Playlist: Laughter (topic)
On The Value of Joy
Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Laughter is not a reliable sign of joy or of things going well. Solomon spent much of Ecclesiastes 2 seeking meaning through pleasure, including music, drink, building, and sex, and concluded that laughter is madness, since the pursuit of pleasure has no lasting meaning. Proverbs adds that laughter and pleasure often hide grief …
Even From My Youth
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughLaughter and mirth pursued as an end in themselves are empty. Solomon tested mirth and pleasure to the hilt, with wine, wealth, and every desire gratified, and concluded, "I said of laughter, 'Madness!' and of mirth, 'What does it accomplish?'" Everything done without God is vanity and grasping for the wind. The world's idea of …
Resuming Ecclesiastes (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLaughter pursued for its own sake is empty. Solomon tested mirth through years of self-indulgent entertainment, work, and wine, and concluded of laughter, "Madness!" and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?" In Hebrew the pairing of madness and mirth indicates not mere foolishness but moral perversity. The experiment failed …
Sin (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThoughts, words, or behaviors not in alignment with the mind of God are also violations against God's law. Foolishness should never be part of our conduct.
Ecclesiastes: What is it All About? (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe activities that Solomon put to the test and found wanting are exactly those things the world emphasizes: hedonism, silliness, mirth, and foolishness.
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod emphasizes Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Tabernacles to show the result of doing whatever our human heart leads us to do. The physical cannot satisfy.
Matthew (Part Four)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughMatthew's encapsulation of the Beatitudes, the essence of Jesus Christ's teaching, contains the foundation of His teaching through the entirety of His ministry.
Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part Three)
Sermon by David F. MaasCreating a sense of humor will make it easier to escape the satanic lies of Babylon, or at least make it more endurable.
Discerning Truth and Applying Wisdom
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsSpiritual discernment is a gift from God, enabling us to judge between good and evil, comparing things with God's Word to see if they align with His standards.
Recognizing the Intents of the Heart
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe are counseled to seek wisdom (the power of judging rightly) and discernment (the ability to consider the end of a thought pattern or behavior).
Lamentations (Part Two; 1989)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJerusalem recounts her sins as a nation, depending on her own strength or on her lovers (political alliances) rather than upon God.
Isaac
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe name Isaac—'laughter'—suggests his optimistic disposition, someone not afflicted by fear and doubt. Isaac serves as a type of Christ, honoring his father.
Hebrews (Part Thirteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAbraham, the father of the faithful, did not have a blind faith; it was based upon observation of God's proven track record of faithfulness.
Are We Mentally Fit?
Commentary by Bill OnisickPeople are now battling sleep difficulty, anxiety, depression, and loneliness as never before in history.
Lamentations (Part Three; 1989)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAs Lamentations opens, Jerusalem is personified as a widow who has had to endure the destruction of her family as well as the mocking scorn from the captors.