Lesson 3: Is my Worship a Song or a Sacrifice?

Nothing between like pride or station
Self or friend shall not intervene
Tho’ it may cost me much tribulation
I am resolved, there’s nothing between.

QUESTION?  WHEN I WORSHIP - DO I JUST SING OR DO I SACRIFICE?

I have met people who have chosen their church based on the type of worship music they play and how entertaining they are. It has gotten to be such a problem that denominational churches have two services; one with “old people’s music” and one with “contemporary music”.

WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE, NOT JUST A SONG.  

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten so…. (Heb 11:17-19 KJV)

Genesis 22:1-6  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.   And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  And Abraham rose up early in the morning……

 …and begged God saying NO, NO, NO!!!...I thought I am your friend!! ... I’m important to you!  I’ve packed up and left my home when you asked me to.  I’ve followed where you’ve lead.  I’ve paid my tithes, I INVENTED TITHES!!!  I’ve already given up my other son Ishmael!…How can a loving, kind, good God ask SUCH A THING!! ....This is not entertaining!

No that’s not what happened. 

..And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.   And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

ABRAHAM WASN’T BE-BOPPING UP THAT MOUNTAIN SINGING: “WE BRING THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE!!   He was RESOLVED to obey God all the way even to sacrificing his ONLY son.

THE INSTRUMENTS OF ABRAHAM'S WORSHIP WERE:

WOOD
HIS ONLY SON                       
FIRE               
KNIFE             
ALTAR

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (Joh 4:23-24)

WORHSIP IS A LIFESTYLE NOT JUST A SONG.  Paul and Silas worshipped in the prison cell, beaten, bruised, hurt, chained, cold, with a death sentence hanging over their heads…singing not knowing it would lead to their deliverance.  I’ve stood with parents at their son’s casket as they sung their worship to their Saviour.  I’ve witnessed my own mother worshipping God while her daughter lay in ICU with only 5% chance of living through the night.  These were singing in the midst of their sacrifice.

 When we come to Worship God do we come to him on our own terms or his? 

Are we just singers like the RICH YOUNG RULER or are we SACRIFICERS like Abraham?  

Abraham accounted that God was able to raise him (Isaac) up, even from the dead; (Heb 11:17-19 KJV)  Accounted means: taking inventory, estimated, believed.

What is it that has or has the potential to come between you and God?  Your own children?  Your own husband? Fear, reluctance, self will?  Are we willing to lay it them down on the altar?

If there is anything that we worship or could worship more than God, we need to worship at the altar like Abraham, spiritually picking up the Knife, the Wood and the Fire and be willing to sacrifice it? 

Nothing between my soul and the Saviour