Learn or Live?
Summer Series, Lesson 2
Friday, July 10, 2022
Friday, July 10, 2022
Learn or Live?
Have you ever built a menu around dessert? It’s a great idea because, after all, every great meal culminates with a great dessert. Planning this way can complicate things. Usually, dessert is an afterthought. And, if you’re like me, you want choices for dessert. Other times, if the meal is really fulfilling, it can feel good to skip dessert altogether. If fact, I believe dessert is a bonus item, not the main course.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon is in pursuit of learning. What he wants to learn is what makes life fulfilling for humans. He gets to approach the topic with almost unlimited resources and power. No pleasure he desires can be denied…he’s the king. No item he wants to purchase is beyond his means…he’s the Jeff Bezos of his day. No entertainer is beyond his reach…and he can reach anywhere.
The problem is that Solomon’s self-described pursuit had the wrong goal to begin with: He set out to learn, not to live.
Using my menu analogy, Solomon set out thinking about dessert and not concentrating enough on the main course. When you build your life around satisfaction and pleasure, you shouldn’t be shocked if you end up completely disillusioned. Why? Because humans are a finicky bunch. What pleases one day bores us the next. And, we can never seem to get enough.
Last week, I referenced the teacher, Marty Solomon. In his BEMA podcast, he approaches the Creation story by comparing it to other cultural creation stories of the time. Then he asks, “What is different about this creation story? What is it the original readers would’ve noticed?” His conclusion is this (my description): The God we are introduced to in the Bible isn’t a self-indulgent, power-hungry, death-inducing god, but a god who knows when to say, “This is good, and this is enough.” God’s people — then — should also know when to say, “This is good, and this is enough.”
Ecclesiastes is the story of pursuing as much as you can get of knowledge, pleasure, power, things, grounds, houses, and entertainment. And the more Solomon receives, the less his life is fulfilled. He even pauses to wonder about the common laborer getting amazing sleep while the wealthy landowner can sleep a wink because of constant worry.
Here’s my point: If you start out building your existence around the theme of LIVING, you will find yourself naturally LEARNING. However, if you jump in with the goal of LEARNING, you might find that living escapes you altogether. And, no one wants that for you…especially Jesus Christ!
See you Sunday!
In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon is in pursuit of learning. What he wants to learn is what makes life fulfilling for humans. He gets to approach the topic with almost unlimited resources and power. No pleasure he desires can be denied…he’s the king. No item he wants to purchase is beyond his means…he’s the Jeff Bezos of his day. No entertainer is beyond his reach…and he can reach anywhere.
The problem is that Solomon’s self-described pursuit had the wrong goal to begin with: He set out to learn, not to live.
Using my menu analogy, Solomon set out thinking about dessert and not concentrating enough on the main course. When you build your life around satisfaction and pleasure, you shouldn’t be shocked if you end up completely disillusioned. Why? Because humans are a finicky bunch. What pleases one day bores us the next. And, we can never seem to get enough.
Last week, I referenced the teacher, Marty Solomon. In his BEMA podcast, he approaches the Creation story by comparing it to other cultural creation stories of the time. Then he asks, “What is different about this creation story? What is it the original readers would’ve noticed?” His conclusion is this (my description): The God we are introduced to in the Bible isn’t a self-indulgent, power-hungry, death-inducing god, but a god who knows when to say, “This is good, and this is enough.” God’s people — then — should also know when to say, “This is good, and this is enough.”
Ecclesiastes is the story of pursuing as much as you can get of knowledge, pleasure, power, things, grounds, houses, and entertainment. And the more Solomon receives, the less his life is fulfilled. He even pauses to wonder about the common laborer getting amazing sleep while the wealthy landowner can sleep a wink because of constant worry.
Here’s my point: If you start out building your existence around the theme of LIVING, you will find yourself naturally LEARNING. However, if you jump in with the goal of LEARNING, you might find that living escapes you altogether. And, no one wants that for you…especially Jesus Christ!
See you Sunday!
Text: Ecclesiastes 1
Summer Series, Lesson 2
Preparation: Read Ecclesiastes
Summer Series, Lesson 2
Preparation: Read Ecclesiastes
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