Danny Hillis was a child prodigy. He designed his first computer when he was 12 years old. In his twenties, he was the guy who designed America’s first Supercomputer. Parallel architecture, a whole lot of CPUs working together at once. Which at the time, in the 80s, was the fastest computer in the world. It was sold last year for five hundred bucks. Scrap metal value.

These days, Danny Hillis is working on designing something that he says will be a bit more permanent. It’s a monument. A group of American’s are working on a project to build a CLOCK; they're the PEDANTIC sort of people who want to tell you the new millennium doesn't start til NEXT YEAR, so they’re going to start it on January 1 2001; and they've designed it to last for 10,000 years.

Now think about it. The pyramids are only 5000 years old; they're getting a bit worn on the pointy bits. So this is a big ask. A mechanical clock, built to run till the calendar reads 12,000. But that’s the challenge. Danny Hillis says there’s a real appeal in trying to design something PERMANENT. Something of LASTING SIGNIFICANCE. Something that will really make its mark. That tourists are going to come and stare at and marvel at not just this year, but next year. And in a hundred years. And in a thousand years. And a thousand years after that. Danny Hillis wants to REALLY MAKE HIS MARK. Do something that LASTS. Danny Hillis says he wants to do something REALLY WORTHWHILE with his life. And for him, that gives life MEANING.

Well, today I want to ask you what you’re doing… that’s really going to last. What you’re doing with your life, that isn’t just going to turn to ash.

Ecclesiastes

The Teacher

Danny Hillis is exactly like the guy who wrote Ecclesiastes. It’s a book that looks at exactly the same problem’s he’s looking at. That NOTHING SEEMS TO LAST. The word ECCLESIASTES means THE ONE WHO TEACHES THE GATHERING. And it’s kind of a mysterious anonymous book, because the writer never ever tells you his name. He just calls himself THE TEACHER; and drops a few clues. Like that he's one of the Kings of Israel. A Son of David. Lots of people say it's written by Solomon. Which it could be. But he doesn't say. All he says is what you see there in verse 1 of chapter 1. "The Words of THE TEACHER, son of David, King of Jerusalem."

And THE TEACHER is searching for MEANING. Looking for something that LASTS. Looking for SATISFACTION in a throwaway world. These days he might build a ten thousand year clock. Back then he could have built a pyramid. But instead of that, he’s written this book. And we're going to see, it's a book of EXPERIMENTS.

Verse 13 in chapter 1, he tells you his goal. He spells out what he’s setting out to do. He says "I set out to explore by wisdom all that's done under heaven." And look ahead to verse 3 in chapter 2. Read what he says. Second part of the verse. He says he's exploring everything under heaven, because he's looking for MEANING. He says "I wanted to see what was WORTHWHILE FOR MEN TO DO UNDER HEAVEN during the few days of their lives." The search for meaning. For something to give his life to that’s got lasting value.

Now I don’t know where you’re up to on that search yet. Or whether you’ve really started it. But it you’re a thinking person, YOU WILL. Which is what makes Ecclesiastes such a great book to read. Because it’s the account of what this one guy finds. As he goes picking, examining, prodding the things we do. To find out what it is that makes life worth living. Because sometimes when you look at the rat-race, it's hard to see the point. Everything's just running round in circles.

And you know what the teacher has learnt? Well, you don't have to go far to find out, do you. He tells you right from the start. This isn’t one of those complicated books where you’ve got to dig right in deep to find out what it’s saying. Because it’s all there in his opening words.

LIFE ON THE TREADMILL

Meaningless, meaningless. And if you go through the whole book you’ll find he uses exactly the same words over and over again. In the older translations, it's VANITY, VANITY. All in vain. Meaningless, meaningless. Read through and count. 35 times. 35 times he says he's looking for meaning. And finds none.

These days they call it Generation X. The new generation that wears black. Aims for nothing. Passionate about nothing. Because nothing has value. Meaningless, meaningless. Generation X, two and a half thousand years ago.

Meaningless, meaningless. Often the teacher says it the way he says it in here in verse 14. He'll say no matter where you look, life’s all just MEANINGLESS, a chasing after the wind. Turn over to chapter 2 verse 11 and you'll see it again. He’s trying all the things people say give life purpose. And they just don’t work. And so he says "Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind"; or verse 17 in chapter 2, the same again. And the end of verse 26, right at the end of chapter 2. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Now someone said to me last time I was speaking on Ecclesiastes, he said, THIS GUY’S GOT A PROBLEM. He needs to take some anti-depressants and have a good lie down. Which is exactly how we want to treat people who start to see the realities of life, isn’t it.

We live in a world that’s purpose-built to STOP PEOPLE ASKING THESE SORT OF QUESTIONS. Don’t think about MEANING. Don’t think about ultimate purposes. It’s too depressing. So have another drink. Make more money. Play another video game. Surf the net. Watch another video. Take another Prozac. Just whatever you do, DON’T ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.

But the bottom line is this. IF THIS LIFE IS ALL THERE IS… if it’s just a matter of WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET… then you might as well face it. And that’s exactly what the teacher’s doing. And he’s not being depressive. He’s just being REAL.

So back to chapter 1 verse 2. Meaningless, meaningless, says the teacher. Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labour at which he toils under the sun? That's the question. What's the point? What makes life worth living? Why bother getting up in the morning and going to work? Why bother mowing the lawn on a Saturday and washing the car?

And if you're the typical Australian, like I said, you probably try not to think about it. Or else you'll be working from the basis of some sort of trite little answer, like "I’m working hard for the kids, to give them a good education." Why? Well, so they can get a good job like mine. Why? So they can work hard for their kids. Why? So they can get a good education. Round it goes.

WHY? I mean, what's the ultimate point of it all. That's what the teacher is asking. And that's what he sets out to find out.

Because in spite of all his wealth, in spite of all his success, in spite of the fact he’s got it made, the teacher is SEARCHING FOR MEANING. Because when he looks at the RAT RACE, he just can’t see any point to it.

ALL MY LIFE'S A CIRCLE

That's what he says through chapter 1. That's the problem when you're trying to find meaning. Keep reading in verse 3. Question. "What does a man gain from all his labour at which he toils under the sun." And his answer, when you get down to it... absolutely NOTHING. Verse 4, Generations come and go, he says, the sun rises, the sun sets, the wind blows south the wind blows north, it's just like a giant treadmill.

There used to be a pop song, it said, ALL MY LIFE'S A CIRCLE, sunrise and sundown, the years are spinning round again, they just keep rolling around. And that's what he's saying. Keep reading in verse 7. "What's the point?" All streams flow into the sea, he says, but they never fill it up. Life's an endless cycle. And if you're a worker and you’ve been at it a few years, you’ll notice. Yeah, it's like my job. I do my days work today, and there's more tomorrow. I solve one set of problems this week, there's a new lot of problems next week. You go to work you come home from work you go to work. Once a week you mow the lawn. Once a year you wash the car. Over and over again. Those little streams trying to fill up the ocean, but they're never going to make it. Life on the treadmill; no different to a mouse in a cage. AND THE REALITY IS, THAT'S WHAT LIFE IS LIKE.

Do you reckon it's worth it? If you’re under 25, you’re still only on the first few loops. It’s still fun watching the scenery go round. Under 30, still not bad fun. 40. Starting to wear thin. And you know it's not going to get any better. It's like he says in verse 8. "All things are wearisome, more than one can say; the eye never has enough of seeing, the ear it's fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what's been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun."

And worse than that, no matter how much you achieve, when you're gone, you're going to be FORGOTTEN. Sure as eggs.

JAMES BAKER used to be the US Secretary of State. One of the most glamorous and important jobs in the world. Travel. Meeting the most important people; shaping opinions; solving problems that affected every person on the planet.

He says his insignificance came home to him one day when he was driving through Washington DC. Looked out the window of his car and saw a lonely old man shuffling along the street. On his own. Unrecognised. Except by James Baker. Who recognised him - as his predecessor. The SECRETARY OF STATE WHO CAME BEFORE HIM. Retired. Forgotten. Nobody knew him. Nobody cared.

Verse 11. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come won't be remembered by those who follow. It's true.

If you think MEANING IN LIFE is going to come from MAKING YOUR MARK, think again. Someone else said, THE WORDS ON YOUR TOMBSTONE might as well be written with a finger in the water. How much moreso your achievements.

This teacher's been round enough times that he’s checked it out. Because he's looked at life. And that's the verdict. Life is as meaningful as a ride on a merry-go-round. Round and round, up and down. Fun at first. But he’s been round the loop enough times to realise it's not going anywhere. Seen it all before.

See, if you reckon work's boring, you're right. If you reckon one day's pretty much the same as the next, you're right. If you reckon generations come and go and you won't even be remembered, you're right. If you reckon you’ve just designed this year’s supercomputer and in a few years they’ll be selling it for scrap, you’re right.

If you reckon Christians are meant to be HAPPY PEOPLE who shouldn't think this sort of stuff, YOU'RE WRONG. Christians of ALL PEOPLE are meant to be REALISTS. And in verse 13, the teacher who says "I devoted myself to study and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven says this. He says WHAT A HEAVY BURDEN GOD HAS LAID ON MEN. I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

Meaningless, meaningless, meaningless. Trying to catch up with a wind gust, get your fingers around a puff of air. Chasing the wind.

Over these next few weeks we're going to follow along as the TEACHER tries to find meaning. As he tries things out, tests the things that are meant to give life PURPOSE. Funny, exactly the same things back then as people are doing today.

UNDER THE SUN

Well, before we all go off and slash our wrists, there just one thing I want you to notice. There's a little phrase the keeps popping up through Ecclesiastes, and it's an important one. A little phrase that you need to understand, and you need to keep in your mind as you read the book. Three little words. The three words UNDER THE SUN.

Verse 3; there for the first time. What does man gain from all his labour at which he toils UNDER THE SUN?

Verse 9; it's there again. There's nothing new… UNDER THE SUN.

Verse 14. Again. I've seen ALL THINGS THAT ARE DONE… UNDER THE SUN. And all of them are meaningless.

Now can I say up front, he's not just saying it's better to have a desk job than to be a council roadworker. Under the Sun means something more than that.

The life that's meaningless, he says, is LIFE UNDER THE SUN. The life that's futile is LIFE UNDER THE SUN. The question is, WHAT DOES HE MEAN?

Let me tell you. Life under the sun means WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. The observable world. And nothing more. Life under the sun means the clockwork life; you're born, the sun goes up, the sun goes down, the sun goes up, the sun goes down, you die. Full stop. "That's all there is."

When you think about it, it's the world most people live in. The world that says, THIS IS IT. If you're looking for meaning, don't talk to me about this God stuff; get real. Deal with the facts.

Maybe deep down that's what you're saying as well. Leave GOD out of the picture, live like this is all there is. And WORK YOUR HEART OUT to CARVE OUT SOME MEANING. To which the teacher is going to say, in the end, it just doesn't work.

By the time we get to the end of Ecclesiastes, we'll be crying out for a way to break through the under the sun sort of life. And find something better. By the time we get to the end of Ecclesiastes, we'll be absolutely convinced that living life just for the sake of this world just isn't worth it.

Like all the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes is a book that points us to Jesus. It's a book that's going to leave us with plenty of questions. And I want to say to you now, the only place we're going to find answers is JESUS. Who broke through the barrier from God to man, broke the cycle of meaninglessness, futility. And shows us how to as well.

I want you to listen to what Jesus says hundreds of years later in Mark chapter 8 verse 36. He says "What good is it, for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" What's the use of winning; if you're going to lose it all. What's the good of having the top job, the good house, the new car, the big bank balance, the great holidays, the respectable family, the food, the clothes; what's the good if in the end, you're going to lose the lot. And your soul as well?

A famous missionary said this. He said, "He who trades that which he cannot keep… for that which he cannot lose… is no fool."

That's the trade we're going to think about as we work through Ecclesiastes over these next few weeks. It's a great book. Cause it puts life in perspective. It puts the right price tags in the right places. And if you're still living LIFE UNDER THE SUN, it's worth taking notice of the teacher. Before it's too late.