Aging is Meaningless Without Jesus
Steve McKenzie
Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8
Aging is Meaningless Without Jesus

 

We Were Young Once

  • “Evil Days and the years draw near…” – separated from God because of the fall
  • “Light is darkened (Sun, moon, and stars) – Eyesight starts to fade
  • “Keepers of the house tremble” – Arms and hands begin to shake
  • “Strong men are bent” – loss of strength, bent over
  • “Grinders cease, because they are few” – Teeth
  • Rises with the sound of the song bird – Can’t sleep in and wake up numerous times during the night
  • “Daughters of song are brought low” – Hearing begins to fade
  • Afraid to go out at night or into crowded places
  • Almond trees blossom – Blossoms turn white and then the wind blows them away, Hair turns grey and then falls out
  • The grasshopper drags himself along – Those who once bounded along, Legs and feet begin to ache
  • Desire fails – sexual drive decreases
  • “Weeping for those who have died” – Then you die and people cry
  • Life is broken – water a symbol of life
    • “Silver cord is snapped” – Spinal cord
    • Golden bowl is broken, pitcher is shattered, wheel at cistern is broken”
  • “Dust returns to dust and spirit returns to God”

 

REJOICE IN YOUR YOUTH

  • God Commands Joy
  • Walk in the Ways of Your Heart but Remember, You Will Be Judged

 

REMOVE VEXATION

  •  Shaped by aging or overshadowed by fear of again?
  • Our bodies begin to breakdown in our 30’s and our brains begin to breakdown in our 40s.
  • Listen to godly old people

 

REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR

  • Remember who made you and to whom your spirit will return and stand judgment?
  • Do our lives reflect the belief that we belong to God?

 

MERCY FOR THE BROKEN

  • We have all fallen short of living in perfect obedience to Jesus’ commands – we’ve chased after the vapor and smoke of this world.
  • Our disobedience deserves eternal separation from God
  • God entered the vanity we’ve made of life in the person of Jesus Christ. He was pierced for our sin and he stands in glorious light showing the way back to himself.