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Exodus 20:8-11
You are invited to worship with us on Sunday morning at 9:30. On this communion Sunday we are going to look at God’s design for worship. If we combined all the OT feasts, sacred days, sacrifices, offerings, and special events in Israel’s life, we would see that God planned those events every month for the specific purpose of causing the people to worship. God Himself set the standard for worship when He wrote the Ten Commandments. Remember, the simplest definition of worship is giving honor to God. When that honor is given to any created thing it then becomes idolatry. As we remember the great price paid for our salvation let’s examine three truths in God’s design for worship.
- WORSHIP IS TO REMEMBER. In verse eight God begins “Remember the Sabbath.” Then He immediately tells us how to remember it – by “keeping it holy.” Holy means “set apart specifically for God; separated from the commonplace.” The Sabbath (our Sunday) is different than the other six days. It is the Lord’s Day and it belongs to Him. Notice in verse 11 God made the Sabbath holy. If you read Ex. 31:12-17 you will see that God made people holy. We are to keep the Sabbath holy, not make it holy. God made the Sabbath holy when He set it apart for Himself. He made us holy when He redeemed us and set us apart for Himself. Whenever God makes something holy then shares it with us, it becomes our responsibility to kept it holy, sanctified, set apart, and dedicated to God. The first truth in God’s design for worship is that the Sabbath is to be a reminder that God has set us apart from the commonplace which makes us holy to Him and for Him.
- WORSHIP IS A RESPONSIBILITY! Read Ex. 31:12-18. It is important to notice the solemn charge from God that the Tabernacle is to be built exactly as He directs. One might get the idea God didn’t want the people to separate the Tabernacle and worship. Ever wonder if verse 13 is a command to worship? Notice also how personal God makes the Sabbath by calling it His Sabbath. Notice also that God’s Sabbath is a sign that we may know God is LORD. The operative word there is “KNOW!” God is not speaking about head knowledge, He is speaking about heart knowledge. The second truth in God’s design for worship is that the Sabbath is a responsibility to God because He has set it and us apart from the commonplace, which makes us holy for Him and to Him.
- WORSHIP IS A REUNION! Read Lev. 23:1-3. Then read Eph. 4:1-6. People often say, “If I miss Sunday worship service, my week just isn’t the same.” A large part of that is because part of worship is fellowship as a family or The Body of Christ. Did you notice all the “one’s” in that Eph. passage? That is the unity of the Body and a unity the unsaved can’t know. The focal point of Sunday morning worship is not fellowship, although that is good and necessary. The focal point is a personal reunion with God our Father. Our purpose is to praise, honor, adore, and thank Him for all He has done for us in the past week. It is also a time of letting God refortify us for the coming week of battle with the Devil. The third truth in God’s plan for worship is that the Sabbath is a reunion of God’s people to fellowship and worship apart from the commonplace which makes us holy to God and for God.
If we can help you with answers to your spiritual questions or concerns call us at (574) 643-9419.
