"Worship Wisely" (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

"Four Problems: The Difficulties of Life in a Sin-Cursed World" (Ecclesiastes 4:1-16)

"The Problem of Injustice" (Ecclesiastes 3:16–22)

"The Problem of Injustice" (Ecclesiastes 3:16–22)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
A Problem Observed (Ecclesiastes 3:16)
Ecclesiastes 3:16 NIV16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
What is the problem?
The presence of injustice in the world.
Living righteously is supposed to lead to blessing, and living wickedly is supposed to lead to judgment.
Two Potential Solutions (Ecclesiastes 3:17–21)
Potential Solution # 1: Justice Delayed (Ecclesiastes 3:17)
Ecclesiastes 3:17 NIV17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
If Justice is Delayed…
The wicked will eventually be held accountable by God and will be punished.
It could be delayed until later in this life.
It could be delayed until a judgment after death.
Potential Solution # 2: Justice Denied (Ecclesiastes 3:18–21)
Ecclesiastes 3:18–21 NIV18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
If There Is No Justice…
The wicked will get away with it and never be held accountable.
If this is the case, then what advantage is there in being a human being over an animal?
Because death is our common fate.
Ecclesiastes 3:20–21 NIV20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
Provisional Advice (Ecclesiastes 3:22)
Ecclesiastes 3:22 NIV22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Death is coming, whether you are righteous or wicked, whether you are a person or an animal.
Enjoy the life God has given you and make the most of the time and opportunities you have.
Live in light of future judgment.

"The Mystery of Time and Providence" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)

"The Mystery of Time and Providence" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 
Seeing the Bigger Picture
*Life in this world (“under the sun”) may be characterized as “Hebel” – mysterious, enigmatic, frustrating, and at times elusive. (1:2)
*Where (or how) can we find ultimate “gain” or “significance” in this world? (1:3)
*Opening Poem: Life is enigmatic and frustrating (1:4–11).
*“Gain” cannot ultimately be found in the pursuit of wisdom (1:12–18).
*“Gain” cannot ultimately be found in the pursuit of pleasure or projects (2:1–12).
*Wisdom is so much better than foolishness, but again, pursuing wisdom for its own sake will not bring “gain” (2:12–23).
*Preliminary Advice: Enjoy God’s good gifts in this world but realize that if they are pursued as “gain” they will disappoint (2:24–26).
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
*An obstacle to the pursuit of “gain” in this world:
-We are bound by the limits of time.
-Many events in this world are outside of our control and are ultimately under God’s providence.
3 There is a time for everything,    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,    a time to plant and a time to uproot,3     a time to kill and a time to heal,    a time to tear down and a time to build,4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,    a time to mourn and a time to dance,5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6     a time to search and a time to give up,    a time to keep and a time to throw away,7     a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,8     a time to love and a time to hate,    a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15 Whatever is has already been,    and what will be has been before;    and God will call the past to account.

"Wisdom, Work, and What Is Worthwhile" (Ecclesiastes 2:12-26)

"Wisdom, Work, and What Is Worthwhile" (Ecclesiastes 2:12-26)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Guiding Question
*In a world that is marked by enigmas, frustration, and futility, where can a person find “profit”?
*Where can human beings find meaning in this finite life “under the sun”?
Finding “Profit” or “Gain”
*Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
-In the pursuit of wisdom?
*Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
-In the pursuit of pleasure?
*Ecclesiastes 2:12-26
-In the Comparison of Wisdom and Folly?
-In the Reward for Our Labor?
Wisdom is Better than folly, but… (Ecclesiastes 2:12-16)
Ecclesiastes 2:12–16 NIV
12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,    and also madness and folly.What more can the king’s successor do    than what has already been done?13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,    just as light is better than darkness.14 The wise have eyes in their heads,    while the fool walks in the darkness;but I came to realize    that the same fate overtakes them both.
15 Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.    What then do I gain by being wise?”I said to myself,    “This too is meaningless.”16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;    the days have already come when both have been forgotten.Like the fool, the wise too must die!
There is Reward for our Labor, But… (Ecclesiastes 2:17-23)
Ecclesiastes 2:17–23 NIV
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
Putting Things in Perspective (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)
Ecclesiastes 2:24–26 NIV
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Concluding Thoughts
*We should pursue wisdom, because it is so much better than foolishness. But we must realize that death comes to the wise and the fool, and wisdom in and of itself is not ultimately what we are seeking for.
*We can find satisfaction and reward in our work and efforts. But we must realize that those benefits are fleeting, and someone else will one day take over the fruit of our labors.
*It is worthwhile to pursue wisdom and live a wise life.
*It is worthwhile to give our time and efforts to quality work.
*But these will not bring us eternal “profit.” These also cannot hold off death, which overtakes us all.

"The Pursuit of Pleasure" (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)

"The Pursuit of Pleasure" (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)A Study of the Book of EcclesiastesPastor Cameron JungelsWednesday, March 24, 2021
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, NIV
2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;    I refused my heart no pleasure.My heart took delight in all my labor,    and this was the reward for all my toil.11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done    and what I had toiled to achieve,everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;    nothing was gained under the sun.

"The Pursuit of Wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)

"The Pursuit of Wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
 
Where Are We?
Title (1:1)
Theme Word: “Hebel” (1:2)
Programmatic Question: “Where is ‘yitron’ or ‘profit’?” (1:3)
Poem about the Enigma of Life (1:4-11)
Life keeps moving. Round and round it goes. Where can we find ultimate meaning and significance if there is nothing really new and we are so quickly forgotten? This ultimate meaning and significance cannot be found ‘under the sun.’ It must be found in eternity with our Creator (1:4-11).
 
Where Are We Going?
First Discourse: Observations on Various Areas of Life in Order to Demonstrate Finite Man’s Lack of Ultimate Gain (1:12-6:9)
Personal Observations on Various Life Situations (1:12-3:22)
Observations on Human Achievement and Wisdom (1:12-2:26)
The Pursuit of Wisdom (1:12-18)
Ecclesiastes 1:12–18 (NIV)
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
​
Ecclesiastes 1:12 NIV12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
 
Teacher
Qoheleth - קֹהֶ֫לֶת
Solomon?
Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
 
Mind
Lit. “heart”
To Study and to Explore
Pursuit
Wisdom
Goal of the Pursuit
Under the Heavens
Another way of saying “under the sun” - finite humanity
Heavy Burden
“evil task” or “unhappy business”
Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
 
Seen
Observational nature of wisdom literature
Under the Sun
Limited, finite perspective
Meaningless
Hebel - הֶ֫בֶל
“enigmatic” and “frustrating”
Chasing after the Wind
Elusive, uncontrollable by finite man
Ecclesiastes 1:15 NIV15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
 
What is Crooked Cannot Be Straightened
Finite power or control
What is Lacking Cannot Be Counted
Finite knowledge or understanding
Ecclesiastes 1:16 NIV16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
 
Wisdom and Knowledge
The goal of the current pursuit to find ‘yitron’ or ‘profit’
More Than/Much
Superlative pursuit
Ecclesiastes 1:17 NIV17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
 
Understanding of Wisdom
Beyond gaining wisdom to seeking to understand it and how it works
Madness and Folly
The other side of wisdom - to look at “both sides of the coin”
Exhaustive Pursuit
This Too - Chasing after the Wind
The superlative and exhaustive pursuit of wisdom is an unsatisfactory answer to the question of 1:3.
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
 
Gain
“Profit” or “Advantage” - יִתְרוֹן
Ecclesiastes 1:18 NIV18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
 
Sorrow/Grief
Frequent attendant circumstances of the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge
The pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is not simple.
It is complex.
What Is the Main Point?
It is not that the pursuit of wisdom is completely pointless or useless. Wisdom has many advantages and can result in many positive outcomes. But… If your pursuit of wisdom is in order to find life’s ultimate “profit” or “advantage” or “value,” then your pursuit is misguided and will ultimately leave you disappointed.
“Human accomplishments are as insubstantial and fleeting as a puff of air; trying to find ultimate meaning in them is as futile as trying to catch the wind.” - Edward Curtis

"Running in Circles" (Ecclesiastes 1:4-11)

"Running in Circles" (Ecclesiastes 1:4-11)
A Bible Study of Ecclesiastes
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
2“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Life is enigmatic and puzzling. This enigmatic nature of life (without a heavenly perspective) can lead to frustration, discouragement, and desperation (verse 2).
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
3What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Life is full of work and labor. But what are we really achieving with all of our labor? Is there any enduring profit or advantage as a result of all this work (verse 3)?
Verses 4-11 are a poem that addresses the programmatic question of verse 3 and sets the stage for the discussion that follows.
Are we really getting anywhere? Things come and go. Everything is cyclical. The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same (v. 4-7). Is there any “profit” in pursuing our desires or in achieving new things (vv. 8-10)? What does our labor get us if we are soon forgotten (v. 11)?
The Cyclical Pattern of Nature and Life (vv. 4-8).
The cyclical vs. the enduring (v. 4).
Ecclesiastes 1:4 NIV
4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
The Hebrew term “dor” could refer to a generation of people, which replaces the one that came before it. However, the root idea of “dor” is a “circle” or “circular motion.”
“Verse 4 contrasts a circular movement within nature with the steadfast and immovable earth.” - Graham Ogden
The cyclical pattern of the days (the rising and setting of the sun) (v. 5).
Ecclesiastes 1:5 NIV
5The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
The emphasis is on the constancy of movement. It is a never-ceasing activity which constantly repeats itself.
The cyclical pattern of the wind (v. 6).
Ecclesiastes 1:6 NIV
6The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
The sun moves east to west, and the wind is said to move north to south and back again. So, verses 5-6 cover all directions on earth.
The cyclical pattern of water (v. 7).
Ecclesiastes 1:7 NIV
7All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
“The never-ending motion within nature ... does not move toward completion; it knows only constant and cyclic motion.” - Graham Ogden.
The cyclical pattern of human activity (v. 8).
Ecclesiastes 1:8 NIV
8All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
 
Ecclesiastes 1:8 KJV
8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Human labor goes on and on.
The mouth never runs out of things to say.
The eye never runs out of things to see.
The ear never runs out of things to hear.
Like the sea is never filled up though water keeps flowing into it, so the words that people can speak are limitless, the things that people can see are limitless, and the things that people can hear are limitless.
“The ceaseless activity which has already been exemplified in the natural world of sun, wind, and stream in vv. 5-7, is true also of the human world.” - Graham Ogden
Something New, Something Old (vv. 9-10).
The repetitive nature of human achievement (v. 9).
Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV
9What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
The deceptive appearance of the “new” (v. 10).
Ecclesiastes 1:10 NIV
10Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
“The world remains, yet within it there is a flow, a cycle of regular and unceasing activity. Such cyclic motion may give the impression that certain occurrences are actually new and novel. Qoheleth suggests that what appears new is but the recurrence of some aspect of the past; it is new only to the one who newly experiences it.” - Graham Ogden
“‘Newness is not a category for describing this-worldly matters… Qoheleth has asked whether yitrôn [“profit” or “advantage”] is attainable ‘under the sun.’ He now suggests (v. 10) that ‘under the sun’ is not the appropriate place to look for yitrôn. For that which is completely new we must step outside this world and think in other-worldly terms.” - Graham Ogden
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (v. 11).
 
Ecclesiastes 1:11 NIV
11No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
“One cannot expect to live on in the collective memory, and thus have an ‘after life’. Such hope is illusory.” - Graham Ogden
What is the purpose of this poem?
It justifies and sets the stage for the study of life and human existence “under the sun.”
Life is a permanent feature of the world, though it is marked by ebb and flow and repetitive cylces.
In this world that is permanent but has repetitive cycles of actions and events, humanity struggles for comprehension of life.
That which is seen as ‘new’ is actually the ‘recurrent past’.
Neither ‘newness’ nor yitrôn [‘profit’] can ultimately be found “under the sun.” We need a meaning for our existence that comes from ‘beyond the sun.’
“The poem alerts us to two key issues that Qohelet will struggle with as he explores the benefit of labor and thus the meaning of life: the repetitiveness of history and the fact that people are not remembered...if on the basis of observation one concludes that history is endlessly repetitive, then it is indeed hard to see the value of labor and of life. One might find meaning in the fact that one’s hard work and achievements will be remembered, but as the poem notes, no matter what one’s achievements, people are quickly forgotten, so that meaning cannot be grounded in remembrance. Theologically, the poem therefore raises the issue of how we view history and of where we locate our identity or meaning in life. Scripture and the Christian tradition rightly recognize, with this poem, that a cyclical view of history is hope-less, and also alert us to the fact that we cannot root our identity in others and their remembrance of us.” - Craig Bartholomew
Life keeps moving. Round and round it goes. Where can we find ultimate meaning and significance if there is nothing really new and we are so quickly forgotten? This ultimate meaning and signficance cannot be found ‘under the sun.’ it must be found in eternity with our Creator.

"Puzzles and Profits" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)

"Puzzles and Profits" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist Church
February 10, 2021, Wednesday PM
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 CSB
“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 CEB
“Perfectly pointless,” says the Teacher, “perfectly pointless. Everything is pointless.”
 
What is the meaning of “Hebel”?
(hebel) הֶבֶל
Theme word of Ecclesiastes
Does it mean “vanity” or “meaningless” or “futility”?
Unique and purposeful meaning in Ecclesiastes
“Hebel” in Ecclesiastes
Consider scenarios that are described as “hebel” in Ecclesiastes.
Note that “hebel” is accompanied by other key expressions in Ecclesiastes.
“Hebel” is often balanced by calls to enjoy God’s good gifts.
How is “Hebel” used in Ecclesiastes?
The scenarios examined by Qoheleth and described as “hebel” do not fit the meaning of “meaningless” or “futile” or “vanity.”
The accompanying phrases “chasing the wind” (“shepherding the wind”), “a sore affliction,” and “an unhappy business” do not support the meaning of “meaningless,” “futility,” or “vanity.”
The repeated calls to enjoy God’s good gifts provide key structural clues and rule out the meanings of “meaningless,” “futility,” and “vanity.”
So, what does “Hebel” mean in Ecclesiastes?
“Hebel in Qoheleth has a distinctive function and meaning: it conveys the notion that life is enigmatic, and mysterious; that there are many unanswered and unanswerable questions. The person of faith recognizes this fact but moves forward positively to claim and enjoy the life and the work which God apportions.” - Graham Ogden
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
 
Key Question
If “hebel” is the key theme word in Ecclesiastes, verse 3 and the idea of “profit or gain” is the programmatic question.
What is the meaning of “Yitron”?
(yitron) יִתְרוֹן
Comes from a root word that normally conveys the idea of a “profit” or “gain.”
Used in contexts relating to commercial enterprise.
The term “yitron” is coined by Qoheleth.
It clearly does not have a material or financial meaning in Ecclesiastes.
It cannot be found “under the sun.”
“If it is not equated with some worldly, measurable benefit, then it probably belongs to a somewhat different order… Qoheleth is at least pointing in the direction of a yitrôn which transcends the present earthly experience.” - Graham Ogden
“Yitron” in Ecclesiastes
The term “yitron” (gain, profit, or advantage) has “a metaphorical sense to speak of that which is non-material. It might refer, in part, to an inner contentment which abides throughout an enigmatic life, but it seems also to incorporate the possibility of some experience beyond death.” - Graham Ogden
Puzzles and Profits
So, the true “profit” that the wise may receive and that will one day make sense of all of life’s “puzzles” is not to be found in this life “under the sun.” It is to be found in “eternity” (3:11).

"Introducing Ecclesiastes" (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)

"Introducing Ecclesiastes" (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)
Wednesday Bible Study
February 3, 2021
Ecclesiastes has long been regarded as the most enigmatic book in the Bible. Its refrain that “all is vanity under the sun” sounds more like twentieth-century existentialism than biblical faith. On the other hand, several times the book counsels its readers to grasp the joys of life as gifts from God. How these seemingly opposite themes are viewed leads to dramatically different understandings of the text. By composing the book’s message in autobiographical terms, the author takes the readers along as he seeks to discover lasting significance in life. - Daniel J. Estes
Ecclesiastes 1:1 NIV
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
 
"Teacher" - קֹהֶלֶת (qohelet)
Derived from a verb meaning "to assemble" or "to gather."
"Teacher or Leader of the Assembly"
"One who gathers material for education of the public."
"Ecclesiastes" - derives from the Greek term ἐκκλησία (ekklesia), "assembly."
"Ecclesiastes" is the title of the book in the Greek Bible and the Latin Bible.
The book is referred to as "Qoheleth" in the Hebrew Bible.
"Son of David, King in Jerusalem"
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Solomon?
A later author around the time of the exile or after the exile?
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB95
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 Tanakh
Utter futility!—said Koheleth— Utter futility! All is futile!
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 (Bartholomew)
“Utterly enigmatic,” says Qohelet, “utterly enigmatic, everything is enigmatic.”
 
“Meaningless”? ( הֶבֶל "hevel")
"breath"
"wind"
"vanity"
"empty"
"idol"
Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

"Out of the Depths" (Psalm 130)

"Out of the Depths" (Psalm 130)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, January 27, 2021
Psalm 130
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;2     Lord, hear my voice.Let your ears be attentive    to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,    Lord, who could stand?4 But with you there is forgiveness,    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,    and in his word I put my hope.6 I wait for the Lord    more than watchmen wait for the morning,    more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,    for with the Lord is unfailing love    and with him is full redemption.8 He himself will redeem Israel    from all their sins.
May your time in the depths lead you to God not away from him (vv. 1–2).
May your time in the depths lead you to repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing (vv. 3–4).
May your time in the depths lead you to wait with great anticipation for God and his deliverance (vv. 5–6).
May your time in the depths lead you to put your hope and trust in God alone (vv. 7–8).
Main Idea: In the darkest and most difficult times of life, we must patiently trust in God, who hears, forgives, rescues, and redeems.

"After the Storm Passes By" (Proverbs 10:25)

"After the Storm Passes By" (Proverbs 10:25)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, August 12, 2020
Proverbs 10:25When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,    but the righteous stand firm forever.
Proverbs 10:27The fear of the Lord adds length to life,    but the years of the wicked are cut short.
Proverbs 10:30The righteous will never be uprooted,    but the wicked will not remain in the land.
Proverbs 12:7The wicked are overthrown and are no more,    but the house of the righteous stands firm.
Psalm 37:10A little while, and the wicked will be no more;    though you look for them, they will not be found.
Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

"A Time to Stand Firm" (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17) [Part 2]

"A Time to Stand Firm" (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17) [Part 2]
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, July 22, 2020
 
2 Thessalonians 2:13–17 (NIV)
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits  to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Thanksgiving (vv. 13-14)
Exhortation (v.  15)
Prayer (vv. 16-17)
 
1. Thanksgiving: Loved, Chosen, and Called
 
2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 (NIV)
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
2. Exhortation: Stand Firm and Hold Tightly
 
2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV
15So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
 
 
3. Prayer: Encouragement and Strength
 
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 NIV
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
 
Main Idea: Because of God's loving election and call, we may stand firm and hold tightly to the gospel, confident in the encouragement and strength God provides that will guide us home to glory.
 

“The Best Is Yet to Come” (Ruth 4)

“The Best Is Yet to Come” (Ruth 4)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, July 15, 2020
The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path.
Ruth 3:12–13 NIV
12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
Ruth 4:1 NIV
1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
Ruth 4:4 NIV
4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.
We have a responsibility to face life’s challenges with wisdom and righteousness.
Ruth 4:1–10 (NIV)
4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer  he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
When the good that God has planned for us comes to pass, we should respond with joy and praise.
Ruth 4:11–17 (NIV)
11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
We must remember that the good that God is doing in our lives may not be fully realized during our lifetimes.
Ruth 4:18–22 (NIV)
 
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
21 Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.
Main Idea: The life of the godly is not a straight path to glory, but by his grace they do get there.

"Wisdom and Righteousness under the Providence of God" (Ruth 4:1-12)

"Wisdom and Righteousness under the Providence of God" (Ruth 4:1-12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, July 8, 2020
Ruth chapter 1
(Home to Moab and back again)
Loss
Loneliness
Love and Loyalty
Ruth chapter 2
(Home to the harvest field and back again)
Providence
Provision
Ruth chapter 3
(Home to the threshing floor and back again)
Righteous Plans
Righteous Actions
Righteous Character
Ruth chapter 4
(Home to the town gates and back again)
1. The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path.
Ruth 3:12–13 NIV
12Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
Ruth 4:1 NIV
1Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
Ruth 4:4 NIV
4I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.
1. The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path.
2. But, we have a responsibility to face life’s challenges with wisdom and righteousness.
Preparation
Ruth 4:1–2 NIV
1Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
Negotiation
Ruth 4:3–6 NIV
3Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. 5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” 6At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
Transaction
Ruth 4:7–10 NIV
7(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) 8So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
Declaration
Ruth 4:11–12 NIV
11Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
Consummation
Ruth 4:13 NIV
13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
Main Idea: The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path. But, we have a responsibility to face life’s challenges with wisdom and righteousness.

"A Divinely Appointed Opportunity" (Ruth 3:1-18)

"A Divinely Appointed Opportunity" (Ruth 3:1-18)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, July 1, 2020
 
1. God’s Providence and Our Plans (Ruth 3:1-5)
Ruth 3:1–5 NIV
1One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. 2Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” 5“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered.
Those who recognize the providential hand of God respond with righteous plans.
2. God’s Providence and Our Actions (Ruth 3:6-9)
Ruth 3:6–9 NIV
6So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. 7When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet! 9“Who are you?” he asked.“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
Those who recognize the providential hand of God respond with action and whole-hearted obedience.
3. God’s Providence and Our Character (Ruth 3:10-18)
Ruth 3:10–18 NIV
10“The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.” 14So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town. 16When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” 18Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
Those who recognize the providential hand of God respond by displaying noble character.
Putting It All Together: The providence of God provides us with opportunities to respond with faith-driven plans and righteous character and actions.

"Bountiful Grace" (Ruth 2:14-23)

"Bountiful Grace" (Ruth 2:14-23)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, June 24, 2020
Ruth 2:1–23 (NIV)
2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”
“The Lord bless you!” they answered.
5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”
6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.”
When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”
17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.  18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.
20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers. ”
21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’ ”
22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”
23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

​"Not by Chance" (Ruth 2:1-13)

​"Not by Chance" (Ruth 2:1-13)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday PM, June 17, 2020
Ruth 2:1–13 (NIV)
2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”
“The Lord bless you!” they answered.
5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”
6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

​"What the Lord Requires of You" (Micah 6:8)

​"What the Lord Requires of You" (Micah 6:8)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, June 14, 2020
 
Micah 6:8 NIV
8He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 ESV
8He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
 
A Child of God Pursues Justice, Because our God Is Just.
A Child of God Loves Mercy, Because our God is Merciful.
A Child of God Lives in Humility Before God, Because God Gives Grace to the Humble and Exalts Them.
Main Idea: A child of God seeks to live his or her life according to the godly traits of justice, mercy, and humility, because our Just and Holy God has shown us mercy and exalted us.

"Welcome Home" (Ruth 1:19-22)

"Welcome Home" (Ruth 1:19-22)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, June 10, 2020
 
Ruth 1:15–22 (NIV)
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty  has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.
 
God providentially cares for his people and welcomes the foreigner.