1. What Do You Do When Conventional Wisdom Fails? Lou Di Lorenzo 1 st Jan 2012 Ecclesiastes 1

2. Introduction Ecclesiastes means one who addresses an assembly, as a preacher Author - An unknown narrator writing for king Solomon or narrator writing Solomon’s wisdom in his own words and style Journal a man's search for meaning. Much happens apart from God. Conclusion that life apart from God is empty Ecclesiastes 1

3. Introduction Book seeks to answer; ? All is meaningless under the sun (1:14; 2:17) It doesn’t matter what you do, achieve or accumulate in life. Death robs it all Fear God, keep his commandments, this is the whole duty of man (12:13) Ecclesiastes 1

4. Ecclesiastes “I would say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound.” Tom Wolfe - American 20 th Century novelist Ecclesiastes 1

5. Cycles Of Life Monotonous nature of life (1:4-7) Continuing Nature of the Earth (1:4) Rising and Setting of the Sun (1:5) Regular weather patterns (1:6) Cycle of evaporation and condensation (1:7) Cyclic motions of futile activity Meaning of life not in creation Ecclesiastes 1

6. Wisdom The wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Ecclesiastes 1

7. Wisdom Spiritual requirements for Gaining wisdom: Humility (Prov 11:2, 15:33) Teachability (Prov 9:9, 15:31) Diligence (Prov 8:17, 2:4-5) Uprightness (Prov 2:7) Faith (James 1:5-8) Ecclesiastes 1

8. All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance. T.S. Eliot