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approaching god in worship Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 January 30th, 2011
INTRODUCTION From the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – when the children first hear about Aslan:
Here is another passage when they actually approach Aslan:
Our view of God must be reshaped. He is holy and He is friend to us!
The TEXT Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 ESV Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. (2) Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (3) For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. (4) When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. (5) It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. (6) Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? (7) For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
SUMMARY 4 Admonitions Regarding Worship
MAIN POINTS
Who do we really want to please? This section points back to God continually. Psalms 115:3 ESV Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Psalms 2:4 ESV He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Psalms 11:4 ESV The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
Hebrews 12:28 ESV Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, Leviticus 10:1-3 ESV Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. (2) And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD has said, 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace. Malachi rebukes the people for their foolish and wicked approach to worship:
James 3:2-10 ESV For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. (3) If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (4) Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (5) So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (7) For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (8) but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (9) With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (10) From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
CONCLUSION Suggestions to Guarding Your Steps: - Ask God for a proper view of Him - Don’t spoil your appetite on the things of the world - Enrich yourself in the means God has given to see and know Him - Prepare yourself for Sunday – sleep, reading, prayer, food, on time - Come with expectancy and prayer.qu |
