Worship - 16 July

One of the most unique aspects of the Christian faith is the relationship between the people and their God. No other group of people can call their God father. No other god has died for the sins of its people. Because of our unique relationship, we have unique worship as well. But exactly how are we to worship? Can we take license with Father God and worship as we please, when we please? Is worship the three or four songs we sing before the main event – the sermon? Can we commune with God while fishing, or do we need to wear Sunday best and worship in a building? Does our music matter? Is it important to have fog machines and lights, or a pipe organ, or a worship band, or a 100 voice choir?

Last week we read about God’s instructions to Abraham regarding worship – he was to fear and obey God and withhold nothing, including his only son.

God gave another patriarch, Moses, specific instructions as well. Not only did Moses find out how to worship, but he also received the blueprint for a tabernacle – where to worship. We know the Bible is the inerrant and inspired Word of God; He made sure to put the stuff in His Word that we would need for every aspect of our life, so we know that the detailed plans for the tabernacle were placed there for a reason. How can the tabernacle teach us about worship today?

Everything in the Bible points to one major event – the virgin birth, sinless life and voluntary death of Jesus Christ. Everything has to focus on that act of atonement because we are all sinners. The tabernacle was the dwelling place of God. God met and communicated with man at the tabernacle, and before Jesus, the sacrifices made at the tabernacle were the only way for man to atone for sins. The tabernacle’s detailed layout points to the way a sinful people were to approach the holy God before Jesus’ sacrifice. You will never look at the tabernacle the same way again.

And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9  Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. Ex 25:8-9 (ESV)

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” Heb 8:1-5 (ESV)

We see that God told Moses to erect a tabernacle so God could come close to man – God wanted to come close to us even though we are sinners! After Christ’s death, we find that the tabernacle is merely a type and shadow of what is waiting for us in heaven.

Our God, the One who created the universe and everything in it, chose to come close to us and offer us the opportunity to commune with him. Have you ever noticed the astounding love God showed in that passage from Exodus? I usually begin to get a little glossy eyed when I get to the tabernacle design.

If you have the opportunity, read Exodus 40:17-38. I think you will be amazed to see how the tabernacle’s layout points to the way we should worship today (hint: it’s not about the music!)

See you Wednesday.

Worship - 13 July

We saw God provide a substitute sacrifice for Isaac on Wednesday. Today we will see the results of Abraham’s worshipful obedience to God.

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.  Gen 22:11-19 (ESV)

God made one-sided promises to Abraham as a result of his worshipful obedience. God promised that:

1.       He would be greatly blessed;

2.       His seed would be as many as the stars of heaven and of the sand;

3.       His seed would possess the gates of their enemies;

4.       His seed would be the vehicle to bless all the nations of the earth.

Abraham clearly passed his test! Have you ever been at a point where you felt God was calling you to do something far outside your comfort zone – perhaps moving without the prospect of a job, or taking a job in a different field, or giving up something that was important to you? If you have, you know that your faith, obedience and desire to worship was tested. It amazes me to think that worship and obedience go hand in hand. As we continue this study we will see more aspects of worship.

This week we’ve seen many firsts:

LOVE was first used in Genesis 22:2.

It’s used in connection with a father offering his only son as an offering.

WORSHIP was first used in Genesis 22:5.

It’s used in connection with obedience.

OBEY was first used in Genesis 22:18.

It’s used in connection with God’s blessing.

Can you see the parallels between God’s love for us and His Son’s obedience and willingness to be sacrificed so we can receive God’s blessing of eternal life? Do you see that worship is more than a song, or a prayer? Worship should be the very essence of our being. We will see more aspects of worship as we continue through this study.

I pray that you will take some time to thank the Father for Jesus’ act of obedience and worship. If you have not accepted the free gift of eternal life offered because of Jesus’ death, I pray that today will be the day you choose to believe, receive and become a member of God’s family.

Please let me hear from you with your questions, concerns, prayer requests, and insights! See you Monday.

Worship - 11 July

On Monday we left off with the gruesome image of Isaac on the altar of logs, looking at Abraham’s sharp blade as it was raised in an act of worship and obedience to God. The story didn’t end there ...

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear (Hebrew yare [yaw-ray], to have respect, trust, reverence for God) God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Gen 22:11-14 (ESV)

I am certain that both men were happy to hear the angel of the Lord’s voice! He stopped the sacrifice and presented Abraham with a perfect ram in Isaac’s place. I wonder if that ram was there all along and the two men were oblivious because they were worshiping in obedience, or whether it arrived after Isaac was bound? Either way, God provided a sacrifice in place of Isaac, just as He has provided Jesus’ sacrifice in our place.

Look back at Genesis 22:1. What was God doing to Abraham?

What have we discovered so far?

Worship isn’t a style of music

Worship is an act of obedience

On Friday we will see what this act of obedience and worship accomplished in Abraham’s life.

Worship - 09 July

Worship.

When you read that word, what mental picture did you receive?

Hymns with an orchestra, or choir, or organ, or any combination?

Loud rock-ish music from group of people on a platform?

Sunday church?

Prayer?

This series is designed to help you understand what true worship is. Let’s start by reading the first passage that mentions worship:

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. Gen 22:1-10 (ESV)

(Mount Moriah, by the way, was the site of the original Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1).)

God gave Isaac to Abraham when he was about 100 years old. God had made many promises to Abraham, and it was through his son Isaac that those promises were kept – the land, the nation and the lineage that stretched to Jesus Himself. Abraham must have been terrified when he first heard God tell him to sacrifice Isaac, but he had faith that God would not allow his son to die.

Look at the offering God told Abraham to make. A burnt offering is described in Leviticus 1. It was voluntary. Everything except the skin was to be placed on the altar, and God considered it a soothing aroma. When the person making the sacrifice laid his hand on the head of the sacrifice, it was accepted as atonement for sin.

I’ve always seen Isaac as the one with the most faith. He was, after all, the one who was tied on the pile of wood. But he trusted his earthly father because Abraham trusted his Heavenly Father.

If you have the opportunity, read Leviticus 1:1-9 to see the parallels to both Abraham’s sacrifice and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.

Today we’ve learned that worship is an act of obedience, and in Abraham and Isaac’s case, it was also an act of faith. On Wednesday we will receive more insight into this original act of worship. But today, take a moment to ask God if you need to lay anything on the altar – any sin, action, thought – that might keep you from a place of authentic worship.

See you Wednesday!

Your Relationship With God - 06 July

On Wednesday we saw two kinds of righteousness:

Righteousness of Law – works based righteousness. This is what some people call “salvation”. They feel that if they do enough good they will receive a ticket to heaven.

Righteousness of Faith – confessing Jesus is Lord and believing God raised Him from the dead – you will be saved!

Sounds too good to be true! What about the part where I confess my sins? I repent? I … I … I …

Your Relationship With God - 04 July

Last week we heard Paul’s presentation of the heart of the gospel and read a list of some of the people who saw Jesus after He had died:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.1 Cor 15:1-11 (ESV)