Worship Jesus Only

John once shared the account of some people who had denied Christ for fear of what the Pharisees would think. In John 12:42-43, He said, “Many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” When the opinion of men supersedes the opinion of God, we are focusing too much on people. This will occur when human praise becomes more desirable than anything which God has to offer. Keep in mind, however, that God offers grace and freedom, whereas people impose rules, regulations and expectations which lead to bondage.

Many years ago, Thomas K. Beecher once substituted for his famous brother Henry Ward Beecher, at the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York. Many curiosity seekers had come to hear the renowned Henry Beecher speak. Therefore, when Thomas Beecher appeared in the pulpit instead, some people got up and started for the doors. Sensing that they were disappointed because he was substituting for his brother, Thomas raised his hand for silence and announced, “All those who came here this morning to worship Henry Ward Beecher may withdraw from the church; all who came to worship God may remain.”(1)

In our message this morning we are going to learn whom we must worship. Some believers, like the individuals who were headed out the doors, will unknowingly worship people. Others, like Thomas Beecher and those who remained in the church, faithfully worship the Lord. If we are seeking to please people then we are actually enslaved to the world and will be ineffective for Jesus Christ and the kingdom. If we happen to be someone caught in the trap of worshipping people, then this message will hopefully be one of deliverance!

You Can Worship the Wrong Things (vv. 1-4)

The best definition of idolatry I have run across is this: Idolatry is “excessive attachment or veneration for any thing.” The two key words here are “any” and “thing,” and this definition is saying that “anything” can become our idol. This includes possessions, power, positions and people. If you don’t believe that people can be worshipped, then let me remind you of the television show American Idol. In the Bible we see that Peter, James and John were devoted fans of Israeli Idol, and could recall popular episodes from the past fourteen hundred years. Let’s look at verses 1-4.

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

What was the significance of Moses and Elijah standing before Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? To answer this question we must first understand that Moses was considered the greatest lawgiver in Jewish history and Elijah was considered the greatest prophet.(2) The importance here was that Moses and Elijah had come to talk with Jesus about His nearing death on the cross. They had come to comfort and reassure Him that it was indeed His responsibility to die for the sins of mankind in order to make a way for people to approach God and enter into heaven. W. A. Criswell said,

Moses, representing the law, must have said something like this: “I have come to talk with You about Your death. The law requires a sacrifice; the law says it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul; the law says that the substitute for the sinner must die. Lord Jesus, every rite, every ritual, every ceremony, every sacrifice of the law points to You. You must bear the cross, die upon it, else all mankind will perish. The Lamb of atonement, the blood of the Passover, is but a picture of You.”

Elijah, representing the prophets, must have said something like this: “I have come to talk with You about Your death. Every voice of the prophet calls for the [atonement] of sin by the death of the Son of God. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on You the iniquity of us all. The chastisement of our sin is upon You and with Your stripes we are healed.”(3)

Moses and Elijah had come to council and comfort Jesus, but Peter, James and John could not have known this because of what they had been taught through Jewish tradition. Moses and Elijah were two great pillars of the Jewish faith, and they were held in high esteem, even in the eyes of Jesus’ disciples. The account says that Elijah was taken up directly into heaven by a whirlwind. Concerning Moses, the Bible says that he died on Mount Nebo (Dt 34:5-6), but one Jewish tradition says that Moses was taken directly into heaven to be with God just like Elijah was.(4) For example, the first century historian Philo stated that Moses did not die a natural death, but was taken straight into heaven.(5)