Perfunctory Praise

what a pretty song that was beautiful really appreciate that Carolyn thank you so much very meaningful words really nice to sit back and enjoy that thank you so much and I had to stand up so yeah I really appreciate the music thank you so much you may have heard the story about the old cowboy for the very first time traveled to the big city to go to church he comes to a city congregation first time ever there visited travels back to the ranch and has to tell all the cowhands about it so he starts to tell the story he said you know when I got there I pulled my old truck into the corral of course one of the Cowboys been to town he said oh you mean the parking lot Wow well I walked down the trail to the door the other Callahan said we you mean the sidewalk said oh yeah well kept fine he said well I got inside the door and there was this dude said oh you mean an usher hug him well that uh sure he led me down the chute oh you mean the aisle said well he led me right down to a stall and told me to sit down said pew yep that's what that fancy lady said when I sat down next to her but we may use different terms but when you talk about going to church we kind of get an idea what we're talking about does it matter what we call it install the shoot the usher well maybe a little bit but you know what does matter worship matters to God worship matters to God is it possible that sometimes we go to church and we don't worship we sing songs but we don't worship we listen to sermons and yet we don't worship we serve but we don't worship now those are all elements of worship but in and by themselves they aren't worship and the amazing thing is you can do all of those things and yet have failed to truly worship God is it possible that you could be accused of perfunctory praise but you love that word perfunctory praise what does that mean perfunctory it's an action that takes place with a minimum amount of effort it's perfunctory it's casual it's something that's superficial or careless may be half-hearted would be another synonym one that's not really attentive going through the motions all of those things are perfunctory so is it possible that we're just kind of going through the motions we're just playing Church in a perfunctory kind of way rather than truly worshiping God let's think about that for a moment what is real worship true worship well it's got to begin with the act of acknowledging and praising God and not just praising God but praising God as God praising him as our God it's our loving response of a grateful people to a powerful passionate loving creator worship means I put God dead in focus he is the focus of my praise he is truly the one to be desired he is the one to be honored he is the one that we should focus on he is the one that we express our appreciation are our adoration we admire our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ for who they are for what they represent for what they've done for what they do and for what they will do and so we begin to recognize that worship is not based on what I like or what I desire or what I don't like it's not based on any of those things it's not based on my personal preferences it's not based on my priorities it's based on recognizing our almighty creator and it's interesting that if you were to page through the songs everyone has a sense of praise and worship in every one of those songs but as you get to the end of the book there are five Psalms to conclude the Book of Psalms that all focus on this very issue how we worship our Heavenly Father what does godly praise and worship really look like well when you read through psalm 41 46 through psalm 150 every one of those Psalms begin with hallelujah praise the Lord every one of them praise Him in the sanctuary praise Him in the congregation praise him at all times and it goes through over and over recognizing the fact that he rules supreme in our life and it should be something that's constantly on our minds something that we can't help but think of as we recognize he is omnipotent he is all-powerful he is omniscient he knows everything the smallest thing about us that the greatest he is all-knowing and he's everywhere he is omnipresent he knows everything that's going on anywhere and he not only is aware of it but he is the one that we worship as creator of everything fact he's in charge of it all from the the tiniest littlest element to the gigantic galactic filament that is out in the universe just reading an article about this gigantic galactic filament I just didn't make that up it's actually something they discovered a couple years ago this amazing group of galaxies that they call the Hercules Corona borealis great wall thinking of the Great Wall of China this amazing set of galaxies imagine this 10 billion light years across this wall of galaxies have we got an awesome creator or what it's him that we honor it's him that we bring respect it's him that we give awe and we stand in wonder for all that he deserves some 133 characterizes this praise and worship that is due to God by saying this Psalm 33 verse 8 it says let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him you see it points to the fact that with a god-like we have this cannot be something where we worship casually this is not a god that will be worshiped carelessly or or superficially we don't have a God that we come to half-heartedly or routinely well we do this every week in and out it's the same same all the same so we inattentive lee kum and go no we stand in awe of an awesome God a powerful God who should be feared for the power that he wheels for the kind of creator that he is because there will be a day every inhabit of the earth will stand in awe they will either stand and on worship or they will stand in awe and fear the consequences of their lack of repentance so we have an awesome God and we delight in the opportunity to praise Him and worship Him and extol him because our God is worthy of praise and so we stand and sing not in a way that we forget to think of the words that were mouthing not in a way that we just do it again because we always do it this way yeah three songs of prayer and then no we're singing about his Excellency's we are extolling him because of his power and his prestige his purity his beauty that we have an amazing God who loves us and grants us mercy and care and his favor his loving grace and so we raise our voices and if you could imagine raising our voice with a chorus of heavenly angels in an amazing celestial choir you imagine what that must sound like to God we have an amazing God and from the very beginning he's called us to that he's called us to praise and worship Him we are to be a people of worship in fact we're told how to worship him we're told when to worship Him and as God worked with his people Israel and they came into the Promised Land he instructed them of that very thing if you take a look at Leviticus 23 familiar section of Scripture we know this section of Scripture outlines God's feast days his holy days God's days of worship are mentioned throughout Leviticus 23 and so as a part of those feast days in fact the first one that's mentioned God inspires instruction about the Sabbath so in Leviticus chapter 23 notice verse to Leviticus chapter 23 verse 2 God says speak to the children of Israel and say to them the Feast of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations these are my feasts and so we recognize the these aren't Israelite feasts these aren't jewish feast these are God's feasts and God says this is how you worship on my feast and he says six days work should be done but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest a holy convocation you shall do no work on it it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings and so immediately as we step back to consider this do we worship on the Sabbath in a perfunctory what kind of a way it's just casual it's just careless it's thoughtless I just got dressed and I showed up and I came to church or is there something more that God expects and he tells us very clearly this is not just church services sometimes we get that a little confused while I'm going to services well why that may be true what does that look like especially to a spiritual people we're not just Israel we are spiritual Israel so how does this command apply to us as God's spiritual people today there's no wonder he calls it a holy convocation that's a sacred assembly that is a powerful service where we come together in a commanded assembly not just a church service but in this commanded assembly the sacred gathering this holy convocation we come together to collectively worship God and he outlined that right from the very beginning and it points to something that that comes in addition to worshipping and extolling God it also recognizes the fact that we need to worship gods created us with a need to worship God is to be worshiped and yet we need worship as well now if you've ever built a campfire you know how much we need to be together because if a single little ember gets off there by itself we know what happens it starts to cool and it fades and dies but you push those embers together you fan that flame it creates a furnace effect and God's people are like that and we are so thankful for that furnace effect on cold days like today aren't we yeah when we are together we are warmed and we are filled and we are encouraged by our faith we recognize that we are built together so that even when we're down God upholds us as we come together even if we're struggling even if we're challenged that we can be encouraged as we come together to worship and praise Him and so it's no wonder that the Apostle Paul reiterated this command that God gives to keep that holy convocation to recognize that sacred gathering is something very very special the Apostle Paul said in Hebrews 1025 do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together don't do it we're commanded to keep this holy convocation and so Paul recognize that as well and so even though God calls us as individuals there's something about being together place together in his body and that function at least one of the functions of that body is to come to collectively together for the very purpose of worship because there's some aspects of worship we just can't accomplish on our own we just can't do it by ourselves and so collective prayer collective praise the instruction of Scripture congregational singing collectively praising and honoring God these are all parts and parcels of things that are designed for worship and so in order to do this I think it's fair to ask the question what is suitable for god honoring worship if we have a god that is an amazing creator of all things what is appropriate as we worship Him and what does that look like how can we be assured that it's not just perfunctory that we're just not exhibiting perfunctory praise just a casual come what may whatever happens casual approach perhaps just playing Church you know what is it how does that look what is the true nature of worship and how can I be sure that I'm not just going through the motions how can I be sure that when I worship and when we come together collectively that that we're not doing it in a way that dishonours God a couple of things to think about first when we think about what is suitable for honoring God in worship we should remember his instructions on holiness Bible talks a lot about holiness Old Testament talks a lot about holiness New Testament says has much to say about what is holy and what is not and so that that core concept of holiness you can find it throughout the pages of the Bible and when you think of holiness the concept that goes along with that so often in the Bible is the concept of set apart pneus being set apart we are God's people who are set apart and so when we think holiness you think being set apart whether its food or whether it's days or whether its offerings or whether it's places or whether it's God's people themselves to be holy is to be dedicated to God and there's this intricate connection between between worship and holiness the Apostle Paul encouraged Titus in this Titus a young minister is being instructed how to take care of God's people the proper way to come together in worshipping honor and extol God and so over in Titus chapter 2 verse 14 he's emphasizing a couple things as he instructs Titus and it's interesting how it connects with this concept of being set apart his concept of holiness and what that looks like as we come together to worship and he instructs Titus in chapter 2 verse 14 recognizing that God is the one who gets the credit God is the one we recognize God is the one who deserves a holy people and so when Titus chapter 2 verse 14 I'll read this in the King James he's talking about Christ here who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity of course there is the opposite of holiness we have sinfulness iniquity lawlessness so Christ was given to us so that we might be forgiven that we can have a relationship with God so that we could be a holy people that he could forgive us for sin and he says then to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works now of course if you're reading in the New King James says it just a little bit differently yes to redeem us from iniquity that that we can be forgiven but it's interesting it points back to god it's not just about us it says to purify unto himself to purify for God a peculiar people a special people we're different we're not like everybody else in the world God has called us out of this world and so we are peculiar we're special we're different and were to be different and dedicated to God because he's purifying us as his special people and so when you consider holiness and worship and being set apart God designed us for that very purpose to be special for him fact Peter exemplified this as well first Peter chapter 29 you're probably familiar with this passage it connects with that same concept of being set apart of being holy notice the way that Peter has recorded it for us in 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 9 first Peter chapter 2 verse 9 once again in the King James it says you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation yeah that sounds different does that sounds separate from the iniquity that's out in the world the lawlessness that God has taken us out of that frame of mine as a chosen people he says a royal priesthood were called to be a kingdom of priests kings and priests in his kingdom in fact a holy nation then he says a peculiar people there's that word again New King James a special people but not just because we're separate not just because we're to be holy but he says like Titus was told for him to worship to praise to bring him honor that we should show forth the praises of him to worship Him to honor him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light you see we can't separate this concept of holiness and worship be called out of this world by God's great mercy and his love to be his own special people to be a special people some translations say for his own possession that God owns us God owns us and yet so often when it comes to worship we don't recognize that we don't recognize who the real owner of our life is and so he's reminding us to be holy is to be set apart or to be sanctified that's another word that that carry as much of that same meaning to be set apart and to be sanctified means that very thing to be set apart for a special purpose for God and of course when you think of holy you might turn it around for a second and think about what unholy Ness is sometimes we get caught up maybe thinking not far enough maybe not thinking deep enough about that because oftentimes will say well being unholy means being wicked or being unholy means profane and that's true certainly it carries that definition but you know it's more than that being unholy can also carry the meaning of what is ordinary of what is common what's common what's ordinary if you follow that line of thought through the Bible it makes an interesting study to see how oftentimes things that are unholy are connected with ordinary casual common and by considering this fact that God is holy Titus and Peter telling us God is holy and he requires his people to worship in holiness in fact he expects everything that we offer him to be delineated by that very fact that very holiness and so he expects it he demonstrates it in every aspect of our relationship with him and so he calls us to the special relationship to bring him the honor and glory and praise and adoration that he deserves that's what he deserves and nothing less and so holiness has to be where would be we begin when we consider what is god honoring worse of course when we think of that as well we could also consider the concept of firstfruits when we consider what kind of worship brings God honor certainly we've got to consider holiness we also have to recognize this concept of first fruits first fruits are find everywhere throughout the Bible and yet it doesn't just refer to that first piece of grain that came out of the field as the crops matured there's more to it than that there's more to it than just being first in fact maybe a section back in numbers describes another way that we could consider this concept of firstfruits if you go to numbers chapter 18 verse 12 numbers chapter 18 verse 12 has an interesting description as it ties into firstfruits firstfruits of course mentioned a number of times throughout Scripture Old Testament New Testament the connection between those first fruits and the spiritual people of God becomes evident in the new and as we look back at the significance of the Old Testament numbers 18 carries some significant meaning that goes beyond the physical it goes beyond just what was given to the priests because here in numbers the priests are being instructed on how to worship how to praise what to do well here numbers chapter 18 verse 12 God instructs the priests that all the best of the oil all the best of the new wine and the grain their first fruits which they offer to the Lord I have given them to you so initially people brought first fruits to sacrifice to God to honor and worship Him once they were sacrificed the priests were able to eat of those offerings but it wasn't just that they were the first crop or they were the first oil where they were the first do you see what this is telling us it's not just a reference to the type of offering it's a reference to the quality of the offering firstfruits has a connection to the quality of the offering so now we're talking about the best the choices grains the choices oil the best lamb from the flock that's the kind of sacrifice that God expects in fact I think we could say God demands that we give him our very best God demands that we give our very best and that's a hard principle to deny as we go through scripture and connect those dots throughout the ages God demands that we give him our best otherwise we could say hey I can worship God anyway I want I could worship Him on any day doesn't matter what i eat doesn't matter what I do none of those things matter because I can worship God the way that I want to and God says unacceptable unacceptable I am maker I am creator I am omnipotent I am omnipresent I am innocent I know all I deserve the best and so God expects that he expects the best so what does that look like then in our lives do we give our best someone was reminding about me about that this morning no even as it comes to our worship and services they were telling me that in some ways we may be like football games of course here we are in the playoff season and some of our teams are in the playoffs which is really really kind of nice we'll see if it lasts but someone was telling me is it too often that our praise and we're shipping services somehow connect the football you think of the quarterback sneak that's a member that comes into services quietly after about a quarter of services are already over and they kind of sneak in the back or perhaps the draft choice they sit near the door so they can get out quick after services or perhaps the draw play too many older children and too many adults do that during services we have the draw play or maybe they stay in the pocket the money that should be offered and given to God stays in their pocket instead of used for God's purposes maybe it's a false start false start making two or three trips to the bathroom during services you know does that the kind of worship that God deserves so maybe then there's well there's also sudden death that's when the pastor goes over time sudden death is that our best is that what God expects I mean this is a common problem that the people of God has experienced throughout time that God demands the best but all too often we read our Bibles and we see that isn't what God's people have offered throughout time it was true during Moses time it was true during Joshua's time it was true during the time of the Kings it was true during the time of the minor prophets in fact one of the minor prophets Malachi addressed this very issue of how God demands our best turn with me over to Malachi chapter 1 verse 11 Malachi chapter 1 verse 11 addresses this fact of how the best how the firstfruits should be honoring and worshipping and praising God malachi chapter 1 verse 11 what were the people of malachi's day doing and of course a lot of the passages in the minor prophets in malachi are directed as prophecies for the future as well so see if there's a connection here in the future today as well Malachi 1 verse 11 it says from the rising of the Sun even to it's going down my name shall be great so here's God saying I'm a God of excellence I'm a God of perfection my name shall be great and not just among God's people but he says among the Gentiles in every place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the nation says the Lord of hosts but what were God's people doing they scoffed at God's expectations they dishonored God with with inferior worship verse 12 he says you profane it in that you say the table of the Lord is defiled and its fruit its food is contemptible you also say Oh what weariness what a nuisance some translations say other translations say how boring this is church is just boring he goes on you sneer at it says the Lord of hosts and you bring the stolen the lame the sick thus you bring an offering should I accept this from your hand God says there's no way that's acceptable that kind of worship and praise those inferior offerings are unaccepted verse 14 cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male takes a vow but sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished you see that's a perfunctory offering that's a casual offering that's an insincere offering that's an offer that is inattentive that's just going through the motions that's superficial and God says unacceptable he says for I am a great king and my name is to be feared among the nation's and it should be should be feared among the congregation among us that there is a healthy on respect certainly but there's a healthy fear as well because this is our opportunity this is our moment this is our time now is the time and if we don't respond to God's call and repent and change and grow there's a fearful thing that lies ahead and it's a fearful thing for the nation's if they don't repent they face the same conclusion and so here's God telling his people I am infuriated by your disrespectful approach you're well just going through the motions attitude that is uncalled for and unacceptable and so he says cursed is that individual who can appropriately sacrifice who has the means to sacrifice but offers up something less certainly drives home the point that as firstfruits God expects the best not the minimum effort not the perfunctory not the well I hadn't really thought about that very much but what's best now that brings us to a third consideration when we consider what is suitable for god-honoring worship what really honors God as we come together to praise Him and worship what honors God in our everyday life something we need to take into consideration is costliness costliness now doesn't have anything to do with our pocketbooks it's not talking about money now there is an example about money that ties in with this but it's really not a out money but this particular example draws the spiritual analogy from this action to true spiritual costliness go over to mark chapter 12 verse 41 mark chapter 12 verse 41 is the familiar story about the widow who gave her two mites gave just a little bit of an offering and Mark chapter 12 gives us the story about this this elderly lady who gave an offering at the temple that was something interesting in this particular story that came to Christ attention and he uses this example to bring about consideration in the way that we worship so in mark chapter 12 notice verse 41 it says Jesus sat opposite the Treasury so he's on the temple grounds and he saw how the people put money into the Treasury and many who were rich put in much verse 42 then one poor Widow came and threw in two mites which make a quadrants two mites that's like nothing that's like a partial of a penny today so it's hardly anything by today's standard it was nothing then all the rich people were throwing everything it seemed like in there well Christ calls his disciples verse 43 he called the disciples to himself and he said assuredly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the Treasury for they put or for they all put in out of their abundance but she out of her poverty put in all that she had her whole livelihood now when you think about a fraction of a penny going into the offering that's nothing and yet Christ draws the connection hear that what she gave amounted to more than the whole sum total of what everybody else gave and yet he draws this spiritual connection as well it was not about money what did she really give he says she gave her life she gave her whole livelihood she gave her whole self to God everything about her including these two little mites that were basically worthless she gave it over to God in other words the implication is every aspect of her life was devoted in praise and worship to God and so Christ pointed this out and it can't help but ring true in our ears as we consider are we willing to give of ourselves sacrificially are we willing to sacrifice are we willing to have an attitude that we recognize the costliness of true spirituality and give it all give our whole self to God that's what he expects it's what he wants in fact there's a wonderful example that King David said when it came to this very concept he modeled that spirit of sacrifice in his later life this example is found in second samuel chapter 24 second Samuel 2421 we find an example of the King king david king of all Israel the United Kingdom he basically owns everything as this is his kingdom and yet in second samuel chapter 24 it tells a remarkable story about his perspective about his attitude about his approach when it comes to true worship well he wants to purchase someone's feel they're they're threshing floor where they had thrashed grain this era nas threshing floor David wanted to buy wanted to purchase it for a place of worship imagine that ok here's the connection he wants to buy this property from oron n sometimes it's he's called but erina here in second samuel 24 he wants to buy this piece of property and/or nan says let me give it to you you don't have to buy it i'll donate it in fact i'll know it not only donate this property but let me donate the sacrifices to let me donate the oxen that you're going to need in order to sacrifice to god I'm more than willing to do that very thing what's David's response as erina offers you know this this amazing offering what is david's approach when it comes to worship verse 24 of 2nd Samuel 24 this was David's answer the king said to Aaron uh no not going to take your offer I'm going to take your donation but I will surely buy it from you for a price he says nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing David recognized there is a costliness to worship there's a costliness to truly and spiritually following God he couldn't take what was someone else's and then pretend to offer to God on his own behalf I wasn't going to happen so what did David do he bought the threshing floor and the oxen so he buys the oxen for 50 shekels probably several hundred dollars in today's currency plus he also buys the threshing floor and it wasn't just for a couple of bucks as a token offering now if you read first chronicles it tells us it cost him thousands and thousands of dollars for that very threshing floor so David was unwilling just to take a donation and so it points to this very fact that it can't be perfunctory it can't be casual it can't be not thought out true worship costs something and if you were to look throughout the Old Testament it points to that specialness of what it means it points to what is best it points to what is sacrificial and of course all too often we think oh yeah they offered these animals and they sacrifice and all that but I don't have anything to do with us because we know those sacrifices are done away right well are they in the church today what replaces those Old Testament sacrifices what replaces those Old Testament offerings we could say is it just that little green envelope we bring once in a while is that what replaces that is it just the fact that Christ fulfilled sacrifices and that's all there is to it or or is there more what replaces those Old Testament offerings it's the worshippers themselves it's those that come to worship God worship is literally the act of offering ourselves to God offering everything we are in fact Romans chapter 12 makes that very point if you turn over to Romans chapter 12 right at the very beginning of that section of Scripture New Testament offerings and sacrifices are shown to be what they truly are that worship is literally an act of offering our whole self to God look at Romans chapter 12 here we see very plainly as Paul writes to God's people in Rome he makes this point and it just jumps out at you he says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present yourself present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service well that's our our duty that's our are calling fact if you read this in other translations NIV says you offer your body as a living sacrifice because that points to true and proper worship not just this is our reasonable service but it's true worship real worship authentic worship the NRSV says this is your spiritual worship as we dedicate our lives thoroughly and completely to God that's the very point that worship costs us something costs us our our entire life and when you consider us coming together on the Sabbath that becomes even more emphasized in that way as we as we come together we do this not just once in a while but consistently we do it often every time we come together you might write down Hebrews chapter 13 verse 15 because it points to that very fact as we worship and praise God because we have dedicated ourselves completely and totally to him Hebrews 13 15 reminds us therefore by him led us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God and he says that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name not just that we talk about God or we talk about worship or we sing a song or we mentioned God in a conversation no he's saying this is on our lips because it's in our heart because of out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks this is who we are this is our identity we are God's people and our lives are fully completely totally dedicated to him and that's the kind of wholehearted offering that's the kind of complete worship that God expects that's the kind of worship that God demands and that's the kind of wholehearted giving that Jesus talked about when he said the father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth in spirit and in truth that's true worship right worship spiritual worship and certainly when you consider the Old Testament there was a place of worship there was a specific place whether it was the tabernacle or whether it was the the temple and everything about it was not casual everything about the tabernacle or the temple wasn't an afterthought everything about the tabernacle was not something that was half-hearted wasn't something that was routine everything about the tabernacle of the temple was designated holy it was designated holy and so God's people came and they worshipped and they approached that sacred place with awe and reverence and respect now we consider that today both individually and collectively okay we don't go to some sacred place do we we don't have to go to a tabernacle or temple there's a critical difference today when you consider that sacred place today we constitute that sacred place we are that sacred place we are the temple of God that's what Paul reminded God's church in Corinth II reminds us look at first Corinthians 316 first Corinthians 316 makes this point so powerfully because sometimes we can get a little off track when it comes to thinking of our worship and how we honor God and that sacrifice that God demands that we are that sacred place we are his church Paul said it a little bit differently in Athens when he went to Athens and he went to the Areopagus and he went to mars hill and he talked to the athenians about this do you remember what he told them he said that God doesn't live in temples made by human hands right that's not a sacred place anymore God doesn't live in temples made with human hands and so oftentimes that's the only thought that we think of okay yeah I don't have to worry about temples and Tabernacles and stuff like that today but what Paul was saying was even more than that and if we don't think a little bit more deeply we miss it it's not just the fact that there isn't a temple or a tabernacle that we worship in today the point is that God does dwell in a temple he dwells in a temple made with his own hands he doesn't dwell in a temple made with human hands he dwells in a temple made with his own hands he dwells within the church he dwells within his people and so that's why Paul wrote what he did here to God's church in Corinth he wrote it to us today as well look at verse 16 of first Corinthians 3 do you not know you are the temple of God yes that's collectively but later on he also says individually as well he says that the Spirit of God dwells in you that marks us as that sacred dwelling place he says if anyone two files the temple of God you better have some fear you better watch out God will destroy him for the temple of God is holy the temple which you are and so when you consider that every aspect of our worship like every aspect of that ancient tabernacle or temple was considered holy spiritually speaking should it be any different today as we come to worship God as we come collectively to praise and honor him in this temple made with God's hands do we come in a casual way do we come as an afterthought has it just become routine you see that's the challenge for each and every one of us and sometimes we fall into that same kind of thinking that that God's people throughout the ages all too often fell into does God care absolutely he cares and it gets right down to the smallest of things the littlest of things God cares about let me think about it for a second God care about what you wear well we probably think no God looks on the heart that's what's most important really is that all or does an awesome God demand awe and respect I think we deceive ourselves if if we think for a moment that God doesn't care what we wear when we come into his presence that God doesn't consider does he care about our hearts absolutely what is an expression of our hearts what does that show God what does a relaxed casual approach say about us what does it say more importantly what does it say about God wasn't what does it say about the one who is master creator of all what does that say about our God Psalm 29 verse 2 I think should bring that home without any doubt Psalm 29 verse to God certainly isn't into perfunctory he's not into casualness he's not into he is a god to be worshipped and praised and so Psalm 29 verse 2 makes that point especially as we consider what is holiness what is the best what is the cost where is our dedication Psalm 29 verse 2 says give unto the Lord the glory due his name give unto the Lord the glory due his name worship the lord in the beauty of holiness in the beauty of holiness not in in our holiness that god is beautiful god is holy our worship should recognize his holiness and it should influence everything that we do should influence everything including all the way down to this a little minor sounding kind of thing yeah even the way we wear what we wear when you think about that is there really anything casual about worship I think you'd have a hard time proving that out of the scripture think about how god is worshipped at his throne right now think about what book of revelation talks about as those angels angelic beings elders bow down and worship and sing before him yeah it even talks about appropriate clothing that they wear her imagine that and so as you consider that I just think about that for a moment what do we say when we dress no differently for church as we do when we go to the mall what does that say about our God what does that say about us what does it say when we dress just the same as over hanging out with friends what's the implication there is that a reflection of an equally casual I can't be bothered by it's really not that big a deal it's not my best it doesn't really matter it's so weary to have to deal with that what a new sense how boring all of that is is it a reflection of that kind of an attitude toward true spiritual worship is it a reflection of that I think in Scripture it would be hard to prove otherwise because shouldn't even right down to the the clothes that we wear communicate that this is an awe-inspiring occasion that we are coming before the very presence of God and in fact doesn't it also encourage others as we send this message that this is an important occasion this is a time that we come together to worship the great god of the universe so even in a little thing like our choice of clothing should express to God and those around us that this event matters this is crucial this is critical it says I view this as a spiritual holy occasion this isn't just an everyday come as it may I'm just going through the motions kind of thing this is something that deserves my greatest attention my highest regard and so when we gather for worship we recognize this is a sacred event this is a special occurrence this is a holy convocation we've been summoned by God and commanded to assemble together to worship the almighty creator of the universe and that brings a true sense of praise and honor and awe and reverence our God deserves no less and so we recognize that very thing when we come together we recognize that just like the priesthood that veil has been ripped from top to bottom and we have access directly to the throne room of God there's nobody standing between us we can enter right into his presence and so we come into that glorious presence that awesome presence you could say that awful presence because God is awe-inspiring that glorious loving gracious merciful presence of the Living God as we come together the worship anticipating knowing recognizing that Jesus Christ is present among us and promises without a doubt to teach us and to reach us and encourage us by his living power so we never want to grow oblivious to that very fact to take the significance of that holy convocation in a casual way and so let's always be sure that we are prepared we prepared not just for the Sabbath certainly we want to prepare ourselves we want to prepare our family we want to prepare our children for the Sabbath because it is a holy occasion it's a special occasion we should be ready to be refreshed we should be ready and focused for the presence of God we should be prepared because we recognize the fact I can't worship collectively at home I can't worship collectively in front of a computer screen fact I'm not even keeping the Sabbath if I don't attend the holy convocation because that's commanded as well as the rest I have to come together to praise and worship God and to think otherwise reduces the nificant of what is holy and so we should commit ourselves never never to bring something inferior to God's presence never bring something mediocre before God to never bring something that is dishonorable before him to never never enter into his presence never to live our lives in a superficial way to present our bodies as a living sacrifice in a careful thoughtful wholehearted way which is exactly the opposite of perfunctory tube live in a fashion that we understand that any of those things that are less than our best it's unacceptable to God he still is honored by what is holy he still is honored by what is best he still is honored by what is sacrificial and let's never forget that and we can be assured if we focus on our one true God as we consider his awesome holiness when we recognize what truly is set apart what truly is our best when we recognize that and understand the cost of discipleship what it means to be a living sacrifice as we certainly surrender our lives to the Great God and truly worship and honor him we would never be accused of perfunctory praise

Channel: United Church of God Sermons

Views: 607

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: United Church of God

Id: AK0UAb-RGeU

Length: 61min 59sec (3719 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 09 2017