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“Embracing Change To Experience Life!”
“Embracing Change To Experience Life!”
Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 Ecclesiastes 5:1–7
[Hebrews, Qoheleth]
… draws a very sharp distinction between those who• WORSHIP God on their own terms and
• WORSHIP God on His
terms.
• WORSHIP God on their own terms and
• WORSHIP God on His
terms.
Psalm 14:1…. Psalm 14:1….
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there isno one who does good.”
(NIV)
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there isno one who does good.”
(NIV)
is someone who says in his
heart that there is no God
and who then lives his life
in a way that is consistent
with that belief.
is much more than just
what we do here together
on Sunday morning.
How To Be WISEIn Our
WORSHIP?
How To Be WISEIn Our
WORSHIP?
Ecclesiastes 5:1b…. Ecclesiastes 5:1b….
“… Go [draw] near to listen [hear] rather than
to offer [give] the sacrifice of fools, who [for they] do
not know that they do wrong [evil].”
(NIV)
“… Go [draw] near to listen [hear] rather than
to offer [give] the sacrifice of fools, who [for they] do
not know that they do wrong [evil].”
(NIV)
The “fool” comes to TALK,
the “wise” comes to
LISTEN.
GUARD OUR STEPS(walk prudently)
… go to the house of God
to WORSHIP, to GO (draw)
NEAR TO HEAR GOD.
The word “Qoheleth”conveys the idea of….
1) “listening carefully” 2) “obeying what we
hear”
Hebrews 13:15…. Hebrews 13:15….
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise– the fruit of lips that
confess his name.”(NIV)
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise– the fruit of lips that
confess his name.”(NIV)
How many of us in our prayer time, heed the words of the
Psalmist in Psalm 46:10?
How many of us in our prayer time, heed the words of the
Psalmist in Psalm 46:10?
“Be still, and knowthat I am God.”
(NIV)
“Be still, and knowthat I am God.”
(NIV)
Ecclesiastes 5:2a…. Ecclesiastes 5:2a….
“Do not be quick with your
mouth, do not be hasty in
your heart to utter
anything [hastily] before
God...”
(NIV)
“Do not be quick with your
mouth, do not be hasty in
your heart to utter
anything [hastily] before
God...”
(NIV)
…. makes hasty judgments,
…is
HUMBLE!
Our spiritual maturity
actually increases
when we make a
HUMBLE and SOBER
judgment of our own
shortcomings.
Romans 12:3…. Romans 12:3….
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has
given you.” (NIV)
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has
given you.” (NIV)
Ecclesiastes 5:3…. Ecclesiastes 5:3….
“As a dream comes when
there are many cares
[activity], so the speech
of a fool when there
are many words.” (NIV)
“As a dream comes when
there are many cares
[activity], so the speech
of a fool when there
are many words.” (NIV)
reference to “dreams”here seems to be referring
to foolish dreamingor day-dreaming.
The “fool” often BOASTS,
the “wise” often OBEYS.
was thinking of those who
make radical resolutions
in order to try and show
other people how spiritual
and pious they are.
Matthew 26:33-35…. Matthew 26:33-35….
“Peter replied, ‘Even if allfall away on account of you,I never will.’ ‘I tell you the
truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the
rooster crows, you willdisown me three times.’ …
“Peter replied, ‘Even if allfall away on account of you,I never will.’ ‘I tell you the
truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the
rooster crows, you willdisown me three times.’ …
Matthew 26:33-35…. Matthew 26:33-35….
…. But Peter declared,
‘Even if I have to die with
you, I will never disown
you.’
And all the others disciples
said the same.” (NIV)
…. But Peter declared,
‘Even if I have to die with
you, I will never disown
you.’
And all the others disciples
said the same.” (NIV)
Peter ends up
before the morning comes
and all the other disciples
flee and hide.
If we really want
to show that we love God,
ACTIONS are much more
important than our words.
John 14:21…. John 14:21….
“Whoever has my commands and
OBEYS [keeps] them,he is the one wholoves me ….” (NIV)
“Whoever has my commands and
OBEYS [keeps] them,he is the one wholoves me ….” (NIV)
The way that we demonstrate
we really love God is not with
our talk. The real proof of our
love for Him is whether we
are WILLING TO ACT on
what
we discover as we hear Him.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6…. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6….
“ (v.4) When you make a vow to God, do not delay in
fulfilling [pay] it; He has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill [pay
what you]your vow. (v.5) It is better not
to vow than to make a vowand not fulfill [pay] it. …
“ (v.4) When you make a vow to God, do not delay in
fulfilling [pay] it; He has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill [pay
what you]your vow. (v.5) It is better not
to vow than to make a vowand not fulfill [pay] it. …
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6…. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6….
…. (v.6) Do not let your mouth
lead you into [cause your
flesh to] sin. And do not
protest
to [nor say before] the
[temple] messenger of [God],
“My vow was a mistake”
[that it was an error]. …
…. (v.6) Do not let your mouth
lead you into [cause your
flesh to] sin. And do not
protest
to [nor say before] the
[temple] messenger of [God],
“My vow was a mistake”
[that it was an error]. …
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6…. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6….
…. Why should God be angry
at what you say [your
excuse] and destroy the
work
of your hands?” (NIV)
…. Why should God be angry
at what you say [your
excuse] and destroy the
work
of your hands?” (NIV)
here simply says that…
The “fools” DOES NOTFULFILL his VOWS.
The “fools” DOES NOTFULFILL his VOWS.
The “wise” man oftenkeeps His WORD.
The “wise” man oftenkeeps His WORD.
Temple vows were a common part of
Old Testament WORSHIP.
Temple vows were a common part of
Old Testament WORSHIP.
…. often involved the promise to dedicate something to God in
return for God granting a request made in prayer.
…. often involved the promise to dedicate something to God in
return for God granting a request made in prayer.
Many times when these kinds of vows are made and God
answers the prayer, the person who made the vow
fails to fulfill his promise.
Ecclesiastes 5:7…. Ecclesiastes 5:7….
“Much dreaming [For inthe multitude of dreams]
and many words are meaningless. Thereforestand in awe of God.”
(NIV)
“Much dreaming [For inthe multitude of dreams]
and many words are meaningless. Thereforestand in awe of God.”
(NIV)
The “fool”FOCUSES ON
SELF;
the “wise” man
FEARS GOD.
being careful with our words. being careful with our words.
Reflectswhat is in our
heart!
Reflectswhat is in our
heart!
Luke 6:45…. Luke 6:45….
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of
the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the
overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
(NIV)
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of
the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the
overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
(NIV)
The WISE MAN fears God!The WISE MAN fears God!
He will be so overwhelmed with the greatness of God
that WORDS will be
inadequate to expresshis awe and wonder.
But the “fool” will be so
FOCUSED ON HIMSELFthat his mouth will run over
with excessive words.
He won’t be able to stop
talking about himself and all
that is important to him.
We as a culture have tried
to conform God to who wewant Him to be, rather than
who He really is.
My goal … is to feed you a steady diet of God’s Word
every week so that Jesus can reveal Himself to you as He really is. Sometimes that may not be what you wantto hear, but rather what
you need to hear!
My job is not to meet your
needs, BUT to TEACHyou about the God
of the Bible…
the ONLY ONE that can
meet those needs.
In your WORSHIP…. In your WORSHIP….
Is your focus on yourselfand your desires?
Are you focused
on God and what
He wants?
The WISE MAN…. The WISE MAN….
The WISE MAN…. The WISE MAN….
Let’s pray!