Less is More
Notes
Transcript
Ecclesiastes, Part 6: Less is More
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
The teacher inserts something of a reality check or “interlude” within the body of laments of life under the sun.
[Goal: To encourage God’s people to remember that “God is in the heaven and you are on the earth.” So, “fear God.” – Unpack “fear”, as necessary.]
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.
(1) Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.
The teacher gives some important counsel on how we approach God. Maybe it’s because we can develop such a negative view of God as we’re looking at everything under the sun, and the teacher is giving us a reality check.
“Guard your steps” – To guard your steps means you give thought to them; you take notice of HOW you’re walking; you’re not flippant but intentional. You make sure your steps are correct and proper.”
Remember, He’s loving but He’s holy
ILLUS: Aslan – “Is he quite safe?” “Safe?! NO, but he’s good.”
The teacher understands that. Notice that in all of the teacher’s lamenting of the world after Eden, he always seems to come back to the need to fear the Lord. (ie respect for his sovereignty and holiness). What you believe about God comes out when faced with times of dryness/wilderness.
Don’t walk in flippantly, disrespectfully, arrogantly, but humbly, and submissive.
What is your attitude towards God? Do you genuinely fear Him? Are you honoring Him with your life and actions? Offering a sacrifice of fools, praising Him with your mouth though your heart is far from Him?
1 Samuel 15:22 – To obey is better than sacrifice.
22 Then Samuel said:
Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice of fools
“better to approach in obedience” – to listen with intent to obey.
“to offer the sacrifice of fools” – to offer something to God as one lacking good judgment.
It matters how you come before the Lord.
(2-3) Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words
Guard your attitude towards God
- For some, stop talking. Stop arguing. Stop fighting and know He’s God. Don’t be foolish. Psalm 46:10 . With many words, sin is inevitable. (Proverbs 10:19 )
19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is prudent.
10 “Stop fighting, and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
- Others need to stop talking so “lofty”. Sometimes can mask dishonesty or lack of genuine prayer to God – Remember He love you and He knows what you’re really thinking. Be honest about your feelings but humble and respectful Matt 6:5-13
5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
4 When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
(4-6) 4When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
Jesus explains God’s attitude towards “making vows to the Lord”: Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.
If you are guarding your steps and coming before God in humility, listening with intent to obey, two things will happen:
1. You grow in your love for Him: You won’t come to him “making bargains” because you trust His wise, sovereign goodness:
2. He will tell you what He wants you to do. When this happens, don’t talk it to death, do it. Follow through.
Practically:
Don’t overstate what you might do without thought and a real understanding of what God is telling you to do. Just follow Jesus — “A Church. Following Jesus.” Do what He calls you to do — don’t sit around and talk about it, do it.
If there is something that you are convicted to do, don’t delay. If there’s a ministry to start, do it. If there’s a relationship to fix, fix it. If there’s a need to meet, meet it. If there’s a sin to confess, confess it.
Don’t let failure to obey Jesus lead you to determine you must have made a mistake. Conviction not followed with action is dishonoring to God. Better to just say no to start with.
Summary:
7 For many dreams bring futility; so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
7 For many dreams bring futility; so do many words. Therefore, fear God.