Vapor

Tyler opens the series Vapor, drawing from the Book of Ecclesiastes, by exploring two contrasting worldviews: "Over the Sun" and "Under the Sun," using principles of apologetics to examine their implications.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon presents a worldview "under the sun," where life is seen purely through a materialistic lens — as if everything that can be perceived with our senses is all that exists. This perspective aligns with atheism, which dismisses any spiritual dimension, and agnosticism, which questions whether the spiritual realm even matters. Ecclesiastes argues that this view, when fully embraced, leads to meaninglessness and despair. The pursuit of wealth, pleasure, or success ultimately feels empty because, in this worldview, there is no ultimate purpose or divine order behind it all.

However, Ecclesiastes invites us to adopt a different perspective: the "over the sun" worldview. This view looks beyond the material world to a higher reality where God exists, governs, and gives life meaning. By using apologetics — the defense and rational justification of faith — we can see that the "over the sun" perspective offers a deeper, more coherent understanding of life’s purpose. This view challenges the "under the sun" mindset with answers to some of life’s most fundamental questions:

• Purpose: Life isn’t random or accidental; it’s part of God’s intentional design.
• Value: Every human being has intrinsic value, created in the image of a loving and purposeful God.
• Morality: Objective moral standards exist, grounded in the character of a just and holy God.
• Love: We are made to love because we are loved by a God who is love itself.
• Hope: Death is not the end, and there is a final reckoning — a divine justice and the promise of eternal life beyond the grave.

Where do you stand in this debate of worldviews?
Is your perspective shaped more by what’s "under the sun," dismissing the possibility of God or any deeper meaning? Do you find it easy to devalue those you disagree with or shift your values based on circumstance? Do you struggle to hope for a future that goes beyond what you can see and touch?

Using apologetics, we can see that the "under the sun" worldview doesn’t offer a satisfying or sustainable answer to these questions. But the "over the sun" perspective, rooted in God’s revealed truth, gives us a foundation that brings meaning, purpose, and hope — even in the midst of life’s challenges.

Take time to reflect and pray. Ask God to show you where you might be living under the sun instead of embracing the deeper reality of life over the sun.