“embracing change to experience life!” ecclesiastes 5:1–7

“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!