Meaningless! Meaningless!
Everything is
Meaningless!
The book of Ecclesiastes repeats this line
over and over again.
Sounds like the rant of some crazy man.
Ecclesiastes is the wisdom/desperation of
King Solomon - a man who had it all.
Everything that anybody could ever want.
Money.
Fame.
Hundreds of sexual partners.
Wisdom.
Accomplishments.
But he said:
... I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational.
Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind. (Ecc 2:17)
Maybe you haven't realized it yet -
but we all are searching for Meaning in life.
Why am I here?
What am I supposed to do?
What should I major in?
How can I make a difference?
Why is my life important?
Your life has a purpose.
Some of you have some really great talent and abilities.
As you get older, you are going to find something to
do with your life.
Hopefully -- you will find a career that you enjoy doing and are gifted to do.
If all goes well -- you will probably get married and have 2.5 children.
And there are all sorts of things in life to enjoy.
Art.
Beauty.
Music.
Travel.
Friends.
Technology (yeah -- I know some of you get REAL excited about technology).
A full life -- probably includes most of those things.
And we can enjoy it and have a good time.
Everything is
Meaningless!
The book of Ecclesiastes repeats this line
over and over again.
Sounds like the rant of some crazy man.
Ecclesiastes is the wisdom/desperation of
King Solomon - a man who had it all.
Everything that anybody could ever want.
Money.
Fame.
Hundreds of sexual partners.
Wisdom.
Accomplishments.
But he said:
... I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational.
Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind. (Ecc 2:17)
Maybe you haven't realized it yet -
but we all are searching for Meaning in life.
Why am I here?
What am I supposed to do?
What should I major in?
How can I make a difference?
Why is my life important?
Your life has a purpose.
Some of you have some really great talent and abilities.
As you get older, you are going to find something to
do with your life.
Hopefully -- you will find a career that you enjoy doing and are gifted to do.
If all goes well -- you will probably get married and have 2.5 children.
And there are all sorts of things in life to enjoy.
Art.
Beauty.
Music.
Travel.
Friends.
Technology (yeah -- I know some of you get REAL excited about technology).
A full life -- probably includes most of those things.
And we can enjoy it and have a good time.
Solomon had it all -- but he hated life. What was his problem?
The problem wasn't necessarily WHAT Solomon was doing.
It was WHY he was doing it.
Solomon pursued all of those things.
He chased after them hoping to find meaning in those things.
He was right in the sense that all these things as an end to themselves --
are essentially meaningless.
The things that make life full and enjoyable --
as great as they are, are not supposed to give meaning.
So from where does meaning come?
It's found in a relationship with Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:3).
When you have friendship and relationship with God,
you can enjoy life -- knowing that it won't completely satisfy.
It's not intended to. And that's ok.
When we understand that --
we can find meaning and joy in this meaningless, beautiful life.
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