Sermon Tone Analysis
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Solomon has been making observations in this book and recognizing the meaningless of life under the sun when it is lived without God.
So far everything he has observed has been secular:
Working
Politics
Money
Partying
Wisdom
Life/death
Injustice
Relationships
Now he makes his way to the Temple.
He sees vanity even in the Temple.
He warns against the meaningless of hypocritical worship.
Solomon knew a lot about hypocritical worship.
He started well and ended well but he went through a rough patch. 1 Kings 11:4 says that Solomon’s wives turned his heart away from God.
Solomon has already admitted that in this book.
In chapter 2 he tells us about his escapades but admits he found no meaning in a sinful life.
Thank God for the book of Ecclesiastes.
It shows us that Solomon did recognize his sin.
As a man who knew what it was like to be a hypocrite in religion, he warns us.
We’re going to look at the five commands he gives concerning worship.
1. Walk reverently before God (1).
A. Hypocritical religion is both foolish and ignorant.
What is the “sacrifice of fools”?
It’s worship that comes from an insincere heart.
It’s pure ceremonial religion.
It’s going though the motions with no regard for God Himself.
Solomon saw people bringing sacrifices to the Temple who he knew were fakes.
They took an animal to the priest to have it sacrificed but that animal was killed for nothing at all.
It was foolish for this person to even be at the Temple.
God calls the Atheist a fool in two Psalms (Psalm 14 & 53).
Here he calls the hypocrite a fool.
What’s more foolish?
To be an atheist or a hypocrite?
To be a hypocrite is more foolish!
Think of all the committed Christian does:
We give every Sunday to the Lord.
We give a portion of every paycheck to the Lord.
We serve the Lord through His church.
Why in the world would you do that if your relationship with God was not real?
That leads us to the second part: they are ignorant.
They don’t realize that their hypocritical worship is evil.
In fact, they think they are doing good.
They’re deceived.
Jesus gave a parable about two guys he went to the Temple to pray in Luke 18.
One was a hypocrite; the other was not.
The hypocrite said:
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
That was an ignorant man.
He thought all his religious works would atone for his sin.
He was wrong.
There is nothing more irreverent than pretending to love God when you do not.
B. We should worship God with great reverence.
“Keep thy foot”- “Guard your steps”
“Walk” in Scripture often refers to character.
Solomon is telling us to be careful how we conduct ourselves when we worship.
Reference to feet reminds us of Moses at the burning bush who was told to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground (Exodus 3:5).
This implies preparation.
In the West there was a custom of removing hats indoors.
Why?
They were unnecessary- purpose of hat to protect head.
They communicate a courtesy- I’m not in a hurry to leave.
As a sign of respect.
The point is when you enter worship you are aware you are entering a special place.
We’re not to just trot into worship.
Our heart should be prepared.
Our mind should be engaged.
Why do people have a rug at their door?
To remind you to prepare yourself before you enter their home.
That rug is a reminder to respect where you are going.
C. We should come to worship to hear the Word of God.
Not everyone comes to church to hear the Word of God.
Illustration: When I was a chaplain at a maximum-security prison things got so bad we had to lock the bathroom door during worship services.
People would go in there to smoke dope
People would go in there to meet their boyfriend
If someone had to go to the restroom I would stop preaching, unlock the door, and then return to preaching.
Things changed pretty quickly because guys didn’t like everyone recognizing they were the reason why the preaching stopped.
Do you come to church to hear the Word of God?
Do you bring your Bible?
Do you look at the text?
Do you listen intently?
Are you more ready to hear than to speak?
If you don’t listen when the Word of God is being preached, you do not respect the Word of God.
It’s irreverent to talk to people when the Bible is being preached.
It’s irreverent to do your Word search when the Bible is being preached.
It’s irreverent to read your bulletin or your book when the Bible is being preached.
It’s irreverent to call any unnecessary attention to yourself when the Bible is being preached.
When we come to the house of God we should be more ready to hear the Word than to do anything else.
2. Speak slowly to God (2-3).
A. When we pray, we should consider who we are speaking to.
Solomon says, “God is in heaven, and you are on the earth.”
What does he mean?
God is far greater than we are.
Illustration:
Jeremiah the prophet got in trouble with hasty prayer.
He was so upset that no one liked him because of the message he was preaching he took it out on God.
He asked the Lord
“Will you be to me like a deceitful brook like waters that fail?” (Jeremiah 15:18)
He was a laying a charge of deceit against the Lord.
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