Mosaic Church RVA

In Ecclesiastes 4:13-16, we find two characters: a foolish king and a wise young man. While the foolish king refuses to listen to advice, the wise young man learns much and ascends even to claim the throne for himself. But his success is short-lived. As wise as he was, the people would soon forget him too. So what’s the point? Is it all vanity, or is there more?

Isolation leads to vain toil, but community is fruitful beyond compare. As we look at this passage, we consider how Christ has brought us into community with one another for our good!

Looking out at the world, the Preacher of Ecclesiastes dismayed at all the oppression he saw, and the world we live in today is no different. Is despair the only response, or is there another perspective? Listen as we explore how the gospel changes our perspective on affliction and work. 

Humanity often cries out for justice. The Preacher is perplexed by the unjust acts he has witnessed, but the God of the Bible will set all wrongs right in His judgment. Until then, Christians can rejoice in knowing God is perfectly good while remaining perfectly just.

God not only puts the puzzle of life together, but He also designed it before the foundation of the world. Trust Him in all things, rejoice, and count it all as joy. 

Where has the time gone? We often ask as life passes by. The Preacher in Ecclesiastes 3 reveals the seasons of rest and unrest. Regardless of the difficulty or the delight, God’s word shows that Christ is in everything. Rest in Him.

Work is hard, and the Preacher of Ecclesiastes provides no antidote to the difficulty we find in work. Is there any joy in toil under the sun? For those who please God, the answer is yes. But who can please God?

After obtaining pleasure, power and possessions, the Preacher of Ecclesiastes turns to wisdom as a potential source of meaning and remembrance. Should wisdom be the goal of our lives, or is it as fleeting as everything else under the sun?

Dispute all the pursuits under the sun; the preacher comes up empty. But there is hope, a more excellent Solomon, and His name is Jesus. 

What is the Gospel? Many say it is simply "Christ died for our sins", but what does that mean and how does it get us to the end of the redemptive narrative God is telling of the earth?