OceanSide church of Christ




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I Hate Life If It’s All About The…
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.              Introduction

a.    Why is it that we hear of so many celebrities taking their own life?

                                          i.    Recently it was Robin Williams

b.    How could someone so rich, famous, and influential not be happy?

                                          i.    Instead they hate their life

c.    Solomon was rich, powerful, and could have anything he wanted.

                                          i.    Yet, he hated his life (Ecclesiastes 2:17)

                                        ii.    Let’s see why together

II.            Entertainment

a.    Solomon tried to find joy in entertainment (Ecc 2:1-2)

                                          i.    He learned that the end of pleasure and laughter is sorrow (Prov 14:13)

                                        ii.    Entertainment is pleasurable for a time but when it’s over we are no better than we were before we started.

1.    We go right back to our misery.

                                       iii.    Solomon says that mourning is better than laughter (Ecc 7:1-6)

1.    We contemplate meaningful things in sorrow

a.    Normally during joy we don’t

b.    The New Testament adds to the idea of sorrow being better (James 4:9)

                                          i.    We won’t repent of sin while joyful (2 Cor 7:10)

III.           Elixir

a.    Solomon turned to wine next (Ecc 2:3)

                                          i.    He tried to balance wisdom with wine and not go too far

                                        ii.    He realized wine is deceiving (Prov 20:1)

1.    He decided it’s best not to look at it (Prov 23:31)

                                       iii.    Nabal learned a lesson about alcohol

1.    He was drunk and had no idea his wife was pleading with David to spare his life.

a.    The next morning he went straight to misery

2.    Like entertainment, wine is a temporary fix

a.    When it’s over you are back where you started or worse

IV.          Employment

a.    Solomon turned to work next (Ecc 2:4-7)

                                          i.    Many use work as an excuse to miss out on spiritual things

                                        ii.    Jesus gives a parable of men who were invited to a supper

1.    The first man used work as an excuse not to come (Luke 14:18)

2.    This supper symbolizes the marriage feast at judgment.

a.    This man was lost forever

                                       iii.    Solomon mentions all your work is passed on to the next guy (Ecc 2:18)

1.    We can take nothing with us from this world

                                       iv.    We must be careful about using work as an excuse and not a reason

1.    God knows the heart of a working man who wishes he was in worship to God versus he who doesn’t

V.           Earnings

a.    Next Solomon tried to find happiness in wealth (Ecc 2:8-10)

                                          i.    In reference to the above parable, earnings was the second man’s excuse (Luke 14:19)

                                        ii.    Solomon made an estimated $20 million a year in salary alone (2 Chr 9:13)

1.    Money can buy everything right? (Ecc 10:19)

                                       iii.    He realized money doesn’t buy happiness (Ecc 5:10-15)

1.    The more you make the more you spend (11)

2.    Sleep is hindered when focused on wealth (12)

3.    You lose your money in the end (13-15)

                                       iv.    He also realized wealth can’t leave this world either

1.    It will be left with someone else (Ecc 2:19)

VI.          Education

a.    Next he tried wisdom and knowledge (Ecc 12-14a)

                                          i.    He was heading in the right direction

1.    However, knowledge of the world isn’t the answer

                                        ii.    With knowledge comes sorrow (Ecc 1:17-18)

1.    The more we learn the more we realize how little we know

                                       iii.    Wisdom is not honored like strength (Ecc 9:14-18)

1.    Spiritual wisdom, however is

VII.         End

a.    Finally, he focused on the end of life (Ecc 14b-16)

                                          i.    Once again he looked at it physically and not spiritually

                                        ii.    We all die like the fool and the beast (Ecc 3:19-20)

1.    We will be forgotten (Ecc 8:10, 9:2,5)

                                       iii.    He learned all that matters is the fear and obey God (Ecc 12:13-14)

1.    That is where true happiness lies