The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says, "To
receive with meekness
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the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
"The Least of These."
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Hello, and welcome the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone.
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And we're so glad
that you have joined us
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for the study
of the Word of God.
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We're on lesson number
six, "Worship the Creator,"
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and our study of
"The Least of These."
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How God calls us to
get out of ourselves
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and to minister
to those in need.
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Last week was
just an anointed study,
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"The Old Testament Prophets,"
and their cry for repentance
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to turn from oppression,
to turn from injustice,
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to turn from idol worship,
and to worship the true God.
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This week Worship the Creator
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will be a
wonderful study as well.
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I want to encourage you
if you want your own copy
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of the Sabbath School quarterly,
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you can download it
at ABSG.Adventist.org,
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that stands for
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AdultBibleStudyGuide.Adventist.
org.
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We always encourage you to visit
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your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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They would give you a quarterly
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and you can
follow along with them.
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I want to introduce
our panel at this time.
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To my left,
Pastor John Lomacang,
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it is a
privilege to have you here.
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We have been
blessed by this lesson
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and we know the
Lord will bless again.
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Praise God for that. Amen!
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And we love studying together.
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I don't know if that
comes through our home
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but we love studying together.
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Pastor Ryan Day,
another brother in the Lord
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and thank you for being here.
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Amen, it's always
exciting to study God's Word.
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Amen, and to your left
is my sister Shelley Quinn.
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Thank you, Shelley,
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for your
insight into God's Word.
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I'll tell you what?
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I enjoy so much
each person's study
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because, you know,
we're not just teaching here,
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we're learning,
so it's blessing.
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Amen, and to your left
is my sister and friend,
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Miss Mollie Steenson.
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We're delighted that you're back
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and your studying with us.
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Thank you so much.
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You know, I take so many notes
that I've used all the ink up
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in one of my ink pens
and I had to get another one.
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I love the teaching
that is coming forward.
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Amen.
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And we hope that you
are taking notes at home
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before we go any further,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
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Pastor John,
would you pray for us?
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Sure.
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Precious Father in
heaven, wisdom and understanding
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belong to You alone.
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We open our cups, Lord,
and we say, fill our cups.
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We pray that
You'll pour into us,
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Lord, that as we pour
out, that it will be evident
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that we have been with Jesus.
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Anoint this lesson, may
the understanding be clear,
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may the points be concise,
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may all the glory and
praise go to You alone.
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In Jesus name I pray, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Thank you so much. This
week, Worship the Creator.
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I just want to
start out with a question,
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"What is true worship?
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Is worship about a
person or a divine being?
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Is worship about a
location or a place?
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Is worship about my motivation,
and the attitude of my heart?
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What is worship?
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Can you be "religious"
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and not actually
engage in worship?"
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I would submit to
you that that is true.
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Jesus, this is Matthew 15:8-9,
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Jesus, this is quoting actually
from the Prophet Isaiah.
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"These people draw
near to Me with their mouth,
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and honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
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In vain they worship Me,
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teaching as doctrines
the commandments of men."
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We can have all the trappings,
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the outward
appearance of religion,
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and actually never
engage in true worship.
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Worship is about
the heart and motive.
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It's about loving God
with all our heart, mind,
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soul and strength and
our neighbor as ourself.
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As we've been studying
this quarter in particular,
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who was our neighbor
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and reaching
out to our neighbor.
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There's two aspects to worship,
before we read our memory text,
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I want to look at
in the Book of Hebrews.
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Hebrews 13:15-16.
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Hebrews 13:15-16, it
says, "Therefore by Him
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let us continually offer
the sacrifice of praise to God,
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that is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name."
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So the word sacrifice
in the Greek is offering.
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Let us offer to
God the sacrifice
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or the offering of praise.
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This is worship.
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And what is this act of worship?
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It's an act of the mouth.
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This is physically praising God,
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gathering
together in praise to God
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in repentance and joyous praise.
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Now there's another act
of worship in the next verse.
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"Do not forget to
do good and to share,
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for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased."
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The same word for sacrifice
is that word for offering.
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So worship is an
act of the mouth,
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but it's also an act of
love with the hands and feet.
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Acts of love, the sacrifice
for the good of other people.
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And that's our focus
is that worship of love
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with our hands and
feet for other people.
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Isaiah talks about
that, that's our memory text.
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Isaiah 58:6-7.
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"Is not this the
fast that I have chosen,
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to loose the
bonds of wickedness,
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to undo the heavy burdens,
to let the oppressed go free,
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And that you break every yoke?"
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This is worship,
what's taking place here.
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That's right.
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"Is it not to share
your bread with the hungry,
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and that you bring
to your house the poor
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who are cast out,
when you see the naked,
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that you cover him,
and not hide yourself
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from your own flesh?"
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On Sunday, we look at
idolatry and oppression.
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And I know worship
throughout the Bible
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is linked to oppression
and mistreatment of others.
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Why?
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Because something
else is supplanting
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God in our affections.
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And when we don't truly look at
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and worship and adore Him alone,
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other things take
the place, what happens?
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Selfishness creeps
in, pride creeps in,
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and I forget to even look
at the needs of other people.
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There's a principle
I want you to remember,
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if you remember nothing
else from Sunday's lesson,
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remember this.
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We become what we behold.
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2 Corinthians 3:18,
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"We all with open face
beholding as in a glass,
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the glory of the Lord
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are changed into the same
image from glory to glory."
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If we behold Jesus,
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we become like Him in character.
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We learn to love like He loves,
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and we learn to
live like He lives,
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and we learn to
serve other people
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as He served other people.
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If you look at the Bible,
the history of idol worship
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in the Bible, I think of Jacob,
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remember when
he fled from Laban,
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and he took his
wives and his children
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and all his flocks and herds,
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and he's running back to
the land of his father's.
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And then Laban pursued him, why?
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Well, of course,
because Jacob left,
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but he's looking for his
idols that Rachel had stolen
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from her father's tent.
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I think of the
children of Israel
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when they left Egypt,
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God had given
tremendous miracles,
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the parting of the Red Sea.
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He had sweetened the
bitter waters at Marah.
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He had provided
manna in the wilderness.
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He had provided water.
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He had given the
Israelites victory
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over the Amalekites.
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And on their
journey just a short while
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after they left the Red Sea,
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they arrived at
the base of Mount Sinai
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and The Ten
Commandments were given.
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Exodus 20, the
first two commandments
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specifically deal
with that idol worship
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which is what
Sunday's lesson's about.
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Commandment number
one, we're in Exodus 20:3,
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"You shall have no
other gods before me."
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Commandment number two,
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"You shall not make
for yourself a graven,"
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King James is
graven, New King James says,
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"a carved image,
any likeness of anything
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that is in heaven above,
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or that is in the earth beneath,
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or that is in the
water under the earth,
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you shall not bow down
to them nor serve them.
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For I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God,
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visiting the
iniquity of the fathers
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upon the children
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to the third and
fourth generations
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of those who hate Me, but
showing mercy to thousands,
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for those who love Me
and keep My commandments."
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And the first two
commandments are given there.
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And now you notice, it says,
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"I, the Lord, am a jealous God."
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Now we always think of
jealousy is an evil attribute.
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And jealousy is
an evil attribute
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when you are jealous of someone.
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Another words, you
are envious of someone.
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It's something or
someone or something
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that you don't possess,
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and you think I
have the right to this.
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That's an evil jealousy.
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But this godly
jealousy is a jealousy for
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because God owns us.
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He created us,
and He redeemed us.
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So He doesn't want anything
coming between us and Him.
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If we have an idol
and an idol is literally
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anything that we put in value.
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We think about
more, we look at more,
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our heart
affections go out after more,
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anything that
gives more value to that
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instead of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
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So the Israelites
affirmed of the covenant
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and this is in Exodus 24:3,
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the people
answered with one voice,
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what did they say?
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All that the Lord has
said, we're going to do,
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Pastor John, we're going to do.
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And Moses went
up into the mount,
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after that point for 40
days and nights to be with God
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and receive the
rest of the ordinances.
00:10:00.86\00:10:03.67
Aaron and Hur went
back down to the people
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and the people
got pretty restless.
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Exodus 32:1,
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"Now when the people saw
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that Moses delayed
coming down from the mountain,
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the people gathered together
to Aaron and said to him,
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'Come, make us gods
that shall go before us
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for as for this Moses,
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the man who brought us
up out of the land of Egypt,
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we do not know what
has become of him.'"
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Just a few days
before, God has said,
00:10:27.59\00:10:30.99
"You shall have no
other gods before me."
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And they had eagerly said,
00:10:32.96\00:10:34.30
"Oh, yes, we're
going to follow You, God."
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And then they're all ready,
ready to turn to idol worship.
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Aaron called for the
jewelry and we know the story.
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He made a molten calf,
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which the people
began to worship in verse 6,
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we're in Exodus 32:6,
00:10:49.54\00:10:51.71
"They rose early the
next day," this is the people,
00:10:51.75\00:10:53.78
"they offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings,
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and the people sat
down to eat and drink,
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and rose up to play."
00:10:57.59\00:10:59.65
Which has a sexual reference
for some pagan worship.
00:10:59.69\00:11:04.09
That's not the best going
on here at the golden calf.
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Aaron followed the people,
instead of leading the people,
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and the
Israelites so quickly forgot
00:11:14.40\00:11:16.40
what God had just told them.
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I see a difference here
between Moses and Aaron.
00:11:19.77\00:11:22.08
Moses established a
pattern for true worship,
00:11:22.11\00:11:24.75
Aaron established a
pattern for false worship.
00:11:24.78\00:11:27.88
Moses listen to
God and obeyed Him,
00:11:27.92\00:11:30.99
Aaron listened to the people
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and did what the
people wanted him to do.
00:11:32.75\00:11:35.39
Moses made an altar,
Aaron also made an altar.
00:11:35.42\00:11:38.73
Moses offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings,
00:11:38.76\00:11:41.53
and Aaron did the same.
00:11:41.56\00:11:43.16
Moses went up into the
mountain with the 70 elders,
00:11:43.20\00:11:46.10
and there they
shared the covenant meal,
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Aaron declared a feast
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and the Israelites
had a drunken orgy.
00:11:50.01\00:11:53.48
We know as we look throughout
the history of Israel,
00:11:53.51\00:11:57.45
one of the most pivotal
points I think of a idol worship
00:11:57.48\00:12:00.28
is Elijah on Mount Carmel,
00:12:00.32\00:12:02.58
and there's the
400 prophets of Baal
00:12:02.62\00:12:04.42
and then the 400
prophets of the Grove,
00:12:04.45\00:12:06.55
and then God clearly
declared that He alone is God.
00:12:06.59\00:12:12.69
Psalm 115,
00:12:12.73\00:12:14.06
we don't have
time to read it all.
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.30
But it talks about the
danger of idol worship,
00:12:16.33\00:12:19.90
because the
works of men's hands,
00:12:19.93\00:12:22.40
they have mouths,
but they don't speak
00:12:22.44\00:12:24.31
and they have eyes
but they can't see.
00:12:24.34\00:12:26.74
They have ears,
but they can't hear.
00:12:26.78\00:12:29.11
They have noses
and they cannot smell.
00:12:29.14\00:12:31.35
They have hands, but
they can't even touch."
00:12:31.38\00:12:34.22
So an idol is
anything in my life
00:12:34.25\00:12:36.92
that takes priority over God.
00:12:36.95\00:12:41.26
So what is the
danger in idolatry?
00:12:41.29\00:12:44.59
We become what we behold.
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.76
Psalm 115:8,
00:12:47.80\00:12:50.17
"Those who make
them," meaning idols,
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.40
"those who make
idols become like them,
00:12:52.43\00:12:56.00
so is everyone
who trusts in them."
00:12:56.04\00:12:59.17
So if I worship something else
that can be clothes or food,
00:12:59.21\00:13:04.61
or money or cars,
or position or power,
00:13:04.65\00:13:06.88
or people or influence,
or self or selfishness,
00:13:06.92\00:13:09.55
or pride or
arrogance, or envy or jealousy,
00:13:09.58\00:13:12.05
or anything that is
in the place of God,
00:13:12.09\00:13:15.22
I become what I behold.
00:13:15.26\00:13:18.59
The danger in idolatry
00:13:18.63\00:13:19.96
is means we short circuit
our relationship with God
00:13:20.00\00:13:22.96
and we sever that
relationship with God.
00:13:23.00\00:13:26.97
So God calls us
not to worship idols,
00:13:27.00\00:13:30.17
but to worship Him alone.
00:13:30.21\00:13:31.87
Amen.
00:13:31.91\00:13:33.24
Thank you, Jill,
00:13:33.27\00:13:34.61
for laying that
foundation about worship.
00:13:34.64\00:13:35.98
Mine is Monday,
00:13:36.01\00:13:37.88
and "The Reasons to Worship."
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.35
The Reason to Worship.
00:13:41.38\00:13:43.28
Now, worship is
and has always been
00:13:43.32\00:13:48.89
and will be the deciding issue.
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.73
Yes, amen.
00:13:50.76\00:13:52.09
It has been, it is and
will be the deciding issue.
00:13:52.13\00:13:56.06
In the Great Controversy,
00:13:56.10\00:13:58.07
we find in the beginning
of the Great Controversy,
00:13:58.10\00:14:01.47
when you read the claims.
00:14:01.50\00:14:03.20
Let's go to Isaiah 14,
00:14:03.24\00:14:04.67
when you read the claims
00:14:04.71\00:14:07.11
that laid the foundation
for the Great Controversy.
00:14:07.14\00:14:10.05
And by the way, Jill,
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.41
I'm not in the
comforting part of Isaiah.
00:14:11.45\00:14:14.35
Are you in the judgment part?
00:14:14.38\00:14:15.72
Judgment part of Isaiah. Okay.
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.75
You know, when
we read the scenario
00:14:17.79\00:14:21.19
what devil had claimed
00:14:21.22\00:14:22.96
he would one day
rightfully be able to insight.
00:14:22.99\00:14:28.60
Notice, His claims
in Isaiah Chapter 14,
00:14:28.63\00:14:32.83
and we're going to
begin with verse 12.
00:14:32.87\00:14:35.74
"How are you fallen from heaven,
00:14:35.77\00:14:37.37
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
00:14:37.41\00:14:39.74
How you are cut
down to the ground,
00:14:39.77\00:14:41.94
You who weakened the nation!
00:14:41.98\00:14:44.48
For you have
said in your heart,"
00:14:44.51\00:14:46.08
notice all the claims of worship
00:14:46.11\00:14:47.62
going to now
enter into the picture,
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.68
"I will ascend into heaven,"
00:14:49.72\00:14:51.82
only God has
that rightful claim.
00:14:51.85\00:14:54.02
"I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God,"
00:14:54.06\00:14:56.73
throne where God
alone is worshipped.
00:14:56.76\00:14:58.76
You'll see the throne is
the focus point of worship
00:14:58.79\00:15:01.13
in Revelation Chapter
4, Revelation Chapter 5.
00:15:01.16\00:15:04.00
The throne room
is where we run into,
00:15:04.03\00:15:06.87
and the throne room
00:15:06.90\00:15:08.24
is the central focus
of the place of worship.
00:15:08.27\00:15:11.51
God is the central
figure of the person of worship.
00:15:11.54\00:15:14.64
He wants all these items
and He wants to be worshipped.
00:15:14.68\00:15:20.15
The third reason,
00:15:20.18\00:15:21.52
"I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation
00:15:21.55\00:15:23.72
On the farthest
sides of the north,"
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.49
a place that God alone
is worthy of occupying,
00:15:25.52\00:15:28.52
"I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds,
00:15:28.56\00:15:30.86
I will be like the Most High.'"
00:15:30.89\00:15:33.53
And the only
thing that is ascribed
00:15:33.56\00:15:34.93
to the Most High is worship.
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.57
That's the way the
Great Controversy began.
00:15:37.60\00:15:39.90
And that is why when
we go now to Revelation,
00:15:39.93\00:15:41.87
let's go to the counterpart.
00:15:41.90\00:15:44.11
When we go to Revelation,
00:15:44.14\00:15:46.27
the very thing that Satan
has successfully led the world
00:15:46.31\00:15:48.88
to do arbitrarily and
falsely is to worship,
00:15:48.91\00:15:53.82
and that is exactly
what the warnings are.
00:15:53.85\00:15:57.39
And I refer to this
as a global warning.
00:15:57.42\00:16:00.92
This is a global warning,
00:16:00.96\00:16:02.69
not a global
warming, a global warning.
00:16:02.72\00:16:04.43
It's good.
00:16:04.46\00:16:06.29
Notice, Revelation Chapter 14,
00:16:06.33\00:16:08.73
and we're going to look
at the everlasting gospel.
00:16:08.76\00:16:11.13
You see, the reason I begin
with the everlasting gospel
00:16:11.17\00:16:13.10
here is the everlasting gospel
00:16:13.13\00:16:16.20
has always established
the parameters of worship.
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.24
Here it is, verse 7.
00:16:19.27\00:16:22.21
It says, "Saying
with a loud voice,
00:16:22.24\00:16:24.15
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.95
for the hour of
His judgment has come,
00:16:26.98\00:16:29.08
and worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:16:29.12\00:16:33.42
and the sea and the
springs of waters.'"
00:16:33.46\00:16:35.49
But you'll see also
in the very same vein,
00:16:35.52\00:16:37.49
the warning now of false worship
00:16:37.53\00:16:39.43
is also included.
00:16:39.46\00:16:40.80
Verse 9, "Then a
third angel followed them,
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.80
saying with a loud voice,
00:16:43.83\00:16:45.40
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image,
00:16:45.43\00:16:48.54
and receives his mark,
00:16:48.57\00:16:51.47
on his forehead, or on his hand,
00:16:51.51\00:16:52.97
he himself or
the same shall drink
00:16:53.01\00:16:54.84
of the wine of the wrath of God,
00:16:54.88\00:16:56.21
which is poured
out full strength
00:16:56.24\00:16:58.11
into the cup of
His indignation.'"
00:16:58.15\00:16:59.88
And it says,
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.25
"And he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
00:17:01.28\00:17:03.28
in the presence
of the holy angels
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.25
and in the
presence of the Lamb.'"
00:17:05.29\00:17:06.65
Why?
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.02
When you usurp
what belongs to God,
00:17:08.06\00:17:10.03
there is a penalty.
00:17:10.06\00:17:12.26
But when you
participate in what alone is,
00:17:12.29\00:17:17.43
God is worthy of,
then there is a benefit.
00:17:17.47\00:17:20.20
So we have to decide,
00:17:20.24\00:17:21.57
do we want the penalty
or do we want the benefit?
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.27
The benefit is, God
brings us into His presence.
00:17:24.31\00:17:26.61
So what I want to
focus on are the motives,
00:17:26.64\00:17:28.74
the reasons why God
is worthy of our worship.
00:17:28.78\00:17:32.38
Let's begin by
looking at Exodus 5:2.
00:17:32.41\00:17:37.19
First of all,
00:17:37.22\00:17:38.55
Pharaoh was one of
the first arrogant ones
00:17:38.59\00:17:41.16
described in the Bible,
00:17:41.19\00:17:42.82
not the first but one of those
00:17:42.86\00:17:45.16
who had lorded his
authority over the people of God
00:17:45.19\00:17:47.70
and making them slaves
00:17:47.73\00:17:49.23
when they began to
outnumber the Egyptians.
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.93
And a very
important request was made.
00:17:51.97\00:17:54.40
And I put this in
the form of a request
00:17:54.44\00:17:57.01
because Moses was in essence,
he was not saying to Pharaoh,
00:17:57.04\00:18:00.81
"Now God is asking for
you to let us people go."
00:18:00.84\00:18:04.85
He says, "God has given
you an opportunity to do it."
00:18:04.88\00:18:08.75
He's not appealing to you
00:18:08.78\00:18:10.12
to accomplish
something he cannot.
00:18:10.15\00:18:12.02
But he's starting with you.
00:18:12.05\00:18:13.39
"Are you willing to do this?"
00:18:13.42\00:18:15.69
See, willingness
often cancels judgment.
00:18:15.72\00:18:20.93
If he was
willing... Say that gain.
00:18:20.96\00:18:22.30
Willingness
often cancels judgment.
00:18:22.33\00:18:25.87
If he was willing,
00:18:25.90\00:18:27.24
he wouldn't have
to endure the judgment
00:18:27.27\00:18:28.60
that came from
his unwillingness.
00:18:28.64\00:18:30.54
Willingness cancels judgment.
00:18:30.57\00:18:32.47
And he said, Pharaoh said,
"Who is the Lord," Exodus 5:2,
00:18:32.51\00:18:36.48
"that I should obey
His voice to let Israel go?
00:18:36.51\00:18:39.58
I do not know the Lord,
nor will I let Israel go."
00:18:39.61\00:18:44.19
One of the first
parameters of worship
00:18:44.22\00:18:45.69
is you have to know the Lord.
00:18:45.72\00:18:47.56
One of the reasons why Pharaoh
would not acknowledge God is,
00:18:47.59\00:18:49.49
he didn't know him.
00:18:49.52\00:18:50.86
And he didn't know
00:18:50.89\00:18:52.23
because God had
made himself unavailable,
00:18:52.26\00:18:54.63
but he didn't want to know Him.
00:18:54.66\00:18:56.36
And so, if you want to know God,
00:18:56.40\00:18:59.53
He will be known of you.
00:18:59.57\00:19:00.90
Seek the Lord while
He may be found, Isaiah?
00:19:00.94\00:19:03.84
Call Him upon while He is near.
00:19:03.87\00:19:05.21
Call upon Him while He is near.
00:19:05.24\00:19:07.44
Let the wicked forsake his ways,
00:19:07.48\00:19:09.51
the unrighteous
man his thoughts.
00:19:09.54\00:19:11.21
And so you have to see,
if you want to know God,
00:19:11.25\00:19:13.48
you will know Him.
00:19:13.52\00:19:14.85
He'll make Himself available.
00:19:14.88\00:19:16.22
And seek the
Lord while He is near.
00:19:16.25\00:19:18.39
But let's look at
Deuteronomy 10:17, reasons,
00:19:18.42\00:19:22.72
and there are so
many reasons here.
00:19:22.76\00:19:24.23
It's just actually beautiful
to read the reasons listed
00:19:24.26\00:19:26.96
in Deuteronomy 10:17-22.
00:19:27.00\00:19:30.23
And I'm going to go
through those very quickly.
00:19:30.27\00:19:32.93
Now, Moses really
list this beautiful.
00:19:32.97\00:19:35.60
It's just a soliloquy about God.
00:19:35.64\00:19:37.81
I believe, he's not writing this
00:19:37.84\00:19:39.87
because he's just
writing it as a fact.
00:19:39.91\00:19:41.88
I think he's caught up in
the beauty of this worship
00:19:41.91\00:19:44.68
that belongs to God
00:19:44.71\00:19:46.05
that God is giving him
the privilege to communicate.
00:19:46.08\00:19:48.28
He says, "For
the Lord your God,"
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.49
reason one,
00:19:50.52\00:19:51.85
"for the Lord your
God is God of gods,"
00:19:51.89\00:19:53.89
one of the
reasons to worship Him,
00:19:53.92\00:19:55.82
"and Lord of lords,"
00:19:55.86\00:19:57.19
another reason to worship Him,
00:19:57.23\00:19:58.63
"the great God,"
00:19:58.66\00:20:00.00
another reason to worship
Him, "mighty and awesome,"
00:20:00.03\00:20:02.10
another reason,
00:20:02.13\00:20:03.47
"who shows no
partiality nor takes a bribe,"
00:20:03.50\00:20:06.20
another reason to worship Him.
00:20:06.23\00:20:09.00
"He administers," what?
00:20:09.04\00:20:11.11
"Justice for the
fatherless, and the widow,"
00:20:11.14\00:20:14.58
praise the Lord for that,
00:20:14.61\00:20:16.34
"and loves the stranger,
giving him food and clothing."
00:20:16.38\00:20:19.78
All these are
reasons that Moses is listing
00:20:19.81\00:20:22.58
as to why God is
worthy of worship,
00:20:22.62\00:20:24.89
but he continues,
now he's telling us,
00:20:24.92\00:20:28.29
if the Lord that you
worship is worthy of these,
00:20:28.32\00:20:30.79
let's emulate
Him, let's be like Him.
00:20:30.83\00:20:32.83
"Therefore, love the stranger,
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.36
for you were
strangers in the land of Egypt.
00:20:35.40\00:20:37.83
You shall fear
the Lord your God,
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.93
you shall serve Him and
to Him you shall hold fast,
00:20:39.97\00:20:45.54
and take oaths in His name.
00:20:45.57\00:20:47.98
And here's another reason,
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.34
"He is your
praise, and He is your God,
00:20:49.38\00:20:52.28
who has done for you
these great and awesome things
00:20:52.31\00:20:56.12
which your eyes have seen.
00:20:56.15\00:20:58.72
Your father's went down to
Egypt with seventy persons,
00:20:58.75\00:21:02.99
and now the Lord
your God has made you
00:21:03.02\00:21:05.69
as the stars of
heaven in multitude."
00:21:05.73\00:21:09.10
In other words, you
went down in a small number,
00:21:09.13\00:21:10.93
but look at how
you're coming out.
00:21:10.97\00:21:12.47
And we know the
Lord brought them out
00:21:12.50\00:21:14.30
with a mighty hand.
00:21:14.34\00:21:15.90
Another reason to worship God,
Psalm 101:1, I included this,
00:21:15.94\00:21:19.97
I think a few weeks ago,
but I want to put it back here.
00:21:20.01\00:21:23.08
Because I love the
way the Bible says this.
00:21:23.11\00:21:25.31
Psalm 101:1,
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.78
"I will sing of
mercy and justice, to You,
00:21:27.82\00:21:30.62
O Lord, I will sing praises."
00:21:30.65\00:21:32.65
God is worthy of our praises,
00:21:32.69\00:21:34.29
not only the
worthy to be worshipped,
00:21:34.32\00:21:36.26
but there's a
difference between,
00:21:36.29\00:21:38.49
I'm a musician,
00:21:38.53\00:21:39.86
there's a difference between
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.23
singing songs,
and worshipping God.
00:21:41.26\00:21:43.47
Amen. Thank you.
00:21:43.50\00:21:45.60
Some people sing,
but they don't worship.
00:21:45.63\00:21:48.40
That's right.
00:21:48.44\00:21:49.77
There's a difference
between singing and worship.
00:21:49.80\00:21:52.37
Psalm 146:5-10,
look at that again,
00:21:52.41\00:21:55.44
another reason to worship God.
00:21:55.48\00:21:57.51
"Happy is he who has the
God of Jacob for his help,
00:21:57.55\00:22:01.45
Whose hope is in
the Lord his God,
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.92
Who made heaven and earth,
00:22:03.95\00:22:05.92
the sea, and
all that is in them.
00:22:05.95\00:22:07.89
Who keeps truth forever,
00:22:07.92\00:22:09.56
Who executes
justice for the oppressed,
00:22:09.59\00:22:11.69
Who gives food to the hungry.
00:22:11.73\00:22:13.43
The Lord gives
freedom to the prisoners."
00:22:13.46\00:22:15.63
If all those reasons
doesn't bring His worthiness
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.33
to be praised, then what else?
00:22:18.37\00:22:20.04
Notice what else He does.
00:22:20.07\00:22:21.54
"The Lord opens
the eyes of the blind.
00:22:21.57\00:22:23.30
The Lord raises
those who are bowed down.
00:22:23.34\00:22:25.21
The Lord loves the righteous.
00:22:25.24\00:22:26.57
The Lord watches
over the strangers.
00:22:26.61\00:22:28.18
He relieves the
fatherless and widow.
00:22:28.21\00:22:30.15
But the way of the
wicked He turns upside down.
00:22:30.18\00:22:32.81
The Lord shall reign forever,
00:22:32.85\00:22:34.42
Your God, O Zion,
to all generations.
00:22:34.45\00:22:36.85
Praise the Lord!"
00:22:36.89\00:22:39.69
David is just caught up.
00:22:39.72\00:22:41.29
Another one, Isaiah 5:16,
00:22:41.32\00:22:43.06
even though this isn't
the part of the judgment,
00:22:43.09\00:22:45.49
there's praise to be found here.
00:22:45.53\00:22:47.30
Isaiah 5:16,
00:22:47.33\00:22:48.86
"But the Lord of hosts
shall be exalted in judgment,
00:22:48.90\00:22:52.10
And God who is holy
00:22:52.13\00:22:53.47
shall be hallowed
in righteousness."
00:22:53.50\00:22:56.14
So He's holy and He's righteous.
00:22:56.17\00:22:58.91
Isaiah 61:11,
00:22:58.94\00:23:00.28
another reason to praise Him.
00:23:00.31\00:23:01.64
"For as the earth
brings forth its bud,
00:23:01.68\00:23:03.95
as the garden causes the things
00:23:03.98\00:23:05.68
that are sown in
it to spring forth,
00:23:05.71\00:23:08.25
so the Lord God will
cause righteousness and praise
00:23:08.28\00:23:12.69
to spring forth
before all nations."
00:23:12.72\00:23:16.59
And my last one,
00:23:16.62\00:23:17.96
I don't have
time for all of them.
00:23:17.99\00:23:19.33
But Psalm 145:8,
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.96
"The Lord is gracious
and full of compassion,
00:23:22.00\00:23:25.37
slow to anger
and great in mercy."
00:23:25.40\00:23:27.90
And I praise Him for that.
00:23:27.94\00:23:29.27
And for that reason,
I choose to worship Him.
00:23:29.30\00:23:31.77
Amen! Amen!
00:23:31.81\00:23:33.14
Thank you so much, Pastor John.
00:23:33.17\00:23:34.71
What a privilege to
worship a God who loves us
00:23:34.74\00:23:37.88
and who is all of those things.
00:23:37.91\00:23:39.95
We're going to
take... And a whole lot more.
00:23:39.98\00:23:41.78
That's right!
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.28
We're gonna take a short break.
00:23:43.32\00:23:44.72
We'll be right back.
00:23:44.75\00:23:46.09
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Welcome back to our
study of Worship the Creator,
00:24:23.96\00:24:26.66
we'll pick up with
Ryan's lesson on Tuesday,
00:24:26.70\00:24:28.96
Religious Oppressor.
00:24:29.00\00:24:30.67
Amen.
00:24:30.70\00:24:32.03
This was an
interesting study indeed.
00:24:32.07\00:24:33.70
And I'm going to begin actually
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.60
with the opening paragraph
of this particular lesson.
00:24:35.64\00:24:38.17
I like how they worded it,
and I just want to begin there.
00:24:38.21\00:24:41.91
In the lesson it says,
00:24:41.94\00:24:43.28
"During the better times
00:24:43.31\00:24:44.65
the kingdoms of
Israel and Judah,
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.42
the people would
return to the temple
00:24:47.45\00:24:49.62
in the worship of God,
00:24:49.65\00:24:51.62
although, even then,
00:24:51.65\00:24:54.92
their worship was
often mixed with inroads
00:24:54.96\00:24:57.63
from idolatry and the religions
of the surrounding nations.
00:24:57.66\00:25:02.13
But according to the prophets,
00:25:02.16\00:25:03.63
even their best attempts
at religion were not enough
00:25:03.67\00:25:08.04
to return them from
the evils perpetrated
00:25:08.07\00:25:11.47
in the lands in
their daily lives.
00:25:11.51\00:25:13.68
And no matter how hard
they worked at being religious,
00:25:13.71\00:25:16.78
through their
rituals of worship,
00:25:16.81\00:25:19.25
the music of their hymns
00:25:19.28\00:25:20.75
could not with drown out this
00:25:20.78\00:25:23.69
the cries of the
poor and oppressed."
00:25:23.72\00:25:26.02
So basically,
00:25:26.05\00:25:28.42
what my lesson is
covering this week
00:25:28.46\00:25:31.26
is considering the fact that
00:25:31.29\00:25:33.70
there are many
people with this idea
00:25:33.73\00:25:35.86
that they can
basically forget about
00:25:35.90\00:25:39.23
or overlook many of
the other major aspects
00:25:39.27\00:25:41.77
of serving God and
serving their fellowman,
00:25:41.80\00:25:43.84
if they just go
through the motions,
00:25:43.87\00:25:45.21
if they just do what is expected
00:25:45.24\00:25:47.54
or sing a few songs,
00:25:47.58\00:25:49.11
say a few prayers, you know,
00:25:49.14\00:25:50.71
maybe with some uplifted hands
and God will just accept that,
00:25:50.75\00:25:54.02
but that is not
always entirely the case.
00:25:54.05\00:25:56.15
In fact, notice how Amos
00:25:56.18\00:25:58.45
describes the people of his day.
00:25:58.49\00:26:00.49
We're going to go
to Amos Chapter 8,
00:26:00.52\00:26:03.39
and I'm going to
read verses 4, 7, 8.
00:26:03.43\00:26:07.53
So Amos 8:4, 7, 8.
00:26:07.56\00:26:11.33
Notice what the Bible says,
00:26:11.37\00:26:13.34
"Hear this,
00:26:13.37\00:26:15.20
you who swallow up the needy,
00:26:15.24\00:26:17.91
and make the
poor of the land fail.
00:26:17.94\00:26:21.71
The Lord has sworn
by the pride of Jacob,
00:26:21.74\00:26:24.61
'Surely I will never
forget any of their works.
00:26:24.65\00:26:28.62
Shall the land
not tremble for this,
00:26:28.65\00:26:32.05
and everyone mourn
who dwells in it?'"
00:26:32.09\00:26:35.62
He says,
00:26:35.66\00:26:37.09
"All of it shall
swell like the river,
00:26:37.13\00:26:40.50
heaven and subside
like the river of Egypt.'"
00:26:40.53\00:26:44.53
And so
basically, Amos what he saw
00:26:44.57\00:26:47.20
was their desire to
get done with their rituals
00:26:47.24\00:26:50.74
so that they
could reopen the market
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.87
and get back to
their dishonest trade,
00:26:52.91\00:26:55.41
that of buying,
according to Amos 8:6, here,
00:26:55.44\00:26:58.81
"The buying the poor with silver
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.62
and the needy for
a pair of sandals."
00:27:00.65\00:27:02.88
And this kind of brings me back
00:27:02.92\00:27:04.65
to that scripture
you read earlier, Jill,
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.62
where Jesus talks about,
"In vain they do worship Me,
00:27:06.65\00:27:09.72
teaching for doctrines
of commandments of men."
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.56
I wonder how often
we worship God in vain
00:27:11.59\00:27:14.76
with a certain
mentality, but yet our heart.
00:27:14.80\00:27:16.90
God knows our heart.
00:27:16.93\00:27:18.27
He knows if we are fully engaged
00:27:18.30\00:27:20.57
in true biblical worship.
00:27:20.60\00:27:22.34
We are worshipping Him
in spirit, and in truth,
00:27:22.37\00:27:24.77
as Jesus said.
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.21
Now notice what God
says also to His people
00:27:26.24\00:27:28.48
about the religious
practices and rituals.
00:27:28.51\00:27:31.48
Actually going to go
over to Isaiah Chapter 1.
00:27:31.51\00:27:34.15
We've been in the Book of Isaiah
00:27:34.18\00:27:35.75
quite a bit
throughout this lesson,
00:27:35.78\00:27:37.12
and that's because it's
full of many wonderful teachings
00:27:37.15\00:27:40.12
on this particular subject.
00:27:40.16\00:27:41.52
Isaiah Chapter 1,
00:27:41.56\00:27:43.16
and I'm going to actually
read verses 10 through 17.
00:27:43.19\00:27:46.53
So what we're looking at here is
00:27:46.56\00:27:47.90
the religious
practices and rituals
00:27:47.93\00:27:50.00
of the people with
this particular mentality.
00:27:50.03\00:27:53.13
So beginning with
verse 10, the Bible says,
00:27:53.17\00:27:54.87
"Hear the Word of the Lord,"
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.97
and I just want to
pause there and say,
00:27:57.01\00:27:58.47
"Hear the Word of the Lord."
00:27:58.51\00:28:00.74
I think much of the
result of this not caring for
00:28:00.78\00:28:06.11
or misusing and abusing
power and not really, you know,
00:28:06.15\00:28:09.18
giving the attention
that God's people really needs
00:28:09.22\00:28:11.85
is basically do
from the lack of hearing,
00:28:11.89\00:28:14.52
and listening
to, and engaging in
00:28:14.56\00:28:16.89
exactly what the Word
of the Lord is telling us.
00:28:16.93\00:28:18.73
So "Hear the Word of the
Lord, you rulers of Sodom.
00:28:18.76\00:28:22.76
Give ear to the law of our God."
00:28:22.80\00:28:25.10
There's another one,
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.47
not just near to
the Word of the Lord,
00:28:26.50\00:28:28.17
but even deeper than
that, the law of the Lord.
00:28:28.20\00:28:31.04
"You people of Gomorrah."
00:28:31.07\00:28:32.81
It goes on to say in verse 11,
00:28:32.84\00:28:34.34
"To what
purpose is the multitude
00:28:34.38\00:28:36.85
of your sacrifices for Me?'"
00:28:36.88\00:28:38.61
So God is questioning,
00:28:38.65\00:28:40.42
"Why are you giving
these sacrifices to Me?"
00:28:40.45\00:28:42.65
It goes on to say,
"'I have had enough
00:28:42.68\00:28:45.05
of burnt offerings of
rams, and the fat of fed cattle.
00:28:45.09\00:28:48.86
I do not delight
in the blood of bulls,
00:28:48.89\00:28:51.59
or of lambs or of goats.
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.10
When you come to
appear before Me,
00:28:54.13\00:28:56.56
who has required
this from your hand,
00:28:56.60\00:28:59.17
to trample My courts?'"
00:28:59.20\00:29:01.10
So again, he's
establishing the fact that,
00:29:01.14\00:29:02.80
"Look, you can
do all of the things
00:29:02.84\00:29:04.57
that I have commanded
you and told you to do.
00:29:04.61\00:29:07.08
But if your heart is
not fully engaged in it,
00:29:07.11\00:29:09.88
if you're doing it in such a way
00:29:09.91\00:29:12.11
that your heart is not involved,
00:29:12.15\00:29:13.78
and you're not
doing it out of love,
00:29:13.82\00:29:15.68
and you're not
paying close attention
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.05
to all the
principles I have established
00:29:17.09\00:29:18.65
then it is in vain."
00:29:18.69\00:29:20.09
He goes on to verse 13, it says,
00:29:20.12\00:29:21.46
"Bring no more
futile sacrifices and sins
00:29:21.49\00:29:25.16
is an abomination to me.
00:29:25.19\00:29:28.46
The new moons, the Sabbaths,
and the calling of assemblies.
00:29:28.50\00:29:32.50
I cannot endure iniquity
and the sacred meeting.'"
00:29:32.53\00:29:36.27
Wouldn't it be such a hard thing
00:29:36.30\00:29:37.91
to hear from our God,
00:29:37.94\00:29:39.61
don't even gather
anymore, don't even pray to Me,
00:29:39.64\00:29:41.61
don't even offer up a sacrifice?
00:29:41.64\00:29:43.51
You know, I'm not
even going to hear it.
00:29:43.55\00:29:45.01
You're meeting in vain.
00:29:45.05\00:29:46.38
That would be just
a harsh thing to hear.
00:29:46.41\00:29:48.82
He goes on to say in verse 15,
00:29:48.85\00:29:50.19
"'When you
spread out your hands,
00:29:50.22\00:29:51.79
I will hide my ears from you.
00:29:51.82\00:29:53.49
Even though you
make many prayers,
00:29:53.52\00:29:55.16
I will not hear."
00:29:55.19\00:29:56.96
Those are very hard words.
00:29:56.99\00:29:59.06
Your hands are full of blood,
00:29:59.09\00:30:01.03
wash yourselves,
make yourselves clean,
00:30:01.06\00:30:03.77
put away the evil of your doings
00:30:03.80\00:30:05.83
from before my eyes,
00:30:05.87\00:30:08.20
cease to do
evil, learn to do good,
00:30:08.24\00:30:12.07
seek justice,
rebuke the oppressor,
00:30:12.11\00:30:15.08
defend the
fatherless, plead for the widow.
00:30:15.11\00:30:17.88
So He doesn't just
go for a full on rebuke,
00:30:17.91\00:30:20.18
He follows it up
with a nice instruction.
00:30:20.22\00:30:22.25
Look, if you want to come
back into harmony with Me,
00:30:22.28\00:30:24.65
you got to do these things,
that is cease to do evil,
00:30:24.69\00:30:27.06
learn to do good, seek
justice, rebuke the oppressor,
00:30:27.09\00:30:29.62
defend the
fatherless, and of course,
00:30:29.66\00:30:31.09
plead for the widow.
00:30:31.13\00:30:33.50
Back to the Book of Amos,
00:30:33.53\00:30:34.86
we're going to go
to Amos Chapter 5.
00:30:34.90\00:30:36.23
We're just
highlighting a few things here
00:30:36.26\00:30:37.67
that highlights how a person
00:30:37.70\00:30:40.10
adopts a heart of a
religious oppressor.
00:30:40.14\00:30:43.47
Speaking of
worshiping God in vain,
00:30:43.51\00:30:46.04
Amos 5:21- 24,
00:30:46.07\00:30:49.01
and God gets very, very
graphic with His words here
00:30:49.04\00:30:52.41
in the sense that
He's very straightforward,
00:30:52.45\00:30:54.78
not beating
around the bush at all.
00:30:54.82\00:30:56.69
Notice right off the bat,
00:30:56.72\00:30:58.05
He says, "I hate, I
despise your feast days,
00:30:58.09\00:31:02.26
and I do not savor
your sacred assemblies,
00:31:02.29\00:31:06.19
though you offer me
00:31:06.23\00:31:07.56
burnt offerings and
your grain offerings,
00:31:07.60\00:31:09.96
I will not accept them,
00:31:10.00\00:31:11.70
nor will I regard your
fattened peace offerings.
00:31:11.73\00:31:15.94
Take away from Me
the noise of your songs."
00:31:15.97\00:31:19.24
So He says
don't even sing to me.
00:31:19.27\00:31:20.84
You might want to sing to me,
00:31:20.88\00:31:22.21
look, I don't
even want to hear it,
00:31:22.24\00:31:23.58
don't even sing to me your songs
00:31:23.61\00:31:24.95
for I will not hear the melody
00:31:24.98\00:31:26.82
of your stringed instruments.
00:31:26.85\00:31:28.65
But let, here it is again,
00:31:28.68\00:31:30.09
"But let justice
run down like water
00:31:30.12\00:31:33.36
and righteousness
like a mighty stream."
00:31:33.39\00:31:36.93
So right here in Amos 5:21-24,
00:31:36.96\00:31:40.70
what we read of God
as we read of Him saying
00:31:40.73\00:31:43.70
that He hates,
notice the words, He hates,
00:31:43.73\00:31:45.83
He despises and is generally
disgusted by their worship.
00:31:45.87\00:31:51.07
And that's hard to even begin
to fathom or even to consider,
00:31:51.11\00:31:54.31
but, you know, is it
possible that many of us
00:31:54.34\00:31:56.48
are in that particular state
00:31:56.51\00:31:57.85
that while we believe
00:31:57.88\00:31:59.21
we are fully
extending ourselves to the Lord,
00:31:59.25\00:32:01.38
again, in spirit and
in truth and worship,
00:32:01.42\00:32:03.08
God is saying, "Look,
your worship disgusts me,
00:32:03.12\00:32:05.35
stop praying, stop
singing, stop worshipping me,
00:32:05.39\00:32:07.56
don't even gather
00:32:07.59\00:32:08.92
because your heart's not in it."
00:32:08.96\00:32:10.93
Their gatherings
are described as...
00:32:10.96\00:32:13.29
And this is the NIV word
00:32:13.33\00:32:14.73
and this is actually
translated correctly.
00:32:14.76\00:32:16.60
Their worship was
like a stench to Him.
00:32:16.63\00:32:19.23
And so those are very,
very hard words, indeed.
00:32:19.27\00:32:22.94
And now I want to go on
00:32:22.97\00:32:24.31
to how the Prophet
Micah describes this as well.
00:32:24.34\00:32:26.94
Notice how Micah highlights
the same concept as well.
00:32:26.98\00:32:30.75
We're going to go
to Micah Chapter 6,
00:32:30.78\00:32:32.95
and I'm gonna read
verses 6 through 8.
00:32:32.98\00:32:35.55
Micah 6:6-8.
00:32:35.58\00:32:38.42
In verse 6, he starts with,
00:32:38.45\00:32:40.62
"With what shall I
come before the Lord,
00:32:40.66\00:32:43.73
and bow myself
before the High God?
00:32:43.76\00:32:47.20
Shall I come before
Him with burnt offerings,
00:32:47.23\00:32:51.03
with calves a year old?
00:32:51.07\00:32:53.34
Will the Lord be pleased
with thousands of rams..."
00:32:53.37\00:32:56.77
There's almost a
sense of sarcasm,
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.67
you know, within
this particular passage,
00:32:59.71\00:33:01.68
"Will the Lord be
pleased with thousands of rams,
00:33:01.71\00:33:04.65
10,000 rivers of oils..."
00:33:04.68\00:33:07.42
And notice he even
takes it up a notch here,
00:33:07.45\00:33:09.22
he says, "Shall
I give my firstborn
00:33:09.25\00:33:11.89
for my transgressions."
00:33:11.92\00:33:13.25
So this is very,
very strong wording,
00:33:13.29\00:33:15.16
"The fruit of my body
for the sin of my soul."
00:33:15.19\00:33:18.39
So basically, you can see
00:33:18.43\00:33:21.26
a series of
increasingly inflated,
00:33:21.30\00:33:23.57
even mocking suggestions
almost coming from Micah here
00:33:23.60\00:33:27.34
suggesting that the
harshness and the reality
00:33:27.37\00:33:30.27
of this greatly
oppressed time period
00:33:30.31\00:33:32.84
that God's people were living in
00:33:32.87\00:33:34.21
as they were just simply
00:33:34.24\00:33:35.58
not adhering to
the Spirit of God,
00:33:35.61\00:33:37.01
not adhering to His principles
00:33:37.05\00:33:38.61
overlooking that of the needy.
00:33:38.65\00:33:41.05
But notice here in the end,
00:33:41.08\00:33:42.42
though, I want
to highlight verse 8
00:33:42.45\00:33:43.79
because this is the good news.
00:33:43.82\00:33:45.15
Even though God sent strong
rebuke through His prophets,
00:33:45.19\00:33:47.22
as we have
highlighted here many times,
00:33:47.26\00:33:49.02
He always gives
a message of hope,
00:33:49.06\00:33:50.89
He always provide some
type of instructive way
00:33:50.93\00:33:53.40
that we can come
back in harmony with Him.
00:33:53.43\00:33:55.83
So in the end, though,
00:33:55.86\00:33:57.20
we see that the Lord
truly wanted for them
00:33:57.23\00:34:01.20
to act justly and to love mercy,
00:34:01.24\00:34:03.54
and to walk humbly
00:34:03.57\00:34:04.91
before our God
there in Micah 6:8.
00:34:04.94\00:34:07.18
Look at verse 8, here it says,
00:34:07.21\00:34:08.61
"He has shown you,
O man, what is good,
00:34:08.64\00:34:12.61
and what does the
Lord require of you..."
00:34:12.65\00:34:16.08
But there it is,
again, "To do justly,
00:34:16.12\00:34:19.35
to love mercy,
00:34:19.39\00:34:21.52
and to walk
humbly with your God."
00:34:21.56\00:34:24.23
That is my prayer for
myself, for my church,
00:34:24.26\00:34:26.59
for every single person
00:34:26.63\00:34:27.96
that we will have a genuine
worship experience with God,
00:34:28.00\00:34:30.63
that we will indeed worship
Him in spirit and in truth
00:34:30.67\00:34:33.03
and allow the Holy
Spirit to direct us and guide us
00:34:33.07\00:34:35.54
always, to Jesus Christ.
00:34:35.57\00:34:37.44
Amen and Amen. I love this.
00:34:37.47\00:34:39.67
Thank you so much.
00:34:39.71\00:34:41.28
My day is Wednesday,
00:34:41.31\00:34:43.24
which is a way to worship
00:34:43.28\00:34:46.41
and we've been
talking that what is worship,
00:34:46.45\00:34:49.38
it is our way of revering God,
00:34:49.42\00:34:52.52
we are honoring Him,
00:34:52.55\00:34:54.52
expressing our adoration for Him
00:34:54.56\00:34:57.93
because as John
covered of who He is,
00:34:57.96\00:35:01.36
because of His attributes,
because of His power,
00:35:01.40\00:35:05.30
and because of what
He has done from us.
00:35:05.33\00:35:07.57
But I do want to make
out, point out one thing.
00:35:07.60\00:35:11.21
The Bible teaches us,
00:35:11.24\00:35:13.24
only God is
worthy of our worship
00:35:13.27\00:35:17.38
and I want to take
you to Revelation 19:10,
00:35:17.41\00:35:21.12
because it's clear,
00:35:21.15\00:35:22.55
none of His servants
are worthy of worship.
00:35:22.58\00:35:26.19
When John fell at
the feet of the angel
00:35:26.22\00:35:28.79
who's giving him a
message in Revelation 19:10,
00:35:28.82\00:35:32.63
the angel says to him,
"See that you do not do that.
00:35:32.66\00:35:37.13
I am your fellow servant.
00:35:37.17\00:35:39.43
And if your brethren,
00:35:39.47\00:35:40.84
who have the testimony
of Jesus, worship God."
00:35:40.87\00:35:46.07
So it is wrong
to worship an idol,
00:35:46.11\00:35:48.88
it's wrong to worship a prophet,
00:35:48.91\00:35:50.71
it's wrong to worship a saint,
00:35:50.75\00:35:52.98
it's even wrong to worship Mary,
00:35:53.01\00:35:55.58
the mother of Jesus,
00:35:55.62\00:35:57.52
you know, and I want to
say that in a tender way.
00:35:57.55\00:36:01.12
I have a dear friend
00:36:01.16\00:36:03.93
who was reared in
the Catholic Church
00:36:03.96\00:36:06.23
and we began talking, she
began studying and she said,
00:36:06.26\00:36:09.83
"I was so shocked when
I read the New Testament."
00:36:09.86\00:36:13.37
She said, "Mary is hardly
even mentioned in the Bible,
00:36:13.40\00:36:17.77
but I was taught
to worship Mary."
00:36:17.81\00:36:21.14
And so, you know,
00:36:21.18\00:36:22.78
we just have to remember,
00:36:22.81\00:36:24.98
only God, God alone,
00:36:25.01\00:36:26.88
no one else is
worthy of our worship.
00:36:26.92\00:36:29.02
That's right.
00:36:29.05\00:36:30.39
Worship is more than
an emotional outburst,
00:36:30.42\00:36:34.62
often people will think that,
00:36:34.66\00:36:36.62
you know, if you are
brought to tears through music,
00:36:36.66\00:36:40.00
that that's worship,
00:36:40.03\00:36:41.36
it can be part of the experience
00:36:41.40\00:36:43.40
and I'm certainly not
putting away that idea.
00:36:43.43\00:36:48.37
But when our minds are
saturated with God's truth,
00:36:48.40\00:36:51.74
when our minds
are focused on Him,
00:36:51.77\00:36:54.54
and giving Him
Thanksgiving in praise,
00:36:54.58\00:36:57.71
it's just
natural that we worship,
00:36:57.75\00:37:00.12
but I have to say this,
00:37:00.15\00:37:02.48
you know what the
highest form of worship is?
00:37:02.52\00:37:07.09
Obedience.
00:37:07.12\00:37:08.46
Obedience is the
highest expression
00:37:08.49\00:37:11.49
of our worship
00:37:11.53\00:37:12.86
because we are showing
00:37:12.89\00:37:14.40
and demonstrating
what God is worth to us.
00:37:14.43\00:37:19.43
So, we worship by prayer,
00:37:19.47\00:37:22.70
we worship by in the Word,
00:37:22.74\00:37:24.91
we worship by singing,
00:37:24.94\00:37:26.88
we worship by
taking part in communion,
00:37:26.91\00:37:31.41
we worship in
returning our tithe,
00:37:31.45\00:37:34.18
giving offerings,
00:37:34.22\00:37:35.55
there's many ways to worship
00:37:35.58\00:37:36.99
but my lesson today
00:37:37.02\00:37:39.09
is going to show that
there is a relationship
00:37:39.12\00:37:43.16
between our worship and justice.
00:37:43.19\00:37:45.59
So Isaiah 58
00:37:45.63\00:37:48.06
is where we want to turn please.
00:37:48.10\00:37:50.37
Because what
happens in Isaiah 58,
00:37:50.40\00:37:52.67
let me just set this up.
00:37:52.70\00:37:54.30
You've got a people
who are actively religious,
00:37:54.34\00:37:59.01
they are seeking God daily,
00:37:59.04\00:38:00.64
they're crying out for justice,
00:38:00.68\00:38:04.38
they're seeking
God with fasting,
00:38:04.41\00:38:07.78
but it's not working for them.
00:38:07.82\00:38:10.09
Yeah.
00:38:10.12\00:38:11.45
I mean, and it's kind of like,
00:38:11.49\00:38:12.82
you know, their religion,
00:38:12.85\00:38:15.72
it was superficial,
00:38:15.76\00:38:17.53
I mean, they've got
sackcloth and ashes,
00:38:17.56\00:38:20.33
but God's not
responding to them.
00:38:20.36\00:38:23.23
And they appeared to deny self,
00:38:23.26\00:38:27.17
but they were
very self absorbed,
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.87
they were
exploitative of others.
00:38:30.91\00:38:33.54
And so what happens
is this pious people,
00:38:33.58\00:38:39.01
seemingly pious people,
00:38:39.05\00:38:41.68
are actually rebelling
against God's commandments.
00:38:41.72\00:38:45.45
And especially,
we'll see in a minute,
00:38:45.49\00:38:49.09
even His Sabbath commandment.
00:38:49.12\00:38:51.29
And they're
murmuring against God
00:38:51.33\00:38:53.50
because it's like,
00:38:53.53\00:38:54.86
"What do we have to do
to get your attention?"
00:38:54.90\00:38:57.23
There's no divine response here.
00:38:57.27\00:38:59.93
So let's look at Isaiah 58.
00:38:59.97\00:39:03.41
We'll begin with verse 5,
00:39:03.44\00:39:04.81
because what God is going to do,
00:39:04.84\00:39:07.94
He urges them to quit worshiping
00:39:07.98\00:39:10.48
with an inward focus only
00:39:10.51\00:39:13.38
and try a
different way of serving Him,
00:39:13.42\00:39:16.05
a way that is
less focused on self,
00:39:16.08\00:39:19.22
that will bring
blessings to others,
00:39:19.25\00:39:22.76
and then guess what?
00:39:22.79\00:39:24.13
God says, "I'll
turn in and heal you."
00:39:24.16\00:39:26.36
So Isaiah 58:5.
00:39:26.39\00:39:29.96
The people are fasting, He says,
00:39:30.00\00:39:33.00
"Is it a fast
that I have chosen?
00:39:33.03\00:39:35.60
A day for a man
to afflict your soul,
00:39:35.64\00:39:37.61
is it to bow down his
head like a bull rush,
00:39:37.64\00:39:40.78
and to spread out
sackcloth and ashes?
00:39:40.81\00:39:43.75
Would you call this a fast
00:39:43.78\00:39:45.98
and an
acceptable day to the Lord?
00:39:46.01\00:39:48.32
God's saying, hey, I
didn't appoint this fast for you
00:39:48.35\00:39:51.69
and it's totally
unacceptable to me.
00:39:51.72\00:39:54.49
This is your own doing,
00:39:54.52\00:39:56.62
you're merely trying
to obtain favor with God.
00:39:56.66\00:40:00.50
And, you know,
sometimes people do that,
00:40:00.53\00:40:02.10
they feel like, you know,
00:40:02.13\00:40:04.37
and these people
were abstaining from food,
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.67
but not from sin,
00:40:06.70\00:40:08.74
so verse 6.
00:40:08.77\00:40:11.24
"Is this not the
fast that I've chosen?"
00:40:11.27\00:40:15.21
Now God's gonna tell
him what He really wants.
00:40:15.24\00:40:17.55
"To lose the
bonds of wickedness,
00:40:17.58\00:40:19.25
to undo the heavy burdens,
00:40:19.28\00:40:21.12
to let the oppressed go free,
00:40:21.15\00:40:23.49
and that you break every yoke?
00:40:23.52\00:40:26.76
Is it not to share
your bread with the hungry,
00:40:26.79\00:40:30.59
and that you
bring into your house,
00:40:30.63\00:40:32.79
the poor who are cast out,
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.70
and when you see the naked,
00:40:34.73\00:40:36.90
that you cover him
00:40:36.93\00:40:38.47
and not hide
yourself from your own flesh."
00:40:38.50\00:40:42.47
God wanted true denial of self,
00:40:42.50\00:40:47.84
God wanted them to
focus their behavior
00:40:47.88\00:40:51.61
on helping the oppressed,
00:40:51.65\00:40:53.75
including those who are hungry,
00:40:53.78\00:40:55.72
who needed shelter,
00:40:55.75\00:40:57.35
and, you know, it's interesting,
00:40:57.39\00:40:59.95
true worship of God,
00:40:59.99\00:41:02.12
we've talked
about... Jill, you said,
00:41:02.16\00:41:04.26
we become who we behold.
00:41:04.29\00:41:06.90
God's nature
00:41:06.93\00:41:08.26
is one of
00:41:08.30\00:41:10.40
self sacrificing love.
00:41:10.43\00:41:13.57
And as we behold God and
His self sacrificing love,
00:41:13.60\00:41:18.01
it's interesting to me that
00:41:18.04\00:41:19.77
when we emulate God,
00:41:19.81\00:41:22.14
when we start
doing the same things
00:41:22.18\00:41:24.28
that God would do,
00:41:24.31\00:41:26.08
what happens is
00:41:26.11\00:41:27.45
we increase our bond with God
00:41:27.48\00:41:30.02
and then we have
this genuine compassion
00:41:30.05\00:41:34.32
that helps us
develop a closer relationship
00:41:34.36\00:41:36.83
with the Lord.
00:41:36.86\00:41:38.19
Isn't that interesting?
00:41:38.23\00:41:39.56
So, I thought this
was an interesting comment
00:41:39.59\00:41:42.06
from Ivor,
00:41:42.10\00:41:43.43
it's a quote from
00:41:43.47\00:41:44.80
the Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary,
00:41:44.83\00:41:47.40
it says,
00:41:47.44\00:41:48.77
"The true purpose of religion
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.04
is to release men
from their burdens of sin,
00:41:51.07\00:41:54.24
to eliminate
intolerance and oppression,
00:41:54.28\00:41:57.85
and to promote
justice, liberty and peace."
00:41:57.88\00:42:02.88
So now, let's
continue in Isaiah 58:8.
00:42:02.92\00:42:07.16
God's saying, hey,
when you do my kind of fast,
00:42:07.19\00:42:10.99
when you liberate
those who are oppressed,
00:42:11.03\00:42:13.93
here's what's going to happen.
00:42:13.96\00:42:15.80
"Your light shall
break forth like the morning,
00:42:15.83\00:42:18.80
your healing shall
spring forth speedily,
00:42:18.83\00:42:21.90
and your righteousness
shall go before you,
00:42:21.94\00:42:24.04
the glory of the Lord
shall be your rear guard,
00:42:24.07\00:42:27.48
then you shall call
and the Lord will answer.
00:42:27.51\00:42:30.71
You shall cry, and He will say,
00:42:30.75\00:42:33.31
'Here I am,"
00:42:33.35\00:42:34.68
if you take away the
yoke from your midst,
00:42:34.72\00:42:38.79
the pointing of your
finger in speaking wickedness,
00:42:38.82\00:42:43.19
if you extend
your soul to the hungry
00:42:43.22\00:42:44.93
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
00:42:44.96\00:42:47.20
then your light
shall dawn in the darkness,
00:42:47.23\00:42:51.43
and your darkness
shall be as the noon day."
00:42:51.47\00:42:56.40
True self denial
00:42:56.44\00:42:59.64
is the behavior
that is other centered,
00:42:59.67\00:43:03.45
it is not self centered.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.68
This is the kind of behavior
00:43:05.71\00:43:07.28
that God
rewards and He promises.
00:43:07.32\00:43:11.49
See, we don't,
00:43:11.52\00:43:12.85
we think of worship mostly
00:43:12.89\00:43:14.22
of what happens
inside the church building.
00:43:14.26\00:43:18.39
God's saying,
00:43:18.43\00:43:20.00
"That ain't so,
that's part of it.
00:43:20.03\00:43:22.40
But I want you to go out
00:43:22.43\00:43:25.17
and to help others and
true obedience to God."
00:43:25.20\00:43:29.57
We will turn others from evil
00:43:29.60\00:43:31.57
as they see our acts
00:43:31.61\00:43:33.88
and transform
darkness into light.
00:43:33.91\00:43:36.44
So verse 11,
00:43:36.48\00:43:37.98
"The Lord will
guide you continually,
00:43:38.01\00:43:40.98
satisfying your soul in drought
and strengthen your bones.
00:43:41.02\00:43:45.05
You shall be like
a watered garden."
00:43:45.09\00:43:48.72
And, you know, I
think some of the churches
00:43:48.76\00:43:50.93
are kind of like
00:43:50.96\00:43:52.56
the little
plantings in the church
00:43:52.59\00:43:54.80
are kind of limp
and dried and in drought
00:43:54.83\00:43:57.70
but when you
got a watered garden
00:43:57.73\00:44:00.07
they spring back to life.
00:44:00.10\00:44:02.00
"Whose waters do not fail.
00:44:02.04\00:44:03.77
Those from among you shall
build the old waste places,
00:44:03.81\00:44:08.24
you shall raise up
00:44:08.28\00:44:09.94
the foundations
of many generations,
00:44:09.98\00:44:12.55
and you shall be called
the Repairer of the Breach,
00:44:12.58\00:44:16.52
The Restorer of
Streets to dwell in."
00:44:16.55\00:44:20.46
God will bring
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.22
and I don't have time
to get to the Sabbath part
00:44:22.26\00:44:25.23
but He says, If you turn
away your foot from My Sabbath,
00:44:25.26\00:44:29.43
from doing your own
pleasure on My Holy day,
00:44:29.46\00:44:34.00
what does He want them to do?
00:44:34.04\00:44:35.44
He wants to accept
ministry on the Sabbath,
00:44:35.47\00:44:38.87
and that's what
will renew our delight
00:44:38.91\00:44:42.24
in Sabbath keeping.
00:44:42.28\00:44:43.61
Amen and Amen.
00:44:43.65\00:44:45.35
You know, let me just
ask you this question.
00:44:45.38\00:44:50.52
How many of you,
00:44:50.55\00:44:52.25
rhetorical question,
00:44:52.29\00:44:54.26
want your actions to
express true devotion to God?
00:44:54.29\00:44:58.86
Amen. True devotion to God?
00:44:58.89\00:45:00.60
Absolutely. Amen.
00:45:00.63\00:45:01.96
See, that's what
we've been looking at.
00:45:02.00\00:45:03.87
My lesson is Thursday,
00:45:03.90\00:45:06.17
and it's mercy and faithfulness.
00:45:06.20\00:45:09.60
And I want us to go
to Matthew Chapter 9,
00:45:09.64\00:45:12.87
we're going to look at that.
00:45:12.91\00:45:14.88
And Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6,
00:45:14.91\00:45:20.72
when He says,
00:45:20.75\00:45:22.18
"I desire mercy, not sacrifice."
00:45:22.22\00:45:25.59
Now, Ryan, Pastor Ryan,
00:45:25.62\00:45:28.69
covered so clearly,
00:45:28.72\00:45:30.39
God's rejection
00:45:30.43\00:45:31.76
of all of those
religious strappings,
00:45:31.79\00:45:34.66
didn't He?
00:45:34.70\00:45:36.03
He hated it, He despised it.
00:45:36.06\00:45:38.73
What is God looking for?
00:45:38.77\00:45:40.67
He's looking for a heart
00:45:40.70\00:45:43.37
that is expressing
true devotion to Him.
00:45:43.41\00:45:47.11
He's looking for...
00:45:47.14\00:45:48.48
He desires mercy,
00:45:48.51\00:45:51.38
and not all that's.
00:45:51.41\00:45:54.92
Those acts that
didn't depict the heart,
00:45:54.95\00:45:59.25
they were just religious acts
00:45:59.29\00:46:02.39
to try to
appear to be religious,
00:46:02.42\00:46:05.89
or try to have a religious heart
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.20
and they didn't.
00:46:08.23\00:46:09.56
All right.
00:46:09.60\00:46:10.93
We're in Matthew Chapter 9.
00:46:10.97\00:46:13.23
Now let me give
you a little setting.
00:46:13.27\00:46:15.20
Jesus had just
healed the paralytic.
00:46:15.24\00:46:20.74
Did Jesus healings
00:46:20.78\00:46:22.81
upset the religious leaders?
00:46:22.84\00:46:26.15
They were always
looking for any reason
00:46:26.18\00:46:28.52
they could to grab Him,
they wanted to destroy Him.
00:46:28.55\00:46:32.49
So He had just
healed the paralytic
00:46:32.52\00:46:35.72
which upset the
religious leaders.
00:46:35.76\00:46:38.06
However, look at this,
00:46:38.09\00:46:39.76
the multitudes saw it,
00:46:39.79\00:46:42.33
not talking about
the religious leaders,
00:46:42.36\00:46:44.53
but just us common folk,
00:46:44.57\00:46:46.40
we saw it
00:46:46.43\00:46:48.24
and the common folk,
00:46:48.27\00:46:50.11
"The multitudes
marveled, and glorified God,"
00:46:50.14\00:46:54.81
who they recognized as the power
00:46:54.84\00:46:58.01
behind that healing.
00:46:58.05\00:47:00.92
Now in Matthew 9:9,
00:47:00.95\00:47:02.65
let's look at this,
00:47:02.68\00:47:04.05
now this is right
after that happened.
00:47:04.09\00:47:07.02
"As Jesus passed
down from there..."
00:47:07.06\00:47:09.46
On from healing the paralytic.
00:47:09.49\00:47:11.79
"He saw a man named Matthew
00:47:11.83\00:47:14.40
sitting at the tax office.
00:47:14.43\00:47:16.43
And He said to him, 'Follow me.'
00:47:16.46\00:47:19.47
So he arose and followed Him."
00:47:19.50\00:47:22.04
Doesn't say that he...
00:47:22.07\00:47:24.67
did a lot of
procrastinating, did he?
00:47:24.71\00:47:27.04
It's okay, now let's...
00:47:27.08\00:47:28.68
What was Matthew's occupation?
00:47:28.71\00:47:31.35
He was a tax collector.
00:47:31.38\00:47:32.98
Did he collect those
taxes for the nation of Israel?
00:47:33.01\00:47:37.69
No.
00:47:37.72\00:47:39.05
Who did he
collect those taxes for?
00:47:39.09\00:47:41.62
Romans.
00:47:41.66\00:47:42.99
And so the people of
Israel were really pleased
00:47:43.02\00:47:47.46
with tax collectors.
00:47:47.50\00:47:49.83
Tax collectors weren't
well thought of at all.
00:47:49.86\00:47:54.24
But what is
impressive is that Matthew
00:47:54.27\00:47:58.41
a tax collector
had no hesitancy.
00:47:58.44\00:48:02.41
Now, Matthew
9:10, the next verse,
00:48:02.44\00:48:05.85
"Now it happened
00:48:05.88\00:48:07.75
as Jesus said at
the table in the house,
00:48:07.78\00:48:11.19
that behold many," what?
00:48:11.22\00:48:14.09
"Tax collectors and sinners
00:48:14.12\00:48:17.23
came and sit down with
Him and His disciples."
00:48:17.26\00:48:20.03
Now I just find
that just amazing.
00:48:20.06\00:48:25.50
What usually happens if
you're a religious person?
00:48:25.53\00:48:28.30
Does it attract the sinners?
00:48:28.34\00:48:30.71
Usually it repels them.
00:48:30.74\00:48:32.64
But there was something
about Jesus and His disciples
00:48:32.67\00:48:36.64
that drew the sinner to Him.
00:48:36.68\00:48:39.95
Look at this.
00:48:39.98\00:48:41.32
Okay, and now, verse 11,
00:48:41.35\00:48:45.02
"And when the Pharisees..."
00:48:45.05\00:48:46.42
Who were the Pharisees now?
00:48:46.45\00:48:47.79
Those were those
religious leaders.
00:48:47.82\00:48:50.13
"Saw it, they
said to His disciples,
00:48:50.16\00:48:52.99
"Why does your teacher eat
00:48:53.03\00:48:55.23
with tax collectors and sinners?
00:48:55.26\00:48:59.40
When Jesus heard that,
00:48:59.43\00:49:01.10
He said to them,
00:49:01.14\00:49:02.57
'Those who are well
have no need of a physician,
00:49:02.60\00:49:05.94
but those who are sick,
00:49:05.97\00:49:08.21
but go and learn."
00:49:08.24\00:49:09.58
What this means?
00:49:09.61\00:49:10.95
Now, He's telling
the religious leaders
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.68
who are
supposed to know the law.
00:49:12.71\00:49:16.55
He says, "Go and
find out what this means."
00:49:16.58\00:49:20.52
And He says,
00:49:20.56\00:49:21.99
"I desire mercy
and not sacrifice,
00:49:22.02\00:49:26.36
for I did not
call the righteous,
00:49:26.39\00:49:29.56
but sinners to repentance."
00:49:29.60\00:49:31.97
Now, Jesus is our example.
00:49:32.00\00:49:35.80
Is Jesus our example?
00:49:35.84\00:49:37.61
So how Jesus
conducted His daily life
00:49:37.64\00:49:42.14
is how we want to
conduct our daily life
00:49:42.18\00:49:44.58
and we've already determined
00:49:44.61\00:49:46.82
that we want our heart to
show a true devotion to God.
00:49:46.85\00:49:53.05
So we want to act like Jesus.
00:49:53.09\00:49:55.32
Romans 8:29, I just
love this scripture.
00:49:55.36\00:49:58.36
It says, "For whom He foreknew,
He also predestined..."
00:49:58.39\00:50:02.56
Do you'll believe
in predestination?
00:50:02.60\00:50:04.50
I do.
00:50:04.53\00:50:05.87
Well, I do, based
on this scripture.
00:50:05.90\00:50:08.00
That "He also predestined
to be conformed to," what?
00:50:08.04\00:50:12.01
"To the image of His son,
00:50:12.04\00:50:13.94
that He might be the
first born among many brethren."
00:50:13.98\00:50:17.61
So we want to be conformed
00:50:17.65\00:50:20.62
to the image of
our Lord and Savior.
00:50:20.65\00:50:22.42
We want to act
just like Him, don't we?
00:50:22.45\00:50:24.75
We want to be like Him,
00:50:24.79\00:50:26.59
we want to be imitators
of Christ as little children.
00:50:26.62\00:50:30.73
Okay, is that an external...
00:50:30.76\00:50:33.40
I got news for you,
00:50:33.43\00:50:34.76
I'm never gonna
look like a Hebrew man.
00:50:34.80\00:50:37.90
So it's not the external,
00:50:37.93\00:50:40.04
we've been predestined to
be conformed to His image.
00:50:40.07\00:50:43.00
So what if it's
not the external.
00:50:43.04\00:50:44.84
Where is it?
00:50:44.87\00:50:46.21
Oh, it's that heart,
that heart of devotion.
00:50:46.24\00:50:48.94
So whatever Jesus
did, that's what we...
00:50:48.98\00:50:52.21
However He lived His life,
00:50:52.25\00:50:53.95
His daily life, what
was important to Him?
00:50:53.98\00:50:56.18
Isn't that what we
want to be important to us?
00:50:56.22\00:50:58.92
So Jesus lived
00:50:58.95\00:51:01.02
His daily life
caring for people.
00:51:01.06\00:51:05.73
His healing miracles,
00:51:05.76\00:51:07.56
and many of His parables
00:51:07.60\00:51:09.53
demonstrated an urge
00:51:09.56\00:51:12.23
that a life lived in such a way,
00:51:12.27\00:51:14.94
was the best way
00:51:14.97\00:51:17.47
to express true devotion to God,
00:51:17.51\00:51:21.31
to express true devotion to God
00:51:21.34\00:51:24.05
is to love and to
minister to other people.
00:51:24.08\00:51:27.82
Now, I'm not going
to read this whole thing
00:51:27.85\00:51:31.49
but remember when the lawyer
00:51:31.52\00:51:33.52
who was with the Pharisees
00:51:33.56\00:51:35.62
tested Jesus by
asking Him a question.
00:51:35.66\00:51:38.39
Remember what that question was?
00:51:38.43\00:51:39.96
"Teacher,
00:51:40.00\00:51:41.33
which is the great
commandment in the law?"
00:51:41.36\00:51:43.40
Seems like, every lesson,
00:51:43.43\00:51:44.77
we're going to share
this scripture at some point.
00:51:44.80\00:51:47.30
It's like 1 John 1:9.
00:51:47.34\00:51:48.97
Usually I get
that into every lesson.
00:51:49.00\00:51:51.07
"If you confess your sins..."
00:51:51.11\00:51:52.67
Oh, thank God
for that scripture.
00:51:52.71\00:51:54.41
Okay, Matthew 22:37-39,
00:51:54.44\00:51:58.41
Jesus answered
"You shall love," what?
00:51:58.45\00:52:01.02
"The Lord your God
with all your heart,
00:52:01.05\00:52:02.92
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
00:52:02.95\00:52:04.49
This is the first
and great commandment."
00:52:04.52\00:52:06.62
But what is the second?
00:52:06.65\00:52:08.36
It says, "The second is like it
00:52:08.39\00:52:10.89
'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.'"
00:52:10.93\00:52:14.36
The religious leaders
were Jesus' greatest critics,
00:52:14.40\00:52:18.83
were they not?
00:52:18.87\00:52:20.20
Okay.
00:52:20.24\00:52:23.00
But we're also the target
of Jesus' harshest criticisms.
00:52:23.04\00:52:30.01
Like former religious people
00:52:30.05\00:52:32.61
they believed,
the religious leaders,
00:52:32.65\00:52:35.38
they believed
00:52:35.42\00:52:36.79
that they were ensured a
special relationship with God
00:52:36.82\00:52:41.82
because of their position,
00:52:41.86\00:52:44.89
not because of the
content of their heart,
00:52:44.93\00:52:48.80
but because of the
position they have.
00:52:48.83\00:52:51.43
Now is God looking at position,
is He a respecter of position?
00:52:51.47\00:52:55.57
He is a respecter of
the content of your heart.
00:52:55.60\00:52:59.01
Okay, now, did a
teaching some time ago.
00:52:59.04\00:53:03.48
And the teaching was on pride.
00:53:03.51\00:53:05.75
He took each
one of these letters
00:53:05.78\00:53:08.25
and He made it a point
00:53:08.28\00:53:10.75
and for the letter I in pride,
00:53:10.79\00:53:15.22
He thee I was,
00:53:15.26\00:53:17.86
I deserve because I serve.
00:53:17.89\00:53:21.76
That, my dear, is of sin.
00:53:21.80\00:53:25.33
Looking at your
position that you deserve
00:53:25.37\00:53:28.50
because of the
position you hold,
00:53:28.54\00:53:30.94
not because of the
content of your heart.
00:53:30.97\00:53:33.38
"In their position
as a religious leader,
00:53:33.41\00:53:36.41
they were guilty of..."
00:53:36.44\00:53:37.78
Here's some of the
things they were guilty of.
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.85
Exploiting the poor
and ignoring the needy.
00:53:39.88\00:53:43.89
Their actions spoke so loud,
00:53:43.92\00:53:46.05
their empty worship
had no meaning, did it?
00:53:46.09\00:53:49.39
Did God accept their worship?
00:53:49.42\00:53:51.73
Jesus saw their hypocrisy
00:53:51.76\00:53:54.43
and addressed it
at every opportunity.
00:53:54.46\00:53:59.53
And I've got two
examples here now.
00:53:59.57\00:54:02.47
Let's just look
at Mark 12:38-40.
00:54:02.50\00:54:07.48
"Then He said to
them in His teaching..."
00:54:07.51\00:54:10.11
The Pharisees and the Herodians
00:54:10.15\00:54:12.08
were sent to catch
Jesus in His words,
00:54:12.11\00:54:14.75
"Beware of the scribes
00:54:14.78\00:54:16.22
who desire to go
around in long robes,
00:54:16.25\00:54:18.69
love greetings
in the marketplaces,
00:54:18.72\00:54:20.89
the best seat in the synagogues,
00:54:20.92\00:54:22.72
and the best places of feasts,
00:54:22.76\00:54:24.39
who devour widows' houses,
00:54:24.43\00:54:26.86
and for a
pretense make long prayers.
00:54:26.90\00:54:31.00
These will receive
the greater condemnation."
00:54:31.03\00:54:34.40
Jesus is very clear
00:54:34.44\00:54:36.84
that it's not the
position that you hold,
00:54:36.87\00:54:39.87
it's the content of your heart.
00:54:39.91\00:54:41.74
And if you want to have a heart
00:54:41.78\00:54:44.45
that is given over
to pure devotion of God,
00:54:44.48\00:54:48.02
then it is...
00:54:48.05\00:54:49.85
Ask the Lord by the
power of His Spirit,
00:54:49.88\00:54:52.62
to search me, O
God, and know my heart.
00:54:52.65\00:54:55.69
Try me and know my thoughts.
00:54:55.72\00:54:57.53
See if there be
any evil way in me
00:54:57.56\00:55:00.40
and lead me in the
path that is everlasting.
00:55:00.43\00:55:03.13
Amen. Amen.
00:55:03.16\00:55:04.50
Thank you so
much each one of you.
00:55:04.53\00:55:06.10
What an incredible study.
00:55:06.13\00:55:08.14
As I listened to each one of you
00:55:08.17\00:55:09.87
I was reminded
that worship matters,
00:55:09.90\00:55:14.31
not just whom we worship,
00:55:14.34\00:55:16.54
but how we worship and
the motivation behind that.
00:55:16.58\00:55:19.71
I want to give each one of
you a moment to share something
00:55:19.75\00:55:22.28
about this lesson.
00:55:22.32\00:55:23.65
During the lesson
00:55:23.69\00:55:25.02
we had an
epiphany at the same time
00:55:25.05\00:55:26.39
while Ryan was speaking
00:55:26.42\00:55:27.76
and you're talking
about all these sacrifices.
00:55:27.79\00:55:30.19
1 Samuel 15:22,
00:55:30.23\00:55:31.96
"To obey is better
than to sacrifice."
00:55:31.99\00:55:34.60
Shelley brought this out.
00:55:34.63\00:55:35.96
Obedience is the
highest form of worship,
00:55:36.00\00:55:37.97
then,
00:55:38.00\00:55:39.43
that to obey is
better than to sacrifice
00:55:39.47\00:55:42.24
and to listen then
all the fat of rams."
00:55:42.27\00:55:46.31
So remember, in the
middle of pride is I,
00:55:46.34\00:55:49.58
in the middle of sin is I,
00:55:49.61\00:55:51.05
when I is out of the way,
00:55:51.08\00:55:52.75
Jesus Christ will be worshiped.
00:55:52.78\00:55:54.25
Amen. Wow.
00:55:54.28\00:55:55.98
I'm out to take
one from your book.
00:55:56.02\00:55:57.62
Okay.
00:55:57.65\00:55:58.99
I like that
little saying you say,
00:55:59.02\00:56:00.52
the issue of the heart
is the heart of the issue.
00:56:00.56\00:56:03.93
And so, you know,
00:56:03.96\00:56:06.13
worship is truly the
attitude of the heart for sure
00:56:06.16\00:56:10.13
but it's also a way of life,
00:56:10.17\00:56:11.60
it's just who we
are, it's what we do,
00:56:11.63\00:56:12.97
it's our
natural response to God.
00:56:13.00\00:56:14.47
And I love the
scripture, John 4:24,
00:56:14.50\00:56:17.54
"God is spirit,
00:56:17.57\00:56:18.91
and those who worship Him
00:56:18.94\00:56:20.28
must worship in
spirit and in truth."
00:56:20.31\00:56:22.18
Amen. Amen.
00:56:22.21\00:56:23.55
I just want to make
certain that my comment
00:56:23.58\00:56:25.01
when you ask if we
believe in predestination.
00:56:25.05\00:56:28.12
We do not
believe in predestination
00:56:28.15\00:56:30.12
in a Calvinistic sense
00:56:30.15\00:56:31.65
where that God has
determined before you're born,
00:56:31.69\00:56:35.32
who is going to be
saved or who is not.
00:56:35.36\00:56:40.53
It's day by day,
00:56:40.56\00:56:41.90
choose you this day
whom you will serve.
00:56:41.93\00:56:43.57
So we choose God,
00:56:43.60\00:56:45.37
but we definitely believe
00:56:45.40\00:56:47.47
because the scripture says
00:56:47.50\00:56:49.30
that God's going to
work all things together
00:56:49.34\00:56:51.67
for our good to conform us
to the image of Jesus Christ.
00:56:51.71\00:56:56.11
That's our
predestination. Absolutely.
00:56:56.14\00:56:58.95
You know, there's a trap
00:56:58.98\00:57:00.58
that we're all at
risk of falling into.
00:57:00.62\00:57:02.98
Thinking that having
00:57:03.02\00:57:04.65
and knowing the truth is enough.
00:57:04.69\00:57:06.55
That's what these
religious leaders did.
00:57:06.59\00:57:08.59
They had the
truth, they can teach it,
00:57:08.62\00:57:11.13
but they just couldn't
live it, they didn't live it.
00:57:11.16\00:57:13.36
But James 1:22,
00:57:13.40\00:57:15.56
"But be ye doers of the word,
00:57:15.60\00:57:18.40
and not hearers only..."
00:57:18.43\00:57:19.80
What happens?
00:57:19.83\00:57:21.17
You fall into self
deception goes on to say,
00:57:21.20\00:57:23.14
"Deceiving your own selves.
00:57:23.17\00:57:24.57
Amen.
00:57:24.61\00:57:25.94
Thank you so much,
Pastor John, Pastor Ryan,
00:57:25.97\00:57:28.81
Shelley and Mollie
00:57:28.84\00:57:30.18
for your insight
into the Word of God.
00:57:30.21\00:57:31.98
And we thank you at
home for joining us.
00:57:32.01\00:57:34.85
You know, I'm reminded
of the temptations of Jesus
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.19
and the third one
was about worship,
00:57:37.22\00:57:39.85
who would He worship,
00:57:39.89\00:57:41.22
we get to the Book of Revelation
00:57:41.26\00:57:42.82
and the central
focus in the issue
00:57:42.86\00:57:44.89
is who are we going to worship.
00:57:44.93\00:57:46.80
And not only who we worship,
00:57:46.83\00:57:48.43
but the Spirit
00:57:48.46\00:57:49.80
and how we
engage in that worship.
00:57:49.83\00:57:52.90
So today, we're just choosing
to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:57:52.93\00:57:56.07
As for me in my house,
we will serve the Lord.
00:57:56.10\00:57:58.67
Join us next week.
00:57:58.71\00:58:00.04