Meaning in Worship

Introduction

You made it to church this morning! Congratulations, mission accomplished. Do you ever go through a checklist on Sunday? Do you have your sermon-taking notebook? Your new or well-used Bible in hand. Did you put money in the offering plate? I’ve got my church clothes, the kids are in the car, snacks for the kids are in the car, my tithe check, my Bible, etc. We walk in with a smile even if we were just shouting at each other and the kids were having a meltdown on the drive over. Is that what church is?

Do we really get what church is about? Is there a deeper meaning to worship with the church? Yes, but maybe not in the way you’re expecting (or, not in the way you think)

Solomon talks about worship and demonstrates how true worship isn’t what we often think it is. There’s a deeper significance than the surface level struggle of getting here or the elements of a service that has to be followed strictly or we’re upset we’re late for lunch. Let’s see what Solomon reveals to us about folly in worship (Ecclesiastes 5)

I. Folly in Religious Busyness (v. 1-6)

A. Worship (v. 1)

1. Why do you go to church? Take a moment and reflect, why do you go to church? Just because you’re religious does not mean you’re holy

a. Have you heard of the Pharisees? The most devout, religious men in Judah (possibly on earth). Yet Jesus said, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites” (Matthew 23:23 ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”)

b. We pay attention to a lot of stuff when we come: our tithe check, our diaper bags, our assigned seating, our Bible in hand. But are we focusing on the wrong things?

2. Notice, “Draw near to listen rather than offer sacrifices of fools”

a. God requires obedience rather than sacrifice. Therefore, listening is a Godly quality (2 ears, one mouth. Listen more than you speak). (1 Samuel 15:22–23 “And 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 listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.””)

b. We are trying to listen for God/to God. Illus. Elijah didn’t feel the presence of the Almighty when he was in deep depression. A massive earthquake happened, not God. Strong wind, not God. Fire! Again, nope. But the still, small voice (the quiet whisper), God was there. Psalm 46:10 ““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!””

c. Have we ever thought about coming to church not for a service that serves me but to be silent to hear God?

3. We meet weekly for several reasons: communion with Christ/each other, encouragement, instruction, fellowship, etc. One important thing that is often neglected is conviction: reminders, challenges, correction

a. Solomon’s command is to “Guard your steps to the house of God… for they do not know they are doing evil.” We are meeting God here, listening to Him so He can change us. Take our evil deeds away and replace them with Himself

b. Don’t just go through the motions of religious jargon. Don’t go to church merely from habit or because you’re supposed to. Come to God’s house, the gathering of His people, so we can all pause the troubles of life and listen to Him

B. Prayer (v. 2-3)

1. Illus. Last summer I was at a Christian camp and someone asked me how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. I never know what to do when someone asks me that, because usually they aren’t asking for the actual way and methods for solving it. Plus, usually, they don’t have the time. But last summer, when this guy asked me to show him I did a little thing and he said, “No, I meant show me how to solve it all.” I warned him that he wouldn’t be able to remember it all from me telling him right there. He didn’t care. So, I started to speed explain different terms and processes, steps, and formulas, etc. I went on for a good 10 minutes if not more and you could see the smoke coming out of his ears. He realized he bit off way more than he could chew and I didn’t help

a. I knew it wasn’t going to help in answering his question but I rambled on about it anyway. I didn’t respect the guy’s time or probably the actual question he wanted to know

b. In the same way we struggle when we pray

2. There is a balance we wrestle with: God is our loving Father who wants us to come to Him with our struggles and Jesus told us not to babble on like the Gentiles do.

a. Solomon makes it clear here that we speak from an earthly perspective, whereas, God sees from Heaven and His view is complete. We don’t need to babble and drag it on as if to explain it to God for Him to understand your point of view. He gets it, knows more about it, and He knew it before you even asked.

b. While, at the same time, we are learning faith and further trust when we pray, we learn to rely on God’s strength/wisdom instead of our own

3. Solomon’s point is: have reverence when you speak to God

a. He’s not your buddy or your therapist. He’s your Lord, your Master, the God of the universe. Do not approach Him flippantly.

b. You might have a dream (a vision) of how things should be and what is best. But many words shows our ignorance. Instead, trust that God knows more about you and about it

1. Go to Him in reverence, in control, with a desire for His heart and solution

2. Note: When you pray you are in the presence of God, bask in His glory. You are allowed to fall at His feet in prayer. All of a sudden, what we’re going through seems smaller because God is so grand. Dwell in His presence

C. Vows/Promises (v. 4-6)

1. Illus. At the end of the movie “The Amazing Spider-Man” in 2012. Peter Parker makes a promise to his girlfriend’s dad to break up with her to keep her safe from the dangerous life of being a crime fighter. He breaks up with her and one of the closing scenes is Peter showing up late to class and the teacher scolds him for it, to which he replies, “I’m sorry it won’t happen again. I promise.” The teacher fires back, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” He then leans forward to his now ex-girlfriend and says, “Yeah, but those are the best kind.” (Smooth pickup line, right?)

a. No, the worst promise to make is one you don’t keep. Ask my kids if I promise to take them on a car ride or watch a movie with them, they expect me to keep that and if I don’t they are upset and rightfully so

b. Solomon gives a warning. If you make a vow or a dedication or promise to God then keep it. It’s better for you to not make the vow at all than to make one and not keep it

2. God is the God of Truth. He says what He means and He means what He says. When we approach Him in service and worship, God expects the same from us (we will worship in spirit and truth)

a. If you tell God that you’re going to up your giving then you should. If you promise you’re gonna give up that crutch or sin that’s been pestering, seek Him strongly and do everything in your power to overcome

b. God isn’t demanding perfection but He doesn’t want us to place more burdens on ourselves than necessary. He paid the price of sin and fulfilled the Law so we wouldn’t have to

3. Be careful with your words and your promises. Why backtrack and make Him angry?

a. Yes, He is gracious but He is also holy. Jesus attested to this when the devil was tempting Him, saying, “It is written, ‘don’t put the Lord your God to the test’” Don’t speak too brashly or foolishly

b. On Judgment Day we will give an account of every word we speak (Matthew 12:36–37 “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””). Have integrity and respect, for when you speak you speak in the very presence of God

II. Wisdom in Fearing God (v. 7)

A. There’s a lot of aspects to worship and what Solomon is saying in the worship service, or private prayer, or in a vow/times of revival is to have the right focus: God (v. 7)

1. We might have a vision of what worship is and what I want to get out of it but when we focus on the result, just getting what we expect, we are found empty (vanity)

2. So, why come to church? Why pray daily? Why go above and beyond to do things for God? It’s about fearing God

B. As Christians we think of God’s grace, which is integral. But grace doesn’t negate God’s holiness, as if God is just a big teddy bear now. No, it is still a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God

1. In Christ we do not fear judgment anymore because perfect love casts out fear. We don’t fear judgment but we are called to fear God (1 Peter 2:17 “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”)

a. We think of Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6. He saw God on His throne with angels all around and he was terrified, “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips!” Isn’t that fascinating. We often dream of seeing God face to face in heaven and Isaiah sees Him and is painfully aware of his failures, his sin, his inadequacy

b. But you know what God did next? He took a burning coal and touched it to Isaiah’s tongue, cleansing him. Then God asked “who would go for me?” And Isaiah was the first to speak up, “Here am I, send me”

2. When we think of fearing God we should think about seeing God in His fullness, who He really is, and being shaken to our core for we are truly inadequate

a. It produces this sorrow and humility that leads us to surrender to God everything in our lives, making Him the sole focus

b. We surrender to Him and submit to His Lordship. For He is Mighty and He alone has the solution for my sin problem. When I am weak then I am strong because I rely on His strength

Conclusion

What difference does that make for worship?

1. God is the focus instead of the religious activity. We give because God first gave His Son, we fellowship together because we have fellowship with God in Christ, we partake of communion as a confession of my belief and dedication to Christ

2. All of a sudden, the impact of worship is taken out of my hands, away from what I can do and what I have to offer and it rests squarely on God and what He has done

a. If God is not the focus of worship then what is the point?

b. Our focus is on God: to draw near to listen to Him, to bask in His presence when we pray, to live like Him, dwelling continually in His presence

3. The surface issues we face, the exhaustion, and the concern of our kids interrupting the church service all begins to fade away. Because we are coming to church to meet God so He can transform us. Fear God and worship Him always