WEBVTT 00:00:04.046 --> 00:00:07.852 Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. 00:00:07.852 --> 00:00:11.285 Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. 00:00:11.285 --> 00:00:21.025 It's a privilege to contribute to the series we're in For those who have not been here. 00:00:21.025 --> 00:00:31.370 We are in a series preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes, the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, and I'll be preaching today from chapter 5, entitled Proper Worship. 00:00:31.370 --> 00:00:48.371 Proper Worship, and we're seeing that this Old Testament book is not just a book in which Solomon expresses his skepticism, as most people think of this book, but actually it's a book which prepares us to receive the gospel. 00:00:48.371 --> 00:01:01.634 Last week, kelly took us through chapter 4 and the 4 things that Solomon observed, and he uses an example of information regarding the recluse Howard Hughes. 00:01:01.634 --> 00:01:04.000 He talked about his life. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:06.748 I want to just read something regarding his death. 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:16.707 It says when the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes died on April 5, 1976, there was no one in his immediate family to claim the body. 00:01:16.707 --> 00:01:20.929 No one visited the funeral home to pay their last respects. 00:01:20.929 --> 00:01:22.543 There was no will. 00:01:22.543 --> 00:01:27.066 No one could say that they were his friend or his close relative. 00:01:27.066 --> 00:01:36.055 What a sad thing, because in his own estate he owned several gambling interests in Las Vegas. 00:01:36.055 --> 00:01:47.349 His company's public relation officer called the casinos in Vegas and asked if they would observe a minute of silence for Mr Hughes, whom they called a great American. 00:01:47.349 --> 00:01:56.364 And so, at a certain moment in time, casinos in Las Vegas observed a minute of silence for Howard Hughes. 00:01:56.364 --> 00:01:59.686 Time magazine reported the event. 00:01:59.686 --> 00:02:17.945 Time said, quote casinos fell silent, housewives stood uncomfortably clutching their paper cups full of coins as the slot machines, the blackjack games paused and at the crap tables, the stickman cradled the dice in the crook of their wooden wands. 00:02:17.945 --> 00:02:27.002 Then a pit boss looked at his watch, leaned forward and whispered OK, roll the dice, he's had his minute. 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:36.578 When I read that, I think sometimes that's what some of us perceive are. 00:02:36.578 --> 00:02:38.725 Coming together to worship is about. 00:02:38.725 --> 00:02:54.384 After a busy week of work and different family events, we drag ourselves into our seats to give honor and glorify God for an hour and a half hour, and when that's over we go back into the busyness of our lives until the next time we gather for worship. 00:02:54.384 --> 00:02:57.108 It's easy if we're not careful. 00:02:57.108 --> 00:03:05.587 It's easy to come to a worship service like this without giving thought to what it is that we are actually doing when we gather on the Lord's Day. 00:03:05.587 --> 00:03:09.746 For many we have done it for so long. 00:03:09.746 --> 00:03:12.330 We function without reflection. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:19.745 But in these verses Solomon calls upon us to make sure we are approaching God properly when it comes to worship. 00:03:19.745 --> 00:03:25.092 If we're going to worship properly, solomon tells us we need to be careful to make sure of two things. 00:03:25.092 --> 00:03:30.110 Number one first, we must make sure that we are worshiping the true God. 00:03:30.110 --> 00:03:37.242 Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well, when he said to her a woman, believe me, the hour is coming. 00:03:37.242 --> 00:03:41.032 When she said you know how do you get this water? 00:03:41.032 --> 00:03:48.225 And Jesus said believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 00:03:48.225 --> 00:03:50.426 You worship what you do not know. 00:03:50.426 --> 00:03:55.569 We worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 00:03:55.569 --> 00:04:03.092 Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshipers are worshiping the Father in spirit and in truth. 00:04:03.092 --> 00:04:08.657 And by truth he means that we are worshiping according to how he's revealed in Scripture. 00:04:08.657 --> 00:04:19.829 The second thing we must realize if we're going to worship properly is that we are worshiping, making sure we are worshiped with the reverence do his name. 00:04:21.761 --> 00:04:30.346 And that second part is what Solomon is exhorting us to do in these first seven verses of the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter five. 00:04:30.346 --> 00:04:37.444 So let me read the first seven verses of Ecclesiastes five, and then two verses from the book of Hebrews Guard your steps. 00:04:37.444 --> 00:04:43.310 Ecclesiastes five one guard your steps when you go to the house of God. 00:04:43.310 --> 00:04:51.925 To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know they are doing evil. 00:04:51.925 --> 00:05:00.807 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. 00:05:00.807 --> 00:05:09.411 Therefore, let your words be few, for a dream comes with much business and a fool's voice with many words. 00:05:09.411 --> 00:05:16.293 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. 00:05:16.293 --> 00:05:17.744 Pay what you vow. 00:05:17.744 --> 00:05:22.831 It is better that you should not vow than you should vow and not pay. 00:05:22.831 --> 00:05:29.923 Let not your mouth be led you into sin and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. 00:05:29.923 --> 00:05:34.610 Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 00:05:34.610 --> 00:05:43.862 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity, but God is the one you must fear. 00:05:43.862 --> 00:05:50.190 And then look to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12, verses 28 and 29. 00:05:50.190 --> 00:06:04.814 Says therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. 00:06:04.814 --> 00:06:13.528 Father, take these words from the book of Hebrews and the book of Ecclesiastes and gently apply them powerfully to our hearts. 00:06:13.528 --> 00:06:24.305 We pray for you to grant us grace to understand what it is we're being exhorted to do in Jesus' name, and everyone said Amen. 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:30.882 There are two things that matter most when it comes to making sure we are worshiping properly. 00:06:30.882 --> 00:06:34.870 It's worshiping inwardly and outwardly. 00:06:34.870 --> 00:06:44.490 Now, by outward worship we're talking about worship styles, the type of music we sing, you know, having a coffee bar and all of this that we enjoy here at Trinity. 00:06:44.490 --> 00:06:53.230 Outward worship has to do with styles and there's been a lot in the church over the years on what the best style is and so forth and so on. 00:06:53.230 --> 00:07:01.851 There's been all these debates about the worship wars, but Solomon doesn't deal with outward worship at all in these verses. 00:07:01.851 --> 00:07:05.129 He deals entirely with inward worship. 00:07:05.129 --> 00:07:12.492 In other words, solomon deals with our attitude, with which we approach God when we come into his house. 00:07:12.492 --> 00:07:14.446 Do we have the proper attitude? 00:07:14.446 --> 00:07:20.312 And Solomon is concerned with how we come into the house of God to worship. 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:36.173 The statement guard your steps, found in Ecclesiastes 5.1, guard your steps could actually be a reference to the southern steps that were unearthed by an Israeli archaeologist in 1967. 00:07:36.173 --> 00:07:44.074 The southern steps are a set of enormous steps leading to the southern wall from the south. 00:07:44.074 --> 00:07:51.345 It's also known as the rabbis' stairs, because rabbis would bring their disciples to the stairs and teach them there. 00:07:51.345 --> 00:08:05.307 They were executed, as I said, in 1967 by archaeologist Benjamin Mazar, and they are the northernmost extension of the Jerusalem Pilgrim Road leading from the pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount. 00:08:05.307 --> 00:08:07.107 Some of you remember that went to Israel with us. 00:08:07.107 --> 00:08:08.485 We saw the southern steps. 00:08:08.485 --> 00:08:18.785 These steps were built in such a way that the worshipper had to actually slow down to as he entered the house of God. 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:25.511 The slowing down speaks of coming to worship fully cognizant of what we are doing. 00:08:25.511 --> 00:08:32.392 We must approach God in such a way that we give Him acceptable worship. 00:08:32.392 --> 00:08:35.288 The inward dictates the outward. 00:08:35.288 --> 00:08:40.650 So we must make sure that our hearts and minds are approaching God properly. 00:08:40.650 --> 00:08:48.548 And when we approach God in prayer are we aware that we must come before Him, waiting silently for Him to speak? 00:08:48.548 --> 00:08:57.971 That's why it says in verse one to draw near, to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:11.972 Now, solomon will not suggest that any verbal outward words is wrong in prayer, but he certainly is promoting the fact that we must come, and come to him in silence. 00:09:11.972 --> 00:09:16.591 It's imperative that we remember the proper relationship when speaking with God. 00:09:16.591 --> 00:09:19.384 He is the Creator and we are the creature. 00:09:19.384 --> 00:09:25.317 Habakkuk 2.20 reminds us the Lord is in his holy temple. 00:09:25.317 --> 00:09:27.711 Let all the earth be silent before him. 00:09:27.711 --> 00:09:29.772 The Lord is in his holy temple. 00:09:29.772 --> 00:09:31.711 Let all the earth be silent before him. 00:09:31.711 --> 00:09:37.197 All true prayer is a response to what God has already spoken. 00:09:37.197 --> 00:09:38.128 Are you aware of that? 00:09:38.128 --> 00:09:51.355 We come listening to God's words before we utter anti-words of our own, and so the first need we have when approaching God is to listen carefully to what he has already said in scripture. 00:09:51.355 --> 00:09:59.875 A few examples of how listening to scripture informs our praying will help underscore that. 00:10:00.184 --> 00:10:05.030 You remember when Elijah appears to King Ahab in 1 Kings 17? 00:10:05.030 --> 00:10:22.253 There's no mention of Elijah until chapter 17 of 1 Kings and suddenly he appears on the scene and he comes and rebukes and confronts King Ahab and he says it will be neither do nor reign these three years, except by my word. 00:10:22.253 --> 00:10:26.816 And we all relish in the fact that Elijah shut up the heavens. 00:10:26.816 --> 00:10:30.134 But you know what Elijah really did when he confronted Ahab. 00:10:30.134 --> 00:10:40.607 What he really did is he confronted him by reminding him of what God had already said in scripture In the book of Deuteronomy. 00:10:40.607 --> 00:10:46.889 God said if Israel was disobedient, then God would shut up the heavens, so it would not reign. 00:10:46.889 --> 00:10:59.996 So what Elijah was really doing was quoting that scripture from Deuteronomy when he said there shall be no do not do nor reign for these three years, except by my word. 00:10:59.996 --> 00:11:00.788 Wow. 00:11:01.884 --> 00:11:10.409 And how about Daniel in chapter nine, when he simply called on God to remember to do what he had already said? 00:11:10.409 --> 00:11:10.846 You remember? 00:11:10.846 --> 00:11:11.830 Daniel prayed. 00:11:11.830 --> 00:11:19.509 We have not listened to your servants, the prophets who spoke in your name, to our kings, our princes and our fathers and to all the people of the land. 00:11:19.509 --> 00:11:22.370 To you, oh Lord, belongs righteousness. 00:11:22.370 --> 00:11:40.148 Open shame, as I adoth this day to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which they have driven them because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 00:11:40.148 --> 00:11:48.307 To us, oh Lord, belongs open shame to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 00:11:48.307 --> 00:12:04.456 To the Lord, our God, belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, our God, walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants, the prophets Daniel, nine, six through 10. 00:12:04.456 --> 00:12:11.995 So these were really scriptures being prayed to God, and that's what we must do when we will come to worship. 00:12:13.350 --> 00:12:16.524 Now, in these first seven verses we read in Ecclesiastes five. 00:12:16.524 --> 00:12:20.605 The author tells us three things about how we should enter worship. 00:12:20.605 --> 00:12:38.164 Number one up to this point, the preacher has given us mostly his observations about life in the fallen world, but now he's given us several admonitions in these verses, reminding us that we must be careful how we approach God, and there's three specific things that Solomon has said. 00:12:38.164 --> 00:12:46.535 The first admonition is to remember which we quoted earlier, but I'll quote it again that we are going to the house of God to worship. 00:12:46.535 --> 00:12:51.604 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. 00:12:51.604 --> 00:12:57.150 Solomon is reminding us that God alone must be the focus of worship. 00:12:57.150 --> 00:13:14.160 When we come to his house, we must remind ourselves that the God we worship is holy and majestic and we must remember that as we come, when we enter his house to worship, we're not to do it casually, as if we're dropping by a friend's house for a visit. 00:13:16.008 --> 00:13:20.618 In the Old Testament, god was worshiped spatially at the Tabernacle and Temple. 00:13:20.618 --> 00:13:29.448 Remember when God took Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and showed him the pattern for the Tabernacle God's dwelling on earth? 00:13:29.448 --> 00:13:32.474 The same was true later when Solomon built the Temple. 00:13:32.474 --> 00:13:40.850 Both Tabernacle and Temple were constructed in such a way so as to discourage a person from coming casually. 00:13:40.850 --> 00:13:47.447 If we're a member of the Old Testament, you could not enter casually into the Holy of Holies. 00:13:47.447 --> 00:13:52.014 You could only enter representively when the High Priest entered. 00:13:52.014 --> 00:14:00.350 Once a year you had to come on a specific day and with a specific sacrifice on that day, and that was the appointed way to worship. 00:14:00.350 --> 00:14:08.855 And in the New Testament, jesus has now come as our great High Priest, who has offered the final sacrifice for sin for all time. 00:14:08.855 --> 00:14:12.735 Aren't you glad you didn't have to hack an animal before you came to church this morning. 00:14:12.735 --> 00:14:36.594 I am so glad Because when Jesus expired on the cross in that place, at that exact moment of his death, the veil separating the Holy Place to the Holy of Holies was rent and that signal that the way into the true Holy of Holies has been open. 00:14:36.594 --> 00:14:39.486 You can say amen with a clap. 00:14:45.825 --> 00:14:53.855 What that means, among many things, is that we're no longer dependent on any building or location to enter to experience the presence of God. 00:14:53.855 --> 00:14:56.450 We don't have to go to a building to experience. 00:14:56.450 --> 00:15:05.357 As Heather pointed out in her exhortation, the New Testament teaches that the church 1 Corinthians 3-9, you are God's building. 00:15:05.357 --> 00:15:07.184 You are God's building. 00:15:07.184 --> 00:15:08.912 It's like we have to go to a building. 00:15:08.912 --> 00:15:14.192 We're thankful we have this building to worship in, but the presence of God isn't limited to this building. 00:15:16.585 --> 00:15:20.275 Second, corinthians 6 says we are the temple of the living God. 00:15:20.275 --> 00:15:22.091 We are the temple of the living God. 00:15:22.091 --> 00:15:29.158 And how about 1 Peter 2, 4, and 5, when Peter says you also come to him, the living stone. 00:15:29.158 --> 00:15:34.856 You also, as living stones are built together a spiritual house. 00:15:34.856 --> 00:15:35.666 How many know? 00:15:35.666 --> 00:15:36.990 You're a living stone. 00:15:36.990 --> 00:15:42.013 You come to the living stone which is Jesus. 00:15:42.013 --> 00:15:46.750 He imparts to us his life and when he does, we become stoned. 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:51.774 That's what it says. 00:15:51.774 --> 00:15:58.158 First, peter 2, you come to him, the living stone, you also as living stones. 00:15:58.158 --> 00:16:07.725 What happened is I come to him, he imparts to me his life, and then I become a living stone, and then he gets stoned. 00:16:07.725 --> 00:16:10.431 So tell somebody, you went to church and got stoned this morning. 00:16:13.384 --> 00:16:14.951 And what does God do with stones. 00:16:14.951 --> 00:16:18.635 I asked one church that and somebody yelled out you throw them at people. 00:16:18.635 --> 00:16:22.549 I said no, that's not right, that's radical, but it's not right. 00:16:22.549 --> 00:16:24.634 What are stones? 00:16:24.634 --> 00:16:31.153 All building in the first century was done by stones and God brought people, brought when the temple was built. 00:16:31.153 --> 00:16:41.349 That's what happened and said the temple was built by members of Israel honing the stones, preparing the stones in private. 00:16:41.349 --> 00:16:44.753 So when they came together they fit together perfectly. 00:16:44.753 --> 00:16:48.192 And that's what happens with the church of God. 00:16:48.192 --> 00:16:49.710 You're part of this body. 00:16:49.710 --> 00:16:54.995 You're a living stone that God has built you together to other stones, with other stones. 00:16:54.995 --> 00:16:57.690 So enjoy being stoned. 00:16:57.690 --> 00:17:01.567 I better get out of that because I'm stuck. 00:17:01.567 --> 00:17:09.574 So wherever the church of God gathers, that is where he is present. 00:17:09.574 --> 00:17:15.696 Jesus promises that wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, there he is in the midst. 00:17:15.984 --> 00:17:22.195 The second thing we learn is that worship is about listening much and saying little. 00:17:22.195 --> 00:17:27.133 Worship is about listening much and saying little. 00:17:27.133 --> 00:17:28.328 How are we to come? 00:17:28.328 --> 00:17:36.069 It says to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know they are doing evil. 00:17:36.069 --> 00:17:43.388 In the Old Testament, worship was conducted largely in silence, and we moderns don't like. 00:17:43.388 --> 00:17:47.470 Do you ever see when there's a silent period in the church and it's a little bit awkward. 00:17:47.470 --> 00:17:51.185 We feel like we need to jump up and say something or do something. 00:17:51.185 --> 00:17:52.990 We're not comfortable with silence. 00:17:52.990 --> 00:17:57.087 We go to most homes today. 00:17:57.087 --> 00:18:05.332 When I go to home, sometimes to make a pastoral visit, I'll find a TV on in every room, the radio blessing people. 00:18:05.332 --> 00:18:06.433 On social media. 00:18:06.433 --> 00:18:13.613 Today we have thousands of voices speaking to us. 00:18:14.525 --> 00:18:18.496 Solomon warns us against offering the sacrifice of fools. 00:18:18.496 --> 00:18:21.752 Now, when he draws near to listen. 00:18:21.752 --> 00:18:34.290 He is not saying we should never talk at all, as I previously said, but the word listen is closely tied to listening with an ear to hear what you hear and obey. 00:18:34.290 --> 00:18:38.955 It's like a football coach who says to the football team okay, everybody, listen up. 00:18:38.955 --> 00:18:46.127 He doesn't mean merely tune in and listen physically, but he's listening is to listen to obey. 00:18:46.127 --> 00:18:53.175 Listening is a major part of our worship because we're listening to obey. 00:18:53.175 --> 00:18:56.087 We should be James 1.22,. 00:18:56.188 --> 00:19:02.930 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 00:19:02.930 --> 00:19:07.829 Be doers of the word, not, and not hearers only. 00:19:07.829 --> 00:19:10.855 How about verse two of Ecclesiastes 5? 00:19:10.855 --> 00:19:19.313 We read be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. 00:19:19.313 --> 00:19:22.471 Therefore, let your words be few. 00:19:22.471 --> 00:19:25.771 Translation God is God and we're not. 00:19:25.771 --> 00:19:27.288 So shut up and listen. 00:19:27.288 --> 00:19:40.880 Sorry to be so rude, but it's the only way I knew to say it, so I put it in my notes Let your words be few. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.596 You are on earth and God is in heaven. 00:19:42.710 --> 00:19:47.713 Now, of course, this is not just a statement about what we do when we come together for corporate worship. 00:19:47.713 --> 00:19:49.977 It's a general rule of the ungodly. 00:19:49.977 --> 00:19:56.442 The Bible, in both testaments, clearly calls us to let our words be few. 00:19:56.442 --> 00:20:02.821 This is not a statement about when we come to worship only, but a general rule of the godly. 00:20:02.821 --> 00:20:04.534 Remember Proverbs 10,. 00:20:04.534 --> 00:20:05.939 19 is a good example. 00:20:05.939 --> 00:20:15.744 The one who restrains his lips is wise, because in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. 00:20:15.744 --> 00:20:19.916 Did you know that if you don't open your mouth, people will mistake you as a wise person? 00:20:19.916 --> 00:20:24.750 Go ahead and try it, it works. 00:20:25.990 --> 00:20:30.240 Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:31.614 James 1, 19. 00:20:31.614 --> 00:20:40.377 If you have to hear, you know people pointed out that you have two ears and one mouth, so God intends for you to listen twice as much as you talk. 00:20:40.377 --> 00:20:44.917 Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. 00:20:44.917 --> 00:20:46.535 How about Proverbs 17? 00:20:46.535 --> 00:20:56.075 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent and discerning, if he holds his tongue Again. 00:20:56.557 --> 00:21:01.154 When the Bible says, let your words be few, it's not just a statement of physical distance, but of reverence. 00:21:01.154 --> 00:21:10.882 God is above all, and we must remember that when we come into his presence we should listen intently so we don't offer the sacrifice of fools. 00:21:10.882 --> 00:21:12.896 You say what is the sacrifice of fools? 00:21:12.896 --> 00:21:14.193 He tells us what it is. 00:21:14.193 --> 00:21:18.060 In the text we read the foolishness of broken promises. 00:21:18.060 --> 00:21:21.277 The foolishness of broken promises. 00:21:21.277 --> 00:21:25.980 Making rash statements with your mouth is the sacrifice of fools. 00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:30.880 Making vows you do not keep is the sacrifice of fools. 00:21:32.329 --> 00:21:39.275 How many of you have come to altars and altar calls and said things rashly that you weren't prepared to carry out? 00:21:39.275 --> 00:21:45.000 Maybe you were moved in the moment by emotion, but you were not ready to carry it out. 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:48.635 We've all tried to bargain with God. 00:21:48.635 --> 00:21:51.115 How many of you have ever bargained with God? 00:21:51.115 --> 00:21:57.522 God, I'll make a deal with you do this for me and I'll stop doing this or I'll stop doing that. 00:21:57.522 --> 00:22:01.178 God, if you get me this job, I'll stop drinking. 00:22:01.178 --> 00:22:03.573 And what happens? 00:22:03.573 --> 00:22:05.230 They get the job. 00:22:05.230 --> 00:22:15.059 And how do they celebrate with a drink, or can be something as serious as vowing to stay married. 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:18.659 How many have been challenged to honor your marriage vows? 00:22:18.659 --> 00:22:20.896 God, I promise, remember what you said. 00:22:20.896 --> 00:22:29.056 I promise to love, honor and cherish, forsaking all others and cleaving to this person as long as we both shall live. 00:22:29.056 --> 00:22:37.237 Remember saying that a lot of people who make that vow on average 50% of the people who made that vow break it at a later time. 00:22:37.237 --> 00:22:39.010 How sad. 00:22:42.150 --> 00:22:46.259 Do Christians not understand the importance and seriousness of their words? 00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:56.159 I get it that non-Christians say rash things before God, don't want to keep their vows, but what about born again people who speak rashly with their words? 00:22:56.159 --> 00:23:00.480 We need to understand the sacredness of a vow before God. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:04.817 It's better not to vow than it is to vow and not keep it. 00:23:04.817 --> 00:23:13.575 So there are legitimate and biblical reasons for divorce, but generally speaking, we must be careful to honor our vows. 00:23:13.575 --> 00:23:21.800 Psalm 154 says he honors those who swears to His own hurt and doesn't change. 00:23:21.800 --> 00:23:25.817 And how about Deuteronomy 23-23,? 00:23:25.817 --> 00:23:34.506 If you make a vow to the Lord, your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord, your God, will surely require it of you. 00:23:34.506 --> 00:23:40.594 When we do make a vow before God, we should be careful to fulfill what we have vowed. 00:23:42.017 --> 00:23:46.288 And the third thing we notice is worship is about giving. 00:23:46.288 --> 00:23:49.134 Worship is about giving. 00:23:49.134 --> 00:23:56.398 There's a verse in Deuteronomy 16 where God commands that every worshiper not come before him quote empty-handed. 00:23:56.398 --> 00:24:05.339 That's why we always mention Derek always mentions that giving is part, a vital part of our worship. 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:11.435 It's where we worship not the only way, but important way. 00:24:11.435 --> 00:24:16.173 And don't default and think you're only, we're only talking about money. 00:24:16.173 --> 00:24:20.147 In the same way, we default in thinking only about singing as part of worship. 00:24:20.147 --> 00:24:24.342 Singing and giving financially are part, but they're not the only part. 00:24:24.342 --> 00:24:31.682 Worship is essentially a disposition that we come before God with the disposition of a worshiper. 00:24:31.682 --> 00:24:37.675 You're coming to give what you have to the Lord. 00:24:37.675 --> 00:24:43.371 You are mirroring the Father when you come, who is the greatest giver of all. 00:24:43.371 --> 00:24:52.382 This is the proper attitude that I should come to the house of God with and in the process, we do receive, but that is not why we come. 00:24:53.104 --> 00:24:57.304 So let me ask you are you regularly giving financially as part of your worship? 00:24:57.304 --> 00:25:00.717 I know this church is very generous, but I speak to everyone. 00:25:00.717 --> 00:25:05.756 Are you regularly giving as part of your worship, something you need to plan to do? 00:25:05.756 --> 00:25:09.808 And when we speak this way the subject of tithing comes up. 00:25:09.808 --> 00:25:12.356 Are we under a law of tithing? 00:25:12.356 --> 00:25:15.224 And I would say absolutely not. 00:25:15.224 --> 00:25:16.670 We're not under a law of tithing. 00:25:16.670 --> 00:25:20.541 But tithing is like training wheels on a bicycle. 00:25:20.541 --> 00:25:25.839 It's a good discipline that teaches us to give, but it's only the basic level. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:28.930 It's a good place to start. 00:25:28.930 --> 00:25:31.817 So I would encourage everybody that's not tithing to do so. 00:25:31.817 --> 00:25:33.580 But don't stop there. 00:25:33.580 --> 00:25:35.785 It's only the beginning. 00:25:35.785 --> 00:25:42.955 Ties and offerings Start by practicing tithing regularly and then growing in giving beyond through ties and offerings. 00:25:42.955 --> 00:25:47.645 Make sure you're worshiping regularly by your giving, not just singing. 00:25:47.645 --> 00:25:50.960 And at Trinity we don't pass the hat or anything. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:56.098 We just tell you the ways you can give and you have a choice in that matter. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:04.701 Perhaps that's why Solomon warns, beginning in verse 10 of this fifth chapter, against the love of money. 00:26:04.701 --> 00:26:10.760 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income. 00:26:10.760 --> 00:26:13.767 But also this also is vanity. 00:26:13.767 --> 00:26:15.979 When goods increase, they increase. 00:26:15.979 --> 00:26:16.561 Who eat them? 00:26:16.561 --> 00:26:18.410 And what advantage has their owner? 00:26:18.410 --> 00:26:20.356 But to see them in it with his eyes? 00:26:20.356 --> 00:26:26.156 Sweet is the sleep of a labor, whoever he eats, whether he eats little or much. 00:26:26.156 --> 00:26:29.785 But the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. 00:26:30.445 --> 00:26:39.064 There is a grievous evil that I've seen under the sun Riches were kept by their owner to the hurt and those riches were lost in a bad venture. 00:26:39.064 --> 00:26:45.082 And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand as he came from his mother's womb. 00:26:45.082 --> 00:26:51.789 He shall go again naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 00:26:51.789 --> 00:26:54.238 This also is a grievous evil. 00:26:54.238 --> 00:26:57.307 Just as he came, so shall he go. 00:26:57.307 --> 00:27:00.816 And what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 00:27:00.816 --> 00:27:07.455 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and anger. 00:27:07.455 --> 00:27:18.192 Verse 18, behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun. 00:27:18.192 --> 00:27:22.301 The few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 00:27:22.301 --> 00:27:31.948 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil. 00:27:31.948 --> 00:27:40.321 This is the gift of God, for he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. 00:27:40.582 --> 00:27:49.173 Beginning at verse one of verse 10, I'm sorry, paul warns, solomon warns against the love of money, not money itself. 00:27:49.173 --> 00:27:55.387 In fact, the Apostle Paul's teaching on this subject does not prescribe the giving away of all wealth. 00:27:55.387 --> 00:28:05.397 He exhorts us in 1 Timothy 6, not to be arrogant, nor to put our hope in wealth, but to be generous and willing to share. 00:28:05.397 --> 00:28:14.702 Remember the rich young ruler who was unwilling to heed Jesus' words to sell all that he had and give to the poor? 00:28:14.702 --> 00:28:17.452 He was not willing to do it. 00:28:17.452 --> 00:28:20.561 He went away sad because he wouldn't part with his money. 00:28:20.561 --> 00:28:29.351 Jesus' words were not necessarily meant to be a prescription for all believers to give away everything they have. 00:28:29.551 --> 00:28:33.422 One problem having lots of money is learning how to properly manage it. 00:28:33.422 --> 00:28:45.286 The person of average means doesn't typically have the headaches that comes with great wealth embezzlement lawsuits and questioning whether people like you or not, or like you because of your money. 00:28:45.286 --> 00:29:06.916 There are many examples of the paranoia and fear that come from having much wealth People such as Sir William Burwell, who spent much of his time amassing a huge, extraordinary art collection but lived his past years like Howard Hughes the recluse as a recluse, for fear that fire or theft would take away his art. 00:29:06.916 --> 00:29:16.545 Solomon says that labor's sleep is sweet, while the sleep of a rich man will not let him sleep Rich men. 00:29:16.545 --> 00:29:20.757 Solomon observed that some people think that riches will bring life. 00:29:20.757 --> 00:29:27.096 Riches are deceptive because he wants us to know that they can be easily lost. 00:29:27.096 --> 00:29:34.199 Here's what we can learn from people who've easily lost fortunes, for example, former lottery winners. 00:29:34.298 --> 00:29:40.438 Are you aware of the fact that most lottery winners end up in bad shape financially? 00:29:40.438 --> 00:29:47.997 If you win the $1.5 billion powerball jackpot, you may not be as lucky as you think. 00:29:47.997 --> 00:29:56.611 Many winners befall the so-called curse of the lottery, with some squandering their fortunes and others meeting tragic ends. 00:29:56.611 --> 00:30:03.528 Well, so many of them end up unhappy or wind up broke. 00:30:03.528 --> 00:30:14.305 People have had terrible things happen, said Don McNay, 56, a financial consultant to lottery winners and the author of Life Lessons from the Lottery. 00:30:14.305 --> 00:30:18.160 People commit suicide, people run through their money. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:20.500 Easy comes, easy goes. 00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:23.222 They go through divorce or people die. 00:30:23.222 --> 00:30:26.281 It's just upheaval and they're not ready for. 00:30:26.281 --> 00:30:29.782 Mcnay told Time on Tuesday. 00:30:29.782 --> 00:30:34.780 It's the curse of the lottery because it made their lives worse instead of improving them. 00:30:34.780 --> 00:30:47.767 About 70% of people who suddenly receive a windfall of cash will lose it within a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education, a quote from Time Magazine. 00:30:48.875 --> 00:30:55.366 Why live for certain for something so uncertain that can't survive behind beyond the grave? 00:30:55.366 --> 00:31:00.285 Why not live for the true riches, even when a fortune is lost? 00:31:00.285 --> 00:31:17.083 Here's what the prophet Habakkuk said, though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive oil, and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls. 00:31:17.083 --> 00:31:22.544 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 00:31:22.544 --> 00:31:25.080 God, the Lord, is my strength. 00:31:25.080 --> 00:31:31.082 He makes my feet like the deers, he makes me tread on high places. 00:31:31.082 --> 00:31:33.701 Habakkuk 3, 17 through 19. 00:31:34.974 --> 00:31:41.868 You know, in proper, in Clisiasis 5, 13 through 17, solomon speaks of a grievous evil. 00:31:41.868 --> 00:31:44.221 He has son seen done under the sun. 00:31:44.221 --> 00:31:48.765 Riches were lost in a bad venture, so that he has nothing to leave his son. 00:31:48.765 --> 00:31:57.901 He says, as he came from his mother's womb, so he shall go again as he came and shall take nothing for his toil he may carry away in his hand. 00:31:57.901 --> 00:31:59.440 This also is grievous. 00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:01.818 Just as he came, so shall he go. 00:32:01.818 --> 00:32:05.047 And what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 00:32:05.047 --> 00:32:11.967 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and anger. 00:32:11.967 --> 00:32:21.044 You know the person is not empowered by God receives the bitter fruit of trying to find ultimate meaning in money, and it's impossible. 00:32:21.044 --> 00:32:27.115 As we have seen many times in the book of Ecclesiastes, money does not give meaning to life. 00:32:27.115 --> 00:32:40.901 The words darkness, vexation, sickness and anger bring to mind what I've heard many wealthy elderly people say you know what a pain old age is, a theme you'll see stated at the end of Ecclesiastes. 00:32:40.901 --> 00:32:45.565 Money, status, power cannot hold back the certainty of death. 00:32:45.565 --> 00:32:46.878 Death is inevitable. 00:32:46.878 --> 00:32:48.477 Everyone must face it. 00:32:52.434 --> 00:33:04.946 Again, the proper perspective in verses 18 through 20 here Solomon repeats this idea that a person's relationship with God, not the circumstances of life, brings true joy. 00:33:04.946 --> 00:33:09.505 The godly person lives with joy in the good provision of God. 00:33:09.505 --> 00:33:14.045 Realism mixed with hope is a common theme in Ecclesiastes. 00:33:14.045 --> 00:33:16.460 Realism meet met with hope. 00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:18.657 It's a common thing. 00:33:18.657 --> 00:33:21.580 Great joy is our possession as believers. 00:33:21.580 --> 00:33:35.279 But Solomon doesn't shield us from the reality that our days on earth are few and for those who have wealth, the only way to enjoy it, solomon says again and again in these verses, is if God enables us. 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:40.028 Finding joy and fulfillment in possessions alone is not possible. 00:33:40.028 --> 00:33:42.701 Listen to one commentator who said it this way. 00:33:42.701 --> 00:33:47.317 Quote the righteous person is not preoccupied with mortality. 00:33:47.317 --> 00:33:55.481 Rather, his relationship with God keeps him occupied, and this produce produces deep and abiding joy. 00:33:55.481 --> 00:34:01.227 The righteous person doesn't look back at his youth as the only good time of life. 00:34:01.227 --> 00:34:08.398 All of his life is empowered by God, so all seasons are marked by joy the person experiences. 00:34:08.398 --> 00:34:13.557 This person experiences no midlife crisis, nor does he become bitter with old age. 00:34:14.954 --> 00:34:17.643 So here are three principles we drew from our text this morning. 00:34:17.643 --> 00:34:22.746 Number one we need to hear from God much more than he needs to hear from us. 00:34:22.746 --> 00:34:28.304 Amen, we need to hear from God much more than he needs to hear from us. 00:34:28.304 --> 00:34:41.684 We hear from God mainly not only, but mainly through listening to Scripture, but we also should hear God's voice in our life, because God speaks not only through Scripture but to our hearts, as Heather reminded us in her experience. 00:34:41.684 --> 00:34:48.007 So that is what Scripture refers to as meditation. 00:34:48.007 --> 00:35:00.927 So if you want to worship, you must have a running relationship with God's Word, and if you don't let God's Word speak to you more than you speak, then you'll miss the opportunity to be blessed. 00:35:01.235 --> 00:35:08.983 The second thing we learn from these verses is the love of material wealth will keep us from the true treasure of loving God. 00:35:08.983 --> 00:35:14.347 The love of material wealth will keep us from the true treasure of knowing God. 00:35:14.347 --> 00:35:20.588 The love of money, solomon has told us in these verses, is the ultimate distraction we must deal with. 00:35:20.588 --> 00:35:26.978 Jesus said it most plainly you cannot serve God and mammon Impossible. 00:35:26.978 --> 00:35:29.402 You can't serve God and money. 00:35:29.402 --> 00:35:31.541 He made it absolutely plain. 00:35:32.755 --> 00:35:42.606 And then, finally, the third thing we learn from our text this morning those who know God experience joy during every circumstance of life. 00:35:42.606 --> 00:35:47.844 It takes God's grace to allow us to have joy throughout our lives, and we can. 00:35:47.844 --> 00:35:50.896 Can you stand with me? 00:35:50.896 --> 00:35:55.597 Let's pray, father. 00:35:55.597 --> 00:36:02.068 Thank you, father, for these words of wisdom given to us from your servant, solomon. 00:36:02.068 --> 00:36:06.123 Father, help us to guard our steps when we come to worship. 00:36:06.123 --> 00:36:11.505 Help us, lord God, to come boldly, but come with reverence. 00:36:11.505 --> 00:36:16.326 Let us not come foolishly or pridefully or arrogantly. 00:36:16.326 --> 00:36:23.481 Teach us to draw near, to listen, which is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools for they do not know what they are doing, evil. 00:36:23.481 --> 00:36:29.646 I pray that we would know how to come before you in worship in Jesus mighty name. 00:36:29.646 --> 00:36:32.083 And everyone said Amen.