HOFC Sermon Archive: Ecclesiastes Part 5: Solomon’s Observations II

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction & Prologue

2. The Search for Meaning I

3. The Search for Meaning II

4. Solomon’s Observations I

5. Solomon’s Observations II

Today is Sunday. November 17^th, 2024

INTRODUCTION

We began looking at Ecclesiastes two weeks ago and discovering how this self-proclaimed preacher (Solomon) started his search for the meaning of life.

Today, we will examine Solomon’s Observation.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE - Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty with your mouth or impulsive in your heart to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven but you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few….”

I. COUNSEL REGARDING WORSHIP

a. Why proper worship is important

i. Remember last week's discussion? The ability to enjoy the good of one’s labor is a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26; 3:12-14; 6:19)

ii. It is imperative that we please Him in our worship

1. There is “vain worship.”

2. Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9 But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commands of men.’”

iii. How many denominations out there right now teaching denominational theology, teaching the commands of men as if they are doctrines of God?

1. If you don’t go to church on this day, you’re going to hell

2. If you eat these foods, you’re sinning

3. If you don’t use this specific print of the bible, you cannot know God

iv. These people honor me with their lips…they talk the talk, but their heart is far from me.

1. There are many out there today who know the words to say, know how to act when in certain company, and know which holy words to regurgitate to convince others of their love for God, all while their hearts are far from Him.

2. Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

v. Therefore, not all worship is acceptable to God.

b. How do we worship God?

i. Ecclesiastes 5:1a “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen…”

1. Some translations use the word prudently.

a. Cautiously

b. Wisely

c. Carefully

ii. When we worship God

1. We must give thought to what we are doing.

2. We must be careful in how we do it.

3. We cannot do whatever we wish in life and slap “I’m doing it for the Lord” at the end of it and believe that it will be blessed or that God will accept it as worship.

iii. The verse says, Draw near to listen.

1. We should want to discover what God has revealed.

2. Our attitude should be that of

a. Young Samuel “Speak, Yahweh, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9-10)

b. Or, the Bereans “…they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11b)

c. When was the last time you asked God to speak and you would listen?

d. When was the last time you received the word of God with eagerness?

e. When was the last time you searched the scriptures? Is it daily?

3. “Do not offer the sacrifice of fools” Ecclesiastes 5:1c

a. Remember, not all worship is acceptable to God.

i. Proverbs 28:9 “He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.”

ii. Luke 6:46 “Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

iii. Do you ignore obeying God’s word but pray to Him?

iv. Do you call Him Lord but do not obey the commands of Jesus?

4. “Do not be hasty with your mouth or impulsive in your heart.”

a. Are you making promises to God you won’t keep?

b. Vows and promises you impulsively made to God?

i. Jephthah made a foolish and unnecessary vow (Judges 11:30-35)

ii. Herod’s foolish promise (Mark 6:23-26)

c. Give thought to what you say in song and prayer.

5. Keeping the vows you make (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7)

a. God takes no delight in fools

b. Do not let your mouth cause you to sin

i. Why make God angry and destroy the work of your hands?

ii. Many words lead to vanity and sin.

iii. Proverbs 10:19

iv. Matthew 12:36-37

Proper worship is to “fear God” and approach Him with the most profound respect and reverence. He is not “daddy,” “the big guy,” or “the man upstairs.” Worship Him as He directs, not as you might wish.

James 1:19 “swift to hear, and slow to speak” should be our attitude in worship if we wish to please God.

Now we read of

II. COMFORT REGARDING OPPRESSION

a. Oppression does occur

i. Solomon recorded his observations in Ecclesiastes 3:16; 4:1

b. Yet Solomon says do not marvel at this.

i. Even when there is oppression of the poor and perversion of justice (Ecclesiastes 5:8)

ii. Because even the high officials will answer to someone else

1. Romans 13:1

2. Sometimes, in life, they are brought to justice.

3. Sometimes in life, they get away with it, but they will not escape Judgement Day

Oppression of the poor and perversion of justice is often motivated by the desire to be rich. So we should not be surprised to find Solomon returning to the vanity of riches as he offers words of caution regarding riches.

III. CAUTION REGARDING RICHES

a. Riches are vanity

i. Because they are UNABLE to truly satisfy (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)

1. Lovers of money will never be satisfied.

2. As their money increases, so does their desire for more.

ii. Because those obsessed with riches are hurt by them (Ecclesiastes 5:13-17)

1. While the working man who earns a wage enjoys sweet sleep, the abundance of the rich man brings him too much turmoil for restful sleep.

iii. Eventually, through misfortune or death, one will lose all they have acquired in life.

Knowing this, what value do riches hold? If in acquiring them, one must endure much sorrow, sleeplessness, and anger? (Proverbs 15:16-17; 17:1)

I choose peace and happiness for myself and my family in a home filled with love over wealth any day.

Remember the verse from last week?

“Better is a little with the fear of God

Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

17 Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love

Than a fattened ox and hatred in it.” Proverbs 15:16-17

It is far better to be poor and know God than to be rich and have all the instability that comes with being rich.

AND, it is far better to have a measly dish of vegetables in a home filled with love than a 16oz steak in a house filled with hate.

Give me peace and love any day of the week.

b. Solomon’s observations about riches

i. It is good to enjoy the good of your labor.

1. But it is God who gives you the ability to have that true joy.

ii. A sad situation is where God gives one the ability to acquire riches but not enjoy them (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2)

c. It matters very little if you live long and have 100 children.

i. Unless one can be satisfied (a gift which God gives), he is worse off than a stillborn child! (Ecclesiastes 6:3-5)

ii. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Even if he lives two thousand years!

iii. Riches in themselves will never satisfy the soul (Ecclesiastes 6:7-9)

1. His flesh may be satisfied, but never his soul.

2. It is better to be content than to wander after what you desire

Riches cannot really change anything (Ecclesiastes 6:10-11)

No matter how rich you are, you are still a man and cannot contend with God

The answers to life’s questions cannot be found in striving for riches (Ecclesiastes 6:12)

CONCLUSION –

Answers may only be found in God, not riches, and in seeking God, we MUST be careful in our worship, draw near to Him, and listen to what He reveals to us.

Through God’s Word (Jesus, John 1:1), we can find the answers to the questions that challenge us in this life.

2 Timothy 1:10 “now has been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”

Solomon has shown in Ecclesiastes that the answers to life are not found in things of this world. Still, the satisfaction in life and fulfillment within our souls lay in God alone, through the filling of the Holy Spirit, which was made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Ecclesiastes Part 5: Solomon’s Observations II

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