Ecclesiates 5

Sermon preached at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
on 8 Jan 2006

Reverence – the Beginning of Wisdom (8/1/06)
1. Reverence in the House of God (vs.1,2,7): “Keep thy foot” means “watch your step.” Since God is a Spirit (John 4:24) we must “watch the steps of our mind” rather than our physical steps. We should focus on our heart (Proverbs 4:23) rather than mere reverent forms of worship (formal, traditional). We must be aware that worldliness refers to what we love (1 John 2:15) rather than what we use (air-conditioned buildings, cushioned seats).
We must balance between “coming boldly” (Hebrews 4:16) and coming irreverently. The former refers to the way that Christ has made for us, while the latter refers to the way that we ought to respond to His invitation (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10).
2. Ready to Hear (v.1): When we come to the presence of a superior, we come prepared to listen, learn and obey. Therefore, when we come to God’s House, we should be ready to do so with great expectation because His Word is truth (John 17:17).
3. Rash Promises (vs.1-7): In our dealings with others, we often resort to rash promises to impress them. We are not afraid to do so because we know that we can quite easily “wiggle” out of our promises. However, with God we must not make rash promises because He will hold us accountable. We must be careful when we sing songs like “Have thine own way Lord,” I have decided to follow Jesus,” “I am thine O Lord,” Lord, send me anywhere,” “Take my life and let it be,” etc.
4. Source of Dreams (v.3): Many dreams are the result of the cares of life. Often dreams “center” on the matter that we have been concerned with, though the thoughts about this matter are usually confused and irrational. It would not be wise to be led by our dreams.
5. Mark of a Wise Man (v.3): When we do not know a language well, we need many words to describe a matter. And when we are not clear about a matter, we need many words to explain a matter. A wisely chosen idiom or proverb often explains the whole matter. We should learn to speak clearly and briefly (Proverbs 17:28).
6. Eventual Justice (v.8): We should not be overly troubled by injustice around us because we can be sure that ultimately justice will be done. In life, whether we realize it or not, we are all answerable to someone (eg. a king is answerable to his subjects).
7. Mutual Interdependence (v.9): A king depends on farmers’ produce more than farmers depend on the king’s crown. A clear realization of our  mutual interdependence humbles us greatly.
8. Satisfaction comes from God (v.10): All the goods of this world cannot fill the “God-shaped hole” in us. Therefore, it will be futile to find satisfaction apart from God.
9. For our Eyes only (v.11): When we have abundance our “needs” increase to meet our rising status. There is a limit to how much we can eat, wear or use, so most of the excess is used by our friends. Our main benefit is to “behold with our eyes” how much we have.
10. Good and Bad Sleep (vs.12,13): Rich people tend to fear losing what they have (eg. wealth, status, respect) and these fears lead to insomnia. A person who has to “labor” just to have enough generally sleeps well. The freedom from fear of loss and the weariness of hard work combine to produce a good sleep.
11. Be Prepared for Catastrophes (v.14): Catastrophes often strike unexpectedly. Therefore, we must prepare for them financially, emotionally and spiritually.
12. Living in Darkness (v.17): Most people live in “darkness,” not knowing where they come from, why they are here and where they are going. Without a clear understanding of who we are and why we are here, life is “much sorrow.”