Ecclesiastes 7:15-1529

Americans have always turned to the Bible for wisdom to live together. We argue over how to read and use it, but the Bible has helped shape our values and institutions. In this plan, you will read the Bible as a freedom text alongside five voices from our past, focused on the value of Hope. Discover fresh takes on the Bible, and inspiration for facing today’s challenges.

We all have a common denominator. We will die. I will die. You will die. Death will defeat you. You won’t be able to dodge it, sidestep it, trick it or make it disappear. But then there is Jesus, the man who defeated the grave. Jesus stood toe to toe with the grave and defeated death. When Jesus talks, the grave speaks.

God created us to find meaning in our lives. But we live in a broken world where we’re continually frustrated in our search. So, what’s the point of living life? This is the question the Teacher in Ecclesiastes is asking. At first, the message of this wisdom book seems to lead to despair, but in fact points to the hope of life found in God alone.

Written by an elderly King Solomon, Ecclesiastes reflects on a life of meaningless pursuits. Solomon writes that the world's pursuits, from wealth to self-indulgence, are vain and unfulfilling. Ecclesiastes determines that God and his presence make life fulfilling, and true wisdom is to fear God and keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).