Text: Ecclesiastes 2:1–11
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
THE VANITY OF THIS WORLD
Memory Verse: Ecclesiastes 2:18 “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.”
If you had everything you ever dreamed of, more money than you could spend, the best clothes, the newest car, a palace to live in, and all the oil wells in the Niger Delta. Would that make you truly happy? Maybe for a while. But deep inside, something would still feel empty. That is because things can not give us lasting peace or joy. Jesus said that even if you gain the whole world but lost your soul, it is a terrible deal.
In Ecclesiastes 2, Solomon had everything; wisdom, riches, fame, but he still felt empty. He looked at all he had achieved and called it vanity, meaning it was meaningless. Why? Because when you die, you leave everything behind. Someone else will enjoy the fruits of your hard work, and you can not control what they do with it. Ecclesiastes 2:18 says, “I hated all my work… because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.”
You spent your whole life building a huge sandcastle on the beach. You work hard, day after day. But one day, the tide comes and washes it all away. That is what it is like when you live only for earthly things, they don’t last. No matter how much you get, in money, fame, or power, you will always want more. John 4:13 says the things of this world can never fully satisfy. But Jesus offers something better: peace, joy, and satisfaction that nothing in this world can give. A soul is more valuable than anything else. Once a soul is lost, it cannot be replaced or brought back. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that after death comes judgment, there is no second chance. That is why saving souls is so important.
Winning a soul is worth any cost: no trouble is too great, no suffering too much. God gave everything to save you. If you truly follow Him, you must be willing to give, serve, and sacrifice to help others find Jesus too.
Satan wants to destroy souls, but God wants to save them. The way you live, what you spend your time and energy on, shows whose side you are. Are you working for God by winning souls, or helping Satan by letting them to be lost?
COVENANT GATE HYMNALS 127 SS&S 606 O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED
-
-
- O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.2
- Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.
3
- Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
4
- O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
5
- Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.
-
Today’s Prayer
- Lord, my soul is worth more than all, help me live for You.
- Lord, save me from the lies of this world.
- Help others to see the truth and choose the life in You.
