Sacred Truth Friday: Grasping for the Wind; Good in Sight of All
Two great sermons from Stephen Wiggins.
Morning Sermon
Grasping for the Wind
Ecclesiastes discusses the brevity of life and contuation of this world.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. - Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes1:12-14&version=NKJV
A. Works outside of God futile
Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; For what can the man do who succeeds the king?— Only what he has already done.Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.The wise man’s eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all.So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool! - Ecclesiastes 2:12-16 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:12-16&version=NKJV
A. Wisdom is better than folly
B. But death comes to all
C. The dead are forgotten
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. - Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:1-3&version=NKJV
A. Pleasure
B. Vanity
C. Grasping for the wind
I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. - Ecclesiastes 2:4-11,17-21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:4-11,17-21&version=NKJV
A. Wealth and possessions
B. Vanity
C. Must leave it all to others when we die
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes12:13-14&version=NKJV
A. Fear God
B. Keep His commandments
C. God will judge all our works
Lesson: Life is brief. Pursue a relationship with God. Seek heavenly things, not earthly things. Where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21). Be content and godly (1 Timothy 6:6).
Afternoon Sermon
Good in Sight of All
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. - Romans 12:17 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans12:17&version=NKJV
A. Don't seek revenge
B. Have regard for good things in sight of all
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. - Titus 2:4-5 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus2:4-5&version=NKJV
A. Love my family
B. Be discreet, chaste, good
C. Don't let God's Word be blasphemed through a bad lifestyle
Lesson: This sermon was short, but contains a powerful lesson. It matters how I live. People will know if I'm the real deal or not. Live God's way, so I won't be a hypocrite.
Morning Sermon
Grasping for the Wind
Ecclesiastes discusses the brevity of life and contuation of this world.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. - Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes1:12-14&version=NKJV
A. Works outside of God futile
Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; For what can the man do who succeeds the king?— Only what he has already done.Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.The wise man’s eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all.So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool! - Ecclesiastes 2:12-16 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:12-16&version=NKJV
A. Wisdom is better than folly
B. But death comes to all
C. The dead are forgotten
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. - Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:1-3&version=NKJV
A. Pleasure
B. Vanity
C. Grasping for the wind
I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. - Ecclesiastes 2:4-11,17-21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes2:4-11,17-21&version=NKJV
A. Wealth and possessions
B. Vanity
C. Must leave it all to others when we die
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes12:13-14&version=NKJV
A. Fear God
B. Keep His commandments
C. God will judge all our works
Lesson: Life is brief. Pursue a relationship with God. Seek heavenly things, not earthly things. Where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21). Be content and godly (1 Timothy 6:6).
Afternoon Sermon
Good in Sight of All
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. - Romans 12:17 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans12:17&version=NKJV
A. Don't seek revenge
B. Have regard for good things in sight of all
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. - Titus 2:4-5 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus2:4-5&version=NKJV
A. Love my family
B. Be discreet, chaste, good
C. Don't let God's Word be blasphemed through a bad lifestyle
Lesson: This sermon was short, but contains a powerful lesson. It matters how I live. People will know if I'm the real deal or not. Live God's way, so I won't be a hypocrite.
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