A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

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Ecclesiastes 1 Sermon

“A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste”

Ecc. 1:2-18

Big Idea: Because of man’s impermanence on this earth, there is meaninglessness in industry and philosophy.

I.       Introduction

A.    Secular

1.      Graduations happening here in Kearney and around the country.

2.      Not just in high school, but also in colleges where people are dropping anywhere from $30-300,000 to obtain a four-year bachelor’s degree.

3.      And for what?  I can honestly say that even starting right out of college I used less than 5% of my Biology degree, and use even less than that now.  There were times when I thought “What a waste!  What a waste of my time, my energy and my money!”

B.     Personal

1.      Have you ever felt that way? 

2.      Felt like you invested so much of yourself not just in getting a degree, but in a friendship, or in a job, or in a marriage and you’re getting nothing out of it.  Have you ever said, “What a waste!”?

C.     Biblical

1.      There have been people in the Bible that cried out this exact sentiment.

2.      There are several psalms where David cries out to God that he has been faithful and righteous and there are still enemies coming after him to try to kill him.

3.      The author of Psalm 42 wrote “My tears have been my food day and night” and asked God “Why have you forgotten me?”.

4.      Even one of the former kings of Israel, one of the wisest men in all the earth, looked around at all that he had amassed and accomplished and cried out “What a waste!”.

D.    Textual

1.      That is what we hear in the book of Ecclesiastes.

2.      Last week we started a new series from the book of Ecclesiastes, and tonight we will continue in chapter one if you want to turn there now.

3.      Ecclesiastes introduces us to the Preacher or Teacher. 

a.       As was said last week, most people assume this to be King Solomon near the end of his life.  However, he only goes by the title “The Preacher”.

b.      And although we covered the first three verses of chapter one, I want to start by reexamining verse 2 before we get into our text.

II.    Exposition

A.    The Problem of Meaninglessness (1:2)

1.      Last week we saw that the speaker was entirely disgusted with all that he is seeing and has declared it all meaningless.

2.      In fact, he says it is “Vanity of vanities!”

a.       Song of Songs is written in the same format to impart to people that of all the songs, this is THE song.

b.      He then adds, just to make sure that there is no mistake of what he means, that “All is vanity” – everything is meaningless

3.      Quite a depressing way to look at life.

4.      However, from the speaker’s point of view, he has some valid reasons for his statement. 

a.       What are they?  What did he see in life that got him so frustrated?

b.      That is the subject of the rest of the book, however, we will look at the first two tonight.

c.       Warning of rambling

B.     Meaninglessness Measured (1:12-18)

1.      Inconsequence of Industry (12-15)

a.       The first thing that the Preacher rails against is the inconsequence of industry.  It seems that whatever we do, however hard we work, its all meaningless and without value.

b.      First, he explains where’s he coming from and lays out his credentials for saying what he’s about to say.

1.)    Like a salesman who displays all of her “Salesperson of the Year” awards for her potential customers to see,

2.)    The Preacher wants us to know that he is not giving us some emotional, off-the-cuff response to a bad day.

3.)    In verse 12 he says that he was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

a.)    Therefore, he had the opportunity and the resources to make a careful examination.

c.       Next, he wants to assure us the he has carefully researched everything out first, and has come to a careful conclusion.

1.)    In v. 13 he says that he “applied [his] heart to seek and to search out by wisdom”

2.)    He has personally and fully invested himself to this task.

3.)    Much like Luke in Luke 1:1-4.

4.)    Therefore, we can be sure of his conclusions.

d.      After this he tells us what he was studying

1.)    (v. 13) “All that is done under heaven”

2.)    Literally, all the works, all the toils, all the labors, all the things that are done, that we do, here on earth.

e.       Then he gives us his conclusion:

1.)    They are all vanity; meaningless

2.)    Not only that, but it is “an unhappy business”, or an “evil labor” that we are to be burdened with.

f.       Concludes with a proverb that reminds us that there are things that are impossible for us to do, like making crooked things straight, and counting something that doesn’t exist.

1.)    Like straightening out a paper clip – it never gets completely straight.

2.)    The thing that is impossible for us to do, is to infuse meaning and value into our labors, toils and life.

3.)    Our industry, our work, our toil and labor are al inconsequential in the eyes of the Preacher.

2.      Futility of Philosophy (16-18)

a.       He goes on to describe a futility in philosophy.  That is, that there is no point in trying to get inside people’s heads and figure them out.

b.      In the same way as the last useless point, he methodically comes to his conclusion.

c.       First, his credentials (v. 16)

1.)    He is the wisest and most knowledgeable person around. 

2.)    If anyone can figure this thing out – he can.

d.      Next, his method (v. 17a)

1.)    Again, in the same way he devotes himself fully to the task.

2.)    Ironic, that he is not one to do things half-hearted, even thought he just concluded that the effort is meaningless.

e.       Now, his subject (v. 17b)

1.)    He examines wisdom and madness and folly.

2.)    I believe that he is using a rhetorical device to explain to us that he sought to understand every mental state and every lifestyle that people were engaged in.

a.)    Like using the old expression “We have everything from soup to nuts” conveys a sense of completion, that that store owner has everything in stock.

b.)    The Preacher looked at every lifestyle, and every philosophy known to man.

f.       Then, his conclusion (17c)

1.)    Same as before: vanity, meaningless, chasing after wind.

2.)    Not only are the actions of people useless, so are their thought processes and ways of life.

g.      Finally, his proverb (18)

1.)    Not only is gaining wisdom and knowledge useless, but it is also full of sorrow and vexation.

2.)    What he’s saying about both of these points, industry and philosophy, is that not only are they meaningless, and without value, what little value they might have is negative.

3.)    He’s covering all of his bases to make sure we understand that there is absolutely nothing good that can come out of these two areas of life.

4.)    They are vanity and a chasing after the wind.

3.      In order to find out the reasons behind his conclusions, we have to go back up to verse 3.

C.     Reason for Meaninglessness (1:3-11)

1.      Verses 1-11 make up the prologue to the book of Ecclesiastes and were written by someone other than the Preacher.

a.       We have no idea who this person was

b.      But from the writing style it is clear that this prologue, and also the conclusion at the end of the book (12:9-14) were written by someone other than the Preacher.

c.       He gives us an overview of what this book is about, which we see in v. 2 – All is vanity.

d.      But then in the prologue, he gives us his summary and his thoughts as to why the Preacher felt the way he did.  He gives us the reason for all this meaninglessness.

2.      Mankind Seems Impermanent (3-4, 11)

a.       The reason for the Preacher’s poor outlook on life is that mankind is temporary and fleeting, and nothing he does lasts.

1.)    Vv. 3-4 says that we gain nothing from out toil and that generations of people simply come and go.

2.)    There is no permanence, therefore, there is no meaning.

b.      V. 11 also shows how fleeting a person’s existence is even in the memory of other people.

1.)    I understand the former and later “things” to be people, which is possible in the Hebrew grammar, and which makes more sense as we take v. 4 in account.

c.       The people and their achievements that we hail as “remarkable” and will be old news in 15-20 years and forgotten soon after that.

1.)    Who was the architect of the St. Louis Arch?

2.)    Who invented the TiVo?

3.)    Who won Game 7 of the 1968 World Series?

4.)    Even for Solomon, who built a temple for God, expanded the borders of Israel to their greatest limits and stockpiled gold, silver and precious jewels to rival any nation.  Within a few hundred years, he probably knew all of it would be gone.

3.      Nature Seems Permanent (5-7, 9-10)

a.       The Preacher understood the impermanence of man because he had the permanence of nature all around to remind him (vv. 5-7).

1.)    Every day the sun would rise, and then it would set.  The next day, it would do the same.  It was routine, it was monotonous, but it was permanent.

2.)    Everywhere he looked, he saw mountains standing as they had stood for thousands of years.

3.)    He heard the Jordan River constantly rushing southward towards the Dead Sea waiting for it to dry up, but it never did, and it never has.

4.)    He felt the cool breeze at dusk and saw clouds roll in from the west, always following the same tracts.

b.      Because of this dependency and permanence, he could declare in vv. 10-11 that there is nothing new under the sun.

1.)    Any natural disaster that happens today, has happened before.

2.)    Any “new discovery” of stars, planets, species, whatever, has already been in existence for millennia.

3.)    Any invention is simply an updated modification of something more ancient.

a.)    The Hub ran a story a few days ago with the headline: “No New Thing” and described how using ethanol as fuel had started back in the late1800’s with a picture of a filling station from 1933.

b.)    Henry Ford even built a flexible-fuel Model T back in 1908.

4.)    Human nature has not changed either.

a.)    People and their wants and desires are the same today as they were in the days of Adam and Eve.

b.)    The object may be different, but the desire is the same.

5.)    In contrast to the reliability and permanence of nature around him, the Preacher saw the glaring unreliability, impermanence and worthlessness of life.

4.      Mankind is Dissatisfied (8)

a.       This is a dark reality that is not only observed by looking around us, but it is also felt within us.

b.      V. 8 says that we can barrage our senses with things we think are great and new, but we are still left unfulfilled and dissatisfied.

1.)    In Chicago I was able to visit the Cook County jail on a few occasions and talk and minister to some of the ages.

2.)    When it came to crime in general, but drugs in particular, it didn’t matter how old the person was, they would echo the writer’s sentiment.

3.)    The first hit of crack or coke or heroin or whatever would be fantastic – like nothing they had before.  Immediately they would be hooked.

4.)    However, the second hit would not be as good, so they would be dissatisfied and keep trying more and more until they could recreate that original high.  But they never could.

c.       We feel dissatisfied inherently because we see all these things around us and we question ourselves:

1.)    Am I really making a difference?

2.)    What am I doing with my life?

3.)    Does my life really matter?

4.)    Later in Ecc. 3:11 the Preacher says that God has put eternity in our hearts. 

a.)    However, it’s a source of frustration because we sense that there is something bigger than us out there

b.)    We just can’t get our arms around it.

d.      Does God have any answers for us?

D.    Solution for Meaninglessness

1.      Our only solution for this problem is to stop looking at the things “under the sun” and start looking at the One who created the sun.

a.       The phrase “under the sun” appears 4x in Ch. 1 (3, 9, 13, 14)

b.      It’s a human perspective, trying to make sense of things based only on our limited vantage point.

2.      We need to change our perspective and look at things from God’s vantage point; a biblical perspective.  If we do that, a couple of things will happen:

a.       First, we will see that God has a great purpose for us.  We are not accidents of random chance but are created by God and for God.

1.)    Psalm 139:13-14 says “You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

2.)    Ps. 139:16 says, “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

3.)    Psalm 138:8 says “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.”

b.      Second, God has a great love for us. 

1.)    1 John 4:10 says that God loved each one of us, you and me, so much that He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins.

2.)    Eph. 2:8 says that this free gift of salvation of offered by God’s grace and must be received by faith by each one of us.

3.)    When we do this, Romans 8:15 says that God calls us His adopted sons and daughters, and we get to call Him “Abba! Father!”

4.)    Not only does He have great purpose for us, but also great love for us.

c.       Third, God has a great future for us.  We will understand that we are not temporary, but that we will exist for eternity.

1.)    Scripture is clear that all people, from the moment of conception on, will exist for eternity.  This life is not all that there is.

a.)    In several places the Bible says that the gift of God in Christ Jesus is eternal life and that when we die we will put on immortality in order to dwell with Him forever.

b.)    For those who don’t choose Jesus as their Savior, the Bible describes your existence as eternal death.

c.)    Dan. 12:2 says that at the resurrection, those who have died will either raise to everlasting life or everlasting shame and contempt.

d.)   Jesus described this hell as an eternal place of fire, suffering and torment.

2.)    D.L. Moody said, “Someday you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of Northfield is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone higher, that is all - out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that sin cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned like His glorious body. I was born in the flesh in 1837; I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die; that which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”

3.)    So the decisions we make today, particularly the decision for Jesus, is far from meaningless,

4.)    It is the most meaningful decision you could ever make, and it carries the weight of all eternity on its shoulders.

5.)    With that, our works will last for eternity as well.

a.)    If they are done for Him, and not for us.

b.)    Jesus says in Matt. 6:19-20 that we are to lay up for ourselves “treasures in heaven”, which are indestructible and will survive the testing of judgment in the last day as Paul describes in 1 Cor. 3:13-14.

c.)    That day will reveal what we did for God for His glory, and what we did for ourselves for our selfish and vain desires.

6.)    So not only do we have the opportunity to dwell with God and His Christ forever, we also have the opportunity to do things the effects of which will echo for eternity.

a.)    Share the Gospel with others

b.)    Help those in need

c.)    Sacrifice for the church body

d.)   Encourage others through prayer and well-timed words.

III. Conclusion

A.    We’ve heard the cry of the Preacher that everything under the sun is vanity and meaningless, including everything we do with our hands and with our minds, primarily because we and everything we do are temporary, and therefore hold no value.

B.     We’ve also seen the biblical response to this attitude and feeling in that our lives are not meaningless because we were created specially and lovingly by a God who has a wonderful purpose for each one of us.

C.     Neither are we temporary, but we were meant to dwell forever with Him, and in Christ and Christ alone, that will be done.

D.    I don’t want to discourage anyone who just graduated or who will soon graduate, they are great achievements.

1.      After all, “Learning” is one of our core values here at Cornerstone.

2.      However, to avoid the frustration that might come with your accomplishments, find a way to glorify God in your degree or your diploma.  This can be in a myriad of different ways.

3.      Seek to labor for Him and not for yourself, for in doing this you will find true fulfillment.

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