Why Money Won’t Make You Happy
Sermon Notes
Welcome to Week Five of "Under the Sun: A Study on the Book of Ecclesiastes"! Today, David Leventhal presents the contrast found in Ecclesiastes 5 and 6 between the Teacher's pessimism and the true message of the book. The Teacher's pessimistic outlook is that life is meaningless & full of trouble, and The best thing you can do is try & enjoy what little you have. Then you die.
As believers, we can hold on to the true message of Ecclesiastes: "Fear God, keep His commandments & trust that He will bring justice. Beware of pessimistic, skeptical wisdom." Join us as we are reminded that we can be free from the Teacher's pessimism and be encouraged by what scripture says to be true amid challenging times.
Key Points
In Ecclesiastes 5, we are going to see the Teacher’s observations & reflections covering three topics:
Reflections on Approaching God
Reflections on Oppressive Politics
Reflections on Wealth / Possessions
Discussion Questions
How does the Teacher's "under the sun" perspective of life's vanity differ from the hope and purpose offered by the Gospel? In what ways can embracing a Kingdom perspective transform our outlook on life's challenges and opportunities?
What does it mean to approach God with reverence, and how can we apply this in our daily lives?
How does the pursuit of wealth and possessions affect our relationship with God and others?
In what ways do you see injustice and corruption in the world today, and how can we respond as followers of Christ?
How can we shift our perspective from an 'under the sun' view to a God-centered view in dealing with life's challenges?