Life Is Either An Exercise In Futility Or Utility
This world will fail to satisfy you – Live for the next!
Ecclesiastes 1:4-6 (NKJV) One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. 5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. 6 The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.
It is Futile to Try and Change the World
The More things change, the more they stay the same. There is an idealism that changes in laws will lead to a change in crime rates, the hope that changes to medicine will mean better health, the belief that changes to communications will change how we talk to each other or that changes in Artificial Intelligence will give us the answers to life.
This idealism, unfortunately is not based in reality nor, proven by history. The Circle of Life from Birth to Burial is inevitable. Copy, Paste, Delete.
Sounds depressing, but is it? Is it truly depressing to be told that the goal of this life is not this life? Is it depressing to be told that saving the planet is not a worthy goal? Is it depressing to be told that the answer to how we talk to each other is not to be found in the telegraph, telephone, cellaphone, text messaging app, face time or zoom?!
God’s Word saves us from wasting time and energy on solutions that are actually not solutions; from re-arranging deck chairs on a sinking ship. Fulfillment in life is not to be found in trying to change circumstances or right past wrongs. It is not discovered at the end of the rainbow.
Ecclesiastes 1:7-8 All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. 8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing Nor the ear filled with hearing.
It is Futile to Try to Make the World a Better Place
Got a bucket list? How big is your bucket? How full is your bucket? Solomon says it does not matter how big your bucket is, even if your bucket was size Sea, and you had rivers to fill it, it would not satisfy you.
The futility of life’s labor is that the purpose of labor is not labor. Bucket people want a better bucket, a bigger bucket a bedazzled bucket. The goal of life is not a Bigger, Better Bucket! Fulfillment is not found in exotic experiences or dream destinations.
Solomon sought out by wisdom all that was under the sun, none of it satisfies. None of it brings fulfillment. So, if the world and all that is in it does not satisfy, what does that imply? The fact that this world does not satisfy means that we are created for more. We were never intended to be fulfilled by this world. All that we long for, all that we desire is not found in this world but in the next.
Therefore, Live for the Next!
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.
- Pastor Joel Johns
This world will fail to satisfy you – Live for the next!
Ecclesiastes 1:4-6 (NKJV) One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. 5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. 6 The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.
It is Futile to Try and Change the World
The More things change, the more they stay the same. There is an idealism that changes in laws will lead to a change in crime rates, the hope that changes to medicine will mean better health, the belief that changes to communications will change how we talk to each other or that changes in Artificial Intelligence will give us the answers to life.
This idealism, unfortunately is not based in reality nor, proven by history. The Circle of Life from Birth to Burial is inevitable. Copy, Paste, Delete.
Sounds depressing, but is it? Is it truly depressing to be told that the goal of this life is not this life? Is it depressing to be told that saving the planet is not a worthy goal? Is it depressing to be told that the answer to how we talk to each other is not to be found in the telegraph, telephone, cellaphone, text messaging app, face time or zoom?!
God’s Word saves us from wasting time and energy on solutions that are actually not solutions; from re-arranging deck chairs on a sinking ship. Fulfillment in life is not to be found in trying to change circumstances or right past wrongs. It is not discovered at the end of the rainbow.
Ecclesiastes 1:7-8 All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. 8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing Nor the ear filled with hearing.
It is Futile to Try to Make the World a Better Place
Got a bucket list? How big is your bucket? How full is your bucket? Solomon says it does not matter how big your bucket is, even if your bucket was size Sea, and you had rivers to fill it, it would not satisfy you.
The futility of life’s labor is that the purpose of labor is not labor. Bucket people want a better bucket, a bigger bucket a bedazzled bucket. The goal of life is not a Bigger, Better Bucket! Fulfillment is not found in exotic experiences or dream destinations.
Solomon sought out by wisdom all that was under the sun, none of it satisfies. None of it brings fulfillment. So, if the world and all that is in it does not satisfy, what does that imply? The fact that this world does not satisfy means that we are created for more. We were never intended to be fulfilled by this world. All that we long for, all that we desire is not found in this world but in the next.
Therefore, Live for the Next!
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.
- Pastor Joel Johns
Posted in Sermon Devotionals
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