Opening Discussion

• If you had one meal left to eat, what would you have?

Shortened Version

Read and Discuss

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.

6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11 No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.

• What are some of the things Solomon observes about life?
• What does Solomon mean when he says, “The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing?”
• When have things felt meaningless in your life?
• How has God provided purpose and meaning in your life?

1 John 2:17

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 4:11-12

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

• What are some of the desires of the world?
• How does living out the love of God make His love complete?
• How does God’s love drive out worldly desires?

Discipleship Questions

• What are some earthly desires in your life that need to come under the love of Jesus?
• Who is someone that may get on your nerves that you need to show God’s love to this week?
  • How will you do that?

Extended Edition

Read and Discuss

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.

6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11 No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.

• What are some of the things the teacher observes about life?
• What does the teacher mean when he says, “The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing?”
• When have things felt meaningless in your life?
• How has God provided purpose and meaning in your life?
• The teacher uses the phrase “under the sun” often throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. How does that phrase differ from the other phrase he uses “under the heavens?”
• How can you make sure your life is centered around the Lord and not things that will fade away?

1 John 2:17

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 4:11-12

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

• What are some of the desires of the world?
• How does living out the love of God make His love complete?
• How does God’s love drive out worldly desires?
• What is difficult about loving others?
• What do you do when you encounter someone who is hard to love?
• How do you determine what God’s will is?

Discipleship Questions

• What are some earthly desires in your life that need to come under the love of Jesus?
• Who is someone that may get on your nerves that you need to show God’s love to this week?
  • How will you do that?

Memorize it!

1 John 2:17

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Prayer TACOS

Thanksgiving- Thank the Lord for His love for us

Adoration- Take time to worship the Lord for His perfection

Confess to the times you’ve chased the desires of the world, instead of the Lord’s will

Others- Pray for someone who is difficult to love. Ask for ways to show them the love of Jesus this week.

Self- Pray that you will desire the things of the Lord more than the things of the world