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PASTOR'S CORNER...  Melissa Pratt
God Invites Us To Be Worshippers 

There was a congregation that decided to have four worship services each                                                  Sunday.  There was one for                                             those new to the faith.                                                  Another for those who liked                                         traditional worship.  One for                                            those who had lost their                                                     faith and would like to get it                                            back. And another for those                                              who had a bad experience                                                  with church and were                                           complaining about it. They                                                 have names for each of the                                         services: FINDERS,                                                KEEPERS, LOSERS,                                            WEEPERS. 

When our worship is based                                                 on our likes or preferences we cease to be worshipers who give.  We become takers who show up to worship.  Showing up to worship and being a worshiper are two different things.

A couple of times, in Isaiah and in Amos, God says flat out that he's tired of worship. Listen to what God says in Isaiah 1:13-14 in the Message paraphrase:  "Quit your worship charades.  I can't stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings-meetings, meetings, meetings-I can't stand one more!  Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!  You've worn me out! I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion."

Jesus even said the same to some of the people in his day who spent most of their lives trying to worship God. He said of them, "They worship me in vain" (Matthew 15:9). God doesn't want worship. God wants worshipers. God isn't lacking people who are willing to sing songs, to attend religious services, to bow their heads to pray, or to do all the things that we think of as worship. God isn't looking for more of that. But, according to Jesus, God is looking for something entirely different. He isn't looking for more worship. Instead, he's looking for more worshipers.  Jesus said in John 4:23, "But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way."

God invites us to be worshipers.  How do we do that?  There are at least four worship principles from Genesis the 22^nd chapter that can help us deepen our understanding of what pleases God regardless of one's individual expression.

1.    Worshipers respond in faith to a revelation from God. 

In verses one and two of Genesis 22 we read, "¹Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"   "Here I am," he replied.  ² And God said, (Here comes the revelation from God) "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there (Here is the faith response being called for) as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."  And God said.  These are three very powerful words.  This whole act of consecration and submission wasn't Abraham's idea.  It wasn't something he thought up himself.  He didn't wake up thinking, "You know, if I sacrifice my son today, it will really please the heart of God."  No, it was a response to a Divine revelation.  It involved faith.  For if God called Him to do it, he could do it and if God called him to do it there was a good reason for him to do it whether he understood it or not. 

Abraham knew that God's will, would never contradict God's promise, so he held on to the promise that "through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned" (Gen. 21:12). Abraham believed that even if God allowed him to slay his son, He could raise Isaac from the dead (Heb. 11:17-19) "Faith does not demand explanations; faith rests on promises."

2.    Worshipers respond in obedience to that revelation. 

We must obey God immediately and fully.  Abraham's response in this worship event was just that.  He didn't hesitate to obey God's command.  He set his clock early, saddled the donkey, cut the wood, got two helpers, woke up his son, and set out in the direction God had indicated.  Hebrews 11:17 says it this way, "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac."  In other words, Abraham DID something in response to God's Word. 

The fact that Abraham obeyed without questioning speaks of the fact that His desire was simply for the will of God.  We cannot worship and want our own way.  We cannot worship and do something part way.  We cannot worship and delay our response.  If God speaks, our desire must be for His will alone.  It is engaging with, participating in and obeying the voice of God that marks someone as a worshiper.

3.    Worshipers bring a costly sacrifice to God. 

In Abraham's case, this costly sacrifice meant the death of his son, the darling of his heart, his dearest possession, and the one in whom all his hopes of future posterity were centered.  God was so careful to emphasize this phase of worship, for He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love and offer him for a burnt offering."  God was asking for something pricey, something precious, something sacrificial from Abraham.  Worship. Is not something we do thoughtlessly or carelessly and it certainly isn't without self-sacrifice .

David realized the cost of worship when he said "I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." (II Sam. 24:24)  When Abraham set out that day, he didn't know exactly what to expect, but he knew one thing:  He had set out to worship God.  He understood when he said that "The boy and I are going over there to worship," that he was talking about and was prepared to make a great sacrifice.

Hebrews 13:15 talks about worship as a "sacrifice of praise." True worship is costly. It involves our whole being, heart, soul, mind and strength.  It requires preparation.  It requires getting the wood ready!  Abraham surely had to get his heart settled in order to fully worship.  You can't sacrifice your child if your heart isn't surrendered.  He had to wrestle with this Divine Revelation until he concluded that if God has asked him to do it, it must necessary and it would somehow be a good thing in the end.  Just getting to the place of worship involved so much for Abraham.

True worship is costly because it requires something of each one of us.  Perhaps too often we are content to watch others be worshipers.  In many churches or denominations, it�s taught that it�s enough to watch the professional clergy or the worship team, perform the service or sing the songs.  Worship isn't something we watch.  It�s something each of us who are in Christ are invited to do.  It involves individual sacrifices of praise!

About this sacrificing of our wills, true worship demands a complete separation from ourselves and the things of the world and a complete consecration unto God.  Notice what Abraham said to his servants in verse five, "You stay here and Isaac and I will go and worship."  You wonder if Abraham was concerned that the two servants would try to stop him from offering Isaac as a sacrifice or try to talk him out of obedience to God.  I believe Abraham was so consecrated to God that he asked the two servants to stay behind so that nothing could hinder his worship service, his sacrifice unto the Lord. 

         4.    Worshipers receive a blessing. 

God doesn't ask us to do anything that won't also be good for us. In verses sixteen through eighteen we see that something about Abraham's offering pleased God and we see these words of appreciation being expressed by God to Abraham.  God says, �"I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, ¹⁸ and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." 

A byproduct of being a worshiper is blessing for the believer.  God grants Abraham an amazing blessing.  The first blessing was that God gave Abraham back his son.  What he thought he would sacrifice was now restored to him.  What he laid down, God gave back to him!  He ascended that mountain with a heavy heart, and I'll bet he ran down that mountain after his worship service with a song of joy in his heart.  All who honor God will be honored.  He will pour multiplied blessings into your life. 

Notice that Abraham's blessing came after faith had been exercised.  It came after obedience had been displayed.  It came after preparation had taken place and the sacrifice had been made.  Calvin Coolidge said that "It is only when men begin to worship that they begin to grow." 

Once we are converted, I believe it is in the place of worship where we learn submission and freedom in Christ.  Do you want to grow?  God invites you to worship Him.  Don't miss out on what God wants to show and teach you.  Seek to know God more in the place of worship.  Come prepared to hear His voice.  He will speak to those who will listen.  Come ready to say "Yes" to whatever He asks.  Bring your whole self as a costly offering unto Him.  Offer Him your whole being with abandon that He might be delighted and glorified and know that you will be blessed because you do.  Abraham was willing to lay everything he held dear at the feet of the Lord.  What are you willing to bring?  God doesn't want worship. He wants worshipers. He wants you to be his worshiper. 

Publisher's note: Dr. Melissa Pratt is the Senior Pastor at Teays Valley Church of God.

Teays Valley Church of God is located at: 4430 Teays Valley Road in Scott Depot.

Service times are:
Sunday Morning Worship 10:15 a.m.
Wednesday Classes 6:45 p.m.

Classes and opportunities for all ages!

The church telephone number is: 304-757-9222.

The church web site is: www.TVCOG.org.

   

 

 

Melissa

Pratt