Sermons

This passage covers King Uzziah, to whom the almighty God gave wealth and power, but who was corrupted by pride, ignored the priests' counsel, tried to burn incense himself, was struck with leprosy, and came to a miserable end. It explains that God did not reject him from the start, but that his own choice broke the relationship and caused him to be stripped of every blessing.

The sermon points out the human weakness of abandoning God and going back to the world as soon as difficulties are resolved. When we are not poor in spirit and boast of our own ability and wisdom, that is evidence that we have become servants of Satan, and it leads in the end to the road of ruin. Believers must not make the world's recognition their measure of worth, but must be thankful for the grace given them and persevere.

The sermon warns that a life that does not hope for the eternal kingdom, and whose heart is captured by the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, ends in the end in emptiness. It asks whether we will choose true wisdom, a life of bearing the fruit of the Spirit and preparing as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, or the folly of losing our souls, swallowed up by worldly success.

Drawing on the wisdom Solomon gained from having enjoyed both wealth and power, this passage warns that covetousness in the end comes back as vanity. Through a folktale about brothers who found a lump of gold and kept the peace between them by boldly throwing away the source of the greed that could have harmed their relationship, it shows that the greater danger is not material things themselves but the way the human heart changes because of them. It also recalls the truth that we come naked from our mother's womb and can take nothing with us, and emphasizes that what matters is how we use the unrighteous wealth of this present world for the life after death.

The sermon warns that being thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit and then, as time passes, turning one's heart and complaining can become the grave sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Even after a lifetime of church life and experiencing grace, an attitude of relying more on the things of the world or mocking God's work can plunge a person into a dangerous state in which they can no longer repent. Therefore, it teaches that when hardship and trials come, we need the wisdom not to see them only as a typhoon that shakes our roots, but to cast our heavy burdens on Jesus Christ, give thanks, and endure by faith.

With what attitude must believers face hardship in order to give thanks in all things and enjoy the joy of their hearts?

This passage emphasizes the reverence we should have when we enter the temple and the posture of listening to God's word. It points out that God delights more in our hearing and obeying his voice than in sacrifices or formal worship, and that fools act and speak as things come to mind, without understanding. Therefore believers must take care not to open their mouths rashly in a holy place or make vows in haste.

Also, a vow made to God must be fulfilled, and rashly making a promise one cannot keep is sin. Jesus taught that an honest life matters more than empty oaths, showing that devotion and obedience that come from the heart are the true vow. And even when we see the injustice and oppression of the world, we must not lose heart, but believe that God, who is higher still, sees all things and will judge.

This word, that a fool's speech comes with a multitude of words, asks how honest our lips and hearts must be before God. How should we receive the truth that, instead of formal vows or complaints, we must trust God even in hardship and live holy lives?

This passage compares the lives of Solomon and David and points out the emptiness of what is built with the world's power and wealth. Solomon achieved much but left God and had no one to share his heart with, living a life of regret, while David relied on God even in hardship and set an example of faith by loving his people.

Through this contrast, the sermon asks what believers should hold on to as they live. The world's praise and riches are like a sandcastle that easily disappears, but faith built by walking with God, like a threefold cord, will never be broken. It also emphasizes that relationships in which we work together and sacrifice for one another are true blessing.

The sermon teaches that when believers live lives that love their neighbors and sacrifice themselves for the gospel instead of pursuing selfish aims, their labor is not in vain but remains as something of eternal value. Finally, it asks what choices believers must make to turn an empty life into a meaningful one, and what they must do to live the holy life of believers who expand the kingdom of God.

This passage contrasts Solomon, who oppressed his people with his power and wealth and came to regret it, with Job, who kept his faithfulness even in suffering. Solomon put the world before God and failed to be a true comforter to his people, leaving behind regret he could not undo. Job, on the other hand, believed in God and did not waver even under Satan's testing, and as a result received the protection and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The sermon points out that human life can be vain and empty, and asks who the true comforter is. It emphasizes that the peace gained through the world's power or wealth is only temporary, and that only the Holy Spirit is with us as the true Comforter and Protector. The Holy Spirit is presented as the one who encourages believers in their suffering and guards them from Satan's attacks.

So the sermon leads the reader to reflect on whether their life will end in regret like Solomon's, or whether they stand firm in the comfort of the Holy Spirit like Job. In the end, it asks whether we can enjoy spiritual protection and peace depending on the faith by which we live, and raises the point that this choice decides the destiny of the soul.

This passage sheds deep light on the world after death and the meaning of life now. Solomon emphasizes that death is a complete severing from this world, and says that because one can have no influence after death, how one lives while alive is what matters. Though the lives of humans and animals may look alike, he warns that the human spirit goes up to God and so will face judgment. It therefore teaches that falling into darkness without receiving Christ is the saddest thing of all, and that we must prepare for what comes after death by faith.

Through the case of King Hezekiah, the sermon points out the problem of regret and vanity. It notes that he was granted fifteen more years of life, but came to regret it because of the evil deeds of his son Manasseh, born during that time. This shows that a selfish life that cannot overcome its own emotions, temper and pride, and so makes family and neighbors unhappy, in the end comes back as vanity. And through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, it emphasizes that the world's wealth and power do not decide one's destiny after death, and that only faith and the practice of love matter. The rich man suffers after death, unable even then to forget the worries of the world, while Lazarus enjoys peace in Abraham's bosom.

The sermon asks about the wisdom to be content with today and live well rather than worry about tomorrow. Because people cannot know their own end, they must show love and forgiveness to their family and neighbors and live honestly. Believers should strive so that those beside them feel peace and happiness, and should fill the time God has given them with thanksgiving and praise. The sermon leads the reader to reflect on what they value most in their life now, and whether they are making choices they will regret in the face of death.

Today's passage, through the Preacher's confession, makes clear that everything in life has its appointed season. People each think, from where they stand, that they are experiencing something for the first time, but with God there is already an appointed order and time, and all things are repeated and brought to completion. From this perspective, we must acknowledge the sovereignty of God, who is above the changes of the world and of human life.

The sermon emphasizes in particular how important the wisdom to know the ‘time’ is when it comes to saving souls and sharing the gospel. Even though thistles are growing in the hearts of family members and friends we love, staying silent out of embarrassment or laziness can end in the loss of souls. When we live in fear of the world instead of carrying out our mission according to the time God has set, we commit the sin of letting the seed of the gospel the Lord entrusted to us rot.

We must look back on whether we have ever pretended not to see, even when we saw thistles and thorns covering the hearts of the people we love. We should also ask ourselves whether not sharing the gospel comes from a cowardly thought, or from true love.

This passage deals with the emptiness Solomon saw at the end of his life and with what true peace is. Just as the love parents devote to their children becomes empty if it does not lead to gratitude, it is not easy for human beings to give satisfaction to their Creator. Yet God gives abundant power and wisdom to those who carry out their mission, and the passage shows that true love is giving children the chance to stand on their own.

On the other hand, greed like King Saul's, which does not fear God and seeks to harm others for the sake of one's own power and one's children's interests, in the end brings ruin. Saul tried to kill the innocent David and even turned against his beloved son Jonathan, living in anxiety. Such a selfish heart narrows one's vision and keeps one from finding eternal rest, and in the end makes the difference between lives that part ways into heaven and hell.

Though Solomon enjoyed wealth and glory, he realized in the face of death that all was vanity. He envied the peace of those who were poor but feared God, and regretted how empty his own life had been. The world's wealth and success disappear with time, but those who serve God as their Master and live by faith enjoy eternal rest. The sermon asks believers to cast off the world's empty desires, rely on God alone, and live in peace.

This passage covers how Solomon, though he enjoyed wisdom, wealth and power all together, in the end came to realize the emptiness of life. At first he ruled the nation for God, but gradually he changed into a selfish attitude of living for his own pleasure and satisfaction. As a result, even possessing a thousand wives and vast wealth, he instead fell into deep emptiness and regret.

The sermon points out that Solomon's failure came because he left God and lived only for himself. Every person dies and returns to dust, so we must remember that the world's power and wealth are not eternal. In particular, when we become addicted to fleshly pleasures such as alcohol, our reason is paralyzed and we come under Satan's control, and this in the end leads to the ruin of the soul. The life and wealth God has given belong to him, so the choice of how to use them is ours.

In what are we now finding a sense of accomplishment? If our hearts have been captured by the world's temptations and pleasures and we are heading down the path of sin, what decision should we make at this very moment, while we can still turn back?

This sermon connects the parable of the prodigal son with Solomon's confession, shedding light on God's unchanging love and on human emptiness. When the prodigal son had lost everything and fallen into a wretched state, the father waited for him and welcomed him with open arms. Unlike worldly friends, who turn their backs once the money is gone, the father's love continues without condition. Through this heart of the father, believers come to realize that God is always waiting for those who return.

On the strength of the wisdom and riches God gave him, Solomon chased the world's power and idols and drew away from God. He forgot that his position and wealth came from God, and fell into the pride of regarding himself as equal to God. As a result, amid wars to keep his power and spiritual emptiness, he lost his peace, and in the end he confessed that his life was vanity of vanities. The sermon emphasizes that Solomon's regret is a warning to believers that they must hold on to God's grace rather than the things of the world.

Human wisdom and effort cannot make the crooked road of life straight or find eternal peace. Only Jesus Christ opens that way, and believers must not fall into spiritual laziness but must remain in Christ and fight. The sermon warns believers not to rely on material things or wisdom and not to leave God, and presents repenting and returning to the Father's arms as the only answer. It raises the question of how believers must live so as not to repeat Solomon's regret.

This passage is Solomon's confession of the deep emptiness and the fleeting nature of life that he came to feel after enjoying all his wealth and glory. He realizes that all the riches and power of the world, and all human effort, mean nothing in the face of death, when everything returns to dust. The passage points out that although he had wisdom and wealth, a life apart from God is all show, like a puffed-up bun that is hollow inside, and it emphasizes that there is no new thing under the sun.

The sermon explains that this emptiness is a sign revealing that human beings, because of sin, cannot escape death. People constantly chase new things to fill their lives, but they must recognize that none of it lasts forever. It warns that when people lose their longing for God and live by the world's desires, they become unable to make wise judgments. So it teaches that, rather than clinging to temporary possessions or honor, we must receive Christ for eternal life and live a life that walks with God.

The sermon invites the reader to look back on whether their life is an empty one filled without God, or one moving toward an eternal hope. Rather than regretting time gone by and chances thrown away, it asks how we will offer this very moment to God.