The Gospel of Matthew Audio Files

Link to Audio Files

From The Message, recorded by Kelly Ryan Dolan.

Fall Semester Schedule 2010: Matthew

9/2: Matthew 1-4
Leader: Sarah
Snacks: Christina O.

9/9: Matthew 5-7
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Sarah

9/16: Matthew 8-9
Leader: Sarah
Snacks:Erica

9/23: Matthew 10-11
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Jane

9/30: Praise and Prayer Night
Snacks: Lizzie

10/7: Matthew 12-13
Leader: Sarah
Snacks: Chelsea

10/14: Matthew 14-15
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Sarah

10/21: Matthew 16-17
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Christina M.

10/28: Matthew 18-19
Leader: Sarah
Snacks: Ellen

11/4: Matthew 20-21
Leader: Sarah
Snacks: Megan

11/11: Praise and Prayer Night
Snacks: Jane

11/18: Matthew 22-23
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Christina M.

11/25: ((Thanksgiving))

12/2: Matthew 24-25
Leader: Sarah
Snacks: Tabitha

12/9: Matthew 26-28
Leader: Megan
Snacks: Erica

12/16: Praise and Prayer Night
Snacks: Chelsea

A promise.

God you don’t show up, the truth of it is you never leave, you have said it in your word, you made a promise. That promise says that you would never leave us or forsake us. Why do we when for some reason You feel far away, think you have stepped away from us. It is us that have chosen to make ourselves distant from You, not the other way around. Part of it is that because we can’t see you, we don’t understand how we are supposed to pursue a relationship with You. Here are some chose’s we can make, when by faith, (because faith is belief in someone or something not seen) we make time in every day to talk to You (prayer) and listen to You (His Word) these simple actions are just disciplines to chose to intentionally know who you are better. there are other disciplines too they are not the way we become more Godly then others or the way we get what we want, these disciplines are a way to be intentional about getting to know You our God, savor, the one who died so we might be free to chose You even though we were still sinners. (“Celebration of Discipline” by: Richard J. Foster) How can we ever think that relationships don’t require intentional work, when You set the greatest example with Your intentional work of the cross on our behalf? You pursued us to point of death. I pray we would pursue You as best as You have taught us to and each other. You won’t force us; You want us to choose to pursue You. Brothers and sister let us spur each other on toward the Heart of God through Jesus Christ His Son.

joy in our Father

joy in creation

joy in humility and service

joy in God's provision

joy in waiting

joy in relationships and singleness

joy in community

joy in trials, discipline and repentance

joy in suffering

joy in blessings

joy in following Christ

summer schedule

updated 5.26

Study 11: Chasing After Immortality

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 -- Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.


Questions

1. As you read this poetic description of growing old and dying, how do you relate to it? Does it describe your experience of aging? If you are young and healthy, perhaps reflect on the aging process as you observe it with your parents or someone else who is close to you.
2. How do the metaphors in 12:2-5 describe the deterioration brought about in old age?
3. Why should deterioration encourage commitment to the Lord during our youth (12:1)?
4. What are the metaphors used to describe death (12:6-7)?
5. Why should the eventuality of death be a strong encouragement to a risk-taking commitment to God?
6. What measure of hope does the Teacher have as he utters these words? Where do you find your hope in the face of death?
7. Do you consider it legitimate to use the fear of death to jar people into considering the claims of Christ?
8. What do you like about your stage of life? What bothers you?
9. What beliefs or experiences give your life meaning?
10. Do you look to the future with hope? Why?
11. What Scripture passages describe the meaning that a relationship to Christ offers us?

1 Corinthians 15

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

YH Enneagrams (Including Alumni)

1:    kate y. (w2), laura w. (w2), meagan b. (w2), tamara (w2), michelle (w9), nicole (w9), whitney (w9)
2:   beth (w1), abbie (w3), laura r. (w3), lizzie (w3)
3:    kyla (w2), megan k. (w2), angela (w4)
4:    christina (w3), erin (w3), kate mc (w5), lindsay (w5), sara m. (w5)
5:    sarah (w4)
6:    kerri (w5), angie b (w7), erica (w7)
7:    emily (w6), ji (w6), julie g. (w6)
8:    chelsea (w9)
9:    barbara (w1), isabella (w1), jane (w1) lauren (w1), liana (w1), medina (w1), jessica f. (w8), kelly (w8)

YH Enneagrams (Current)

Abbie: 2w3

• Twos (At Their Best): Become deeply unselfish, humble, and altruistic: giving unconditional love to self and others. Feel it is a privilege to be in the lives of others.
• Charming, good-natured, and heart-felt
• Really get things done, serve effectively on projects that involve the well-being of others. 
• Thrive on group process and are generally good communicators.
• Healthy people of this subtype are charming, friendly, outgoing.
• They enjoy the attention of others, are self-assured, and exude a sense of well-being and wholesome enjoyment
• They possess a free-spirited worldly attitude that can easily be confused with a Seven. 
• There is genuine warmth in them, as well as the ability to communicate that warmth to others. 
• They enjoy sharing whatever talents they possess with their friends and admirers; cooking, entertaining, singing, and listening are all experienced as something to be shared. 

Beth: 2w1

• Twos (At Their Best): Become deeply unselfish, humble, and altruistic: giving unconditional love to self and others. Feel it is a privilege to be in the lives of others. 
• Teaching others, improving their lives, and working for a cause are common strengths. 
• They want to give their best possible service to others, and they do so with less self regard than the Two’s other subtype. 
• They often sense a higher purpose, and they are drawn to search for their life’s work. 
• They may be particularly fine teachers, since they not only have an objective intelligence, but also the emotional warmth to bring ideas to life. 
• As teachers and parents, they are also very encouraging and appreciative of those in their charge.
• When healthy, they act from general principles about the value of serving others. Ethics come before pride.
• More discrete and respectful of other people's boundaries.
• They have a strong conscience and a desire to act on principles so that people of this subtype will try to treat others fairly, no matter what their emotional needs are.

Chelsea: 8w9

• Eight (At Their Best): Become self-restrained and magnanimous, merciful and forbearing, mastering self through their self-surrender to a higher authority. Courageous, willing to put self in serious jeopardy to achieve their vision and have a lasting influence. May achieve true heroism and historical greatness.
• Healthy Eights with a 9 wing often have an aura of preternatural calm, like they haven't had a self-doubt in decades. 
• Take their authority for granted - queen or king of all they survey. 
• May be gentle, kind-hearted, quieter. 
• Often nurturing, protective parents; steady, supportive friends. Informal and unpretentious, patient, laconic, generally somewhat introverted. 
• Healthy persons of this subtype possess a quiet power and an understated wisdom. 
• They are strategic planners and tend to be more steady in the execution of their goals. 
• They are not easily annoyed, and are noticably more at ease with themselves and with others, recognizing that they don’t need to assert themselves at every moment. 
• They are more aware of the concerns others, particularly members of their family. 
• They are kinder, strong-willed, but mild-mannered, leading others through support and protectiveness. 
• Eights with a Nine-wing are able to forge a deep, personal bond between themselves and others, and may be drawn to nature, animals, and children. 

Christina: 4w3

• Fours (At Their Best): Profoundly creative, expressing the personal and the universal, possibly in a work of art. Inspired, self-renewing and regenerating: able to transform all their experiences into something valuable: self-creative.
• Fours with a 3 wing can sometimes seem like Sevens. May be outgoing, have a sense of humor and style. 
• Prize being both creative and effective in the world. 
• Both intuitive and ambitious; may have good imaginations, often talented.
• Because of the Three-wing, healthy people of this subtype can be sociable, ambitious, and accomplished, particularly in the arts. 
• They have both creativity and the drive to make their mark in the world. 
• They are in touch with who they are and who they are becoming, but with a more extroverted dimension to them. 
• In general, Fours tend to be private and not particularly action-oriented, but with a healthy Three-wing, this impulse is tempered by their desire to improve themselves and accomplish. 
• To do this they know they must work hard, and they must be involved with people. 
• The Three-wing also makes them more goal-oriented and sociable.
• They want to be successful, but distinctive, and are willing to put in the necessary work to actualize their dreams. 
• While both the subtypes of the Four are highly creative, the Four with the Three-wing is more aware of creating with an audience in mind. 
• They are adaptable, sensitive to others, and have a good sense of humor

Erica: 6w7

• Sixes (At Their Best): Become self-affirming, trusting of self and others, independent yet symbiotically interdependent and cooperative as an equal. Belief in self leads to true courage, positive thinking, leadership, and rich self-expression.
• Can be charming, sociable, ingratiating. 
• Have a faster tempo, stronger connection to Three. 
• Often self-preservation subtypes, characterized by a personal warmth. 
• Can have a cheerful, forward-looking drive and be disarmingly funny. Self-effacing, gracious and curious. 
• Healthy person of this subtype desire to feel not only accepted by others, but also happy, particularly with regard to material well-being. 
• They have broad areas of interests and often have more than one hobby or past-time. 
• They are friendly and sociable, not taking themselves or life too seriously. 
• They tend to be self-deprecating, sometimes turning their fears into humor to bond with others. 
• Healthy Sixes with a Seven-wing are playful and funny, and their sense of humor is used to cope with life. They are generally more extroverted than the other subtype.

Jane: 9w1

• Nines (At Their Best): Become self-possessed, feeling autonomous and fulfilled: have great equanimity and contentment because they are present to themselves. Paradoxically, at one with self, and thus able to form more profound relationships. Intensely alive, fully connected to self and others.
• Tend to have been "model children." Instinctively worked to please their parents by being virtuous, orderly, and little trouble. 
• When awakened, they have great moral authority plus good-hearted peacemaking tendencies. 
• Often have a sense of mission, public or private, that involves working hard for the welfare of everyone they are committed to. 
• Principled expression of love. 
• Desire to contribute, do little harm.
• May be well-liked, modest, endearing, gentle yet firm. 
• Some have great grace and composure with bursts of spontaneity and sweetness. Elegant simplicity.
• Healthy persons of this subtype possess enormous integrity and are extremely principled. Their great common sense helps them to be wise in their judgments, particularly about others. 
• They are alert to issues of fairness and objectivity when they are called on to act or to judge situations. 
• Healthy Nines with a One-wing are wonderful at synthesizing different schools of thought and sorting out the common threads between them. 
• They can be highly imaginative and creative, seeking to express and share their visions of an ideal world. 
• They tend to be sunny and friendly, but with a certain seriousness about their ideals. 
• They enjoy teaching, and may be moral leaders, teaching most effectively by their example. 
• This subtype makes a good friend or therapist, balancing the Nine’s nonjudgmental listening with the One’s wisdom and desire to give helpful advice.

Lizzie: 2w3

• Twos (At Their Best): Become deeply unselfish, humble, and altruistic: giving unconditional love to self and others. Feel it is a privilege to be in the lives of others. 
• Charming, good-natured, and heart-felt
• Really get things done, serve effectively on projects that involve the well-being of others. 
• Thrive on group process and are generally good communicators.
• Healthy people of this subtype are charming, friendly, outgoing.
• They enjoy the attention of others, are self-assured, and exude a sense of well-being and wholesome enjoyment
• They possess a free-spirited worldly attitude that can easily be confused with a Seven. 
• There is genuine warmth in them, as well as the ability to communicate that warmth to others. 
• They enjoy sharing whatever talents they possess with their friends and admirers; cooking, entertaining, singing, and listening are all experienced as something to be shared.

Megan: 3w2

• Threes (At Their Best): Self-accepting, inner-directed, and authentic, everything they seem to be. Modest and charitable, self-deprecatory humor and a fullness of heart emerge. Gentle and benevolent.
• Threes with this wing are often highly gregarious.
• Social perception, prestige and recognition important. Healthy side brings personal warmth, leadership qualities. 
• Sincere desire to do well by others; may be genuinely nice people. 
• If they have achieved some measure of success they are generous in their mentorship of others.
• They are often charming, sociable, and highly popular. 
• They treat people with more positive feelings and warmth. They tend to care most about the few people they are closest to.  
• They can encourage and appreciate others. 
• There is a perky, vivacious quality about them that can resemble the energetic qualities of the Seven. 
• They are talkative and helpful but still have a sense of poise and self-control that is characteristic of the Three. 
• They usually want a particular kind of affirmation from others: besides receiving attention, they also want to be loved. This encourages them to be more responsive to the needs and desires of others.

Sarah: 5w4

• Fives (At Their Best): Become visionaries, broadly comprehending the world while penetrating it profoundly. Open-minded, take things in whole, in their true context. Make pioneering discoveries and find entirely new ways of doing and perceiving things.
• May be talented artistically and inhabit moods like Fours do. 
• Combine intellectual and emotional imagination. 
• Enjoy the realm of philosophy and beautiful constructs of thought. The marriage of mental perspective and aesthetics is the best of life for them.
• In healthy people of this subtype, we find the intuition and knowledge, sensitivity and insight. 
• This subtype has been somewhat overlooked in many descriptions of Fives because they do not fit the stereotype of the academic/scientific Five, which is really the Five with a six-wing
• The Five with a Four-wing is able to pull things together and seek out new ways of looking at things. 
• They tend to utilize their imaginations and if they are involved in science, they are drawn to the areas in which there is less emphasis on experimentation and data collection and more emphasis on intuition and vision. 
• One of their strengths is their intuition, since intuition helps them uncover areas of knowledge that others have missed. 
• The Four wing adds a unique vision to the curiosity and perceptiveness of the Five, causing them to “tinker” with familiar forms until they become something unique and new. In talented Fives with a Four-wing this can lead to startling innovation in their chosen fields.
• They are more independent than Fives with a six-wing and resist having deadlines and structures imposed on them

Tamara: 1w2

• Ones (At Their Best): Become extraordinarily wise and discerning. By accepting what is, they become transcendentally realistic, knowing the best action to take in each moment. Humane, inspiring, and hopeful: the truth will be heard.
• This wing generally brings more interpersonal warmth. 
• High standards are tempered by humanism. 
• May understand and partly forgive humanity for not doing its best. 
• Work hard to improve the conditions of others, sacrificing time and energy to do good works. 
• The Two-wing softens the One’s tendency to be overly harsh and judgmental. 
• If thoughtfulness and love of neighbor are their ideals, Ones with a Two-wing will attempt to be caring and personal, trying to take needs of others into consideration. 
• They can be generous, kind, helpful, and good-humored, offsetting the One’s more rigid demeanor. 
• They are more willing to work to bring about the changes they desire and are often found in many of the helping professions; such as teaching, ministry, and medicine.

Whitney: 1w9

• Ones (At Their Best): Become extraordinarily wise and discerning. By accepting what is, they become transcendentally realistic, knowing the best action to take in each moment. Humane, inspiring, and hopeful: the truth will be heard. 
• When awakened, may be objective and balanced, cool and moderate in their evaluations.
• When they are healthy, people in this subtype are unusually objective and fair in their judgments and dealings with others, since they have a special interest in remaining dispassionately involved. 
• They are civilized in the best sense of the word, and often display a “scholarly” quality. 
• There is a spiritual, mystical side to people of this subtype, and an attraction more to nature, art, and animals than to humans. 
• They are restrained in showing their emotions, but they are often generous and loyal friends. 
• As Ones, they strive to be good examples, teaching by embodying what they believe in, yet the Nine-wing gives them a more gentle approach to life than Ones with a Two-wing. 
• They can be gifted, articulate speakers and writers and frequently use their talents to raise awareness of society’s ills.

Study 10: Chasing After Spirituality

Spirituality as an idol:

• Idolatry functions widely inside religious communities when doctrinal truth is elevated to the position of a false god
• Another form idolatry within religious communities turns spiritual gifts and ministry success into a counterfeit god
• Another kind of religious idolatry has to do with moral living itself

Ecclesiastes 5:1-6

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?


Taking a Closer Look: Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-6.

1. What advice does the Teacher give here? Is it good advice?
2. How would the Teacher word his concern about religion?

How Do We Chase After Spirituality?

1. When is religion harmful? Can Christianity be harmful?
2. One philosopher accused religion of being the “opiate of the people,” and another said that religion is “spiritual alcohol.” What did they mean, and do they have any basis at all for their statements?
3. What is the difference between a superficial religion and a religion of the heart?
4. How can you tell true religion from false religion?
5. What does it mean to “put God in a box”?
6. What is the difference between contentment and smugness in religion?
7. In what ways has your spiritual life become out of balance?
8. What Scripture passages give you direction as you seek a more meaningful relationship with Christ? 

--------------------

“To keep a vow, therefore, means not to keep from breaking it, but rather to devote the rest of one’s life to discovering what the vow means, and to be willing to change and to grow accordingly.” - Mike Mason

Study 9: Chasing After Wisdom

How Do We Chase After Wisdom?

1. Who is the wisest human being you know? What makes him or her so wise?
2. What can you do to gain wisdom?
3. To what extent do you feel shame for not knowing God’s will?
4. To what extent do you despise not “having intel”?
5. To what extent do you prefer “knowing” over “doing”?
6. What benefits are derived from education or from learning new skills?
7. What skills and ability are of most value to your for practical day-to-day living?
8. In what ways does God give his children wisdom to live life successfully?
9. What does it mean to live a successful life?
10. What Scripture passages help ground you in God’s wisdom?

Ecclesiastes 7:1 – 8:1 – Where Can We Find Wisdom?

1. What are ways the Teacher describes wisdom?
2. What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
3. How can suffering and sorrow offer instruction for living?
4. Do you agree with the description of wisdom in verses 11-12?
5. What are the limits of human wisdom according to verses 13-15?
6. Describe how fearing God puts life into perspective (v. 18)
7. What perspective does wisdom provide according to verses 19-22?
8. What further observations does the Teacher make from his quest for wisdom (7:23-8:1)?

Other passages to consider:

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (ESV)

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.'

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.


James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.


James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.


Romans 11:33-36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Study 8: Chasing After Wealth

"Money is one of the most common counterfeit gods there is. When it takes hold of your heart it blinds you to what is happening, it controls you through your anxieties and lusts, and it brings you to put it ahead of all other things." (Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods)

How Do We Chase After Money/Wealth?

1. Take a moment to assess your money situation. Would you consider yourself rich? Poor? Getting by? Are you content with your present financial situation, or do you find it an occasion for anxiety or even panic?
2. Are you hopeful about the future in terms of your financial security, or are you depressed? Why?
3. Is your chief motivation in your work to earn money to survive? To thrive? To gain prestige in the eyes of others? To help others?
4. In what ways do you relate Christ to your financial situation? In what was do you tend to keep your finances separate from your spiritual life?
5. How can finding your ultimate meaning in Christ help you have a more balanced perspective about money?
6. What Scripture passages can help you maintain that balance?

Ecclesiastes 5:8-17

1. The passage describes how money can lead to frustration. We can all agree that money is necessary to live in the world and that we must work for it. Is it possible to recognize that reality and still find contentment? How?
2. How does the Teacher describe the nature of wealth?
3. What negative effects does the desire for wealth have in public life (5:8-9)? In personal life (5:10-17)?
4. Describe a struggle with attachment to the things you own.
5. How do your possessions relate to your sense of security? Comfort? Power? Control? Approval?

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor (Ecclesiastes 5: 8-17)

8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields

10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.


Other verses to consider:
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Luke 16:10-13
Matthew 6:24
Matthew 19:21-24
Hebrews 13:5-6
Revelation 3:15-17

What does God think about money?

• Contentment without a bunch of wealth is possible, and there is great gain in contentment
• Desire to be rich leads to temptation
• Love of money is the problem
• Money itself is not evil
• God doesn't outright condemn material things
• We have wealth in knowing God will never forsake us
• You cannot serve both God and money
• Treasure in heaven is not the same as wealth on earth
• We may boast in riches but Jesus points to our spirit --- he calls a rich man "poor"
• We worship/serve something, always
• Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven
• God ties contentment to his eternal character

Discussion on wealth as idolatry:

• Riches are delusional
• Idol: loving the thing so much that you don't want to give it away for God
• Thins associated with riches = TEMPTATION (fall away from God, tempted to want more, etc.)
• Rev. 3:17 = the state of the world
• 1 Tim. 6:7 - we bring nothing into this world and take nothing out of it
• Working solely for money makes life worse
• You cannot serve both God and money ---> one gets HATE and one gets LOVE
• Wealth as an idol -- serve it, manipulate it to get what you want, can serve a budget/savings, dependent on it
• Error on the end of poverty because money tempts us to MORE
• Tithing -- a good scale for this; sometimes it requires doing it out of obedience even when you don't feel like it
• Wealth defined by Jesus is contentment in him
• Need grace to RECEIVE as well with thanksgiving
• Hard to receive from others if we feel like we are taking something integral
• Accept God's wealth with thanksgiving
• Wealth is not just moeny
• Money becomes comparative quite easily
• Money = the compulsion for a *new* thing
• Be grateful for the wealth you do have
• Prioritize joy (e.g. stuff you buy vs. evening with friends)
• Contentment = being in the moment (not looking ahead too far)

Study 7: Chasing After Success

"More than other idols, personal success and achievement lead to a sense that we ourselves are god, that our security and value rest in our own wisdom, strength, and performance. To be the very best at what you do, to be at the top of the heap, means no one is like you. You are supreme." (Tim Keller, "Counterfeit Gods", The Seduction of Success)

Ecclesiastes 2:4-26 – What Is the Value of Work?

• What does the Teacher say about work in verses 21-23?
• What would he say about workaholic tendencies in our society?
• How could his perspective on work help with this mentality?
• What shift do you see in the way the Teacher views work in verses 24-26?
• If you were to view your work as a gift from God to be enjoyed, how could that change your attitude about it?
• The passage describes how hard work leading to monetary success can be frustrating. What kind of satisfaction can work lead to?

How Do We Chase After Work?

• Take a moment and assess your work situation, whether that work is outside the home or in it. Are you content with your work? Do you enjoy it or hate it? Why or why not?
• Would you consider yourself a workaholic? How would your spouse or close friends characterize you?
• In what ways do you relate Christ to your work situation? In what ways do you tend to keep work separate from your spiritual life?
• How can finding your ultimate meaning in Christ help you have a more balanced perspective about work?
• What Scripture passages can help you maintain that balance?

Update, discussion from YH:

What about work/success is satisfying?

• Feel proud for working hard
• Feels good when we have something to show for our work
• Approval or getting praised for it
• Finding worth in it
• Seeing the fruit from it

What about it is unsatisfying?

• It doesn't last
• Feels good for awhile, but then you want more
• Reward for doing a good job is more work
• Endless
• Competitive
• Wanting to take

What makes success an idol?

• You can "attain" it and think you have control over it
• It is expected of us -- HAVE to achieve success
• Becomes a part of who you are -- work defines us
• Pride
• "Owning it" in an unhealthy way
• When we are defensive about our roles/work

What is a healthy version of work?

• Success can be many different versions
• You are not your job
• Think about success in terms of where you can change your world --- not just a "job"
• Treating what you have honorably
• Remember it's a process (not just the "end point")
• Contentment

How to find contentment?

• Steward of God's investment
• Romans 15:17 - "In Christ Jesus then I have reason to be proud of my work for God"
• Right level of "ownership" of what God has given us
• To *not* use what He's given us to glorify Him is a dishonor
• Jeremiah 12:5 - “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?"
• Process makes us strong
• Success leads to reward -- but we don't "own" the reward!
• Trust to God's timing
• Just because we pray and act, doesn't mean we get
• Many times we are like, "Okay God is it A, B, or C?" and He's like, "42"
• God's version of success is often not like ours or the world's
• Ask: what can I do to be successful *in this very moment*?
• Allow for improvisation
• No procrastination :)

Study 6: Chasing After Romance

Quote, Tim Keller ("Counterfeit Gods"):
“Romantic love is an object of enormous power for the human heart and imagination, and therefore can excessively dominate our lives. Even people who completely avoid romantic love out of bitterness or fear are actually being controlled by its power.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Exodus 20:3-6

3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Galatians 5:16-17

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

James 1:13-15

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

 
I'll also encourage you to read Genesis 29 and think about Jacob specifically and his approach to love. Was love a form of slavery to him? Was Rachel Jacob's "savior"? Was romance and marriage a counterfeit god?

Questions

• Do you feel controlled by romantic love or the idea of romance?
• Why do we look to romance and sex and marriage to give us meaning?
• Power?
• Control and Security?
• Approval?
• Pleasure and Comfort?
• Of the following three responses, which one most fits you when you realize romance is an idol in your life?:
• (1) Blame the things that are disappointing you and try to move on to better ones (continued idolatry and spiritual addiction)
• (2) Blame yourself and beat yourself up – self-loathing and shame
• (3) Blame the world – (i.e. “curses on the entire opposite sex”) – hard, cynical, & empty
• How do we guard ourselves from putting our deepest hopes and longings in the person we marry?
• How do we foster healthy desires for romance & love?
• Is God a romantic?

Update 3/5/10, from Discussion

Why do we look to romance to give us meaning?

• The world pushes it
• Everyone seems to say relationships are great
• It's the unknown that's enticing
• Dating and romance get rewarded - it feels good
• Tangible, instant gratification
• Easy to get tied up in emotions
• Nice to have needs met in one specific 'irreplaceable' person
• We know it's a different level of acceptance than with friends
• Marriage is meant to be something!
• Immediate approval of "ideal self" -- with God, he knows all our mess

What makes romance an idol?

• Wanting the quick fix
• Lust can certainly be involved
• Trying to force it to happen
• Desire can lead to envy and jealously
• Expecting to be known fully by a human
• Desire for possession is more pleasurable than possession
• Craving the drama (the ups and downs) -- with God, it's constant
• Finding worth in relationships
• Addictive (to romance, see quote below)
• Worship of self, selfish behavior
• With God commitment precedes intimacy, and in the world we do it backwards
• Romance not the the same thing as love
• What we desire typically isn't even REAL
• No one can meet our expectations

How do we foster healthy desire for romance and love and relationships?

• Desire is not inherently wrong
• Lie from world: sex is love .... lie from the church: women don't really desire sex (BOOK: "Real Sex" by Lauren Winner)
• But, desire for idols should be a signal to ask yourself "why?"
• Thought can give birth to worse, so don't just dismiss the initial thought/emotion (even if that desire isn't "wrong")
• Be content --- and remember that contentment does NOT take away desire
• Enjoy and celebrate right desire
• All our desire can be found in God

Is God romantic?

• Yes, God romances ...
• God romances your ETERNAL you (not simply the physical/emotional you) -- and it is specific
• God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) --- and the "you" is both individual and collective, not simply one or the other
• We are drawn to God through other eternal beings --- he romances us through other people
• God is always present

What do we do to get ourselves out of unrealistic expectations?

• Let is die -- be honest about faulty desire with God (name them) and let them die
• Die to self --- try to do something outside of self
• Foster greater desire for God
• C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory: "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
• Trust God's timeline
• Thanksgiving
• Prayer
• Remember the images in the movies fall way short -- they aren't Jesus

 Quote regarding romance addiction:

"Inevitably, romance addiction, like any other addiction, begins to interfere with the addict's life. What once brought relief soon bring spain, demanding more relief, causing more pain…and so on. What was once a technique for control takes control and throw life out of balance. The addict cannot work or play with theta obsession rearing its head…. Everything else in life takes second place to feeing the addictive craving for romantic intoxication.

Ironically, in almost every case the true object of the obsession is not another person, whether real or imagined, but the addict [herself]. The addict is totally focused on her own broken soul, filled with the hurts caused by all those who have abandoned her in the past. Only one thing matters: feel better now. Only one thing is sought: immediate relief from pain.

Little attention or concern is wasted on anyone else. It is almost impossible for romance addicts, in the throes of their obsessive thinking and behavior, to see beyond the shell of their own self-absorption to the pain they are causing others. All they know is that they hurt, and that they must have what they need to salve their wound. If in the process they wound another, that is unfortunate. But it cannot be helped. Getting the romance 'fix' is all that matters."

(Shannon Ethridge, Every Woman's Battle, quoting Addicted to Love)

Study 5: Chasing After Pleasure & Comfort

Idol: "Pleasure will satisfy me."

Some quick definitions (food for thought):

• Pleasure: state of gratification; source of delight or joy; desire, inclination
• Comfort: feeling of relief or encouragement; contented well-being; satisfying or enjoyable experience
• Comfort doesn’t equal pleasure. Comfort = no pain. The opposite of pain is not pleasure, but comfort.

How Do We Chase After Pleasure?

1. Be honest with yourself. What do you enjoy doing more than anything else? If you had a completely free day, all the money in the world, and no sense of guilt, how would you spend that day?
2. At the end of a really stressful day, what to you go to first for comfort?
3. Does the search for pleasure ever consume you? Do you avoid pain? Would you consider yourself an addictive person? How would others characterize you?
4. Imagine your most enjoyable day, doing exactly what you want to do for fun and relaxation. After that day, do you see yourself thanking God? Trying to forget that God knows what you’ve done? Not even giving God a thought? Why or why not?
5. What specific pleasures do you enjoy in life?
6. Would you characterize the pleasure you experience as a gift from God or an idol that enslaves? If the latter, how do you break the bondage?
7. How can you enjoy life in the midst of disappointment and even pain?
8. What do the feelings of joy you experience in the present teach you about heaven?
9. What Scripture passages help you understand God’s joy when you feel pleasure?

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has been already
in the ages before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things,
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things yet to be
among those who come after.

***Note the Hebrew word for "vanity" is hebel = "vapor"


Taking a Closer Look

1. Verses 5-7 describe three natural phenomena that go around in circles. What are they? Does your life sometimes feel like it is going around in circles? Give examples.
2. Verse 10 asks, “What can you point to that is truly new?” Can you think of anything? In what way is it new?
3. According to verse 8, seeking new experiences will not bring lasting satisfaction. When have you found this to be true in your own life?
4. What is an area of struggle in your life that has recently seemed futile or meaningless?

***Update 2/26, Notes from Study

Does life ever feel like Ecclesiastes 1:1-11?

• Yes!
• When emotional
• When bored & feel stagnant

What are new experiences we chase after?

• False hope -- it's about what we hope in (the wrong things)
• Looking to the NEXT STEP
• Not so much *what* we seek but *why* and *how*
• Illusioned as to what we think will satisfy us
• Seeking contentment -- we tend to think we know better how to get that
• When we focus on our solutions to being content, we are discontent

What needs to happen to resolve this?

• Contentment --- which lends itself to pleasure and comfort! But you have to start with contentment in Christ
• Complaint is a cycle of non-enjoyment
• Thanksgiving
• Focus on the present
• Self-discipline
• Acknowledgment of a life-long process
• Reevaluate what you really want
• Sometimes the "wanting" is more pleasurable than the receiving

In what ways do you avoid pain?

• Procrastination
• Doing "fun" things (internet, TV, etc.)
• Having a fruit loop
• Wallowing in pain --- literally as a means to "avoid pain" because the real pain may feel like submitting to God
• Peacing out
• Reading something that's "easy" and a quick comfort (literary candy)

 Other issues with comfort:

• Comfort can seem like the "right thing"
• Easier to want friends to be happy rather than help them face a hard truth
• Even if you sit down and try to deal with it -- doesn't mean there will be an answer from God and that He will just "fix it"
• Need eternal perspective balanced with the right-now
• Ignore sunk costs
• Myth: the victorious Christian life
• permission to sin and exhortation to not sin again (... oh!!)
• “God’s love is not wearied by our sins or our indifference. It is quite relentless that we shall be cured of those sins; at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him.” (C.S. Lewis)
• God is not intimidated by the depth and range of what we are experiencing
• "There is nothing new under the sun" --- He's seen it before!
• God isn't Advil

Study 4: Chasing After Approval

Little bit of a challenge this week to find a passage in Ecclesiastes that directly addresses approval. The best I can come up with is Ecclesiastes 6:1-12. This passage seems to deal mainly with the notion of a wasted life, but certainly addresses honor and causes us to consider what it is that makes life good and how God fits into that. Is approval from other people a necessary part of a good life? We'll discuss what level of chasing after approval makes it an idol.

Some questions:

• What role does God have in the satisfaction that wealth, possessions and honor can bring?
• Are you dissatisfied with what God has given you in this life?
• Are you ever irritated, discontent or unsatisfied unless you are loved and respected by a particular person or group of people?
• How can approval be an idol?
• Give an example of how viewing honor/approval as a gift from God would help to change your attachment to it.
• What does our society define as “the good life” and how is approval connected to it?
• How does Scripture define “the good life”? (see the Beatitudes)
• Do you find it difficult living a biblical version of the “good life,” especially if it means sacrificing approval from others?
• How can you exercise trust in God to be your source of approval?

Discussion...

What kinds of things do we do to try to gain approval from others?

• Not standing up for something we see as wrong
• Need to increase in knowledge of our field
• Get to know what other people like/want and shape ourselves to that
• Omitting information
• Conceal/reveal
• Not wanting to be weak
• Holding back our opinions
• Doing activities to impress others (e.g. resume, accomplishments)
• Conformity
• Disclaiming

What makes approval an idol?

• If we don't have it, we NEED it, get depressed, and fight harder to get it
• Not seeking God's approval first
• Looking for WORTH in other people
• It tends to spiral out of control; approval is insatiable
• Equating Christian friends' approval with God's
• Security linked to approval
• Identity in approval

How do we know we're doing what God wants?

• Get to know God and find out what he wants
• When we're not:
• Shame (vs. hope)
• Lack of peace
•  Guidance can come from other people, too

Particular people/groups we struggle with needing approval from?

• Parents
• Men
• Self
• Boyfriend/Husband
• Advisers
• Superiors
• non-Christians
• Siblings

How can we combat it?

• Finding approval in God and letting him define you
• Humble yourself
• BELIEVE Him
• Approval from others should be the icing on the cake, not the meal
• Seeking approval is insatiable, but when we aren't seeking it and receive approval, it can be satisfying and just stays there and we move on

Study 3: Chasing After Power

How Do We Chase After Power?

1. What emotions do you experience when you feel that something is beyond your power?
2. Does the “power of God" have any practical value in your daily life? Describe where you see his power and how it affects your power

Ecclesiastes 8:2-17 – How Shall We Live Under Authority?

1. In this study the Teacher outlines some positive benefits of relating to both human and divine authority
2. Why does the Teacher encourage obedience to authority?
3. What is significant about the fact that human authority is limited (v. 8)?
4. What struggles do you have in living under authority?
5. How has a sense of authority brought positive benefits to your life?
6. What struggles do you have in positively exercising authority?
7. What unjust uses of authority are described (v. 9-11, 14)?
8. How does God’s authority, alluded to in verses 15-17, contrast with human limitations in verses 7-8?
9. How is allowing God to have authority in our lives more beneficial than operating under out own sense of authority?

Study 2: Chasing After Control

GENERAL STUDY QUESTIONS FOR THE SEMESTER:

1. How can _______ be an idol?
2. How can I recognize/discern this as idolatry in my life?
3. How can I de-throne _______ in my life?
4. How can I celebrate the God-given desire for _______ in my life in a God-glorifying way?

HOW CAN WE DISCERN OUR IDOLS???
(1) Look at your imagination/daydream
(2) Look at how you spend your money
(3) How do you respond to unanswered prayers and frustrated hopes?
(4) Look at your most uncontrollable emotions.
(5) What do you spend most of your time doing?
(6) In what ways do you envy others?
(7) For what do you need instant gratification?
(8) Over what do you experience misplaced shame?
(9) What is all-consuming and causes you to have tunnel vision?
(10) What do you trust more than God?


Control vs. Power:
Power is defined as the ability to act or accomplish something. Control, on the other hand, is focused around dominating or exercising restraint or command over something. Example: Tennis racquet. Our quest for control also tempts us to acquire power over others because we assume power = control. We're going to discuss power next study.


Ecclesiastes: Control will always slip out of our grasp

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:3 – Who Is Really in Control?

1. This famous chapter of Ecclesiastes poses a solution for life’s bothersome dilemma. The solution hinges on how we answer the question: Who is really in control? If people are in charge, then life is a game of chance whose rules are controlled by the most powerful among us. But if a just and loving God is in charge, then eternity intersects our circumstances with a lifelong series of divine appointments.
2. What is the Teacher’s view of time?
3. How would you live your life differently if you believed God had no control?
4. What consequences of not acknowledging God’s control are taking place in our society?
5. How does God’s sovereign control of time and eternity bring meaning to life?
6. How do you struggle with the tension of knowing God is in control and yet seeing wickedness in control?

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
1. Do you agree that sometimes chance trumps skill or ability?
2. Does life ever feel like a “net” to you (v. 12)?
3. What does this passage say about our ability to control life?
4. How does this passage affect your view of life when competence and skill seem to be bested by chance?

How Do We Chase After Control?
1. Over what parts of your life do you feel you have control? Where do you wish you had more?
2. What do you have to sacrifice to keep order in your life? Time? Relationships? Leisure?
3. How do you plan your day, your month, your life?
4. What does it mean to you to surrender your life to God? What does the surrender mean for your planning?
5. Does the realization that life is ultimately untamable ever cause you to panic?
6. What verses from Scripture give you hope in the midst of panic or helplessness?
7. What are Biblical examples of healthy control?


-----------------

1/31/10 Update
**Notes from the study

What does the Teacher say about our ability to control life?

• Life can be a net
• "Roll with the punches" -- there is a season for everything
• Life is untameable 
• God alone knows time

How do you respond to having no control?

• The world/society teaches us that we do have control! And should!
• To know the future is to be trapped by it
• Hate being stagnant
• Control is exhausting
• Being a landlord of your own life
• Too much control shuts God out and shuts other people out

Why do we have to have control?

• Fear
• Mistrust in God having control (which also leads to depression)
• Thinking I can do it better
• Society -- in order to live in this world we need to "have it together"

Good kind of control?

• Knowing God is in control brings comfort
• Self-control = fruit of the Spirit
• C.S. Lewis -- too much of a good thing becomes law (it's not that control is a 'bad thing')
• Planning for the future BUT ALSO being willing/able to change direction (ex: Ruth)
• Discipline
• Following God regardless of circumstance and emotion (ex: Jonah)
• Order out of chaos -- God-glorifying

How to dethrone control as an idol?

• No contingency plans
• "I trust you Jesus"
• GOSPEL: control is found in surrender
• Prayer
• Trust God to chip away the ugliness and leave something beautiful
• Trust God to do the pruning ... and be patient

Study 1: The Idols Of Our Hearts

So, my goal is to supply information about each study before we meet for it. It will be more info and verses than we'll have time to discuss on Thursdays, but I want it at least out there somewhere for you to access if you're interested.

Basically, every study we'll try to hit these main points:

1. How can _______ be an idol?
• What does the Bible say about it? (Ecclesiastes will help)
  
2. How can I recognize/discern this as idolatry in my life?
3. How can I de-throne _______ in my life?
• See below for details
  
4. How can I celebrate the God-given desire for _______ in my life in a God-glorifying way?
   
• We want to be careful to not fear the good stuff God gives us in our attempts to avoid idolatry
• Said another way: the goal of this study is not to make us all feel like crap and to condemn ourselves

**Reminder that the semester overview is here.

Alright, so, onto the study....

Study 1: The Idols of Our Hearts

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT IDOLATRY???

In short: lots! So, I'll share what I can ...

Exodus 20:1-4

20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Jeremiah 18:15-17
15 But my people have forgotten me;
they make offerings to false gods;
they made them stumble in their ways,
in the ancient roads,
and to walk into side roads,
not the highway,
16 making their land a horror,
a thing to be hissed at forever.
Everyone who passes by it is horrified
and shakes his head.
17 Like the east wind I will scatter them
before the enemy.
I will show them my back, not my face,
in the day of their calamity."

Effects of worshipping idols

• Ezekiel 20:16
• Isaiah 45:20
• 1 Corinthians 12:2

Consequences of idolatry

• Exodus 22:20
• Psalm 97:7
• Jeremiah 5:19
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
  

Idolatry as adultery toward God as our true spouse

• Jeremiah 2:1-4:4
• Ezekial 16:1-63
• Hosea 1-4
• Isaiah 54:5-8, 62:5
• What do we enjoy imagining? What are our fondest dreams?

Idolatry as self-salvation

• Jeremiah 2:28
• Judges 10:13-14
• Isaiah 45:20
• Deuteronomy 32:37-38
• What do we fear the most? What, if we lost it, would make life not worth living?

Idolatry as spiritual treason, betraying our true King

• 1 Samuel 8:6-8, 12:12
• Judges 8:23
• Romans 1:25-26
• What makes us uncontrollably angry, anxious, or despondent? What racks us with a guilt we can’t shake?

HOW CAN WE DISCERN OUR IDOLS???

(1) Look at your imagination

• “Your religion is what you do with your solitude” (Archbishop William Temple)
• Where do your thoughts effortlessly go with nothing else is demanding their attention?
• What do you enjoy daydreaming about?
• How do you think about your future?
• What occupies your thoughts?
  

(2) Look at how you spend your money

• Our patterns of spending reveal our idols

(3) How do you respond to unanswered prayers and frustrated hopes?

(4) Look at your most uncontrollable emotions.

(5) What do you spend most of your time doing?

(6) In what ways do you envy others?


WHY STUDY ECCLESIASTES???

The book of Ecclesiastes is an idol buster

• The Teacher in this book explores different avenues of potential meaning in his life; surprisingly, he comes up empty, frustrated and angry. “Everything is meaningless”
• Much of our current activity involves “chasing the wind” or even after false gods and it gets us nowhere
• Essentially it is a dialogue between two wise men—a skeptic and a person of faith. For most of Ecclesiastes the skeptic does the talking. He recounts his search for meaning in life.
• He learns that
• Control will always slip out of our grasp
• Relationships will always disappoint
• Work will leave us frustrated
• Pleasure is always fleeting
• Wisdom is never an adequate guide
• Spirituality usually gives in to legalism
• Life ends in decay and death

Book’s final conclusion: we find bold purpose & fulfillment when we submit to God’s great desires for us.

For a sampling of Ecclesiastes, read:
Ecclesiastes 1, 2:11, 3:9-15, 5:1-7


HOW DO WE GET RID OF THE IDOLS OF OUR HEARTS?

Joshua 24:23
He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Simply put: Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol.

The Book of Ecclesiastes: Introduction

Ecclesiastes (from the ESV Study Bible)

Author, Title, and Date

The traditional English title comes from the book's heading in the Latin Vulgate translation (Liber Ecclesiastes) and is an anglicized version of the Greek and Latin renderings of the speaker's designation in Ecclesiastes 1:1 (Gk. ekklēsiastēs; Hb. Qoheleth). The Hebrew word is related to the term for “assembly” (Hb. qahal) and may be a title for someone who addresses an assembly (hence it is often translated “Preacher”). It could also refer to someone who possesses some other leadership role within an assembly. Scholars have debated whether Qoheleth is best understood as a personal name or a title, though the latter seems more likely in view of 12:8, where the definite article (“the”) precedes the word.

Strictly speaking, then, the book is anonymous, given that no personal name is attached to it. Nevertheless, traditional Jewish and Christian scholarship has often ascribed authorship to Solomon (10th century b.c.), since the book describes the Preacher as the “son of David, king in Jerusalem” (1:1) and as someone who was surpassingly wise (1:16) and had a very prosperous reign (2:1–9; cf. 1 Kings 3–4). However, such arguments for Solomonic authorship have been called into question on several grounds: (1) The phrase “son of David” could refer to any legitimate Davidic descendant, as it does in Matthew 1:20 with reference to Joseph and frequently throughout the NT with reference to Jesus Christ. (2) The distinctive nature of the Hebrew language used in the book is widely believed to be indicative of a date much later than the 10th century b.c. (though some scholars explain the linguistic evidence in terms of other factors, such as a later modernizing of the language, the influence of foreign languages such as Phoenician or Aramaic, or the possibility of a regional dialect). (3) The Preacher's remarks imply a historical setting that seems in tension with the Solomonic era, such as the fact that many have preceded him as king in Jerusalem (e.g., Eccles. 1:16; 2:7, 9—though these may include non-Israelite kings), that injustice and oppression are openly practiced (3:16–17; 4:1–3; 8:10–11), and that he has observed firsthand the foolishness of kings (4:13–16; 10:5–6) and their abuse of royal power (8:2–9).

On the other hand, other proposals also have difficulties, for it is difficult to find any later “king in Jerusalem” (1:1) who is a better candidate than Solomon for being able to claim that he had “acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me” (1:16), or that he had great possessions, “more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem” (2:7). In light of the book's anonymity and the difficulty in using linguistic evidence to establish its date of composition, it is best simply to recognize that some interpreters have concluded the author was Solomon, while others think it was some other writer later than Solomon. Regardless, the book claims that its wisdom ultimately comes from the “one Shepherd” (12:11), i.e., from God (Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23:1; 28:9; 80:1).

Theme and Interpretation of Ecclesiastes

The theme of Ecclesiastes is the necessity of fearing God in a fallen, and therefore frequently confusing and frustrating, world. The unique character of the book, however, has led to its being interpreted in widely diverse ways: as a statement of pessimism, optimism, religious and philosophical skepticism (either the Preacher's own or a skepticism assumed for the purpose of demonstrating the futility of an irreligious point of view), faithful belief, heterodoxy, and orthodoxy, to name only a few. Such contradictory understandings of the book are made possible by several of its distinctive features: (1) The book's refrain “vanity of vanities” is open to very different interpretations (see Key Themes), and one's understanding of this important thematic statement will significantly influence one's interpretation of the book as a whole. (2) The attempt to identify any consistent message in the book encounters difficulty because of a number of alleged contradictions within it (e.g., wisdom “preserves life” in 7:12 but fails to do so in 2:16; death is preferable to life's misery in 4:2 but life is superior to death in 9:4–6). (3) The Preacher makes a number of statements which, on the surface, appear highly unorthodox (e.g., 7:16) and at odds with other biblical statements (compare, e.g., 2:16 with Prov. 3:18, or Eccles. 11:9 with Num. 15:39). While the book's epilogue (Eccles. 12:9–12) affirms the Preacher's wisdom, a number of scholars have asserted that these closing verses misrepresent his teaching and his purpose in writing, and therefore conclude that they are to be viewed as a misguided later addition that was intended to make the heterodoxy of the book more palatable to the original readers.

According to the basic interpretative approach adopted here, the Preacher is not to be viewed as some kind of skeptical iconoclast but rather as a teacher of orthodoxy, whose musings on God and human existence present a consistent message that is to be viewed as standing within the broad stream of the biblical wisdom tradition. The epilogue faithfully distills the weightiest themes of the book (see Key Themes, along with the note on 12:13–14). In several instances the book affirms themes from elsewhere in the Wisdom Literature (compare 5:2 with Prov. 10:19; Eccles. 5:15 with Job 1:21; Eccles. 7:1 with Prov. 22:1; Eccles. 8:12 with Prov. 1:7; Eccles. 10:3 with Prov. 13:16), most notably the importance of “the fear of the Lord” (see notes on Eccles. 3:14; 5:7; 12:13–14), thus indicating its basic agreement with the larger biblical message.

At the same time, however, the Preacher is distinctly original and creative in his thought and manner of expression and is not merely restating what other sages have taught. As a genuine wisdom teacher, he has a gift for penetrating observation and for stating things in a profound and challenging manner that spur the listener on to deeper thought and reflection. Many of the difficulties or paradoxes in the book can be reasonably explained in terms of: (1) his provocative style; (2) the general method of wisdom teaching, which can state apparently contradictory principles (e.g., Prov. 26:4–5) and leave it to the listener to work out which principle applies in a particular situation; and (3) the fact that, rather than focusing primarily on stating general truths that are applicable to most situations (as is the tendency with the teaching of the book of Proverbs), the Preacher devotes much of his attention to examining unique individual situations (e.g., Eccles. 4:7–8; 5:13–14; 9:13–16), which can represent deviations from what one might normally expect (e.g., 4:13–16; 9:11). Thus, while he does not deny the validity of the general depiction of reality found in the Wisdom Literature, the Preacher is also keenly aware of the complexities of life in a fallen world, which result in many individual exceptions to the “rules” of biblical wisdom.

One can see the Preacher's most distinctive contribution from the way he uses the term “find out” (see note on 3:11). Every human being wants to find out and understand all the ways of God in the world, but he cannot, because he is not God. And yet the faithful do not despair but cling to God, who deserves their trust; they can leave it to him to make sense of it all, while they seek to learn what it means to “fear God and keep his commandments,” even when they cannot see what God is doing. This is true wisdom.

Purpose, Occasion, and Background

Like the rest of the Bible's Wisdom Literature, Ecclesiastes is concerned with imparting wisdom and knowledge to the people of God (12:9–11) and teaching them to fear the Lord. The speaker's designation indicates that he is addressing an assembly of some kind (see Author, Title, and Date), though his counsel in 5:1–7 would seem to suggest a setting outside of the temple. The socioeconomic diversity of his audience is indicated by his remarks directed toward royal counselors (e.g., 8:1–9) as well as common farmers (e.g., 11:6).

Key Themes

1. The tragic reality of the fall. The Preacher is painfully aware that the creation has been “subjected to futility” and is “groaning . . . in the pains of childbirth” (Rom. 8:20, 22), and his more troubled musings are to be viewed as the cry of the heart of one who likewise is “groaning inwardly” as he eagerly awaits the resurrection age (see Rom. 8:23). It is especially noteworthy that when Paul refers to the creation being “subjected to futility,” the Greek word he uses (mataiotēs) is the one utilized 38 times in the lxx version of Ecclesiastes to render the word “vanity” (Hb. hebel), indicating that this book might well have formed the background to Paul's thought in Romans 8:18ff. The emphasis on the fall and its disastrous effects is closely related to the book's other key themes described below.

2. The “vanity” of life. The book begins and ends with the exclamation, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccles. 1:2; 12:8). While “vanity” is obviously a key word throughout the book (its 38 occurrences account for more than half of its total usage in the OT), it is notoriously difficult to translate. Literally the word means “vapor” (see esv footnote on 1:2) and conjures up a picture of something fleeting, ephemeral, and elusive, with different nuances to be ascertained from each context. When applied to human undertakings or the pleasures and joys of earthly life, it indicates that “the present form of this world is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31); applied to the darker realities of living in a fallen world (e.g., death), it expresses frustration, anger, or sorrow; applied to the Preacher's search for understanding of all things, it indicates something that remained incomprehensible or inscrutable to him (e.g., Eccles. 1:14–15). This last-mentioned usage is particularly significant, as the book presents itself as primarily a quest to “figure out” all of life (see esp. 1:12–18).

3. Sin and death. Human beings forfeited the righteousness they originally possessed before God (7:29), and thus all people are sinners (7:20). The opening chapters of Genesis make it clear that death was a result of the fall (Gen. 2:16–17; 3:19), and the Preacher is only too aware of this dreadful reality that affects everyone (e.g., Eccles. 2:14–17; 3:18–21; 6:6).

4. The joy and the frustration of work. God gave Adam work to accomplish prior to the fall (Gen. 2:15), but part of the punishment of his sin was that it would become painful toil (Gen. 3:17–19). Both realities are borne out in the Preacher's experience, as he finds his work to be both satisfying (Eccles. 2:10, 24; 3:22; 5:18–20; 9:9–10) as well as aggravating (2:18–23; 4:4ff.).

5. The grateful enjoyment of God's good gifts. The Preacher spends a great deal of time commenting on the twisted realities of a fallen world, but this does not blind him to the beauty of the world God created (3:11) or cause him to despise God's good gifts of human relationships, food, drink, and satisfying labor (2:24–26; 3:12–13; 5:18–20; 7:14; 8:15; 9:7, 9). These are to be received humbly and enjoyed fully as blessings from God.

6. The fear of God. The fact that “all is vanity” should drive people to take refuge in God, whose work endures forever (3:14) and who is a “rock” for those who take shelter in him (e.g., Ps. 18:2; 62:8; 94:22). In other words, it summons people to “fear” or “revere” God (see notes on Eccles. 3:14; 5:7; 12:13–14; cf. also 7:18 and 8:12–13).

History of Salvation Summary

The history of salvation is the grand overarching story of the Bible; embracing it gives coherence to all of life. It calls each of God's people to own the story, and it dignifies each one with a role in the further outworking of the story. Nevertheless it is impossible for any human being to fully grasp how his or her decisions will contribute to God's grand scheme; and Ecclesiastes helps people to see that they do not have to understand this. Each of the faithful, by “fearing God and keeping his commandments” (12:13), participates in ways that he cannot “find out,” trusting that God will take care of the big plan. Despite the fact that the Preacher is a great king and a teacher of true wisdom, he ultimately surpasses Solomon and others (1:16; 2:7, 9). From a Christian theological perspective, reading the biblical story line as a whole, one can see analogies between the Preacher and Jesus Christ who is the “Son of David” (Matt. 1:1), king (Matt. 2:2; Acts 17:7; Rev. 17:14; 19:16), “wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:24, 30), and “one Shepherd” (Ezek. 34:23; 37:24; John 10:11, 16), in whose ministry “something greater than Solomon” has arrived (Luke 11:31). (For an explanation of the “History of Salvation,” see the Overview of the Bible. See also History of Salvation in the Old Testament: Preparing the Way for Christ.)

Literary Features

Although Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature, it does not read like a typical collection of proverbs. The proverbs are molded into clusters, and furthermore there is a unifying plot line that organizes the units together. The units fall into the three categories of recollections, reflections, and mood pieces. All of these are expressed by a narrator who in effect tells the story of his quest to find satisfaction in life. This quest is reconstructed from the vantage point of someone whose quest ended satisfactorily. The transitions between units often keep the quest in view: “so I turned to consider,” “again I saw,” “then I saw,” etc. As the quest unfolds, one is continuously aware of the discrepancy between the narrator's present outlook and his futile search undertaken in the past. In effect, the speaker recalls the labyrinth of dead ends that he pursued, recreating his restless past with full vividness but not representing it as his mature outlook. Along with the narrative thread, the observational format of much of the material gives the book a meditative cast.

This mini-anthology is strongly unified by recurrent words and motifs. The phrase “under the sun” or its equivalent occurs more than 30 times. The Hebrew words translated “vanity” (hebel; see Key Themes, point 2) and “find” (matsa’; see Theme and Interpretation of Ecclesiastes) appear throughout the book and suggest the fleetingness of any human being's grasp of the full meaning of events. To keep the reader rooted in the real world, the author repeatedly uses the imagery of eating, drinking, toil, sleep, death, and the cycles of nature.

The proverb is the basic building block of the book. While all wisdom literature tends to make use of the resources of poetry, including the verse form of parallelism, the book of Ecclesiastes flaunts its poetic medium much more than ordinary wisdom literature does. The author is a master of image, metaphor, and simile. The book is partly observational and descriptive in format; one should approach such passages in a meditative way, reflecting on experience of the phenomena that the author describes. The book is also very affective, so the reader needs to be receptive of the moods that it seeks to instill.


Outline

1. Introduction and Theme (1:1–3)
2. First Catalog of “Vanities” (1:4–2:26)
   
   1. The “vanity” of the natural world (1:4–11)
   2. The “vanity” of wisdom and knowledge (1:12–18)
   3. The “vanity” of pleasures, possessions, and accomplishments (2:1–11)
   4. More on the “vanity” of wisdom (2:12–17)
   5. The “vanity” of labor (2:18–26)
   
   
3. Poem: A Time for Everything (3:1–8)
4. Fear God, the Sovereign One (3:9–15)
5. Second Catalog of “Vanities” (3:16–4:16)
   
   1. The “vanity” of mortal life (3:16–4:3)
   2. More on the “vanity” of labor (4:4–12)
   3. More on the “vanity” of wisdom (4:13–16)
   
   
6. Fear God, the Holy and Righteous One (5:1–7)
7. Life “Under the Sun” (5:8–7:24)
   
   1. Injustice (5:8–9)
   2. Greed vs. contentment (5:10–6:9)
   3. Wisdom for living “under the sun” (6:10–7:24)
   
   
8. The Heart of the Problem: Sin (7:25–29)
9. More on Life “Under the Sun” (8:1–12:7)
   
   1. Wisdom in dealing with foolish authorities (8:1–9)
   2. The importance of fearing God (8:10–13)
   3. The limits of human knowledge (8:14–17)
   4. The unpredictability of life and certainty of death (9:1–6)
   5. Finding enjoyment as circumstances allow (9:7–10)
   6. More on the unpredictability of life (9:11–12)
   7. The paths of wisdom and foolishness (9:13–11:6)
      
      1. The power of wisdom (9:13–18)
      2. Proverbs concerning wisdom and foolishness (10:1–20)
      3. Wise practices in light of the unpredictability of life (11:1–6)
      
      
   8. Aging and the “vanity” of mortal life (11:7–12:7)
   
   
10. Final Conclusion and Epilogue (12:8–14)