Faith Independent Baptist Church

Text: Ecclesiastes 8:1-8

Topic: The King and I

Time: 10 a.m. (March 29th, 2009)

Introduction: (v. 1)

Solomon teaches us how to relate to those in authority.

Obey! (v. 2)

Obedience is required because of an oath of loyalty.

Don’t Rebel! (vv. 3 – 4)

A king can do whatever he wants, even destroy his adversary.

Discern the Times! (vv. 5 – 6)

The wise man knows there is a proper time and procedure in which to change things.

Challenge (vv. 7- 8 )

We are limited and often powerless. Will you turn to Christ who in complete control?

Text: 傳 道 書 Ecclesiastes 7

Topic: What Will You Choose?

Time: 10 a.m. (March 15^th, 2009)

Introduction

Life consists of choices: bad, good and better.

The Better Day (v. 1)

A good reputation on our death day is better than perfume.

The Better House (v. 2)

Funerals teach us to reflect on life.

The Better Emotion (vv. 3 – 4)

Sorrow is better than frivolity.

The Better Words (vv. 5 – 7)

Rebuke is better than flattery.

The Better Response (vv. 8 – 10)

Patience is better than anger.

The Better Asset (v. 11)

Wealth with Wisdom is better than wealth without wisdom.

Challenge:

“Good” is often the enemy of “Better.” Will you choose wisely?

Text: 傳 道 書Ecclesiastes 6

Topic: What Will Make You Happy?

Time: 10 a.m. (March 8^th, 2009)

Introduction:

Solomon wants us to think about how we define “wealth.”

Wealth, Possessions and Honour?

If we are not happy with what we have now, we won’t be happy if we are given more!

Longevity and Posterity?

What’s the point of a long life with many children if no one laments your death?

Challenge

God alone has the answers to questions about this life and the life to come…will you trust Him?

Text: 傳 道 書Ecclesiastes 5:1-9
Topic: “How To Approach God”
Time: 10 a.m. (Mar 1st, 2009)

讀經Scripture Reading
1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
你 到 神 的 殿 要 謹 慎 腳 步 ； 因 為 近 前 聽 ， 勝 過 愚 昧 人 獻 祭 （ 或 譯 ： 勝 過 獻 愚 昧 人 的 祭 ） ， 他 們 本 不 知 道 所 做 的 是 惡 。
2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
你 在 神 面 前 不 可 冒 失 開 口 ， 也 不 可 心 急 發 言 ； 因 為 神 在 天 上 ， 你 在 地 下 ， 所 以 你 的 言 語 要 寡 少 。
3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
事 務 多 ， 就 令 人 做 夢 ； 言 語 多 ， 就 顯 出 愚 昧 。
4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
你 向 神 許 願 ， 償 還 不 可 遲 延 ， 因 他 不 喜 悅 愚 昧 人 ， 所 以 你 許 的 願 應 當 償 還 。
5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
你 許 願 不 還 ， 不 如 不 許 。
6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
不 可 任 你 的 口 使 肉 體 犯 罪 ， 也 不 可 在 祭 司 （ 原 文 是 使 者 ） 面 前 說 是 錯 許 了 。 為 何 使 神 因 你 的 聲 音 發 怒 ， 敗 壞 你 手 所 做 的 呢 ？
7. For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
多 夢 和 多 言 ， 其 中 多 有 虛 幻 ， 你 只 要 敬 畏 神 。

Introduction:
Solomon teaches us how we may approach God properly.

Guard Our Step (v. 1)
Watch what we say, what we do and how we approach God.

Zip Our Mouth (vv. 2-3)
It’s better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.

Fulfill Our Vow (vv. 4-6)
Make sure that we put our words into action!

Challenge (v. 7)
God is the one you must fear. 你 只 要 敬 畏 神 。
Do you have any unfinished business to take case of this morning?

Text: 傳 道 書 Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 12

Topic: “Two are better than one”

Time: 10 a.m. (February 22^nd, 20009)

Scripture Reading:

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

我 又 轉 念 ， 見 日 光 之 下 有 一 件 虛 空 的 事 ：

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

有 人 孤 單 無 二 ， 無 子 無 兄 ， 竟 勞 碌 不 息 ， 眼 目 也 不 以 錢 財 為 足 。 他 說 ： 我 勞 勞 碌 碌 ， 刻 苦 自 己 ， 不 享 福 樂 ， 到 底 是 為 誰 呢 ？ 這 也 是 虛 空 ， 是 極 重 的 勞 苦 。

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

兩 個 人 總 比 一 個 人 好 ， 因 為 二 人 勞 碌 同 得 美 好 的 果 效 。

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

若 是 跌 倒 ， 這 人 可 以 扶 起 他 的 同 伴 ； 若 是 孤 身 跌 倒 ， 沒 有 別 人 扶 起 他 來 ， 這 人 就 有 禍 了 。

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

再 者 ， 二 人 同 睡 就 都 暖 和 ， 一 人 獨 睡 怎 能 暖 和 呢 ？

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

有 人 攻 勝 孤 身 一 人 ， 若 有 二 人 便 能 敵 擋 他 ； 三 股 合 成 的 繩 子 不 容 易 折 斷 。

Introduction:

God looked down on Adam in the Garden of Eden and said it’s not good for man to be alone.

The Man in Isolation (vv. 7-8)

The person depicted in our passage is all alone.

The Man in Company (vv. 9-12)

In contrast, this man has a companion who can help him succeed, believe in him, comfort him when he’s down and protect and defend him.

Challenge:

Let’s flock together!