What Is Your Worship Worth?
Amos 5:21-27
We often sing a song that proclaims that the Lord is worthy of worship, praise, honor, glory, offerings, reverence, fear, love, and devotion. Without a doubt, each of these statements are true. But when offering these things to the Lord we must ensure that they are "genuine". Week after week people attend churches all over the world. They walk in the door with smiles on their faces. They fellowship with the brethren. They sing songs and hymns. They lift their hands, bow their heads and bend their knees. When the time comes they listen to the sermon, some even take notes. During the invitation they kneel in an altar. They pray prayers, read scriptures, give testimonies, and present offerings and it makes God sick!!!
Why? Because as they go through the motions on the outside, deep within they are filled with wickedness, iniquity and idolatry. Jesus speaks about this in His warning to the Church at Laodicea in - Revelation 3:15 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
God is more concerned with the inward condition of our heart than He is with our outward signs of religion. In Leviticus 26:27 (The Lord said)...if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, 28 then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
Scripture makes it clear that God desires devotion, obedience, holiness and righteousness. Amos records a time when the people of Israel observed feasts, ordinances and ceremonies. They presented burnt offerings, meat offerings, peace offerings and other sacrifices. But there was a problem....their worship had become nothing more than meaningless rituals. They were "performing" acts of worship instead of pursuing the Lord with their hearts. Simply put ....they were hypocrites. As we arrive at Amos chapter 5, God boldly confronts the sin of His people. He declares that He despised their actions...He hated their religious festivals and observances. He refused to accept their offerings and sacrifices. The sound of their praise made Him angry and He was fed up with their idolatry.
The Bible says that the Lord "changes not". This means that He still hates, despises and rejects certain things in the lives of His people. I would like to look at these verses and ask the question "What Is Your Worship Worth?"
Many churches in America are embattled in "worship wars". They fight amongst themselves over whether to have a traditional, contemporary or blended worship services. Sometimes we have a tendency to major on the minor. The fact is, God is more concerned with your heart than He is the beat of the music. God desires that His people worship Him in Spirit and in truth. More than traditional or contemporary, God wants TRUE WORSHIP. In fact, He will not accept anything less!
Verse 21 contains one of the boldest rebukes recorded in the Word of God. God was completely fed up with Israel. He used the words "hate" and "despise" to describe His mindset. To "despise" means to feel contempt or intense disgust. In an attempt to learn from Israel's mistakes, I want to examine this passage and identify some things that God despises in the church and in His people. Notice if you will that:
I. God Despises Meaningless Ceremonies - v21a "I hate, I despise your feast days and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."
God had ordained certain feasts and sacrifices. These observances had a purpose and a place. But at this point they had lost their true meaning. These events had become mere traditions and rituals. Though the people continued to go through the motions, God was not pleased with their actions. In fact, their "form of worship" made Him sick and angry! Furthermore, God makes it clear that He would not accept their meaningless formalities. He says "I will not smell in your solemn assemblies"
Certain sacrifices and offerings were as a "sweet smelling savor to God". This means that they were pleasing and acceptable to Him. Now, God says "I will take no delight in the sacrifices that you offer me." Israel's worship of God had become a mere formality. Rather than doing things out of reverence and love for the Lord they did things out of habit and obligation.
For many people, attending church has become a "meaningless ceremony". Some of you are here simply because it is a habit. Some of you are here because you hold a job and because you possess a certain level of integrity, you want to honor your word. Some are here because you like the people and you look forward to seeing your friends. Some of you are here because you don't want to disappoint a spouse, relative or friend. Many people are here for different reasons, but ultimately we should be here to worship and praise the Lord. Is that really why you are here?
If you are here for any other reason you might as well just stop. You are wasting your time! Without true worship this is nothing more than a "meaningless ceremony" Jesus confronted the church at Ephesus because she had "left her first love". Here in Amos God confronts Israel because they left their first love. If you have left your first love you can rest assured God will confront you as well. If church has become a habit, a routine or a meaningless ceremony to you, then you must heed Jesus' Words in Revelation 2:5 and "Remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works"
I encourage you to do what it takes to make things right because "God Despises Meaningless Ceremonies".
- Moving on to verse 22 it is also clear that:
II. God Despises Token Offerings - v22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
Israel offered burnt offerings each morning and night. But they did not offer them at the right place or in the right manner according to the Law. The biggest problem was that their offerings lacked faith and repentance. God also mentions their "peace offerings". These were offerings presented to God for peace and prosperity. The Lord states that even though they bring the best and the fattest animals their offerings were rejected because their hearts remained full of sin.
The Bible has much to say about giving to the Lord. It is a wonderful thing to be a faithful giver. But according to this passage you can give regularly and you can give generously and God may still reject your offering. Some give for the wrong reasons. They think that they can buy God's favor but it doesn't work that way. Another issue is that some give in the wrong manner. They may give on a regular basis, they may give cheerfully and generously but their lives are not where they should be. Their hearts are filled with sin and corruption.
It seems that some in Israel were going above and beyond what was required. They were giving God the best that they had to offer and He still refused to accept it. If your gift is gracious but your heart is impure, just keep your money because God is not going to bless the offering. Better yet, why don't you get your heart right, be restored to a right relationship with your Heavenly Father and then present Him with your offering. When this happens God will gladly receive what you seek to give to Him!
- God despises meaningless ceremonies, He despises token offerings and verse 23 tells us that:
III. God Despises Insincere Praise - v23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols (
God says that their songs and hymns were nothing but "noise" to Him. Do you get the impression that God has had enough? He says "stop your singing... I don't want to hear it anymore!" God was not rebuking the quality of their performances, He was revealing the corruptness of their lives.
This means that your choir can sound like the Brooklyn Tabernacle, your instruments can rival the greatest orchestra in the country and God may still reject your praise! You can sing or play a beautiful song to the Lord yet He will not accept your praise based upon solely the way it sounds. No matter how beautiful the sound, God will turn a deaf ear if your heart is filled with sin.
It is not enough to simply participate in worship. We must prepare for worship. We must get our hearts right first, or God will despise and reject our praise. What about you, can you honestly say that you are lifting holy hands unto the Lord? Or would you be honest enough to admit that your worship has become a mere formality? If things aren't right... it is time to take the steps to make them right.
- As we arrive at verse 25 we get to heart of the problem, and it was a problem of the heart. Notice that:
IV. God Despises Shameful Idolatry - v25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch (Moe-Luck) and Chiun (Chew-in) your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
Israel had turned from God and begun to worship and serve idols. Generation after generation offered sacrifices to manmade objects. God makes it clear that the worship, sacrifices, offerings and devotion that belonged to Him had been offered to idols. Many people have the idea that "idol worship" is merely something from the Old Testament days. Unfortunately that is not the case. In the New Testament John says “guard yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
Idolatry is a present issue that we must deal with. Certain "idols" creep into our lives. "Idols" are anything that would distract us from worshipping and obeying God. Your job can become an idol. Your material possessions can be idols. Possessions you want can become idols. Your spouse, children and certain relationships can be idols. Church can even become and idol. Family, friends, church and your job are all good things when they are in their proper place. But when anything is elevated above God, it becomes an idol.
Nancy Pearcey said this:" An idol is anything we want more than God, anything we rely on more that God, anything we look to for greater fulfillment than God."
How many times does God come in second, third and fourth place to other things in your life? So many people just push God to the side for the idols in their lives. When you allow scholastic or sporting events to come before worshipping the Lord... YOU ARE GUILTY OF IDOLATRY! When you choose to spend Sunday at the Lake instead of worshipping the Lord, YOU ARE GUILTY OF IDOLATRY! When you volunteer to work on Sundays simply to buy more stuff... YOU ARE GUILTY OF IDOLATRY! If you who are going to skip service tonight to watch a ball game or a T.V show when you have a perfect opportunity to worship the Lord, you need to reconsider your priorities!
Oh but wait... some of you are here every time the doors are open but you too are guilty of idolatry! Those who sing, pray, praise and testify on Sunday, yet live a life of wickedness and iniquity throughout the week... THEY ARE GUILTY OF IDOLATRY! They are worshipping self! And when they attempt to offer worship to God, He rejects it!
When Israel DID offer God worship it was out of obligation, rather than love and adoration. And God despised and rejected their worship, the same will happen we have idols in our lives. Closely tied to this shameful idolatry is the false devotion in the lives of those who profess to love the Lord. The last thing I would like to consider is the fact that:
V. God Despises False Devotion - I hate, I despise your feast days" and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."
The entire context of these verses describes the hypocrisy of God's people. The people had an outward show of love and devotion to the Lord. But the wickedness of their lives said otherwise. The same mindset fills churches all across our land today.
The Apostle Paul perfectly described the day and age in which we live - 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
Warren Wiersbe said - The first step toward disobedience is often “reclassifying” sin and making it look acceptable instead of abominable.
Many of our so called "Christian brethren" are trying to water down the true gospel. As a result there is very little difference between those in the church and those in the world. Over time the terminology has evolved in so that people wont be offended. Think about it for a moment:
1. What the Bible calls drunkenness the world has reclassified as "alcoholism"
2. Homosexuality is now called an "alternative lifestyle" but the bible calls it an abomination. An abomination is a thing that causes disgust. This means that the sin of homosexuality literally makes God sick!
3. What we used to call "shacking up" is now referred to as "cohabitating"... (isn't that sweet!) Well, the bible calls it fornication!
4. The world calls someone who steals a "kleptomaniac" but the Bible calls them a thief!
5. The world will tell you that hatred is justified.. Jesus says that it is the equivalent of murder.
6. The world will tell you that having "wandering eyes" is just human nature... Jesus says that it is the same as adultery.
7. In America the divorce rate is near 50% (for both Believers & Non-Believers) Though divorce is commonplace... It is still sin!
8. These days drug abuse is out of control. People are consuming Meth, cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and other drugs at an alarming rate.
I have a great deal of compassion for the drunkard, the addict, the adulterer and the homosexual. I am glad that forgiveness and restoration is possible. What I am fed up with is people who profess to be born again followers of Christ who live these lifestyles of sin. I wish that they would quit bringing shame and reproach on the name of Christ. My hope and prayer is that they would get saved. You say, but I am saved... well, the Bible says in Revelation 21:8 ...the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Likewise - I Corinthians 6:9 says ... do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
You will notice in the Gospels that Jesus was compassionate toward lost sinners. But He forcefully denounced the hypocrisy of those who claimed to be religious. Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees fools, hypocrites, blind guides, whitewashed tombs, murderers, a generation of vipers and hypocrites. He will not tolerate your hypocrisy today anymore than He did the hypocrisy of the Pharisees! You may profess to belong to Christ, but Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments".
Many of you recognize your sins. But instead of turning from those sins, you choose to embrace them. Then you come in here and attempt to worship God. But here in Amos we find that God is not pleased and He despises, rejects and even hates what you are offering to Him. Israel was not in love with God at all. Their hearts desire was to follow after false gods. The Lord hated and despised their "form of religion". God did not want their sacrifices, in fact He rejected them. What He wanted was love, adoration, holiness, and obedience. He still desires these attributes from His people today.
If you spend your days following the lusts of the flesh, you cannot say that God is in His rightful place in your life. You may go through the motions. You may play the game. You may be regular in your attendance You may sing the songs, pray the prayers, quote scriptures and give testimonies, you may give above and beyond what God requires but if your life is filled with wickedness... God says KEEP IT, I DON'T WANT IT!
Has church attendance become nothing more than a meaningless ceremony for you? Do you praise on the outside while deep within you are consumed with iniquity. If so, to God your praise is nothing more than "noise" and He doesn't want to hear it anymore.
Your tithes and offerings (no matter how generous) ....apart from holy living are an insult to Him and He will not accept them. If your life is consumed with idolatry and God is far from being your top priority it is high time to get things in order. God has a high standard for worship. Will God accept or reject you are offering today?
1) He despises meaningless ceremonies
2) He despises token offerings
3) He despises insincere praise
4) He despises shameful idolatry
5) He despises false devotion
My friend, what is your worship worth?
