The Myth of the American Dream

Trinity Church of Portland - Sermons

On this beautiful September morning we continued our series "Hevel Under The Horizon", going through the wisdom book of Ecclesiastes. This sermon titled "The Myth of the American Dream" was preached by Pastor Thomas Terry from Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26.

In this text we see Solomon on a quest for meaning from life. He gives his assessment of this quest in the early verses of our text—he says that self indulgence of pleasure, projects, and possessions are hevel and a striving after wind. After seeing how these things do not provide any satisfaction or meaning Solomon then seeks to find satisfaction from wisdom, work, and wealth. He then finds these to be unable to fill him with any meaning and satisfaction. At the end of this text we see that pleasure, projects, possessions, wisdom, work, and wealth are incapable of giving a person ultimate meaning but are to be seen as good gifts given by God, who is the source of all satisfaction. In light of this the wise person will enjoy them for what they are and be drawn to God and live for and pursue Him which will be the only way to find real meaning from life.