Feb 04, 2018 |Thread

The Problem of Meaninglessness

02.04.18 | Thread

The Problem of Meaninglessness

Justin Detmers

Ecclesiastes

What is the meaning of life? Many seek out different philosophies, lifestyles, world views, and religions to provide a satisfying answer to this question. Justin Detmers shares the thoughts of “The Preacher” from the book of Ecclesiastes to answer this question. To answer this question, we must answer the question, do we live our life under the sun or do we live our lives under the Son, Jesus Christ? Through Christ, we are able to find the true meaning to life.

Ecclesiastes

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The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

 

What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:3

 

A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.
The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has been already
in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things yet to be
among those who come after.

Ecclesiastes 1:4-11

 

Life “under the sun” is meaningless

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-8

 

Then 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.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

 

Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there is something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is  what it is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, ‘God, there gotta be more than this. I mean this this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be.

Tom Brady

 

He [God] has put eternity into man’s heart…

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.

Blaise Pascal

 

Life “under the sun” is meaningless

Life under the Son is is meaningful

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 5:24

 

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalms 16:11

 

Either nothing means anything or everything means everything and there’s nowhere in the middle.

Tim Keller

 

The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.

Ecclesiastes 12:11

 

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

 

Since Jesus offers “life over the sun”, the meaning of life is found in Him

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 1:4

Youth