This Sunday we read Ecclesiastes 9:3-6. Let’s focus on verse 3 for a minute;
3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.
Referring back to what he said in Chapter 3, Solomon is reflecting on an idea of a common destiny for all, no matter how you lived your life.
The definition of a Nihilist is someone who rejects all religious and moral principles; believes there is no God, no heaven, no hell, no accountability, no justice, no hope, no meaning. In other words, someone who has no eternal perspective. The phrase “under the sun”, used by Solomon repeatedly, refers to someone living a life without an eternal perspective. We can assume that this is how things appear to Solomon, and this is the way things appear to a lot of people in the world too.
But, when Jesus came to this earth, he unlocked eternity for us. (John 3:16)
We are no longer living “under the sun”. The death, resurrection and promise of eternal life with Jesus provides justice, hope and meaning. This was written by Solomon without an eternal perspective, but we can now read it with an eternal perspective. We can live our lives with the confidence that God is bringing justice, hope and meaning for all eternity.
We encourage you to spend a few minutes talking with your teenager about our lesson.
Consider building your conversation around these questions:
• How do you feel about a life without justice, hope and meaning?
• How do you know that the promise of justice, hope and meaning through Jesus is freely available to you? Would you like to pray for that now?
• What was your biggest take-out from Sunday’s video?
ICE-BREAKER QUESTIONS
• Do you want to have kids one day? Why/Why not?
• What activity or skill would you be willing to practice every single day in order to get really good at it?
• Do you ever lose track of time? What are you usually doing when that happens?
• What 4 words describe your home?
• Which of your friends is the most different from you? In which ways?
• What would your ultimate party be like and who would you invite?
• If you could go back in time, which Bible event or story would you like to be part of?