What Is Your Worship Worth?

What Is Your Worship Worth?

Amos 5:21-27

One of the classic hymns of the faith is entitled “Worthy Of Worship”. This song proclaims that the Lord is worthy of worship, praise, honor, glory, offerings, reverence, fear, love, and devotion. There is no question that each of these statements is true. However, when offering these things to the Lord we must ensure that they are genuine.

Every week people attend churches all over the world. God’s people 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 time of invitation some kneel in an altar. People regularly pray prayers, read scriptures, give testimonies, and present offerings; tragically, in many instances these actions make God sick! Why is this? It is because as certain people go through the motions on the outside, on the inside they are filled with wickedness, iniquity, and idolatry.

Jesus speaks about this in His warning to the Church at Laodicea. He said in Revelation 3:15-16, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

There are numerous other scriptures that prove that God is more concerned with the inward condition of our heart than He is with our outward signs of religion. In Leviticus 26:27-28 the Lord said, “if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.” 1 Samuel 15:22 says that “obedience is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

The Bible makes it clear that God desires and demands 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. However, there was a major problem, their worship had become mere meaningless rituals. The people were performing acts of worship instead of pursuing the Lord with their hearts.

In Amos chapter 5, God boldly confronts the sin of His people. He declares that He despises their actions and hates their religious festivals and observances. He proclaims that the sound of their praise makes Him angry and He is fed up with their idolatry! Ultimately, the Lord refused to accept their offerings, sacrifices, and heartless worship.

Scripture informs us that the Lord does not change, therefore, we must comprehend the reality that He still hates, despises, and rejects certain actions and attitudes among those who profess to belong to Him. God is worthy of genuine worship and praise and it is important for us to ensure that we are offering Him genuine, wholehearted worship. I would like for us to examine this passage and ask the question, “What Is Your Worship Worth?”

Many of you lived through what is referred to as the “worship wars”. Numerous congregations have been known to fight amongst themselves concerning whether to have a traditional, contemporary, or blended worship services. Many times in the modern church we tend to “major on the minor”. The reality is that God is much more concerned with the condition of your heart than He is the beat of the music. Our Lord expects His people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God wants true worship; in fact, He will not accept anything less!

Amos 5:21 records one of the boldest rebukes in the Word of God. The Lord was completely fed up with Israel. In describing His mindset He used the words "hate" and "despise". To despise means to feel contempt or intense disgust.

- As we examine this passage we will identify several attitudes and actions that God despises in the lives of His chosen people. Verse 21 shows us that:

GOD DESPISES MEANINGLESS CEREMONIES

God says, “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.” It was the Lord who ordained certain feasts and sacrifices. This shows us that these observances had a purpose and a place. However, at this point in time those ceremonies had lost their true meaning; these observances had become mere traditions and meaningless 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 take no delight 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."