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Finding Balance in Life

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Finding Balance in Life: The Balance of Righteousness Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 “It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other, for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.”               At first glance, the statement of Solomon in these verses seems to contradict the rest of Scripture, for it appears as though he is encouraging us to “practice a little sin now and then.”  However, from the context of the book, we know this is the farthest thing from Solomon’s mind, for he urges his reader to “fear God and keep his commandments” (12:13).  To understand his statement, we must first understand the grammar.  “Do not be overly wise” is reflective and can be translated as “Do not be overly wise to yourself.”  Thus the idea of the verse is to not  think  of oneself as overly righteous or overly wise. Solomon is not saying that we should not be righteous, but that we should not be focused on religious rituals and performances so that we would become self-righteo
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the Lost Art of Wisdom

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The Lost Art of Wisdom Ecclesiastes 7:5-9 “It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.”               Who we listen to influences who we become.  Solomon returns us to traditional wisdom in his quest to find meaning and purpose in life.  While wisdom has its limitations, it still is to be pursued.  In verse 6, Solomon challenges us to examine those who influence us in our search for purpose and meaning in life.  He begins by reminding us that wisdom comes by listening to the wise man's rebuke rather than those who entertain us.  Just as we are naturally drawn to the house of feasting, we are attracted to the appeal of songs.  The appeal of the fool is through the medium of the song.  In other words, we are attracted to them because they speak what we want to hear.  Everyone enjoys music and dislikes a rebuke.  Music soothes the soul, while a rebuke brings agitation and conflict. Yet Solomon reminds us that truth and wisdom come th
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Finding Wisdom in an Unlikely Place

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Finding Wisdom in an Unlikely Place Ecclesiastes 7:1-5 “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting.”               Solomon again confronts us with what seems absurd, for he praises the house of mourning over the house of feasting.  This contradicts our own experience.  We love to go to celebrations, a birthday party, a retirement party, or some other event where we celebrate.  We are excited when we can enjoy a wedding but dread going to a funeral.  Yet, in our search for meaning and purpose in life, Solomon encourages us to go to the place of mourning rather than feasting.  Then, in verse three, he makes a statement that seems more in line with the ascetic monks and even the psychological disorder of self-destruction: “Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be happy.”  This seems contradictory: Happiness is found through the path of sorrow.   However, Solomon is not trying to point us down the road of a joyless life filled
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Hope In times of Trials

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 this past week we learned that my wife has stage 4 breast cancer.  I would like to share the video of the Sermon I preached to address this with the church;  https://youtu.be/I5vLwfWQUA0?si=TzUrUVE4w8A3Bnss
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The Tragedy of Discontentment

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The tragedy of discontentment. Eccl. 6:1-12 “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among men—a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This vice is a severe affliction.”               The capacity to gain wealth and the capacity to enjoy wealth are two different things.  We see this theme repeatedly manifested in our culture.  People who gain wealth never get to enjoy their prosperity.  As Solomon looks about him, he sees an often repeated reality.  Many people achieve wealth and success in life yet never gain satisfaction and joy. We see people who earn all that we think is necessary for life.  They obtain wealth and honor (vs. 2).  They are blessed with a large family, which in the Ancient Near East was regarded as one of the characteristics of success (vs 3).  They enjoy a long life, which is also considered a bl
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The Gift of Contentment

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The Source of Contentment Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 “Furthermore, as for every man to whom God. has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.”               How do we find meaning and hope in a world where sin destroys everything and life is filled with paradoxes?  Where do we find joy if wealth becomes an anchor that drags us down?  As we journey with Solomon, we might conclude that his outlook is so pessimistic and darkened that there is no hope or meaning.  But Solomon is not taking us through the forest of futility merely to lead us to despair.  He is masterfully confronting us with the reality of a broken world where we must look beyond the present and find meaning and hope in the only source where it is available.  After confronting us with the folly of riches, he answers the question we have been searching for in our pursuit of wealth.  We long for the enjoyment of life but discover
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The Folly of Wealth and the Value of Contentment

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The Folly of Wealth and the Value of Contentment. Ecclesiastes 5:8-17. “As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came.  He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.”               It is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of money and things.  No matter how much we have, there is always something more to be attained.  In his quest to find meaning, which only highlights how much we pursue in life is genuinely devoid of significance, Solomon again turns to the one thing we still relentlessly pursue: wealth.  While wealth has many benefits, there is one overriding disadvantage: no matter how much we have, there is always more to be attained.  The more we embrace wealth as the key to happiness, the more happiness eludes us.  To point us to the folly of our pursuit, Solomon reminds us that, in the end, the pursuit of riches does not bring peace and happiness; instead, it only brings further unhappiness.  Instead of it being a b
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