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the absurdity of life

the absurdity of life. Ecclesiastes 3.16-4.3. Who Said Life is Fair?. Ec. 3.16-17 There is a sense of injustice in the world. The preacher recognizes that God will eventually bring justice. Darwin’s Vanity. Ec. 3.18-19 Man is equated to animals in terms of mortality. Duality of Life.

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the absurdity of life

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  1. the absurdity of life Ecclesiastes 3.16-4.3

  2. Who Said Life is Fair? Ec. 3.16-17 There is a sense of injustice in the world. The preacher recognizes that God will eventually bring justice.

  3. Darwin’s Vanity Ec. 3.18-19 Man is equated to animals in terms of mortality

  4. Duality of Life • Ec. 3.20-21 • The material body decays but who knows about the immaterial self? Material contrasts with immaterial. • “There is no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties.” • What does breath/spirit mean? • The animals being referred to are nephesh creatures • Possess will and emotion—capacity to relate to humans (Gen. 1.21, 24) • Man is spiritual • Possess Imago Dei—capacity to have relationship with God (Gen. 1.27)

  5. Here & Now Ec. 3.22 22a, From this world’s perspective, there is nothing better than what man does—humanism. 22b, Contrasts with 22a, when he’s dead, how is he going to see what happens next? Does it even matter?

  6. You’re Better Off Dead Ec. 4.1-3 There’s so much misery in this life he thinks you’re better off dead. Nothingness is better than suffering.

  7. No Ultimate Meaning If each individual person passes out of existence when he dies, then what ultimate meaning can be given to his life? The long hours spent in study at school, our jobs, our interests, our friendships—utterly meaningless (1 Cor. 15.32). There is nothing to give the universe meaning. One may think they have meaning, but it’s illusory.

  8. Out, Out, Brief Candle She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day. To the lady syllable of recorded time, And all out yesterdays have lighted fools. The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s by a walking shadow, a poor layer. That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more; it is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

  9. No Ultimate Value If life ends at the grave, then it makes no difference whether one has lived as a Stalin or as a saint. As Dostoyevsky put it: “If there is no immortality, then all things are permitted.” “To say that something is wrong because it is forbidden by God, is perfectly understandable to anyone who believes in a law-giving God. But to say that something is wrong even though no God exists to forbid it, is not understandable.” One may think there is value in anything, but it’s illusory.

  10. No Ultimate Purpose • If death stands with open arms at the end of life’s trail, then what is the goal of life? Is it all for nothing? • H.G. Wells, The Time Machine • “Human life is mounted upon a subhuman pedestal and must shift for itself alone in the heart of a silent and mindless universe.” • T.S. Eliot This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper.

  11. No Ultimate Purpose “Whither is God?” he cried, “I shall tell you. We have killed him—you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how have we done this? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Away from all now? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there any up or down left? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not night and more night coming on all the while? Must not lanterns be lit in the morning? Do we not hear anything yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? … God is dead… And we have killed him. How shall we, the murderers of all murderers, comfort ourselves?”

  12. Paradox of Time • God is never forced to hurry. • Time is fleeting! • Rom. 13.11-12a • Live in light of eternity • Be ready to die (Jas. 4.13-16; Rom. 13.12b-14) • Comfort in suffering (1 Pt. 5.10; 2 Cor. 4.16-18) • The wonderful prospect of salvation (Jn. 3.16; Eph. 2.7)

  13. Far Too Easily Pleased • Live with an eternal perspective, we have no idea what we’re missing out on. • Hebrews 11.24-26 • “If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

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