Messages

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” Life isn’t fair. That’s one of the most frustrating aspects of life under the sun. If life were fair, then being good would guarantee a good life. If life were fair, then obeying God would result in Him pouring His blessings upon us.

But Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, tells us that life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people.

The good news is that believers are in the hands of God. And that means we can trust Him when life is unfair.

Charles Swindoll put it this way: “Being in the hand of God is not synonymous with or a guarantee for being economically prosperous, physically healthy, protected from pain, enjoying a trouble-free occupation, and having everyone smile and appreciate us. But what does help is the knowledge that behind whatever happens is a God who cares, who hasn’t lost a handle on the controls.”

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” When we look around, it seems that society is becoming more and more unglued. Politics, agendas, and our own personal struggles can make us anxious and stressed out. How are we to react to political decisions we don’t agree with? What are we to do with the things outside of our control? How are we to handle the experiences of life that make no sense? If you’ve ever asked one of those questions, you’re in good company. This Sunday, the Teacher of Ecclesiastes will help us understand how to live a life of composure in a topsy turvy world.

A sermon from the series “Father\’s Day 2023.” There’s a Father’s Day card that reads, “Dad, everything I ever learned I learned from you—except one thing. The family car really will do 110!”

It’s stressful to be a dad these days. Some of us have jobs requiring tons of time, and we feel guilty about not spending enough time with our kids. Our culture relentlessly tries to convince our children that God doesn’t matter. And the media portrays dads as weak and out of touch.

Instead of adding pressure, tomorrow we’ll look at some godly advice from a failed father. And, that dad was none other than Solomon—the author of Ecclesiastes. Although he was the wisest person who ever lived, he struggled in his relationships with his kids. We’ll unpack what Solomon wrote in Psalm 127. It’s a Psalm all fathers can learn from—especially imperfect dads like us.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra passed away in 2015. His contributions to baseball are great, but he may be best remembered for his unwitting contribution to the English language. Berra spoke countless expressions and turns of phrase that, on the one hand, didn’t make any sense, but on the other, they contained wisdom and truth. Here are a few Yogi Berra-isms:

You can observe a lot by just watching.
It’s like deja vu all over again.
No one goes there nowadays—it’s too crowded.
Baseball is 90 percent mental, and the other half is physical.
A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise, they won’t come to yours.
Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel.
The future ain’t what it used to be.

Now, to be fair to Yogi Berra, some of these quotes may not have come from him. As he so perfectly put it, “I never said most of the things I said.”

Sunday we’ll once again hear from Solomon, the wisest person ever to walk the planet. And while Solomon’s words aren’t humorous, they are life-changing. From Ecclesiastes 7:8-20, the Teacher will tell us how to walk in wisdom. He’ll give us guidance on how we can trust God in good times and bad, how we can cut ties with past regrets or longings, and how we can walk in the amazing grace of God. Join us at 9:00 or 10:30 am!

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” What would you do with a million dollars? Better yet, what would you do with 100 million dollars? All of your problems would be solved, right? Or would they?

King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, had an estimated net worth of 2.1 trillion dollars! And yes, his vast wealth enabled him to enjoy many aspects of life at a level beyond our wildest dreams. But, in no uncertain terms, he tells us his fortune failed to bring purpose and meaning to his life. It was all vaporous.

Chasing after wealth will leave us wanting regardless of how much money we accumulate. Money doesn’t have the power to satisfy us or provide the security we hope it will bring. We’ll discover why that is actually a good thing! The uncertainty of worldly riches compels us to seek true satisfaction in God alone.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” Do you ever feel like you’re going through the motions in your faith? Does Bible study, prayer, or even worship ever feel dry to you? You’re not alone. This week, “the teacher” of Ecclesiastes will remind us that the secret of life is not found in wealth, pleasure, advancement, or even wisdom. Rather the secret of life is found in having a rich relationship with God. We’ll learn how to get off of the treadmill of ritual and routine, and truly encounter the living God. We look forward to seeing you Sunday, you don’t want to miss it!

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” In 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary reached the summit of Mount Everest, the first man ever to do so. But he wasn’t alone. He had a Sherpa climbing companion named Tenzing Norgay. For many years hardly anyone heard his name.

Yet on the way back down the mountain, Hillary fell and was almost lost. He would certainly have perished without Norgay, who literally pulled him back up by a cable and saved his life. Edmund Hillary lived because of the help of an unknown man. When someone asked Norgay why he didn’t brag about it, he said, “We mountain climbers help each other.”

Today we’ll continue our study of Ecclesiastes. The Teacher will examine the life of a lonely man—not lonely by circumstance, but lonely by choice. As you can guess, Solomon finds a life of isolation utterly vaporous. Instead of going through life alone, he’ll urge us to have at least one close companion by our side. Why? Because we Christians help each other!

A sermon from the series “Mother\’s Day 2023.” Today we’ll celebrate the mothers in our lives. While Mother’s Day is a time of rejoicing for some, others see it as a reminder of an unfulfilled desire or dream. While the Bible certainly affirms moms, it doesn’t present a fairy-tale version of womanhood or motherhood. For example, Ruth was left childless and widowed at a young age. Rachel, Hannah, and Sarah were infertile. Eve and Mary grieved the death of their sons under terrible circumstances. The prodigal son acted with blatant disrespect toward both of his parents. The women and moms in Scripture experienced some of the same sorrows moms in our church have experienced.
Jochebed was a mother who raised her son, Moses, during a very difficult period of history. She, like all Hebrew mothers, was ordered by the king of Egypt to give their newborn sons over to be killed. However, instead of fearing Pharaoh, Jochebed chose to fear and follow God. And as a result, Moses became one of the greatest emancipators and leaders the world has ever known. Join us as we explore how Jochebed’s faith marked her motherhood.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” Scripture says there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. But sometimes we don’t like the things that happen in those times and seasons. When life doesn’t make sense what are we to do? This week, “the teacher” of Ecclesiastes will help us discover how to release control and trust God with the “whys” of our lives.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” The world’s biggest sandcastle stands more than 69 feet tall! The creation features over 5,000 tons of sand. It’s an amazing achievement. But there’s one problem. It’s made of SAND! So much work went into something that won’t last. From Ecclesiastes 2:12-26, the Teacher will tell us that our work under the sun is vaporous—it has no lasting value. He gets pretty depressed over this fact, but that’s because he’s trying to find meaning apart from God. But when we make Jesus the foundation of our lives, no storm can sweep us away. Even death has no power over us. Join us as we once again learn priceless lessons from Solomon.