Route 66 Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

Proverbs
Overall Structure Outline
• Preface (1:1-7)
• Introduction (1:8-9:18)
• Proverbs of Solomon I (10:1-22:16)
• Sayings of the Wise I (22:17-24:22)
• Sayings of the Wise II (24:23-34)
• Proverbs of Solomon II (25:1-29:27)
• Sayings of Agur (30:1-33)
• Sayings of Lemuel (31:1-31)

Proverbs itself is basically divided into two parts.
A few reminders:
• Proverbs are figurative
• Proverbs are practical
• Proverbs are guidelines for living not guarantees
1. The Fear of the Lord vs the Fear of Man
• Fear of the Lord keeps you from Evil - (16:6, 8:12-13)
• Fear of the Lord will increase your quality of life. (14:26-27)
• Fear of Man lays a snare - (29:25)
2. The Diligent Person vs the Lazy Person
• We should be concerned about the quality of our work.
(6:6-8)
• Part of representing God well means finishing what you
start. (12:27, 19:24, Phil 1:6)
• Lazy people make excuses. (22:13, 20:4, 26:14)
3. The Wholesome Mouth vs the Polluted Mouth
James 3:8, Prov 6:16, 25:11
• Words have power to build us up or tear us down. (18:21,
12:25)
• Words impact relationships. (16:24, 15:1, 16:28, 11:13)
• There is great wisdom in guarding your tongue.
4. Friendship vs. Isolation
• Having friends is necessary. (18:1, Gen 2:18)
• Ask God to bring the right people into your life (17:17, 27:17,
18:24)
• When you find that friend, treasure the relationship.
• When you see a potential friend, take the initiative. (Ruth 1:16,
1 Sam 18:3)
5. Life vs Death
Proverbs 16:25
Death
• Our attraction to sin is a fatal attraction.
Life
• We are called to know wisdom.
• We are called to do righteousness.
• We are called to fear the Lord.
Conclusion
''What does it have to do with where I am right now?
• Proverbs does not provide the final word that we have on
the wisdom of God.
• Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:18-24, Col 2:3)

Ecclesiastes

"Is life really worth living?"

What is Meaningless?
Obvious Things
• Dreaming and many words - 5:7
• Wondering of the appetite - 6:9
• Laughter of Fools - 7:6
Questionable things
• Pleasure - 2:1
• Popularity - 4:16
Good Things
• Youth and vigor
• Work - 2:11
• Money - 5:10, 4:8; 6:1-9
• Wisdom - 1:17, 2:15
• Life - 7:15
• Justice - 8:10 & 8:14
• Future - 11:7-8
• Everything - 12:8
Everything is Meaningless
Why is Everything Meaningless?
• No person will be remembered
• Death is the ultimate equalizer.
• Ecclesiastes presents the real effects of sin in our world.
Solomon’s response?
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
• Fear God.
• Obey God.
• Prepare to give an account.
Our Response?
We must Realize:
• God's ways are not always understandable.
• God's ways don't always make sense.
• God's ways don't always add up.
• Life does not always progress as expected.
Ecclesiastes is powerful exactly because it presents the tension
and struggle between the Teacher's sense of futility and his
very real faith in the God who is true, between the way things
are and the way they ought to be.
The key to understanding Ecclesiastes: the phrase "under the
sun.” 
For life to have meaning, we need what lies beyond it.
That hope came in the form of Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes is a sobering reminder that life under the sun alone
is empty, but life under the Son of God is an opportunity, an
adventure, and a blessing.