P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.S: Almost replaced left inside main tire. P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.

S: Something tightened in cockpit.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor! Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by

UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor! Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by

UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident

P: Dead bugs on windshield.S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.S: That's what friction locks are for

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor! Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by

UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.S: Suspect you're right.P: Number 3 engine missing.S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent

S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor! Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by

UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident

P: Aircraft handles funny.S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right

and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.S: Cat installed.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor! Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by

UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident

And the best for last:P: Noise coming from under instrument panel.

Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S: Took hammer away from midget.

ECCLESIASTES THE TEACHER or PREACHER

EKKLESIA: THE CALLED OUT

To make sure we don’t get off base, here is where we are going with this book:

We will for 11 chapters look at the world in a purely humanist way with man at the center of the universe

rather than God

Solomon will pretend, for the first 11 chapters of this book, that he does not know God and is seeking the meaning of

life as a humanist would

In essence, he will look at the world as most people actually see the world

THE KEY VERSE TO THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES:

12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his

commandments, For this is man’s all.

On the outset, the first 11 chapters are based on:

Secular = Not concerned with religion

Secularism = The belief that religious influence should be excluded from public affairs

Humanism = Advocates human based morality

Hedonism = Seeking of self-indulgent pleasure

Life is subject to chance, luck, even fate

Per Pete, what does the term “under the sun” mean? The earth – our world (the phrase is used 35 times)

Remember the position of the writer is that he is looking at the world from a humanistic viewpoint (human morality)

Therefore, where is his focus? It is horizontal, he sees only the problems of the world:hunger, unemployment, confusion, robberies, hate, war

In the professor’s eyes, the world is riddled with frustration and futility

Here is a summary of the Vanities Solomon discusses:

• Human wisdom 2:14-16• Human effort 2:18-23• Human achievement 2:26• Human life 3:18-22• Human rivalry 4:4• Human selfish sacrifice 4:7,8 • Human power 4:16• Human greed 5:10• Human accumulation 6:1-12• Human religion 8:10-14

Solomon tries very hard to get this point across as he references futility and vanity and chasing the wind:

His point is to get us to look at what we should value, the things that are truly important and essential to man

These are things that cannot be held in our hands

While we try, our efforts to grasp things like love, compassion, understanding and patience are futile at best!!

Those virtues cannot be held onto To try and do so is nothing less than chasing the wind or grasping

at the air!

Chapter 2:1-11

Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 The Futility of Pleasure and

PossessionsSolomon has looked at life and nature with its endless cycles

and concluded that it is meaningless.In that frustration, he decided to tap his abundant resources

and search for the meaning of life within those resources.So, he took a cursory look at the meaning of life by exploring

man’s wisdom only to find grief and sorrow. Now, he will look for the meaning of life within the pleasures

afforded mankind.Note how the predominance of the word “I” Solomon sets the

pace and focus by the constant and consistent use of “I.”Remember that our secular humanist believes that he is the

center of the universe so naturally it is all about “I”

2:1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.

2 I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

What is Solomon going to do?Administer a testWho will be tested?SolomonA Test based on what?PleasureSolomon hints at the outcome, what is his hint?Futility – Madness – Nothing Accomplishment

What is wrong with laughter and pleasure, why are theyfutility and madness?..

He is looking for the meaning/purpose of life in physical pleasures

But… aren’t physical pleasures enjoyable?YES!!!

Then what is the problem?They are temporal, they do not last and therefore are of

no eternal significance.

In other words is the pursuit of happiness why we are

here?Does the pursuit of good times

lead to peace, contentment and lasting satisfaction?

Our teacher will lead us to the conclusion that they do not and therefore do not lead to the meaning of life.

Yet another humanistic experiment that leads to

frustration!!!!

Where does a Christian find his contentment:

Phil 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled

and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Now Solomon tries the more sensual (physical) pleasures beginning with alcohol.

2:3 I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me

wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under

heaven the few years of their lives.

What does he mean stimulate while being mentally guided? He did not allow the pursuit of the pleasure of wine to carry him

into drunkenness, at least in the beginning He drank with moderation so that he would be in control

Then, he got drunk which is to “take hold of folly”

Does the Bible condemn drinking?

Prov. 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

Prov. 23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

    Who has contentions? Who has complaining?    Who has wounds without cause?

    Who has redness of eyes?30 Those who linger long over wine,    Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,    When it sparkles in the cup,

    When it goes down smoothly;

Eph 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but

as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the

days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord

is. 18 And do not get drunk

with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled

with the Spirit, 

The Bible never teaches that drinking is a sin

It always teaches that getting drunk is the sin

Wine was actually used as a sacrifice:Ex. 29:40 and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of

fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink

offering with one lambFrom Strong’s Concordance:

H3196 yayin (yah'-yin) From an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication intoxication:—banqueting, wine, wine [-bibber].

Putting together from verse 3 “how to take hold of folly and to do under heaven,” what is Solomon talking

about?

He did not stop with testing wine!Solomon tried every physical pleasure he could

imagine!!Sports, boating, plays, baths, food, massage,

ETC.We can add TV, movies, driving, flying, ETC.

2:4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

Remember his palace took seven years to build!!!

Solomon’s Pools

Pool Number One

Pool Number Two

Pool number three

7 I bought male and female slaves and I had home born slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

If this were a modern day comparison, what would Solomon have collected?

Houses, cars, electronics, boats planes, servants!

In his day no other King was as wealthy as Solomon: 1Kings 10:21-29

8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for

myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.

Do you remember how much gold per year? 1.5 Billion!!!

What would be the modern day collection of singers?

Big screen TV, jetting to Vegas or New York for live shows and plays…

(From Verse 8) and the pleasures of men—many concubines

How many wives and concubines?700 wives, 300 concubines

What does “the pleasures of men” mean?Sexual indulgence!!!!!!!!

As a part of his pursuit of the physical pleasures, Solomon looked for the meaning of life in sex.

Our culture is deeply mired in the belief that: if we are sexually happy, we will be fulfilled and content.

So much so that young people are experimenting with sex in Jr. High School.

Why not? Our society indicates that sex is a wonderful, natural and completely fulfilling thing to do!!

It no longer matters what your age or marital status is.If you want it – do it after all it is only sex.

What is the harm?

We are driven to the bed by the advertising we see It emphasizes the sensual and sexy

When the subject of sex is addressed in films or TV, (which seems the be the central plot for much of entertainment)

it is almost always encouraged and presented as the right and logical thing for two people who are attracted

to each other to do

Which leads to the question:

Is pursuing sexual fulfillment an OK thing?

Yes, within marriage (Heb. 13:4)

What about outside of marriage, after all what can a little harmless sex lead to?

Family Life article – “Low Country Sinks Lower.”If you open the door, Satan will come in!!!

Just like the Netherlands, one compromise will always lead to another and another and before long what

started as a so called harmless experiment or harmless fulfillment of a moment of lust can develop

into an entirely unacceptable lifestyle.

2:10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was

pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

What did Solomon leave out of his quest for personal pleasure and satisfaction?..

Nothing!Was he pleased and rewarded for his labor?..

YesEarthly accomplishments are rewarding they are NOT necessarily

against the will of God unless they become the focus of our life. Only when striving for physical pleasure takes us out of worship

and out of ministry or in general out of seeking God’s will, then it is a problem

Is there anything wrong with playing golf, boating, camping,

hiking, biking, sleeping in, attending an event, or the NFL…

NOUnless it

REPLACES WORSHIP on a consistent or

semi consistent basis!!

And what about the old wives tale: “I can worship anywhere, I don’t

need to be in church?”

• Picture of church

Hebrews 10:

24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to

love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is

the habit of some, but encouraging one another;

and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Where should we be every day?..In the word

Every Sunday?...Church and Friends in Faith

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of

what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

When we reach the point that anything hinders or replaces our worship of the one true God, at that point we are in SIN because it takes us away from God and

becomes our focus of worship (Ex. 20:3).

Or, it becomes our idol (Ex. 20:4)HB --Buda – golden calf – football – golf club – TV, ETC

2:11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under

the sun.

What is Solomon’s conclusion?.. The pursuit of sensual-physical pleasures is

vanity and striving after the windIt is of NO profit!!!!

Nothing enduring was accomplished He discovered what we all soon learn about

sensual pleasures, they don’t last!!!!So, where is our focus?

Are we striving to please God or striving to catch the wind?

Seeking to build God’s kingdom or our own?

What do we take home?

1. What do I really value?2. Is there anything between God and

me?3. If so it is an idol and I must turn back

to God!!!