1. Why Funerals Are Better Than Weddings Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:29

2. “A Chasing After the Wind” All things that are done under the sun (1:14) All things that are done under the sun (1:14) Understanding wisdom, madness, and folly (1:17) Understanding wisdom, madness, and folly (1:17) All of his accomplishments (2:11) All of his accomplishments (2:11) Work (2:17) Work (2:17) Gathering wealth and losing it (2:26) Gathering wealth and losing it (2:26) Achievement that springs from envy (4:4) Achievement that springs from envy (4:4) Greed (4:6) Greed (4:6) Popularity (4:16) Popularity (4:16) Unsatisfied appetites (6:9) Unsatisfied appetites (6:9)

3. “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting.” than to go to a house of feasting.” Ecclesiastes 7:2

4. Ecclesiastes 7 “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. You face your own mortality.

5. Ecclesiastes 7 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. You face your own mortality.

6. Psalms 90:12 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” You face your own mortality.

7. Ecclesiastes 1:11 “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.” You face your own mortality.

8. Ecclesiastes 7 5 It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools. 6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. You face your own mortality.

9. You grasp some of the grandeur of God. Whatever exists has already been named, and what man is has been known; no man can contend with one who is stronger than he. Ecclesiastes 6:10

10. You grasp some of the grandeur of God. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

11. You grasp some of the grandeur of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11, 14 God “has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end... 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.”

12. You grasp some of the grandeur of God. Ecclesiastes 6:11 Ecclesiastes 6:11 The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?

13. Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?

14. Ecclesiastes 7:11-15 11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. 12 Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor. “Extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:7. Ecclesiastes 7:7.

15. Ecclesiastes 7:11-15 13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

16. Ecclesiastes 7:11-15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

17. Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. 9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. You realize the end is better. “The day of death better than the day of birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1

18. Ecclesiastes 7:10 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions. You realize the end is better.

19. Godliness avoids extremes. Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise — why destroy yourself? Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise — why destroy yourself? 17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool — why die before your time? 17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool — why die before your time? 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.

20. Godliness avoids extremes. Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Now all has been heard; “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments.”

21. Ecclesiastes 7:19-29 Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city. 20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. 21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— 22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

22. Ecclesiastes 7:19-29 23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"—but this was beyond me. 24 Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound — who can discover it? 25 So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.

23. Ecclesiastes 7:19-29 26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. Some things are worse than death.

24. Ecclesiastes 7:19-29 27 "Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things— 28 while I was still searching but not finding — I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. 29 This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." 27 "Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things— 28 while I was still searching but not finding — I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. 29 This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes."

25. Romans 8:28-39 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose... If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

26. Challenge: Admit our schemes, accept God’s plan. accept God’s plan.