The Ultimate Priority: Worship

Ezekiel 44:15 NKJV

“But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord God.

Introduction: leading people to and through revival calls us to our ultimate priority; to worship God in the innermost sanctuary of His presence (v. 16). All ministry must become the natural outflow of an intimate relationship with God, who alone can impart life, healing, forgiveness, and cleansing. Simply stated, Ezekiel sees the temple as “inner court” ministry to the Lord (Ezek 43:5; 44:15-17) and “outer court” ministry to the people (Ezek 44:19). The priests who neglected the inner court were called an abomination to God (Eze 44:13). In contrast, faithful priests who ministered to the Lord with worship and adoration in the inner court received God’s enablement to minister to the needs of the people in the outer court. New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1109.

Intro

1. The Prerequisite of Worship: Faith (Ezek 44:10-15)

2. The Privilege of Worship: Ministering to God (Eze 44:15-16)

3. The Protocol of Worship: Garments of Praise (Eze 44:17-18)

4. The Product of Worship: Sanctifying the People (Eze 44:19)

I. THE PREREQUISITE OF WORSHIP: FAITH (Eze 44:10-15)

A. What happened to the unfaithful Levites?

1 They reap the consequences of their idols (10, 12)

a They caved into sin

b They allowed the culture to change them instead of being change agents of the culture.

2 They will still be temple ministers in the sacrifices and helping the priests (11)

3 They will not come near Me as priest (13)

4 They will be helpers in the temple (14)

B. What happened with Zadok – he was faithful (Eze 44:15)

1 He kept charge of the sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from God

a This takes faith – examples of faithfulness

b Moses – Heb 3:5 – he was faithful in spite of the pressures and trials

c Abraham Heb 11:8 – he was faithful to follow God though he didn’t know exactly where it was leading him

d Noah Heb 11:7 – he built a ship on dry land and no rain to the salvation of his household and the animal kingdom

e Sarah Heb 11:11 – believed to conceive and bear a son

2 Faith is what wins the victory

Bell Company's Best Loyalty Story

William S. Dutton asked Leonard H. Kinnard, president of the Bell Telephone Company in Pennsylvania, the Diamond State Telephone company, and the Delaware and Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph Company, with twenty-five thousand employees under him, to relate the best story of loyalty with which he was acquainted. The answer appeared in the American Magazine in March 1926.

"The best story I know," said Mr. Kinnard, "is that of a girl. It was a bitter day. A snowstorm had come in the night, and by morning a blizzard was on. A friend of mine started to his office in a limousine, but the car stuck in the drifts. No trolleys were running; there was nothing for him to do but walk. He turned up his great coat collar and struck out.

"Pretty soon he came alongside a slight girl beating her way against the wind and snow.

" 'Say, this is fierce!' he said to the girl.

" 'Not so good; but it might be worse,' she said, smiling back at him.

"For another hundred yards they fought the storm together; then my friend stopped.

" 'Sister, this is no day for you to be out,' he said. 'Let's turn back.'

" 'Oh, I can make it alright,' she said bravely.

" 'But what's the use?' he asked, 'I can go back and do my business by telephone.'

"She waved her hand cheerily. 'Nope,' she said. 'I can't go back. I'm your telephone operator.'

"It is such daily devotion to duty as this," concluded Mr. Kinnard, "that makes the wheels go round." Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.

3 This employee was faithful to her job – she knew people were counting on her

C. Faith is what opens the door to the presence of God

II. THE PRIVILEGE OF WORSHIP: MINISTERING TO GOD (Eze 44:15-16)

A. Zadok would come near to God

1 No one else could do this

2 Anyone who tried would be found dead

3 This was a privilege and sacred calling

4 Heb 10:19-22

5 Daily make God the center of your life

6 Zeph 3:2 some refuse to draw near to God

B. Zadok shall stand before God

1 To offer the sacrifices Heb 9:22

2 Provide atonement

3 Intercede for the people

4 Standing before the Lord means waiting upon God

C. What a thought! We can come near to minister to God

1 Rev 1:6

2 Rom 12:1

3 Rev 4:11

4 Plead the blood of Jesus for others salvation

5 Intercede for the people

6 We would think, we need ministry, not God. But we have the privilege of ministering to Him GOD CAN BE BLESSED BY YOU!!!

7 How can you bless or minister to God

a Praising Him

b Devoting time to Him

c Serving others in the name of the Lord

III. THE PROTOCOL OF WORSHIP: GARMENTS OF PRAISE (Eze 44:17-18)

A. Linen garments – clean as compared to wool of the animal

B. He was completely covered

C. Garments of praise Isaiah 61:3 – Jesus did this (Luke 4:18-19)

D. Jer 13:11 – we praise because it is our purpose and calling

E. 1 Peter 2:9 – we praise because of the deliverance we have experienced

IV. THE PRODUCT OF WORSHIP: SANCTIFYING THE PEOPLE (44:19)

A. Zadok would sanctify the people

1 As a result of ministering to God first

a Isaiah 42:1

B. What does it mean to sanctify the people?

1 Make them holy (Eze 44:23)

2 Make them right with God

3 Lead them and teach them how to live in the kingdom of God

4 To minister life unto the people

5 To minister hope unto the people

6 Physical healing, deliverance, emotional healing

C. Bring the nation back to God

1 Proverbs 14:34

D. You are salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14)

1 Matt 5:15-16

E. You have ordained works – Eph 2:10

V. Activation/altar call

A. Sinners – turn to God and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior

B. Saints – turn to God as a living sacrifice

1 Prayer of faithfulness

2 Prayer of service to God

3 Prayer of life of praise

4 Prayer of service to others