Tag: The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God

“What Is the Most Important Thing in Life?” – a message from Ecclesiastes 12

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we concluded our preaching series “The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God: Ecclesiastes,” as I preached a message entitled “What is the Most Important Thing in Life?” from Ecclesiastes 12. I also explored aspects of stages of faith and the work of Paul Riceour on the second naivete.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“Remember your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come.” 
(Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Stages of Life and Stages of Faith (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7)

Engaging this passage on various levels: literal, metaphorical, allegorical

The concept of stages of faith

A Return to a Theme (Ecclesiastes 12:8)

The meaning of hebel: 

  • literally: “vapor” or “breath”
  • figuratively: “meaningless,” “empty,” “fleeting,” or “vanity”

The beginning and the end:

  • Starting with meaningless means one thing
  • Ending with meaningless means another
  • Second naivete, deconstruction, disentangling, and moving forward with faith

What Matters Most (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14)

The editorial reflections on Qoholet

The editorial summary of Qoholet

A creed for reapproaching life amidst skepticism (12:13-14)

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

Eastbrook at Home – February 11, 2024

Matt EricksonLeave a comment
Eastbrook-At-Home-Series-GFX_16x9-Title

Join us for worship with Eastbrook Church through Eastbrook at Home at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM. This weekend we conclude our series, “The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God,” from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Here is a prayer for this Sunday, which is the sixth and final Sunday of Epiphany and our celebration of Jesus’ transfiguration from The Book of Common Prayer:

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

If you are able to do so, let me encourage you to join us for in-person services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM this weekend at the Eastbrook Campus.

If you are new to Eastbrook, we want to welcome you to worship and would ask you to text EBCnew to 94000 as a first step into community here at Eastbrook.

Each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM, you can participate with our weekly worship service at home with your small group, family, or friends. This service will then be available during the week until the next Sunday’s service starts. You can also access the service directly via Vimeo, the Eastbrook app, or Facebook.

If you are not signed up for our church emailing list, please sign up here. Also, please remember that during this time financial support for the church is critical as we continue minister within our congregation and reach out to our neighborhood, city, and the world at this challenging time. Please give online or send in your tithes and offerings to support the ministry of Eastbrook Church.

“Where Is Real Wisdom Found?” – a message from Ecclesiastes by Pastor Femi Ibitoye

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series “The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God: Ecclesiastes.” Pastor Femi Ibitoye preached a message entitled “Where is real wisdom found?” largely from Ecclesiastes 7. Femi also leaned into other portions of Scripture, including James 1.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone;the living should take this to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:2)

 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

Wisdom-understanding, knowledge, insight, revelation, good judgement, discernment, skill

Wise sayings/proverbs from Ecclesiastes 7

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. V2

Human Wisdom

It is a gift from God.  (Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5)

It is good (Ecclesiastes 2:13, 7:11, 9:18)

It is sometimes specially given by the Holy Spirit-(Exodus 35:30-35) 

It is passed down/on by experience/mentorship/education (Daniel 1:3-5, Proverbs 1)

It is gained by-studying, observing, learning and toil (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

It has its limits and can be uncertain and unsatisfying. (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18, 2:21)

        

Who are the wise?

Those who hear the Word of God and put it into practice (Matthew 7:24-27)

Those who fear the Lord (Job 28:28, Proverbs 1:7)

Those who prepare/plan for the coming of the Lord (Matthew 25)

Who are fools/foolish (hate wisdom)?

Those who despise wisdom (Proverbs 1:7)

Those who refuse to worship God (Romans 1:21-23)

Those who say there is no God, in word and deed (Psalm 14:1)

Those who trust in their wisdom (Matthew 12:13-21)

Those who do not prepare for Eternity (Matthew 25)

Making It Real

 Do you lack Wisdom, ask God in faith (James 1:5, Proverbs 2:6) 

 Are you boasting about your wisdom? Stop it!!! Boast in the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

 Has human wisdom let you down, put your trust in God (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 Look to the cross of Christ for real wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24-25)

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize James 1:5
  • Read all of Ecclesiastes 7 and look for other “wise sayings/proverb” and ponder what they mean. 
  • Read all of Matthew 25 and see the parables that Jesus said about those who are wise because they prepared for his second coming/Eternity.
  • The book of James talks about 2 kinds of Wisdom.  Check it out (James 3: 13-18)
  • Proverbs 8 talks about wisdom personified as a lady.  Read the passage and draw what you think Lady Wisdom will look like.  Pray for Wisdom.  We all need it.

Eastbrook at Home – February 4, 2024

Matt EricksonLeave a comment
Eastbrook-At-Home-Series-GFX_16x9-Title

Join us for worship with Eastbrook Church through Eastbrook at Home at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM. This weekend we continue our series, “The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God,” from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Here is a prayer for this Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday of Epiphany from The Book of Common Prayer:

O Lord, our heavenly Father, keep your household the Church continually in your true religion, that we who trust in the hope of your heavenly grace may always be defended by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.  Amen.

If you are able to do so, let me encourage you to join us for in-person services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM this weekend at the Eastbrook Campus.

If you are new to Eastbrook, we want to welcome you to worship and would ask you to text EBCnew to 94000 as a first step into community here at Eastbrook.

Each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM, you can participate with our weekly worship service at home with your small group, family, or friends. This service will then be available during the week until the next Sunday’s service starts. You can also access the service directly via Vimeo, the Eastbrook app, or Facebook.

If you are not signed up for our church emailing list, please sign up here. Also, please remember that during this time financial support for the church is critical as we continue minister within our congregation and reach out to our neighborhood, city, and the world at this challenging time. Please give online or send in your tithes and offerings to support the ministry of Eastbrook Church.

“Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?” – a message from Ecclesiastes 8 by Greg Marshall

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series “The Skeptic’s Guide to Life with God: Ecclesiastes.” Greg Marshall preached a message entitled “Why do bad things happen to good people?” from Ecclesiastes 8. Greg particularly focused on Ecclesiastes 8:14-15:

“There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.”

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.”
(Ecclesiastes 8:14-15)

At the cross we see suffering. 

            Notice Jesus, Mary, Jesus’ family, and His followers.

We cannot definitively say why God allows one set of circumstances vs another, but we can consider general truths to begin wrestling with the broader question of why God allows us to live in the tensions of a fallen world. 

Considering this question about good, evil, and suffering raises another question: Why did God enter into our suffering with us instead of just getting rid of it right away?    

Notice Two Parts to the Christian Story: 

  1. On the cross we see Jesus cry out in the middle of his suffering, affirming that suffering is real, often not fair, and not as it ought to be. This tells us it is right to acknowledge our suffering for what it is.  
  2. In the resurrection we see that no matter how real and awful our suffering may be, it is always true that hope is real. It is right to believe hope is real, even when we feel consumed by suffering.  

Those two parts of the Christian story make our faith unique compared to other belief systems. 

  1.  Suffering is real, not as it ought to be, and we are right to acknowledge it as so. 
  2. Our suffering has meaning and will be redeemed and made right. 

To experience suffering can be a shocking experience. If we could also see all the ways that the Spirit of God protects us from pain and suffering each day, we may find ourselves even more shocked. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us, no matter what we are going through in life (bad or good), don’t lose sight of the ordinary gifts we have each day. 

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Read the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and prayerfully try to imagine what it felt like for everyone involved (i.e. Jesus, Mary).
  • Make a list of the people you know to be suffering and pray for them by name. 
  • In prayer ask God what He wants you to know about the suffering you are experiencing.