Worship In Spirit and Truth - 12 Worship God Rightly

Psalm 75:6–8 ESV

6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, 7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. 8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.

Exodus 20:1–21 ESV

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labour, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.” 18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Introduction

As we have already noted the Ten Commandments, particularly the first 4, are relevant to the way in which we worship. The first command tells us that there is no other god and we must worship the one true God. The second tells us that we must worship God in the right way.

Roman Catholic Ten Commandments

I AM THE LORD THY GOD: THOU SHALT NOT HAVE STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.

2. THOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN.

9.  THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S WIFE.

10. THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S GOODS.

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Exodus 20:4–6 ESV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

There are two main ways of interpreting the Scriptures which are known as the Normative Principle and the Regulative Principle, these relate to the application of the Scriptures in all we believe and do with particular relevance to our worship.

Briefly stated, the regulative principle teaches that God has set forth in Scripture the only acceptable ways of worshiping him and that it is a sin to attempt to worship him in any other way. The opposite view, the normative principle, teaches that we may worship in whatever way we wish as long as it is not forbidden in Scripture. Reisinger, E. C., & Allen, D. M. (2001).

We hold to the Regulative Principle.

The first Commandment establishes the kind of God we worship: He is one and alone; there never has been nor can there be any other God. The second Commandment shows us the right way to worship

Worship the Lord.

Set our minds attention and hearts affection on the Lord. Praising him for who he is and for what he has done.

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1. The Rule v4

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Exodus 20:4–5 ESV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them,

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Anything that becomes a lucky charm or mascot is idolatry. Anything that we always carry with us because somehow we feel safe and secure with it. That is an idol. If in doubt we would be well advised to take it out and destroy it. Our willingness to do that is a sure test of whether or not it has become an idol. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 86). Day One Publications.

Brian Edwards lists 6 tragic failures of Idolatry

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1. Idolatry Robes God of His Rightful Honour

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Romans 1:21–23 ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

2. Idolatry Robs Human Life of its Dignity

Nothing so dignifies human nature than when it worships, honours and obeys the glorious God who created it. Idolatry not only robs God of his honour, but the human race of its dignity. To watch a man or woman devote their entire life to making money or a name for themselves whether in politics, education, finance, sport, the arts or even religion or unbelief is to watch an idolater at work. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 91). Day One Publications.

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3. Idolatry Spoils Future Generations

Come back to this

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4. Idolatry Holds People in Fear

There can never be peace, security and certainty in idolatry. The idol can never be a great comforter, helper or deliverer. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 93). Day One Publications.

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5. Idolatry is Incapable of Giving Spiritual Life

To believe in an idol may give some kind of psychological boost, but it is incapable of giving anyone new life or spiritual strength. Our modern idols have sapped the moral energy of the nation. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 94). Day One Publications.

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6. Idolatry Cannot Show Us the Way to Eternal Life

None of today’s idols even attempt to offer hope for the future. Sex, violence and greed are idols for today but not for tomorrow. Their devotees dare not think of the grave, for when it comes they have nothing to say to it and nothing to offer beyond it. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 95). Day One Publications.

Stephen Dray

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2. The Reason v5

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Exodus 20:5 ESV

for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, 5God is a ‘jealous’ God. That word found in the Hebrew of Exodus 20:5 does not carry our idea of furious rage and selfish possessiveness, still less that of vindictive envy or a fearful pride of being displaced. It means that God is protective of his own honour and intolerant of disobedience (Isaiah 42:8 and 48:11). But God is protective and intolerant for our benefit also. He is a God who wants us to worship him alone, for only in this way will we find our spiritual fulfilment, satisfaction and peace. We were made by God and for God; our soul is hungry to know God, and every substitute is a cheap mockery of the real thing.

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Isaiah 42:8 ESV

8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

For a marriage partner to expect and jealously guard faithfulness to the marriage vows is not to be dismissed as ‘selfish possessiveness’; on the contrary, it is for the benefit of both partners. The husband or wife who is angry at any violation of the ‘covenant’ is to be commended not condemned. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 90). Day One Publications.

Exodus 34:14 ESV

14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),

Deuteronomy 4:24 ESV

24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 6:14–15 ESV

14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

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3 Warning v5

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Exodus 20:5 ESV

5 visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

However, there is no doubt that children suffer greatly for the sins of their parents, not by some arbitrary decree of a vengeful God but by the law of cause and effect. Sadly and unavoidably the punishment that falls on the parents often afflicts the children too. The son smarts for his father’s sin—that is true of millions of divorce-orphans across the world. Sadly also the sins of the fathers are too frequently aped by the children and grandchildren. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 92). Day One Publications.

Deuteronomy 24:16 ESV

16 “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

Every generation sets the agenda for tomorrow’s world. We show our children how to live and by passing on our idols we demonstrate our priorities. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 92). Day One Publications.

Jesus Gives a very severe warning

Matthew 18:1–6 ESV

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

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4. The Promise v6

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Exodus 20:6 ESV

6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:5 ESV

5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

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Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV

9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

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Jonah 2:8–9 ESV

8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

Conclusion

The invitation is to come and worship the Creator as he always intended; and in our worship of him we will always find our highest value. Our felt needs may be for meaning, purpose, authentic relationships, self-worth and so on—all those objects the present day encourages us to strive for. But our real need is for reconciliation with our Creator and then all other things of value will be found as well. Edwards, B. H. (2002). The Ten Commandments for today (2nd ed., p. 96). Day One Publications.

1 John 2:15–16 ESV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.