Series: Chasing the Wind – Ecclesiastes
Transition read before song: Solomon states in Ecc. 1:2-4; 8; 14: “Meaningless! MEANINGLESS!” SAYS THE TEACHER. “UTTERLY MEANINGLESS!” Everything Is meaningless.” What does man gain from his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever… all things are wearisome … I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!”
Beth/Tony plays Jaye Thomas song: For your glory/send the winds. (key lyrics - God send you winds of refreshing - God send your Spirit - God send you glory down! God send your winds!)
Introduction to Series: Chasing
Illustration Kites – Kites set up in sanctuary– We need to catch the wind if we want to sail into the spiritual realm and to find meaning and purpose for our lives. Just like kites need to catch the wind to sail.
Thesis of series: Catching the wind of the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of God) is crucial to finding purpose and fulfillment in life – you can chase the wind of life all you want but it won’t make you fly - just like chasing the wind will not make a kite fly – you have to catch the wind to sail – to soar - too fly high in the both the natural and spiritual realm of life.
Back to Solomon words in Ecc. 1:2-4; 8; 14: “Meaningless! MEANINGLESS!” SAYS THE TEACHER. “UTTERLY MEANINGLESS!” Everything Is meaningless.” What does man gain from his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever… all things are wearisome … I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!
Wow Solomon sounds like Mr. Doom and Gloom! He could be saying it this way, “We suffer through life and then we just die!” “Life has no purpose no satisfaction!” “It's pointless!” Wow I don't know about you but this guy sounds deeply depressed about his life! Solomon the king starts out this book with bad news – with a hopeless view of life. I thought he was suppose to be the wise one? He is he is really painting a picture for you of a life that counts for something and a life that is meaningless – he uses his own life as the spiritual example.
You have to hang with Solomon through the journey because in the end he adds this thought!
Note: Here is a book which should be started in the last chapter so you read and understand the reason behind this book and the meaning in life - Here are his final thoughts on life and its true meaning and purpose after his spiritual experiment – he says, “I was wise and I sought knowledge and fulfillment in everything you could imagine in life – I was highlighted as one, who is a whose who, of the rich and famous! - I had the resources to try everything so I did! – I mean everything! - and it was all meaningless – a chasing after the wind – empty - void of fulfillment! I tried work, riches, pleasure, possessions and did it without God and found it all meaningless!
Solomon concludes with these penetrating words after his spiritual journey of life with and without God by his side:
Ecc. 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 whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Solomon after trying everything and anything the world could offer says none of it brought fulfillment and meaning to life – it was all meaningless -senseless – it’s like chasing after the wind! Remember? You can never catch the wind of life and soar without the wind – God is the wind – without a healthy fear of Him and respect for Him – without a connection to the Holy Spirit’s in life it’s all pointless - it’s His wind that makes you soar! It's the wind beneath your wings as the old song would say that makes life worth living.
Illustration: Flying the Kite – Isa/Donald
Show the video of Isa flying kite outside.
Did you notice from our demonstration that a kite cannot fly by chasing the wind you have catch the wind for the kite to fly. The same principle is true naturally and spiritually too – you cannot soar in your life unless you catch the wind of the Holy Spirit.
I have noticed that CHC is on the hill and it is really easy to catch the wind here on the hill! I believe God has positioned us here to catch the wind of His spirit and glory to show people how you can fly high in this life with His wind beneath your wings.
Question: Can you relate to wise Solomon’s thoughts? Do you feel like in your life you have been chasing the wind and never catching it? That your life is meaningless void of fulfillment and contentment? Your dreams are never met? Your goals once met mean nothing?
Let’s read Solomon’s words again ---- Ecc. 1:2-4; 8; 14: “Meaningless! MEANINGLESS!” SAYS THE TEACHER. “UTTERLY MEANINGLESS!” Everything Is meaningless.” What does man gain from his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever…all things are wearisome…I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!
As you reread his thoughts you see him saying that time slips by but nothing on earth changes! Such is life! People are born people die and the earth is still stuck in the same unending cycle! Wow, he sounds a little suicidal to me – life just speeds by -with no meaning and purpose – it’s boring and monotonous – you get stuck in routine with no excitement or meaning --- Question: Does life do that? Is Solomon on to something in his observation?
I pondered that thought some this week:
I was associate pastor here in the late 80’s for 3 ½ years, left went to New Life for 11 years in Wi. and then returned to be lead pastor in November of 2008. I have been here for over 8 years and I have seen God do awesome things here at Christian Hills Church. I have often sat and pondered how quickly this time has speed by? It seems like it was just a blink of an eye ago we came back. I stand before you today and think about how my kids are all grown up, serving God, the awesome grandkids I have and the fifth one due within the month. My little girls have grown into wonderful women of God. Two of them have great husbands serving God and my grandkids love the church and Jesus. I have seen people come and go in my life and at CHC over my time here. I have discovered that life has continued to move forward faster and faster as I get older – it seems to be going by with each blink of my eyes. My life and experiences have brought many opportunities, many blessings, some hardships, some trials, several teaching moments, even miracle moments, lots of prayerful moments, some sorrowful moments and there have been times of loss and gain. There are so many memories that flood my mind as I look back at my life – as I ponder and think about my life I quickly discover these memories good and bad – Why? They are etched into my mind and my heart! I guess time slips by quicker than we may think! Solomon observed that reality of life!
Solomon is writing this thought provoking book at the end of his life! I am sure the memories are flooding his mind as he writes this spirit driven book focusing on the meaning of life. Specifically, his own life! But this book is inspired by the Holy Spirit so you and I can read it and learn from wise old Solomon.
Solomon covers his memories of time – his life’s accomplishment are frozen in his mind and they are picture frames of happiness – sadness – and joy. They bring pieces of learning to his life – they helped him to grow and to think clearer. They etched lessons and concepts into his heart to be drawn on again and again. They helped him to learn and to grow though life’s ups and downs. They are precious moments of time that will never be forgotten or discarded by Solomon – so he writes about them so you and I can also get wisdom from them. They are to be used by us so we find real meaning in life – they are to be tapered with wisdom and insight from God. He writes this book for us to learn from his life and from his spiritual journey.
I admit I too have learned many things in my many years – I have learned to fail forward, to lead more like Jesus, to prayer more fervently, to trust God more completely, to die to myself more daily, and most of all to use my time wisely because once it is gone - it is gone. This last lesson is what Solomon is addressing in this book and chapter!
Sermon 1: Chasing the Wind pt. 1
Tag line: “Chasing The wind is pointless! Catching the wind of the Holy Spirit will make you soar high in your life!”
I will say it again: I find it amazing how CHC is positioned on top of this hill and trust me it is a great place to catch the wind both naturally and spiritually. Solomon wants us to live a life with eternal meaning and fulfillment. We wants us to learn from his life and pass that wisdom on to others so they live a life with meaning and fulfillment.
Thesis of sermon: Solomon proposes some questions to us in Chapter one and he says, “Is everything meaningless? Is life one big bore! Can you agree with me that life can be boring and even senseless?” The answer to these questions is really dependent on your relationship with God and how you view the precious commodity of your life and its precious time.
Have you ever heard the phrase from someone “I am bored” with life – because I feel like I am doing nothing of eternal value or worth.” So, then the bored person goes out and does something stupid instead of finding a meaningful existence! I have seen this happen far to often.
Back to our message and the messenger:
Scripture Text: Ecclesiastes 1
1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
3 What does man gain from all his labor
at which he toils under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11 There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.
12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I thought to myself, “Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17Then 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.
18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
Introduction:
Is the life we live meaningless? Do people live meaningless lives? The answer is “Yes” for some people and “No” for others. The truth is some people do live meaningless lives. But the answer is an absolute “no” if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and doing the will of God and in turn living for God. He takes a meaningless life with no value and makes it a life filled with eternal value. God can take a life and actually make it have eternal value and worth.
I will also add if you are “bored” with life that is your fault not God’s!
Solomon the author of this book reveals that a life without God is a meaningless or it’s a worthless life! Not worth living – it would be better that you were not born at all!
To understand Solomon’s thoughts and life you need to know a little background on our author:
The story behind our author Solomon: 2 Chronicles 1:8-15: In this story we discover that Solomon was made King of Israel by God and God communicated that to David his father. David was his father and his mother was Bathsheba. Now let’s get a little more background on mom and dad. David first spotted Bathsheba while she was taking a bath on top of her roof naked. Why because he was bored one night because he was not doing what he was suppose to be doing as a king. David sent for her with one thing in mind and they had an adulterous affair with each other. She was married to Uriah who was off fighting for David. She informs David later that she is pregnant from their night of lustful sin. David tries to cover it up by sending for Uriah so he can sleep with his wife and conceal the whole sinful act. Uriah is loyal to David and his men and refuses to go home but sleeps at the palace door. David finds out that he did not go home so he sets him up to be killed in battle. Yes, David a man after God’s own heart ordered the death of this loyal servant to conceal his sin. David’s plan works and Uriah is killed in battle. David then takes Bathsheba to be his wife and in the eyes of many he is looked on as a hero for providing for this widow but the whole ordeal is a charade covering up their sin. David thinks he got away with it but he forgot about God who promised to bring sin into the light. God reveals the truth to Nathan the prophet and exposes David for his sinful act. God then sends judgment onto to David and his household for his sin. The baby in Bathsheba dies and David is exposed and humiliated. David repents of his sin and morns his loss but judgment still falls. After a time of prayer and mourning he moves on with life and sleeps with his wife Bathsheba and this time Solomon is conceived. He is David’s tenth son and God chooses him to be the next king of Israel. This in turn will cause family issues down the road for David --- can you imagine why?
So Solomon is raised by a mom and dad who both committed adultery and he is the son of a murder. Solomon is loved by God we are told in Scripture. Solomon is placed on the throne to be king by God instead of David’s eldest son. Nathan the prophet once again enters the picture and directs Solomon into the position to be the next King of Israel. When Solomon was made king and he had offered up sacrifices to the Lord he prayed to the Lord in 2 Chronicles and asked God to give him wisdom and knowledge. He asked because he knew he could not lead the people of God without the insight of God. Listen to the heartbeat of this new king:
2 Chronicles 1:8-15: Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 11God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” 13Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel. 14Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.
T.S. - So we now know a little background on the author of this book. So, let’s re-look at his question in chapter one “Is life a meaningless cycle because our time has no eternal value?”
I. The big question- “Is life a meaningless and senseless cycle?”
a. Solomon observed that everything in life has a cycle that it goes through and it really does not make a lot of sense see chapter 1.
i. Man’s daily labor and toil – the same day after day after day.
1. For what purpose does a man work so hard? To just get to next pay check and the next day to do it all over again?
2. To just get enough money to pay another payment on the house and then start all over again?
ii. Generations come and go yet the earth stays the same.
1. Many people have tried to make a difference but then they die and everything stays the same.
iii. The rising and the setting of the sun is even senseless.
1. It just hurries to repeat the cycle the next day!
iv. The wind blows around in circles
1. And for what purpose?
v. The streams of water flow the same over and over.
1. In a sense he is saying the water in the sea evaporates and then causes storm clouds to carry it back to the land and to rain again and it flows into the stream and right back into the ocean to go through the same cycle again and again.
vi. Life becomes wearisome as it repeats itself over and over with nothing new ever happening!
1. Life is senseless? He questions – meaningless – vanity?
2. “All of life is far more boring than words could ever say!”
3. Nothing new ever happens in this life he says!
4. What do you think of Solomon’s questioning – statements?
vii. There is no memory of men who have died and left this place – their memories fade, their work is forgotten and they fade off into the realm of nothingness.
1. Everyone will be forgotten! He says!
2. Playboy moggle - Hugh Hefner – is reported, no - “He is obsessed with creating a history of his life so he will not be forgotten for all his great accomplishments.”
a. People say he is totally obsessed with the fact that he wants to be remembered.
i. So, he labors many hour’s everyday writing his memoirs and noting his accomplishments and life achievements in books.
b. But trust me – He will be forgotten because he is investing his life in things that are temporary – in sexual pleasure – something even Solomon tried and found meaningless a chasing after the wind. He is not investing in eternal values and or eternal meaning with his life.
i. So, his life will be found meaningless and senseless in the end especially when he stands before the Judgment seat of God.
ii. All his volumes of his life will be consumed in God’s holy fire!
b. Solomon was considered a very successful king of Israel – don’t miss this point because it is important – he was richer than the vast majority of people considered rich today:
i. He was considered very wise and very intelligent and people would come from far and wide to hear his decisions on certain cases.
1. He was considered very wise and he set his life on the task of attaining wisdom.
2. His pursuit of wisdom opened his eyes to a life that is filled with meaningless existence - a life so pointless that it is like trying to chase the wind.
a. No one can catch the wind if you are behind it chasing it!
b. It’s an impossible task!
c. It’s humanly impossible!
d. But you can catch the wind of God if you are on the right side of where it blows!
3. Solomon helped Israel to prosper and he took her into the “Golden Age.” He was personally prosperous beyond measure. He would have been considered a millionaire in his day.
a. He had a huge family. He knew what it was like to have 700 wives and 300 concubines.
b. He had a palace to live in which was grandiose. He built great architectural masterpieces one becoming one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.
c. He had fame which stretched worldwide – in a day without internet or phones or TV.
d. He had power and a huge army at his disposal. He had it all you could say!
c. He had what many Americans strive for today - power, fame and fortune!
i. You could say that Solomon lived the American - Israelite dream.
1. He had it all!
ii. He experienced all of life’s pleasures and then toward the end of his life he wrote this thought provoking book. Remember God gave Solomon wisdom and his wisdom is revealed in this thought provoking Old Testament book.
1. Solomon desired to pursue what the meaning of life was all about – his pursuit for meaning in life led him in many directions and into many circumstances which he writes about in this book -- but in the end meaning for life was only found in connection with God he concludes.
2. This book helps us to understand how to come to terms with the reality of life.
a. Life can become a cycle of meaninglessness if our heart is not in the right place.
3. This book is about real life experiences etched into the mind of Solomon. Solomon had lived life and he endured all of its toil, its hardships and he gleamed lessons from his life which he shares in this book.
d. Remember He opens his book with this observation about life in Ecc. 1: 2 “Meaningless! Meaningless! …everything is meaningless.”
i. When I first read this I thought, “He sounds rather distraught even overwhelmed with life!” I hear him saying life is boring!
1. But he opens up this book with a phrase that pricks at your heart and then he takes the reader through his own journey of life. He points out what he did, what he accomplished, what he learned, what he experienced, what he regrets, and compares that to what is really the most meaningful part of life.
ii. He takes you through a thrill ride of his life and ends with a poignant thought on the true meaning of life.
1. Remember He actually ends his book with an observation of what matters most in life.
a. He concludes his book by making a very clear point in Ecc. 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 whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
2. His power, fame, wealth, huge family, and extravagant lifestyle really was meaningless even pointless. What mattered most in life according to our wise King Solomon was having a relationship with the Lord and following after His purpose and plan for his lifetime.
e. Solomon discovered that meaning for life was connected with a relationship with God.
f. Point - When we have a personal relationship with God life has eternal meaning and value but if we do not have a personal relationship with God then life has no meaning and no eternal value.
i. Life with meaning is connected to a life in touch with God.
ii. Life without God is meaningless like trying to chase the wind and catch it – it’s pointless even insane to think that you can.
T.S. – Solomon the wise king discovered that meaning in life and a life which counts for something is connected with God – it is also connected with an understanding of time in itself. Solomon shows that time and how we use it is what determines if it has any eternal worth or value.
II. Life is hard without God and it is a heavy burden! So we need God’s Spirit to soar through it!
a. Solomon in his pursuit of wisdom discovered how hard life is without God in it.
i. He tried it with God and without God and discovered that life outside the realm of God is senseless.
1. It’s like trying to catch the wind – it’s impossible and senseless to even try!
ii. It’s as if you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and it becomes overwhelming.
1. Romans 12:1: “Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God.”
b. Life is a heavy burden that God lays on those who are chasing after the wind – in other words pursuing the things of this world instead of Him.
i. Life becomes hopeless.
1. Without God – life becomes hopeless!
a. Share the story of Evel K.’s testimony at the Crystal Cathedral.
ii. Life becomes boring and lacks any meaning.
1. I run into so many people who say that their life is boring – it has no value – they feel that it is empty and void of meaning.
iii. Life becomes top heavy and it gets harder and harder to get up and to face another meaningless senseless day.
1. When we live for the next day we soon discover the emptiness involved in this type of belief system.
c. He saw what can happen to men and women who labor under the sun and have no connection with God.
i. They cannot fix anything in life or in society.
ii. They cannot untwist anything in life.
iii. They cannot achieve anything in life
iv. They cannot even count what is lacking because they have no clue what they are missing.
d. Solomon grew in wisdom and knowledge and he was honored all over the then known world for it.
i. But even his pursuit of wisdom – human wisdom and knowledge became meaningless.
1. He even tried pursuing foolishness and found this to be point less.
ii. He tried both extremes without God and discovered the shear madness in all of it.
1. Did you know that knowledge and insight outside of God can cause you to go mad?
iii. It can also bring grief beyond measure because the more you know the more you discover that you don’t know!
1. When we learn so much that we come to the conclusion that we cannot create life, change a life, change a person or change the environment on our own then we can become discouraged.
2. If we get to the point where we really grow in wisdom and knowledge we soon discover how little we can do on our own.
a. We see the task at hand and we lose heart!
3. But with God all things are possible!
e. Solomon discovered that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom without God can cause you much grief and heartache.
i. You can spend your life getting a doctor degree and then die and discover that your life had no meaning because you never lived your life with any eternal value.
ii. CEV reads like this “The more you know, the more you hurt; the more you understand, the more you suffer.” (vs. 18).
Conclusion:
The book of Ecclesiastes is a book which is searching for the meaning in life. Solomon is on a quest for meaning in life and pulls the reader along with him in his spiritual journey. The book addresses for us humans how we will truly find satisfaction and happiness in life. It tells us that the pursuit of life is not happiness or worldly desires but it is God. This book begins with a gloomy start but it will end with a divine revelation.
2 lessons learned from Solomon today:
Life is meaningless and senseless without the presence of God in our lives. When we strive to live for ourselves we will soon discover that life is senseless and filled with emptiness day after day.
Life will become a heavy burden if we try to live it without God – many have discovered the tragedy of a life without God’s intervention and guidance. It has lead far too many to the point of suicide to the point of nervous breakdowns and to mental institutes and endless counseling.
Psalm 90:12 (NLT) “Teach us to make the most of our time…and make our efforts successful. Yes, our efforts successful!”
Altar Song – Altar challenge – Beth will play Jaye Thomas song again to end! Do you relate to Solomon? Come to the altar to meet with God so His wind will come and lift your life into a life that will have eternal meaning and purpose.
