Well folks, great to see you this morning. Let me encourage you to have that passage in Ecclesiastes 5 open in front of you.
So important that we have God's Word open in front of us, so we can hear His voice as He speaks to us today.
And let me encourage you with those verses open to entertain a question as we begin.
I wonder how many, on average, right, I wonder how many words you reckon that you speak in a day.
Right? How many words on average do you reckon you speak in a day?
Just get that number in your head.
And here's what I want you to do for 10 seconds, this shouldn't take long.
Share that number with the person next to you.
Okay? Go for it. How many words on average do you speak in a day?
Okay, so, on average, the average person, I have no idea how they work this out.
I love to think it's somebody following somebody on average, and with only those wee clickers, I'm just clicking.
The average person speaks 10,000 words a day.
Anybody get close to that?
Some of us. So some of us will be on either side of that, because remember, this is an average.
But when you consider 10,000 words, that is a lot of words, isn't it?
And I remember when I was growing up, the BT advert that said, it is good to talk.
And we kind of embrace that, don't we, as human beings?
10,000 words a day.
We've got people in our lives who love to talk.
Okay, I'll give you an example of this.
I have a good friend, and I heard recently that the people he used to work with affectionately nicknamed him Duck Tape.
Okay?
Because after spending a little bit of time in his presence, they just wanted to Duck Tape his mouth.
Okay, affectionate. The guy's a legend. Okay? Affectionate.
But we all know people in our lives, don't we, that love to talk.
And if you can't think of people, then it's probably you, okay?
But this is our world, our human existence.
We speak on average 10,000 words a day.
A lot of words, isn't it?
Words, words, words, words, words, words, words.
Chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat.
Opinion, opinion, opinion, opinion, opinion.
Debate, debate, debate, debate, debate.
Question, question, question, question, question.
Words, words, words, words, words, words, words, words.
And the thing about this passage today is that we're going to zoom in on a generation of God's people
who are being told to make their words few.
make their words for you
now here's Solomon
writing in this
book of Ecclesiastes
and here he is if you want to picture him
he's like a good grandpa
he's sitting down gathering his grandkids
saying to them this is what life
has taught me
and he's trying to
wrestle
and we've seen this in opening a couple of chapters of Ecclesiastes
he's kind of trying to wrestle some kind of purpose
out of the things of this
down here existence
he was telling us wasn't he
chapter 2 wisdom
and power and money
and opportunities and buildings
and stuff and sex
and relationships and what did he conclude
he concluded that it was all vanity
I don't have my candle
up here today but if I did
this is what he's talking about right the smoke that
comes out of a candle when you blow it
this is what he's concluding
about life
it's here today and gone tomorrow
it's fleeting
it's frustrating
it's temporary
every time that you think you've got life
tamed
that you've got life
sorted in a box
somehow it manages to spring out
and elude you
it's amazing actually
let me just say that
the amount of people have come up to me
over the last few weeks
and have said that what
Solomon is saying here about life
it's really connected with our modern day living
that this is what life is like
under the sun
in chapter 5
he kind of turns his thoughts to God
and he's not just thinking about
God
he's watching the people around about him
his generation of God's people
and he's
he's thinking about
how they are relating
and viewing
God
okay
so here is this
this man Solomon
and remember who he is
he was the guy that
that oversaw the building of the temple
this place
where God said
I
will be there
my presence will be there
and
and you can check this out afterwards
you get Solomon's prayer of dedication
in 2nd Chronicles chapter 6
and it
it begins with the words
words
Lord there is
there's no God like you in heaven on earth
even the highest heavens
cannot contain you
let alone
this
temple
that I have built
so Solomon is a guy
for all his faults
and he's a fascinating character
for all his faults
he is a man who understands
the greatness of the gods
who Israel worship
Yahweh
and he looks out on a generation of God's people
and he
knows
that their view of God
the Lord
is way too small
and their view of themselves
is way too big
and the thing is
it's
how does Solomon know that
well it's their words
words words words words words words words
they seem to be revealing
what's going on in their hearts
and what's going on in their hearts
is they have got a very shallow view
of the God that they are coming
to worship
and so when Solomon calls for fewer words
let your words be few
he's not calling for some kind of game of charades
right
it's not Christmas time
he's not saying reduce your word count
like you would do in an essay of your student
you look at the word count at the bottom right
what is it
he's not saying get it down
what he's calling for is a posture
when you come before
the God of the universe
this is about worship
and Solomon's calling God's people to embrace
and to enjoy
and to be transformed by
a glorious picture
of the matchless majesty
of the God that they come to worship
because there is none like him
in heaven and on earth
and there is no way that the highest heavens
could contain the glory of this God
let alone the temple that Solomon has built
and he wants that understanding
of this big view of who God is
to filter down
into every area of their lives
every area
not just when they come to do the religious things
every area of their lives
is to be saturated
with a big view of who this God is
so Solomon's going to say
and this is our two things for this morning
okay or this afternoon
two things to this generation
here's the first thing he's going to say
he's going to say
your worship is too casual
your words are too casual
so come with me to the text
and see what he writes at verse 1
he says
guard your steps
when you go
to the house of the Lord
you see it
guard your steps
when you go to the house of God
so he's picturing here
people who are making that pilgrimage
to the temple
the place where God dwells
in the holy of holies
the place for sacrifice
for sin is made
where it's atoned for
where God's word is taught
that people are told
how they should respond
to who this God is
how he wants them to live
where prayers are offered
this is the temple
and Solomon says
see when you go there
see when you walk there
you've got to watch how you walk
right
we do this all the time
you think about it in your life
you think
when was the last time
you watched how you walked
we went to St Andrew's Beach
with the girls last week
and we started walking
over the rocks
and there's
you've done this before
that you look out
there's seaweed everywhere
there's barnacles
which are going to
cut your feet
if you've got open feet
there's seagulls flying about
trying to get us
get the food that we've just eaten
there's rock pools everywhere
arguably not my smartest move
as a parent
to take the girls over the rocks
but tell you what
see when I knew that
that was there
I was watching how I was walking
so the two girls in my hat
I was watching how I was walking
I was watching how they were walking
and we do this in our lives
don't we
we watch how we walk
those moments
right
that you take your time over
you think about
each step
you're focused on what you're doing
and you're thinking about
where you need to be
and Solomon says
there's got to be exactly like that
when you come into God's presence
right
imagine for them
they're thinking to themselves
hey do you know what
en route to the temple
en route there
hey we can behave however we want
it doesn't matter
we can behave however we want
we can do whatever we want
and do you know what
when we get there
we'll kind of hit the switch
and we'll kind of go do this
kind of religious transformer thing
and we'll hit the God switch
and by the time we get into the temple
then we'll be
we'll just do it
we'll just do this religious thing
that we do
all the time
okay
we know the lingo
we know the right time
to say amen
we know the right time
to raise our hands
in worship
we know the right amount
to give
we know how to do
the religious things
we have got this temple deal
down to a T
we've got it sussed
and Solomon says
you see it in the text
he says
don't be a fool
you know
I remember when we were young
my brother and I
my mum used to take
my brother and I
for a yearly trip
to the orthodontist
and what used to happen
is every time we used to get there
Glasgow Dental School
there's a massive waiting room
and what she would do
we'd be sitting there
she would without fail
go into her handbag
and pull out two toothbrushes
and one of those little
miniature toothpaste
and she would hand them
to my brother and I
and she would say
would you go into that toilet
and would you brush
like crazy
okay
so we would go and do it
we'd go and brush
brush brush like crazy
gums would bleed
we would do it hard
and we would get into
the orthodontist room
and in my mind
I'm thinking to myself
do you know what
because I've brushed
like crazy
that's going to mask
over a whole year
of astro belts
and chocolate bars
and iron brew bars
and ice poles
that we have consumed
and I remember sitting there
genuinely being amazed
that every time
the guy in the chair
could see straight through it
think to myself
this guy is good
they must have trained
him well here
how has he seen
through this
I must brush
extra harder
next time I come
to the orthodontist
and Solomon's saying
exactly the same here
to this generation
when they come to deal
with God
because this generation
are treating God
like he is a gullible dentist
and what does he call that
do you see verse 1
he calls that
them coming to do
the religious things
he calls that
the sacrifice of fools
you see it
verse 2
he warns them
do not be rash
with your mouth
do not let your heart
and of course
this is where our words
come from isn't it
from our hearts
do not let your heart
utter a hasty word
why
well because second half
of verse 2
God is in heaven
and you're on earth
so what he's calling for here
is them to embrace
true wisdom
and true wisdom
recognizes that
there is a massive
distinction
between God
and us
right
God is infinite
he is infinite
we are finite
God is immortal
we are mortal
he is invisible
we are visible
God is spirit
and we are dust
we are flesh
God is almighty
and we are weak
God is all powerful
and we are not
God is all seeing
and we are not
God is holy
and we are sinful
God is pure
and we are impure
God is unchanging
and we change all
the time
and God is faithful
and we are unfaithful
and on and on
and on
we could go
Solomon says
true wisdom
recognizes
and
John Calvin used to say
this as well
about true wisdom
that it recognizes
who is the creator
and who is the creature
and the thing about
this generation
is that they have
forgotten
the God
who they come
to worship
they have forgotten
who he is
and they have forgotten
in light of that
they have forgotten
who they are
and they come in
with their empty
platitudes
they go through
religious motions
and Solomon
pleads with them
to draw near to God
and you see in the text
he pleads with them
to listen
and learn
from this God
now the word
listen there
the Hebrew
it's not this idea
of just listening
it is hearing and doing
hearing and doing
right
we see this in the New Testament
as well
James talks about it
all the time
true faith
hearing
doing
don't just be a listener
be a doer
hear and do
so he wants them
to adopt a posture
that says
Lord it's your truth
it is your word
that I need
in my life
as I see it
and as I hear it
in the temple
and by faith
as I take hold
of what you have said
I recognise
that I so desperately
need that word
in my life
friends let me just ask you
when was the last time
you thought that
in your own heart
I find myself
daily in this place
of Lord I just need
your word
I just need
your word
I just need it
in my life
I'm losing it
I just need your word
in my life
it's your word
that what does the
psalmist say
in Psalm 119
that your word
is a lamp
into my feet
and it's a light
into my path
it's one of the things
that we hear
one of the phrases
that you will hear
people in Scotland
say at this time of year
what is it people say
what are the knights doing
they're fair drawn in
if you're
guessed here
that's a Scottish phrase
it basically means
it's getting dark
the knights are fair
drawn in
and one of the things
that you will see
is when you go
into the streets
you will notice
a lot more cars
with their lights on
we were coming home
last night
from Dalkeith
we needed our lights
it was pitch black
out there
we need our lights
you'll know this
if you're driving
you need your lights
this is what
the psalmist is saying
I need your light
I need it for my path
and he's calling
himself
Psalm 119
he's calling God's generation
he's calling the whole world
to see friends
that the only light
in this world
is God's word
we need his light
in our lives
I need your word
to show me the way
I need it to help me
understand
and I come
to your word
these people
come into the temple
not to play games
they come here
on their knees
waving the white flag
of surrender
that says Lord
I need your word
in my life
I am lost
without it
this is what
he's calling for
from this generation
because their worship
is way too casual
and the second thing
he says
is that your worship
is way too cheap
verses 4 to 7
okay
and these people
are walking in there
and you'll see this
in the text
just scan your eyes
over it
4 to 7
but they walk in there
and they make
big vows to God
right
they promise
that they are going
to do a lot
for him
they pledge themselves
to big
big things
they make big statements
about what they will do
from God
but the thing is to see
that when the time comes
to make good on that word
they are nowhere
do you see what they say
there must be some sort of mistake
that's the word in the passage
isn't it
imagine this was
imagine this is a bit like
I don't know if you have this
in your workplaces
but I remember
every so often
there just used to be
a bed of paper on my desk
and it used to come around
quite often
and it said
sponsor me
right
you get those
like
the guy in your workplace
is doing a 10k for charity
and he's looking for sponsorship money
and it comes around
and you fill it in
imagine it's a bit like this
okay
they're sitting there
imagine you sit there
and you scribble down your name
and you write your
write the amount next to your name
and you say it loud
so everybody can hear it
600 pounds
right
and you score your name
and you make sure
everybody says it
you think oof
wow
that's a generous
generous vow
but imagine the time
comes to pay
and the sheet comes in
it's time to pay
and you say
is that really
is that really my signature
that G looks way too small
600 pounds
see if you notice
where the decimal is on that
it's actually next to the 6
it's actually that 6 pounds
okay
you can imagine the kind of thing
this is what's going on here
with this generation
verse 6
see when the time comes
they make good
on the promises
that they make
to God
they say
there must be
some sort of mistake
right
it doesn't sound like me
I think you must have
got the wrong guy
that's
this doesn't sound like me
that's this generation
again think about it
what's going on
behind these words
what's going on
is that they
have got a faulty view
of who this God is
they are taking
God
and they are reducing
him
to how we human beings
operate
think about it
they're failing to see him
as the God of all grace
and they are reducing him
to our way of thinking
that says that God
must operate
in a tit for tat basis
right
I scratch his back
he scratches my back
that's what must
kind of happen here
and they're using God
as a way of looking good
in other people's eyes
and that's what
they're concerned about
they're not concerned
about looking good
in the eyes of others
so this generation
are known for making
big promises
but not following through
on those promises
and the thing is
before we quickly
let ourselves
off the hook here
friends how often
do we make
and say big things
about what we will do
for God
and we never
follow through
in it
we have no intention
of following through
in it
think about the thing
another way of thinking
about it
think about some
of the things
that we sing
that we will do
for God
let me just
encourage us
to think about
the lyrics
that we sing
in some of the songs
what are some
of the things
that we are saying
to God
this is not casual
what we are saying
this is the God
of the universe
that we're dealing
with here
Solomon says
your words
are way too cheap
do you know
how God feels
about that
see what he says
verse 6
why should God
be angry
at your voice
why should he
destroy the works
of your hands
God takes this stuff
seriously
because if that's
what you do
and says Solomon
verse 5
it's actually better
that you don't
vow
and your mouth
doesn't lead you
into sin
so Solomon
looks out
on this generation
and he says
two things
about their
worship
as it's revealed
in their words
words
he says
firstly
it's way too
casual
and secondly
it's way too
cheap
they're complacent
in their worship
but what does
Solomon want
to replace
what does he want
to replace
that complacency
right
see this word
at verse 7
what does he want
there to be
in the hearts
of God's people
verse 7
it's the word
fear
do you see it
fear
this word
that describes
the disposition
of the hearts
of all those
who understand
and who have
responded rightly
to who the
Lord is
now this word
fear
it's kind of like
a Russian doll
kind of word
right
there's lots of
words inside it
which kind of
capture what it
means
words like
awe
okay
just standing
in awe
of who God
is
you think
of Isaiah 6
what Isaiah
did
is he came
before the
Lord
he wasn't
aware of his
smallness
he was aware
of his
sinfulness
and like
a holy
God
awe
and reverence
and devotion
and adoration
we just love
the Lord
for who he is
and dedication
we want to
follow his
statutes
and his
ways
and obedience
awe
humility
reverence
devotion
adoration
dedication
and obedience
I love how
C.S. Lewis
have you ever read
C.S. Lewis
some of his
Narnia stuff
he's got a
wonderful way
of capturing
truths
have you ever
read how
Aslan's
described there
you see it
says it
is it Lucy
and Mr.
Tumnus
who are
describing Aslan
what do they
say to
describe Aslan
safe
who said
anything
about safe
but he is
good
to fear
the Lord
is to
know who
he is
and to
respond
rightly
to who
he is
that is
the heart
of the
true worshipper
filled with
fear
of the
Lord
so Solomon
says to
this
generation
make your
words for
you
make your
words for
you
and of
course
friends
right at
the heart
of the
Christian
faith
is the
true king
who made
his words
for you
what I do
is every
year I
try and
have a
take a
new bible
I make
that my
bible for
the year
read it
in my
own quiet
times
take it
with me
on visits
just got
God's
word
fresh
every year
right
so this
year I've
got one
of these
red letter
bibles
I don't
know if
you've
ever had
one of
these
red
letter
bibles
can't
seem
the
biggest
fan
because
the
whole
thing
should
be
in
red
but
you get
the
picture
right
the words
of
Jesus
are in
red
so what
happens
is
I was
reading
recently
reading
Mark
15
if you've
got a
red
letter
bible
you can
turn it
up
if not
you can
check
it
out
in
your
time
later
Mark
15
and all
the way
up
until
Mark
15
friends
there
is
red
letters
all
over
in
other
words
Jesus
is
speaking
a
lot
right
and then
you get
to
Mark
15
and the
red
just
stops
it
just
stops
okay
you get
Mark
15
Jesus
speaks
as he
responds
to
Pilate
asks him
are you
the king
of the
Jews
Jesus
says
three
words
you
said
so
and
then
you read
of Jesus
trial
you read
of his
mocking
you read
of his
walk
to the
cross
you read
of his
crucifixion
and the
next
words
you get
in red
are those
words
that Jesus
cries out
from the
cross
my God
quoting
Psalm
22
why have
you
forsaken
me
right
in other
words
Mark
15
is a
chapter
where Jesus
says
virtually
nothing
why
can't
God
his
tongue
nervous
what's
going
on
stage
fright
no
it's
Mark's
way of
showing
his
readers
that
Jesus
remember
who
he
is
the
one
who
was
receiving
all
praise
in
heaven
left
it
to
come
to
earth
in
our
flesh
it's
Mark's
way of
saying
that
he
was
completely
submitted
completely
focused
on
carrying
out
his
father's
will
of
reconciling
lost
and
sinful
men
and
women
to
himself
how
was
he
going
to
do
it
he
was
going
to
do
it
through
his
death
on
cross
what a
word
his
blood
speaks
to
all
those
who
would
trust
him
for
the
forgiveness
of
sins
what
a
word
over
our
lives
his
blood
speaks
because
our
sin
had
spoken
words
over
us
like
guilty
deserving
of
wrath
and
condemned
and
Jesus
his
blood
speaks
words
over
our
lives
of
forgiveness
and
of
grace
and of
righteousness
and of
life
the
king
who
made
his
words
few
and
yet
what
a
word
friends
if we
want to
know
thinking
about
what
to do
with
the
fear
of
the
Lord
if you
want
to
know
what
that
looks
like
fully
perfectly
in a
life
of a
human
being
we
look
no
further
than
to
the
life
of
Jesus
if
you
want
to
see
what
a
life
of
fear
of
the
Lord
what
a
life
of
sacrificial
obedience
of
love
for
the
Father
looks
like
look
no
further
than
the
Saviour
the
king
who
made
his
words
few
the
king
who
demonstrated
fear
of
the
Lord
and
therefore
it's
unsurprising
that as we read
about the early
church in the book
of Acts
this spirit
filled
community
that Luke
tells us
that the fear
of the Lord
was central
to their
existence
as a
community
right
this is what Luke
writes in Acts
9
they're on the
screen
so you can
look there
and look it
out in your
own time
later
Luke
writes this
in Acts
9
after a
time of
hostile
persecution
where the
church
are scattered
scattered
everywhere
Luke
writes this
it's his
little
status
report
in the
book
of Acts
then the
church
throughout
Judea
Galilee
and
Samaria
enjoyed a
time of
peace
and was
strengthened
and then
we get
this
living in
the fear
of the
Lord
and encouraged
by the
Holy Spirit
it increased
in numbers
to see how
this posture
of awe
and of
humility
and of
reverence
and devotion
and adoration
and dedication
and obedience
it characterized
was central
to the life
of these early
Christian believers
believers
they must be
careful
must be
careful
at romanticizing
the early
church
right
you just
need to
read a few
chapters
earlier
and you
see how
wrongly
these people
got it
right
it's not
romanticized
this
but there
are big
lessons
for us
here
about here
is a
community
with a
big view
of who
God
is
and a
big
expectancy
of what
the Lord
will do
by his
spirit
this fear
of the
Lord
was fundamental
to their
very
existence
as a
community
and friends
as we
bring it
to a
close
today
the
challenge
for us
as a
community
here
is to
ask
ourselves
individually
but to
ask
ourselves
corporately
whether
the fear
of the
Lord
is central
to our
life
as a
community
right
think
about
I'd
love us
to be
the kind
of church
and I
pray
increasingly
that we
are
increasingly
that
as people
come into
contact
with us
that they
understand
and they
see that
they're
coming into
an orbit
that says
these guys
are something
different
and you
know what
we are
singing off
different
hymn sheets
because we
are characterized
as a
community
by the
fear
of the
Lord
so let's
bring it
home
here's two
generations
of God's
people we've
looked at
right
Ecclesiastes
5
Solomon's
generation
and Acts
the early
church
let me
ask you
which mindset
reminds you
of us
and I'm
prepping
myself for
a couple
weeks time
where
in an
evening our
doorbell will
go all the
time
knock knock
knock
doorbell
and it'll
be children
at the
door
and it'll
utter us
that question
that we
always get
at this
time of
year
right
three words
trick or
treat
trick or
treat
now
normally
just
don't say
that anymore
they're just
going to
hand you
a bucket
right
give me
some
trick or
treat
see just as
a way of
lodging the
challenge of
this passage
in our
minds
and as we
think about
application in
our own
lives this
week let
me just
ask us
Ecclesiastes
5 the
challenge
here
friends it's
it's
fear
or fool
fear
or fool
as we
come to
worship
as we
come to
think about
our whole
lives and
how we
understand the
God that we're
dealing with
here as he's
revealed himself
perfectly in the
person of his
son
friends as we
think about him
the challenge is
fear or fool
who has held
the oceans in
his hands
who has
numbered every
grain of
sand
kings and
nations
tremble at
his voice
all creation
rises to
rejoice
who has
felt the
nails upon
his hands
bearing all
the guilt
of sinful
man
God eternal
humbled to
the grave
Jesus
savior risen
now to
reign
behold
our God
seated on
his throne
come let
us adore
him
behold our
king
nothing can
compare
come let
us adore
him
friends
let me
just we're
going to
pray in a
second but
let me
just have a
minute of
silence and
let's just
make our
words few
as we
respond to
ecclesiastes
five
and so
father in
the silence
we bring
to you our
own prayers
and confessions
and father I
pray that you
would help us
to fix our
eyes on
your son
Jesus
the one
whose blood
speaks a
better word
and I
pray father
that you
would help
us lord
all to
have a
big view
of who
you are
would you
blow our
minds lord
as we
come to
comprehend
even a
bit more
of something
of your
greatness
lord we
realize that
we are
hopelessly
lost in
ourselves
and we
pray father
that through
your word
that you
would raise
our eyes
by your
spirit to
your
greatness
and we
pray this
through the
precious
blood
and the
name of
Jesus
amen