Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 The Vanity of Wisdom's Task (August 10, 2025 PM, Dr. Michael Grasso)

"In this sermon on Ecclesiastes 1:12–18, we explore the sobering conclusion of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived: even the pursuit of wisdom, apart from God, is vanity. Though many today still believe that knowledge, reason, or philosophy can solve the world’s deepest problems, Solomon exposes this as a “grasping for the wind.”

📖 Sermon Text:

Ecclesiastes 1:12–18

“What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered... For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

📝 Outline:

The Futility of Wisdom (vv. 13–15) – Wisdom cannot fix what is fundamentally broken.

The Weariness of Wisdom (vv. 16–18) – Wisdom brings grief, not peace, when pursued apart from God.

🔍 Key Themes:

Wisdom without God leads to despair

Human effort cannot reverse the curse

True wisdom is found only in Christ

The cross is God’s answer to a fallen, futile world

💬 Whether you are tempted to put your trust in education, philosophy, or personal insight—this passage reminds us that only Christ, the Wisdom of God, can make the crooked straight.

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#Ecclesiastes #VanityOfWisdom #WisdomOfGod #ExpositoryPreaching #ReformedTheology #ChristOurWisdom #SermonOnEcclesiastes"