“O Worship the King”

Scripture: John 4:19-23

C.I.: Getting Worship WRONG!

Last week we began a new series … worship. – Worship = “The decision to come into the presence of God.” - Yet as we just heard, not everything that man calls “worship” brings him into God's presence. – Today we are going to look at several people who sought to enter God's presence – but got it wrong! Therefore we will seek to learn from their mistakes so that we can get it right!

•  Learning to Worship God Right (by observing how others got it wrong )

•  “Going through the Motions” Worship - CAIN

1. The Bible's first account of worship demonstrates there is both a “right way” and a “wrong way” to do it.
a. ( Gen. 4:2-4 ), “Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. – So it came about in the course of time
that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. – And Abel on his part also brought of the firstlings of
his flock and of their fat portions. – And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering
He had no regard.”
1) Notice: both of them sought the presence of God – but only Abel's offering was acceptable.
2) It wasn't just what was brought that made the difference, “But for Cain AND for his offering…”
3) Simply “showing up” (i.e. “Going through the motions”) is NOT all that is required for worship!

b. ( Heb. 11:4 ), “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain through which he obtained the testimony that he was
righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” – Two important points:
1) Abel's faith : ( quote Heb. 11:1 ) – his parents had walked with God ( 3:8 ) – but he had never seen Him.
a) Abel sought God by his faith – Cain just showed up (went through the motions of worship)!
b) Are we truly seeking His presence – are just checking a box named “worship”?
2) Abel's gifts : “…God testifying about his gifts” – So not only Abel – but his gifts were also accepted!
a) To Cain God says, ( v. 7 ), “If you do well , will not your countenance be lifted up?”
b) Abel believed following God's example was the best way to please him.
c) The word atonement = “to cover.” – After their sin Adam & Eve sought to cover themselves,
( 3:7 ), “…sewed fig leaves together to make loin coverings.”
d) But, ( 3:21 ) “The Lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”
e) Abel followed God's example (animal sacrifice) – Cain followed his parents' example (veggy)
3) If we are going to come into the presence of God – let's be sure to follow the examples He approves of
– and not simply follow the examples of others!


B. “God didn't say we couldn't” Worship – NADAB & ABIHU

1. Offering worship to God that pleases us – but has no authority from Him – is just getting worship wrong!
a. ( Lev. 8-9 ), Passages showing the obedience of the people to doing as God commanded Moses & Aaron.
1) Lesson: When we do God's will God's way – He approves of and accepts our worship.
2) ( Lev. 9:24 ), “Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of the
fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” – God's approval!!!

b. ( Lev. 10:1 ), “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron [right people], took their respective fire pans, and after putting fire
in them placed incense on it [right thing – worship] and offered strange fire before the Lord which He had not commanded…
1) The fire was to come from altar, ( Lev. 16:12 ), “He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the
altar of the Lord, and 2 handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil.”
2) But they had not obeyed the Lord in this “itsy-bitsy little detail”! – Law of Exclusion!!!
3) ( Lev. 10:2 ), “And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died….”
4) “True worship” ( Jn. 4:23 ), must be offered to God His way, i.e., “in truth” ( cf. Jn. 17:17 ).

C. “I can worship however I Want” Worship – KING UZZIAH

1. In today's culture people expect to have the freedom to do what works for them (this includes our worship)!
a. ( II Chron. 26:16-19 ), “When he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was
unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. / – Then
Azariah the priest entered after him and with him 80 priests of the Lord, valiant men. – And they opposed the king
and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are
consecrated to burn incense. – Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful, and will have no honor from
the Lord God.' / – But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was
enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead….”
1) God desires all come into His presence – but only those consecrated by Him may do so.
2) ( Psa. 24:3-4 ), “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? – And who may stand in His holy presence?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” – ONLY THOSE CLEANSED BY GOD!
3) ( I Pt. 2:5 ), “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, - to
offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ .”

b. The only worship that God accepts – is when we do WHATEVER HE WANTS!!!
1) ( Matt. 15:8-9 ), “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. – But in
vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”

D. “I can live however I want” Worship – CHURCH AT THYATIRA

1. People can't live like the sinful world Monday – Saturday, - then come here and believe everything is okay!!!
a. ( Rev. 2:20-21 ), “I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things
sacrificed to idols. – And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality.”
1) Note, “she [NOT GOD] calls herself” – “She teaches & leads” but not according to GOD!
2) Clearly the things she is saying is what some do want to hear (otherwise she would be gone!).
3) God wants His people to hear HIS WORDS – that they might live holy lives, ( II Tim. 4:2-4 ).

b. We should leave the presence of God a CHANGED PERSON,
1) ( Matt. 13:15 ), “The heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and
they have closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart and return, and I should heal them.”
2) If we come to God with a humble heart – He can and will change us! - ( Psa. 51:17 ), “The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

CONCLUSIONS: Review & Lessons Learned…

a. “Going through the motions” – or - “Following the examples God approves!” ???

b. “Doing what God didn't say we couldn't” – or - “Doing what God authorizes” ???

c. “Worshiping however we want” – or - “Worshiping as God wants” ???

d. “Living however we want” - or - “Living holy lives for God” ???

Would you like to become a part of God's priesthood? ( I Pt. 2:5, 9 ).
In this same letter Peter tells us how, ( I Pt. 1:23; 3:21 )