“The Preacher’s Sermon”
Theme: “Is there Meaning in Labor or Life?”
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to the Sermon
A. The Author of the Sermon (1:1).
B. The Theme of the Sermon (1:2-11)
1. The Theme as Answer and Question (2-3).
2. Illustrations of the Theme (4-7).
3. The Theme’s Basic Logic (8-11).
C. The Origin of the Sermon (1:12-18).
1. In the Preacher’s POSITION (12).
2. In the Preacher’s CALLING (13).
3. In the Preacher’s UNIVERSAL OBSERVATIONS (14-15).
4. In the Preacher’s PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS (16).
5. In the Recognition of WRONG CONCLUSIONS (17-18).
PART I: NO MEANING TO LABOR OR LIFE APART FROM GOD (chapters 2-6).
CHAPTERS 2-3: Personal Experiences
I. His Search for Meaning Apart from God (2:1-23).
A. The Search (2:1-10).
1. In laughter (1-2).
2. In drunkenness (3).
3. In wealth and accomplishments (4-8a).
4. In music (8b).
5. Using wisdom (9).
6. With enjoyment (10).
B. Its Conclusion (2:11-23).
1. In Summary: all was vain (11).
2. In Analysis: why it was vain (12-23).
a. Reason 1: The LABOR must be repeated (12).
b. Parenthesis: Some profit occurs during life (13-14a).
c. Reason 2: The MAN must still die (14b-15).
d. Reason 3: The MAN will soon be forgotten (16-17).
e. Reason 4: The LABOR must perish also (18-21).
f. Reason 5: The LABOR was wearisome toil (22-23).
II. Confession of Meaning With God (2:24-3:22).
A. Only God makes possible any joy in labor (2:24-26).
B. Only God makes everything beautiful in its time (3:1-15).
1. There is a perfect time for each event (1-8).
2. Ungodly man fails to see this perfection (9-13).
a. Ungodly man fails to see the beauty (9-13).
C. With God, even the ugly things have meaning (3:16-22).
1. A strong example of ugly wickedness (16).
2. God’s purpose in the wickedness of men (17-21).
a. To equalize all things in the judgment (17).
b. To reveal man’s true depravity (18a).
c. To humble men as mere creatures (18b-21).
3. Encouragement for the righteous man (22).
CHAPTERS 4-6: COUNTERACTING ERRORS
I. Error 1: Laboring to PLEASE PEOPLE (chapter 4).
A. The Futility of Trying to Please an OPPRESSOR (4:1-3).
B. The Futility of Trying to Meet PUBLIC APPROVAL (4:4-6).
1. The Workaholic (4).
2. The Lazy Man (5).
3. The Easy-going Worker (6).
C. The Futility of Living for SELF ALONE (4:7-12).
1. The Miser Described (7-8).
2. Benefits of Working with Others (9-12).
D. The Futility of Laboring for HIGH OFFICE (4:13-16).
II. Error 2: MANIPULATING GOD to Profit Labor (5:1-7).
A. Sacrifices by those who walk in sin are futile (1).
B. Vows are dangerous if not performed (2-7).
III. Error 3: Laboring for SOCIAL POWER (5:8-9).
A. God will oppress those who oppress (8).
B. Rulers need the products of their underlings (9).
IV. Error 4: Laboring for EARTHLY RICHES (5:10-6:9).
A. Basic PRINCIPLES Behind Earthly Accumulation (5:10-20).
1. Riches cannot SATISFY (10-20).
a. Lust makes us always crave more (10).
b. Lust makes us loathe to pay our expense (11).
c. Lust makes contented sleep difficult (12).
2. Riches often do real HARM (13-17).
a. Riches if lost mean NO INHERITANCE (13-14).
b. Riches are always lost at the GRAVE (15-16).
c. Riches are always lost in UNHAPPINESS (17).
3. Things may be ENJOYED (18-20).
a. God gives us thing themselves (18).
b. God gives the ability to profit from things (19).
c. God gives the joy which overcomes obstacles (20).
B. Basic REASONS to Downplay Earthly Riches (6:1-9).
1. Though gained, riches often not enjoyed (1-6).
a. A common loss of honored riches (1-3a).
b. This man worse off than a miscarried baby (3b-5).
2. Though gained, riches are no advantage (7-9).
a. Argument 1: Both the rich and the poor labor for the necessities of life (7).
b. Argument 2: Both the retard and the competent poor have nothing less than the rich man (8).
c. Argument 3: Whether rich or poor, it is better to enjoy possessions than to covet non-possessions (9).
(Conclusion: NOTHING satisfies apart from God! (6:10-12).
1. God is sovereign and will not be ignored (10).
2. No attempt to ignore God succeeds (11).
3. Man cannot find meaning apart from God (12).
PART II: MEANING IN LABOR AND LIFE FOUND IN GOD (chapters 7-11).
CHAPTERS 7-9: God’s Wisdom Found in Mysterious Ways
I. God Teaches His Wisdom in Mysterious Ways (chapter 7).
A. Through Death-day rather than Birth-day (1-4).
B. Through wise Rebuke rather than Foolish Laughter (5-6).
C. Through Patience rather than Impatience (7-10).
D. Through Knowledge rather than Money (11-12).
E. Through Adversity as well as Prosperity (13-14).
F. In Opposition to Self-righteousness (15-22).
1. Self-righteousness compares to bland wickedness (15-18).
2. Self-righteousness denies its own depravity (19-22).
a. In true righteousness there is mighty strength (19-20).
b. In true righteousness there is deep humility (21-22).
G. In Opposition to the Depths of Depravity (23-29).
II. Wisdom is Submission to God’s Sovereignty (chapters 8-9).
A. Submission to God as Sovereign King (8:1-8).
1. The wise man submits to God as King (8:1-5).
2. The foolish man experiences time and judgment (8:6-8).
B. Recognition that God will Punish Evil (8:9-13).
1. Men sin openly because God’s wrath is delayed (9-11).
2. Though delayed, man’s son will be punished (12-13).
C. Recognition that God’s Justice is Unseen Now (8:14-9:6).
1. On earth, wicked and righteous share experiences (8:14-15).
2. On earth, wisdom cannot discern God’s purposes (8:16-17).
3. On earth, wise and wicked die unrewarded (9:1-6).
D. Acceptance of God’s Portion in this Life (9:7-10).
E. God’s Rule supreme over Human Abilities (9:11-12).
(Conclusion: Wisdom is Appreciated Only in “Quietness” (9:13-18).
CHAPTERS 10-11: God’s Wisdom Applied in Unexpected Ways
I. Wisdom Lives Submissively Before Decadent Rulers (Chapter 10).
A. The ORIGIN of the Folly of Rulers (10:1-3).
1. Folly starts small (1).
2. Folly starts in the heart (2).
3. Folly becomes manifest in life (3).
B. The INJUSTICE of the Folly of Rulers (10:4-7).
1. It is quick to anger against the godly (4).
2. It chooses foolish people for high offices (5-7).
C. The SELF-DESTRUCTION in the Folly of Rulers (10:8-10).
1. Tampering with God’s boundaries is dangerous (8-9).
2. Bad government demands use of more force (10).
D. The VENOMOUS TONGUE of a Foolish Ruler (11-15).
1. It is like the hissing of a serpent (11).
2. It lacks graciousness, and boomerangs (12).
3. It becomes progressively more evil (13).
4. It boasts of what hasn’t happened yet (14).
5. It lacks the fundamentals of wisdom (15).
E. The IRRESPONSIBILITY of Foolish Rulers (10:16-19).
1. Their Immaturity (16a).
2. Their Debauchery (16b-17).
3. Their Slothfulness (18).
4. Their Sumptuous Living (19).
F. The RESPONSE of Wisdom to Foolish Rulers (10:20).
1. Total Submission in thought and word (20a).
2. No excuse for tattling tongues (20b).
II. Wisdom Uses this Life with Eternal Perspective (chapter 11).
A. The Wise Person GIVES and LABORS in Faith (11:1-6).
1. Giving of his own necessities (1a).
2. Giving in conviction of future reward (1b).
3. Giving generously (2a).
4. Giving because he may lose it all tomorrow (2b-3).
5. Giving – and laboring – without excuses not to (4).
6. Giving – and laboring – leaving outcome to God (5).
7. Giving – and laboring – at every opportunity (6).
B. The Wise Person ENJOYS LIFE in Light of Eternity (11:7-10).
1. An Admonition to the Older Person (7-8).
2. An Admonition to the Younger Person (9-10).
CHAPTER 12: Conclusion to the Sermon
A. Admonition to “remember” God before old age (12:1-7).
B. Admonition to esteem the truth (12:8-12).
1. In contrast to the vanity of the world (8).
2. As it was taught by the Preacher (9-10).
3. As it is taught in all of Scripture (11-12).
C. Admonition to fear God in light of judgment (12:13-14).