WEBVTT 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:39.600 All right, so this morning's scripture passage is Ecclesiastes five as we're continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes five, verses one through seven. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.479 Turn your Bibles with me, or the words will also be on the screen behind me. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:53.039 Ecclesiastes five, starting in verse one, it says this guard your steps when you go to the house of God. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:01:04.079 Better to approach in obedience than to offer sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:12.799 Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.840 God is in heaven, and you are on the earth. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.400 So let your words be few. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:28.879 Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool's voice comes from many words. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:36.959 When you make a vow to God, don't delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:39.519 Fulfill what you vow. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:45.599 Better that you do not vow than you vow and not fulfill it. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:49.439 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.120 Do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:00.400 Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.920 For many dreams bring futility, so do many words. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:08.719 Therefore, fear God. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:11.599 This is the word of the Lord. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:23.840 You know, it's interesting where these particular verses, these seven verses, land in the text of Ecclesiastes. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:34.719 You see, Ecclesiastes 4 just finishes with this explanation and this deep dive into the loneliness of wealth. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:47.919 And we can pursue wealth, we can pursue prestige, we can pursue that promotion, but all of that at the end of the day is still emptiness and still lonely. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.680 And in the weeks ahead, we'll even talk more about this. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:58.319 But even as you're reading through the book of Ecclesiastes, it's interesting the amount of times that work comes up. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:12.479 And I think what a what a good thing for us to remember in our culture today, with so much being centered around our work life and the acceptance and even celebration of workaholism. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:16.719 And it's not just, you know, out in the world kind of thing. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.000 It's happening in the church. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:27.199 It happens in ministries, this celebration of putting work or putting ministry, putting something on a pedestal before God. 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:29.039 It becoming our all. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:35.680 And so he finishes with this loneliness of wealth on the one side of this passage. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:44.319 And then after this passage, as we're going to talk about next week, um, the realities of wealth on the other side in the rest of chapter five. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:54.879 And I think it's it's kind of neat that in SmackDab, in the middle of all of this, is behold the greatness of God. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:59.680 Is God is in heaven, you are on earth. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.479 Think of the greatness and wonder of God. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:22.399 So it's almost like Koholaid is saying, you know, let's take a break for a moment and keep things in perspective and talk about our eternal God, the eternal God that we serve, the eternal God that we worship, and let's talk about how we approach Him. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:26.079 Our attitude towards Him. 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:31.600 Take a moment, just talk about what we're thinking about God. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:45.920 One of my favorite quotes from Tozer is whatever comes into your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:50.160 So what comes into your mind when you think about God? 00:04:50.959 --> 00:05:02.319 What comes into your mind when you get prepared for worship week after week, or even as you're going about your day when you think about God? 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:22.399 And I love again how it's in the middle of the loneliness of wealth, the realities of wealth, because what it's showing here is that in the midst of all of the things we're chasing in life and in the world, let's take a break and think about God. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:27.279 And that's really what we hope to do every Sunday, right? 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:43.759 Take a break from the weak past, take a break from the worries of the weak future, and just focus our attention on the greatness and goodness and eternality of the God that we serve. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:59.120 And so this morning, we're going to see how we behold the greatness of God by first intentionally listening and obeying, and then by carefully using our words. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:08.480 So first we see we behold the greatness of God, or we enter into worship by intentionally listening and obeying. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:10.639 And we see this in verse 1. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:15.759 You know, all of us had to get ready this morning for church. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.680 I mean, some of us spent a little bit more time getting ready than others. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.600 Uh we had to get up. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.480 I mean, hopefully we brushed our teeth. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:30.959 We put on makeup, some of us, or uh did our hair if we have any. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:34.800 I mean, it took effort, right? 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:41.360 It took time, it took energy to prepare to be here this morning. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:47.120 If you have kids, it maybe took a lot of energy to prepare to be here this morning. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:07:05.920 But Kohlates' words here are what they are is they're they're preparation, or really, it's like a natural orientation of our hearts before we behold God, before we participate of uh in worship of our great God. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:17.519 And so, beyond, you know, getting up, brushing our teeth, doing all these things in order to get ready for the day, he's saying, How have you prepared your heart? 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:21.519 So, this is what's gonna come out in verse one. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:24.319 So, look with me in verse one. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.839 Guard your steps. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:33.120 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:44.319 Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:46.480 Guard your steps. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:08:02.160 There's a lot in um this passage, interestingly enough, and the whole purpose behind it, that gives similarities between Kohalate's words and the words of the prophets. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:07.120 But here it's a little different in the sense. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:08.959 It's similar, but it's different. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:12.959 You see, the prophets called people back to worship. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:28.240 But what Kohalate does is he's calling those who have gotten up, who have gotten ready, who have showed up on time with a smile on their face, but they're not coming to listen to God. 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:59.919 As commentator Derek Kinder puts it, he says, this writer's target is the well-meaning person who likes a good sing or a good hymn, whatever it might be, turns up cheerfully enough to church, but who listens with half an ear and never quite gets around to doing what he has volunteered or committed to do for God. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:09.120 This is the person that he's addressing, the person that shows up, but for the wrong reasons. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:18.399 You know, God takes seriously why we are here. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:27.200 He takes seriously why you're here. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:35.360 Like just look at these first three words. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.600 Guard your steps. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:44.720 These are attention-grabbing, serious words. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.200 Carefully watch yourself, he's saying. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:59.600 So guard your steps. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:05.679 Check your heart, check your attitude. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.080 Guard your steps. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:18.080 And he says it's as a pastor goes on, guard guard your steps when you come to the house of God. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:23.360 And as we understand, right, the house of God that he's talking about is the temple worship. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.440 We're gonna talk about that in just a moment. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:27.039 The house of God. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:35.519 So he's he's talking about this, this corporate worship of the people of God coming together to worship God, and he says, guard your steps. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.679 And for us, that's us here this morning, right? 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:41.039 The people of God coming together to worship God. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:44.080 Guard your steps when you go into the house of God. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:51.120 Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:55.840 For they ignorantly do wrong, he says. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:00.000 Better to approach in obedience, the text says. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:05.360 You know, the word here uh for obedience in the Hebrew has this double meaning. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:12.559 Uh, essentially, what it's really saying is the idea of listening in order to obey. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:17.279 And so that's why some other translations might translate this word as listen. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.360 Better to list, to approach in listening to God. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.159 So the idea here is that we listen in order to obey. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.320 So, where are our ears at? 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.039 You know, as a worshiper, this is what we do. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:55.039 We come first to receive, not to join in an activity, not to tell God what's up, not to tell God what to do, not to tell God how worship should look, but we first come with this attitude of okay, God, I am ready to hear from you and to obey you. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.320 The best preparation we can do for a Sunday morning. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.200 I'm ready to hear from you, God. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:12.480 And whatever I hear from you today, Lord, give me power to obey by the power of your Holy Spirit. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:25.600 You see, in their time, in Kohalate's time, the temple, the tabernacle before the temple, but the temple was that meeting place. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:35.120 It was the only, really, the only meeting place to advance the relationship between God and man. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:57.600 They would come together in the temple, they would hear the Torah read, they would hear the Bible read, they would hear instruction given, they would make their sacrifices, and all of this was set up to advance and to bring God and man together so that man could be forgiven of their sin. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.080 Man could be in fellowship and communion with God. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:20.639 And even today, in our day and age, as as we celebrate uh today in the Lord's Supper, that as we are now under the new covenant, so that was old covenant, they're talking old covenant here, going to the temple, sacrifice, hearing the Torah read. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:30.559 That's old covenant, but for us now as believers, as Christians under the new covenant, we understand that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.600 1 Corinthians 6, 19 to 20, right? 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:38.879 And that Christ dwells eternally in us, Galatians 2, 20. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:40.960 That we are the church. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:45.200 We the church are the household of God, 2 Timothy 2. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:53.919 And because of the inner dwelling of God in us for now and for eternity, worship is different under the new covenant. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:59.200 See, worship is not just going to the temple, but worship is all of life. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.519 Romans 12, 1 and 2. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.000 It's our reasonable service. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:14.320 Everything we do and go about in our day, thoughts, words we say, all of it is to be an act of worship to God. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:22.960 And Collate reminds us don't approach worship like the fools do. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:35.279 As they show up and they sacrifice, but only doing so to appease God, only doing so to silence their consciences. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:45.919 And this is a dangerous temptation for the Christian, even, when we're approaching God. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:15:02.799 Even when we're in our own Bible study, studying, praying of God, only doing so to appease our conscience, only doing so to appease God, silence our consciences. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:09.039 But here's the thing: Jesus has changed everything, right? 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.120 Jesus has changed everything. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:20.399 He's consumed God's wrath on your behalf, so you are forgiven. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:30.879 His invitation to worship is come, listen, find rest, enjoy living life with God. 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:39.039 The gospel isn't a message of come and do, do, do, do, do, heap on the guilt. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:56.159 The gospel isn't a message of come and do more, get involved in more, get so busy that you don't rest, get so busy that your life is out of balance, get so busy that you are heaped on with guilt because you're feeling like you're not a good enough Christian. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:58.159 That's not the gospel. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.120 The gospel is come and find rest for your soul. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:12.879 We can be busy for God and doing absolutely nothing at the same time for the kingdom of God. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.960 Don't you catch that? 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:25.039 We can be busy doing things for God, but doing nothing in reality for the kingdom of God. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:29.440 Because of our attitudes towards God. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:32.559 And this is what the writer is bringing out. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:37.679 You know, these fools they approach with sacrifices. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:46.879 They're doing all the right things, but they're not building anything substantial. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:49.279 It's all vanity for them. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.759 So we come to worship. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:56.480 The first thing we do is we come first and foremost to listen. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:00.000 God, what do you want to teach me? 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.840 What do you want to say to me this morning? 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:05.359 I'm coming to listen to you, as this passage tells us. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:15.519 We come to behold the greatness of our God, because beholding the greatness of our God is listening and obeying by his enabling grace. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:25.119 The second thing is this as we come to behold the greatness of our God, we come carefully using our words. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:27.200 Carefully using our words. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:33.839 And this is um broken down through verses two to the end of the passage, verse seven. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:52.000 I don't know if you've ever had the had the uh privilege of maybe meeting somebody famous or quasi-famous, or even just being anxious in the presence uh of uh someone that's uh that to you is somebody special, somebody important. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:55.839 You know, we can we can fumble over our words a little bit. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:09.279 Uh we can we can kind of lose what we're going to say, or maybe it's uh when you show up at the border to cross the border into the US and the border guards asking you questions and all of a sudden you're answering all the wrong things. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:22.240 Remember one time showing up uh right before we got to the border, I was with a couple friends and we were going to uh the Gospel Coalition conference, I think it was, and my friend turns to us and says, Oh, yeah, by the way, this is like right when we're lined up. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:26.079 He's like, We're gonna get flagged probably and we're gonna have to go inside for a couple hours. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.279 It's like, really? 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:28.000 Why? 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:34.160 Well, because his name was so common that it was the same name as somebody on like the FBI's most wanted list. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:43.200 So he tells us this right as we get to the border, and I'm just like praying, like, don't say anything stupid, don't say anything stupid, don't say anything stupid. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.720 So lo and behold, yes, we're there for a few hours as they're clearing him. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:48.720 Um, and I'm like, he's a pastor. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:19:00.720 Um so but here it's like it's like Kohlate draws our attention to the foolishness of talking too hastily or talking too much. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:06.480 Uh we just talked about listening, and what's the opposite of listening? 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.000 Talking. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:10.160 So now, of course, he goes into talking. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:19.920 So um, verse 2, he says this do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:26.079 God is in heaven and you are on the earth, so let your words be few. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:44.640 You know, he he recognizes that we can come before God uh with this impulsive speech, maybe, maybe even telling God what to do instead of first like just like listening to him, tell us what to do? 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:48.880 You know, this is even true like in our in our prayer life. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:58.640 Uh how are we coming to listen and pray for the will of God to be done rather than praying for our own will to be done? 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.920 How are you approaching God? 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:13.279 And verse two, this statement, you know, God is in heaven, you're on the earth, so let your words be few. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:18.640 It's this statement of, you know, behold, again, the greatness of God. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:25.839 Think about where he is, who he is, what he does, what he's done, what he's promised. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.000 Remember his place and remember your place in relation to him. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.960 Behold his greatness. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:37.039 God is the one who must be approached with reverence and fear. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:40.000 And that's the theme that comes up out of this book. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:54.079 This similar, uh, there's a similar thing, um, caution given by Jesus in Matthew 6, 7 to 8, when he said, I'm just gonna turn my Bible to that. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.400 So if you have your Bibles, you can turn Matthew 6, 7, 8. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:00.880 I think it's also on the on the on the uh screen behind me. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:19.119 But a similar thing, Jesus said in Matthew 6, uh starting in uh verse verse 5, Matthew 6, 5, he says, Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by the people. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:23.359 Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:39.200 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, pray for your father who is in, pray to your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:48.640 When you pray, don't babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:55.200 Don't be like them because your father knows the things you need before you ask them. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.599 So he's Jesus driving home, similar point. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.000 As coholeate back here in the book of Ecclesiastes. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:08.079 How are we approaching praying to God? 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.839 Are we babbling? 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:13.279 Are we praying for the will of God to be done? 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:23.599 And then verse 3, he continues in Ecclesiastes, verse 3 just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool's voice comes with many words. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:35.839 This is a proverb that the Koalate is quoting to drive home this point even further regarding worship. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:40.720 Our circumstances, and this might be what it means, we're not sure. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.920 It's pretty ambiguous again in the Hebrew. 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:54.160 But it likely means that our circumstances and focus of our labor can sometimes cause anxiety. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:56.880 It can cause dreams that night. 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:15.119 And he's saying, just as the dreams are of absolutely no help to your anxiety or to what you're dealing with in real life, so a fool's voice and the many words that come out of his mouth are absolutely no help. 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:29.680 You know, we can pay lip service to God and to others in worship, and it's all just a meaningless jumble of words. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:34.160 If our hearts aren't right. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.960 Verses four to five. 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:56.000 Better that you do not vow than you vow and do not fulfill. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:01.599 And this is a reference to Deuteronomy 23, 21 to 22. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:06.559 Similar thing instructed there in God's law and the instruction. 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:17.039 He's basically just saying, you know, wisdom says you should err on the side of caution when it comes to approaching God, especially with what we promise him. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:33.119 And these verses aren't just meant to, like, they're not meant to like just like scare us or to pour guilt and shame on us for all of those things that we have promised God, but yet we failed at fulfilling. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:36.640 Just track with me for a moment here. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:40.960 These verses are much more than that. 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:50.240 These verses remind you and I how seriously God takes keeping his promises. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:58.799 And this is important because he has made the greatest and most wonderful promise of all. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:15.440 I mean, just look again at the example of Peter the apostle in Luke 22. 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:25.839 He promises Jesus, you know, I won't forsake you, I won't deny you, and he does, but yet Jesus redeems those broken promises in Peter's life. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:29.599 God makes us the ultimate promises. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:46.240 The promises that our perfect Redeemer, Jesus Christ, would perfectly listen to, perfectly obey God on our behalf, that we would become his righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5.21. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:56.480 So, yes, our God is serious about promises, and for that we are thankful. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:02.720 And in verse 6, what does he say? 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:13.119 Don't let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:18.960 Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.480 You know, we're again we're unsure as to the identity of this messenger. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.759 It's uncertain. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:37.759 But in the temple worship, this could have been a priest or an elder who would hear the vow that somebody would make before Yahweh, and then they would follow up with the vow taker. 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:39.599 We're we're not sure. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:54.240 Perhaps the implication here too is that we can try to fool others and our approach to God, but we can't fool God. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:02.240 And in verse seven, he brings this all together for many dreams bring futility. 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:05.200 So do many words. 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:07.599 Again, the whole dream thing. 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.759 Therefore, fear God. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.319 Behold him. 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:20.319 Stand in awe of him. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:24.319 Stop talking and listen. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:32.559 Listen to his promises that he keeps and never breaks. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:36.480 Listen to his message of grace. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.400 Behold the greatness of our God. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:44.240 He's in the heavens, we're on the earth. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.079 Guard your steps. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.920 Be careful what you say to him. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:49.279 Let's pray. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:28:12.480 Father, right now we come in just a moment to the Lord's table, where we are beholding your greatness, declaring your righteousness, declaring the power of Christ over our sin and our weakness. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:23.200 Thank you that in our weakness, even in worshiping you, Christ worshiped you perfectly on our behalf. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:26.400 And we ask for your help. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:38.880 That we would come listening to you and your word, ready to take in what you might want to get a hold of our heart and our life with. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:48.160 So that we can experience your true grace and mercy and the enjoyment of life that it is with you. 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:50.000 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:50.960 Amen.