Sermon Central
-
Ecclesiastes
Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 16, 2003 (message contributor)
-
1. The Let Down Of Life
Contributed on Oct 16, 2003
Most of us will come or have come to the point in life where we realize that life is disappointing, that our dreams will not all come true, and that our impact on this world is marginal. The let down of life will get to us sometime, somewhere. We Christ
The Let Down of Life (Ecclesiastes 1) Intro Note: most of these illustrations were borrowed from Sermon Central; further info on Larry Walker, the man who ascended 16,000 feet in a lawn chair with weather balloons can be found at truthorfiction.com Do a search there--it is a great ...read more
-
2. The Test: Is Foolishness The Better Choice?
Contributed on Oct 16, 2003
Both foolishness and wisdom fail to satisfy. Both lead us to find the answer somewhere else.
The Test: Is Foolishness the Better Choice? (Ecclesiastes 2) Note: The illustrations in this sermon were mostly borrowed from Sermon Central Intro 1. This is the 100th anniversary of powered flight! It was 100 years ago that the Wright Brothers successfully flew the first airplane at ...read more
-
3. Embracing Life
Contributed on Oct 20, 2003
The fear of life is often seen in resisting change and living in denial of the seasons of life. If we try to fight the seasons of life rather than accept them, we will miss the blessings God has for us and we will fail to mature. We need to embrace life
Embracing Life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15) Intro 1. A major part of who we are and what we do is determined by fear. 2. Fear is not necessarily evil. Legitimate fear of danger, for example, results in restraint: whether driving, playing football, or welding, caution is a virtue. 3. There are ...read more
-
4. A Lifelong Strategy Against Frustration
Contributed on Nov 3, 2003
Through 4:16. There is no way to eliminate the frustrations of life. But we can embrace a strategy to help us to handle those frustrations in the best way. Of course that starts with a personal relationship to God, and Solomon will get to that later in
A Lifelong Strategy Against Frustration (Ecclesiastes 3:17-4:16) Intro 1. There are many frustrations in life, some of them are very serious: Mixed with bitter sorrow and emptiness is often the feeling of frustration. My Moody buddy John Smith ministers in Mexico. When he lived in the ...read more
-
5. Respecting God With Your Very Life
Contributed on Nov 17, 2003
Many Christians live lives of contempt for God and they don¡¦t even know it. Solomon talks about three ways we can show contempt for God, ways that might seem harmless.
Respecting God with Your Very Life (Ecclesiastes 5) Intro¡K. 1. There was a woman who went on a short term missions trip to Kenya, helping the missionaries there. Before she left, she stopped at a remote village where she attended a medical clinic. As the native women outside the clinic ...read more
-
6. The Gift Of Enjoyment
Contributed on Nov 24, 2003
The gift of enjoyment is a gift that comes from our happy God; without it, life will not satisfy; with it, we can find enjoyment in the simplest of pleasures.
The Gift of Enjoyment Ecclesiastes 6 1. There’s a story about a child psychologist who wanted to observe how different children respond to negative circumstances. They got a room and filled it with horse manure. Putting the pessimistic child in there, they observed how he ...read more
-
7. House Of Mourning
Contributed on Dec 8, 2003
One of God’s purposes for our lives is that we enjoy them., but it is not the ONLY purpose. He wants to deepen us, and that comes not so much from joy as it does facing the sober realities of life. Facing life’s realities opens us up to receive wisdom,
Sober Thoughts and Balanced Living OR What Does A Mature Person Look Like? (Ecclesiastes 7:1-22) 1. The gift of enjoyment is a wonderful gift. 2. But remember that from chapter 3, “a time to weep and a time to laugh.” 3. We have to take the good with the bad; like Job, we have to say, ...read more
-
8. Wisdom And Reality
Contributed on Dec 8, 2003
A wise man takes life in stride because he has a realistic perspective about people, society, and himself.
Wisdom and Reality (Eccl. 8:1--9:3) 1. Wisdom has always been a valuable quality: Ivy Lee, a management consultant, was called in by Charles Schwab, chairman of Bethlehem Steel Company, to give him advice on how to better manage his time. After observing Schwab for several hours, Lee gave ...read more
-
9. Enthusiastic Living
Contributed on Dec 29, 2003
The difference between living and existing can often be traced to one’s philosophy of life. The God-given philosophy of life involves many aspects, but today I’d like to summarize part of that philosphy through three "Remember" statements.
Enthusiastic Living (Ecclesiastes 9:7-18) Intro 1. Kids pretend things to take away boredom….. (1) We’d walk to the store pretending we are trying to lose Martians who were following us (2) Kids who need medical treatments often try to make games of things… 2. As we age, we tend ...read more
-
10. A Fly In The Ointment (Life/Social Skills, Part One)
Contributed on Jan 5, 2004
Developing the right life skills and social skills can make our lives so much richer, our friendships deeper, and our level of happiness higher.
A Fly in the Ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1-10) 1. And sometimes problems occur at just the right time: (1) the pain bothers you or the fever spikes right when you are seeing the doctor (2) or take this news story: "A flight in the United States proved lucky for a British woman who ...read more
-
11. Two Flies In The Ointment
Contributed on Jan 13, 2004
Developing the right life skills and social skills can make our lives so much richer, our friendships deeper, and our level of happiness higher.
Two Flies in the Ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:10-15) Note: This is the second part of my sermon titled, "A Fly in the Ointment" also posted on Sermon Central. INTRO 1. Talk about a rude awakening. The Reuters news service told a story about a man in January of 2004 who "woke with a jolt in ...read more
-
12. God' S Concern For The Way We Think And Why It Matters
Contributed on Jan 19, 2004
Today, we are going to look at a few more areas in which we need God¡¦s help, and then look at WHY we need to be concerned about such non-churchy, non-stained glass, everyday mundane things.
God’s Concern for the Way We Think and Why It Matters (Eccl. 11:1 to 12:14) 1. It is a challenge to preach sermons that are Biblical, relevant, and spiritual. 2. Some pastors do this by skipping around and avoiding the drier or more detailed sections of Scripture. 3. What many people ...read more