Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. As we gather today in the warmth of God's love, let's remember that we are not alone in our search for significance. In the pages of the Bible, we find many who have walked this path before us, none more notable than the wise King Solomon. He, like us, was a seeker. He, like us, faced struggles and successes. And he, like us, found his ultimate peace in submission to God.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom." How true this is, and how aptly it applies to Solomon, who was famed for his wisdom, yet faced his own battles with folly.

Today, we turn to the book of Ecclesiastes, where Solomon has penned his wisdom for us. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." What a striking reminder of our purpose on this earth!

As we delve into the life and wisdom of Solomon today, we'll see a picture of a man who, despite his wisdom and wealth, grappled with the same questions we do. Questions of purpose, of meaning, of significance. We'll see his struggles and his successes, and through it all, his ultimate submission to God.

But before we begin, let's bow our heads in prayer. Father God, we thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As we study the life of Solomon today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to the lessons You have for us. Help us to understand Your wisdom and to apply it in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

So, let's venture forth together, dear friends, into the life and wisdom of Solomon. Let's see what lessons we can glean from his search for significance, his struggles and successes, and his submission to God. And as we do, let's remember that we are not alone. We are walking this path together, guided by the wisdom of God.

Solomon's Search for Significance

In the pages of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon, a man of great wisdom and wealth, grappling with questions of purpose and meaning. He was a king, blessed with riches and honor, yet he found himself asking, "What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" This question, this search for significance, is one that resonates with each of us. We all strive, we all toil, and we all wonder, "What's the point?"

Solomon was a man who had everything. He had wealth, he had power, he had wisdom. Yet, he found these things to be ultimately unsatisfying. He wrote, "I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." Despite his great wisdom and wealth, Solomon found no lasting satisfaction in his achievements. He realized that all his toil, all his striving, was ultimately meaningless.

Solomon wrote, "I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him." Solomon realized that the only things of lasting value are those things that are done for God. He understood that our significance does not come from our achievements or our possessions, but from our relationship with God.

This truth is echoed in the New Testament. Jesus tells us, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Our true significance, our true treasure, is found in our relationship with God.

Yet, even as Solomon came to understand this truth, he still struggled with the temptations of the world. He wrote, "I said in my heart, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.' But behold, this also was vanity." Solomon tried to find satisfaction in pleasure, but he found it to be empty and meaningless. He realized that true joy, true satisfaction, can only be found in God.

We all face the temptation to seek satisfaction in the things of this world. We all face the temptation to seek our significance in our achievements, our possessions, or our pleasures. But as Solomon discovered, these things are ultimately unsatisfying. They are vanity, a striving after wind.

So, what is the answer? How do we find true significance? Solomon gives us the answer in Ecclesiastes 12:13. He writes, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Our true significance comes from our relationship with God. It comes from fearing Him, from obeying His commandments, from living in accordance with His will.

Transition. So, let us learn from Solomon's search for significance. Let us learn from his struggles and his successes. Let us learn from his wisdom and his folly. And let us remember that our true significance comes not from our achievements or our possessions, but from our relationship with God.

Solomon's Struggles and Successes

As we continue our examination of Solomon's life, we find ourselves in the midst of his reign as king ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO