True Worship and Its Benefits (Isa 58:1-12)
This morning you will learn how to engage in true worship and experience its maximum benefits. In the first twelve verses in Isaiah 58 we are taught how to:
Recognize: Rebellion, Repentance, Reverence, Relationship building, Responsibilities, Resources, Results. If you listen and obey your life will be enriched in multiple ways.
Illustration: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 the 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 in 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."
Erwin Lutzer, Pastor to Pastor, p. 89.
1. RECOGNIZE REBELLION: (Isa 58:1-4) The Israelities needed to listen to God, "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists."
People must realize that anything less than wholehearted worship to the Lord is considered as rebellion against God’s perfect will. The Israelities were angry with God with their self-righteous attitudes expecting the Lord to act as their servant. They failed to humble themselves before the Lord by failing to worship in Spirit and in truth. They thought their fasting would be enough to invoke God’s blessings on their lives. Anything less than complete submission, trust and obedience to the total will of God can be considered as rebellion. We all have blind spots in our lives that need to be recognize by ourselves and other members of the body of Christ. Be open to correction so you can enjoy the fullness of His love, joy and purpose.
Illustration: After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, "Dear God, we had a good time at church today--but I wish you had been there!"
Source Unknown.
2. REPENTANCE: The Lord expected the people of Israel to turn from their wicked ways and humble themselves before Him. Repentance means a turning away from sin and turning toward God and His ways. Only when we bow our heads, hearts and feet to the Lord can we experience the full measure of His love, power and freedom. Too many people are still trapped in a web of sin, irrational assumptions and negative thoughts. Only complete contrition to the Lord allows us to come before Him with a clean heart and a willing spirit.
Illustration:Becoming an encourager doesn’t simply meanspeaking in flowery platitudes but criticism should be offered respectfully and prayerfully for the purpose of inspiring another with courage. As an encourager, we learn to be confident of God’s love and understand that unsuitable and even hurtful comments should be lovingly but firmly ignored. With God’s encouragement we can do that. Sometimes we need to understand that it is our choice to accept criticism as valid and have the courage to adjust or reject the comments asinappropriate. The choice is always ours
3. REVERENCE: God wants all of our devotion, submission and respect. He wants us to give Him first place in our day through the study of His word and a prayer life that indicates a desire to share in the divine nature through intimate communion with our heavenly Father. Only through the controlling of the Spirit are we able to stay in a reverent attitude throughout the day, we are unable to do this with out the Spirit’s fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness as it is profitable for all things not only in the life but also in the age to come. (I Tim. 4:7,8)
4. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: Build relationships with God and to those who you are ministering too out of His love, faith and hope for improvements. Only when people share mutual concerns, hope and ministries are they able to draw closer to one another. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love and peace WITH THOSE who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Tim. 2:22-24) Surround yourself with other people who want to worship the Lord and serve Him in true, wholehearted acts of kingdom building and righteous ministries.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES: Take on the God given responsibilities to minister to the poor by providing them with shelter, clothe those who need garments of protection, and free those who are imprisoned by sin through the preaching of the gospel. When we engage in the loosing of the chains of injustice and the untying of the chords of bondage of bad habits will we experience the full blessings of the Lord. Be more involved in setting prisoners free by giving to support front line evangelists and church planters among the unreached people groups of the world. Through ChristianAid.org you can support a full time missionary in one of the most spiritually hungry places of the world for only $30/month.
6. RESOURCES: Paul wrote, "My God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19) We can be assured that the rich reservoir of God’s glorious resources will be at our disposal when we engaged in true worship of life, our actions and our relationships. You will never run out of energy, provisions or wherewithal to finish the jobs that the Lord has called you to do. Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength and power." (Phil. 4:13) YOu will be like a spring whose waters never fail or run dry. (Isa. 58:11) Thank God that His resources are unquenchable and His supply of whatever you need will never be found wanting.
7. RESULTS: Know that the Lord will reward you for worshiping Him and pleasing Him in all respects. Whatever you sow that will you also reap is a great assurance for those of us who tend to get weary in well doing. Isaiah wrote, "Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear." (Isa 58:8) Allow the Lord to bring clarity, purpose and greater perception to those who are engaged in serving the hungry hearts. Then you will find the joy of the Lord and experience His power, health and freedoms.
There are billions around the world who are waiting for people to minister to them if we will only throw out the life line of Christ’s love to the needy. Many people are hurting but they are ashamed to admit it. Pray and ask the Lord to lead you to some hungering soul this week and I assure you He will do it.
Be assured that the Lord will answer our cries because He wants us to be in harmony with all of His will. Isaiah writes, "Then you will call and the Lord will answer you, you will cry for help and he will say here am I." (Isa 58:9) Many of us do not have what we ask for because we do not ask or we ask with wrong motives so that we get something for our own pleasure rather than God’s delight. (James 4:1-4)
Be assured that the Lord will always take your phone call unlike some people. Jer 33:3 says, "Call to Me and I will answer you. I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know." The Lord is always eager to respond to people who are seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness." (Matt 6:33)
He also promises to guide you and satisfy you your needs even in a sun scorched land. Despite your gloomy, dry and dreary circumstances, the Lord wants to show Himself completely adequate for any contingency. (Isa 58:11) That is a promise that is just too good to pass up! An human promise pales by comparison.
Let the Lord be your reward, your sufficiency, your fulfillment. Then you will be used of Him to rebuld the ancient ruins and raise up a new generation of people who will make a way for others to enjoy the fruits of a worshiping relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You will leave a legacy as a restorer of streets with His dwellings. You will be remembered as one who relieved people from their burdens and brought to them a life giving relationship with a God who is worthy to be praised with all dimensions of our life.
Conclusion:During the tenure of the great orator Henry Ward Beecher, a visiting minister (Beecher’s brother) once substituted for the popular pastor. A large audience had already assembled to hear Beecher, and when the substitute pastor stepped into the pulpit, several disappointed listeners began to move toward the exits.
That’s when the minister stood and said loudly, "All who have come here today to worship Henry Ward Beecher may now withdraw from the church. All who have come to worship God keep your seats!"
Let us put away everything else in our worship except the Lord, God Almighty who is worthy to be worshiped as a we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the Lord which is our spiritual worship. (Rom. 12:1,2)
Today in the Word, April 1989, p. 22.
The International Mission Board suggests moving to the higher stages of the five levels of involvement in missions:
1. Prayer
2. Giving some kind of physical aid or service
3. Giving the gospel presentation
4. Being involved with the planting and/or growing of the church
5. Providing structural help and building institutions such as a missionary society for sending out new indigenous missionaries to reach people in their own country.
(Something New Under the Sun) IMB.org p. 33-35
