Finding True Meaning: Pursuing God Over Empty Pursuits

Ecclesiastes brings us face to face with the reality that so much of what we chase in life is ultimately empty—like a greyhound running after a mechanical rabbit, only to discover it was never real. We spend our days pursuing things we think will satisfy: success, pleasure, wealth, or even good works, but in the end, these things cannot fill the emptiness in our hearts. Solomon, at the end of his life, looks back with regret at all the things he chased, realizing that meaning and purpose are found only in God. The book’s conclusion is both sobering and liberating: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.”

This is not a call to despair, but to clarity. The world under the sun is broken, and nothing in it can ultimately satisfy. But because there is a God above the sun, everything matters. Every action, every word, every secret thought is seen and will be brought into judgment. This is not meant to paralyze us with fear, but to awaken us to the weight and significance of our lives. The truth of God’s Word is like a goad—a sharp prod that keeps us on the right path, sometimes hurting us in order to help us. It is also like a well-driven nail, giving us stability and security in a world that is always shifting.

God’s Word is not just another book among many; it is the truth that defines reality, reveals who we are, and shows us the God who shepherds us. We are called not just to know these truths, but to obey them. Obedience is the true measure of our fear and love for God. It is not enough to say we love Him or to pick and choose which parts of His Word we will follow. He wants all of us, not just a part.

Ultimately, everything we do matters because God is watching, and we will give an account—not to be condemned if we are in Christ, but to be rewarded or to experience loss based on our faithfulness. Grace does not make our lives meaningless; it makes every moment eternally significant. Only what is done for Christ will last. So, stop chasing empty things, respond to God’s loving correction, and live for Him with your whole heart.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Chasing after the things of this world—success, pleasure, wealth—will always leave us empty, just like the greyhound who finally caught the mechanical rabbit. The things we think will satisfy are often illusions, and it is only when we stop and turn to God that we find true meaning and purpose. Don’t wait until the end of your life to realize what really matters; let God redirect your pursuits now. [26:36]
• 2. God’s Word is both a goad and a nail: it prods us when we stray and anchors us when we are shaken. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it is a loving correction meant to keep us from greater harm and lead us to abundant life. The stability and permanence of God’s Word are a refuge in a world of shifting values and opinions. [36:51]
• 3. Obedience is the true evidence of our fear and love for God. It is not enough to profess faith or to selectively obey the parts of Scripture that are comfortable. God desires all of us, and partial obedience is disobedience. The essence of life is to fear God and keep His commandments, making Him the center rather than ourselves. [43:05]
• 4. Every action, word, and thought—public or private—matters because God sees all and will bring everything into judgment. For the believer, this is not a threat of condemnation, but a sober reminder that our lives have eternal significance. We will be rewarded or experience loss based on our faithfulness, so let us live with intentionality and integrity. [45:33]
• 5. Grace does not make our choices insignificant; rather, it elevates the importance of every moment. The reality that “only what’s done for Christ will last” should move us to repentance, wholehearted devotion, and a life lived for God’s glory. Don’t cheapen grace by living carelessly—let it inspire you to live with purpose and passion for Christ. [50:41]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Introduction: Chasing the Mechanical Rabbit
• [02:30] - The Search for Meaning in Ecclesiastes
• [05:10] - Solomon’s Regrets and the Call to Stop
• [09:00] - The Conclusion: Fear God and Keep His Commandments
• [12:30] - The Power and Purpose of God’s Word
• [15:20] - Words as Goads: Loving Correction
• [18:00] - Words as Nails: Stability in Truth
• [21:00] - The One Shepherd: God as Author
• [24:00] - The Weariness of Many Voices
• [27:00] - The Necessity of Obedience
• [30:00] - Judgment: Everything Matters
• [33:00] - Grace, Judgment, and Eternal Significance
• [36:00] - Invitation to Respond and Closing Prayer
• [57:56] - Final Prayer and Announcements

Bible Reading

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 (ESV) — 9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.
10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.
12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Observation Questions

1. According to Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, what does the writer say is the “end of the matter” or the main point of life?
2. In verse 11, what two images are used to describe the words of the wise, and what do they mean?
3. The sermon compared chasing after things in life to a greyhound chasing a mechanical rabbit. What does this illustration say about the things we often pursue? [[26:36]]
4. What does the passage say about God’s role as “one Shepherd” and the source of true wisdom? [[40:19]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Solomon say that fearing God and keeping His commandments is “man’s all” or the essence of life? How does this contrast with the idea that “nothing matters”? [[32:03]]
2. The sermon says God’s Word is like a goad and a nail. What does it mean for God’s Word to “prod” us and “anchor” us? How have you experienced this in your own life? [[36:51]]
3. The preacher says that every action, word, and thought will be brought into judgment. For believers, what is the purpose of this judgment if it’s not condemnation? [[46:16]]
4. The sermon warns against “partial obedience.” Why is partial obedience considered disobedience, and what does this reveal about our relationship with God? [[44:22]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon compared us to greyhounds chasing a fake rabbit—pursuing things that can’t satisfy. What is one “mechanical rabbit” you have chased in your life? How did it leave you feeling, and what would it look like to stop chasing it now? [[26:36]]
2. God’s Word is described as a goad that sometimes hurts to keep us on the right path. Can you think of a time when a Bible verse or sermon “poked” you and you didn’t want to listen? What happened as a result? [[36:51]]
3. The passage says every secret thing will be brought into judgment. Is there an area of your life you keep hidden, thinking it doesn’t matter? What would it look like to bring it into the light and let God deal with it? [[45:33]]
4. The sermon says that grace doesn’t make our choices meaningless, but actually makes every moment eternally significant. How does knowing this change the way you approach your daily decisions and routines? [[50:41]]
5. Obedience is called the true measure of our fear and love for God. Are there areas where you are only partially obeying God? What is one step you can take this week toward full obedience? [[44:22]]
6. The preacher said, “If He’s not Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all.” What is one area of your life you have not surrendered to God? What would it look like to give Him control in that area? [[44:22]]
7. The sermon challenges us not to wait until the end of our lives to realize what really matters. What is one practical way you can “live for Him with your whole heart” starting this week? [[32:03]]