THE GODS we worship write their names on our faces, be sure of that. And a man will worship something —have no doubt about that, either. He may think that his tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of his heart—but it will out. That which dominates will determine his life and character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshiping we are becoming. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Worship is an important aspect to the life of God’s People:
We become like what we worship
James Michener, writing in his book, The Source, tells the story of a man named Urbaal, who, was a farmer living about 2200 B.C. He worshiped two gods, one a god of death, the other a goddess of fertility.
One day, the temple priests tell Urbaal to bring his young son to the temple for sacrifice—if he wants good crops. Urbaal obeys, and on the appointed day drags his wife and boy to the scene of the boy’s “religious execution” by fire to the god of death.
After the sacrifice of Urbaal’s boy, and several others, the priests announce that one of the fathers will spend next week in the temple, with a new temple prostitute. Urbaal’s wife is stunned as she notices a desire written more intensely across his face than she had seen before, and she is overwhelmed to see him eagerly lunge forward when his name is called.
The ceremony over, she walks out of the temple with her head swimming, concluding that “if he had different gods, he would have been a different man.”
Worship was intended to be Radical and Revolutionary in society
Micah 6.6-8
I. Implications of Worship:
A. Implication #1 – The COMMITMENT is to GOD, Not Self
1. Worship works inside – out
2. Purpose is to honor God, not get something – Health/Wealth/Heaven
Not “Let’s Make a Deal”
3. Because this is how he treats us – We love him because he first loved us
B. Implication #2 – CONFORM to the God of Heaven, Not the gods of the World
Too often Christians behave like the motorist at the traffic light that Jay Leno said he stopped behind. On this man’s car was bumper sticker that read “Honk if you love Jesus”
So, Leno lightly tapped the horn on his car.
At this, the man rolled down his window, stuck his head out and yelled back: “The light’s still red, you moron!”
1. Transformation – Romans 12.1-2
2. Become like Jesus – 2 Corinthians 3.17-18 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
3. More than rule-keeping to appease an angry God – it is a transformation process
A missionary in India was once teaching the Bible to a group of Hindu ladies. Halfway through the lesson, one of the women got up and walked out. A short time later, she came back and listened more intently than ever. At the close of the hour the leader inquired, "Why did you leave the meeting? Weren’t you interested?" "O yes," the Hindu lady replied. "I was so impressed with what you had to say about Christ that I went out to ask your driver whether you really lived the way you talked. When he said you did, I hurried back so I wouldn’t miss out on anything."
God’s Concern:
10Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
11 "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
12"When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
13Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1.10-17
II. Imitations to Consider:
A. God is the Ultimate One to Imitate – You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 13.4
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5.1-2
One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother & said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand."
The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?" The mother replied, "Yes, that’s true, honey."
"But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?" Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the preacher had said was true. With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us & He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?"
Be People of Holiness – Leviticus 11.44-45
Compassionate:
Clothed the Naked – Genesis 3.21
Visited the Sick – Genesis 18.1
Comforts the Mourner – 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi. Genesis 25.11
Buried the Dead – Deuteronomy 34.6
For Us:
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Matthew 25.31-40
B. God’s Son Provides the Perfect Example to Imitate – Colossians 1.15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Servant – John 13.12-17
The Kingdom of God is Upside Down from the world in which we live
Healed the sick/raised the dead
Sacrificial Spirit – Other-centered
Humble Heart
Obedient Attitude
C. God’s Servants Are for Imitation
1. Biblical Heroes – Hebrews 11
2. NT – Leaders – I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 1 Corinthians 4.16
3. Our Leaders – Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Hebrews 13.7
D. We Become the Model for Someone
"In 1926, a wealthy Toronto lawyer named Charles Vance Millar died; leaving behind him a will that amused and electrified the citizens of his Canadian province. Millar, a bachelor with a wicked sense of humor, stated clearly that he intended his last will and testament to be an “uncommon and capricious” document. Because he had no close heirs to inherit his fortune, he divided his money and properties in a way that amused him and aggravated his newly chosen heirs. Here are just a few examples of his strange bequests:
"He left shares in the Ontario Jockey Club to two prominent men who were well known for their opposition to racetrack betting.
"He bequeathed shares in the O’Keefe Brewery Company (a Catholic beer manufacturer) to every Protestant minister in Toronto.
"But his most famous bequest was that he would leave the bulk of his fortune to the Toronto woman who gave birth to the most children in the ten years after his death.
"This clause in his will caught the public imagination. The country was entering the Great Depression. As people struggled to meet even their most basic economic responsibilities, the prospect of an enormous windfall was naturally quite alluring. Newspaper reporters scoured the public records to find likely contenders for what became known as The Great Stork Derby. Nationwide excitement over the Stork Derby built quickly.
"In 1936, four mothers, proud producers of nine children apiece in a ten year time span, divided up the Charles Millar’s bequest, each receiving what was a staggering sum in those days - $125,000." (From Sermon Central sermon by Joanna Beveridge) – Did they love kids or money?
