Sermons on Ecclesiastes 1:4-2:26:

Why Am I Here?

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 19, 2001

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why did God permit me to wake up this morning? Why is my heart still beating? Why am I here?" You see, God has a reason. What is the purpose of my continued existence?

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (REVISED: 2019) WHY AM I HERE? GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE TEXT: Ecclesiastes 1:1 14; Ephesians 1:4-5,10; 2 Corinthians 5:19 ILL. I had a tremendous respect & admiration for Pres. Ronald Reagan & the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-14, Romans 8:28-29, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Does A Man Get For His Toil?

Contributed by William Baeta on Aug 5, 2001

“For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labours under the sun?”

Theme: What does a man gain for his toil Text: Eccl. 1:2, 2:21-23; Col. 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk. 12:13-21 Read Eccl. 2:21-23 “For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. What does a man get for all the toil and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21, Ecclesiastes 2:21-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Where Does It End?

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 8, 2001

This sermon indicates that neither success, pleasure or money will satisfy us in life. Godliness is the only thing which will bring contentment.

Where Does It End? GNLCC 5/6/2001 Eccesiastes 2:1-11 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19 Before you decide to jump on a bus, a train, or a plane it is a good idea to know where the thing is going to stop. I had graduated from a school in a small town in upstate New York. There were no subways or ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 2 Timothy 6:6-19

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Falling Prey To The Popularity Trap

Contributed by James Wilson on Oct 18, 2000

Teach the congregation to break free of the need to please others.

Falling Prey to the Popularity Trip Ecclesiastes 2:14-16 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. 15 Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?" So ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1

Denomination: Baptist

A Search For Meaning Of Life

Contributed by Douglas Nieuwstraten on Oct 18, 2000

Introduction Believe it or not, all of us are engaged in a search either for happiness or to find the meaning of life.

Introduction Believe it or not, all of us are engaged in a search either for happiness or to find the meaning of life. Look around you and think about what you see going on. As I look at the media, liturature, and culture itself I notice these six things: 1) A culture attempting to define human ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

What Do You See?

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Dec 19, 2000

Solomon dealt with the right questions, but he came up with the wrong answers at first.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE, TX A. With the end of the Christmas season I’m sure most of you have seen the headlines reporting that most retail stores did not do as well as they had hoped. We Americans didn’t charge nearly as much as we have in ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Philippians 3:7-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Your Path...

Contributed by Dana Carpenter Jr. on Dec 30, 2000

"That which is made crooked cannot be made straight," and "who can make that straight which he hath made crooked?"

Introduction. A. Ecclesiastes 1:15 -- "That which is crooked cannot be made straight..." B. Every one’s life is on a path which will lead somewhere. C. No man can change his or anyone else’s life to the point where it is straight in the eyes of God. I. Romans 8:8 -- "So then they ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Chasing After... Career Series

Contributed by Jim Black on Jul 22, 2003

We seek meaning for our lives in the very same places the Teacher looked in Ecclesiastes ... and are all ultimately meaningless without God.

American Idols: #1 Work Ecclesiastes 2:17-23 We’re beginning a new series tonight entitled "American Idols." You may be familiar with the popular Fox television show where contestants show off their singing talents and vie to become the next "American Idol." You’d have to have been on another ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:11-23, Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Chasing After ...fame Series

Contributed by Jim Black on Jul 22, 2003

We chase after meaning in the same idols that the Teacher of Ecclesiastes did. Ultimately he found no satisfaction in acclaim & recognition ...nor will we.

American Idols: Contestant #2- "Star Wannabe" Ecclesiastes 1:11 We are continuing our quest to discover America’s #1 ‘Idol’ tonight! If you were here last week, you’ll remember that we interviewed "Ben A. Workaholic" who is our 1st contestant for the coveted title of "America’s #1 Idol" and he ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-9, Ecclesiastes 1:11-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Let Down Of Life Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek 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 illustration ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Test: Is Foolishness The Better Choice? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek 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 Kitty ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26, Proverbs 14:16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Purpose Of Life Series

Contributed by Robb Ryerse on Feb 15, 2005

Introduction to a series through Ecclesiastes on the purpose of life.

The Purpose of Life Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Introduction: - Teenagers have a word for it: Whatever. - College Students take classes about it, using big words to describe it: existentialism. - Adults call it a midlife crisis. All people are on a quest for the purpose in life, and many have concluded ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing New Under The Sun Series

Contributed by Jimmy Giffin on Mar 24, 2004

The second in a series of when sin is in the camp. This focuses on the tactics of Satan in tempting man to sin.

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN Text: Ecclesiastes 1: 9-10 An old saying goes “everything old is new again”. Clothes that considered “cool” when I was a teen are in fashion again. Classic style for cars is all the rage. Nick at Night and T V Land show the old classic shows. It seems that things are just ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

Denomination: Church Of God

Life Under The Sun V. Life Under The Son

Contributed by James Vilgos on Dec 17, 2004

In Ecclesiates Solomon writes of the futility of life under the sun. Contrast this with life under the Son, Jesus, God the Son

Life “Under the Sun” v. “Life Under the Son” Chaplain James Vilgos Scripture Reading Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Life “under the s-u-n” v. life “under the S-o-n” When I was young a song titled Richard Cory was popular it was based on a poem of the same title, the lyrics state in part: They say that ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Denomination: Orthodox

Overwhelmed

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 19, 2005

Many today in our society are chasing after the wind and ending up overwhelmed and stressed in their lives. The result of this state is that many are robbed of their joy in life.

Overwhelmed! On the lighter side: FOR THOSE WHO TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY...... * Save the whales. Collect the whole set * A day without sunshine is like, night * On the other hand, you have different fingers. * I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory. * 42.7 percent of all ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational