It is widely thought that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as an old man reviewing his life and coming to terms with his failures. His painful but truthful assessment of the years that God had given him was vanity; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”. As he considered the knowledge and wisdom he acquired, the buildings he erected, the vineyards he planted, his treasuries of silver and gold and his fame throughout the world he said:

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

Solomon had more success than any King of Israel. He presided over the halcyon days of Jewish civilisation. In the eyes of the world he had it all because he made it big. But in his own estimation it was worth nothing. Sheer emptiness.

The reason for what may be regarded as a pessimistic and self deprecating view of life is that Solomon was looking at life through spiritual rather than natural lens. In the midst of his success he lost sight of God, taking himself and his people down a path of ungodliness. Pride was at the bottom of his problems. But as an old man the joy of salvation was restored and he began to look at life somewhat differently.

Solomon therefore was driven to the conclusion that while all of life is vanity there is only one thing that has real value – our relationship with God.

Therefore in this text he reflects upon the one achievement that he never regretted; the erection of the temple; the House of God.

But what was more important than the temple was its usefulness. It was vital that people attended, not only attended but did so diligently and reverently. Therefore he exhorted an action that never can be vain if it is done correctly and spiritually:

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil (Ecclesiastes 5:1).

This study will examine the importance of public worship in the life of the Christian.

In all of our work, our interests, our organisations and societies there is nothing that surpasses the excellence of public worship. In the light of eternity everything is vanity but here before God this is never vanity.

Public worship is at the heart of Church life.

There are other elements to church life – fellowship, youth work, children’s work, times of relaxation and enjoyment in each others company but they are the condiments. AS FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP – This is the meal. A little salt is for some but not for all, some prefer ketchup and others like HP. But we all need the main meal. And this is the main meal, this is what Church life is really about.

1: THE CUSTOM COMMENDED

“When thou goest to the House of God”

A custom is a regular habit that is unique to people of a particular locality or a particular nation.

We have this custom as Christians that we attend the House of God.

Let us think about the place where we attend – it is God’s House. There is a distinction between the House of God in the days of Paul and the apostles and the House of God in Solomon’s generation.

Solomon’s house was a temple. It was a sanctified place where the glory of Jehovah was revealed. The Jew could not worship God wherever he pleased. He had to come to the temple a minimum of three times each year for the great gatherings or feasts. While God is everywhere He only revealed Himself in a unique way when they attended the temple.

Today our Church building is a meeting place. God does not sanctify the building. The building is only brick and mortar, The early Church never had buildings. They met in each other’s homes but they were still were a Church.

This is because the Church is the people. The meeting house is the place where the people come together.

Therefore the people are the temple constructed of what Peter called living stones. The church is not the gathering of the women, or the men, or elderly, or the children or the young people. The Church is the gathering of all age groups, both men and women, all the parts of the body in one place for worship. This why our two Sunday services and our prayer meetings are unique in that these are the set times for the Church to worship God. There are of course other times when the whole church gathers for public worship on a less regular basis – Gospel missions, conferences, harvest thanksgivings and suchlike.

This is a custom and customs are very powerful, deeply engrained practices that must be respected. This custom is more powerful than most, however, because it is not man made – it is a biblical custom. We attend the place of public worship because the Bible teaches that we must do this very thing.

There is a day for public worship.

While very specific rules relating to the Jewish Sabbath fall within the scope of the regulations which were laid for ancient Israel alone the principle of one day of rest, one day to be kept holy for God is laid down in the moral law. As we must obey our parents, as we must not kill, steal or commit adultery – by the same token we must observe the Lord’s Day and keep it holy. However, we were not given the day of rest to play sport, lie up in front of the television, or go away for day trips and eat ice cream. We were given this day for public worship. Not for our own pleasure or to do the business of other days. There are six days for the shopping, six days for other activities but this is God’s day.

There is an appointed time and place for public worship. The early Christians observed this even though they were in a society that regarded their practice as being totally foreign:

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

(Acts 20:7)

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

(1 Corinthians 16:2)

It is also evident that the early Church prized highly the gatherings of the entire Church.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

(Acts 2:1)

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place

1st Corinthians 14:23

Paul, therefore under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost made public worship a command.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

(Hebrews 10:25)

Therefore, to take the parallel with the Old Testament, as God dwelt in the temple in a way in which He was present nowhere else, we attend the House of God because we can know God here in a unique way. We are blessed and edified at other times, it is true, but nothing replaces public worship.

This , of course, raises the issue of live streaming? Does the livestream on the sofa, with a cup of coffee your hand replace being with God’s people. No – it doesn’t.

Of course context is important. For those who cannot make it to Church I believe the Lord will give you the spirit as if your were in the meeting. He knoweth our frame, he understands that we are dust and He deals kindly with us in our infirmities. Also for those who don’t normally attend our church but who look in through Facebook or YouTube out of interest the medium is a powerful means of introducing our worship to others. But for those who, who could be present but are not – you are missing out on the blessing.

2: THE CAREFULNESS COMMANDED

“Keep thy foot and be more ready to hear”

CLEAN FEET

It is believed that the keeping of the foot related to the ancient practice, still carried on by the Moslems of removing the sandals before entering God’s presence. Moses was ordered to remove the shoes from off his feet because the place whereon he stood was holy ground. The shoes that were dirty with the dust represented the defilements of this world. One had to be clean to enter God’s House.

In like manner we are called upon to enter God’s House with reverence.

DRESS MATTERS

We do reflect this reverence by our dress.

I think the presbyterian custom of dressing up for Church is good, we want to appear before God in way that is befitting.

We fool, ourselves however, if we think that the reverence is all about dress and outward appearance. Outward appearance may represent a certain respect, which is important BUT it is very possible to be respectful without being reverential. Reverence is a matter of the heart!

GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART

What about the preparation of the heart that is required?

There needs to be an awareness, a consciousness that we come to the place, among the people role, where God is worshipped

What is worship? It is about glorifying God. It gives God His worth.

From the moment the congregation is called to worship we are ushered into God’s presence. Sometimes it not possible to be present at the appointed hour, I understand that – BUT punctuality is a worthy ambition to aim for.

If we are enter God’s presence these hearts need to be prepared because He looks beyond the outward appearance and He sees the heart. Does He see hearts that are spiritually prepared – hearts that are dealing with sin. If we hold something back from God knowingly and willfully before we attend worship we will miss out; a lie that we are living, a grudge that we are keeping. God is not fooled.

WHEN the congregation is to meet for publick worship, the people (having before prepared their hearts thereunto) ought all to come and join therein; not absenting themselves from the publick ordinance through negligence, or upon pretence of private meetings…

The publick worship being begun, the people are wholly to attend upon it, forbearing to read any thing, except what the minister is then reading or citing; and abstaining much more from all private whisperings, conferences, salutations, or doing reverence to any person present, or coming in; as also from all gazing, sleeping, and other indecent behaviour, which may disturb the minister or people, or hinder themselves or others in the service of God.

Directory for Public Worship; Westminster Standards

PSALMS AND HYMNS

We need hearts that think about what we are singing, the words that are employed. Do you pray as we sing, do we worship from our souls as the apostle teaches us so to do?

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

(Colossians 3:16)

HEARING THE WORD

We also need hearts that are open to the Word.

At the heart of public worship is the Word. This desire to be changed, to be transformed under the power of the ministry.

It is apparent that the New Testament Church believed that the Word, not the singing or even the sacrament was central to worship. This was one of the leading characteristics of the Protestant Reformation – the restoration of the Word of God to its proper and unique place in worship. The elevated and centralised pulpit characteristic of Presbyterianism, which we adopt is one of the most significant hallmarks of the Protestant Reformation. This is altogether Biblical.

We believe in the regulatory principle – all worship must be regulated by Scripture. We cannot reinvent how we worship God. We should not introduce innovations in order to become culturally more appealing. Our methodology in singing, praying and preaching comes from God’s Word. Who are we to change what Christians have practiced for centuries? A departure from truth is to go on a journey to ‘we know not where’. Also and crucially – worship must be about God – His glory. If we simply change to what appeals to us then worship becomes man centred and the glory of God is lost.

This principle is so apparent as we focus upon the centrality of preaching the Word – that which the world decries as foolishness.

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

(Titus 1:2-3)

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(Ephesians 4:10-14)

PREACHING of the word, being the power of God unto salvation, and one of the greatest and most excellent works belonging to the ministry of the gospel, should be so performed, that the workman need not be ashamed, but may save himself, and those that hear him.

Directory for Public Worship; Westminster Standards

The Westminster Divines give instructions as to how the word should be presented for the good of the congregation – Painfully (result of careful labour), Faithfully, Wisely, Plainly, Gravely, Loving Affection, As one Taught of God.

The phrase urging us to be ready to hear not only brings into focus the primacy of the Word but the benefits we gain through the Word. God’s Word was described by the Psalmist as being as being sweet like honey, while Job said it was more important than his necessary food. Paul wrote of the Word being milk for young converts and strong meat for those who are mature in the faith. Our spiritual growth depends upon the Word.

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

HUMBLE HEARTS

But how we hear is vital. We must be prepared for a chastening or a rebuke. We must be prepared to be changed. We must allow the Word to mould us and shape our lives. We need humble hearts that are soft not proud hearts that are hard and unreasonable.

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”

(James 1:21)

FINDING OUR ROOTS

Who we hear is also important. The pastor called of God to the local church has been called to feed your heart. You will not be appropriately fed by running to this church or that church, to listen to this preacher or that preacher or to just feed yourself through the internet. Our roots need to be in a local assembly of believers and to be absent is to miss out on the Word that God has for your soul.

3: THE CAUTION COUNSELLED

“Be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools”

The text concludes with a caution. If we attend God’s house with the wrong spirit we offer the sacrifice of fools.

The sacrifice of the fool was one who came with his offering but it was not the best of the flock or of the herd. It was a creature with a broken leg or some deformity – an animal with either a limited value or no value to the farmer. God demanded, even required the very best. The fool came to the temple, sanctimoniously offered his beast, bowed his head, he appeared to worship but his heart was far from God. He was holding something back.

Never forget Ananias and Sapphira, before God they gave all the money from the sale but they lied to the Holy Ghost keeping something back for themselves. They offered the sacrifice of fools.

The 3rd commandment forbids the taking of God’s name in vain, which is about more than what we call blasphemy. To appear in God’s house with an unprepared heart, with a proud nature, without the desire to examine our own souls, to hear God’s Word not applying it to ourselves, to sing hymns and Psalms with thoughts that are far away is to take the name of God in vain.

And in so doing we consider not that we do evil. I hope we don’t do this BUT we could be full of pride that we are not like those farmers that roll their tractors out into the fields on Sunday, we not like those that play football or rugby on Sunday, that we are not like those that lie in their beds on a Sunday morning yet we ourselves could be coming to God’s House considering not that we do evil because our spirit is not right.

The words of Joel should be etched into every heart:

And rend your heart, and not your garments and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Joel 2:13

This is what happens when revival comes, God’s people are overwhelmed with a sense of God’s glory.

May God grant us such days in His presence.