September 28, 2025
The Preacher’s Proverbs Concerning Folly - Part 2
Ecclesiastes 10:8-11 / David VanAcker
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
When we read Ecclesiastes in light of the whole counsel of God we see that its main contribution is its unmatched ability to reveal the need for a higher wisdom and deeper satisfaction than can be found through ordinary, earthly means. To read Ecclesiastes as we ought, is to feel frustrated at the limits of mankind, at our inability to understand or gain lasting joy and therein to look elsewhere for those things. It is out of that realization that C.S. Lewis’ famous quote was born, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy [as was the case with the Preacher], the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world” [as is revealed in Jesus Christ].
With all of that in mind, the big idea of this passage is that folly leads to all kinds of personal problems in our ordinary lives. And the main takeaway is to act in wisdom—wisdom that comes from careful observation of the world, from listening carefully to others, and ultimately from the Word of God.
With all of that in mind, the big idea of this passage is that folly leads to all kinds of personal problems in our ordinary lives. And the main takeaway is to act in wisdom—wisdom that comes from careful observation of the world, from listening carefully to others, and ultimately from the Word of God.
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Service Order
Welcome
Exhortation
Assurance of Pardon
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Reading – Psalm 46
Praise to the Lord the Almighty
His Glory And My Good
Offering
Sermon
All I Have Is Christ
It Is Well With My Soul
Benediction
Memory Verse
Psalm 73:25-26 – Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. ²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.Service Times
Prayer8:30-8:45am
Sunday School
9:00am-10:00am
Worship Service
10:30am-Noon
Berea
In Berea, the adults will continue to work through the whole Bible, this week studying the 400-year gap between the Old and New Testaments. Sunday School (kids ages 2-12) and Berea (kids 12+ and adults) take place at 9am on Sunday.*Last week in Berea, Pastor Colin taught that our Discipleship Groups are the primary place that we can obey the "One Another" commands of the New Testament. A full list of One Another commands is linked in this week's News & Notes email.