In Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12 Solomon talks about how wealth is unreliable:

Wealth can be lost through rash vowsWealth can be lost to a corrupt governmentEnough is never enoughWealth attracts parasitesWealth can be lost through bad investingEven if a person retains their wealth for a lifetime, life is briefEnjoy what God HAS given you

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There are two main themes in Ecclesiastes 4:1-16: Oppression and Isolation.

1. We see oppression but we long for justice.

Examples of Oppression in Scripture

Cheating one’s neighbor of something.Making unjust gain.Abusing power.Neglecting or harming the vulnerable.Denying people of rights and justice.Mass Genocide, Infanticide

We live in isolation but we were designed for community.

We weren’t meant to be alone. Gospel community offers:

Help (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Galatians 6:1-2)Comfort (Ecclesiastes 4:11, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)Protection (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

The “One Another’s”

Accept one another, – Romans 15:7Instruct one another – Romans 15:14Greet one another with a holy kiss. – 1 Corinthians 16:20Agree with one another – 1 Corinthians 1:10Serve one another – Galatians 5:13Bear with one another – Ephesians 4:2Be kind and compassionate to one another – Ephesians 4:32Forgive one another other – Ephesians 4:32Encourage one another – Hebrews 3:13Live in harmony with one another – 1 Peter 3:8Offer hospitality to one another – 1 Peter 4:9Carry one another’s burdens – Galatians 6:2Love one another – John 13:34Honor one another – Romans 12:10

Here at Hope Valley Church we put the “One Another’s” to action in our Hope Communities.

UP: worship, devotion, bible studyIN: Fellowship, encouragement, prayerOUT: mission, outreach, acts of service

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There are four specific frustrations related to time that we see in Ecclesiastes 3:1-22:

Timing (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11a)Limited Perspectives (Ecclesiastes 3:11b-15)Injustice (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)Death (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22)

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In this series on Ecclesiastes we try to get the right set of lenses to look at the situations that are in life. This week in Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26, we look at empty pursuits of life.

The Empty Pursuit of Pleasure – Ecclesiastes 2:1-6The Empty Pursuit of Possessions – Ecclesiastes 2:7-8The Empty Pursuit of Position – Ecclesiastes 2:9The Empty Pursuit of Purpose – Ecclesiastes 2:12-23

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Ecclesiastes is one of the most needed books in our society and culture right now because of its willingness to take an honest look at the darkness in our world.

Over the next few weeks we will be doing a sermon series examining this book in more depth. Today we went through the first 11 verses that Solomon wrote.

In Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Solomon’s proposition is that everything is meaningless.

Earth (Ecclesiastes 1:4)Sun (Ecclesiastes 1:5)Wind (Ecclesiastes 1:6)Rivers (Ecclesiastes 1:7)Senses (Ecclesiastes 1:8)Advancement Without Moral Progress (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11)

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Psalm 19:1-14 shows us 3 ways that God speaks to us.

God speaks through the sky.God speaks through the Scripture.God speaks through the saints.

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Psalm 103:1-22 is a psalm of praise. In it, David is very specific in his praise of God. In verses 1-3 he begins with:

Praise for who God isPraise for what God does

He gives praise that God’s righteous deeds flow from His righteous character. God does what He does, because of who He is.

He also mentions fearing God 3 times in this passage. The fear he describes isn’t that of being afraid of something, it is “to live in awe of Him and reverence to Him.” The fear of God is the response of a heart that recognizes God for who He Is.

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After Nathan confronts King David about his sin with Bathsheba, David confesses his guilt to the Lord in Psalm 51. Just like David, we can take refuge in God’s mercy through repentance.

There are 3 phases in this process:

Confession of guilt (Psalm 51:3-6)Cleansing (Psalm 51:7-10)Restoration (Psalm 51:11-19)

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Psalm 127:1-5

For Mother’s Day we spend some time digging in to God’s plan for the home found in Psalm 127. The family was God’s idea. He has specific goals and a mission for our families and we need to submit to his plan.

God’s plan for the home.We need to feel the weight of parenting without carrying the weight.Freedom in parenting is found in complete dependence upon God.God’s blessing of the home.Heritage – inheritance or blessing given by God.God’s mission for the home.“The main priority of parents is to connect with the heart of their children in such a way that makes it easy for them to connect to the heart of God.” – Tim Kimmel

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Psalm 145:1-21 is a Psalm about God as a king. This Psalm teaches us several things about God’s kingdom:

God’s reign is cross-generational (Psalm 145:4-7).God’s reign is merciful (Psalm 145:8-9).God’s reign is testified by the saints (Psalm 145:10-13).God’s reign is compassionate (Psalm 145:14-20).

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