In light of this message this morning, let me begin by asking 3 simple questions. Are you happy? What will it take to make you happy? When you get it will you finally be happy? Solomon, the wisest and richest man in the world, is searching for meaning and satisfaction in life. In chapter 1 he determined that in much wisdom is much grief, and that those who are serious are apt to be sad. So he began to look elsewhere. Vs. 1 of chapter 2 says, “I said in my heart" (to my heart), "’Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth;’ I will try that to see if it will give thee satisfaction." "Mirth," or glee, is from a word that is translated “merry making.” He is experimenting to see what it (mirth) and the pleasures of wit would do, whether he would be happy if he constantly entertained himself and others with happy stories and jokes. He is going to look at things other than wisdom to see if they will bring meaning and happiness to his life. He goes:

I. IN THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE – VV. 1-3.

II. IN THE PURSUIT OF PROJECTS – VV. 4-7.

III. IN THE PURSUIT OF POSSESSIONS – VS. 8.

IV. IN THE PURSUIT OF PROMINENCE – VV. 9-11.

I don’t know if there is another book in the whole Bible that details the day and the society in which we live as well as the book of Ecclesiastes. It reveals a man who was so obsessed with gaining knowledge that the search practically became his god and produced disappointment. Many in our day are similarly obsessed. Those who are “smart” or well educated are presumed to know more about life and have a greater wisdom about life than others. Some believe mere human knowledge will lead them to know how this universe originated. (Godly, biblical knowledge would do that but not human wisdom.) Still others are staking their future on “science,” believing that it has all of the answers for defeating disease (COVID) and death. Today our world seeks wisdom and knowledge apart from God, and, sadly, churches are not immune to it either. And, there are those who have adopted the same approach that Solomon did in chapter 2, seeking the meaning of life in pleasure, in projects, in possessions, and in prominence. Again, in our day education and knowledge are equated with wisdom. There is nothing wrong with education and knowledge. However, we can fill our heads with knowledge and still act unwisely and have lives that lack true meaning and purpose. One of my favorite lines by Jerry Clower is, “Some people are educated beyond their own intelligence.” You must be able to use the knowledge and education you have! Years ago people were coming out of college with master’s and doctor’s degrees who could only find jobs in fast food restaurants making hamburgers, etc. If they were depending upon their degrees to give them purpose in life, they were disappointed. Wisdom is not knowledge, and mere knowledge is not wisdom. True, godly wisdom (which is what we need today) is the right, or godly use of the knowledge we have. In these last few verses of chapter one we see that Solomon says he gave his heart “to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven . . . ” He wanted to learn as much as he could about as much as he could. But in vs. 14 he calls it “sore travail,” and his conclusion of the matter in vs. 18 is that “in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Before we get into these verses, remember this: God had promised to make Solomon wise. I believe God gave Solomon the wisdom to lead Israel as well as the capacity for the accumulation of knowledge. He didn’t just drop it on him suddenly. Solomon had to apply himself to the pursuit of knowledge. Now we see in these verses Solomon expecting to find meaning, purpose, joy, and hope for life in the mere accumulation of human “wisdom” and knowledge. So, Solomon declares his position (vs. 12) and as we come to vs. 13 we see:

I. HIS DEDICATION TO WISDOM - VS. 13.

II. HIS DISCOVERY ABOUT WISDOM - VV. 14-15.

III. HIS DISAPPOINTMENT CONCERNING WISDOM - VV. 16-18.

REDUNDANCY = superfluous repetition; an act of needless repetition.

As we began our look into this book of Ecclesiastes, we noted some things about it. On the surface it seems to be a very negative and depressing book. The writer, Solomon, holds a view of life that says, “All is vanity.” He claims there is no value in wealth (although God had made him wealthy), wisdom (God had given him wisdom), and all our works. Then, we considered the vantage point from which Solomon is looking at life. It is “under the sun.” This is a purely humanistic point of view which discounts God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, etc. And this sounds so much like the attitude from which so many view life today. We are also aware that God, through the Holy Spirit, led Solomon to write this book. One might wonder why when its contents are so seemingly negative and even depressing. It is seen as a warning, especially to God’s people, to hold a proper view of life, to know that there is something and Someone “over the sun,” and He rules that which is “under the sun.” In order to show that this is the attitude of many today (especially many young people) let me tell you about a contest at a college for the students to give their best definitions of life. Here are some of those definitions: One college student wrote, "Life is a joke that isn't even funny" ; another wrote, "Life is a jail sentence we get for the crime of being born"; another said, "Life is a disease for which the only cure is death." Author Erma Bombeck once said, "If life is a bowl of cherries, why do I always get the pits?" Shakespeare wrote: “Out, Out, brief candle, Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot. Full of sound and fury.” Ecclesiastes is essentially Solomon’s memoir – an autobiographical account of what he learned from his futile attempt to live without God. G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “This man (Solomon) had been living through all these experiences ‘under the sun’ concerned with nothing above the sun . . . It is only as a man takes account of that which is over the sun as well as that which is under the sun that things under the sun are seen in their true light.” Ecclesiastes reads like today’s newspaper. Solomon writes about: 1) Injustice to the poor in chapter 4 (1-3) ; 2) Crooked politics in chapter 5 (vs. 8) ; Materialism in chapter 5 (vs. 10) ; Guilty people being allowed to commit more crime in chapter 8 (vs. 11) ; And incompetent leaders in chapter 10 (vv. 6-7). Forbes Magazine devoted its seventy-fifth anniversary issue to a single topic: “Why we feel so bad when we have it so good.” Noting that Americans live better than any other people on the planet, they asked, “Why then are we so depressed?” Solomon determines that the vanity of living life “under the sun” can easily be seen in what some call nature. So we see that:

I. SOLOMON SAW THE REDUNDANCY OF LIFE – VV. 4-8. (LIFE IS UNORIGINAL AND REPETITIVE.)

II. SOLOMON SENSED THE REDUNDANCY OF LIFE – VS. 8. (LIFE IS UNSATISFYING AND WE ARE UNSATISFIED.)

III. SOLOMON STATED THE REDUNDANCY OF LIFE – VV. 9-11. (LIFE OFFERS NOTHING NEW)

As we begin to look at this book of Ecclesiastes we need to note the viewpoint of the author. Of course, Solomon is the writer. (We will talk more about him in a moment.) In this book he looks at life “under the sun,” or from a purely human perspective. This is a view that sees life apart and separate from God, Heaven, and eternity. As he views life “under the sun,” he ignores the fact that there is something above the sun. I believe this book of Ecclesiastes reveals to us what is in the hearts and minds of people today who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior. However, I want to add that I believe this would be a good book for our teens and young adults to study. Here is why. We know and have already seen that when sin entered God’s crowning creation, mankind, it not only separated God and man, but it left a God-shaped vacuum, or void, in the heart of man. We also know that humans have attempted to fill that space with many things, one of the chief ones being religion. They have also tried filling it with power, popularity, prestige, and pleasure, but these things cannot fill the void in the human heart. Sadly, whether we intended to do it or not, God’s people have fallen into the snare of the devil and at times have impressed upon our children that these things should play an important role in their lives. Because of that many young people (some of them saved young people) are led to view life from the same humanistic perspective as Solomon does here, and they,along with him, cry out “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” They may question, “Is this all that life is about?” Many young people today are looking for a purpose to their lives, and when they cannot find it, they turn to “pleasure,” often finding it in alcohol, drugs, fornication, and other sins. (Do not kid yourself, sin is pleasurable to the flesh -- Hebrews 11:25.) And, way too many, when they cannot find purpose in their lives, and the enjoyment of these things wears off, take their own lives. But, when life is viewed from God’s perspective, it takes on meaning. There is a reason we are told in the book of Proverbs to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Some suggest that word “old” has the idea of “when whiskers begin to appear on the chin.” (For most boys that is in the early teenage years.) Unfortunately, some parents wait sixteen years and 160 pounds too late to try to train a child. Let's see life "under the sun" as we examine:

I. The Approach Of The Book.

II. The Author Of The Book.

III. THE ASSERTIONS OF THE BOOK.

Over the past few weeks we have seen: 1) The worth of the church as we examined the importance of a New Testament church; 2) The worship of the church and our responsibility to attend and participate in services. Last week we heard about the witness of the church and the need of those who will share the Gospel with others. And today, in this final (for now) message in this series we are going to look at the work of the church and what is involved in accomplishing our purpose as a New Testament church. When we talk about the church, we are not talking about some big, impersonal organization. Instead, we are talking about people. Bethel BC is not the building. It is the body that meets in their building. Yes, we want the building to look its best, for it bears a testimony to the attitude that those who meet here have toward God. But better yet, we want the body to cast a good reflection of the One who has saved us and put us together. Let's look at Ephesians 5:25-27. A New Testament church may be understood by two phrases: 1) The church assembled – coming together for worship and edification; 2) And, the church dispersed – going into the world for the purpose of evangelism. What do you believe is the primary purpose of a New Testament church? Evangelism – witnessing to win the lost? Worship – coming together to worship God in spirit and in truth? Education -- teaching people the Word of God? Edification -- the promoting of fellowship among believers? In reality none of these constitute the primary purpose of a church. The primary purpose for the existence of New Testament churches is found in the very first verse of the text we read. According to Ephesians 3:21 the primary reason for the church's existence and the assembling together is to bring glory to God. So, the controlling purpose of all of our activities is to bring honor and glory to God. Many church members feel they have fulfilled their purpose by being present on Sunday morning, but a church needs to achieve these minimal goals: 1) To have a born again membership; 2) To have a membership devoted to prayer, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise; 3) To have a testifying, witnessing membership which speaks with boldness in the church, in the home, in the school, and in the shop; 4) To be devoted to a sacrifice of time, treasure, and talent; 5) To labor to achieve a membership that is Spirit-filled (Holy Spirit controlled); 6) To be students of the Scriptures, leading to a life of devotion; 7) To be progressively mission-minded. So let's look at some ways we can give glory to God in and through this church.

I. What Can I Do As A Church Member To Help The Church Bring Glory To God?

II. There Are Some Things We Must Insist On If We Are To Give God Glory In Our Worship.

III. There Are Some Things Which Rob God Of His Glory In The Church.

The benefits and blessings of church membership do not depend upon others but upon our own experience and living. Two things that can affect the witness of our church membership are sin and insincerity. One of the chief purposes of our lives as children of God and members of one of the Lord’s churches is to be witnesses of the saving power of Jesus. The only way to witness effectively is to declare and to demonstrate that power in our daily living. The extent to which we witness of Christ will go a long way in determining the measure of our joy as believers. Witnessing can help us find greater enjoyment as members of a New Testament church. In Acts 2:41-47 Peter witnessed of Jesus, preached repentance, and people “gladly received his word” (were saved), were baptized and added to the church, and they continued daily “with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people.” To have real joy as a child of God and as a church member we must find the ways and means and have the desire to share Jesus. Some of these are:

I. WITNESSING BY DEMONSTRATION.

II. WITNESSING BY DIRECT ACTION.

III. WITNESSING THROUGH THE DOMESTIC SETTING.

IV. WITNESSING THROUGH DEVOTED CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.

Many people today, church members included, attend church only because they regard it a duty. When they are present, these may: 1)   Sit passively and remain silent in the song service; 2)   Let their minds wander during prayer; 3)   Doze through the sermon. Such attitudes have caused pastors to say things like: 1)   “The clock struck noon, and the church gave up her dead;” 2)   “We will go first in the rapture, because the Scripture says the dead in Christ shall rise first.” How much does meeting together mean to us? How much does it mean to YOU? I thought I found out when last year we couldn’t meet for a while due to Covid. People were commenting how much they missed meeting together and the fellowship. Apparently, for some, they didn’t miss it as much as they said they did. Do we, do you truly enjoy coming together on Sunday and Wednesday to worship the Lord “in spirit and in truth?” Do you anticipate Sunday with pleasure? (Or with a bit of dread?) Does the sight of a sanctuary filled with people who are worshipping God thrill you? There are those who simply seek to defy the truth presented from God’s Word and without Scriptural reason forsake assembling together with their brothers and sisters in Christ for worship. There are real reasons for being absent from the worship. The “ox is in the ditch.” (The Law provided for “rescuing” an animal in distress on the Sabbath.) That is what we call a “providential hinderance” (work, illness, physical restrictions, emergencies, etc). However, many people “push” the ox in the ditch. They plan things to interfere with their attendance for worship. Some plan things for Sunday that could be done on Saturday. Some simply make excuses for not attending – tired, overslept, “too busy” (too busy to worship God? You need to let some things go). By the way, “tired” is not an excuse. All of us are tired. So we must ask, “Is my worship pleasing to God, or am I just going through the motions of some traditional ritual?” As we go through this message we will see:

  I.  THE MEANING OF WORSHIP.

 II.  THE MANNER OF WORSHIP.

III.  THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP.

God has created only two institutions upon this earth -- 1) The family and 2) The church. The Lord’s church, each and every church, is so important that Christ died for it. Some do not recognize this importance and, therefore, take the Lord's churches for granted. They don't realize that their relationship to the church will affect their fellowship with God. Thus, they find little purpose and little joy in their church membership. The purpose of this series is to help us understand the value and the purpose God intended for our church membership.

Life's most important question is, “Are you saved?”  One should be able to answer "yes" or "no." Ask if someone is an American, and they will give a straight answer. Ask if they are married, and you will get a direct reply. But, ask if someone is saved and note the reply -- “I hope so.”  “I’m trying to be.” (Some act offended that you asked.) What does it mean to be saved? It means to become a child of God. What is a child of God? A child of God is one born from above, by the power of God -- John 3:3. A child of God can say, as Paul in Galatians 2:20, “It is Christ that lives in me.” To be a child of God means to link one’s life with Jesus by faith. Here are some tests to apply. Ask yourself (and answer honesty): 1) “Have I realized that I am a sinner?” 2) “Have I seen Jesus as my only hope?” 3) “Have I turned to God (repentance)?" 4) “Have I come to Christ by faith for forgiveness and salvation?” 5) “Have I begun to walk in newness of life?” 6) “If I were to die right now, where would I spend eternity? This series of messages is addressed to children of God and will only be of value to those who know they are saved.

  I.  ARE YOU A CHURCH MEMBER?

 II.  IS YOUR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ALL YOU EXPECTED?

III. IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP ALL IT OUGHT TO BE?

As I view the situation both in our nation and in the world, I cannot help but believe that the end of this present age is near. In Australia many people are facing the loss of jobs and income because they do not wish to submit to a mandatory injection of a “vaccine” which is experimental at best. And, the same scene is threatening to be played out in our nation. I personally believe that the things that are taking place today are simply a “dry run,” a "dress rehearsal for a coming one world government, one world financial system, and a one world religion. Many of the key players in the current “plandemic” have expressed their desire for at least a universal government and a universal financial system. I believe the current situation exists to see who will acquiesce and go along, and who won’t. God told Daniel in Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city . . . ” Sixty-nine of those week have passed, smf this verse outlines six things God is going to do in the 70th week: “. . . finish the transgression . . . make an end of sins . . . make reconciliation for iniquity . . . bring in everlasting righteousness . . . seal up the vision . . . to anoint the most Holy.” This includes what Jesus did on the cross when He paid the sin debt for all mankind, but it also refers to the total scope of God’s plan in the future, when, during the 1,000-year reign of Christ, righteousness will cover the earth. c. So, God is giving Daniel a glimpse into the future which takes us to the very end of the world as we know it. Now, if the end of this age is near, God’s people need to be warned, instructed, and encouraged. One of the coming events of the end of the age is the appearance of Satan's “superman.” He is called “the beast,” “the man of sin,” “the son of perdition,” “the wicked one.” He will be Satan incarnate (in human flesh). If the rapture of the saved is near, he is alive today. And as he is being prepared to come on the scene, most of those who profess to be God’s people are busy going about “life as usual,” eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. Involved in our “daily routines” without thinking “this could be the day of the Lord’s return.” Jesus said in Matthew 24:44, “for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” And with His coming the door is open, either prior to, at, or just after, for the entrance of this man of sin, the Antichrist. If there is someone you care greatly for who is not saved, there needs to be a sense of urgency for witnessing to them so that they will accept the Lord as Savior. Vs. 6 of our text seems to say that there is a Divine time schedule to this age. Let's notice 5 events of these last days. They are:

I. THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY IS RESTRAINED.

II. THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT WILL BE REMOVED.

III. THE MASTERY OF SATAN IS RELEASED -- VV. 9-10.

IV. THE MISERY OF MAN IS REDOUBLED -- VV. 9-12.

V. THE MAJESTY OF JESUS IS REVEALED -- VS. 8.

If you are saved there is in your heart a desire to see others saved. It may be buried deep beneath our enjoyment of this present world, but it is there. I also believe that if you are saved there is a desire to be used of God to bring others to Christ. Again, this may be hidden under years of fears, failures, and unfaithfulness in this matter of being a witness of Christ. You might say: “I tried witnessing once, and it didn’t go like I thought it should, so I quit,” or “I tried it once and did such a poor job I decided to never try it again.” The things I am about to tell you are not mentioned with the intention of promoting our home business from this (or any) pulpit. May God help me never to do that. But, it is a business that is built on relationships and integrity. I believe that is where the first similarity comes in. Especially today it may be difficult to witness to a total stranger. I believe in the approach of “making friends for Christ” – relationships. Over 90% of new church members said they attended church the first time because a friend invited them. This number also gives a greater chance of a second time visit because they already know someone there. But, if there is no integrity in your life as a child of God, you are going to have a hard time leading someone to the Lord. You know what integrity is? Webster says it is "adherence to a code of moral values.” “Honesty” is listed as a synonym. In practical terms, integrity is honesty of character in dealing with people. (I have always wanted to be known as a person of integrity.) And “character,” in practical terms, refers to what you are and what you do when no one is around. We might call it “uprightness.” After several years of being associated with a particular company, I know that the claims they make are true, and integrity is a key component of the company, from the top down. As an independent member of this company we get paid for making referrals. So, if I know that the company I am representing is an honest, honorable, and upright company, and if I know by personal experience that they do what they say they will do, then why wouldn’t I (because income depends on it) want to share this with other people? This is where I think the similarity comes in. We know, without even the shadow of a doubt, that our God is truthful and that what He says will come to pass. We have experienced it. We have taken Him at His Word, repented toward Him, and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, and guess what. He did just what He said He would do. He saved us. We also know that every man, woman, boy, and girl needs the salvation that God offers. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” All are sinners, and all need to be saved. We also know that our Savior and Lord has instructed us to witness of Him. Acts 1:8 – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” And we know that obedience to this command bears great dividends. First Thessalonians 2:19 – “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” So, having confidence in God, knowing His offer of salvation is true, and realizing that He expects us to witness and will reward us for it, why don’t we do it? I believe some of the very reasons I am reluctant to share my business are the same reasons we are timid about sharing Christ, and I think it all goes back to “human nature” and depending upon the flesh instead of depending upon God. By the way, if we are “timid” about sharing Christ, just remember what Paul said in II Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” That word “fear” speaks of timidity, moral cowardice. Our fear, especially in this matter of witnessing, does not come from God. Though fear may be in this flesh naturally, when it comes to serving God and witnessing of Christ, I believe especially then it is activated and energized by Satan himself. So, let’s look at just two of the reasons we have trouble witnessing of the Lord. We see that:

  I.  THERE IS THE FEAR OF REJECTION – ACTS 17:32.

 II. THE FEAR OF RIDICULE – MATTHEW 5:10-12.