“The High Cost of True Worship”
2 Samuel 24:18-24
2 Samuel 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
Introduction:
I. The King’s Obedience
A. His contrition
1 Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
2 Samuel 24:17 …Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.
B. His commandment
1 Chronicles 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
C. His capitulation
2 Samuel 24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
1 Chronicles 21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
II. The King’s Offering
A. It will cost time - effort
Ill - Mike Rickman writes: WE can drive through Hardee’s and have a meal in a couple of minutes. KFC takes a little longer. Or you can go to a nice sit down restaurant and order and it takes a little longer but the wait is worth it if you’re not in a hurry. So what type of worship experience are you looking for; Hardee’s, KFC or Applebee’s? Too many churches are “fast food” churches. Let’s get in and get out – just as long as I perform my weekly obligation – that’s all that counts.
B. It will cost talent -
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
C. It will cost treasure - expense
Worship that doesn’t cost anything isn’t really worship. It’s religion. But the Bible says that we are to give something when we come to the throne of God. Aranuah offers to give David everything he needs to make the sacrifice but David refuses and even goes so far as to say:
1 Chronicles 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
Verse 24 says that it cost David 50 shekels of silver to buy the threshing floor and the oxen for the sacrifice and if you go to 1 Chronicles 21:25 it says that the king also gave six hundred shekels of gold:
25 So David gave to Ornan/Aranuah for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
At today’s spot market prices for gold and silver that would be approximately:
600 gold shekels = $41,081
50 silver shekels = $664.14
Total cost to David = $41,745.14
III. The King’s Objective
A. Appeasement
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
B. Acceptance
Leviticus 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
C. Adoration
Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
