Gospel Chapel GF

In Silent Fear of God (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

How do you approach public worship? Do you make space in your life for silence? In a world full of noise, we all need space to be silent. Pastor Ben Jepsen explores how noisy our world is, and some practical ways we can cut the chatter.

Seeing Problems (Part 2) - Ecclesiastes 4:4-16

The next three problems that Qoheleth "sees" are problems of the human heart, the human condition. Our work and toil is motivated by envy. We tend to live in isolation. And we can become arrogant and unteachable. Life under the sun can be lonely. How do we combat these tendencies? Qoheleth actually points to solutions in this passage.

Seeing Problems (Part 1) - Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3

The realities of life create tensions and questions for us. In Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16, Qoheleth engages six troubling paradoxes that put the claims of 3:1-15 to the test. Is God really in control? Is God really "making all things beautiful"? What about the injustice, death, and oppression that is so rampant in our world? If God is really good and all powerful, why do these things persist?

Who has the time? (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)

Thanks to Pete Seeger and the Byrds, this is a famous passage of Ecclesiastes. And there are verses - phrases really - that have been taken out of this passage for children's songs and missionary conferences. But the main point of the passage is generally not taken into account.
But we need to take the main point of the passage seriously. God's Sovereignty over time, our inability to understand what God is doing, and the majesty of his timing and sovereignty are highlighted in the text to direct us to humility and joy and worship.

The Search (Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26)

The longest unit in Ecclesiastes is also the deepest rabbit hole. We start off by being introduced to Qoheleth directly; he is now the speaker. From the description, we're to imagine Solomon embarking on a quest to find meaning and contentment in life by using all available resources and his God given wisdom. If anyone should be able to answer this timeless quest of humanity, surely Solomon was equipped.
But with each look at life and all that even Solomon could accomplish, the answer doesn't change - life under the sun is hevel - vapour, mist, fleeting, absurd... The more intently he looks at life, the more intensely he probes the question, the more the answer is uncomfortable and unwelcome. Ultimately, he gives up to despair.
But that's never the end of the story. This is, after all, an honest evaluation of "all that is under the sun" - which has excluded the person and purposes of God.

No Gain from All Our Toil (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)

The introduction to Ecclesiastes establishes the title, theme, topic, and the central thinking of the book.

Ecclesiastes

Today we started our study of Ecclesiastes. And the best starting point for any study of a biblical book is a complete read through. So that's exactly what we did.

Divine Anticipation (John 4)

What do you expect on an average Sunday morning? What do you really expect from God? Is He really involved in our day to day lives? Is He really working in our city to draw people to Jesus Christ? If He is, are we seeing it, are we expecting it, and are we ready to join Him in what He is already doing around us?
God is always at work, and He invites us to join Him in what He is already doing. "Look up, Open your eyes. The fields are white for harvest."