Acts 1:1-12 – The Great Commission



Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Study 1

Sharing Question: Has there ever been a time where you thought that life was meaningless? Explain.

1. The word for “meaningless” in verse 1 can also mean “breath” or “vapor.” What do you think the phrase “everything is meaningless” means?

2. What point is the author making by comparing man’s toil with the earth’s cycles? In what way does the earth remain forever? How does this support the author’s thesis that “everything is meaningless?”

3. Why does the author marvel at the vastness of the sea? How does this support the author’s thesis?

4. In what way has all things been done as mentioned in verse 9? Why would he conclude that life is wearisome?

5. In verse 11, what does he mean by saying “there is no remembrance of men of old?”

6. In your opinion, how true is the author’s analysis of life? In your opinion, how much do those around you think along the same lines as the author? In your opinion, what is the logical conclusion to this line of thinking?

Ecclesiastes 1:12 – 2:16 – Wisdom and Pleasure

Study 2

Sharing Question: From your experience, how have you pursued being wise over foolishness?

|World View |Revelation |Assumptions |Conclusions |

|Atheist |None |There is no God |*Despair, **hedonism, |

| | |There is no life after death |***relativism |

|Ecclesiastes |Partial |There is a God who is eternal and judge |*Despair, resignation |

| | |There is no certainty of life after death | |

|Christian |Full |There is a God who is eternal, judge, and father |Hope, gratefulness |

| | |There is life after death with God | |

*Why would we feel despair unless there is a yearning for meaning?

**There is no purpose other than to find temporary pleasure

***If there is no God, right and wrong is a matter of opinion

1. From verses 1:12-18, why would growing in wisdom result in sorrow and grief? Why would it be described as “chasing after the wind?” In what way is this a “heavy burden?”

2. In verse 2:2, what does he mean by “laughter is foolish?” In verse 3, what other pleasure does the preacher pursue? In verses 4-8, how would you categorize this type of pleasure? In verse 9, what other type of pleasure did the preacher pursue?

3. In verse 10, how did the preacher obtain some satisfaction? In verse 11, why is this type of satisfaction “meaningless?” What does it mean, “nothing was gained under the sun?”

4. In verse 13, why is wisdom better than folly? Why would the common fate of the wise and the fool make the preacher conclude that the pursuit of wisdom is meaningless? Why is the preacher focused on death?

Ecclesiastes 2:17 – 3:15

Study 3

Sharing Question: In your experience, how have you learned the lesson that “there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven?”

1. What is the reason that the Preacher gives for thinking that toil is meaningless? Why does the Preacher despair over the fact that he must leave his work to others?

2. In verse 24, what does he mean that a man can do no better that to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work? How is this from the hand of God? How does God treat the man who pleases Him? How is this related to the previous verses of toil being meaningless?

3. In verses 3:1-8, what does it mean that there is a time for everything? Why would doing something out of its appropriate time be undesirable? Looking at the list, is there any of the items that are noteworthy to you?

4. In verse 11, what does it mean that God has set eternity in man’s heart? How does this create a dilemma for man? What is the conclusion that the Preacher gives in verses 12-13? What does it mean in verse 15 that “God does it so that men will revere him?”

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16

Study 4

Sharing question: In your experience, how has friendship with others helped you?

1. From verses 16-17, how does the Preacher deal with the fact that wickedness exists? In verses 18-22, in what way is man the same as the animals? In verse 21, what is the Preacher’s view on the spirit of man? What conclusion does he makes? From the light of the New Testament, how would we modify the Preacher’s conclusion?

2. What is the Preacher’s observation concerning oppression and what is his conclusion? Why do you think the Preacher is so negative?

3. What do you think the Preacher is referring to when he describes “labor and achievement” as springing from envy of his neighbor? What is his conclusion about this?

4. Why does the Preacher conclude that two are better than one? In verse 13, why is wisdom more important that status and importance?

Ecclesiastes 5

Study 5

Sharing Question: How do you keep from allowing riches to be harmful to you? What is the proper view of money?

1. What is the meaning of “guard your steps when you go to the house of God?” What attitude does this convey?

2. Why must we be careful about what we utter to God? How is this contrasted with the action of fools?

3. Why is it important to keep vows? Why can’t we just say that the vow was a mistake?

4. Why should we not be surprised if we see the poor being oppressed? What is the Preacher’s view of human nature?

5. What is the Preacher view of riches? Why would the abundance of a rich man permit him no sleep? Why would hoarding wealth harm its owner?

6. In verse 15, how does death bring accumulation of wealth futile? How does it bring frustration, affliction, and anger?

7. What is the Preacher’s conclusion about how man should treat wealth? How is it a gift from God? In verse 20, how does it help him?

Ecclesiastes 6-7:13

Study 6

Sharing Question: In your experience, how do you deal with unfair situations that you observe?

1. In verses 6:1-2, what unfair situations does the Preacher observe? In verses 3-6, what additional unfair situation does the Preacher observe?

2. In verses 6:7-12, what is the Preacher’s conclusion? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

3. In verse 7:1, what is the meaning of a good name? According to the Preacher, why would mourning and sorrow be a good thing?

4. Why would it be important to listen to a wise man’s rebuke rather than the song of fools?

5. What is extortion and bribery? How does it corrupt the heart?

6. Why is patience better than pride? Why is there advice to be slow to anger?

7. Why is there a warning not to long for the past?

8. In what way is wisdom and money like a shelter? Why would wisdom be better?

Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:8

Study 7

Sharing Question: What does it mean to ‘fear God’ in your opinion?

1. What is the meaning of being over righteous or over wicked in verses 16-18? In what way does fearing God cause one to avoid all extremes?

2. In what way does wisdom cause one to be powerful as mentioned in verse 19?

3. What does it mean that there is no one righteous?

4. Why is there advice to not pay attention to every word people say?

5. In what way does the pursuit of wisdom cause one to feel like it is far off?

6. In verse 26, what is the meaning of a woman’s snare? Why would a sinner be susceptible?

7. In verses 28-29, how rare is the upright man or woman? In verse 29, what is the explanation for this?

8. Why would wisdom brighten a man’s face?

9. What is the reason for obeying the king?

10. In what way does wickedness not release those who practice it?

Ecclesiastes 8:9-17

Study 8

Sharing Question: Share a time where you were involved with righting a wrong.

1. In verses 9-10, what type of injustices does the Preacher observe? In verse 11, what observation does he give about carrying out justice?

2. In spite of the injustice, what does the Preacher claim in verses 12-13? Why do you think he is convinced of this?

3. In verse 14, what observation does he make? Why would he still be convinced that it will go better with the righteous?

4. What is the Preacher’s conclusion based on these observation in verse 15?

5. How does the Preacher compare man with God in verse 16? What is the end result of searching for wisdom according to the Preacher? Why would it be good to seek meaning in spite of the inability to comprehend?

Ecclesiastics 9 – 10:15

Study 9

Sharing Question: Share about a person you know who has faced death well.

1. In verses, 1-6, how does the Preacher characterize the inevitability of death? In verse 4, how does the Preacher view life?

2. In verses 7-9, what is the advice of the Preacher? How should we see life? In verse 10, what additional advice does the Preacher give?

3. In verses 13-18, why is wisdom valuable? Why is wisdom better than strength? What does the Preacher believe that one should pursue wisdom

4. In verses 10:1, why does folly outweigh wisdom and honor? How does the fool show how stupid he is?

5. In verses 5-7, what other evils has the Preacher observed? In verses 8-9, what evils does the Preacher see in random accidents?

6. In verses 12-13, what is the difference between a fool and a wise man in terms of his words?

Ecclesiastics 10:16 – 11:10

Study 10

Sharing Question: How has your perspective on life changed as you grown older?

1. In verses 16-17, what observation is the Preacher making about the king and princes? In verse 18, what observation is the Preacher making concerning laziness?

2. In verse 19, what is the Preacher saying concerning feast and money?

3. In verse 20, what is the Preacher’s advice about watching our words?

4. In verses 11:1-2, what is meant by casting bread? How will the giving of “portions” help in a time of disaster?

5. How do the observations in verses 3-5 lead to the concluding advice in verse 6?

6. What are the days of darkness in verse 8? Why does the Preacher want us to remember them? What does the Preacher encourage in verses 9-10? What qualifies the joy we experience?

Ecclesiastes 12 and I Corinthians 15

Study 11

Sharing Question: What are some important lessons that you have gotten from Ecclesiates?

1. Why is it important to remember your creator in the days of your youth? What is meant by the spirit returning to God who gave it?

2. Why must we fear God and keep His commandments?

3. In I Corinthians 15:3, why would Christ resurrection be of “first importance?” In verses 3-8, what proof does Paul give?

4. In verse 14, why, if Christ did not resurrect, our faith would be useless? Why would we be the most pitied in verse 19?

5. In verse 26, why is death considered an enemy? Why would the right philosophy be “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” if there is no resurrection?

6. In verses 35-55, what does Paul say about the natural body versus the spiritual body? In what way will we be changed after death? In verse 55, how does Paul’s perspective on death contrast the Teacher’s viewpoint? What are the main differences?

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