The church of Christ on McDermott Road

It seems like we ought to be able to build things that last, things that stand the test of time. If we work hard enough and smart enough, it seems like we should be able to build something that will not fade away. But as soon as our castle is built, we discover it too is made of sand. Our labor and toil, like everything else under the sun, is “hevel.” The Preacher counsels wise people to recognize the “hevel” of labor and look to the one who gives us gifts to enjoy. This gift giver is the one we must fix our eyes on, because he is doing a work that will last forever. (Scripture: Ecclesiasties 2:18-26)

The illusion of supreme happiness is always before us. We might think, after we eat a delicious meal, “I can now die a happy man,” but soon we forget that satisfied feeling and we are hungry again. The preacher of Ecclesiastes discovered the “hevel” of every pleasurable pursuit. It seems like there ought to be something that satisfies us completely and totally, but nothing ever does. We are always hungry again. But there is Good News: There is One who can satisfy our every longing; we must wait for his appearing by faith. (Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)

The Preacher of Ecclesiastes applied himself to observing the world to figure out how it all works. You might say he become a philosopher and was determined to understand, “wisdom and knowledge” as well as “madness and folly.” But even in that pursuit there was frustration and sorrow, because human wisdom is also “hevel.” The more you think you’ve got a handle on wisdom, the more it slips through your fingers. But there is Good News: Even though humans may not be able to fully lay our hands on wisdom and knowledge, there is one who knows and understands everything; we must fix our eyes on him. (Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)

We have all experienced the frustration of seeing how things should be, but when we reach out and try to grab our expectations they often disappears in our hands like a cloud of smoke. The Hebrew word for smoke or vapor is “hevel,” and that is how the Preacher of Ecclesiastes describes everything on earth, “all is hevel.” There are some of us who naively continue chasing our expectations, some who’ve become disillusioned with the “hevel” of it all, and some who’ve discovered there really is Good News in the midst of all this “hevel.” (Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)

Once again emphasizing the collective nature of the church and the collective responsibility of every Christian, Paul says that every saint should be equipped “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” No congregation should see itself as having only one, or even a handful of “ministers.” Ministers are not just paid staff members. Every member of a congregation should see himself or herself as a minister, with the goal of making “the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” When each part of the body is working “properly,” love and growth will be the result.  )Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16)

Tonight we discuss how Jesus dealt with anger and frustration by talking about him cleansing the temple. What does the cleansing of the temple teach us about Jesus? What does the cleansing of the temple teach us about the right way (or the wrong way) to get angry? This will be the final lesson in this series.