In this sermon on Ecclesiastes 1:12–18, we explore the sobering conclusion of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived: even the pursuit of wisdom, apart from God, is vanity. Though many today still believe that knowledge, reason, or philosophy can solve the world’s deepest problems, Solomon exposes this as a “grasping for the wind.”
📖 Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 1:12–18
“What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered… For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”
📝 Outline:
The Futility of Wisdom (vv. 13–15) – Wisdom cannot fix what is fundamentally broken.
The Weariness of Wisdom (vv. 16–18) – Wisdom brings grief, not peace, when pursued apart from God.
🔍 Key Themes: Wisdom without God leads to despair Human effort cannot reverse the curse True wisdom is found only in Christ The cross is God’s answer to a fallen, futile world
💬 Whether you are tempted to put your trust in education, philosophy, or personal insight—this passage reminds us that only Christ, the Wisdom of God, can make the crooked straight.