Sermon Central
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Searching For Significance
Contributed by Brian Bill on Jun 25, 2024 (message contributor)
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1. When Everything Feels Empty
Contributed on Jun 25, 2024
Because life is fleeting, base your life on what will last forever.
When Everything Feels Empty Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 Rev. Brian Bill June 22-23, 2024 A Peanuts comic shows Linus working diligently on the beach, constructing a large and elaborate sandcastle. A few frames later, it begins to rain, eventually pouring down so heavily that his castle is completely ...read more
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2. The Cycle Of Life
Contributed on Jul 14, 2024
Dissatisfaction is designed to lead us to find satisfaction in God alone.
The Cycle of Life Ecclesiastes 1:3-18 Rev. Brian Bill July 13-14, 2024 We’ve been challenged this summer to read through the entire Book of Ecclesiastes at least three times. As I’ve been doing so it strikes me how many of Solomon’s existential experiments are reflected in popular songs from the ...read more
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3. The Search For Satisfaction
Contributed on Jul 22, 2024
We will never find our purpose in life if we put the pursuit of our pleasures above God’s priorities.
The Search for Satisfaction Rev. Brian Bill Ecclesiastes 2:1-17 July 20-21, 2024 According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, the U.S. ranks 23rd on a global measure of happiness across 143 countries in the world. This is worse than last year, when we came in at number 15. Americans under 30 ...read more
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4. You Can't Take It With You
Contributed on Jul 29, 2024
We can’t find our worth in our work, but we can worship God by how we work.
You Can’t Take it With You Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 Rev. Brian Bill July 27-28, 2024 Billy Graham was fond of saying, “You’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul.” That is, until now, because I came across a picture of one this week. As we continue to journey with Solomon in his search for ...read more
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5. A Time For Everything
Contributed on Aug 5, 2024
Because God has a reason for each season in our life, we can trust His timing.
A Time for Everything Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Rev. Brian Bill August 3-4, 2024 I’ve had some wedding bloopers over the years. One time, I called the groom by the wrong name. The bride’s name was Jennifer, and during the most reverent part of the ceremony I called the husband-to-be Bennifer. Everyone ...read more
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6. Wired For Eternity
Contributed on Aug 13, 2024
While we are mired to earth and tethered to time, we are also wired for eternity and will live eternally, in either Heaven or Hell.
Wired for Eternity Ecclesiastes 3:9-22 Rev. Brian Bill August 10-11, 2024 During the Paris Olympics, the best athletes in the world have been competing against each other, including Rocky grad Courtney Lindsey, who ran anchor for the 4x100 men’s relay. One article referred to him as a “a quiet ...read more
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7. Doing Life Together
Contributed on Aug 19, 2024
Be intentional about connecting with others because we are made for community.
Doing Life Together Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 Rev. Brian Bill August 17-18, 2024 In May 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General released a report titled, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” In it, he detailed the effects of loneliness on the American population, claiming that “lacking social connection ...read more
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8. Keeping Your Vows
Contributed on Aug 26, 2024
Be on guard when you worship God by drawing near to revere Him.
Keeping Your Vows Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Rev. Brian Bill August 24-25, 2024 Many years ago, Beth and I attended a large church in another community. On that particular day, as a way to celebrate the start of summer, a number of members came running on to the platform holding beach balls which they ...read more
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9. What Money Can't Buy
Contributed on Sep 11, 2024
The love of money will not provide meaning in life.
What Money Can’t Buy Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 Rev. Brian Bill September 7-8, 2024 This past weekend, Beth and I journeyed from the wilderness of Illinois to the Promised Land of Wisconsin. On Friday night, my dad hosted a Fish Fry and on Saturday morning after driving through Green Bay, we were ...read more
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10. Uncontrolled Appetites
Contributed on Sep 17, 2024
Your soul will only be satisfied when you surrender to the Savior.
Uncontrolled Appetites Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 Rev. Brian Bill September 14-15, 2024 Several years ago, Beth and I watched a season of “Alone,” which took place in the Arctic. The show tests the survival instincts of humans by pushing them to their limits in extreme conditions while isolating them ...read more
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11. The Futility Of Life Without God
Contributed on Sep 22, 2024
Since God wants better for us, we must give Him our best.
The Futility of Life Without God Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 Rev. Brian Bill September 21-22, 2024 Sometimes people ask me if I’d rather officiate at a wedding or a funeral. A wedding celebrates a beginning, a funeral acknowledges an ending. Both are occasions where friends and family gather together to ...read more
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12. The School Of Hard Knocks
Contributed on Oct 15, 2024
Life only makes sense when we live it for the Lord.
The School of Hard Knocks Ecclesiastes 7:14-29 Rev. Brian Bill October 12-13, 2024 Several years ago, I came across some of my old report cards. My lowest grades in Junior High were in Band and Spanish – I haven’t made much improvement in language or the arts over the years. In High School, ...read more
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13. Voting And The Fear Of God
Contributed on Oct 21, 2024
Only personal conversion through Christ, not political conviction, will lead to lasting change.
Voting and the Fear of God Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 Rev. Brian Bill October 19-20, 2024 About a week ago, an Edgewood member and I were riding an elevator with another guy. He asked how we were doing and we replied in unison, “Better than we deserve.” He didn’t know quite how to take that response. ...read more
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14. Live Life With Joy
Contributed on Oct 28, 2024
You are not prepared to live until you are prepared to die.
Live Life with Joy Ecclesiastes 9:1-18 Rev. Brian Bill October 26-27, 2024 A common question often used in an icebreaker is this, “What advice would you give to your younger self?” Here’s how some people answered that question. 1. You are perfect just the way you are. 2. Stop being lazy! Get ...read more
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15. Folly Is Fatal
Contributed on Nov 3, 2024
It’s better to go the way of wisdom than to fall into foolishness.
Folly is Fatal Ecclesiastes 10:1-20 Rev. Brian Bill November 2-3, 2024 In a 2019 survey, 32% of Protestant churchgoers said they read the Bible every day, and 27% read it a few times a week. However, a 2022 survey found that only 10% of Americans read the Bible daily. According to the American ...read more
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16. Don't Wait To Live
Contributed on Nov 11, 2024
Be oriented for action because life is often uncertain and unexplainable.
Don’t Wait to Live Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 Rev. Brian Bill November 9-10, 2024 Have you ever wondered why Election Day in the U.S. falls on a Tuesday in November? It’s actually due to the needs of 19th-century farmers. In 1845, Congress set the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November ...read more
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17. To The Young And The Old
Contributed on Nov 18, 2024
Don’t waste your life trying not to die; spend your life living for the One who died for you.
To the Young and the Old Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 Rev. Brian Bill November 16-17, 2024 Because growing older is difficult, many people make jokes about it. The singer Pete Seeger put it like this, “How do I know when my youth is all spent? When my get up and go has got up and went!” People freely ...read more
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18. The End Of The Matter
Contributed on Nov 24, 2024
The end of the matter is to focus on eternal matters.
The Conclusion of the Matter Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Rev. Brian Bill November 23-24, 2024 I want to start with two questions related to preachers. Q: How do you know when a preacher is lying? A: When he says, “In conclusion.” Q: What does it mean when a pastor says, “And finally, in ...read more