Idol Worship Israel always struggled with idol worship

Idol Worship • Israel always struggled with idol worship • Egypt and Canaan worshipped idols • Israel gave into the influence and God gave them up into captivity • 1 Cor. 10: 14 Warns us to flee idolatry • Gal. 5: 20 Listed with the works of the flesh • Acts 17: 29 -30 All are called to repent

Idol Worship • An idol is anything that takes us from God • Col. 3: 5 Covetousness is idolatry • Matt 15: 8 -9 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.

Idol Worship • Matt. 15: 8 -9 • What about us? • • Mouth is near Heart is far Worship is vain Teach man’s doctrines • • Body is here Mind is gone Worship is idle Don’t learn God’s doctrines

Absorbed by the World • Worship is seen as an interruption to our schedule • Matt. 22: 1 -7, Hagg. 1: 2 -8 • God is viewed as an interference to our goals • Eccl. 12: 13, Heb. 11: 13 -15

Mind is Idle at Worship • • • Ignorance of meaning behind the action John 4: 24, Matt. 6: 7 Laziness (drifts in and out) 2 Cor. 10: 5 -6 Distractions in the assembly Expectations of leadership Our gifts should not be neglected (1 Tim. 4: 14) but stirred up (2 Tim. 1: 6) in service to God

Body Becomes Idle • After the return from Babylon, Judah exchanged one idol for another idle • Mal. 3: 14 What benefit is there in worship? • Mal. 1: 13 What a weariness it is to worship • Mal. 1: 8 Offered corrupt sacrifices to God • What parallels lame animals in N. T. worship? Rom. 12: 1 -2

Must God Accept Anything We Offer Him? • Luke 13: 1 -3 Jews speculated these men were exceptionally evil (killed in worship) • Lev. 10: 1 -2 Nadab and Abihu • Acts 5: 1 -6 Ananias • Gen. 4: 5 -7 Cain’s worship was rejected • If our mind is absent from worship services our body will soon follow

Assembled Members • • Spectators (observe others’ worship) Critics (evaluate others’ worship) Detractors (obstruct others’ worship) Faithful (encourage others’ worship) • Members who assemble without worshipping will not find our time together as profitable • 1 Cor. 11: 17 -18