Deuteronomy 12:1-9 – WORSHIP –
WAYS OF WORSHIP
You are in a worship service this morning! You are here to give your adoration, your praise, your thanks to God!
My own understanding of the word worship means that worship is a heart response to God. I respond to all that God has done and all that He is. My way or response in worship is through reading, singing, praying, learning, and giving.
As we continue our search for Old Testament Treasures, I want you and I to consider some principles for worship which are outlined in Deuteronomy. The instruction given here to the children of Israel gives us some very definite hints as to what our worship should be like today. In this passage we see 4 Ways of Worship.
ASSIGNMENT FOR WORSHIP Vss. 1-4
Vs. 1 – These conditions were for Israel after she arrived in the Promised Land. This was how they should conduct the way they should worship.
While we have no need to do things the way they did as far as sacrifices and a specific geographical location for worship, there are principles which remain the same.
Vs. 2-3 – God is here making specific assignments in the way the worship should be carried out. God is a jealous God and insists that it is He that is to be worshipped, HE AND HE ALONE! Exodus 20:1-5
WHAT GOD IS SAYING HERE IS:
- THERE IS TO BE NO COMPROMISE
Matthew 6:24 – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus said no man can serve two masters.
Therefore, there is not to be worship of idols and worship of the living God. there is to be no double standard.
When we compromise, we lose, because both things we worship want us full time!
- THERE IS TO BE NO ASSOCIATION
God had no intentions of there being a temple to idols and a synagogue, or church in the same town in Israel. There was to be no way that they should even be seen near an idol.
Everything contrary to true religion was to be destroyed.
Why was this so? God knew that Israel’s hearts, as well as ours, have a bent towards worshipping idols. And remember, an idol is not necessarily a statute of some kind. It is anything that we make more important than God in our lives.
God knew that if he allowed association, if He was tolerant with false religions, it wouldn’t be long before the Israelites would be worshipping the wrong God.
- THERE WAS TO BE NO SYMPATHY
Some people are sympathetic to false religions today.
And, while we are in this free land, we must allow everyone the right to chose their faith. However, we need not show sympathy to a false religion.
As I mentioned earlier, today we do not have wooden idols.
There are, however, many idols in our land today.
There is one idol which is prevalent among Christians, and non-Christians alike. It is an idol that each born-again Christian must be aware of, and deal with.
Worship of this idol has us in a state of compromise.
Worship of this idol has us in a state of sympathy.
Worship of this idol has us in a state of association.
This idol is the oldest idol in the book. Turn please to Genesis 3:5-6.
Eve wanted to be as a God. Eve wanted to worship herself.
This is exactly what we are doing in our nation today, worshipping ourselves. It is called humanism, and it is being taught in our public schools, and is often practiced by you and I.
Humanism is self worship.
We should not compromise with ourselves.
We should not have sympathy for ourselves.
We should not associate ourselves with things that rob God of time, money or devotion. Luke 9:23
AREAS OF WORSHIP Vs. 5
GOD had appointed first the tabernacle, and then the temple as a point or place of worship for the Jewish people.
Today, God has appointed two places in specific where worship should take place. First there is the heart of the person who is saved. One who knows they are going to heaven because they have trusted Christ as Savior. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 5:19-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Hebrews 13:15
The second place where worship can take place and should is in the local assembly, the church. Not the building, but wherever the saints are gathered for worship.
It was said of the early Christians in Acts 2:46-47,
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Every time we meet, it should be to worship the Lord.
Think of the choruses and hymns as an expression of worship.
Think of learning the Word as an expression of worship.
Think of reading the Word as an expression of worship.
Think of prayer as an expression of worship.
Think of giving as an expression of worship.
ACTION IN WORSHIP Vs. 6
Many of us have learned to sit, soak, and sour in the pew, but real worship is going to mean participation that will cost you something.
There are three key words in Verse 6.
SACRIFICES
TITHES
OFFERINGS
They were not to come empty hand to worship.
- SACRIFICES
The supreme sacrifice has been made.
Jesus Christ has paid for my sins.
There is no need to sacrifice in order to have sins forgiven and be saved. That sacrifice was made, I just need to believe it! 1 Peter 1:18-19, Ephesians 2:8-9
No, the sacrifice for salvation has been made.
We as believers have different sacrifices to offer, including our bodies, our time, our gifts, and our good works because we love the Lord for what He has done for us.
Remember this: Anything worth doing for the Lord will take sacrifice.
- TITHES
I am convinced that under grace today we should give the ten percent that God required of the Israelites. Why? We have salvation in Him. Isn’t our salvation worth paying a tithe? Isn’t it worth giving something special?
- OFFERINGS
Offerings are giving over and above our tithes.
Very often this church has been good at this, especially in giving for missions and special projects.
May it ever continue! This kind of giving, which is also sacrificial, expresses our real love for the Lord and His work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
ATTITUDE IN WORSHIP Vs. 7
The attitude that is to be expressed before the Lord in worship is to be one of joy or praise.
When you and I come to worship, we are to come to the Lord thanking him and praising him for the blessings that he has given us.
Nehemiah tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Psalm 103:1-2 says,Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Beloved let’s remember to come to church with a joyful attitude of worship.
Not preoccupied with ourselves.
Not angry.
Not worried.
Not day dreaming.
Not planning ahead.
Let’s heed the warning of Deuteronomy 28:47-48
Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; [48] Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
ASSIGNMENT FOR WORSHIP
- NO COMPROMISE
- NO SYMPATHY
- NO ASSOCIATION
AREAS OF WORSHIP
- IN THE HEART
- IN THE CHURCH
ACTION IN WORSHIP
- SACRIFICES
- TITHES
- OFFERINGS
ATTITUDE IN WORSHIP
- PRAISE