Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12 (4:4-8)
ECCLESIASTES STUDY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What caught your attention from studying Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12 (and 4:4-8) this week?
The Professor says four times we are “never satisfied” (cf. 4:7, 5:10, 6:3, and 7). Why is more never enough? Are there any examples where you see this played out in your own life? What does our quest for more teach us about the human heart?
Why do we need the sobering reminder that death will swallow up all that we work for (cf. 5:13-17, Job 1:21, 1 Tim 6:7)?
Even better than seeing the emptiness of wealth and possession is seeing the fullness of God and all things as a gift from his hand. What do the words “fullness” and “forevermore” in Psalm 16:11 tell us about the nature and character of God? How is the fullness of God a remedy for our quest for more?
At the center of Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12 sits another significant emphasis on seeing all things as a gift from God. (i.e., the number of our days, wealth, possessions, honor, and even the ability to enjoy those things). How does seeing all things as a gift change our perspective on life? What should our response be to all of God’s gifts?
Why is contentment such a struggle? When we are discontent, what are we declaring about God? What do Jesus and Paul both warn in Matthew 13:22 and 1 Timothy 6:9-10? What do riches promise that only Jesus can provide?
With the clamoring, hoarding, and dissatisfaction of Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12 in mind, how does the gospel transform us according to Ephesians 4:28? What two attitudes did the early church have as they gathered and received their food in Acts 2:46? What does Paul encourage in 1 Timothy 6:18-19?
Though they faced their own circumstances of affliction and poverty, the Macedonian church gave “according to their means…, beyond their means.” and “begging earnestly” to give. What motivates such generosity, according to Paul (cf. 2 Cor 8:9)?
How does preaching the gospel of Jesus to ourselves empower contentment and loosen our grip on wealth and possessions (cf. Hebrews 13:5-6)? What is the secret to contentment in plenty or in need, according to Paul in Philippians 4:13? Are there any habits or spiritual disciplines you practice and can share with the group that help you grow in gratitude and contentment?
What is one key takeaway from our study in Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12 that we each want to remember and apply this week?
