Ecclesiastes 10: A Church With Power
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I’ve often wondered this: as a pastor, and a leader within the bible belt...and I want us talk about this: Why is it that even in the midst of so many churches..there is still an overwhelmings lostness spiritually, and brokenness physically all around?
Why is is that churches seemingly have lost thier power and thier ability to impact the world
What has happened to the witness of the church, such that many can no longer recognize the difference between belivers and non belivers.
Where is the power and effectiveness that we see in the early church at Pentacost, or the overall impact within our communities.
I’m not talking about miracles here, which God certainly can do..but even the simple things that God has given us power to do such as feeding the homeless, loving the hurting, forgiving and reaching down to those who feel unlovable.
Let me ask you, how does Vertical Church become a church of greater Kingdom impact and power?
We can not and must not simply go through the motions. We have been called as God’s people to a higher calling and greater responsibility.
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home.
Jesus proves that the greater is not physical miracles..thouggh that is good, the greater is the proclaiming of the gospel and the forgiveness of sins! That is the greater! The church will go further than Jesus did, carrying the message of cross! Thats the greater!
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Think about this: We are greater than John the Baptist because of the Spirit in us.
So what has caused us within the American church, to seemingly make no difference in our community..and to have little impact on lostness?
I can’t speak for every church, but I can speak for Vertical church. We will be, and must be...a church that walks in Kingdom power, and gospel humility.
One thing I like about a small church…is we can’t hide from eachother. If you are here, it is not to sit in a chair, but to draw near to God and walk in your ministry..and that is for all of us. Myself included.
Lostness is too important, and the God has too good to not be faithful.
Amen!
1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. 3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
The Church’s Power is Tied To It’s Witness
The Church’s Power is Tied To It’s Witness
The first three verses describe the notable witness of wisdom, and the notable witness of foolishness.
The first three verses describe the notable witness of wisdom, and the notable witness of foolishness.
He says, foolishness is like dead flies in an ointment..its like a bad smell noticable to those around. He says fools lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
In other words…wisdom leaves a witness. As does foolishness.
The question is what witness do we have? Because there is power in a witness.
Remember, we said last week that wisdom can save a city. Wisdom is powerful…and those who fear God can step in and bring life.
A church with wisdom, and a godly witness can step in and save a city!
A church with wisdom, and a godly witness can step in and save a city!
But here he says this:
1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
A little foolishness outweighs wisdom and honor.
“A little”- is a funny phrase. What qualifies as a little sin? A little compromise? A little foolsiness?
The idea is that sin/foolishness is not a little thing. It just seems little. But it outweights wisdom and honor.
It may be little in that we say, “Just one word” “Just one lie” “Just one time”…it seems small in that we belive we can brush it under the rug.
But he says, You can destroy in 5 minutes what took you 5 years to build..if you act foolishly.
Listen to me: Churches have lost thier ability to impact the city they are in because of the small compromises and sin we let go.
Listen to me: Churches have lost thier ability to impact the city they are in because of the small compromises and sin we let go.
He says foolishness can outweight wisdom and honor. Wisdom means it doesn’t matter what you know, all of us can destroy our witness if we are reckless and foolish. Honor refers to the respect and reputation we have among others.
A reputation can be built over generations, and be destroyed in days and months.
Foolishness is not more powerful than wisdom, but it is more destructive!
19 Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom is powerful…and you can do infinitely more good and meaningful things with wisdom. However, foolishness is more destructive.
The point is this: Those who walk in wisdom, and have a godly witness have learned that all sin is dangerous..no matter how small it seems.
Those With a Godly Witness Know One Thing Can Cost Them Everything
Question: What foolishness or sin have you said, “Its just a little thing?” that is hindering your walk and your witness?
What if the reason you haven’t been more inpactful for God’s kingdom is the little sin you are letting go? The way you talk to your wife? The videos you watch online? The thoughts you allow in your mind? The anger, the little lies, the lack of following through with your word.
Sin only seems little because we think it is easy to hide. Nobody knows so it won’t matter. It matters..because the witness of wisdom begins in the heart.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
Now, having a godly witness is not about perfection! Its not about never messing up. Its about the inclination of your heart. The posture of your heart.
A powerful church is not a perfect church! Its a perfectable one! Its a church with a posture of humility that aims for holiness and pleasing God.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right means this: the wise intend to do what is right. They are trying to do right. Trying to honor God. They may fall, but not intentionally.
The fool falls intentionally.
So the heart of the wise intends to do what is right! But..not just what we say is right, but what God says is right.
The truth is many of us would say I want to do whats right…but not all of us would say we want to do what “God says is right”
Wisdom begins with the fear of God, and says God I want do do what you want me to do!
God is not looking for perfect churches. He is looking for those who are honest and sincere in thier pursuit of Him.
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
The first sin in the church was hypocrisy. Their problem was not that they did not give everything, but that they lied about it. That their heart was inclined to evil, and lying.
You see..Vertical, not only is the key to our effectivness linked to the sins we let go, but also to our humility and hunger for God.
We must, within our hearts…truly desire Him. Not just what we say, or how we want to look..we must at our deepest level..desire and hunger to please and draw near to God.
Everything else matters very little if we don’t get that right!
The inclination of their heart is the pleasure of God!
Cain and Abel
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Cain and Abel brought an offering, and God was pleased with Abels. He gave his best, the firstborn of the flock and fat. Cain brought an offering, but God wasn’t pleased with it. God says, “Why are you angry..you know whats right, just do it!”
Both brought an offering, but God was pleased with one because of the heart he gave it with!
God is not pleased just because we give, but when we give our best!
God is looking at the heart that is inclined to do what is right!
What if the reason churches lack power is because they are pretending. They offer good things, but don’t give God thier best.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
When God says do the things you did at first, he doesn’t just mean the same actions, but the heart you had at first!
Remember the joy you had when you were saved? The grateitufe how you wanted to give God your best?
Come back!
When he says he will remove the lampstand..he means that the church will no longer be able to be a light to the community. Thier efectiveness and power is gone.
Its time Vertical..a new season..of bringing our best!
3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
Notice something…verse 1 he talks about the little foolisness that we try to hide. Then in verse two he talks about the heart..what we think, desire..the hidden things. Then in verse 3 he says this…when fools walk everyone can see how stupid or foolish they are.
How did small sins, and hidden heart motives…become visible?
You see what hes saying?
Sin never stays in the dark. HIdden sins become revealed actions. Thoughts become feelings and become actions.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James says thoughts lead to desires, which lead to sin, which lead to death.
In other words, to deal with sin you have to deal with the root.
You have to protect your thoughts…be mindful of your feelings, before they become actions.
Cain, he didn’t give God his best..he became angry..and then killed his brother.
Anninias and Saphria hid, small compromise..but God ended up killing them to protect his church. NOw this is not normative, or a rule..it was God making a point for all churches to see…God is protecting the witness of his church!
When we Lost our Witness We Lost Our Power!
The Church’s Witness Is Tied To It’s Speech
The Church’s Witness Is Tied To It’s Speech
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest. 5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: 6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. 7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
The first thing he says here is this: In verse 4, when a believer can respond in calmness and kindness when those those around you are angry…it can lay great offenses to rest!
The Hebrew word translated as “calmness” Lit. means to bring healing or to bring a calm composure to a potentially volatile situation. Injustice creates anger and anger unleashed will lead to great conflicts that may only escalate.
(Share a personal example of where you did this well or where you failed to do so)
Heres the point: Just as a little foolisness can destroy..so too wisdom and calmness at the right time, can heal and restore.
The first way we bring our best noted here is in our words and responses. It is to use our tongue and words for God’s glory.
The Church’s Power is Tied to Its Witness. And Its Witness is Tied to Its Speech.
Heres the secret, that isn’t the secret:
The effectivness a fruitfulness of a church is tied to how they use thier speech.
Words, speech…whether through prayer, worship, encouragment for the good, or complaining, hate, lies for the bad are one of the best measures I know of the health of the church. Of the fruitfulness of the church.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
God is a God who speaks! From the beginning he spoke and things happened. Christ is the Word. Speech is powerful. I am not saying that we can name it and claim it as some pastors say…no. But I am saying…the direction of your life and church is shaped by your speech. Your words.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
A Godly Witness is a people of Godly speech.
Think about it: Why is it easier to complain out loud than pray out loud? Why is it easier to complain than to say thanks? Why is it easier to critisize than to encourage?
Because the tongue is inclined to evil.
Think about this: most people when they talk about church hurt…they talk about what someone said to them.
In other words, our reckless words can destroy our witness.
On the other hand, words fitly spoken at the right time bring life.
Example: Adam, Speaking life, Joey
So how does a church change? How do we walk in power and life?
First…is prayer! Prayer not only shows that our hearts are inclined to God and drawing near to Him, but it redirects our speech and words to those in line with his will!
Our strongest ministry should be our prayer ministry, because we are no greater or stronger than our prayers.
When a church’s complaints outweight thier prayers…they are powerless. When a church’s critisisms are greater than thier prayers they are powerless!
The first thing the early church did when difficulty came…was pray!
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Notice they prayed with thier mouths, and then were empowered to speak with thier mouth boldly!
We must be first and foremost a church of prayer!
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: 6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. 7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
Solomon’s point: In times of injustice do not respond in like nor quit your post as a follower of God, but stand firm under composure controlled and guided by God’s wisdom and God’s spirit! Why? Because the injustices of this world will be overcome!
How do we stay calm in the midst of injustice. How do we keep from complaining…but looking to our Father and listening to Him. Talking to Him!
If you prayed more about it, you would complain less about it!
If you would just pause and look to God!
10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. 11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee. 12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
He continues with the importance of words from the wise and words from the foolish!
A foolish person is like a snake that bites.
But words in wisdom are like a share axe..that brings fruit and success.
My point is this:
Our Witness is Tied to Our Speech!
We must speak to God! Speak in Love! Speak with grace! Speak in encouragment!
Vertical will be a church of prayer!
A church of gospel proclamation!
A church of encouragment!
A church of love!
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
How many churches split over someone saying something or getting mad?
The instrument that God has given us for life, in speech, we have used for
You know..I’ve been told I have an accent. Some words I say, and the fact I grew up in TN folks can hear it. My wife, she is from Prospect, and she caught me off guard the first time it came out.
Or I think of Mary and Eric who are from Germany. You can hear it.
Because the way people talk reveals where they grew up and who they grew up with!
Let me tell you something: There is a Kingdom Accent that are supposed to have! When you grow up in the presene of God, the more you spend time listening to Him..you will sound like Him!
What Kingdom does your accent sound like? God’s or Satans? Not in tone, but in word!
A Church’s Speech Impacts It’s Reach
A Church’s Speech Impacts It’s Reach
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
So he goes from heart, to speech, to hands.
He says this, reckless words lead to idle hands!
Foolish thoughts, lead to reckless words, which lead to lazy hands!
But if we are people whose hearts are inclined to God, and people of prayer, encouragment, and peace…we will busy about God’s kingdom.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
I’ve often wondered why he transitions from words to action here. It clicked for me that when you are wise about your speech, your actions will reflect the character of God. You will be active!
What around us is not what it should be, because we are not living as we should be?
What if the strength of our family is falling apart because we have failed to seek wisdom, speak life, and do what God’s called us to do?
What could we do if our prayer life changed?
Better question, what will we do when our prayer life changes?
What will we do when we our hearts and desires turn to God?
What will we do when God brings revival to us!
19 A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. 20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
He continues with the topic of cursing and complaining! He says protect your thoughts, and protect your heart, and protect your speech.
He says, the king may hear.
But the truth is God hears!
God knows!
It is time for us to walk in power…with a witness of sincerity and heart after God. Its time to walk with our speech being life! and prayerful people!
Its time for us to reach! Not be lazy or compaining, but about God’s work
I believe with everything in me that God is moving in this church. That he is changing our hearts, our speech, and our reach. He is enabling us to walk in power!
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’ 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Power!
3 Things:
3 Things:
1: Pray
1: Pray
2. Repent: if theres something in your heart that you want to lay down
2. Repent: if theres something in your heart that you want to lay down
3. Serve/Give: Living Sent (Love Offering Unto God)
3. Serve/Give: Living Sent (Love Offering Unto God)
