JESUS IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP 2B “TRUE WORSHIP VS. FALSE WORSHIP” – MARCH 06, 2022

God is with those who are faithful worshipers!

I. INTROContinue teaching about true worship / contrast it to false worship…

  • John 4:23-2423 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
  • False worship – is not true!
  • Good trees bear good fruit… if not, destroyed
  • False prophets – like bad trees. Not good fruit. Discern the fruit…
  • Isaiah 61:1-3 –…trees of righteousness, that He may be glorified

II. CONTRASTING TRUE WORSHIP / FALSE WORSHIP

  • True Worship — John 14:6 – Jesus is the truth
    • John 1:14,17; 8:31-32,36 – He came to reveal truth that sets free from false worship
    • John 17:17 – The Word of God is truth. Worship according to the Word is true worship.
    • False Worship Not true – lies, deceptive and hypocritical
    • True Worship Done in faith and belief / Faith & faithfulness
    • Abraham’s Faith – Romans 4
    • Faith demonstrates Worship; it pleases God; faith without works is dead.
    • False Worship – Unbelief / False gods
    • Doubt and unbelief are not true worship; false gods and idolatry aren’t pleasing to God!
  • True Worshipin spirit / Spirit-led
    • Comes from our spirit (inner-man)
    • Ephesians 5:18 – be filled with the Spirit…
    • False Worship – NOT in spirit.
    • Fleshly, carnal, and dis-honoring to the Lord; not Holy Spirit led; just lip-service; insincere and showy…
  • True WorshipSeeking the Lord
    • Matthew 6:33 – seek 1st the kingdom and His righteousness
    • Matthew 7:7-8 – seek and you will find
    • Psalms 27:8 – be like David (man after God’s heart) and seek the Lord
    • False Worship not seeking the Lord
    • Psalms 10:4 – The wicked don’t seek the Lord
    • Psalms 4:2 – false worshipers are shameful; worthless; and seek falsehood
  • True Worship Delighting in the Lord
    • Psalms 37:4 – Delight in the Lord
    • Psalms 1:2 – Blessed when we delight in the Lord
    • Psalms 40:8 – I delight to do your will, O God
    • False Worship – does not take pleasure in the Lord
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:12 – … did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness
    • Ecclesiastes 12:1 – … Remember our Creator now… lest we backslide and lose our desire for the Lord and His ways
  • True Worship – Acceptable Sacrifices
    • Psalms 19:4 – words and thoughts acceptable
    • Romans 12:1-2 – bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God… good, and acceptable will of God.
    • I Peter 2:5,9 – … spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (priests unto God – give him the sacrifice of praise continually – Hebrews 13:15)
    • False Worship – Unacceptable Sacrifices
    • Leviticus 22:20 – Some sacrifices were not acceptable
    • Jeremiah 6:20 – their burnt offerings were not acceptable…
  • Cain and Able (illustration – Abel’s was acceptable; Cain’s was not)

III. GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED

  • Galatians 6:7 – God is not mocked – what we sow we reap
  • Mark 4:18-19 – Sow on good ground, not on hard, stony ground or among thorns

IV. THE OLD TEST IS IMPORTANT

  • Brings special revelations from God; helps produce the fear of God; reveals the importance of TRUE WORSHIP (with many illustrations)

V. DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS

  • Chapter 1 – Captives given favor and promoted
    • King from Babylon came and took Judah captive along with vessels in the house of God – to the house of his god. He was a heathen king, serving a FALSE GOD!
    • King Nebuchadnezzar took some of the promising young men, from royal descent and nobility to train them at the king’s palace.
    • They were to train for 3 years there, and then come before the king to be tested.
    • Daniel – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
    • Daniel purposed in his HEART not to defile himself
    • They were given favor by the chief official (God caused them to show favor)
    • Instead of the king’s dainties and wine – they requested vegetables and water
    • God gave them knowledge and proficiency in wisdom – they were 10 time more proficient than their companions
  • Chapter 2 – The King’s Dream (skip over lightly)
    • Significant for these last days – stone that destroyed the image became a great mountain (kingdom) that filled the whole earth.
    • Interpretation given – Daniel made a ruler and one of the chief men
    • Not only Daniel but Shadrach, Meshack and Abed-nego were appointed to be overseers and administrators
  • Chapter 3
    • King Nebuchadnezzar made an image that all were to worship or be destroyed.
    • All the chief people were called to come to the dedication of the IMAGE (made with hands – not the true and living God)
    • They were commanded to bow, fall down and worship the image
    • Everyone followed the king’s royal mandate EXCEPT Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
    • They were brought before the king.
    • The king was furious with them when they refused to worship his false god, and mocked them!
    • They remained faithful to the Lord – TRUE WORSHIPERS! They refused to serve his gods!
    • They were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire! It was so hot that it killed the mighty men in the army throwing them into it!
    • They were thrown in bound…
    • When the king looked in through the door, he was astonished, and amazed!
    • He saw 4 men walking, UNBOUND, and unharmed in THE MIDST OF THE FIRE!
    • He shouted – – “servants of the MOST HIGH GOD, come out and come here!”
    • They came out – unharmed.  The king blessed and praised the Lord!
    • The king praised them for being TRUE WORSHIPERS! They were promoted! He gave the Lord praise!
  • Chapter 5 (just share lightly, and in summary form)
    • His son Belshazzar still worshiped false gods, and he was destroyed.
  • Chapter 6
    • Daniel was once again promoted to one of the top positions in the kingdom, but his companions were jealous. They made a plot to get rid of him.
    • Daniel was a FAITHFUL, TRUE WORSHIPER! He continued to WORSHIP GOD!
    • As a result, the king threw him into a den of hungry lions.
    • The true and living God whom He served and worshiped him protected him because he trusted Him.
    • When his persecutors and accusers were thrown into the lions’ den, they were devoured before they even could reach the bottom of the pit!
    • The king made a proclamation to fear before the LIVING GOD!… and Daniel continued to prosper…

VI. DAGON

  • The Philistines idolatrous god, Dagon, was humbled before the ark of God – supernaturally, and miraculously his hands and head were cut off! Only his trunk remained.
  • He was put to the worse before the Lord! God’s judgment was poured out on the false worshipers

VII. OMBU STORY (CONTINUED) …

VIII. LIFE LESSONS

  • God sees our hearts! Those that determine to please the Lord and be true FAITHFUL WORSHIPERS are greatly blessed! False worshipers will be destroyed!
  • God is with those who are willing to be FAITHFUL WORSHIPERS. He promises to protect them, deliver them, and honor them.

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