July 5, 2015

Worship of the Church “The Church in the Shape of Scripture Clay Smith – July 1 The Worship of the Church “Temple” worship

Worship of the Church Mark 11:11~14 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Worship of the Church Mark 11:15~20 And he came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city.

Worship of the Church Jeremiah 7:1~7 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand in the gate of the LORD”s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts. The God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.”

Worship of the Church Jeremiah 7:8~11 “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’ – only to go on doing all these abominations? V.11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.”

Worship of the Church Mark 14:58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ”

Worship of the Church Applications: Worship demands a transformed life. We live now as we anticipate living for eternity in the presence of God! Worship demands a corporate expression (assembly) with a sensitivity to the will of God (Instructions) Is worship acceptable if we do not abide by the will of God? Worship demands a recognition of the object of worship. Israel had forgotten these things, and therefore was fruit- less. What about us?

Worship of the Church Matthew 15:7~9 “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain (worthless/useless) do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the command- ments of men.’ ” Ecclesiasstes 5:1~3 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do no know that they are doing evil.

Worship of the Church Adam Clarke: “It is a shocking profanation of Divine worship to draw nigh to God with the lips, while the heart is far from Him.”

Worship of the Church Questions for discussion: Why does worship demand a transformed life? What are the positives and negatives to individual expression of praise to God, and why does God also seem to desire corporate worship? Why does the object of our worship matter? How can Crieve Hall, in particular, be a congregation spurring one another toward fruit-ful worship and living?

Worship of the Church Revelation 4:8~10 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Worship of the Church Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our LORD and God, To receive glory and honor and power, For you created all things, And by your will they existed And were created.” Amen!