Great Expectations – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Sermon Questions
- When you think about the idea of time, what most interests you? What befuddles you about time?
- Other than hearing the famous song in your mind, what are your reactions to the poem in verses 1-8? What things does it make you think?
- Why do you think the Preacher follows the poem with his comment in verse 9? How would you engage and answer that question?
- He gives a fairly positive-sounding comment on beauty in verse 11. What should we expect from beauty? Why?
- The second half of verse 11 is fascinating: what do you think it means that he has put “eternity in our hearts” and how does our understanding change a bit when we add in the last phrase from verse 11?
- Why do you think he follows verse 11 with the comments in verses 12-13? How do these ideas relate to what Jeff called “a simple calling?”
- When you contemplate God’s power over time, his sovereignty, what thoughts come to your mind? How do you teach yourself to respond to his sovereignty with worship?
- Jeff recommended adjusting your expectations to a stance of realistic hope? What does that look like practically? How do you get there?
- Verse 15 make a cryptic comment about God seeking what has been driven away. Jeff connected it with the idea of God redeeming and remaking things. How does the promise of redemption of more than just our souls bring you hope?
- Where are you being defeated by life right now? in what way do you think God is trying to use that defeat to bring you into greater delight in who he is?