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Season 2, Episode 8
For Friday, September 25, 2015
“The Corn of Worship”
HOST: Wade Webster
Show Notes:
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Charles Spurgeon, wrote, “Many may be met with who know God, but never glorify him as God, because they never adore him, and worship him, with the love of their hearts. They go to church or to some place of worship regularly, and sing psalms and hymns, and they may even have family-prayer at home; but their heart has never adored the living God with living love. Their worship has a name to live, but it is dead. They present to the Lord all the eternal harvest of worship, but the corn is gone, only the straw and the husk are there.” In this podcast we will examine our attitudes to make sure that they are ready to worship. We do not want to be guilty of only giving God the straw and the husks.
Episode Transcript:
Probably, most of us here have little or no trouble with having the right action or the right authority in our worship; however, we probably all struggle somewhat from time to time with having the right attitude. Charles Spurgeon, wrote,
“Many may be met with who know God, but never glorify him as God, because they never adore him, and worship him, with the love of their hearts. They go to church or to some place of worship regularly, and sing psalms and hymns, and they may even have family-prayer at home; but their heart has never adored the living God with living love. Their worship has a name to live, but it is dead.They present to the Lord all the eternal harvest of worship, but the corn is gone, only the straw and the husk are there…”
Although these words were written some time ago, I believe that Mr. Spurgeon is sadly describing many who sit on pews every Sunday in our services. They are there in body, but not in mind. They bring God the husks, but not the corn.
Of his people, Ezekiel wrote, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not” (Ezek. 33:31-32). The hearts of Ezekiel’s people were far from God. They were coming to the right place. They were hearing the right things – God’s words. They even left the service praising the one who preached. On the surface they appeared like model worshippers. However, they were just going through the motions. Their hearts were given to covetousness. They were trying to do the impossible – to love and to serve two gods. They were worshipping one God on the Sabbath, and another god during the week. Jesus declared, “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” (Mt. 6:24). God will not accept our affection if it is divided. He demands our all. He will not accept lip-service. He wants life-service. Later, in Matthew, we read of some who were giving him only the love of their lips. We read, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mt. 15:7-9). Their worship was vain or empty for several reasons. First, it was vain on the basis of authority. They were teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. Second, it was vain on the basis of affection. It was hypocritical. In this lesson, our attention is on affection. We must love God with all of our hearts. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Mt. 22:37-38).
Someone has observed that, “We are often so caught up in our activities that we tend to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.“ Sadly, I believe that this observation is correct, don’t you?
Be assured that God looks on our hearts. When God sought to replace prideful Saul, He looked for a man after His own heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Of course, a small, ruddy shepherd boy named David was selected. He had the heart to be king. Today, when he looks for worshippers, the heart remains paramount. We cannot fool Him. He sees all. In Hebrews, we read, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13). God desires for us to worship Him with all our beings. To use Spurgeon’s words, anything less than this amounts to offering God the husks without the corn.
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