The Big Deal of Life: Does Anything Really Matter?

Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ESV) “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Note: “Fear” = yirate = reverence and awe, not fright.)

Introduction: The Despair of “No Hope”

• Hook Quote: “Two small words. When heard on the battlefield, in the hospital waiting room, or in our darkest thoughts, they bring despair… where no hope exists—we are undone.” (Dr. Craig Biehl, DTS)
• Personal Connection: Have you spoken to someone utterly without hope? Despair is deep and all-encompassing. Without Christ, we are all without hope—a truth hidden from the world.
• Satan’s Deception: The “god of this age” blinds unbelievers to the gospel’s light (2 Corinthians 4:4). If they saw reality, they’d sink into hopeless despair.
• Transition Illustration: Existential philosophers (Kierkegaard, Sartre, Camus) peered into life’s abyss—and recoiled. Contrast with The Far Side cartoon: Man finds a “goofy-looking thingamajig” under couch cushions and declares, “Edgar finds his purpose!”
  • The human heart searches for meaning (God-created drive).
  • For unbelievers: Even this “purpose” proves meaningless. Question: “Should Edgar have even bothered looking?”
• Key Question for Sermon: From an unbeliever’s view, does life have purpose? Without God, why bother?

Part 1: The Vanity of Life Without God (Ecclesiastes Insights)

• Solomon’s Refrain: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Hebrew hevel = vapor, breath—fleeting, insubstantial.
• Nihilistic Reality Check:
  • No remembrance: “There is no remembrance of people of old… even those yet to come will not be remembered” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).
  • Good deeds forgotten: Sacrifice, work, build, teach, heal—die, and in 100 years, it’s erased. Why do good?
  • Hedonism’s Dead End: Pursue pleasure, toys, triumphs—but “what do people gain from all their labors?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3).
  • Injustice Prevails: Righteous suffer like the wicked; wicked prosper like the righteous (Ecclesiastes 8:14-15). Life isn’t fair—the system is broken. Why care if crime goes unpunished?
• Illustration: Sisyphus Myth (Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus)
  • Condemned to push a boulder uphill, only for it to roll down—endless futility.
  • Life’s absurdity: Wake up, work, pay bills, lose a job, repeat… die. “Life is absurd like that.”
  • Camus’ Response: Imagine Sisyphus “happy” by embracing the struggle—defiant salute to the gods.
  • Critique: Struggle alone isn’t enough (Kierkegaard: “The struggle is not enough to fill a man’s heart”).
• Nihilism’s Father: Friedrich Nietzsche (19th century): “God is dead, and we have killed him!” (Rhetorical to provoke: Can life have meaning without God?)
  • Modern Life Without God: No longer enslaved to nobles, but do we need God for purpose? Answer: Without Him, it’s a Sisyphean loop—repetitive, exhausting, futile.
• Existentialism’s Flawed Fix: Create your own purpose. But futility = absence of faith. No hope for meaning apart from Christ!

Part 2: True Purpose – Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever

• Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647, Puritan Divines): “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”
  • Background: “Catechism” from Greek kata (down) + chism (sound) = oral instruction passed down.
  • Westminster Confession: Best systematic theology statement; approved at Westminster Abbey (from “Abba” = Father—Father’s house as community center).
• Monastic Model: Abbeys/monks provided scholastics, hospitality, legal aid, care for the poor/orphans/widows, education, and employment. Church as community cornerstone (e.g., building a church in Spalding, Jamaica).
  • Why Necessary? World/life/work/learning/giving/hope are absurd without God. No meaning = existential crisis: “Why exist? Why care if nothing matters?”
  • With God: He cares, gives purpose/meaning—thus, hope!
• Purposes That Fail Without God:
  • Materialistic: Things rust/moth-eaten—purpose lost.
  • Self-Centered: Self doesn’t satisfy; created for good beyond self.
  • Career: Retire/layoff—purpose gone.
  • Familial: Family leaves/dies—purpose lost.
  • Hedonistic: Desensitized to pleasure—enslaved, empty.
• Interconnected Themes in Catechism:
  1. Design (Teleological Element – Ultimate Aim): Humanity’s primary purpose = “What is the meaning of life?”
     • Vision: Begin with the end in mind. Aim at nothing, hit it every time.
     • Priorities: First things first; main thing, the main thing.
     • Focus: Live intentionally; play to win.
  2. Glory: Reflect God’s excellence/manifestation.
  3. Joy: Human happiness is aligned with God’s purposes.
• Teleological Argument for God: Order in creation implies purpose.
  • Animals fulfill purpose instinctively (e.g., beavers build dams—create habitats, last 200 years; no existential crisis: “Who am I?”).
  • Humans: Refuse to be what we are (Camus: “Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is”). Search for meaning in absurdity—rebel against meaninglessness.
• Biblical Perfection: “Be perfect as I am perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Greek teleios = mature, whole, fully developed—lifelong goal reflecting God’s character.

Part 3: The Answer in Christ – Breaking the Cycle

• Human Folly: Self-Actualization
  • Adam/Eve: Sought to “be like God” (Genesis 3)—lost shekinah glory, hid with fig leaves (self-righteousness/religion).
  • Nietzsche’s Übermensch (Superman): Create own morality/values post-“God is dead.” Leads to relativism, nihilism.
  • Paul’s Contrast: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). End goal = Christ, not self/survival.
• God’s Eternal Purpose:
  • Pre-Creation: God’s purpose from Himself (self-existent)—creation reflects His attributes.
  • Eschaton (End): “The whole earth is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 72:19).
  • Original Mandate: Adam/Eve—be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth with image-bearers, spread Eden, commune with God.
  • Romans 8:28-30: All works for good to those called according to His purpose—conformed to Christ’s image.
• Future Warning: Revelation 13:8 (Worship the beast if the name is not in Lamb’s book); Revelation 9:6 (Seek death, can’t find it). Mark of the Beast = DNA change, hybridization—like Noah’s days. Pseudo-eternal life = “You will not surely die” (echo Genesis).
• Chief End Restated: Not self-actualize or live forever on cursed earth. Glory = natural response: Reflect Creator’s intention.

Conclusion: Call to Action

• Summary: Without God, life = vanity, absurdity, no hope. With Him: Purpose eternal, impeccable—glorify and enjoy forever.
• Invitation: If life’s boulder feels endless, find meaning in Christ. Faith breaks the loop—serve God, keep commandments, hope in salvation.
• Prayer Prompt: “God, reveal Your purpose; fill us with Your glory.”
• Benediction: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14—Fear (revere) God, obey, face judgment with hope in Christ