“Enjoy the Silence”
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I was thinking of giving you a summary of the short film
Will we continue to offer to the Lord Strange Fire?
As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.
Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
The Sacrifice of Fools
Watch Your Mouth
True Worship
Reverence
The first thing we will look at today is another important juxtaposition the Preacher makes comparing listening and the sacrifice of fools. The second point of observation is clearly keeping an eye on what it is that we say…watching our mouths. Finally, we will see how the true worship of Christ and His words brought life and life more abundant to His people.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world deceive us into bringing to the living God the sacrifice of fools and strange fire, it is the compassion of our Lord Jesus who will transform us into His likeness leading us to approaching God with true reverence in meaningful worship.
I. The Sacrifice of Fools
- Advice for those of us who go to church.
A. So we have spent time seeing the meaninglessness of mammon worship, but now we turn to the worship of God which is the most meaningful thing of all. But even that can become meaningless. How do you say? In our culture today which put a high emphasis on worshipping the right God, but what the preacher wants us to see is that we do worship the right God but, in the wrong way. This is the essense of the 2nd commandment.
B. Its not just important that that we worship, but it is also important how we worship.
C. See the seriousness of this. A better more literal rendering of verse 1. “Watch your step when you enter the house of God. It is better to lister then to offer the sacrifice of fools, who sin without even a thought.”
D. Dr. Ian Provan - Worshippers should take care when they enter the temple to remember that God must be the focal point of worship, not the self, and that the Word of God should take priority, not the words of the worshipper.
E. So here comes Solomon telling us the first step in worshipping. Watch your step. The sense of this is… there is a right way and a wrong way to approach God. So what is the right way? Number 1. Listen up. Yeah…Listen up. The house of God is the place where we come to hear the Word of God. The author is assuming that when we go to the house of God there will be something for us to hear. It is the Word of God.
F. Quick aside. Every commentator I have looked at all say it is the Word of God. When we go to the house of God we are to hear the Word of God. Not cultural musings, ideologies from successful entrepenures, good advice from the wisdom of the world, concepts from the New York times best sellers, rationalistic thought experiments of the brilliant, and the advancements and discoveries of the intelligent that unfortunately come from pulpits all across the country. My friend who lived in Georgia could not find a Bible preaching church after years of searching.
G. This is why here at CBC we read the word, we sing the word, we pray the word, we teach the word and we preach the word.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
H. So when we come to the house of the Lord...Are we ready to listen to the voice of God? Is my heart open to spiritual instruction? Are my ears attentive to the message I will hear from the Bible?
Are we ready to listen to the voice of God? Is my heart open to spiritual instruction? Are my ears attentive to the message I will hear from the Bible?
I. The trouble is, it is hard for us to listen. So many other voices and noises clamor for our attention. Even when we enter for worship, the noise of the surrounding culture is still ringing in our ears. The World is a loud place. It is easy to let our thoughts wander, but hard for us to hear the voice of God. Like mindless zombies, sometimes we go through the motions of worship without ever getting our minds engaged.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
J. It is not just a little better for us to listen to the Word of God but totally better. The Preacher uses harsh language to condemn people who fail to pay attention. Instead of offering God a sacrifice of praise, they offer him “the sacrifice of fools.”
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
It is not just a little better for us to listen to the Word of God but totally better. The Preacher uses harsh language to condemn people who fail to pay attention. Instead of offering God a sacrifice of praise, they offer him “the sacrifice of fools.”
K. What is Solomon saying… these are those who perform the rituals of worship without any deliberate intention to bring the whole self before God in an attitude of reverence and awe. The sacrifice of fools is carelessness in observing worship. Whatever sacrifices they offer are insincere. Such hypocrisy is not just foolish, it is also evil. The worship of the hypocrite is sin according to Solomon.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
L. Understand that whenever we go to worship, we enter the presence of a Holy God who has gathered his holy people to come into His presence to hear his Holy Word. Do we take this for granted? If we take this for granted, not listening to what God says, not approaching Him correctly, then the Bible says that we are guilty of great evil.
Whatever sacrifices they offer are insincere. Such hypocrisy is not just foolish, it is also evil.
The worship of the hypocrite is sin.
M. This explains why some people have been struck dead on the doorstep of God’s house—like Nadab and Abihu, who did not watch their step and offered unholy fire, or Ananias and Sapphira, who did not watch their step who lied to God about their sacrifice how much they had put in the offering plate. Sacrifice of fools. Each of these dreadful acts of judgment took place at the beginning of a new era of worship, showing for all time how zealous God is for proper worship.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Understand that whenever we go to worship, we enter the presence of a holy God who has gathered his holy people to hear his Holy Word. If we take this for granted, not listening to what God says, then the Bible says that we are guilty of great evil, for we have despised the gospel of the cross and the empty tomb.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
N. When we consider the holiness of God and compare it with our own unholy worship, it is a wonder that any of us is still alive. The many times we worship the Lord with only half of our heart. The many times we were thinking about something else when the Word of God was being read. The many times our hearts were dwelling on the things of the world while the name of Jesus was being glorified in congregational singing. The many times we were distracted with schedules, errands, entertainment, lunch, during the preaching of the Word. We are giving a half-hearted sacrifice of praise. This is the same as offering blemished animals to the Lord for sacrifice. It is the sacrifice of fools.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 121). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
II. Watch Your Mouth
- He is not just concerned about how we listen, but also how we speak.
A. People do tend to be rash with their words. Solomon shows this.
Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
B. Qoheleth tells us to let our words be few. And with good reason. We are rash with our words. We tell lies, make rude and disrespectful comments, and lash out in anger. We utter murderous threats and use ugly racial slurs. We make promises we don’t keep. We don’t let our yes be yes and no be no. Every time a mouth is open, a heart is on display, and we are as likely to hear a word from Hell as a word from Heaven.
People do tend to be rash with their words. They tell lies, make rude comments, and lash out in anger. They utter murderous threats and use ugly racial slurs. They make promises they will never keep. They even swear against God. Every time a mouth is open, a heart is on display, and we are as likely to hear a word from Hell as a word from Heaven.
C. Of all our rash words, Qoheleth was most concerned about the ones we speak in the house of God. Now of course, He is always listening, which ought to make us careful about what we say, wherever we are. But the phrase “before God” refers specifically to public worship, especially in this context, where the Preacher has been talking about guarding our steps on our way to the house of God. He wants us to be careful what we say in worship, when we pray and, especially for me, when we preach.
They tell lies, make rude comments, and lash out in anger. They utter murderous threats and use ugly racial slurs. They make promises they will never keep. They even swear against God. Every time a mouth is open, a heart is on display, and we are as likely to hear a word from Hell as a word from Heaven.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 122). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Of all our rash words, Qoheleth was most concerned about the ones we speak in the house of God. Verse 2 refers to a word spoken “before God.” There is a sense in which every word we speak is spoken before God. If God is everywhere, then every word we utter goes from our mouth to God’s ear. He is always listening, which ought to make us careful about what we say, wherever we are. But the phrase “before God” refers specifically to public worship, especially in this context, where the Preacher has been talking about guarding our steps on our way to the house of God. He wants us to be careful what we say in worship, when we pray and when we preach.
D. Do we really mean what we say when we stand and worship in the house of God? It is easy to read a psalm or sing a hymn or confess a creed without ever thinking about what it means. Sometimes even a prayer can be prayerless! Simply repeating pious words does not mean that our words come from a pious heart. He knows it all.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (pp. 122–123). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Do we really mean what we say when we stand and worship in the house of God? It is easy to read a psalm or sing a hymn or confess a creed without ever thinking about what it means. Sometimes even a prayer can be prayerless! Simply repeating pious words does not mean that our words come from a pious heart.
E. The God we worship—or God forbid, pretend to worship—is the sovereign and mighty God who rules the entire universe. The Preacher reminds us of this in verse 2, when he says, “God is in heaven and you are on earth.”
F. The Creator/creature distinction has practical implications for what we say when we worship. We need to know our place, remembering both who God is and who we are. Isaiah said in one of his famous prophecies...
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 123). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
The Creator/creature distinction has practical implications for what we say when we worship. We need to know our place, remembering both who God is and who we are. Isaiah said in one of his famous prophecies, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (). If this is true, then we should think before we speak. Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “Knowing how widely the divine nature differs from our own, let us quietly remain within our proper limits.”
Isaiah “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (). If this is true, then we should think before we speak. Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “Knowing how widely the divine nature differs from our own, let us quietly remain within our proper limits.”
If this is true, then we should think before we speak. Right?
G. Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “Knowing how widely the divine nature differs from our own, let us quietly remain within our proper limits.”
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 123). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
H. Sincerity is especially important when we worship. When we sing a hymn of praise, it should be with thoughts of God in our minds and love for God in our hearts.
I. The Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, New Jersey has a sign to help its worship leaders remember this. The sign reads, “Sing it like you mean it,” but the word “like” is crossed out and replaced with the word “because”: “Sing it because you mean it.” Our prayers and our speech to the Lord and to each other should be just as sincere.
Sincerity is especially important when we worship. When we sing a hymn of praise, it should be with thoughts of God in our minds and love for God in our hearts.
J. In the house of God have we lost control or accountability in what we say? Have we lost sincerity in our hearts and in our speech. One way we know what is in our hearts is by listening to what we say. An open mouth means an open heart.
The Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, New Jersey has a sign to help its worship leaders remember this. The sign reads, “Sing it like you mean it,” but the word “like” is crossed out and replaced with the word “because”: “Sing it because you mean it.” Our
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 124). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 124). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
K. But do we have hope today? You bet we do.
III. True Worship
- The true worship of Christ brought salvation to His people.
A. Let me say it again...When we consider the holiness of God and compare it with our own unholy worship, it is a wonder that any of us is still alive. Thank the Lord for our King Jesus.
B. You see, it is not only his sufferings that save us but also his obedience, including the perfect worship he offered to his Father. Jesus died for all our sins, including all the sins we have committed in the very act of worshiping God. But Jesus also did something more.
Thank God for Jesus! It is not only his sufferings that save us but also his obedience, including the perfect worship he offered to his Father. Jesus died for all our sins, including all the sins we have committed in the very act of worshiping God. But Jesus also did something more. According
For he said to God,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.”
C. These words refer to the worship that Jesus offered at the temple and the synagogue. See here the very Son of God singing the psalms that the Spirit inspired and using them to praise the Father. By faith in Christ, that perfect worship now belongs to us, as if we ourselves had offered it to God. This is part of what it means for us to know Christ: our imperfect worship is accepted by the Father because of the perfect worship offered by the Son.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (pp. 121–122). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
D. How is this possible? Instead of bringing to the Lord strange fire, he brought His blood.
These words refer to the worship that Jesus offered at the temple and the synagogue. Envision the Son of God singing the psalms the Spirit inspired and using them to praise the Father. By faith in Christ, that perfect worship now belongs to us, as if we ourselves had offered it to God. This is part of what it means for us to know Christ: our imperfect worship is accepted by the Father because of the perfect worship offered by the Son.
With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 122). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
E. Yes we have hope because of what Christ has done. Jesus died for our sins according to the scripture… The saying is trust worthy… Jesus came to seek and save ...
F. There is salvation… all who call upon the name of the Lord. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord...
G. When we know that even our worship is forgiven, then we can approach God with joyful confidence. Rather than saying, “If I worship the right way, then God will accept me,” we say, “I am already accepted through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and now it is my privilege to worship God the way he wants to be worshiped.”
When we know that even our worship is forgiven, then we can approach God with joyful confidence. Rather than saying, “If I worship the right way, then God will accept me,” we say, “I am already accepted through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and now it is my privilege to worship God the way he wants to be worshiped.”
H. We come to worship the way that the Solomon of Ecclesiastes tells us to come—paying attention to God, watching our step when we enter his sanctuary, and listening to the truth of his Word. We hear that word with the confidence of Solomon, who said, “Every word of God proves true” (). We hear it with the expectancy of Mary, who sat at her Master’s feet in Bethany, hanging on every word (). We hear it with the faith of Peter, who said to Jesus, “You have the words of life” ().
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 122). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
We come to worship the way that the Solomon of Ecclesiastes tells us to come—paying attention to God, watching our step when we enter his sanctuary, and listening to the truth of his Word. We hear that word with the confidence of Solomon, who said, “Every word of God proves true” (). We hear it with the expectancy of Mary, who sat at her Master’s feet in Bethany, hanging on every word (). We hear it with the faith of Peter, who said to Jesus, “You have the words of life” ().
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 122). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
