In Sermon Illustrations: "Ecclesiastes 1:1-18"

After The Dallas Cowboys Had Won The Super ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

After the Dallas Cowboys had won the Super Bowl, Tom Landry made this observation. "The overwhelming emotion--in a few days, among the players on the Dallas Cowboys football team--was how empty that goal was. There must be something ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 142:5, Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Tags: God Brings Hope, God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Meaningless Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2008

Meaningless Life Mark Twain expressed thoughts about the meaningless of life in view of man’s inevitable death. Shortly before his death, he wrote, "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

Tags: Death Nearness

Chrysostom On Ecclesiastes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 21, 2011

CHRYSOSTOM ON ECCLESIASTES Eutropius had fallen into disgrace. As the highest-ranking official in the Byzantine Empire (late fourth century), he served as the closest adviser to the emperor Arcadius, then ruling in Constantinople. But Eutropius abused his imperial power and aroused the anger of ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2 Kings 16:10-16

Tags: Evangelism How To

Aussie Common Sense  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

AUSSIE COMMON SENSE Common sense is taking into consideration all the realities you see in front of you and coming to a right conclusion. After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, British scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the conclusion that their ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

Tags: Wisdom

Do Dead Men Bleed?  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Oct 3, 2011

DO DEAD MEN BLEED? It is dangerous to base our salvation experience entirely upon feeling. Knowing that, and acting upon it, are still sometimes strangers. Like the psychiatrist who took on a very disturbed man as a patient. The man thought he was dead. No matter what techniques the doctor ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

Tags: Salvation, Christian Work

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Purpose Of Life  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE There's a guy named Hugh Morehead who 45 years ago began a hobby of writing to famous philosophers and scientists and authors and asking them, "What is the purpose of life?" The responses he got back were depressing at best. Isaac Asimov wrote back, "As far as I can see there ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-14

Tags: God Brings Purpose

A Christmas Carol

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 22, 2014

Not that it is in the Bible but a story familiar around this time of the year is Ebenezer Scrooge. Ebenezer is a man incapable of joy. Scrooge is rich, but he lives alone in squalor. He takes pleasure in nothing and is indifferent to human suffering. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:15

Tags: Christmas, Joy, Scrooge, Joy And Gospel

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Sure Miss My Old Typewriter

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 15, 2020

I was going through my office the other day looking for something, and then I saw it for the first time in many years. It was my old typewriter. Most people today have no idea what the typewriter is. I remember, however, my very first typewriter. I was so excited to get it and begin writing with ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Computer, Typewriter

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Well, Here We Go Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 9, 2021

I have lived long enough to know that the only change that has any kind of reality is the change in my pocket. I keep track of that change with great supervision and count it every day. When people tell me that this is a New Year and there will be a lot of changes this year, I search my pocket ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Old, Humor, Change, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Is Being Sane Too Much To Ask?

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 28, 2021

When young, I remember my grandfather often saying to me, "the world wasn't like this when I was your age." Then he would go on a long rant about how things were much different when he was my age. Finally, he would conclude by saying, "It's an insane world out there, ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Sanity, Culture, Generational

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Misconception Of A New Year

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 31, 2022

Christmas is the best time of the year, especially when it involves family. It's the one time of the year that families get together to celebrate together. Of course, at least from my perspective, it is also the most hectic time of the year. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has an ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Reality, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then It All Came To An End

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 28, 2024

Time has a way of getting ahead of me. Just when I think I’ve caught up, I find out I was wrong. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were sitting down, relaxing after a wonderful Christmas activity with all the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. It was a wonderful time, but with my ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Christmas, Time, New Years

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[323]. A Message From A Poem - Vanitas Vanitatum – Part 1 Of 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[323]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 1 of 3 This poem begins with the story of a man who is committed to so many things but in the end he became worn out and finally could not find fulfillment in what he was doing. He began to despair and could not see the purpose of life. ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Vanity, Wisdom, Despair, Foolishness, Folly, Under The Sun, Remember Your Creator, Vanity Of Vanities, Vanitas Vanitatum, Christian Poems, An Appointed Time, Under Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[324]. A Message From A Poem - Vanitas Vanitatum – Part 2 Of 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[324]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 2 of 3 PART 2 OF THE POEM IS HERE. This is a long poem and after speaking about the man who could not find fulfillment, I then move to the body of the poem, which is based on the book of Ecclesiastes. We take up the message of the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Vanity, Wisdom, Despair, Foolishness, Folly, Under The Sun, Appointed Time, Remember Your Creator, Vanity Of Vanities, Vanitas Vanitatum, Christian Poems, Under Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[325]. A Message From A Poem - Vanitas Vanitatum – Part 3 Of 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[325]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 3 of 3 This poem begins with the story of a man who is committed to so many things but in the end he became worn out and finally could not find fulfillment in what he was doing. He began to despair and could not see the purpose of life. ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Vanity, Wisdom, Despair, Foolishness, Under The Sun, Appointed Time, Remember Your Creator, Vanity Of Vanities, Vanitas Vanitatum, Christian Poems, Under Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational