Sermon: "Guard Your Steps" // Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Ecclesiastes 5 gives a warning: don’t stroll into worship on autopilot. The writer visits the temple hoping to find something different from the world outside, but discovers the same pride, image management, empty talk, and hunger for success inside. People are worshiping God, yet they are using him to get attention, comfort, money, or the life they want. It's an age-old problem: humanity will always struggle with making itself the center of its own worship. The passage tells us to “guard our steps” when approaching God. That means showing up ready to listen, taking our words and promises seriously, and making sure our worship connects with how we treat people all week. We should also ask what we are really guarding when we come to church—our reputation, schedule, energy, ambitions, or grudge? Worship becomes hollow when God is merely an accessory to the life we want. The good news is that we are told to guard our steps because God invites us to draw near. Jesus in his tremendous love shows us how to approach God by the way he approached us. He came to his people, listened to their cries, used his words to heal, and kept his promise by giving himself on the cross. We approach God each week, by humbling ourselves before the one who humbled himself before us. ---------- To support the work and worship of Redeemer, subscribe to our channel and consider supporting us by giving a tax deductible gift at the link below. https://Redeemer-Church-Rockwall-517189.churchcenter.com/giving