A Biblical Alternative to the Winter Blues

I’m sick of the snow.  How much longer will it last? Will it snow next week?  How many school days will we have to make up?

As we sit in the middle of Feb., we may find ourselves not only battling the snow and bitter cold but also battling unrest, boredom, depression, and being discontent.  It’s so timely that in God’s sovereignty we find ourselves in Ecclesiastes in the dead of winter.

Last week, we came to the conclusion along with King Solomon that the only way we can discover meaning and purpose in life is to loosen our grip on the created material world and tighten our grip on Christ.  We can do this as we realize that all the things we have come from God and he is the One to be worshipped not the stuff He gives us.

That sets up this week’s sermon from Ecclesiastes.  God has a plan for His people.

God’s Sovereign decree or will for man is often missed because man has too much of his time and concentration focused on material possessions and worldly endeavors.

Solomon makes a very forceful and clear argument for the thesis sentence in the second round of his book.

Truth Taught- God has determined our lot in life and we bring glory to Him when we are thankful for the everyday things He gives us. Continue Reading

The Puzzle of Significance

Plastic, cardboard, and painted on smiles are the things this world has to offer.  We find ourselves striving for these things because, so often, we think we will find happiness and meaning through what the world offers.  We believe lies when it comes to happiness and contentment.

The first lie we’re tempted to believe is that lasting happiness can be purchased  Our society tells us that happiness comes from the things we buy.

Another lie we believe is that wisdom and knowledge bring lasting meaning to life.  Our society believes that its ills can be fixed through education.  Education, they say, is the answer to a better society.  Education is a good thing and beneficial in many ways, however, like materialism it will never bring our lives meaning.  You cannot out smart sin.  In fact, all education does is introduce us to more and more evil.

The next lie is that pleasure will produce lasting happiness and meaning.  Eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die will never bring us meaning to life.  Why are we here?  What is our purpose?  These are questions King Solomon asked and longed to find the answers.

If your own life experiences were not enough to convince you of the meaningless life the world offers, King Solomon shows us in an amazing way just how vain and trivial life can be.  He writes the Book of Ecclesiastes for the purpose of showing the world that a life void of the Lord is a life full of nothing.  A life without Jesus Christ is a meaningless and futile life. Continue Reading