7-23-2016 Edgewater Seventh Day BAPTIST Pastor Keith “From Meaningless to Satisfied” Ecclesiastes 1;1-17

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Sabbath 7-23-2016 Edgewater Seventh Day BAPTIST Pastor Keith “From Meaningless to Satisfied” Ecclesiastes 1;1-17, Ecclesiastes 2;1-23

 

 

So the question is…How satisfied are you with your life? It’s no wonder we find ourselves looking for satisfaction in all the wrong ways and places. We are bombarded daily by advertisers bent on fostering dissatisfaction with our current lives. From what I’ve seen on TV, my life would be much more satisfying if I had Special K for breakfast every morning, purchased my car insurance from GEICO and painted my house with Glidden Semi-gloss paint. Last week, we talked about how Satan sold Eve on the idea that she was missing out on something. Even though she had delighted in God’s provision for all this time, now she believes she needs more! And she believes the only way she can be satisfied is by living outside of God’s provision. But she soon discovers that living outside of God’s boundaries is what REALLY leads to dissatisfaction.

Our scripture today comes from Ecclesiastes 1:2: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Or you may be more familiar with the New King James Version: “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” Of course, Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon. History touts Solomon as the wisest man in the world at that time, and certainly one of the richest. If anyone could speak to the experience of having everything his heart desired, it was Solomon. And with unlimited wealth at his disposal, Solomon pursued satisfaction like no other.

Solomon’s findings are recorded here in the book of Ecclesiastes, a record of what matters in this world, and what doesn’t; what will satisfy us, and what will leave us feeling as if we’ve wasted a life of “chasing after the wind.”

 

**(Physical health) Ecclesiastes 1;1-11

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them. (feeling insignificant yet?)

 

One man said, “My lawn will outlive me. And one day, some other guy will be living in this house, cutting this grass, enjoying the beauty of this view.” Solomon points out that pinning our hopes on longevity is not the key to a simplified and satisfied life. It is meaningless and chasing after the wind

 

**(Education) Ecclesiastes 1;13-17

I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I said to myself, “Look, I have 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.

 

Kids, maybe you can try this on your parents. “Why should I go to school? The smartest guy in the world said the pursuit of knowledge is like chasing the wind.” Of course education is important. Knowledge is power. Solomon isn’t saying that education is bad, or unnecessary. He’s simply pointing out that knowledge won’t bring about the soul satisfaction you might think it will. I’ve heard of students who went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t decide what to do in life, so they went back for a masters degree thinking this might give them direction. They still couldn’t decide, so they went back for a doctorate degree and never found true satisfaction. Because education and knowledge is a means to an end, and not the goal itself.

 

**(Pleasure) Ecclesiastes 2:1-3

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

 

So now it seems that Solomon has decided to engage in a never ending frat party. Let the good times roll. Eat, drink, and be merry! In our culture today, we have an abundance of pleasure seekers – trying to find satisfaction and fulfillment in a bottle of wine, or a drug, or some other vice that only leads to addiction. But Solomon says pleasure seeking does not provide satisfaction. It is all chasing the wind.

 

**(Work accomplishments) Ecclesiastes 2:4-6

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

 

Solomon became a work-a-holic. Trying to find satisfaction in his accomplishments.

 

**(Wealth) Ecclesiastes 2:7-8a

I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.

 

Few men have had wealth in comparison to Solomon. Perhaps Bill Gates would be close. But even Bill Gates echoes Solomon’s words. In an interview, Gates said, “I woke up one day and asked myself ‘What’s the point? I can earn a billion more dollars or 5 or 10 billion more, but what’s the point? How many billions are enough?’” And that’s when he and his wife Melinda started the Gates Foundation. Of course, none of us have ever had to worry about what to do with our billions… but have you ever said, “If I can just get another $10,000, I’ll be set. Man if this job goes into over-time and I can make time and a half for a few months”.

 

I Tim. 6:17-19 says: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life.

 

**(Sex) Ecclesiastes 2:8b

I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart.

 

Scripture records that Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. Solomon was married to 1,000 women! I have a hard time making ONE woman happy. It would take him almost 3 years just to spend one day with each wife. Solomon shares that seeking love this way can never make a person happy. Yet another roadblock of chasing after the wind.

 

**(Summed up) Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

 

Solomon had the drive and the resources to experience to the fullest: knowledge and education; pleasure; work; wealth; wine women and song, yet nothing had any meaning. As the wise theologian, Mick Jagger said, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

 

**(Meaningless life) Ecclesiastes 2:17-23

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

 

**(The simplified life) Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

 

John 10:10 says: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” May we all live an abundant life; an energized, meaningful, purposeful, significant, God-filled abundant life as the LORD intended.

 

AMEN