A mother was
teaching her young daughter
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about reverence in church.
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Okay, honey, do you know
why we must be quiet in church?
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The mother said to
the young daughter.
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The young daughter
thought for a moment
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and then very seriously looked
up at her mother and said,
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because people are sleeping.
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Worship is something that,
it's sometimes hard to define.
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Is being quiet always reverence?
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Is good music always worship?
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Does it take good preaching
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in order for
there to be worship?
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Do you have to have
preaching in order to worship?
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The most
important issues of life
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I believe are issues of worship.
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The great conflict
between Christ and Satan
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is a conflict
over who to worship.
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The temptations of
Christ in the wilderness
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were centered around
the issue of worship.
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Keeping the Sabbath
is an issue of worship.
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The conflicts spoken about
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so graphically in
the Book of Revelation
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are centered around worship,
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true worship
versus false worship.
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Even everyday decisions
having to do with family,
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career, money,
all of those things
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center around what you worship.
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Today want to
talk about two things.
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The crises of worship
and the glory of worship.
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A man came into my
office a few years ago
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and stated that he didn't
like attending church anymore
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and of course I
wanted to know why.
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Well, he said I just,
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I'm not challenged
intellectually anymore.
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Well, to be honest with him
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I had to admit
that I had been there.
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Yes, there been many
times when I have been to church
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and felt like my
brain had gone to sleep.
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There was a time in my
life while I was going to school
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and I was being
challenged by my professors.
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And then when I went
to church I felt like
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there was nothing
really there of interest.
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I realized later
that was my problem
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more than it was
the preacher's problem.
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What do we go to church
for? What do we worship for?
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Why do we come
here to get something,
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education, social
contact, entertainment?
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You see, part of the problem
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I believe is our consumer
mentality in this 21st century.
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Worship becomes an
experience that we judge good,
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bad or
indifferent much the same way
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that we would rate a
car, a blender or a movie.
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The fact is in true worship
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we come into God's
presence to do something,
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to give something,
not to get something.
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Now, as a preacher I
don't want to bore people.
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We need education, we
need good social contact,
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church should benefit people
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but the primary
purpose of worship
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is not to get something
but to give worship to God.
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In 1 Kings 12
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we have a very fascinating
story of the transition
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from the reign of
Solomon to his Rehoboam.
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Solomon had been,
00:04:02.28\00:04:04.60
frankly pretty lousy king
toward the end of his life.
00:04:04.63\00:04:07.81
He had married so many
wives from all over the world
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and they had
brought their foreign gods
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and forms of worship with them
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that eventually
Solomon lost his way
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and he started worshiping
gods from all over the world.
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Well, when Solomon
died his son Rehoboam
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was the crown prince
ready to take his place.
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At that time there was
a gentleman named Jeroboam
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who left Jerusalem one
day and ran into the prophet.
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This was the prophet
spoken about in 1 Kings 11,
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and this prophet met Jeroboam
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outside of Jerusalem on the way.
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The prophet's name was Ahijah.
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And he met Rehoboam-- Jeroboam--
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by the way do
you know how they get
00:05:05.35\00:05:06.40
Jeroboam and Rehoboam straight?
00:05:06.43\00:05:08.39
I was to have that problem
00:05:08.42\00:05:09.45
and I finally realized
that Rehoboam is a repeat.
00:05:09.48\00:05:12.18
Rehoboam is the son of Solomon.
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So when Solomon died
you had a repeat of Solomon
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which was Rehoboam.
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Well, just a
little mental trick I use,
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hope it works for you.
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So Ahijah met
Jeroboam on the road
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secretly outside of Jerusalem.
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This was before
Solomon actually died.
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In fact and he took of his shawl
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and he ripped it into 12 pieces
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representing the
12 tribes of Israel.
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And he turned to Jeroboam
and he gave him 10 of them
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and he said the Lord has given
the 10 tribes of Israel for you
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to become a great kingdom.
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Well, when Solomon died
you might expect for Jeroboam
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to immediately
lead a, lead a revolt
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and take the 10
tribes and be done with it.
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But interestingly
enough Jeroboam didn't do that.
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He along with a
number of the elder of Israel
00:06:02.54\00:06:05.31
met with Rehoboam
and they pleaded with him
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not to continue
the ways of his father.
00:06:08.22\00:06:12.19
You see, his
father Solomon had become
00:06:12.22\00:06:16.15
rather hard task
master in his later life.
00:06:16.18\00:06:21.16
He had taxed the
people beyond their endurance.
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He had made
their lives miserable.
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And they-- and so Jeroboam,
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I mean the elders
pleaded with Rehoboam
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not to continue in the
wicked ways of his father.
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They said, if you
will be easy on the people
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they will love you
and they will serve you.
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Well, Rehoboam said as a
good politician word he said,
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why don't you
go away for a while
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and I will consult my advisors
and come back in three days
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and I will give you my answer.
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So while they were gone
during that three days time
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Rehoboam met with the
rising stars of the kingdom.
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These were the,
the bright young minds,
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the young guys who were trying
to make a name for themselves,
00:07:02.80\00:07:05.49
they were trying to secure
their position in the kingdom.
00:07:05.52\00:07:08.94
And Rehoboam met
with them and he said,
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"What do you think I should do?"
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And those young men said,
"Look, here's what you do.
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You make the taxes worse.
You make the slavery worse.
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You do everything that
your father Solomon did,
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after all he
had a great kingdom.
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You do
everything he did and more."
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Rehoboam
unfortunately took their advice.
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And so when Jeroboam
and the elders came back
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and said what is your answer?
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Rehoboam looked at him and said,
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you think you had it
bad under my father Solomon,
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well, you are going to
have it even worse under me.
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And this caused such a,
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such a riot practically
amongst Israel that finally
00:07:49.91\00:07:54.76
they were ordered to go home
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and Jeroboam led the 10
tribes of Israel off by himself
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while Rehoboam was left
with the two southern tribes
00:08:02.05\00:08:05.23
Judah and Benjamin.
00:08:05.26\00:08:07.36
And that is in fact
how the kingdom of Israel
00:08:07.39\00:08:09.49
divided into two kingdoms.
00:08:09.52\00:08:11.44
The northern tribes of Israel
00:08:11.47\00:08:13.04
and the southern
tribes called Judah.
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Well, Jeroboam knew
that this was God's plan.
00:08:17.69\00:08:22.54
He realized that God
and his infinite wisdom
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often has to have plan B.
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In his wisdom in this case
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he, he had ordained
that the 12 tribes of Israel
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would be his ambassadors
to the world so to speak.
00:08:36.36\00:08:39.83
And he worked with them
and he worked through them
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to try to attract
the world to himself.
00:08:42.69\00:08:47.73
The problem was with
the wickedness of Solomon
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and then Rehoboam
it became impossible
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to keep all those
12 tribes together.
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So in the wisdom of God
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he had plan B already
ready to go into affect.
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I can't help but
think that this applies
00:09:01.18\00:09:03.12
to many of our
modern situations.
00:09:03.15\00:09:06.61
You know, it
was never God's will
00:09:06.64\00:09:08.59
that different
things should divide us like
00:09:08.62\00:09:12.79
theology, and race,
and things like that.
00:09:12.82\00:09:17.26
You realize
today that the church
00:09:17.29\00:09:20.44
is the most
segregated part of society.
00:09:20.47\00:09:26.62
That was never God's
plan but it was plan B
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and there are
good historical reasons
00:09:29.17\00:09:31.09
why we have to
have different churches.
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The fortunate thing
is even under plan B
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we can all worship
together if we want to.
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Even under plan
B when Jeroboam led
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those 10 tribes
off by themselves
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Rehoboam became
the king of Judah
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in the southern kingdom.
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They were supposed to remain
faithful to God's original plan
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where the yearly festivals
00:10:01.98\00:10:03.50
would be
celebrated in Jerusalem.
00:10:03.53\00:10:07.28
The problem was
when Jeroboam realized
00:10:07.31\00:10:10.09
what was going to
happen he realized suddenly
00:10:10.12\00:10:12.64
that worship was going to
cause crises in his kingdom.
00:10:12.67\00:10:17.67
He thought he was going
to lose people over this.
00:10:17.70\00:10:20.23
He said, if
people go from my kingdom
00:10:20.26\00:10:22.56
and travel every year
down to Jerusalem to worship
00:10:22.59\00:10:26.20
why they are
going to forget about me
00:10:26.23\00:10:28.37
and they are going to follow
after the house of David again
00:10:28.40\00:10:31.32
and I'm gonna lose out.
00:10:31.35\00:10:34.68
And unfortunately Jeroboam's
insecurity over numbers
00:10:34.71\00:10:40.82
and worship caused one
of the greatest apostasies
00:10:40.85\00:10:45.20
of all time in Israel.
00:10:45.23\00:10:47.72
In fact, the Bible says
that he took golden calves
00:10:47.75\00:10:51.83
and set them up in
different parts of the country.
00:10:51.86\00:10:56.60
Let's read in 1 Kings 12:26.
00:10:56.63\00:11:04.13
"Jeroboam thought to himself,
00:11:04.16\00:11:05.70
'The kingdom will now likely
revert to the house of David.
00:11:05.73\00:11:08.12
If these people go
up to offer sacrifices
00:11:08.15\00:11:10.58
at the temple of
the Lord in Jerusalem,
00:11:10.61\00:11:13.16
they will again give
their allegiance to their lord,
00:11:13.19\00:11:15.31
Rehoboam king of Judah.
00:11:15.34\00:11:16.54
They will kill me and
return to King Rehoboam.'
00:11:16.57\00:11:21.32
After seeking advice,
00:11:21.35\00:11:22.55
the king made two golden calves.
00:11:22.58\00:11:23.98
He said to the people,
00:11:24.01\00:11:25.04
'It is too much for
you to go up to Jerusalem.
00:11:25.07\00:11:26.90
Here are your gods, O Israel,
00:11:26.93\00:11:28.65
who brought you
up out of Egypt.'"
00:11:28.68\00:11:30.56
What a lie? Can you believe it?
00:11:30.59\00:11:32.66
He told them that the
golden calves were the ones
00:11:32.69\00:11:34.82
that brought them out of Egypt.
00:11:34.85\00:11:36.30
Verse 29, "One
he set up in Bethel,
00:11:36.33\00:11:38.35
and the other in Dan.
00:11:38.38\00:11:39.90
And this thing became a sin,
00:11:39.93\00:11:42.17
the people went
even as far as Dan
00:11:42.20\00:11:44.25
to worship the one there."
00:11:44.28\00:11:47.60
Interesting isn't it
that Jeroboam sold the idea
00:11:47.63\00:11:52.66
of this counterfeit system
of worship by using convenience
00:11:52.69\00:11:59.22
and he used
culturally relevant symbols,
00:11:59.25\00:12:03.54
the golden calves.
00:12:03.57\00:12:04.82
People realized what
the golden calves were.
00:12:04.85\00:12:07.62
They were a common
symbol in the world that time.
00:12:07.65\00:12:11.02
They didn't just
come out of nowhere,
00:12:11.05\00:12:13.00
the nations around
them used the golden calves
00:12:13.03\00:12:15.33
as symbols of their deities.
00:12:15.36\00:12:18.40
And its interesting that
00:12:18.43\00:12:19.98
he would set them
up out of convenience
00:12:20.01\00:12:22.07
to try to keep the
people in his own kingdom
00:12:22.10\00:12:24.23
but they became so popular
00:12:24.26\00:12:25.61
that the people
would travel even further.
00:12:25.64\00:12:27.50
The land of
Israel was set to extend
00:12:27.53\00:12:29.05
from Dan to Beersheba.
00:12:29.08\00:12:30.44
That's when all 12
tribes were united.
00:12:30.47\00:12:32.69
So the town of Dan was
the further northern most
00:12:32.72\00:12:36.43
boundary of the land of Israel
00:12:36.46\00:12:38.35
and people traveled
all the way up there
00:12:38.38\00:12:40.36
to see the golden calf
and to worship in front of it.
00:12:40.39\00:12:45.90
Convenience, attractiveness,
and familiarity are not wrong
00:12:45.93\00:12:52.32
but the issue is,
are we worshipping God
00:12:52.35\00:12:56.36
or we just worried about our
own success like Jeroboam was?
00:12:56.39\00:13:01.73
What are we really here for,
00:13:01.76\00:13:03.67
to please the largest
number of people or this a time
00:13:03.70\00:13:07.57
when true
worship can take place?
00:13:07.60\00:13:10.39
Many things divide us.
00:13:10.42\00:13:11.49
Petty things, traditions,
00:13:11.52\00:13:12.88
personal taste,
personality conflicts
00:13:12.91\00:13:15.08
but there are more serious
things that divide us also.
00:13:15.11\00:13:17.62
Things like
prejudice, self protection,
00:13:17.65\00:13:19.44
jealousy, pride.
00:13:19.47\00:13:20.67
We live in a
divided kingdom today
00:13:20.70\00:13:22.46
there is no way
of getting around it.
00:13:22.49\00:13:24.07
Wasn't God's original plan
but plan B is taking affect.
00:13:24.10\00:13:29.52
Like the account in 1 Kings
00:13:29.55\00:13:31.72
there is lots of
history that goes into that yet,
00:13:31.75\00:13:35.05
we can still worship
together if we choose to.
00:13:35.08\00:13:38.71
Even in a divided kingdom
00:13:38.74\00:13:40.60
God designed
worship to unite people,
00:13:40.63\00:13:45.00
not divide them.
00:13:45.03\00:13:47.44
He could allow no compromise.
00:13:47.47\00:13:50.17
Not because he was
arbitrary and eventual
00:13:50.20\00:13:53.07
but because changing worship
meant changing loyalties.
00:13:53.10\00:13:58.35
The way we worship
indicates the identity
00:13:58.38\00:14:01.32
and the kind of
person that we worship.
00:14:01.35\00:14:05.51
That is the
crises of worship today.
00:14:05.54\00:14:08.32
Who do you worship?
00:14:08.35\00:14:11.39
But now I want to turn
to the glory of worship
00:14:11.42\00:14:15.61
and to do that I want to turn
00:14:15.64\00:14:17.86
to that most worshipful book,
00:14:17.89\00:14:20.63
the Book of Psalms.
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.56
And we turn now to Psalm 95:1-7.
00:14:22.59\00:14:30.09
"Come, let us sing
for joy to the Lord,
00:14:30.12\00:14:33.76
let us shout aloud to
the Rock of our salvation.
00:14:33.79\00:14:37.00
Let us come before
him with thanksgiving
00:14:37.03\00:14:39.22
and extol him
with music and song."
00:14:39.25\00:14:44.60
Worship is not
a spectator sport.
00:14:44.63\00:14:48.10
It uses the full range
of emotions and expressions.
00:14:48.13\00:14:53.91
Verse 3, "For the
Lord is the great God,
00:14:53.94\00:14:57.48
the great King above all gods.
00:14:57.51\00:14:59.62
In his hand are the
depths of the earth,
00:14:59.65\00:15:02.22
and the mountain
peaks belong to him."
00:15:02.25\00:15:05.86
The object and purpose
of worship is to recognize
00:15:05.89\00:15:11.94
that the Lord is the great God.
00:15:11.97\00:15:15.46
Verse 5, "The sea
is his, for he made it,
00:15:15.49\00:15:17.66
and his hands
formed the dry land.
00:15:17.69\00:15:19.74
Come, let us
bow down in worship,
00:15:19.77\00:15:21.77
let us kneel
before the Lord our Maker,
00:15:21.80\00:15:23.87
for he is our God and we
are the people of his pasture,
00:15:23.90\00:15:27.32
the flock under his care."
00:15:27.35\00:15:30.07
The benefit and
reason for worship
00:15:30.10\00:15:33.94
is that we belong to God.
00:15:33.97\00:15:36.97
There is a higher
purpose to our lives
00:15:37.00\00:15:38.92
than just living for ourselves.
00:15:38.95\00:15:40.93
Worship guarantees that
we look higher than ourselves
00:15:40.96\00:15:45.39
and that we belong to a higher
purpose than just our own.
00:15:45.42\00:15:49.05
The fact of
human existence is that
00:15:49.08\00:15:50.58
we become like
that which we worship.
00:15:50.61\00:15:54.19
What we say we worship
and what we really worship
00:15:54.22\00:15:57.98
are sometimes
two different things.
00:15:58.01\00:16:01.30
What we really
worship can often be revealed
00:16:01.33\00:16:04.08
by the way we spend our time,
00:16:04.11\00:16:06.99
what our check books reveal
and what our priorities are.
00:16:07.02\00:16:11.96
Worship is a response to someone
00:16:11.99\00:16:14.73
who is already won our
affection and allegiance.
00:16:14.76\00:16:17.34
You can't force worship.
00:16:17.37\00:16:19.04
You can only worship someone
00:16:19.07\00:16:21.20
that you are truly
attractive to on all levels,
00:16:21.23\00:16:24.06
intellectually,
emotionally, and spiritually.
00:16:24.09\00:16:28.95
I believe that we need
to restore a sense of awe
00:16:28.98\00:16:32.97
and reverence in our worship.
00:16:33.00\00:16:37.48
There is a great truth
that we need to hang on to
00:16:37.51\00:16:41.65
and that is that God
came down to our level
00:16:41.68\00:16:45.17
in the sense that He
became human like us.
00:16:45.20\00:16:49.27
But in our worship we
dare not bring Him down
00:16:49.30\00:16:52.78
to our sinful level.
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.91
In John 15:15 we have
one of my very favorite texts
00:16:55.94\00:16:59.16
in the Bible where Jesus said,
00:16:59.19\00:17:01.27
I no longer want
to call you servants,
00:17:01.30\00:17:03.45
I call you friends.
00:17:03.48\00:17:06.13
Because the servant doesn't
know his masters business,
00:17:06.16\00:17:08.31
he just does what he is told.
00:17:08.34\00:17:10.19
Jesus says, in
affect telling them.
00:17:10.22\00:17:12.53
But a friend knows
the masters business.
00:17:12.56\00:17:16.22
But that is not mean
00:17:16.25\00:17:17.94
that God is
just one of the guys.
00:17:17.97\00:17:20.19
He is not cool, He is not hip,
00:17:20.22\00:17:21.86
He is not just a
casual occurrence
00:17:21.89\00:17:23.49
or an indulgent
heavenly grandpa or Santa Claus.
00:17:23.52\00:17:27.13
In fact, God loves the losers.
00:17:27.16\00:17:31.18
He condemns the so called
cool in crowd of Pharisees.
00:17:31.21\00:17:35.56
He respects a sincere
choice for or against Him
00:17:35.59\00:17:40.21
but He has no
tolerance for the lukewarm
00:17:40.24\00:17:43.66
who just take Him lightly.
00:17:43.69\00:17:46.26
God enjoys our worship as
long as it's directed to Him.
00:17:46.29\00:17:52.82
If we make Him
out to be something
00:17:52.85\00:17:54.59
He is not its just as bad
00:17:54.62\00:17:56.22
as if we were bowing
down before golden calf.
00:17:56.25\00:18:00.53
You see, ultimately
true worship must recognize
00:18:00.56\00:18:04.95
who God really is.
00:18:04.98\00:18:07.72
And we get this
confused a lot of times.
00:18:07.75\00:18:09.48
The glory of worship is that
it takes us out of ourselves,
00:18:09.51\00:18:12.86
it takes us out
of our human contact,
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.23
context and let us
contact the divine.
00:18:15.26\00:18:20.07
Now I like
pleasant worship services.
00:18:20.10\00:18:23.16
I love music.
00:18:23.19\00:18:24.58
I love music that
expresses the grandeur
00:18:24.61\00:18:27.32
and the grace and love of God.
00:18:27.35\00:18:30.62
But music itself is not music.
00:18:30.65\00:18:33.53
I love prayer.
00:18:33.56\00:18:35.48
I love to listen to people
who can pray with a fervent,
00:18:35.51\00:18:40.95
faith and devotion to God.
00:18:40.98\00:18:46.04
But while prayer can be
a great part of worship,
00:18:46.07\00:18:49.95
prayer is not in itself worship.
00:18:49.98\00:18:52.79
You can go through the motions
00:18:52.82\00:18:54.77
of something
without really worshipping.
00:18:54.80\00:19:00.03
So what is worship?
00:19:00.06\00:19:02.83
When you go to
your house of worship
00:19:02.86\00:19:05.48
and you walk in
and you take your seat
00:19:05.51\00:19:08.32
and you listen to the music,
you listen to the prayers,
00:19:08.35\00:19:10.64
you listen to the preaching.
00:19:10.67\00:19:11.99
Where is the worship?
00:19:12.02\00:19:15.19
I like to suggest to you
that it's all around you.
00:19:15.22\00:19:18.36
Worship is that
invisible component
00:19:18.39\00:19:21.27
when anyone turns
their hearts sincerely to God
00:19:21.30\00:19:24.79
and gives Him praise
and honor from their heart.
00:19:24.82\00:19:30.38
You see, worship can
be loud as in Psalm 95,
00:19:30.41\00:19:34.04
let us sing for joy to the Lord,
00:19:34.07\00:19:35.65
let us shout aloud to the Rock
00:19:35.68\00:19:38.75
or you can be quiet
as when Elijah heard
00:19:38.78\00:19:44.52
the still small voice
on top of Mount Horeb.
00:19:44.55\00:19:50.97
It doesn't matter
whether the preacher
00:19:51.00\00:19:53.78
challenges you
intellectually or not.
00:19:53.81\00:19:56.07
It doesn't matter
whether your best friends
00:19:56.10\00:19:58.11
are sitting beside you or not.
00:19:58.14\00:20:00.07
It doesn't matter if the
music is beautiful or not.
00:20:00.10\00:20:05.07
Now we hope for
all of these things.
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.01
We like for the
preacher to be engaging
00:20:07.04\00:20:08.94
and educational
and inspirational.
00:20:08.97\00:20:11.52
We like for the music to be
inspirational and beautiful.
00:20:11.55\00:20:14.69
We like all of our
friends to be there with us
00:20:14.72\00:20:17.18
but all of those
things are not worship.
00:20:17.21\00:20:21.30
You see, worship is something
that is best done I believe
00:20:21.33\00:20:27.45
in a group of people
where we can have an environment
00:20:27.48\00:20:30.19
where a worship can
take place spontaneously.
00:20:30.22\00:20:33.25
But ultimately
worship is a personal thing.
00:20:33.28\00:20:36.71
Worship is what happens
00:20:36.74\00:20:38.24
between you and
God spontaneously,
00:20:38.27\00:20:41.24
directly from your soul to God.
00:20:41.27\00:20:45.05
Is it possible to
worship God all alone
00:20:45.08\00:20:49.43
by yourself in your house?
00:20:49.46\00:20:51.15
Yes, it is.
00:20:51.18\00:20:52.79
Is it possible to worship God
00:20:52.82\00:20:54.58
out on a mountain top somewhere?
00:20:54.61\00:20:56.39
Oh, yes, I had been
there, I have done it.
00:20:56.42\00:20:59.59
Is it possible to worship God
00:20:59.62\00:21:02.12
while you are traveling
down the highway to work?
00:21:02.15\00:21:05.21
Yes, it is.
00:21:05.24\00:21:08.94
But as in the days
of Jeroboam and Rehoboam
00:21:08.97\00:21:13.63
worship is also
designed to unite us
00:21:13.66\00:21:16.79
as we seek the Lord together.
00:21:16.82\00:21:19.17
There is a component of
worship that cannot be alone.
00:21:19.20\00:21:23.20
Worship has a
force and a meaning
00:21:23.23\00:21:28.32
that cannot be had any
other place than with--
00:21:28.35\00:21:31.13
than when you are with
fellow believers in Christ.
00:21:31.16\00:21:35.55
It's a wonderful thing
when true worship happens.
00:21:35.58\00:21:38.62
At the heart of worship though,
00:21:38.65\00:21:41.01
at the very heart of worship
is the kind of person God is.
00:21:41.04\00:21:45.10
The object of our worship
00:21:45.13\00:21:46.40
is what's important not
the quality of our worship.
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.80
We don't worship, worship,
we worship God in Christ.
00:21:49.83\00:21:57.01
All through Old
Testament history
00:21:57.04\00:21:59.46
we have a
picture of a loving God
00:21:59.49\00:22:02.07
who is doing anything
He can to reach His people,
00:22:02.10\00:22:05.09
anything He can.
00:22:05.12\00:22:06.52
And He has to deal with the most
00:22:06.55\00:22:08.04
severe circumstances sometimes.
00:22:08.07\00:22:11.09
Slaves in Egypt are
needed to be delivered.
00:22:11.12\00:22:14.87
Daniel in lions den,
00:22:14.90\00:22:17.78
he dealt with every
conceivable human situation
00:22:17.81\00:22:20.92
and in every situation
00:22:20.95\00:22:22.37
he tries to point the
people up toward himself
00:22:22.40\00:22:26.70
and the kind of person he was.
00:22:26.73\00:22:28.08
The Ten
Commandments the great law
00:22:28.11\00:22:30.20
was intended to be a
revelation of God's character
00:22:30.23\00:22:33.19
to attract
people so that they knew
00:22:33.22\00:22:35.06
who they were worshipping.
00:22:35.09\00:22:36.96
And finally the
pinnacle of God's revelation
00:22:36.99\00:22:40.74
about Himself was
that God man, Jesus Christ.
00:22:40.77\00:22:46.37
He is the clearest
revelation in history
00:22:46.40\00:22:50.47
of who God really was.
00:22:50.50\00:22:51.77
You want to know
what God is like?
00:22:51.80\00:22:53.53
You want to know what
God's personality is like?
00:22:53.56\00:22:56.46
What He likes,
what He doesn't like,
00:22:56.49\00:22:58.51
how He treats people?
00:22:58.54\00:23:00.27
You want to know
what God is like?
00:23:00.30\00:23:01.79
You look at Jesus Christ
00:23:01.82\00:23:03.38
because that's what God is like.
00:23:03.41\00:23:05.39
Jesus came to earth
to reveal the Father.
00:23:05.42\00:23:10.79
Do you know God?
00:23:10.82\00:23:12.78
I mean, do you really know Him?
00:23:12.81\00:23:16.08
If you really want to know God
00:23:16.11\00:23:18.69
I invite you to
spend time with Him.
00:23:18.72\00:23:21.26
Spend time praying and studying
00:23:21.29\00:23:26.10
and experiencing who He is.
00:23:26.13\00:23:29.98
And because we are
selfish human beings
00:23:30.01\00:23:32.39
it is best to not
neglect the solitary study
00:23:32.42\00:23:37.31
and prayer and worship
00:23:37.34\00:23:38.87
but to do it with your
human believing family.
00:23:38.90\00:23:45.74
My friends, there
is no greater thing.
00:23:45.77\00:23:49.37
There is no higher
purpose in human existence
00:23:49.40\00:23:53.99
than to know the person
that you are worshipping.
00:23:54.02\00:23:58.55
There is no
better way to worship God
00:23:58.58\00:24:02.26
than to know Him personally
in the person of Jesus Christ.
00:24:02.29\00:24:07.75
A couple of years ago
I came across something
00:24:07.78\00:24:12.91
that just grabbed my soul.
00:24:12.94\00:24:15.58
I wish I had
written it but I didn't.
00:24:15.61\00:24:17.59
Its part of a sermon by
a pastor Samuel Lockridge,
00:24:17.62\00:24:22.11
it's entitled "That's my King!
00:24:22.14\00:24:24.90
The Bible says, my
king is a Seven Way King.
00:24:24.93\00:24:29.17
He's the King of the
Jews, that's a racial King.
00:24:29.20\00:24:31.60
He's the King of
Israel, that's a National King.
00:24:31.63\00:24:34.14
He's the King of righteousness.
00:24:34.17\00:24:35.89
He's the King of the
ages. He's the King of Heaven.
00:24:35.92\00:24:39.07
He's the King of glory.
00:24:39.10\00:24:40.31
He's the King of kings
and He is the Lord of lords.
00:24:40.34\00:24:42.77
That's my King. Well I
wonder if you know Him.
00:24:42.80\00:24:47.48
David said the Heavens
declare the glory of God,
00:24:47.51\00:24:52.04
the firmament
show His handiwork.
00:24:52.07\00:24:54.53
My King is a sovereign King.
00:24:54.56\00:24:56.46
No means of measure can
define His limitless love.
00:24:56.49\00:25:00.44
No far seeing telescope
can bring into visibility
00:25:00.47\00:25:04.29
the coastline of
His shore of supplies.
00:25:04.32\00:25:07.23
He's entirely sincere.
He's eternally steadfast.
00:25:07.26\00:25:10.85
He's immortally graceful.
He's imperially powerful.
00:25:10.88\00:25:14.23
He's impartially merciful.
00:25:14.26\00:25:16.51
Do you know Him?
00:25:16.54\00:25:18.06
He's the greatest phenomenon
00:25:18.09\00:25:19.51
across the
horizon of this world.
00:25:19.54\00:25:22.21
He's God's Son.
He's the sinner's Savior.
00:25:22.24\00:25:25.26
He's the
centerpiece of civilization.
00:25:25.29\00:25:28.21
He stands alone in
solitude of Himself.
00:25:28.24\00:25:32.60
He's august and He's unique.
00:25:32.63\00:25:34.62
He's unparalleled.
He's unprecedented.
00:25:34.65\00:25:37.21
He's the loftiest
idea in literature.
00:25:37.24\00:25:39.26
He's the highest
personality in philosophy.
00:25:39.29\00:25:43.58
He's the supreme
problem in high criticism.
00:25:43.61\00:25:46.07
He's the fundamental
doctrine of true theology.
00:25:46.10\00:25:49.44
He's the carnal
necessity of spiritual religion.
00:25:49.47\00:25:53.64
He's the miracle of the age.
00:25:53.67\00:25:54.98
He's the superlative
of everything good thing
00:25:55.01\00:25:58.02
that you choose to call Him.
00:25:58.05\00:25:59.48
He's the only one qualified
to be an all sufficient Savior.
00:25:59.51\00:26:03.65
I wonder do you know Him today?
00:26:03.68\00:26:06.54
He supplies
strength for the weak.
00:26:06.57\00:26:08.47
He's available for
the tempted and the tried.
00:26:08.50\00:26:11.86
He sympathizes and He saves.
00:26:11.89\00:26:16.01
He strengthens and sustains.
00:26:16.04\00:26:17.52
He guards and He
guides. He heals the sick.
00:26:17.55\00:26:19.96
He cleansed the
lepers. He forgives sinners.
00:26:19.99\00:26:22.51
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captive.
00:26:22.54\00:26:27.01
He defends the
feeble. He blesses the young.
00:26:27.04\00:26:30.65
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
00:26:30.68\00:26:33.42
He rewards the diligent.
He beautifies the meek.
00:26:33.45\00:26:39.58
Well, I wonder if you know Him?
00:26:39.61\00:26:42.65
Well, my King He's
the key to knowledge.
00:26:42.68\00:26:45.53
He's the wellspring of wisdom.
00:26:45.56\00:26:47.49
He's the doorway of deliverance.
00:26:47.52\00:26:48.89
He's the pathway of peace.
00:26:48.92\00:26:50.39
He's the roadway
of righteousness.
00:26:50.42\00:26:52.20
He's the highway of holiness.
00:26:52.23\00:26:53.80
He's the gateway of glory.
00:26:53.83\00:26:58.40
Do you know Him? Well,
His office is manifold.
00:26:58.43\00:27:01.64
His promise is sure.
His light is matchless.
00:27:01.67\00:27:04.36
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
00:27:04.39\00:27:07.63
His love never
changes. His Word is enough.
00:27:07.66\00:27:09.80
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
00:27:09.83\00:27:15.16
His yoke is easy
and His burden is light.
00:27:15.19\00:27:18.14
I wish I could
describe Him to you,
00:27:18.17\00:27:19.60
but He's indescribable.
00:27:19.63\00:27:20.92
He's incomprehensible.
00:27:20.95\00:27:22.34
He's invincible.
He's irresistible.
00:27:22.37\00:27:24.78
Oh, you can't get
Him out of your mind.
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.43
You can't get
Him off of your hand.
00:27:26.46\00:27:28.72
And the Pharisees
they couldn't stand Him,
00:27:28.75\00:27:31.23
but they found out
they couldn't stop Him.
00:27:31.26\00:27:33.82
Pilate couldn't
find any fault in Him.
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.56
The witnesses couldn't get
their testimonies to agree.
00:27:36.59\00:27:39.21
Herod couldn't kill Him.
00:27:39.24\00:27:40.61
Death couldn't handle Him
00:27:40.64\00:27:41.99
and the grave couldn't hold Him.
00:27:42.02\00:27:43.90
Yeah, that's my
King. That's my King.
00:27:43.93\00:27:46.86
Yeah, and thine be the
Kingdom and the power and glory,
00:27:46.89\00:27:50.16
forever and ever and
ever and ever and ever
00:27:50.19\00:27:52.23
and how long is that?
00:27:52.26\00:27:53.29
And when you get through
with all of the forever's,
00:27:53.32\00:27:55.26
then, amen.
00:27:55.29\00:27:56.48
Good God, Almighty, amen.
00:27:56.51\00:27:59.29