Let Your Words be Few

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 and on

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

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

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

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

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 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

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