Tabernacle Bible-Presbyterian Church
Gospel Worship Service

Topic: Vanity of vanities
Date: 24th March 2013 (Sunday)
Time: 3.00 pm
Venue: 694 Upper Changi Road East, Singapore 486824

You are cordially invited to join us in our Gospel Worship Service on 24 March 2013.  The English Worship Hall is located at: Level 3, Rooms 313 – 315.

Contact : Elder John Leong
HP : 9623 6448
Email : johnleong@tabernaclebpc.com

If you would like to take the Church Van transport, the pick-up point is at Tanah Merah MRT taxi stand in the direction to Church at 2.15 pm.

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the wisest king who ever ruled Israel. During his reign, there was peace and prosperity all round. Yet, writing towards the end of his life, he declares repeatedly : “Vanity of  vanities, … all is vanity.” The word “vanity” literally means “vapour” or “breath.” If you have been to a cold country in winter, you will notice that when you breathe, your breath is visible, but it disappears almost immediately. So it is very transient, it appears to have no weight, nor substance. So the word “vanity” speaks of what is worthless, meaningless, purposeless, and temporal. To pursue vanity is to chase after the wind. But Solomon is even more emphatic. He says, “Vanity of vanities.” Now, this is like saying : “Emptiest of empty.”

If you read through the book of  Ecclesiastes, for Solomon, all of life is vanity. You will find Solomon declaring that pleasure and entertainment are meaningless. And then the process of life is meaningless and you will find that work and advancement are also meaningless. Solomon also declared that riches are meaningless, and so on. How about you? Have you ever taken a hard look at your life and considered your very existence and what the  meaning of life is?

But is life really that meaningless and all is vanity? Thank God that it is not! The fact is that there is more than life under the sun. We have a soul, God exists, and He will bring everything into judgement one day. This is what makes life meaningful.

Solomon finally found the answer and shared to us at the end of this book :

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

帐幕堂笃信圣经长老会
福音主日

讲题：虚空的虚空
日期：2013年 3月24日 (星期天）
时间：下午3点
地点：694 Upper Changi Road East, Singapore 486824

本堂邀请你来听主耶稣的福音在三月二十四日的布道崇拜。希望你会出席。地点：二楼， 206-208 房

请联络: 叶宜健 传道
手提电话: 8127 2537
电子邮件地址: yeekin@tabernaclebpc.com

有意乘搭教会福音车，请在丹那美拉地铁站往教会方向的德士站等候。时间 :下午 2.15分

“传道者说：虚空的虚空，虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。”（传道书 1章 2节）

传道书是所罗门王，那最有智慧的以色列王所写的。在他的统治下，四处都有和平和繁荣。可是，在他生命即将结束的时候，他却一再声明 ：“虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。”“虚空”这个词的字面意思就是“云雾”或“气息”。如果你去过一个寒冷的国家过冬，你会注意到你呼吸的时候，你的气息是看得见的，可是立即又会消失。它是很短暂的，看似没有重量也没有实质。所以“虚空”这个字是指那些没有用，没有意义，没有目的和短暂的东西。要追求空虚就是在追求风。可是所罗门的语调更强。他说，“虚空的虚空。”这就好比说 ：“空旷的空旷。”

如果你读传道书，对所罗门来说，所有的生命都虚空。你会发现所罗门声明乐趣和娱乐是没有意义的。然后，生命的过程也没有意义，接着劳碌和进步也没有意义。所罗门也声明财富没有意义等等。你有如何？ 你是否有曾经认证检讨你的生命，思量你的存在和生命的意义是什么？

但是生命真的那么没有意义，而且所有都是虚空吗？感谢神不是！事实是生命不只是在日光之下而已。我们有灵魂，神存在，而且有一天祂会审判一切。这就让生命有意义了。所罗门找到了答案，在传道书的结尾和我们分享了那答案 ：

“这些事都已听见了，总意就是：敬畏神，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分。因为人所做的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶，神都必审问。”（传道书 12章 13-14节）