When Worship Goes Wrong
morning church could be with you. If you are visiting here with us this morning. You may safely stretch seems to be. Chris serious this morning as always like that.
And I hope the answer is yes or no, and we're always serious about who God is and the worship of him and no it doesn't always play itself out the same way in the song Sweet rooster Sunday morning, but we try as a team to choose songs to sing as a congregation that match with what we're going to be talking about in the sermon so that as you're here worshipping your ear Focus the entire timer on 1 great theme for the morning and the theme for this morning is worship, but coming at it from the chapter. We are in and Malachi right now chapter 1 verses 6 through 14 when worship goes wrong. And so we're going to be looking at a tough topic this morning and the songs we sang reminded us a bit of our need for Christ in this. I remind you as we get into this that if we started the Book of Malachi last week, if you happen to miss that sermon last week we focused on the fact a little bit that the Lord says I have loved you and that that is foundational what the Lord says goes. So then when he says he loves us but then have to say some things to his people in the coming weeks as it's not just this week next week. It's it again to in a little different way. Better understand the cautions in the warnings in the rebukes that come to God's people in light of the fact that you lost. That is why he is so fervent in making sure that his people understand why he made them and what he's calling them to so what I want to do this morning, I want to read the text and Alyssa pray. And then I want us to think together through what happens when worship is not God calls it to be so here's the text. If you're following along, it's Malachi 1 again verses 6 through 14.
A son honors his father and a servant his master if than I am a father. Where is my honor? If I'm a master, where is my fear says the Lord of hosts the priests who despise my name, but you say we despised your name? My offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say how if we polluted you. By saying the Lord's table may be despised when you offer blind animals and sacrifices that not evil. And when you offer those that are lame or sick is not not evil present that to your Governor. Will he accept you or show you favor says the Lord of hosts? And now entreat the favor of God that he may be gracious to us with such a gift from your hand. Will you show favor to any of you says the Lord of hosts? Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not Kindle Fire on my altar in vain. I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of hosts. I will not accept an offering from your hand from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the Nations and at every place incense will be offered to my name a pure offering for not my name will be great among the Nations says the Lord of hosts. Buprenorphine it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted and its fruit. That is its food may be despised wearing is this is you snort says the Lord of hosts. You bring what's been taken by violence or is lame or sick and this you bring it you're offering shall I accept that from your hand says the Lord person be the sheet who has a male in his flock and vows it and yet sacrifices to the Lord. What is blemished find a great king says the Lord of hosts and my name will be fear among the Nations stick moment pray.
My father I know that you tell us in the book of Hebrews that we are all now priests in your household that we all come straight to you through Christ. We don't go through the mediating priesthood like they used to
and so the word to the priest applies to all of us and yet that's the one delivering your word this morning. I feel an extra burden.
That the worship I offer in the preaching of your word would not be found Unworthy of the name of God.
And so Lord. I pray you would send your spirit to allow me to speak your word and weigh that is faithful and clear and true.
Then you would allow all of our hearts to understand and embrace the truth of your word and it would change the way we live causing us to lean more fully on Christ causing us to live lives in response to the greatness of love. We have been shown in you.
Way, that is worthy. in our worship crazy things in Jesus name
when you title a sermon when worship goes wrong. Probably the entire worship team was in fear this morning. And I actually love the fact that we started a song in 6/8 and change it to 4 for halfway through because it just highlights the fact that that happens, right? But not originally part of my taxes. I didn't know that was going to happen.
But I want to make a comment on that because it's easy for us to think that when that happens though. That's worship gone wrong. That isn't worship gone wrong. Because God was being praised. Hearts were being turn towards him the musical thing here there a Miss note is meaningless compared to where our hearts are at in worship. And so when we come to this topic this morning, please don't think of worship just as the time we gather for singing. What we're going to talk a bit here because of the text itself this morning about how the the people of Israel the priests who were designed by God to lead the sacrificial offerings and worship of gods people had messed it up. But the way it applies to us is not so much. Oh, I've been better. Be careful whether or sheep have blemishes or not cuz we're not under that Covenant.
But the idea that God is worthy of not our scraps in worship, but of the fullness and best of what we have and worship carries over from the old to the new and so what the Lord calls out here in this text or Malachi to the people of Israel been sent into Exile at comeback and instead of coming back and and saying wow we messed it up before but God giving us a second chance. Let's go after him hard. They started to follow the exact same things they done before. And we likewise when we have now been brought into Christ contend at times to see our gathering with other people for worship and our own personal heart worship. Is it somehow well, hey once saved always saved forget. And yet the Lord constantly is calling us back to say yes, but there's more is there not is there not some level to which the glory of God should constantly be stirring our hearts to say I am done with half-hearted worship. I am done with offering the Lord less Lord help me offer you what is best? What is most glorified and that is where we find ourselves this morning seeing in this text application to our own lives of worship. Sahadis worship go wrong. Will first of all worship goes wrong when it is unworthy the name of God. You see this throughout the text in Malachi 1:6 through 8. He says that fathers deserve honor servants from their Master deserves honor worship fear.
Who is saying this? If it were me.
It would be silly. But it's not who is speaking here. The Lord of hosts says to you got understand this phrase because in order for something to be Unworthy of the name of God worship become Unworthy of his name you have to understand who is this guy? Who is the name that we are referring to here depending on your version and they say the Lord of hosts. It may say the Lord. All Mighty if you remember the old him that Martin Luther wrote Lord sabaoth his name from age to age the same and he must win the battle. What's that line mean? If you've never looked at that him and examine it before Lord sabaoth. Is this the Lord of hosts the Lord Almighty another very good translation would be the Lord of armies.
I'll let that sink in for a second.
the Lord who commands Angel armies almost Beyond count Is the one who is calling for worship?
And his people are going whatever.
The Lord of post saying this the Lord of armies is speaking and you don't even offer him the common courtesies you would offer a father a master. Instead they do just the opposite. They despise his name.
And then have the gall to say house. We done that. How's we despise your name? And so God has to lay it out for them you offer polluted food on the altar de priest who are supposed to according to Leviticus bring along that the best that the people offered an offer to God knowing that. Yes. This was this was a good sheep hear. This was a good lamb. This was a good Ram. This was a good Ox that were offering the best we have but that's worthy of our best. And instead instead of saying God is worthy of our best. They despised his table by offering and animals. It works far from the best the ones that work worthless to keep hard to have a blind Ox do much for you. You can't really see where the plow. Hard to have a lame sheep in the field. You can't shepherd very well cuz I can't even get around on his own. They were not offering him the unblemish animals. They were offering God the worst that they could come up with. It's no good to us will give it to God.
God continues he he said he's the Lord of hosts there. He continues in 111 talking about the fact that he's the Lord of hosts again in his name will be great. He talks about it again in 114. I'm a great king says the Lord of hosts. She wants people to understand who he is so that what they are offering to him lines up.
I love that the phrase that he inspires here in verse 8 when you offer those that are lame or sick is that not evil present that to your Governor. Will he accept you or show you favor? What's he getting at?
If it's so bad, you wouldn't even offer it to an Earthly leader. Why in the world would you think it's okay to offer that to the Lord of hosts?
The contrast is remarkable.
Why would God accept such a gift?
It is not worthy of his name. So let's just stop for a second here. Okay, we don't offer animals anymore. There was a sacrifice once for all in Jesus Christ to the animal sacrificial system has been done away with what does worship look like now that is Unworthy of the name of God.
Worship is Unworthy of the name of God when the things that we do in worship would seem lame. If they were offered to someone who was lesser than God. If something you do in worship, you do it so lacklustre. So heartedly that if you were doing this to another person they be like really Give me an example. Imagine for a second. And then I'm not even going to say which president you're just invited to the White House to meet our president pick your present any other side, right?
And you you get invited and you go to show up. How do you show up? How do you address that percent? How do you speak to them? How do you prepare in advance for it? I highly doubt that you get up that morning.
Rummage through whatever clothes are laying on the floor go over woke up and be like yo, dude. What up? Why that's completely unacceptable. You at least show some common courtesy? Hello? Mr. President. It's an honor to meet you yet. How many of us when we get up for our daily devotions in the morning? Half awake offering God the least we can do to keep from falling back to sleep again and assume that that's acceptable.
When we come here and we gather for corporate worship. Can we come with an expectation that we are coming to see the Lord? We're coming to encounter him or do we count on me like my seat.
We often offer things up that are unworthy to the name of God and it's easy to identify because we let things that would seem odd to say to lesser people somehow apply to God and that's okay. No, there's a warning here. There is definitely a possibility that you could hear what I'm saying right now and go. Okay. This is one of those sermons that we don't like because it's legalistic. It's saying you got to do this and that and the other thing to make God happy. No, it's not bad at all. These are done in response to the great work that's been done to us by Christ. These are not earning favor with God. We're not offering up worship to him because somehow they look at me like they were really good this morning. I'll be nice to them instead we say because of who you are. I give you glory.
Makes me wanna sing song that I'm not going to go there.
When God is good to us. Our response should be worshipped because we understand the greatness of whoever.
Oh that that was the only thing he had to say. When else does worship go on? Well worship seems to go wrong here because the people are unwilling to sacrifice for God. I got me flying animals and sacrifice in 1/8 of Lane in the sick. 114 the cheat who has something good. What gives the Lord what's blemished? Anyhow, and Sawzall. I promise that somebody else. I can't offer that up.
Worship in the Old Testament required sacrifice literal sacrifice But it also required sacrifice in the sense that they had to give up stuff that actually mattered to them.
That aspect of it hasn't changed. I don't think any of you have any sheep out your car that you brought to church this morning and thank you for that. bought did you bring a sacrifice with you this morning? If you brought yourself here for worship this morning are you doing it? In a way that says I myself am a living sacrifice to the Lord Romans 12. Am I to the point where I come and I say not just a little bit of what I have. Do I offer you this sheep from my if sheep but now I offer you.
I do not come and just say you can have a little Jesus. Just don't take too much.
How do you say My Worship Is All of Me for you? This sounds really good, and we would love to see there's one real. Yes, you can have all of me until Monday comes and your day planner has to come out and you figure out what your day is going to look like and God isn't present at all in it. It's fine to say Lord have all of me until you examine your checkbook at the end of the month and find that the Lord was not a priority in anything that you spent money on. It's all right to say Lord have all of me until you look at your own heart and say I say have all of me, but what I mean is help me when I'm in trouble and leave me alone the rest.
It's going to require sacrifice. It's going to require our time Talent treasure and our whole lives to be committed to him.
Some of you know that a passage is coming up later on in Malachi passage on tithing prize me gone that week. Let me tell you they had it easy compared to what God actually calls us to In Christ. It's easier to say here have the one good sheep out of my 10. Then it is to say how all of me. That's what we're called to as Christians. It is a life of sacrifice and worship goes wrong. When all the sudden we are unwilling to sacrifice and still expect that God thinks that's worship.
Did Mark 12 43 and 44 Jesus is talking about a widow who came and contributed some money. He says this in verse 43 called his disciples and said to them truly I say to you this poor Widow is put more in than all those who are contributing to the offering box for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything. She had all she had to live on. Do you see what's being crazy cheer? It is not the quantity that she gave it is the heart attitude that says there is nothing I hold back from the Lord. Oh What A Difference it would make if we looked at our lives and didn't say how much do I have to do for Jesus and instead said all of it is yours my time my talents my treasure is all yours how much of it do I need to put to work for stuff I need Limit that amount for me so that more of it can be done to benefit your people and you're totally different question to ask.
Ultimately, though when we talk about sacrifice, we cannot get in the mindset of somehow if I just give a little more of me it'll get there. If all that was needed for worship to happen. Is you to try a little harder. You would not need Jesus. You could just try harder. The gospel is not try harder. The gospel. Is that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for your sin. Trust him. Lean on him Fully live in response to the greatness of what she has done not in your own strength.
Worship can be a beautiful thing. When worship is done in Christ. Worship doesn't exist when it's nearly done in our own strength.
Another way to think about it would be this you gather for worship on Sunday morning. You got songs to sing. You got lights. You got heat carpet chairs people gathered around you. Social expectations of how we interact with each other and all sorts of stuff.
If we took all that away.
And all we had left was Christ. And We Gather for worship no instruments no heat No, nothing just us gathered together in a little cave somewhere. So the government doesn't find out where meeting. And we worship. Would you be there? Would you say well, you know the time change and all I think I'll just skip this morning. What you say instead?
I will come because Christ is there to be worship together. I worry sometimes in the American Church particularly that we so enjoy the Comforts we experience and Christianity. Did it all the sudden the Comforts were taken away the church would be very very small.
I want to pray for us as a church body is wall. The Lord has given us all these applications all these things around us that help us in worship. We take advantage of them. And yet at the core as long as Jesus is present we give it all up and if he wasn't here and he wasn't Gathering here with us for worship. We wouldn't care about all this other stuff we go wherever Jesus was. Because he has to be Central. He is the one upon whom our worship depends.
So Unworthy on sacrificial offerings they're given
And they make it even worse.
First welder profaning the Lord's table by saying it's okay that it's despised. and their response to hearing the correction of God about worship is how what a weariness this is
worship goes wrong when its unwelcome to the people of God.
They snort it says the Lord of hosts. They're so stressed out by all these things God is asking them to do they don't even want worship anymore.
How do we handle that? How do we see that working out in our own context?
When we are more concerned about whether or not we have everything we want in a worship service. And less concerned with whether or not Christ is being worshipped. We are doing very same thing.
It's that whole conversation you've heard about churches that split over the color of the carpet and everything.
Galactic stream example
But what we pulled off here as a church in December and January and deciding to go from a traditional and Contemporary Service to 1 Blended service has split congregations. Because they were more concerned with their style than they were with worship. And I love the fact that I look out this morning and I see a lot of people who used to attend for service and I see a lot of people who used to attend second service and now you all attend service. Because we did not let that divide us we refused to say oh, it's such a weariness to us instead. We said, you know what God's here to be worship. Let's worship Him and we'll figure it out as we go. I love that about Northwest.
Unfortunately, it's not true cross the board and we're never free from the temptation to let that be the case for us. And so we need to hear the warning in Malachi and say Lord help us continue to desire you help us to continue to want to worship help us to continue to set aside anything that would keep us from you so that we can have you.
lastly
when worship is wrong and worship goes wrong. It is unacceptable in the sight of God. And this one challenges us a bit because it is easy to want to think of worship in terms of what we think about it. And yet ultimately we are not the determiners of what good worship is.
You do not have the ability or the responsibility to say this is how we worship should be for us. I don't have the ability or responsibility even as the lead pastor of this church decide what is acceptable for us to do and worship God decides what is acceptable and unacceptable. We determine what we do because we go to his word and we say, what do you call us to and then we respond by saying? Okay. This is what the Lord says we should do. What should that look like here in this context on this particular corner?
With this particular group of people at this particular point in time God what is acceptable according to you?
There are many churches who have lost sight of what God has for them in worship.
There are many good churches Even in our city. But there are some. Throughout the world that I would label churches because they have lost sight of what the church really is. It lost sight of how we worship should occur. What does God say should happen when the worship of God has been deemed unacceptable by God from these people. What should be done in the case where God has been forgotten or downplayed made small? No longer given his authority as Lord of hosts put in a little corner In a nice little box and we do what we want to do and he better like it cuz we're giving up our Sunday morning for him to do it.
first 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors. But you wouldn't. Kindle Fire on my altar in the rain. I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of hosts. That's a strong statement. He says to the priesthood in Israel. Just close the temple down altogether, please. Rather than doing this fake stuff that you're trying to pull off. Just stop it.
If this church ever reaches a point of worship list mess. Where God is no longer exalted here. But we put him in a nice little box in the corner and do whatever we want to do. Would that there would be one of you It would just close the doors say no more. It would be better to have a closed church that I worship was church.
What you better to have a closed Church? Any worship list Church?
Why? Why would that be better? Because God is worthy to be praised and should not be maligned despised by those who are pretending that they're worshipping.
All right. Let's get real for a second here. What is that look like for you? Not even corporate worship. Let's just talk about personally cuz the priesthood was made up of individual priests and collectively they were having issues but it starts in the heart of every single person. If you are here this morning and you are not a worshipper of Christ because you've never come to him you might hear summer like this and go Cajuns as want none of them. He's not calling out heggins and saying you're not doing it, right. I don't like you. He's calling out those who were pretending that they were supposed to be his is an acting like they weren't so if you're here this morning and you're not a worshipper of Christ realize his call to you is come worship understand who God is and what he has done in Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord come. Lay down all that sin that would distract you from him and come.
but if you're hearing this morning, are you
I'm someone who claims the name of Christ. You know what? He says to you plan on all that sin income. Don't let it be a distraction to you. Don't fall into the same trap that they fell into what is your private practice of worship look like right now.
Private Practice worship there's a good place to start. When you spend time with the Lord in the word in prayer and fasting and giving and serving and journaling about all the disciplines of the Christian Life. What's that look like for you? Again, this is not trying to set up a legalistic standard. But I'm encouraging you to consider are there different ways that would be more acceptable ways for you to worship to God.
If you try to spend time with him before your first cup of coffee in the morning, and that's just not working for you because the pillow has a stronger call to your life than the word of God change when you do your devotions. Get up and have your cup of coffee and then sit. Or maybe it's that you try to do yours at night and you're like dear Jesus and you're out then don't do it. Then don't offer him the very worst part of your day. It could be that you are a the most productive at about 11:30 in the morning.
And you say yeah, but I'm at work then. Can't catch a stop and have worship time. Can I? What do you do on your lunch break? Isn't just about eating physical food or could you offer the Lord some of the best time of day to spend with him?
Not the lame and sick time the good time.
When you're called to serve the Lord, do you say well, I'm going to make sure that I do what is absolutely the minimum I can get away with and not break the church covenant. I will be here just enough to know Deacon will call me and wonder where I am and I will make sure that I show my face once in awhile, right?
Juju c r involvement with Church of the chance to be a blessing to God and others and say I'm going to figure out how Ward's man I'm going to get in there and do whatever it is. He's called me to do not because I want to make him happy with me because I love him. I want the people he's brought together here inside want to be a blessing in whatever way is called me to be very different concept. It's a different mindset when we say Lord you get the best of My Worship.
Verse 11 from the rising of the Sun to the setting my name will be great among the Nations and every place incense will be offered to my name of Shroff, right? My name will be great among the Nations says the Lord.
Worship will happen. God will see to it that worship happens. He's not just God here. He is the Lord of hosts everywhere. And so worship will happen the joy. We have us believe versus the chance to participate in that worship to put into practice what has been made true in our hearts. The Lord has declared you are loved and we say I am so loved you sent Christ to die for my sins have forgiven me given me the Holy Spirit promised me eternal life. Let me show
That's a life of worship. When you gather together and you praise the Lord?
We are living out what it looks like when God says my name will be great among the Nations even here.
So, where do we turn? What do we do when we come across a text like this when you say okay think I have some stuff to work on. I know I did when I worked through the text this week.
What do I do? first of all Worship the Lord Continue to struggle for worship. Don't don't assume you got it all down and don't assume you can't do it at all realize we're all somewhere in that middle place where we are in Christ. We're growing and our understanding of what a life of worship looks like so continue to worship. Continue to talk to other people that our fellow Believers and say this is where it's hard for me. What are you doing there and let them come to you and say well this is where it's hard for me. What do you do and grow from each other? Go to his word and say what is it look like okay. Let's try that.
So something you can do. Physically personally yourself. The second thing though is this and this is probably the most important. If you're struggling through worship go to Christ. It is very hard to sit and gaze upon the beauty. That is our Salvation in Christ Jesus and walk away going. Yeah, whatever. Can't he's too beautiful for that. He's too amazing for that salvation is too rich and glorious a thing for that go to him sit there with him spend some time. I'm there. We've been at the church going through this emotionally healthy spirituality is groups together and one of the things that have talked about their is this Daily Office this time of quietness before the Lord take that seriously spend some time just saying no to all the other distractions around you and spend some concerted time there. It will impact so much of everything else you do. So we got a prayer. Here's what I'd like you to pray about where you're at. We're at all different places this morning. I get that some of us are at the point where like man, I'm not even sure I get this whole worship thing. That's keep pressing in Christ will show himself to you. Some of us are at the point where we're just starting out and we're only man who seems like a lot. It's okay. Same crisis safety was walking with you the whole way. He's giving your brothers and sisters around you who love you pray that God would meet you and help you take the next step. Here this morning and I've been doing this a while feel like maybe let it grow a little cold. Okay. Pray and ask the Lord to show you that first love that you had and reignite that desire for him to be made. If you need to pray about something would be glad to pray with you for a few minutes. If you want to pray about something longer, please calling the office schedule a time to come in with love to sit down and be able to pray with you about things. Come on, Wednesday night join with brothers and sisters here in a ministration building for prayer. It's good to be able to come together and do this how close this in a few minutes and then we'll sing a song.