Memento Mori - What Really Satisfies? - Molly Ratliff

“I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives…And indeed all was vanity and grasping for wind. There was no profit under the sun.” Ecc. 2: 3,11What really satisfies?What really satisfies: amusements=pleasure and parties?Solomon’s pleasures:-gold, gold, and more gold-throne of ivory -camels-horses-mules-apes-monkeys-precious stones-instruments of every kind- silver, silver, and more silver-fleet of ships-1,400 chariots-12,000 horse men-servants-700 royal wives and 300 concubines“I said in my heart, ‘come now, I will test you with mirth (festivals/parties); therefore, enjoy pleasure.’. But surely, this also was vanity.” Ecc 2:1What really satisfies: accomplishments=work?Solomon’s work:-Lord’s house and his house-House of Forrest of Lebanon-Hall of Pillars-Hall of Jerusalem-Hall of Judgement-Cities“I made my works great…So, I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.” Ecc 2:4, 9“I looked at all the works my hands had done and in the labor in which I had looked; and indeed, all was vanity and grasping for wind.” Ecc 2:11“Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure. For my heart rejoiced in all my labor…” Ecc 2:10“there was no profit under the sun.” Ecc 2:11Nothing under the sun satisfies.Every earthly pursuit is like vapor, wind, dust; it fades away“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” John 4:10“where then do you get that living water?” John 4:11“Whoever drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-141) Earthly satisfaction2) Eternal satisfactionEarthly satisfaction are those things found under the sun. Eternal satisfaction are those things found under the Son. Jesus is the gift God gave and under him (in him) is our promise of lasting satisfaction: everlasting lifeThe key to satisfaction is knowing the value of God over everything else. It’s not that everything on earth is bad. It’s that Christ is better.The satisfaction we seek is in Jesus, who is with God the Father, in our father’s house.Ecc 3:11 says God “has written eternity on our hearts”.Phil 3:20-21 says our “citizenship is in heaven”. 2 Cor 5:12 says “we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling”. Solomon teaches us life under the sun does not satisfy.Samaritan woman teaches us satisfaction comes when we know Jesus (life under the Son).Prodigal son teaches us to find eternal satisfaction in Jesus is to remember what house we belong to