WORSHIP RESTRICTIONS
Notes
Transcript
Handout
This Week’s Theme: Walk Cautiously
Word for the Week is Walk: It is the action of traveling on foot at a normal pace, but figuratively it is The image of walking with God is used in Scripture to represent the behavior of believers in their relationship with God.
Memory verse: 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Sermon Passage: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
Introduction: Have you heard the statement, “Learn from others mistakes?”
Is this something that we actually practice? Do we really learn from the mistakes of others?
People have gone down the wrong path and have wrecked their lives because they failed to respect the rules of life.
What mistakes have people made in the arena of driving?
Lives have been lost because seat belts were not worn.
Have you learned to wear your seat belt?
Lives have been lost because people decided to drink alcohol and drive.
Have you learned not to drive intoxicated?
People have lost their lives because of reckless driving?
Have you learned not to drive too fast?
People have gone down the wrong path and have wrecked their lives because they failed to respect the LORD.
What about the mistakes that people have made in living, parenting, and marriage?
Have you learned to trust in the Lord with all your heart and not to lean to your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him so that He can direct your path?
Do you have a Christ-centered home instead of a child-centered home?
Do you have a Christ-centered marriage instead of a me-centered marriage?
Have you heeded the warning of selfishness?
Have you heeded the warnings of pride?
It would be wise to learn from other’s mistakes
Even when it comes to entering the house of God for worship
I admonish you!
Don’t be Nadab and Abihu
These sons of Aaron foolishly entered into the holy place and offered a displeasing offering before God and died (Lev. 10:1).
Please Don’t Be like them
I admonish you!
Don’t be King Uzziah who arrogantly entered into the temple to burn incense and the LORD infected him with leprosy.
Transition: In the midst of his arguments to show life as vanity based on his experiences and observations. The teacher stopped to provide words of wisdom concerning entering the house of worship. He expressed
Today, I want you to heed the warning of coming to worship the wrong way.
Worship Restrictions
Worship Restrictions
I. Let Your Work Be Mighty
I. Let Your Work Be Mighty
What work am I talking about? Look at verse 1
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
The text says that when you enter the house of God, you need to draw near to hear
Did you hear the work you are here to do?
When you attend worship at the house of God you are here to hear from the LORD.
Solomon stated that a
A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
He also admonished his readers to
Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.
Therefore, you are here to hear. Will you
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
Wasn’t this the same message of the Son of God, our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Illustration: A wise person said that there is a good reason God gave us two ears and one mouth. So we can listen twice as much as we speak.
LOOK AT VERSE ONE AGAIN. DRAW NEAR TO HEAR
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
Because of their ignorance, their lack of hearing, and their lack of paying attention, they are clueless
KING SAUL IN 1 Samuel 13
then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
SAMUEL CALLED SAUL’s ACT A FOOLISH ONE BECAUSE HE DID NOT KEEP THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD. LOOK AT CHAPTER 15 OF 1 SAMUEL
But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
SAUL AGAIN DID NOT OBEY THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD BUT ACTED ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OR THE RULING OF HIS OWN HEART.
HE DID NOT UTTERLY DESTROY ALL THE AMALEKITES AND THEIR ANIMALS
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
APPLY: THEY DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LISTEN.
YOU CAN’T LEARN IF YOU DON’T LISTEN
WHEN WE SHOW UP HERE AT THE TEMPLE
WHEN WE COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD
WE COME TO HEAR
WE COME TO LISTEN
DON’T BE FOOLISH
I KNOW IT IS TEMPTING TO PLAY GAMES ON YOUR PHONE
I KNOW IT IS TEMPTING TO SOCIALIZE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR
I KNOW IT IS TEMPTING TO FOCUS ON WHAT PEOPLE ARE WEARING
WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE MISSED, HELP IS MISSED, UNDERSTANDING IS MISSED WHEN YOU ARE DISTRACTED AND NOT LISTENING
BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE HERE FOR.
YOU ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO THE GOD
YOU ARE HERE TO HEAR FROM THE OMNIPOTENT GOD
YOU ARE HERE TO HEAR FROM THE OMNISCIENT GOD
YOU ARE HERE TO HEAR FROM OMNIPRESENT GOD
Quick to HEAR ABOUT
If you need to understand
He is the Truth
If you need to see
He is the True Light
If you need saving
He is the Savior
If you need redeeming
He is the Redeemer
If you need instruction
He is the Prophet
If you need help
He is the Mediator
If you need justice
He is the Judge
If you need holding
He is the Sustainer
If you in need
He is the Provider
If you need cleansing
He is the Holy One
Let Your Work OF LISTENING Be Mighty
II. Let Your Words Be Minimal
II. Let Your Words Be Minimal
Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
Explain it: Solomon stated for worshippers not to be rash with their mouths or the words they speak.
Talking without thinking
Illustrate it: A member from a different church gave this testimony about her husband. She said, “Whatever comes up comes out!”
Talking too quickly
Speaking too soon
He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
says
The person who has knowledge spares or limits his words
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Says,
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking: but he that refrains his lips is wise.
Basically, when a person talks too much, lies are found within all his words.
People tend to make up stuff wanting to make his words interesting.
Jesus applied this truth to prayer in
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Not to use vain repetitions in praying, as the heathen do: thinking they will be heard because of their numerous words
Limit your words in prayer.
God is not deaf. He can hear. He knows what you need before you asked it
Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
And he warned them not to carelessly allow their heart to utter or speak anything without proper thought before God
Why? Because God is in heaven and you are on the earth. The author magnifies the authority of God and the transcendence of God. God’s power and presence prevail His entire creation. God is beyond man in power, knowledge, ability, in wisdom, etc.
Psalm 23
My Provider: I shall not want
My Preserver: restore my soul
My Protector: yea though I walk
My Preparer: prepare a table
My Producer: surely goodness and mercy
My Promoter: I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
Cares and anxieties in business or other matters occasion disturbed sleep, murder the dreamless repose of the healthy laborer, and produce all kinds of sick fancies and imaginations
Spence-Jones, H. D. M., editor. Ecclesiastes. Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909, p. 112.
In Matthew 6:25, Jesus said not to worry about your life, what you will eat or drink.
Don’t worry about your body, what you will put on it
Verse 31 He repeats the list Don’t worry about saying eat, drink, wear
Verse 32 Your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things
Verse 33 But Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
Apply it: Brothers and sisters, what do you need to do
STOP TALKING, STUDY BEING QUIET
STOP THEN THINK TWICE AND SPEAK ONCE
Let Your Work Be Mighty
Let Your Word Be Minimal
III. Let Your Warrants Be Meaningful
III. Let Your Warrants Be Meaningful
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
Explain: The Preacher wrote first that when a vow, a pledge, a promise, a warrant is made to God, pay it
This is in accordance to the law that God gave Moses. Look at
“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.
But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you.
That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.
Vs. 21 You shall not delay to pay it
God is holding you to it
Not fulfilling it is sinning
Vs. 22 coincides with verse 5
Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you.
That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.
Nobody made you make it.
If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Illustrate it: Remember the vow that Jephthah made
And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands,
then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
He operated according to the law. Listen to what he says to his daughter, who was the first to greet him.
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it.”
Look at verse 4 again
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
For God has no pleasure in fools
Because
A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
THE GOD OF UNDERSTANDING
DOES NOT DELIGHT IN
THE FOOL OF NO UNDERSTANDING
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DON’T BE FOOLISH
Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error.
Solomon said in
It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’
But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Apply it: When you come for worship, say what you mean and mean what you say.
Don’t promise what you are not prepared to perform
Don’t offer what you are not willing to give
Let Your Work Be Mighty
Let Your Word Be Minimal
Let Your Warrants Be Meaningful
IV. Let Your Walk Be Meticulous
IV. Let Your Walk Be Meticulous
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Every task I perform should be done out of respect for Him.
Every word I say should honor and respect Him.
Every thought I think should made obedient to Christ.
Every step I take should be taken respectfully
Should be in reverence to God
Fearing God- Respect
NO WANT
Psalm 34:9 (NKJV)
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! [There is] no want to those who fear Him.
WATCHES OVER
Psalm 33:18 (NKJV)
Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
DELIVERS
Psalm 34:7 (NKJV)
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
DESIRE FULFILLED
Psalm 145:19 (NKJV)
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.
BLESSED
Psalm 115:13 (NKJV)
He will bless those who fear the LORD, [Both] small and great.
PROTECTOR
Psalm 115:11 (NKJV)
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He [is] their help and their shield.
GOOD UNDERSTANDING
Psalm 111:10 (NKJV)
The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do [His commandments.] His praise endures forever.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
For our God is a consuming fire.