Worship Sermon Series
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (NLT)
5 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 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.
3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
4 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. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. 6 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.7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
I. Get prepared to meet God
Solomon wrote, “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.” Eccl. 5:1
The NIV says “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”
Ps. 51:16-19 ou do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
II. Listen to God
Solomon offers further instructions for experiencing God in worship:
5:1b-2 …keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 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.
III. Humble yourself before God
Solomon continued, "After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few." (Eccl. 5:2).
Like Isaiah when he experienced the presence of God, he bowed before God and said, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple" (Isa. 6:1)
IV. Be honest before God
Solomon wrote, "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. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it." (Eccl. 5:4-5).
V. Be Reverent before God
Solomon concluded this section, "Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead." (Eccl. 5:7).
Let's stop playing games with God. Make no mistake about it: God loves fun and laughter. He delights in people who have a sense of humor. But, worship is serious business. We approach God with respect and awe.
5 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 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.
3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
4 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. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. 6 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.7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
I. Get prepared to meet God
Solomon wrote, “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.” Eccl. 5:1
The NIV says “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”
Ps. 51:16-19 ou do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
II. Listen to God
Solomon offers further instructions for experiencing God in worship:
5:1b-2 …keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 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.
III. Humble yourself before God
Solomon continued, "After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few." (Eccl. 5:2).
Like Isaiah when he experienced the presence of God, he bowed before God and said, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple" (Isa. 6:1)
IV. Be honest before God
Solomon wrote, "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. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it." (Eccl. 5:4-5).
V. Be Reverent before God
Solomon concluded this section, "Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead." (Eccl. 5:7).
Let's stop playing games with God. Make no mistake about it: God loves fun and laughter. He delights in people who have a sense of humor. But, worship is serious business. We approach God with respect and awe.