Sermons on Ecclesiastes 2:11-23:

Taking Laughter Seriously

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 12, 2021

Solomon was right, for laughter is not enough to give life ultimate meaning. But it is, nevertheless, a vital part of the meaningful life. Solomon is himself one of the key authorities in the Bible for supporting the value of laughter.

Tom Mullen begins his book, Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences with this story. An engineer, a psychologist, and a theologian were hunting in the wilds of Northern Canada. They came across a isolated cabin, and decided to check it out. When no one answered their knocks, they tried ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Delighting The Senses Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jan 5, 2022

In chapter 2, he describes his quest for fulfillment in laughter, wine, self, wealth, and people. He dove headfirst into those things and found only an empty pool.

WISE LIVING: DELIGHTING THE SENSES Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 #wiseliving2022 READ ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 2 [person from congregation] INTRODUCTION… Little Bit About Solomon As we get started this morning, I have two introductions. The first is about the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes because it is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Four Marvelous Things We Have In The Lord

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Jan 14, 2022

One thing that we all have in common is that we all want the best this life has to offer.

What we do not have in common is the way we go about pursuing the best this life has to offer. For example, many believe their hope of enjoying the best life has to offer them can be found in: - Sports. Their lives are consumed by the pursuit of sports. - Wealth. Their lives are consumed by ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Leaving A Spiritual Legacy

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Oct 16, 2025

What will you leave behind when your life on earth is over? The Scriptures tell us that a spiritual legacy is far more valuable and lasting than any financial inheritance.

As I look back over the first 65 years of my life [65 years, two months, and two weeks, to be precise, tick tock], I’ve been thinking a bit more about what difference my life has made so far, what more I would like to accomplish, and what I will be leaving behind, when eventually I “shuffle off ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-5, Ecclesiastes 2:17-21, Matthew 6:19-21, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Peter 1:3-5  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is Meaning? Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jan 26, 2023

Today many are re-evaluating the lifestyle of seeking pleasure. The rich and famous are coming to the same conclusion of another rich and famous person Solomon, “meaningless”.

People try all avenues to bring meaning and purpose to their life. I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:1) You name any field, professional sports, business, politics and if you do just a ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two Series

Contributed by Tom Shepard on Jan 4, 2025

What if there was no God - what would life be like? It would be meaningless - Meaningless.... The book of Ecclesiastes looks at life from the view that there in no God. This is a verse by verse look into chapter two of Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Two Ecclesiastes 2:1 (NASB) I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility. Solomon conducted his search for life's meaning as an experiment. He first tried pursuing pleasure. He undertook great ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lessons From The Cave (1 Samuel 22:1-4)

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Sep 1, 2024

David was in the deepest time of his life. He lost his support network and on the run from Saul. He possessed nothing of material worth or value and all seemed lost. He hid in a cave, but it is in the cave where God prepared him for greater things.

In his film, "Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon", Pastor Greg Laurie described the time where Mr. Cash had reached the lowest point of his life and career. He had become addicted to pills, which lead to an erratic and hostile behavior that cost him his first marriage, a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 61:1-2, 1 Samuel 22:1-4, Job 14:1, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Hebrews 13:5  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon On The Diversity Of Perceptions In Life

Contributed by William Meakin on Dec 6, 2024

Uniqueness is defined as the quality of being particularly remarkable, special or unusual.

Isaac Bashevis Singer, an American novelist once remarked: “The greatness of art is not to find what is common but what is unique.” Psalm 19:1-5 reminds us: ”The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day-to-day pours out speech, and night-to-night reveals ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:14, 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 6:22-23

Hope Beyond Disappointment: Following Jesus When Life Feels Empty Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Jan 5, 2026

There are seasons when our deepest hopes feel deferred, when our dreams are shattered, and when our efforts seem futile. The Word of God speaks with a voice that cuts through despair and points us toward hope found in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Hope Beyond Disappointment: Following Jesus When Life Feels Empty Introduction Whether we admit it or not, life often leaves us disappointed. There are seasons when our deepest hopes feel deferred, when our dreams are shattered, and when our efforts seem futile. We scroll through social media and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:12, Ecclesiastes 1:2-4, Ecclesiastes 1:5-9, Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, Ecclesiastes 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Psalm 37:4-5, Romans 8:28, Colossians 3:2, Matthew 6:19-21, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Romans 15:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Search For Satisfaction Series

Contributed by Brian Bill 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

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

You Can't Take It With You Series

Contributed by Brian Bill 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

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:18-24

Denomination: Baptist

Futility Or Fulfillment

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Feb 22, 2026

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, there was no profit under the sun. kjv

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, there was no profit under the sun. kjv Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard i had worked doing it and I realized that it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:18-22, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Luke 12:16-20, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Denomination: Adventist

The Limits Of Pleasure

Contributed by Michael Blitz on Jul 19, 2025

Ecclesiastes 2 shows us the limits of pleasure

Ecclesiastes 2 isn’t King Solomon suggesting there’s no joy or that we should just grab whatever pleasure we can. Instead, it’s about the limits of pleasure. The book of Ecclesiastes is what we call wisdom literature, and it’s crucial to understand that wisdom isn’t law. The law of gravity always ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Denomination: Anglican

"all Is Vanity"

Contributed by William Erhart on Jul 27, 2025

The crux of my message is that everything lived under the sun is indeed vain and meaningless, even wisdom, but that done in Christ is eternally valuable.

Now, I want to start today by asking you all some questions. I won't go on for too long, but I just want to make sure everyone is awake because I know what it is like to sit down for chapel in the morning. I will, however, ask that you please spare me your attention for these next few moments ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:21, Colossians 3:23-24, 1 Corinthians 10:31  (view more)  (view less)

Sorrow And Vanity Versus Life In Christ

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 30, 2025

We know what brings happiness, and it's not more and more "stuff."

Eighteenth Sunday in Course 2025 It’s always a challenge to interpret a public proclamation that begins with the word “If,” as today’s reading from St. Paul does. He tells the church at Colossae (and us) “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-5, Colossians 3:9-11, Psalm 90:3-6, Psalm 90:12-17, Ecclesiastes 1:2, Ecclesiastes 2:21-23, Luke 12:13-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic