SOLOMON’S SUMMARY

• Ecclesiastes can feel a little frustrating, can’t it? The teacher is just circling around the same idea with rapid repetition like a broken merry-go-round.

• Sometimes, we just want to shake Solomon and snap, “Get to the point, man! I have things to do.” To which he would probably reply, “Those things are meaningless.”

• Regardless, there is a reason this book is called wisdom literature. It requires a little critical thinking.

• As we conclude our study, Solomon finally lays it out for us.

ILLUSTRATION

• Have you ever met someone who talks in circles? They talk and talk, and you cannot quite figure out where they are going.

• I have an anonymous friend who does this every time we exchange stories.

• He takes what could be a short, prompt tale and turns it into a drawn-out rambling that knows no end. [Give an example of a story that's talking in circles with a bunch of irrelevant additions].

TENSION

• It takes every fiber of emotional fortitude to avoid snapping back, “That made a short story long!”

• We have all been in situations like this. Whether it’s a friend telling a story or a teacher delivering a lecture, we have heard something just to think, “Where on earth are you going with this?”

• Honestly, it’s easy to feel this way while reading Ecclesiastes. You are like, “Solomon, I get it. Everything is meaningless, so what’s the point then? Why are we on this blue-green marble floating in space in the first place? And why did you even take the time to write this relatively long essay?”

• Fortunately for us, Solomon finally answers the question in the last few sentences of his twelve-chapter book.

• Let’s see what he says.

• Even Solomon grew weary in all his writing. His exhaustive journaling had made his body weary and hands shaky, so he decided to sum it up in one easy sentence.

• Remember what we said last time? We find meaning by living a life on mission.

• Solomon uses his conclusion to refine the meaning of a life on mission.

• We are supposed to “fear God and keep His commandments.” That’s it.

• We can uncover meaning “under the sun” by living for the One who created the sun.

• We achieve that with two pivotal practices.

• The “fear of the Lord” is a central theme in Jewish wisdom literature like Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Job, and Proverbs.

• This phrase is used a whopping 42 times on the pages of your Bible. So what does it mean?

• Does God want me to be scared of him in the same way I am scared of clowns and running into my old gym teacher in public? Not exactly.

• To grasp this phrase, we must understand the difference between good fear and bad fear.

• Yes, bad fear makes you hide from pretend monsters and shiver at the thought of the dark. However, fear can also be healthy. Fear keeps you safe. Good fear prevents you from going off into the woods at night, playing frisbee on the freeway, and trying to break into a maximum security prison.

• Fear is your friend.

• It helps you make wise decisions.

• That’s why it plays such a big role in wisdom literature.

• Do you see the core difference between good fear and bad fear?

• Good fear is a wise response to a valid risk. Bad fear is an unwise response to a fake risk.

• When you fear God, it means you understand that His sheer magnitude makes you microscopic. That should give you a dose of healthy fear. When you fear God, it means you are aware that He could “Thanos snap” his fingers and obliterate all existence. (Don’t worry. He won’t do that.)

• That should give you a jolt of good fear.

• When Solomon tells you to fear God, he’s telling you to put your life into perspective.

• You are small; God is big.

• You are limited; God is vast.

• You are foolish; God is Truth.

• When you truly take hold of that reality, you realize that everything under the sun really is meaningless. Why?

• Because it’s all miniature compared to God.

• We break from the meaninglessness by living on mission for the one who gives us meaning beyond anything we’re even capable of seeing.

Follow God’s Commandment

• The conclusion is shockingly simple but so very practical. Do you want to find the meaning of a life on mission? Obey the commandments laid out by God.

• They won’t just help you find meaning; they will also set you free from the misery Solomon saw across the land.

• When you look at every single commandment in Scripture, you will see it was there as a source of protection for God’s people.

• Obedience sets us up for happiness. I’ve heard people ask, “Why does God get so hung up on sin?”

• Simple. Sin hurts people, and God loves people.

• You have seen this play out before. When you obey, you are ultimately protected.

• When you choose not to exaggerate the truth, you protect yourself from broken trust.

• When you date according to God’s standards, you rise above the complexities of a breakup in a hookup culture.

• When you give some of your wealth, God rewards you, and you are set free from the grip of greed.

• When you live out the greatest commandment, to love God and love people, every moment becomes a mission.

• That means every moment now has meaning.

• It all starts in the heart. When you protect your heart, you are protecting the core of your entire being.

• You will experience true contentment when you walk in God’s commandments.

• So, are you ready for one super equation to sum this whole thing up?

Landing: Fear God + Follow God’s Commandments = Pursuit of Happiness

• Ecclesiastes shows us that everything is meaningless unless we proactively attach meaning to it.

• How do we do that?

• By inviting God into every minute. He can give you true meaning within each and every moment.

• You will experience true meaning because your life is now a mission.

• That’s the true pursuit and root of happiness -- finding real joy in the Lord.

TALK IT OUT

Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Ice Breaker: Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week and the lowest part of your week?

Q1: What is the wisest advice you have ever received?

Q2: What stuck out to you from today’s message?

Q3: If you were to give a summary sentence for Ecclesiastes, what would it be?

Q4: What is the difference between “good fear” and “bad fear”? How does this play into our calling to “fear God”?

Q5: How can obedience bring us closer to living a life on mission?

Application: What steps of obedience does God need you to take this week to bring you closer to the specific mission He has for you on this earth?

READING PLAN

READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY

Ecclesiastes 9:1-112

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

Ecclesiastes 10:1-10

Ecclesiastes 10:11-20

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10

Ecclesiastes 12

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.