The Word, The Walk, The Worship THE WORD

HOW TO GLORIFY GOD Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the Old Testament the children of God needed to keep their attention on one very important aspect of life; that aspect continues to be important for us today. What was it that they needed to pay so much attention to? Ex.20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Jesus quoted Dt. 6:13 (Mt. 4:10) to the devil, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. It is not easy to always obey this Biblical command to glorify God. Paul said one time, Rom. 7: 22 I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. He said, It is really what I want to do, - to glorify God, - but what I constantly find is that there s a battle going on for my attentions; it s a battle warring inside me because of sin. We all know what he meant; he continued, Rom. 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. He actively, consciously wanted to glorify God. In the Old Testament I believe the children of God had a similar desire. On the night before they left Egypt they sprinkled the bloodstains of the lambs upon their doorposts, - they believed the Word of God through Moses that the bloodstains would save them from the angel of death. Again, at the command of God through Moses they the slaves went and asked their Egyptian masters for jewels of silver and gold, and raiment... and they were given them. Pursued by the armies of Egypt they walked through the Red Sea as if they were walking on dry land. In their first few hours and days God had proved to them He was real! And they would have worshipped Him. However, they weren t too long into the desert until they were worshipping the golden calf as well... but even at that, here is how we read it, Ex. 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a

D.G. 2 molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. I don t want to make excuses for their sinning but you can see can you not evidence of the constant battle going on in their hearts and minds to want to be faithful but there were so many obstacles hindering their way just like Paul said, Rom. 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. How is it then that we begin to glorify God? Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we look at this most important subject of How to glorify God we see in these three verses three simple thoughts, - The Word, The Walk, The Worship. THE WORD whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. The Word is central to any service of worship. Our worship is based upon the Word. The Word is fundamental to how we seek God s face. Some people might say, I have my own way I worship God. If it doesn t match what the Scriptures say, - you can call it whatever you like but it is not worship the way God has set out worship to be done. Old Testament Israel on the Sabbath worshipped in the temple; some of the other days they worshiped on the high hills and in the places of idolatry. The Pharisee in the temple stood with his hands raised into the air and told God, - I m glad I m so good and I m not like that old publican over there! Amos was preaching up in Bethel and Amaziah the priest there didn t like what he was hearing. Amaziah said to him,

D.G. 3 Amos 7:12 O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court. Amaziah was a priest and he didn t want to listen because he was not leading his people in the true worship of God. Another prophet, Isaiah, taught his disciples, 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Just before he left Ephesus he called the elders of the church together for he knew it would probably be the last time he would see them before he would be arrested in Jerusalem; he said to them, Acts 20: 32 now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. What does the Word say about how to worship? 1. When Saul came back from his campaign against the Amalekites he hadn t totally obeyed the command of God to kill them all, - he had been selective in his obedience (he brought back their animals and also their king). He was on his knees begging before Samuel, I Sam. 15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. You see, confession is worship; do you see how closely the Word of God sets out pardon for sin and worship? To truly worship God you need to confess your sin to Him. We saw on Thursday evening a great man of God such as Daniel even confessing his sin. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved wrote, I Jn. 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Confession is part of worship. God won t drink from dirty vessels. 2. Again the Word in the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that faith is also necessary for worship, Heb. 11:6 without faith it is impossible

D.G. 4 to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. There is no point coming to a service of worship without faith, - it is not an empty rig-ma-roll we go through; in the service of worship we set out to be in touch with God, as a body of His people together; we believe we have His presence, - we have faith we are met in His Name. By faith we believe Mt. 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. I can t point and actually say God is there or there or there, but I know He is here this morning because He has promised to meet with His people. How to glorify God? When I come before Him I confess my sin so that there is no barrier between Him and me, - that all my sin has been dealt with and the lines of communication are open. I glorify Him also through believing His Word that says I can come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 3. And I also glorify Him through obedience. Cant. 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. At the invitation to enter His presence we come in rejoicing. There are those who would say, Yes, Lord, I ll follow You in obedience but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. Jesus replied to the man who said that, Lk. 9:62 No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Some folk wrongly think, - and I believe they will be judged for it, - I ll come and worship you God when I have the time to come. I can t always promise I ll be at the prayer meeting. I can t always promise I ll be at the services. I ll get to You when I can! Well, I was telling you earlier about King Saul. He gave Samuel the lame excuse that he was looking after the welfare of the nation of Israel by bringing the animals he should have slaughtered back home so that he could offer them before God. Samuel didn t let him off easily and saw through his deceit; Samuel told him about how to glorify God, I Sam. 15:22 Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

D.G. 5 You see, Paul also wrote to the church in Rome and instructed them, whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. The Word... THE WALK Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus Many of the members in the church in Rome were Jews; there were also many of them who were Roman citizens and from other parts of the empire who had travelled to make a living. Now Jews weren t all that good at mixing with Gentiles, - they did it in so far as it would be to their advantage. Otherwise, relationships with Gentiles would be kept at a distance. Think what this church would have had to go through. The Jews had their traditions and history of which they were proud; they had their ways of doing things and didn t like the outsiders to interfere. The Gentiles, - the Romans, etc., - also had the way they were brought up, - their values, their backgrounds, their customs. They had their history that recorded how they conquered all the nations, - some of whom were represented in the meeting. And then also there were the slaves and their masters. There were those too who would eat meat and there were those who were vegetarian. There were all these groups of different people and often they saw things very differently. Could you imagine what their Church Business Meetings would have been like! And yet Paul charges them Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. Paul is now building upon what he told them about the Word; he is telling them about the walk. The Psalmist combined these two thoughts together, Ps. 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. Again, the Psalmist talks about the walk, Ps. 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and

D.G. 6 speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. In the same way Paul tells them to be likeminded; how difficult is it to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus? We re not necessarily thinking here about dotting all the i s and crossing all the t s theologically; we re not even thinking about what parliamentary party you support but for the sake of the Name of Christ each individual believer has the responsibility and duty to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. They had the potential in this church at Rome to start all types of rows and arguments but because of the walk with Christ that each of them professed for His Name and for His glory they were commanded to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. The Word The Walk THE WORSHIP That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. one mind and one mouth. Paul is emphasising here. Jesus said, Mt. 15:18 those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart. What comes from the mind is an indication of what is in the heart; what comes from the mouth also shows the condition of the heart. If you have a right and proper understanding of the Word you will want and set out to live in obedience to the walk then God will accept the worship. Worship is how we live before God and true worship is how we live out our obedience to His Word. The children of Israel worshipped God but their worship was tainted and stained with disobedience and was not unacceptable unto Him because it judged it as not being true worship. Something else Jesus said, Mt. 21:16 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise. Surely this is the secret of worship: Personal worship when I as a child of God come before my Heavenly Father;

D.G. 7 Collective worship along with my brothers and sisters in the faith when we are Rom. 15:4 likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 with one mind and one mouth glorify[ing] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Worship is when God s people come together and are concerned for the sake and glory of His Name. CONCLUSION. How to glorify God. This subject of worship is one of the most important subjects we can study. We don t have the choice to take it or leave it. It is such importance that it either is an addition to our life or it is the purpose of all of our life. I can t decide to live the way the children of Israel lived, - today, on the Lord s Sabbath, I ll enter into His House; tomorrow I ll be in the house where the gods of this world are being worshipped. I daren t say to God what Felix said, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. When you love someone you want to spend as much time as you can in their presence, that goes for the Christian and his Saviour as well. Think again in the quietness of your home about these three verses and about the three simple thoughts we have considered this morning, Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope [the Word]. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: [the Walk] 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Worship].