WORSHIP AND THE STATE OF THE HEART

Isaiah 66:1-4

1.INTRODUCTION: HUMBLE VS PROUD

I. Intro: today I want to talk about the Proud and the Humble

1. In this passage, God gives us an awesome view of Himself.

2. Who can build a house that contain Him?

3. Who can step in and give God rest?

4. Who can do all that He has done?

5. who could take the place of God (no one can)

B. There's nothing proud people can do for Him.

1. He can't use proud, arrogant people.

2. He's not looking for prideful people.

3. God is looking for broken, contrite people.

4. He's looking for humble people.

C. The Bible says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

1. If God wants a humble person, we need to know what will make us a humble person.

2. If God opposes the proud, we need to know what makes a proud person so that we can examine ourselves.

3. Today I want us to look at a few of the characteristics of the proud versus the characteristics of the humble.

4. As we look at these characteristics, let's quietly examine ourselves.

II. How do these two groups deal with other's troubles?

A. The proud focus on the failures of others.

1. You know these people.

2. They're just waiting for someone else to fail.

3. Then they run out as fast as they can to tell everyone else.

4. They never fail themselves, at least not that they would admit

B. The humble are overwhelmed by their own needs.

1. They don't focus on other people's failures.

2. They know that if it weren't for the grace of God, their whole life would be a failure.

3. They know how dependent they are on Jesus for everything.

III. How do these two groups deal with service?

A. The proud want to be served.

1. They want people to cater to them.”

2. these are the people who come to church wanting to know what the church can do for them.

3. They think they have the right to be served by others.

B. The humble serves others.

1. They let the love of Christ motivate them to serve others.

2. These are the people who come to church wanting to know what they can do for the church.

3. They relinquish their rights for the sake of others.

IV. How do these two groups deal with the spotlight?

A. The proud want to be recognized.

1. They want to be seen by others.

2. They want to be the focus of attention.

3. They have their feelings hurt when someone doesn't pat them on the back.

B. The humble know they are unworthy.

1. They are just thrilled God would even use them at all.

2. They don't seek the praise of men but the praise of God.

3. They like to see others get the credit.

V. How do these two groups handle responsibility?”

A. The proud are quick to blame others.

1. They never make mistakes.

2. But they always know who does.

3. They are the finger pointers.

B. The humble accept responsibility.

1. They can admit when they're wrong.

2. They only fear disappointing God.

VI. How do these two groups handle sin?

A. The proud confess their sin in general.

1. They refuse to acknowledge specific sins.

2. The only reason they confess at all is because they fear the consequences.

3. They only worry about getting caught in sin.

B. The humble confesses specific sins.

1. They name every sin by name.

2. They grieve over the cause of sin.

3. They are truly repentant and turn from sin.

VII. How do these two groups handle disagreement?

A. The proud wait for others to come to them.

1. When there is a disagreement, they want the other person to come to them first.

2. They hold grudges for years.

3. They never admit they are wrong.

B. The humble goes and asks for forgiveness.

1. The humble take the initiative.

2. They freely admit when they make a mistake.

3. Even when they're not at fault, they seek reconciliation.

VIII. How do these two groups deal with their walk with the Lord?

A. The proud don't think they need revival but they know everyone else does.

1. They think they've made it.

2. They think they're as close to God as anyone can get.

B. The humble constantly wants to draw closer to God.

1. They can see how far they need to go.

2. They desire a closer walk with the Lord.

IX. So now, the Big Question?

A. Which group do you fall into?

1. It's time for an honest evaluation.

2. Ask God to speak to your heart right now?

3. Where are you?

4. What do you need to do right now?”

Must become contrite- broken, crushed into little pieces, free from rebellion and resistance to the Lord!!

2 God desires, demands and uses the humble the poor and contrite of spirit

1. THE PRICE OF CONTRITION 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

In scripture, a contrite heart or spirit is related to a broken heart Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Contrition is that humble spirit that says, I am nothing and He is everything.- Usually take much pain to get us to this part because we love our sin, we think we are good and we are full of pride!!

2. POWER OF CONTRITION

(a) Contrition Brings Pardon Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Comes to us through Jesus Christ when we truly see our need for Him

CROSS OF JESUS

(b) Contrition Brings Presence Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

(c) Contrition Brings Peace 2 Cors 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

(d) Contrition Brings Praise Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

TRUE PRAISE COMES FROM TRUE PERSPECTIVE TRUE FOCUS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT UPON WHO GOD IS, HIS SOVEREIGNTY, AND HIS GREAT MERCY

3. THE ROAD TO CONTRITION HAS 5 STOPS ALONG THE WAY

(a) By Reverence For God (Isaiah 66:2) and trembleth at my word.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

(b) By Remorse Of Heart Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

BROKENNESS OVER OUR SINS, WE CANNOT ENJOY THE SINS THAT JESUS DIED FOR, WE CANNOT BE ENTERTAINED BY THEM, WE CANNOT PLAY AROUND BY THEM WE MUST REALIZE THE PENALTY THAT THE BRING ABOUT AND THAT JESUS PAID IT ALL FOR US!

(c) By Repentence

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND BROKENNESS LEADS TO REPENTANCE, TRUE REPENTANCE, TRUE ACKNOWLEDGING SIN FOR WHAT IT IS AND FOR WHAT IT DID TO OUR SAVIOR AND THAT WE MUST TURN FROM IT!!

(d) By Recourse To Prayer Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

THOSE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE WILL SEE THE NEED AND HAVE A GREAT DESIRE TO COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF MERCY AND GRACE, TO FELLOWSHIP/COMMUNE WITH THE FATHER THE ONE THAT EXTENDED SUCH GREAT MERCY, TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!

(e) By Reliance On God

WE KNOW OUR PLACE AND THAT IN OURSELVES WE CAN DO AND ARE NOTHING, IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, THE CREATOR, SUSTAINER, PROVIDER AND SAVIOR

In one way or another, this has been Isaiah’s message throughout this book. God wants His people to follow the truth He has revealed to them.

Humility is a high and sometimes difficult hill to climb.

Peter writes in his first epistle, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for He cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour”(1 Peter 5:5-8).

Peter expresses the true nature of the virtue of humility. It is a fighting virtue found in those who are engaged in a deadly battle with the devil, and who have found that they cannot fight the battle in their own strength. Their humility rests in their total dependence on God to supply them with the strength to do what they could not possibly do on their own. They do not sink into a lukewarm false humility, but they rise to meet the difficult challenge of the Christian life.

As we work, struggle, fight, and suffer to serve our Lord Jesus to the utmost, we receive the virtue of humility. As we learn by bitter experience what Peter discovered when he denied Jesus, we grow into humility. He learned, as we must also learn, that he did not have it within himself to follow Christ on his own. True humility requires absolute and total trust in Jesus Christ and His power, and lack of trust in our own strength and abilities.

If you have ever had to cast all your cares upon God in the midst of a terrible struggle, you understand humility and the courage required to be humble, BROKEN, CONTRITE.

We have no power in ourselves to help ourselves, our sufficiency is of God. To know this in the depths of one’s heart is humility, and it is in humility that we are victorious in Christ. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares about you.”

Instead of thinking we can do something for God we are to live with an habitual awe of God’s majesty and purity and in reverent fear of His justice and wrath. Such a heart is a living temple for God; He dwells there; for like the heavens above, He is enthroned there also. God’s sanctuary is the human heart (57:15), and unless He reigns there all other sanctuaries and activities are void and empty.

3. THE RELIGIOUS WAYS OF MAN OFTEN HINDER HUMILITY AND A CONTRITE HEART, 2-4.

Without a humble spirit, religion and religious acts are detestable to God. In verse 3 such hypocrisy is rebuked. “But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations,

The language seems chosen to offend the religion of that day and even our day. The strange comparisons in verse 3 indicate that people’s religious sacrifices and offerings were external ritual. Their proud sacrifices were only external compliance. In their hearts they still served themselves.

Now, you and I may say, of course, that this lets us off the hook. We are hardly likely to burn incense or make an animal sacrifice in our worship! But let’s not miss the point here. It’s not the specific actions that God is condemning with these words; it’s the numbness of heart that lies behind the actions. Remember: At this particular time in Israel’s history, sacrificing animals and making grain offerings and burning incense were the prescribed ways of worship. It’s what you were supposed to do when you went to church!

VERSE 3 Now, you and I sing hymns and offer prayers and attend to Scripture. On occasion we break bread and share the cup, which call to mind the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf. But we can do those things just as half-heartedly and be just as misguided in doing them as the people of ancient times were when they presented insincere sacrifices. Whether you live in the eighth century B.C. or in the twentieth century A.D., you can be guilty of just ‘going through the motions’ in worship.

Since there was no change of heart their offerings were as abominable to God as murder, and as perverted as offering unclean animals (Lev. 11:7). In reality they were going their own ways (Isa. 53:6; 65:12) rather than the Lord’s way.

Our society urges us to be assertive and follow our urges and fulfill our desires. Don’t let your freedom and right to choose lead you away from God’s pathway to eternal life. God looks for a heartfelt obedience (2 Chron. 16: 9; 1 Sam. 16:7).

Verse 4 reveals why God despises their worship. So I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”

They refused to respond to God’s call to come and listen to Him. Therefore harsh judgment would come. (The last four lines of 66:4 are almost identical with 65:12.) People in Israel professed to know the Lord but actually did evil and did not chose God’s way. Since they have chosen their way, God will choose their punishments. They will become victims of the nameless fears that haunt their subconscious mind.

4. CONCLUSION

As the END to the book, this chapter describes the Lord fulfilling some of the promises He has made. The Lord had promise to distinguish between His true people and those who honor Him with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him (especially in chs. 60-62).

In the new era a new place of worship will be built for the Lord. The Lord though is not so concerned with the beauty of the earthy house man would build for Him. He is concerned though about the people who worship Him. Without the proper spirit all else in life and worship, no matter how religious or how it follows the letter of the law, is an abomination to Him. CHURCH BUILDING, BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC… ARE NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HEART!!

God has had enough of people who do not listen to His word and despise those who do. God will one day judge those who are depending on externals to establish their relationship with Him, who delight in their way instead of the Lord’s way.