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Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Ecclesiastes - Advent 3 12/20/09
Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:14
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
As we finally reach the end of our study in Ecclesiastes, it is a bit surprising to find 2 conclusions to the book. Solomon has his sobering final monologue about the vanity of life under the sun, and then another voice comes in to both commend and critique Solomon's work. This other author reminds us that, while there is profit in all of Solomon's work, he doesn't see everything. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" is solid Biblical teaching on the purpose of life under the sun... but what does it mean to fear God, and how do we do it?
Ecclesiastes - Advent 2 12/13/09
Ecclesiastes 9:1-10
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
As we continue to bring our study in Ecclesiastes to a close, we are contrasting Solomon's cynicism with true Biblical faith in light of Advent, the coming of Jesus. Solomon's assessment of the human situation is that we are full of evil and delusional, a view that Paul also teaches in Romans 1.18-25, where he says we have not honored or given thanks to God (we are evil) and instead worship idols (we are delusional). How does the coming of Jesus rescue and heal idol worshippers?
Ecclesiastes - Advent 1 12/06/09
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
As we turn toward Advent, we'll spend the next 3 weeks leading exploring some of the main themes of the book of Ecclesiastes: injustice, death, and vanity. We'll contrast these themes the Incarnation, exploring the difference made when God stepped into our world 2000 years ago.
Ecclesiastes 9: How to be an Idiot, Part 2 11/15/09
Ecclesiastes 8:1
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
Solomon continues to give practical wisdom for life.
Ecclesiastes 8: How to Be An Idiot, Part 1 11/08/09
Ecclesiastes 7:7-29
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
Leaving the big, weighty questions of meaning and purpose in the universe, Solomon buckles down to give us some solid wisdom for navigating a world of beauty and brokenness. The subtitle for this week's sermon is "How To Be An Idiot, Part 1."
Ecclesiastes 7 11/01/09
Ecclesiastes 7:23-24
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
Turning from his despairing search for ultimate meaning in life, Solomon begins to give some practical advice for navigating our broken world. In this message, we discuss what wisdom is, why we need it, and where we can get it.
Ecclesiastes 4 10/04/09
Ecclesiastes 4:4-16
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
Solomon turns from death and despair to consider human relationships, and leads off with this penetrating insight: at a core level, we are all anti-neighbor. We feel like we are in competition with one another, and constantly trying to prove our worth by outperforming one another. This effects all of our relationships, making real, vulnerable, intimate relationship something beyond our grasp. How can we become the kind of community that overcomes this twisted motivation?
Ecclesiastes 3 09/27/09
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:3
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
This week Solomon looks at the transient nature of life. Everything comes and goes, everything has its season and time, and nothing ever stays the same. Change is constant. And as we try to live in a constantly changing world, we find ourselves grasping for control, hoping that something can be made permanent. Solomon says the attempt is futile... How can the gospel bring hope to our futility and set us free from our need for control?
Ecclesiastes 2 09/20/09
Ecclesiastes 2
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
After Solomon's introduction, he proceeds to take us on a journey into everything "under the sun" - all that we pursue in this short life, desperately trying to make life meaningful. His conclusion is that the whole pursuit is a burden, and he begins to despair. In particular, Solomon looks death in the face and realizes that if death ultimately wins, then everything is ultimately vain.
Ecclesiastes 1 09/13/09
Ecclesiastes 1
Series: Ecclesiastes: Life Under the Sun
Pastor: Steve Hart
Solomon, the wisest, richest, and most influential man to ever live, spent years pursuing the meaning of life. He looked into everything done under the sun, and he has this to report: life under the sun is meaningless toil. His frank look at life under the sun sobers us up, removing our vain illusions about life, and prepares us to hope in what will not disappoint.