The Worship Altar

You want to continue in our series on altars. And the last week we talked about The altars of Abraham. we talk about first that his first all through, was the relationship on her, then we talked about the retirement altar and then he went the wrong direction and then we find him building The Returned alter then God in his goodness allowed Abraham to build. Are renewing alter. But this last one is the requirement alter. So, today we want to talk about the worship altar. Preacher, how is it a requirement altar in a worship altar? True worship requires something. We live in a day where everybody thinks they're worshipping.

Every activity they do at church, they call it worship nowadays.

And it's just not biblical.

Genesis chapter 22.

There is a hermeneutical principle, some of your like wow.

Hermeneutical. You want to say? God bless you and

That is actually a Biblical Study word, when I have more time, I'll explain it. But there is a hermeneutical principle called the principle of first mention. You've heard me talk about it over and over and over again. Here Kerwin. But I want to explain it a little bit better today. this principle teaches that the first mention of a word, Or of a Doctrine in the Bible determines. That words, meaning for the rest of scripture.

So the first time something is mentioned in the context of that tells us what that will mean throughout the rest of God's word. For instance, in Genesis chapter 12, here in Abraham's life we find again in Genesis chapter 12, in verse 10, you'll need to turn there but we find the first mention of Egypt.

She said what why is this important? Well, because Abraham left where God wanted him to be and because he feared a famine, he ran to Egypt. And we know because of that but Egypt is presented in a negative light because Abraham suffered spiritual lost, Abraham damaged his testimony Abraham rebelled against God during this time. So all through scripture Egypt will always be a picture of something negative. The reason this is a worship altar.

It's because in the passage, we're going to read today. This is the first biblical mention of the word worship. Now, I believe that worship had already been going on in the Bible. We're not saying that we're saying that this is the first time and God's word, that the word worship is mentioned in. So we learned principles about worship In this passage, that will be the same throughout the rest of the word of God. I believe in Genesis chapter 4, the Bible says, then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. I believe worship started all the way back in Genesis for Genesis 5 says Enoch walked with God, Genesis 6 says that Noah walked with God, but this is simply the first time that the word worship is used. So, we cannot deal with this passage. Without dealing with this word.

You see this word worship here in the Hebrew means to bow down. Just submit yourself before a superior to humble yourself before God and Abraham uses this word in the most difficult time of his life.

Abraham was in the deepest valley he'd ever been in, as they just saying about and he saw that whole experience.

As worship.

So, let's dig into it this morning. See what God has to tell us. Sure, do love you. And I'm so thankful that you're here this morning. Number one, we want to see the start of worship. The start. Where does worship even start? I mean, we find here this mention of worship. You're going to see there in just a minute. But if we're going to learn principles about worship, we have to know where it starts notice first, one of Genesis 22. And it came to pass in those verses around the street. If you don't have your Bible this morning and it came to pass after these things, notice that God did Tim's Abraham and said unto him, God speaks no notice here, Abraham. And what happened? Abraham said and he said, behold here I am. Worship. Always begins with a word from God.

Do you understand? Say Amen. Let me get a little bit further. We find here. The process of worship begins with God speaking and Abraham responding.

Worship is not just about you saying what you have to say about God. Worship Is God speaking and US responding. You see worship always begins as a response to something that God has said. Abraham's Worship in these verses was based very clear from the Lord. God said in verse one. God said and then inverse, one Abraham said it's a response at the start of this whole worship experience. Was Abraham responding to something that God had said. True worship is always Guided by the word of God. True worship is always a response to a revelation. God tells Abraham here, take out, I Sun, God tells Abraham here, get to a mountain there at Mariah, God tells him what to do. Tells him where to go and Abraham simply respond to God, worship always starts with us, responding to what God has said.

Isn't the whole worship experience. There is nothing about what God has said. That's not worship. That is man. Not God. she preached, I'm I'm having a little bit of trouble understanding Following the traditions, and customs of men is simply not worship.

Genuine biblical worship is all that. I am Responding to all that God is. As he has revealed himself to me. Through what he said. How many, you know, God's word is what he said, you have here, hopefully you have what God has said, so worship. That's why the Bible says, if we worship God, we must worship Him in spirit and in truth, Worship is done with our spirit, not our mind, not even our emotions, it's done with our spirit. It's a, it's a combination of all of them. And so, to worship God, we have to respond with our spirit to the truth that God has given. So, the worship God, we must worship Him in spirit, which is us and Truth, which is him

If you if you got it so far, Say Amen. So, half of you didn't get it so far.

In other words, the Bible says God loves me. The Bible says, God sent his son to die for me. And I must respond to what he said. Here this morning you don't know. You're saying, I'm here to tell you, the Bible says, Jesus loves you. The Bible says he died for you. The Bible says, he wants to save you. The Bible says he's not willing that. Any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Now worship starts when you respond To what he said. My Bible says that his grace is sufficient for me. So When Trials come in my life, the way I worship in Trials is responding to what God has said. I might not like my trial and I might not like my Affliction, but I think I'm going to make that a worship experience. It means I find something that God has sent. You said you never leave me nor forsake me. You said you never put more on me that I could bear God. You said that you would always be there. You said that you loved me. You said that you'll never leave me. And that means worship. Is me saying God I don't like when I'm in but I am responding to what you promised.

You see what? I understand who God is and what he's done for me. I worship him when I respond to that. Revelation with humility and gratitude and reverence.

Number two. Worship always starts.

With the response. 2, something goddess set. Number to, I want you to see the submission. Of worship. You see this passage is going to tell us exactly what we're ship is. Weber stew and he meeting. God said, take now, thy son died. Only son, Isaac whom thou lovest. God saying I know exactly how you feel Abraham and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell the so God hasn't even given him the specifics yet.

Verse 3. And Abraham rose up early. In the morning. He saddled his donkey. Took two of his young men with him and Isaac. Pick up the wood for the burnt offering and noticed this at the end and Rose up and went. Get this. God said how did Abraham respond? God said. Take my son. Offer him go to this mountain. Notice and Abraham rose up. And went into the place, God had told him. No, listen to me this morning, it doesn't say Abraham rose up in question.

It says he rose up and went. It doesn't say Abraham rose up and complained. What do you mean you promised me a seed my wife in past childbearing years? You give him a rack Euless, child, and Isaac. So now I finally have this thief and now you're asking me to go kill him.

Abraham rose up and went. It doesn't say he rose up and argued.

You see true worship. always involves you and I Submitting.

To God's word get this so far. What is the start of worship? It's be responding to what God, it said. So, what is the submission of worship? Not only hearing what God Said, but obey,

listen, if you're not obeying anything, you're not worshipping, if you're just staying in the saying, that doesn't mean you're worshipping, Hey, what do you do after you get done singing on Sunday, what do you do for the rest of the week?

Hey singing. A song is the worship folks. I don't know what you've been told, but you've been lied to True, biblical worship has to have God's word, and it has to have obedience to God's word.

You see, it's one thing to hear what God is said. It's another thing to do it,

not only does worship start with What God Says, worship solidifies by obeying. What God has said.

Anyone who does not obey the word of God. Cannot be a true worshipper.

Number three. I want you to see the separation of worship.

Number three, the separation of worship for. Then, on the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place apart on. And Abraham said it to his young men, you stay here. And I in the lad. Isaac will go Yonder and worship. And come again unto. You. Look at me. Why did Abraham tell his servants to stay there? Because the moment Abraham ties up, Isaac, and put Isaac on that alter, those servants are going to think, grandpa has quit. Grandpa has turn. He's gone crazy. And those servants would have interfered with what God had asked him to do. Are you with me, say, Amen? Do you know true worship always involves you and I are separating from what will distract us from worship.

There's nothing wrong with servants. But they just couldn't be part of the worship.

You and I live in today, everybody wants to argue with seeing is it's what does the bible really say it's wrong? But can I ask you something? Is it interfering with your worship?

Has it become such a part of your life that now it's the preference over something that got his ass. Nothing wrong with what God has given you and enjoy but just to keep you from God's house.

maybe, there's some things you and I need to separate from if we're going to wash,

what is a lot of like to say to that?

And I had some really good stuff written down.

May I just say there's anything that distracts your mind or is it a hindrance to genuine biblical worship is a problem. And you're going to have to leave it. To go higher.

number for, The surrender of worship.

R6S and Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering. And you laid it upon Isaac. What in that? Nice? Isaac, the one that's going to get sacrificed Abraham. Makes him carry the wood up. That sounds like a dad, doesn't it to his son?

After my son, Hudson over there is just taking you out.

In our family, Hudson's always been my helper. Hudson is always been the one whatever I'm doing if I need something done, as I have to help me. Sure. He's always been my helper and how many of you know the helper is up getting the work.

But how many you know the ones that do the work end up? Getting the reward?

Notice this elated upon Isaac, his son, and he took the fire in his hand in a night where he's got everything you need.

They went both of them together. So now he's separated from, what would keep him from, what God has asked him to do. And now he takes his step, he fully surrenders, he gets the wood, the knife.

His son.

God showed him exactly which mountain now and Now, he surrenders.

I want you to notice and very importantly, The substance of worship. Now, we're getting down to what is really really involved and worship. 47 and Isaac's speaker. The Abraham is f***** up and said my father. I'd be like Dad. And he said your mind, my son.

he said, behold the fire In the wood, where is the Lamb? For the burnt offering. Where's the sacrifice?

And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb. For a burnt offering. So they went both of them together. Are you listening?

Is the substance. Of worship. Abraham said, Isaac, I don't know a lot of things. the one thing I know, Dog wants a sacrifice today. And God will provide that. I don't understand in Abraham's mine. Why God's asked it this way? Why he's given the instructions? He's given it doesn't make sense and I don't understand. It's been as far as you my son, the only thing you need to know is that God can be trusted. He don't even know why we're doing it. You don't even know what you don't even need to know what God said to me. All you need to know as a young man is that God can be trusted.

You see, Abraham believe by faith somehow. Some way this whole thing was going to work out.

Because he believed God.

You're looking for a spy. this is not on the screen but I just want to show you the face that he showed in verse five and Abraham said it to his young men of IG here with a donkey and I and the lad will go Yonder and worship and come again unto you You see Abraham and his mind didn't know, listen. God's asked me to kill Isaac and sacrifice him but Abraham believed in his heart that somehow him. And Isaac were coming down off that mountain, he believes enough to be told the service will be back either God's going to make me kill him and God will raise him from the dead or gone. Me got to do something. But I believe with all my heart has promised to Steve and Isaac is the only seed so I believe God will do what God said he would do.

Abraham never asked for an explanation.

You just knew that got to be trusted. Hebrews 11. Verse 1 says this. Now, Faith is the substance. of things hoped for The evidence of Things Not Seen Hebrews 11:6 says this but without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he, that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is, a rewarder of them that just even when you can't see it, even when you don't understand it, you got to believe in, you can't please God without faith.

First floor is Hebrews 11 says by faith Abel offered on to God, a more excellent. Sacrifice verse five was translated for 7 to prepare. Denard Abraham

When he was called to go out and do a place.

Gyros. And went. First nine by faith. He's so turned In the land of promise, faith. Verse 11 through faith. Also Sara herself received strength. To conceive seed. That's where Isaac came from. Verse 13. What is the Bible? Say these all died in faith, not having received the promises but having seen them all far off. That's what faith is. I don't know how got to do with this. I don't know why he's done it. He told me to go. So I came and I know you got questions. Isaac. And I don't have all the answers, but the only thing you need to know is they gone? Can we trust?

You can't worship. Felt paint. Number 6, most done. The sacrifice. Abortion. First time. And they came to the place. So what you got in told him of an Abraham built an altar there. And laid the wood in order. And bound. Isaac, his son. Can you imagine this scene? And laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife. To slay his son. This is the hardest altar that Abraham had built.

Here we see. A picture. Christ.

Noticed this on the screens if you would Isaac, was the promised seed, Jesus is the promised savior. Isaac was the only son? Jesus was the only begotten son. Father, Abraham will offer his son. God, the Father will offer his son. Isaac would be confined on the altar, Jesus would be crucified on the cross. Isaac was willing to lay on the altar, we don't ever find him arguing hear Jesus willingly, lay down his life on the cross. Isaac would be replaced. Buy a lamb. Jesus would take our place. How's the Lamb of God? Which taketh away the sins of the world.

Isaac would come down a lot. Jesus would come out. Alive.

Worship always require sacrifice. We live in a day and time where Worship in churches. Require no, sacrifice. We don't have to change her life. We don't have to clean up our life. We don't have to follow rules. All We Got To Do Is Sing a few songs. Get a little emotional. Now we portion but what have you sacrificed? We come to church the way we were. We leave the way we were. We lived week away, we always win.

But what have we sacrificed? This is the first mention of worship in the Bible so we know the rest of the way. What worship means that the worship always involves?

God.

Was not going to make Abraham do.

Would God? With ultimately have to do.

Number seven, the sincerity of worship verse 11 in the angel of the Lord called out unto him out of Heaven. That Abraham Abraham and said, I know what he was thinking. Thank God, And he said, lay not thine hand upon the land, either do that or anything to him. For now, I know.

That thou fearest God there's no point. God knows. Pino's your sincerity. See if I can get up here and worship and sing a song and you can get up here and sing in the choir and you can play a piano and you can sing a solo and I can preach a sermon but God knows their sincerity in the heart.

God stopped him. See God didn't make Abraham do what God was going to have to do in the New Testament. Nobody stop God's hand. he had to turn his back on his only son, when he took you or sit in my

She got stopped Abraham because he knew his faith was real. It was sincere. And you don't know that to you sacrifice. You don't know that until it cost you some. Not trying to make him a public example. Rochester Family seem like wonderful. Find Christians. They always have.

But now, we'll find out. If they're sincere. I guess what we have found out through this.

Leatherface.

So you don't find out something. So sacrifice.

Last. The supply of worship.

Abraham said, Isaac, all I know is one thing. God will provide himself a lamb.

We're searching and Abraham lifted up, his eyes, and looked and behold behind him. A ram caught in a Thicket by his horns and Abraham went and took the ran offer him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. That's what Jesus did for us. And Abraham called the name of that place. Jehovah-jireh.

What is Jehovah Jireh mean preacher? Many of you know, it means The God Who will provide

you and I worship The God Who will Provide.

Listen to me. This was the hardest alter. This was the most confusing altar Abraham ever had to build. This was the most dreaded alter. This was the most painful alter. This was the most. Sacrificial altar.

But this was the most. Powerful alter. It was the most life-changing. Abraham and Isaac were different when they came down off that mountain. This was the most necessary altar. This was the most Victoria Salter. Yes. this was the most wonderful altar. Abraham's. Final. I wonder how you and I are. At worshiping today. Could you determine today whether or not you need to find an altar this morning.

To worship.