HoHum:
Philip Graham Ryken tells about a film clip that he saw, don’t know where he saw it so try to describe it. It portrays a family of four getting ready for church on a Sunday morning. Even though the viewer cannot hear what the family members are saying, it is not hard to read their lips, or at least their attitudes. They wake up grumpy and still sleepy. Dad stumbles over the laundry and kicks it out of the way. Older daughter argues with mom about she will (or will not) wear to church. Younger daughter spills her milk and cereal. Angry words are exchanged, especially when dad slams on the brakes while mom is trying to put on lipstick in the car. As they get ready for church, no one in the family smiles or exchanges even one friendly word. . . until they walk into church and it is time to put on a happy face. Mom and dad smile at the first people they meet. They take their places in the sanctuary with smiles on their faces. When they stand to sing the opening song, their eyes are closed in reverent adoration. As the film clip ends, the sound begins, and we can hear what they are singing: “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.”
WBTU:
I am sure that Solomon often worshipped at the Temple that God allowed him to construct. Solomon dedicated the temple and Solomon worshipped there after it was completed.
Later on we find this: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ” 1 Kings 11:4 NIV.
My thought is that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after turning back to the Lord before his death. But what happened in his worship of God from the dedication of the temple to his worshipping other gods? Did the worship of God somehow lose its luster for him?
Like many, did his eyes and mind stray? Did he begin to take his focus off of God and begin to focus on those who came to worship? Did the attitudes and actions of those who came to worship bother him? Maybe he began to notice that many people live two separate lives: in the temple the people looked so holy and righteous, outside the temple the people were ungodly and wicked. After seeing this for years, maybe he came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter whether he worshipped at the temple or worshipped foreign gods, it was all the same phony stuff. "Let me just please my wives because it doesn’t make any difference."
This is all speculation but we can see from chapter 5 how this could be. Many people fail to worship God with reverence, meaning to fear God, to stand in awe of God, to take God seriously. For many they come to church to do anything but worship God. Worshipping God is just a formality. It is not the main reason they are here.
Thesis: In what ways should we worship God with reverence?
For instances:
Go to listen (Vs. 1)
This is not saying that we should say nothing, that we should not participate in the worship.
Notice how it begins, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.” Be careful when we go to worship. We are going to the house of God. Yes, things have changed from the OT to the NT and this building is not the house of God. However, when we come together in worship God is present in a special way. Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”” Matthew 18:20, NIV.
From vs. 1 let’s start with some secondary issues and then get to the main point. Two secondary issues involve “the sacrifice of fools”
Can refer to those who bring unacceptable sacrifices to God. Years later Malachi talked about this but I am sure it happened throughout the OT. “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.” Malachi 1:14, NIV. These people are not bringing their best that the Lord deserves.
Can refer to those who offered sacrifices thinking that the sacrifice itself would cancel out their sins without the need for repentance. The prophets often warned the people of Israel about this. Without repentance, a turning away from wrong and turning around to God with a desire to do His will, our worship is nothing but filthy rags and detestable to God and others.
The main issue is to listen. Listening to hear from God and then act upon what we hear. “He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 11:15, NIV. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17, NIV.
Prayer (Vs. 2, 3)
Yes, this does refer to public prayer more than individual personal prayer. Edwin Orr suggested brief prayers especially in prayer meetings. He said that when one prays in a meeting, for his first three minutes everyone prays with him. Should he continue a second three minutes, everyone prays for him. Should he continue for a third three minutes, the others start to pray against him.
Why should we be brief in speaking to God? “God is in heaven and you are on earth.” God is far above us, far superior to us. Even when we meet human kings and queens we are not supposed to talk excessively. We should control our tongues when we meet with God in church. WE show our reverence for God when we let our words be few.
Jesus says that same thing: “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” Matthew 6:7-9, NIV.
Jesus reminds us that God is in heaven and we are on earth. Out of reverence our words should be few. Even in private prayer we do not need to go on and on. Jesus says that our words can be few because we are praying to “Our Father in heaven,” and “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
To back up this point vs. 3. This is a proverb of comparison. The proverb says that many cares will lead to a dream. In the same way, a fool’s voice leads to “many words.” The author of Ecclesiastes says much the same here: “the fool multiplies words” Ecclesiastes 10:14, NIV. We should not be fools in our worship of almighty God.
Vows (vs. 4-6)
“When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.” Numbers 30:2, NIV.
Unfortunately, many are tempted not to fulfill their vow after God has granted their request.
Vs. 5- The New Testament gives a terrifying example of God’s anger when people do not fulfill their vows. Ananias and Sapphira
In a similar way we make vows in church. When we are baptized we are making a vow. God forgives us of our sins and we receive the gift of the HS. We vow to be Christians and strive to act like Christians. Thankfully, God is a God of mercy and grace but still this is a vow, a promise, we made. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, NIV.
Many came before the church on their wedding day and exchanged vows with their spouse. Saw an example of Koons, 50 years of keeping that vow. The wedding is a worship service where a couple gives promises to each other. The vows of marriage are a mockery today. Taking this seriously at this church.
Vs. 6- God will deal with people for not fulfilling their vows, and he will discipline them for coming up with lame excuses.
Stand in awe (vs. 7)
Beginning of vs. 7 is transition from speaking and promising too much. Our worship of God can be without substance, meaningless, because of “many words.”
Instead of empty words, stand in awe of God. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:28, NIV.
Jesus agrees that we should worship God with reverence and awe. Jesus became very angry when he found that the temple courts had been turned into a marketplace. “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’.”” Matthew 21:12, 13, NIV.
Reverence for God will cause us to draw near to listen rather to blabber like fools. Reverence for God will cause us not to be rash with our mouth. Reverence for God will cause us not to delay in fulfilling any promise we have made to God. Reverence for God will cause us not to come up with lame excuses for not fulfilling our promises. In summary, reverence for God will make our worship truly awesome.
It appears that Solomon was turning off after years of observing how people worshipped. Instead of being turned off by our worship, may our worship inspire others. “But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying (a form of worshipping), he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”” 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25, NIV.
