Worship Teaching

Mar 7:7    "in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." ESV

 

These are piercing words: "in vain do they worship Me". Jesus was talking about the Pharisees and scribes of the day, and why did He say this? Because these spiritual leaders of the people had the opportunity to teach. What did they teach? Their own agendas. They didn't teach God's word. Instead they said that their rules, their commandments, their order of doing things was of God...that it was doctrine...that it was truth...that this was how you honored God. But nothing could have been further from the truth, yet they taught it and the people obeyed. What did Jesus call this? Vain worship. Fruitless worship. Futile worship. Empty worship. They replaced God's commandments, God's law, God's word with their own rules and it was worthless in God's eyes.

 

Unfortunately, I am afraid that there are many preachers and teachers who do the same thing today. Tomorrow as we go to church, men and women will stand up in front of groups of people and teach. Some will use this opportunity to take God's word and reveal its truths. Others will not do that. Others will not even open God's word. Others will get up and sound good and talk about how we need to love one another, or how we need to be involved in caring for our society, or how we need to be involved politically or socially and they will not tie it into God's word at all. They will preach their own agenda. Jesus tells us...that is vain worship. It is worthless. It is fruitless.

 

What is true worship? What is teaching that would be considered worship in the eyes of God? The doctrine of God. The teaching of God. The word of God. Forget this junk that we get up and spout off about that tickles the ears of the hearers. Forget this junk that tells everyone that they are OK. Forget this junk that promotes illicit lifestyles in the name of love. "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 2 Tim 4:2 This is true worship. This is fruitful worship. This is purposeful worship. God seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth. We need to preach and teach the Word of God.

 

As I get up in front of people and help lead worship...center on the Word. To do anything else is worthless worship.