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The purpose of life (Ecclesiastes 1:1-18)

Dave Norbury, August 31, 2008
Part of the Miscellaneous series, preached at a Sunday Evening service

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https://www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=2008-08-31-pm.mp3 Download
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Ecclesiastes 1 (Listen)

1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2   Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
    vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3   What does man gain by all the toil
    at which he toils under the sun?
4   A generation goes, and a generation comes,
    but the earth remains forever.
5   The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
    and hastens to the place where it rises.
6   The wind blows to the south
    and goes around to the north;
  around and around goes the wind,
    and on its circuits the wind returns.
7   All streams run to the sea,
    but the sea is not full;
  to the place where the streams flow,
    there they flow again.
8   All things are full of weariness;
    a man cannot utter it;
  the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
    nor the ear filled with hearing.
9   What has been is what will be,
    and what has been done is what will be done,
    and there is nothing new under the sun.
10   Is there a thing of which it is said,
    “See, this is new”?
  It has been already
    in the ages before us.
11   There is no remembrance of former things,
    nor will there be any remembrance
  of later things yet to be
    among those who come after.

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

15   What is crooked cannot be made straight,
    and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

18   For in much wisdom is much vexation,
    and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

(ESV)

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Alison and Kevin’s story

“Our Christian faith has helped us every single day – if we hadn’t known that God is with us even in the most difficult times, we would probably never have been able to cope. ”

Life has not been easy for either of us, but looking back, we can see that God has always been good to us. Our Christian faith has helped us every single day – if we hadn’t known that God is with us even in the most difficult times, we would probably never have been able to cope. And we’re able to testify that although our faith has been tested by the deaths of our spouses, God has seen us through, and we know that they are in a far better place because their trust and hope was also in Jesus Christ alone.
Read more of Alison and Kevin’s story
Impact
Impact is a meeting for young people in High School. It takes place in term time every Tuesday evening 7-8pm between September and May (location will vary so please get in touch). There are games, discussions and talks from the Bible, all in a relaxed atmosphere with light refreshments. The club is free to attend, and…
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