Slideshow image

Sermon Title: “Go for It!”

Text: Ecclesiastes 11-12

Preacher: Alex Hogendoorn

Date: November 24, 2024

Summary Tagline:

“Life’s fog points us to eternity—live fully now with your eyes on forever.”

Message Summary:

In Ecclesiastes 11-12, Solomon urges his readers to live boldly and joyfully, trusting God even amidst the uncertainties of life. Solomon’s poetic commands—“Cast your bread upon the waters” and “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth”—encourage faith-filled living. Life is fleeting like a mist, but it is filled with eternal significance when entrusted to God.

Alex draws from Solomon’s wisdom and connects it to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:33, urging believers to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. While youth provides opportunities for energy and idealism, age brings wisdom and the longing for our eternal home. Through it all, Alex reminds listeners of the hope we have in Christ, who perfects us even through the fog and hardships of life. In Christ, life’s temporary nature becomes a pointer to eternal glory.

Group Discussion Guide

Icebreaker Question: (Choose ONE)

  1. What’s one risk or bold decision you’ve taken in life that turned out to be worth it?
  2. What’s one thing you’d do differently if you knew you only had a short time left to live?
  3. Can you share a way you’ve seen God’s faithfulness during an uncertain or challenging time in your life?

Discussion Questions:

Pray for God's leading in the discussion.

Read the passage together and discuss anything that comes up immediately.

  1. Solomon calls us to “cast our bread upon the waters,” a call to bold living, investing our money and lives into an uncertain future while trusting God. What are some ways you feel God might be asking you to live boldly in faith?
  2. The sermon emphasized the fleeting nature of life (Hevel). How does recognizing life’s brevity shape the way you approach your priorities and relationships?
  3. We are encouraged us to remember our Creator “in the days of youth.” (This means that God has a purpose for us.) What are some practical ways you can remember and honor God in this current season of life?
  4. Jesus said to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” How does this command guide your decisions and help you navigate life’s uncertainties?
  5. The sermon reminded us that suffering and aging are part of God’s process of perfecting us. How can you find hope and purpose even in life’s challenging seasons?

For Further Study:

  1. Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the Kingdom of God.
  2. Psalm 39:4-5 – Recognizing the fleeting nature of life.
  3. Hebrews 12:1-2 – Running with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus.
  4. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – “What is unseen is eternal.”
  5. James 4:13-15 – Trusting God’s will for the future.
  6. Philippians 1:21 – “To live is Christ, to die is gain.”
  7. John 15:4-5 – Abiding in Christ for fruitfulness.
  8. Romans 8:18 – Present sufferings and future glory.
  9. Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trusting God with all your heart.

Gospel Connections

Let’s discuss how we can apply this message to our lives as we seek to make the following connections as we follow Jesus:

  1. How does remembering your Creator transform the way you live and make decisions?
  2. How can our church be a place that encourages people of all ages to embrace God’s eternal purposes in their lives?
  3. How can our group help one another live boldly in faith, trusting God’s eternal perspective in all seasons of life?
  4. How can we, as individuals and as a church, bring hope and purpose to our city by pointing people to the eternal significance found in Christ?
Adults
Gospel Communities