Public worship is not an endurance contest. It is not business-as-usual. It is not a mundane trip, but a memorable experience with the living God.
Sermon Title: DON’T JUST GO TO CHURCH!
Sermon Text: ECCLESIASTES 5:1-7
Sermon Series: WE ARE THE CHURCH
By: PTR. NIC SY
Sermon Notes:
ECCLESIASTES 5:1-7 NIV
1 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.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
No Excuse Sunday
“To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we’re going to have a special ‘No Excuse Sunday.’
Beds will be placed in the foyer for those who say, ‘Sunday’s my only day to sleep in.’
Visine will be available for those with tired eyes due to finishing too late the KDrama marathon on Saturday night.
We will have steel helmets for those who say, ‘The roof would cave in if I ever came to church.’
Blankets will be provided for those who think the church is too cold, fans for those who think the church is too hot.
We’ll have hearing aids for those who say the pastor speaks too softly; and earplugs for those who say he preaches too loud.
Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present. There will be a hundred free dinners for those who cannot go to church and cook dinner on the same day.
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature. And finally, the sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.”
A. COME PREPARED
1. External Approach
ECCLESIASTES 5:1 NIV
1 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.
God does not separate what is brought with the person bringing it.
MATTHEW 23:27 NIV
27 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.
2. Empty Approach
ECCLESIASTES 5:2-3 NIV
2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
It’s not really the length or the eloquence or the volume of our prayer that matters but the depth.
MATTHEW 6:7 NIV
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
3. Earnest Approach
ECCLESIASTES 5:1 NIV
1 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.
God honors our preparation.
B. CONSIDER YOUR PROMISES
ECCLESIASTES 5:4-6 NIV
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
The place of worship, when we gather together like this, ought to be a time of commitment.
Does our relationship to God have a P.S. attached to it?
C. CHOOSE YOUR POSTURE BEFORE GOD
ECCLESIASTES 5:7 NIV
7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
Nothing is casual about worship.