3-The Heart of Worship
9/2/12
INTRO:
I.
II.
III.
 Genesis 4:2-7
Why did the Lord not accept Cain’s sacrifice
CHUY AND LONDA BOTH BRINGING ME CARDS
BODY:
I.
His Sacrifice Not Ours
God was trying to show Cain the costly sacrifice of sin
A.
It was not so much an issue of style as one of heart
1) The first ever murder was committed over religion
2) 1 John 3:12
3)
B.
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his
brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were
evil and his brother's were righteous.
JACK HAYFORD HAVING A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AT THE VATICAN
Worship is not about the sacrifice we make, but the sacrifice He made
1) THE SAMARITANS BEING REJECTED BY THE ISRAELITES
2) John 4:21-24
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem . . .
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
II.
His Glory Not Ours
Cain wasn’t there to worship, he was there to be recognized
A.
Man made religion takes its eyes off of God and puts them on self
1) WOMAN REPAINTING THE FRESCO OF “BEHOLD THE MAN”
2) Hebrews 12:2
3)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame.
“Until we look upon Jesus upon the cross, and realize that it was our
sins that put Him there, we will never understand worship.”–Ron
Mehl
B.
Worship is not about impressing God, but being impressed by God
1) SEEKING GARRIS’ APPROVAL ON MY MOTORCYCLE
2) 1 Corinthians 10:31-32
3)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the
glory of God.
LEARNING TO LIFT MY HANDS DURING WORSHIP
III.
His Acceptance Not Ours
It was Cain’s longing for acceptance that caused him to kill his competition
A.
We are not accepted because of what we did, but because of what He did
1) THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN
2) Luke 18:14
3)
B.
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified
before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted.”
GOD DOES NOT GRADE ON A CURVE
It is not whether He will accept us, but whether we will accept Him
1) “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (vs. 7)
2) Acts 10:34-35
3)
“God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation
who fear him and do what is right.”
ADOPTED KIDS GETTING TO WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE IT
OTHER SCRIPTURES:
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
Matthew 9:13
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Corinthians 5:9
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. KJV
Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended
as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings.
1 Peter 2:5
You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Revelation 13:8
All whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that
was slain from the creation of the world.