TOPIC: VAIN VERSUS TRUE WORSHIP

1. TOPIC: VAIN VERSUS TRUE WORSHIP BY PASTOR TOKUNBO OSHOKOYA

2. Matt 15: 1 - 5 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?

3. for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say,

5. Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.

6. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7. 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. 

8. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

9. "Vain" as Attitude Excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: 

10. "Vain" as Outward Display Proceeding from or showing pride in or concern about one's appearance, qualities, etc.; resulting from or displaying vanity: He made some vain remarks about his accomplishments.

11. "Vain" as in accomplishment ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: vain hopes; a vain effort; a vain war.

12. Without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry; vain display.

13. When something is said to be VAIN, it means it is senseless or foolish when judged.

14. Idiomatically, can be like saying that "in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain"

15.  Hence VAIN WORSHIP will be, in reference to God, excessive proud attitude. Outward display of arrogance in defiance while maintaining claim of worship.

16. Nothing of importance or value achieved or accomplished. Why? The basis is faulty. It's baseless and worthless.

17. ROOT OF VAIN WORSHIP At the root of every vain worship are: 1. Wrong estimation of one's own worth in reference to the object of worship. Exaggerated view of oneself, or worth, or qualities or achievements.

18. 2. Incorrect acknowledging and conceptualisation of God. 3. Improper comprehension of purpose to activity leading to wrong focus and worthless emphasis.

19. By putting the commandments of men on a level with the divine requirements, their whole worship was rendered vain--a principle of deep moment in the service of God. 

20. "For," it is added in Mr 7:8, "laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do." 

21. Their religion had become a matter of action and man-made rules. Their hearts were far from God and consequently their worship was in vain, "fruitless, futile," an adjective used only here [MATT. 15:9] and in the parallel passage, Mark 7:7; it is a variation of the more common adjective mataios, "without results, futile").

22. (The drivelling nature of their multitudinous observances is here pointedly exposed, in contrast with the manly observance of "the commandment of God"; and when our Lord says, "Many other such like things ye do,"

23. it is implied that He had but given a specimen of the hideous treatment which the divine law received, and the grasping disposition which, under the mask of piety, was manifested by the ecclesiastics of that day. The Lord spoke of their traditions as inventions of their own, and pointed out one instance in which this was very clear, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment)

24. ATTACK was directed against Jesus' disciples, who were accused of failing to observe the elders' tradition of the ceremonial washing of hands before eating. This tradition (Rabbinic, not Mosaic) was an elaborate washing ritual involving not only one's hands but also cups, pitchers, and kettles (Mark 7:3-4).

25. MATT 15: 8,9 MSGE These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.“ SOMETHING IS INHERENTLY WRONG!!!

26. John 4: 9, 10  ATTACK directed to Jesus and His people who were accused of discrimination: Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 

27. John 4: 19 - 26 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  [Wrong estimation of one's own worth in reference to the object of worship. Exaggerated view of oneself, or worth, or qualities or achievements]

28. [Improper comprehension of purpose to activity leading to wrong focus and worthless emphasis] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

29. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 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.

30. [Incorrect acknowledging and conceptualisation of God] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

31. WHAT IS WRONG HERE? Lack of understanding of heights! God is the Most High... The Almighty To understand TRUE WORSHIP, please know that OKE GA JU OKE!

32. Prayer: Lord, help me to perceive in my inner being, comprehend in my heard and ingrained in my soul that YOU ARE THE MOST HIGH!

33. Isaiah 14: 12 - 20 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart,  I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;  I will be like the most High.

34.  [Wrong estimation of one's own worth in reference to the object of worship. Exaggerated view of oneself, or worth, or qualities or achievements]

35. [Incorrect acknowledging and conceptualisation of God] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

36. [Incorrect acknowledging and conceptualisation of God] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

37. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

38. All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

39. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

40. TRUE WORSHIP - THE DYNAMICS TRUE WORSHIP as an act of service, personal and collective, must start with inner acknowledgement of the fact that ASCENT UNTO and INTO is being intended! 1 KINGS 10: 1 - 10; 2 CHRON 9: 4 KJV/AMP/MSGE And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 

41. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

42. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ASCENT by which he went up unto the house of the Lord;  there was no more spirit in her. 

43. NKJV  = "entryway" MSGE = "the elaborate worship extravagant ... at the STEPS leading UP to The Temple of God, ..." Sons and daughters, there must be a consciousness of ELABORATE ASCENT IN STEPS UP into and unto God's Presence in Glory! 

44. The Psalmist presented it beautifully as in the chapter 24 Psalm 24: 3 - end Who shall ASCEND into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 

45. [REGENERATED HEART & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/COMPREHENSION OF THE TRUTH OF WHAT CHRIST HAS ACCOMPLISHED - SURRENDERED LIFE]  He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.