Qoholeth
How does one preach an upbeat, “This is God’s word for you, you 21st Century Peeps” sermon when the title given is “Meaningless, Meaningless, Everything is Meaningless”? And why does it’s Hebrew name sound like it’s Klingon? And who invented Alpine Kisses for that matter? What were they on?
I think this is actually one of the easiest, most approachable texts for 21st Century “peeps”.
Why on earth, though, would one try to make a sermon on this upbeat? The passage is not supposed to be upbeat, is it?
Well that’s the question ain’t it Paul (and by the way, nice of you to drop by). Is chapter one just one big downer or, in context, is it pointing you towards something more? Is life simple meaningless, or is it meaningless if you don’t understand where it’s headed?
Focus on the latter, which is the ultimate point of King Solomon. Chapter one is a big downer: he finally realizes that no matter what he does (or doesn’t do), in the big scheme of things (in world history) it doesn’t matter, because there are always others who have done these things, and similar things have always occurred and will always occur (in different contexts of course). There truly is nothing new under the sun.
What a better tool to reach this post-modern world than Ecclesiastes?! All is for not, except that we have a reason; a hope. A hope that Solomon finally realized too. All we do is in vain except to the glory of God who redeems our works through Jesus Christ. Christ gives our works an eternal significance, (and forgiveness if our works be evil).
Try from that perspective and see if you don’t get a good sermon out of it.
In Christ,
Andy
You read my mind!!!!