Grey Stone Church

Everyone of these faces makes up our church community. And we're grateful for you.

Welcome to our 11:15 Modern Worship Service. If you're in the area, feel free to worship with us on campus at 2601 Hillsborough Road, Durham NC 27705.

Message Notes 6/14
Pastor Clay
In Chasing After the Wind: Finding God Beyond the Idols, we’re going to be exploring how God meets us beyond the idols we pursue and invites us into a deeper, wiser, and more enduring joy.

Series Message 01
Scripture Focus Ecclesiastes 1:14
I looked at everything done on earth and saw that it is all useless, like chasing the wind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes1:14&version=NCV

We need to discover what matters in life but have to identify things that do not matter.

Today:What are you chasing?
Intro to Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
All Is Vanity The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north;around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it;the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”?It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembranceof later things yet to be among those who come after.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes1:1-11&version=ESV

This Book written by King Solomon as an old man.
It is a book of Philosophy.
It deals with questions of life.

Trace the life of Solomon to where he turned away from God… back to wrong relationships.

His personal mantra or summary of his life: is Ecc.1:2
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

I have tried everything under the sun… it did not satisfy. (See phrase Ecc..1:3)

Today: What is the point and purpose of life?

When we lose sight of Gods purpose there are consequences:

A. Life feels empty (v4).
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

B. Life turns exhausting. (V8.a)
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it;

C. Life remains unsatisfied. (V8;b)
…the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

D. Life becomes forgettable. (V.11)
There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembranceof later things yet to be among those who come after.

Responses: when you don’t have a purpose in life

1. You can invent a purpose.
We just replace God with something else.
2. You can try to escape reality. Filled with substance abuse, relationships, su***de etc.
3. You can discover the purpose. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

The lie hits hardest when you already feel like you should know better.

But that voice telling you God is done with you? That's not Him.
He's not walking away. He's walking with you.

Every person deserves grace, and love. And Jesus loves every person, no matter your background.