How Are You With God?

Sermon from CCM:Kingsway
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LISTEN

This sermon was preached by Tim Simmonds at the CCM:Kingsway site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 7th January 2018.

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SERIES

 

This message was part of the ‘SERIES NAME’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Burnage in EARLY/MID/LATE YEAR. The full series included the following sermons:

BIBLE VERSES

This sermon was based on Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.

Fear God

1 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. 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.

4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6Let 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? 7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

KEY POINTS

HOUSE OF GOD

  • This would originally have been a reference to the Temple – the centre of Jerusalem and the place of God’s presence.
  • The Temple was just a hint of what we see in Jesus.
  • When are being invited to pause and consider how we approach Jesus and His church.

WHEN YOU GO

  • The preacher makes the assumption that his readers believe in God and are going to worship with others.
  • There is an invitation to come if you haven’t before.
  • The word ‘when’ implies a regular commitment to this.

GUARD YOUR STEPS

  • Entering God’s presence is a serious thing. It should not be taken lightly.
  • Being part of God’s dwelling place the church requires us to be holy, and this is given through Jesus.
  • With God there is a low bar and a high bar – the low bar is that anyone can enter, the high bar is that God makes us clean.

DRAW NEAR

  • Are you drawing near to God?
  • The key is coming before God and listening to Him – and this is a huge act of humility!
  • Listening is a skill that we can practice.

MORE SERMONS

 

To see more sermons from Christ Church Manchester, you can visit our sermons page, or why not consider subscribing on iTunes.