God Had Much To Teach Abraham About Worship

God Had Much To Teach Abraham About Worship

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-19, Matthew 22:32

Central idea: God started where Abraham was and took him to where God wanted Abraham to be. He does that with people of faith.

When we attend church, do we always worship God? We sing songs and listen to sermons; these things are elements of worship, but these actions are not worship in and of themselves. Worshiping God is not about you having a fun time or even about having a good experience; it is not about you at all. It is all about God. He gave you life, a family, a home, and plenty to eat. Worshiping God is you thanking Him and showing Him reverence and adoration. It is putting God first in your life. It is showing God Almighty that you love Him; it is showing God that you honor and praise Him.

Life has lessons to teach us. A man's son sixth birthday was approaching. The boy had mentioned he would like a birthday party. His dad asked what he wanted for his birthday. The man expected a reply such as, “I’d like a baseball glove; you can find it at Wal-Mart, aisle 6, below the batting helmets.” However, his son’s request was a bit different. He said, “Dad, I’d like to play ball with you for my birthday.” His father said, “Great, what kind of ball?” “Oh, I don’t know, baseball or football or soccer, any of those will be fine.” “Well, which would you want more?” His son said, “Whichever one you like to play with me.” The dad thought about this and said, “Let me surprise you. How does that sound?” The little boy smiled and said, “Oh that would be great Dad. I love you.” The son was not so much interested in the gift. He was interested in the giver.

True worship is not interested in the created but in the Creator. The wrong question to ask about a Sunday service is did I like the pastor/sermon/service/music? The right question is does God bless our worship?

When we come to Sunday service, many people come to be entertained; people want you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the program. If the people feel entertained, they say they had a good worship service. We have gotten the whole concept of worship backward. In true worship, we are the performers, the pastors and worship leaders are the directors, but God is the audience. If we are going to worship, we must realize that worship is not for us, but for God.

We will look into this episode in the life of Abraham to see what that can teach us about the true worship of God. Remember, God is a God of revelation: He reveals Himself over time. When Abraham came along, God had not yet revealed His law through Moses; there had been no prophets, no John the Baptist baptizing, and no Jesus teaching. God had revealed Himself to Abraham only giving him one instruction: go to a place “I will God show you.” Abraham trusted God but Abraham wanted to worship God. However, having grown up with pagan parents in a pagan country, Abraham only knew pagan ways. God had much to teach Abraham so where did God start? He began where Abraham was.

Genesis 22:1-19, 1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mor-i-ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. 9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba, and Abraham lived at Beersheba.