"The Circle of Life"

Sermon Scripture:  Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Sermon Outline is available below to follow along or for download here

Sermon Notes:

Trust the Words of a Man Who Tried it All (v. 1)

• He sat in the highest position.
• He possessed the greatest wisdom.
• He was the most gifted, yet came away from life empty-handed.

Life Without God is Empty (v. 2)

• Life is like a vapor of breath (hebel)
  • Life is ___________. It is passing quickly.
  • Life is ___________. It produces no lasting results.
  • Life is ___________. It is unknowable.

Work Apart From God Is Pointless. (v. 3-4)

• Apart from God, none of man’s work brings any ___________.
• Despite all of man’s work, in the end he gains ___________.
• With each passing generation, this problem never goes away.
  • Non-Christians: To live is pointless, and to die is ________.
  • Christians: To live is Christ, and do die is ________.

We See the Meaninglessness in the Cycles of Creation. (5-7)

• When Adam fell, ____________ fell. (Romans 8:20-21)
  • When a believer looks at creation, he ___________.
  • When an unbeliever looks at creation, he remains _____________.
    • The sun- an endless race with no _________.
    • The wind- an endless journey that never __________.
    • The sea- an endless stream that never __________.

The Things We Want Most In Life Only Make Us Weary (v. 8)

• Two Universal Laws:
  • Law of Unfulfilled Expectations- What we desire can’t _________ us.
  • Law of Diminishing Returns- What we get delights us ________ and ________.
• Saint Augustine was right:
  • “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”

Ultimate Meaning is Not Found in What is New (v. 9-10)

• There is no ultimate meaning in progress, inventions, or new accomplishments.
• There is nothing new under the sun that will ___________ our souls.

Face the Facts: In the End, Nothing Will be Remembered (v. 11)

• Life under the sun is _____________ life.
• Jesus came to give _____________ life.

“Only one life, twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last.”