The Best Of Both Worlds

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Joshua 24:15; I Kings 18:21; Luke 11:23; Luke 16:13.

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (KJV)

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (KJV)

Lu 11:23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. (KJV)

Lu 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (KJV)

INTRODUCTION: All throughout Israelite history the people were faced with choosing between God and Baal. That same decision faced Eve in the Garden of Eden. We still have the same problem today in the 20th Century. The real problem is the gap is getting wider and wider. Everyone is going to have to choose sooner or later one or the other. We can’t have the “Best Of Both Worlds”.

You can’t be an All America football player and be a champion beer drinker at the same time.

You can’t be a happy married man and have a girl friend in every port.

An old saying is, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”

You can’t live a spirit filled life and be a partaker in Hollywood movie channels on TV.

You can’t live a spirit filled life and attend the movie theatres.

You can’t be tops in academics and be #1 in night life.

The pay—off for this kind of life is a life of misery.

Which will it be for you?

Let me give you four areas in which you will have to choose. Each of these will demand a choice. If you don’t choose these then you will wind up a failure as a Christian or even lost and going to hell.

I. YOU MUST CHOOSE YOUR OBJECT OF WORSHIP. John 4:22&23.

A. Old Testament Worship Consisted Mostly Of “Bowing Down” Or “Giving Obeisance”. Dan 3; Gen 22:5.24,26&48.

B. New Testament Worship Is Different. It Ranges From “Giving Glory And Honor”, Luke 14:10; “being reverent”, Acts 17:25; •‘a religious ceremony”, Col 2:10; and several other methods.

C. Jesus Instructions To The Woman At The Well. John 4:23. “Worship In Spirit And In Truth.”

1. In spirit. God is a spirit. Vs 24.

a. Our spirit with His Spirit. Flesh cannot worship God. Flesh worships flesh.

b. Spirit is within.

c. Worship may be done in private, in a closet.

2. In truth.

a. Worship must be real. Much of today’s worship is outward only.

b. Worship in truth brings godliness to the life of a Christian. No godliness — no worship.

D. Much Of Today’s Worship Is Idol Worship.

1. Trophies. (graven images)

2. Success.

3. Money.

4. The pastor. A lot of churches worship the pastor or the church.

They never even realize that worship means “an awareness of the presence of God.”

5. The program.

6. A car.

7. A home.

8. A career.

9. Athletics.

Too many of you want the best of both worlds. You want the blessings of God and recognition from the world. You can’t have both.

Choose which one you will worship; the world of God, self or the Saviour.

II. YOU MUST CHOOSE YOUR OBJECT OF COMMITMENT. I Kings 18:21; Luke 11:23.

A. Everyone Is Committed To Something. What Are You Committed To?

B. Your Commitment Must Be Voluntary. God May Give Materialism Back To You In Return; But When You Enter Into A Covenant With God, It Must Be With No Strings Attached.

C. Elijah Is Calling For A Commitment To Either Follow God Or Follow Baal. I Kings 18:21.

D. Luke Recorded These Words Of The Saviour. Luke 11:23; “He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth”. You will have to choose your object of commitment.

1. If you don’t commit you won’t do it.

2. Some of you have yourselves committed to things and activities that require you to miss church. Did you know that we have “Little League Football” on Sunday now?

We have had occasions when some of our men could not come to Sunday School and church on Sunday morning because they played softball until 4:00 or 5:00 O’clock on Sunday morning. I’m talking about having started at noon on Saturday, playing a game, then later on play another one, and so on until daylight on Sunday AM, all day and all night.