The True Meaning to Life #9. A Study in Ecclesiastes
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Textual Sermon OutlinesINTRODUCTION:
A. Previously in Ecclesiastes 7:1-10 Solomon provided counsel for a better life showing that:
1. Honor is better than luxury
2. Death is better than your birth
3. A funeral is better than a party
4. The end is better than the beginning
5. The present is better than the past
6. This counsel is designed to make the best of life, especially since life “under the sun” is vanity
B. Now in Ecclesiastes 7:11-29 Solomon provides us with even more counsel to help us in life “under the sun”
DISCUSSION:
A. WISDOM IS BETTER THAN RICHES
1. Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
2. There are advantages to wealth
a. Money can serve as a defense in life (7:12) … Proverbs 10:15
b. Money can attract many friends … Proverbs 14:20
3. Wisdom is better than riches in that:
a. Riches do not profit one in a day of wrath … Proverbs 11:4
1) The presence of wealth often makes things worse
2) As when marriages and business partners fight over who gets the money
b. Wisdom gives life to those who have it (7:12)
1) Wisdom will make the best use of one’s wealth as a defense
2) Wisdom will help one weather the storms of wrath
B. COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE PURPOSE OF GOD
1. Ecclesiastes 7:13-14
2. There are some things we cannot change
a. God has His purpose, which we cannot change (7:13)
1) Isaiah 14:27
2) Daniel 4:35
b. His purpose allows for both days of prosperity and adversity (7:14)
3. We need to deal with this in the best way
a. Enjoy the days of prosperity
b. In days of adversity, consider what lessons might be learned
c. It does no good to get angry about things we cannot change. As we saw earlier, there is both a time to weep and a time to laugh (3:4)
C. BE CAREFUL NOT TO GO TO EXTREMES
1. Ecclesiastes 7:15-22
2. Extremes cause difficulties
a. One of life’s vanities is that the righteous don’t always prosper, nor do the wicked always suffer (7:15)
1) Here Solomon saw that which Job’s friends did not a) They reasoned that righteous never suffer, only the wicked … Job 4:7-8
b) Yet Job, like the Preacher, knew that was not always the case … Job 21:7-9
2) Of course, both Job and Solomon knew the ultimate end of the wicked
a) The wicked are reserved for the day of doom and wrath … Job 21:30
b) It will be well for those who fear God … Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
b. One should avoid extremism in seeking to be righteous and wise (7:16)
1) There is a righteousness to be avoided (i.e., “self-righteousness”)
a) Avoid righteousness born of pride – e.g., Luke 18:10-14
b) The Pharisees were a classic example of being Hypocrites in righteous … Matthew 23:1-3
2) There is also a wisdom to be avoided
a) Wisdom of this world … 1 Corinthians 3:18-20
b) It too is born out of pride and arrogance
c. One should also avoid extremism in wickedness and foolishness (7:17)
1) Not that “a little wickedness and folly” is ever acceptable to God!
2) But God may be longsuffering and provide opportunity to repent for some – 2 Peter 3:9
3) Yet, His anger and wrath is moved to cut off those who arrogantly and openly despise Him – e.g., Acts 12:21-23
3. Don’t refrain from true righteousness and true wisdom
a. One should still fear God (7:18)
1) Understanding the dangers of extremism is important
2) But the fear of God remains the key to true knowledge and pleasing God … Proverbs 1:7
b. Wisdom does have its place (7:19)
1) Wisdom is better than mighty men of a city!
2) Wisdom is better than strength … Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
c. We also need to realize that no one is perfect (7:20)
1) Even as the Psalmist declared … Psalm 14:1-3
2) As the apostle Paul taught … Romans 3:21
4. Don’t believe everything people say
a. You may sometimes hear others say bad things about you (7:21)
b. You have said things that were unkind about others (7:22) So don’t take what you hear too seriously (i.e., don’t be so “righteously” indignant)
5. The sense of this section seems to be one of being “balanced”, not over-reacting missing your true goal, which is to please God.
D. WISDOM IS NOT THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING
1. Ecclesiastes 7:23-29
2. Some questions wisdom just can’t answer
a. Solomon had proved some things by wisdom (7:23a)
b. But others things were just too deep (7:23-24) – Isaiah 55:8,9
3. A wicked woman is certainly to be avoided
a. He applied his heart to know wisdom and folly (7:25)
b. What he found more bitter than death was the wicked woman (7:26);
cf. Proverbs 7:21-27
4. Solomon realized that good people are hard to find
a. Seeking for a good man, he found only one in a thousand (7:27-28a) cf. Psalm 12:1
b. A good woman was even rarer (7:28b)
1) Perhaps Solomon was reflecting upon his experience with his 700 wives and 300 concubines; certainly not a good sampling! … 1 Kings 11:1-3
2) A good woman was hard to find Proverbs 31:10
c. Of course, the problem is not with God…
1) He made man upright (7:29a)
2) But they have gone after many evil things (7:29b) – Jeremiah 4:22
CONCLUSION
A. Man’s pride seems to push him to go to extremes
B. The solution, though, is not to refrain from righteousness and wisdom – but to seek after it with gentleness, patience, and humility
C. A balanced life is need as we live “under the sun”