LOOK ABOVE THE SUN FOR SIGNIFICANCE

SERIES: UNDER THE SUN

TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 1:1-11.

If you want to find any significance in an otherwise insignificant life, look above the sun.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon the son of King David. When he was a young man he wrote about “Love” in the Song of Solomon or the Song of songs. When he was middle aged, he wrote the book of Proverbs. When he was an old man, he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. In our Bibles today we will look at Ecclesiastes 1.

In Ecclesiastes 1, Solomon begins talking about finding significance in an insignificant existence. Let us learn:-

VANITY OF VANITIES! ALL IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:1-2.

• The thesis (Big Idea) of Ecclesiastes which contains five sermons, king Solomon calls himself the preacher.
• Ecclesiastes has two characters, the “narrator” and the “preacher.”
• The preacher stands before his audience with a significant message about “the insignificance of life.”
• Vanity of vanities, says the preacher. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
• Literary all is but a breath or vapor.
• There is no substance to anything anyone does, there is no lasting value or significance.
• In 2016 (9 years ago) the new science magazine attempted to answer the question “what is the meaning of life?” they came to a conclusion “Life has no meaning.”
• Graham Lawton, the author of the article wrote, “Your life may feel like a big deal to you, but it’s actually a random blip of matter and energy in an uncaring and impersonal universe. When it ends a few people will remember you for a while, but they too will die.”
• “Even if you make the books of history, your contribution will soon be forgotten.”
• Vanity of vanities, All is vanity says the preacher, vanity of vanities, All is vanity.
• Solomon uses the word, “Vanity” five times in this verse and 28 times throughout the book.
• After living life with 100’s of achievements, Solomon concludes that it was all for nothing.

HARD WORK IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:3.

“What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”

• Literary after all the hard, painful work, what is left over? What remains of lasting value?
• The answer is “nothing.” There is no profit when you strive to find significance “under the sun.”
• 30 times in Ecclesiastes, the writer uses phrase “under the sun.” “Under the sun” is an earthly perspective of life without God.
• When you exclude God from your life, you remove all meaning to life.
• When you merely live life under the sun, you limit your perspective only to this world, which contains nothing to satisfy you ultimately.
• Our forefathers believed in two worlds and they understood this life “under the sun” to be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.
• We are the first generation of humans that actually expected to find happiness here on earth and our search for happiness “under the sun” has caused us such unhappiness.
• If you do not believe in another higher world, if you only believe in the flat maternal word around you, if you believe that this is the only chance at happiness, then you live a life of disappointment and despair.
• Friends, we have to look “above the sun” to find significance in this insignificant life.”
• You have to look into eternity, into heaven to see life from God’s perspective.
• This is the only way you will find any real meaning in life.
• This is what King Solomon was preaching. He preached five sermons-(1:12-3:15; 3:16-5:20; 6:1-8:15; 8:16-9:10; 9:11-12:8).
• Each of the five sermons describe vanity of life under the sun, but each of the five sermons describe the enjoyment of life, despite it’s vanity when you bring God into your life.
• Solomon repeats the idea, “eat, drink and enjoy.” Seven times He makes it very clear that no one can enjoy life without God-2:25.
• At the end of the book, Solomon states “fear God and keep His commandment for this is the whole duty for man”-12:13.
• So if you want to find significance in an otherwise insignificant life, invite God into your life, look to the Lord, look above the sun way beyond this world.
• Look beyond the endless cycles of this world. Look beyond the merry-go-round existence of life on this earth, get off the roller-coster of your earthly reality.

THE ENDLESS CYCLES OF THIS WORLD IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:4-7.

• You have to look beyond this endless cycle going nowhere to find any purpose or significance to life.
• Reuben Klamer introduction is today called “the game of life.” In 1960, the goal was to accumulate the most money.
• The formula was simple; Go to college, get a job, buy a house, buy a car, get married, buy insurance, safe for retirement, arrive at millionaire mansion and avoid the poor house “under the sun.” If you exclude God, life has no goal.
• Without God life is meaningless, so if you want to find significance in this insignificant life, look beyond this world; look beyond its endless cycles.

LOOKING FOR SATISFACTION BELOW THE SUN IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:8.

• We must look beyond the weariness of this world, look beyond the exhaustion and fatigue of life on earth. Look beyond the disillusionment of your earthly life.
• The senses are never satisfied and a man wears himself out trying to find satisfaction.
• Every pursuit is full of weariness.
• People expend a weary, wasted existence when they live their lives under the sun.
• They just burn themselves out in the pursuit of satisfaction without God.
• Psychologist Dr. Ben Shar wrote about “the arrival fallacy.”

“Arrival fallacy says, it is ok because when I make it then I will be happy, but then they make it and while they may feel briefly fulfilled, the feeling doesn’t last.

• This time they are unhappy, but more than that they lived under the illusion that one day I will be happy.
• This snow white thought of “living happily there after” doesn’t last.
• That is why you should never postpone joy and happiness by saying “when I finally arrive.”
• “Arrival fallacy is the illusion that once you attain your goal, you reach lasting happiness.
• The eye is not satisfied with seeing no matter how much it sees, the ear is not filled with hearing, no matter how much flattery it hears.
• Life under the sun is a weary pursuit of that which never satisfied in the end.
• “Life under the sun” is life without Jesus Christ. Life in Christ is life above the sun.

THE SAMENESS OF EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:9-10.

• Despite all the innovation, the world stays the same, people don’t really change.
• You think your work will make any real difference in the world, not really, because everything stays the same.
• There is nothing new “under the sun.” Look beyond the sun if you want to find any significance in an otherwise insignificant life.
• Look beyond this world, look beyond its endless cycles, look beyond its weariness, look beyond its sameness.
• And finally look beyond the forgetfulness of this world.

THE AMNESIA AND ABSENT MINDEDNESS UNDER THE SUN IS VANITY-Eccl. 1:11.

• No one will remember you 100 years from now.
• How far back can you remember your generations?
• The nature of life under the sun is forgetfulness.
• So if you want to find any significance in an otherwise insignificant life.
• People forget you, what you have done for them at all levels family, society, country, world.
• Look beyond its forgetfulness, look beyond this world to the Lord, who alone gives meaning to life.

CONCLUSION

• Trust Christ with your life, trust the one who died for you and rose again.
• Commit your life to Him who is able and is willing to save, keep and satisfy.
• Commit your life to Him who will make even a cup of cold water eternally significant if you give it in His name-Matt. 10:42.
• Look “above the sun.” Look beyond this present world, look beyond its endless cycles, look beyond its weariness, sameness, look beyond its forgetfulness. Look and live.