In some ways, the quality of life in America has never been better. A surprising amount of research is beginning to show that over the last fifty years almost every factor in quality of life has improved. And at the same time, no one seems to be getting happier. We are all chasing the good life and in some ways we are achieving circumstantially the good life at higher rates than ever before. And at the same time, depression and anxiety are up (find out more here and here and here. Happiness is down (even on Twitter).
Enter Ecclesiastes.
No one in human history has lived an affluent, glamorous lifestyle more fully than Solomon. No one has had more cumulative wealth, wisdom, success, power, and rampant access to anything he wanted whenever he wanted it. And somehow his conclusion was that even massive increases in wealth, success and overall quality of life do not translate to actual deep down soul level satisfaction and joy.
Which means Solomon’s got some insight for our culture.
Solomon was chasing everything that we chase thousands of years before us.
And he’s already finished the race so that he can now look back and bless us with his conclusions in hindsight. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon saying, “Let me tell you what I have already learned is the inevitable end of everything you are chasing right now.”
So as an entire church family, we are going to allow Solomon’s ancient insight and wisdom – wisdom that has stood the test of time – to enlighten us in our modern pursuits of the good life. Throughout the next eight weeks we will sync up our Sunday gatherings, Kidtown lessons, and LifeGroups to study through some of the major themes of the book of Ecclesiastes.