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From Useless to Significant

From Useless to Significant. “The End” of Ecclesiastes. The Pain of Uselessness. And this is not all that is meaningless in our world… 8:14 (NLT) . Who Cares? God is engaged here The Bible is engaged…. The Pain of Uselessness.

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From Useless to Significant

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  1. From Useless to Significant “The End” of Ecclesiastes

  2. The Pain of Uselessness And this is not all that is meaningless in our world… 8:14 (NLT) • Who Cares? • God is engaged here • The Bible is engaged…

  3. The Pain of Uselessness In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!Ecclesiastes 8:14 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14)

  4. The Pain of Uselessness In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!Ecclesiastes 8:14 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • So Meaningless!

  5. The Pain of Uselessness So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. 8:15 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • What Works? (8:15) • Enjoy What You Can(the Thankful Spirit) Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

  6. The Pain of Uselessness That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.8:15 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • What Works? (8:15) • Enjoy What You Can(the Thankful Spirit) • Bear Your Load

  7. The Pain of Uselessness That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.8:15 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • What Works? (8:15) • Enjoy What You Can(the Thankful Spirit) • Bear Your Load Not Much! A Worldof HURT

  8. The Pain of Uselessness That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.8:15 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • What Works? (8:15) • Enjoy What You Can(the Thankful Spirit) • Bear Your Load • Alternatives? naïve Bitterness Not Much! A Worldof HURT

  9. The Pain of Uselessness And this is not all that is meaningless in our world… This is so meaningless! 8:14 (NLT) • Who Cares? • Great Injustice! (8:14) • What Works? (8:15) • The Pervasive Nature of Meaningless: USELESS!

  10. Significance: the Solution to Life And this is not all that is meaningless in our world… This is so meaningless! 8:14 (NLT) “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NLT)

  11. Significance: the Solution to Life In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. 8:16 (NLT) • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16)

  12. Significance: the Solution to Life I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. 8:17 (NLT) • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17)

  13. Significance: the Solution to Life I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. 8:17 (NLT) • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Nobody out-thinks God!

  14. Significance: the Solution to Life This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 9:1 (NLT) • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • The source of purpose

  15. Significance: the Solution to Life “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 9:1 (NLT) • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • The source of purpose • But He’s not solving themystery “under the sun”

  16. Significance: the Solution to Life The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. 9:2

  17. Significance: the Solution to Life It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 9:3 • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) • The insanity of death (9:3) The hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. 9:3 (NASB)

  18. Significance: the Solution to Life …only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 2:14-15 (NLT) "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. "Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Job 19:25-26 (NASB) It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 9:3 • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) • The insanity of death (9:3) • Fear-driven / desperate lives

  19. Significance: the Solution to Life For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) • Life: the hope (9:4ff) Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

  20. Significance: the Solution to Life Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. 9:7 • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) • Life: the hope (9:4ff) • There is beauty in life (v7)

  21. Significance: the Solution to Life Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. 9:8 • We are so DRIVEN! (8:16) • But so IGNORANT (17) • Yet there is a God! (9:1) • Death: the certainty (9:2) • Life: the hope (9:4ff) • Step into significance! (v.8f) • The Life of Royalty!

  22. Significance: How to Find It?

  23. Significance: How to Find It? Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 12:1 • Find Your Creator Now! • Before you get too salty!

  24. Significance: How to Find It? Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. • Find Your Creator Now! • Before you get too salty! Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 12:2-3 (NLT)

  25. Significance: How to Find It? Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; • Find Your Creator Now! • Before you get too salty! • Before opportunity fades! before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 12:4-5 (NLT)

  26. Significance: How to Find It? Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. • Find Your Creator Now! • Before you get too salty! • Before opportunity fades! • Even middle-age people still have some “YOUTH”! For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. 12:6-7 (NLT)

  27. Significance: How to Find It? “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.” 12:8 (NLT) • Find Your Creator Now! • So Much Emptiness isEverywhere!

  28. Significance: How to Find It? That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God … 12:13 (NLT) • Find Your Creator Now! • So Much Emptiness isEverywhere! • ‘Fear’ God, not death! • i.e., God matters

  29. Significance: How to Find It? That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God … and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 12:13 (NLT) • Find Your Creator Now! • So Much Emptiness isEverywhere! • ‘Fear’ God, not death! • Live as He designed you!

  30. Significance: How to Find It? Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10 (NASB) That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God … and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 12:13 (NLT) • Find Your Creator Now! • So Much Emptiness isEverywhere! • ‘Fear’ God, not death! • Live as He designed you! • Significance = LOVE • But: god’s love

  31. Significance From God’s Love MEANS In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 Jn4:10-11

  32. Next Week

  33. The Source of Uselessness And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless! Ecclesiastes 8:14 (NLT) • Who Cares?

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