Some Warnings About Worship

Is house dedicated to the glory of God. We collectively come in here to worship him and praise to honor the Lord so much deeper that three stories I lights. It's so much better than just a cup of coffee when not asking people to get interested in were asking people to get at first catch up with friends, but we gather for purpose to shine the spotlight on God rather than ourselves, as Stephen Devi continues his series in King Solomon's Journal the book of Ecclesiastes. He shares some guidelines for effective worship. He also provides some warnings to those who choose to make worship about themselves, not God. This is wisdom for the heart and today's lesson is called some warnings about worship well is it possible somewhere in the world church have nothing to do with God possible to enter a house dedicated to worship and do everything but worship God think the answer might be a little more obvious than we would want to be fat clues of our own church culture can be found in what we hope to do, where I then why would like somebody to come along with us even to get advertisements from churches outside in my mailbox when church recently announced that it didn't judge or try to change anybody so come one at all.

Evidently, ignoring the fact that God is actually deeply committed to changing since transforming us into the image of his son mother advertisement for the posted that you can be anything you want. Anybody want to pressure you change your need to feel any pressure just come and go as you like.

Evidently, ignoring the fact that as a disciple of the Lord. We given our lives to the claims of the gospel and to this glorious Savior. 11 we we reveal our motives and our attitudes toward worship by how and why we arrived today and what what what we want God to do with us today. We want God to do through us in the assembly and in ministry to the body and what we say we leave here as to why we thought it was good. If we thought it was good. What is God say about genuine worship, but without any advance warning which is typical of wisdom literature, Solomon changes his focus rather suddenly from the world of business to the world of worship. And he makes some inspired observations and I want to work through this paragraph of the word of Ecclesiastes without chapter 5 as we work our way through this paragraph he presents what I want to shake as three warning to what to do and what not to do when we ultimately define true worship warning number 1 Worship Will Not Take Pl. When you treat God's presence with casual disregard notice as the chapter opens at verse one of chapter 5. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God, suffer from for Solomon's original readers the house of God within a reference to the temple in Jerusalem. It was stunning. Josie was the first century Jewish historian, said of the past that the gilded golden doors. The reflection of the some of those doors could be seen for miles. But it's interesting when you think about Souder making this this comment he's observed the digression of genuine worship. It's just become a building. It's just become a formality. There's no heart right there in Jerusalem. In spite of the glorious temple. David his father designed and Solomon himself, and overseeing in the building out ahead of the district covered all of gold. Solomon has played a role in the digression of worship had me he's compromised his own moral character is disobeyed God's word and multiplying wives and ultimately accommodating their false God said building false temples for them now and again. And in this journal he's returned back in his old age to the truth as of said repentance that becomes clear. At different times in this journey sorta compounds the pulpit here, so to speak is to remind his son, Rehoboam was going to read this and the nation Israel and us to this day. What true worship means any begins with this morning and you can broadly expand this directive to us today. Anybody approaching God any assembly saying words church and and we belonged by the grace of God to demonstrating and obeying the glory of God. We've come to worship is a timeless principal look if you want to worship God, the true and living God did better approach him with the right heart attitude. You better come the right way to guard your steps.

In other words, enter his presence thoughtfully appropriately. Respectfully be double minded. Don't be insensitive. We we are approaching boldly the throne, the very presence of God.

Hebrews 416. In this dispensation we we experience such liberty. The Old Testament, saving nothing. We go directly to our mediator is now Jesus, our Redeemer, God man, first of the two verse five. But even though we can go immediately. In fact, in a unique way as an assembly where the presence of God.

He is our audience. We are not we have to keep in mind the checker attitude is, didn't mean to get enter the assembly you know in a hushed voice in a somber appearance. Some would be quick to call Gavin Habakkuk 220 says the Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before and others would say yeah but David made it clear you know when you get a shout aloud to the Lord. Verse into jubilance saw praise him in the congregation that exiled somebody well will both in the balance of them all is the gardener steps, the right heart attack when he writes gardener steps he what he means is sort of like what your parents and my parents say they were my parents meant to me when I would sorta get close to that territory labeled disrespectful, they would say something like you better watch your step young man giving you growing up I heard two or three times growing up. You better watch your step down that I did minute he looked at my feet.

I knew that the watch my attitude that's Solomon's time. So you approach God we praise God genuine worship we approach an attitude of reverence and enjoying anticipation and expectation and ultimately resignation will only number 2 Worship Will Not Take Pl. when you attempt to use words to pull the wool over God's eyes.

Notice the last part of verse one to draw near to listen is better than to offer sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil another. They don't realize visitor hypocrisy that the formalism appearance of worship directly evil they have nothing to do with God is adding to the condemnation will remember that I was somebody slow it matter science it somebody was disobedient somebody was defiant. Solomon is describing a fool who comes into the presence of God and he's not ready to listen to God he's ready.

The election of God.

What I got. I would lecture true worshiper comes in the house of worship ready to listen.

In Solomon's day was a lot of listening to do the priest with explain the sacrifices brought by the worshipers festivals. The observances the responsibilities of the law and in all of its 10 general expressions and responsibilities.

The Scriptures would be read and explain Mobile to see there be a lot to hear.

The Hebrew verb. Therefore, listening carries the idea. Pay careful attention so that you can obey what it is just, well, I was the day we covered a few verses. I know in our Ecclesiastes is no it's listening with an intention of obeying but a foolish person goes through the motions and sings the songs without any heart without any hard-hitting or heating same. We exalt the God what is God. Actually say love the little girl illustrated up to the point fairly well.

They were singing the audience the congregation we exalt. See, she's four years old.

Her mother looked at realizes she's just singing at the top of her little law to get the lyrics extension singing. We exhaust the wonder wonder what author commenting on this passage of the God is not listening to us through spiritual headphones.

He is listening to us with a spiritual stethoscope warning number 3 Worship Will Not Take Pl. when you talk to God and others like you arrive. Notice pursuant to be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God or that is in the presence of God, for God is in heaven is giving all sarcasm for God is your therefore, let your words be few. For dream comes with much business in the fools voice with many words makes an analogy there at the end of this text. Let me deal with that last phrase because it's confusing to me confuses me is my confusion. Hebrew text is giving us really a context of trouble or anxiety. In fact, that word business is translated earlier in chapter 2, verse 23 and it's a little clearer there that the context is one of dreaming out more because of anxiety or pain or sorrow or stress subject or two in verse 23 right for all his days are full of sorrow in his work is a vaccination say more, even at night since his heart does not rest any uses that same word over here in chapter 5 and others because it is stressful, anxious life.

He's restless. His dreams just bring all the stresses and maybe some strange memory from the past can make this convoluted on helpful unnecessary dream. Solomon is suggesting the dreams or some kind of mystical work of God. Be careful with that is not giving some kind of exposition on on nightly visions, he simply thinking that an analogy that sometimes your dreams which might be more like nightmares that trouble you end up robbing you because are unhelpful. Just like the words produced by a full are unhelpful.

Their unnecessary Solomon evidently had same experience in sewing go back to the earlier warning Texas is don't be will rash with your words, don't be hasty with your heart. Another way Moffat translated Audrey earlier is it he said don't don't let your heart hurry into your work. Be careful. Life is hard enough to come to the presence of God in around one another.just drop your mouth is describing someone who thinks they know all the answers. The address is sarcastic phrase to serve as the punchline. Don't forget God is the one in heaven. As you can see life from beginning to end, and you're still on her. And finally, even when you get to heaven are still about God. So you have arrived since God is always wise whenever he speaks and were not God. There is the possibility that when we speak we will not be what is his point to make your words.

Few don't be quick to speak with you, the presence of God. Be ready quicker to listen worshipers never by the way take on God's role.

In fact, the best we can ever do for others in the assembly. The best we can ever do for those around us. Come also to worship God the best comfort and advice we can ever offer is to simply give them your own experience of vocabulary essentially give them what God has already said that's over at her best warning number 4 Worship Will Not Take Pl. when you make promises you don't attempt to keep verse four when he vowed about God. Do not delay pay. That is, if you set the alarm to give you some money on the brain in offering animal for some fruit or whatever might've been in this Old Testament contact.

Don't delay, pay for, he has no pleasure in fools. That is the defilements the disobedience of pay what you that it's better that you should not valve that you should bow and pay no this text needs little commentary but given my valves were not commanded in the Old Testament they came from hearts that were overflowing with gratitude or commitment or confession to the Lord. They are familiar and Old Testament practice.

Lord seems to mitigate it when he says they look for you guys. This does let your yes be sets will be no valves do appear to be little more studies identifying the number of instances they appear. Number 21 as part of the prayer. Jonah choose an expression of gratitude.

A short live. Leviticus 22 is an offering in first Samuel is a dedicatory prayer to God should not give her child not commanded. Solomon is saying it is best not to make him at all.

If you plan on deferring or delaying or maybe even denying you ever said noticed that x-rays were six let not your mouth, lead you in to see and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Messenger is more than likely a reference to the temple associate the priestly associate now arrived at your house to collect what you promised you give. And when he arrives. Notice you say it was in this day he was understood. I wasn't really that serious, or I didn't mean that literally you know maybe next month. Come back. When you and I make a promise or commitment to the Lord were not able to fulfill consistently live with the Lord long enough or perfectly. God knows that your heart's desire to keep your promises. Whatever it might be in a prayer or mineral dedication.

Whatever it is. Just be careful when you make today you are not knowingly playing games with God, trying to bribe you do this I'll give you that if you come through here. I'll do that addresses religious bribery don't play games with adult toy with God. Remember it's an open heart and the truth is we make promises much more easily and much more readily we understand and will not against making promises just like a fool who has no intention of following through and let me just uses illustration as we sang together. The congregation we together, saying, at least 20 promises to God. I counted as I read the lyrics on the screen at least 20 we made together. We we promise to tell others the gospel. We promise to forsake the follies of sin.

We promise to await his coming with anticipation week we promised we would love him in life that we would love him right up to the moment of our death work. We promise that's how much we love and for genuine believer. It's true we have that desire and longing implanted intention prayer and commitment to fill those kinds of promises and when we say only run in repentance and grief and sorrow to the cross of Jesus Christ our Redeemer and a fresh confess to fellow superstar, but in imitation worship. The full makes promises and then there is no sin before the sun sets on the Lord's day when they leave their assembly wherever they may God think everything out and enjoy everything you are saying that but I didn't mean it that literally. We don't be so serious forsake the following results.

God understands and were were were were were human being. Don't be such a stuffed shirt, trying to hold us to some kind of commitment have a little fun. We can always go back to church the next Sunday to respect worship and did you notice in the text here that God is actually angry with that kind of person angry with that kind of verbal commitment that the word angry is the word for wrath and fury is the word ultimately reserved for the unbelievers. Future condemnation never intended to begin with.

To keep his word. Follow the word of God and God will bring discipline to those of us who belong to him but to the unbeliever, the fool, the defiant one. It would be lasting judgment and eternal destruction.

That's what Solomon is hinting that he read verse six for the hypocrite had no real interest in God love playing love playing the game of religious. They came in and you really was just about coffee and business connections and makes me feel good to show people and maybe even around the one more warning number 5 Worship Will Not Take Pl. when you demand your dreams instead of surrendering to God's desires. Verse seven for when dreams you could understand that to mean daydreams or fantasy when they increase in order to if I buy a lottery ticket. Nobody finds out about when it you start following your own self-centered daydreams, your own will.

Your own wishes.

Solomon essentially says her you waste your life, you can chase after vanity your let let words multiply just get a chase after when you will catch life worth meaning worship is the man in your dreams be fulfilled.

God's glory to be revealed on earth. So here's the solution to solve disorder bookends. This section begins with guarding your steps in the end God is the one you must fear that is the idea of trembling trust is the best way I think to translate reference all is you come into the assembly today.

The timeless principles applied but do keep in mind this place is not the temple in this dispensation, your body is the temple of the living God over to the Corinthian. This this is the house of God, you are living stone, making up the house of God. First Peter to follow but this is the house dedicated to the glory of God in the worship of God on the Lord's day as we gather where we collectively come in here to honor the Lord to worship him and praise him and to pray they had to learn from his word and to confess to him and to surrender to him and yes to make 20 promise good problems. It's so much deeper and richer. Then I three stories sly with lights. It's so much better than just a cup of coffee when not asking people to get interested in names were asking people to get interested in him to enjoy with us.

The gospel of the glory of the grace of God to worship. If I could summarize it is not gathering to remind God of everything we want and I want to go over there to that venture is again everything worship genuine worship is where we gather together to remind ourselves God. God is everything true, but an important reminder today from God's word. We need to be reminded that worship is about God. The next time you gather with your church family, do so with the mindset that God and God alone takes center stage. Today's lesson is called some warnings about worship. It comes from Steven Davies series out of Ecclesiastes called surviving evil under the sun.

This was lesson three in that series if you missed the first two and want to get caught up. We've posted them to our website wisdom online.org follow the link that says today's broadcast and you'll find this lesson, as well as all the others in the series are Bible teacher Stephen Devi is the founding and senior pastor of the shepherd's church located in Cary, North Carolina. If you'd like to receive occasional updates about our ministry.

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