VAIN WORSHIP: THEY REMOVE THEIR HEARTS FAR FROM ME
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Vain Worship
Isaiah 29:13
"...these people draw near to me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, yet have removed their hearts far from me. Moreover, their worship toward me is the doctrines of men."
a) Even by the time the Messiah had come, many religious leaders were false in their worship. God was honored in words, but insulted in practice. A stark example of this is the second occasion on which Jesus cleansed the temple by driving out those who were desecrating it. He said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer' but you have made it a den of robbers" (Matthew 21:12-13, Isaiah 56:7).
b) There were two occasions on which Jesus drove people from the temple. The first is recorded in John 2:13-22, the second in Matthew 21:12-13.
c) Jesus showed great concern for the digression of his people from true worship and service to God into the hypocrisy and vanity of the religion they practiced. When he quotes Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:7-9 he uses the translation, "In vain do they worship me..." When we look at Isaiah 29:13 we can identify three elements of the worship that made it vain.
2. They Remove Their Hearts Far From Me
a) The secret of true worship is that we "worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Not only must the things we say and feel be true, but they must be the love of our spirits, our heart's deep desire. Unfortunately many people worship from ulterior motives, and the desires of their hearts are far from God.
b) For example:
i) Self glory
@1. Some seek their own glory and praise (Matthew 6:2-7, 16-18).
ii) Money
@1. Some seek wealth and earthly prosperity. They seem to be serving God, but they do so because they think God will make them rich on earth. This is not true Christianity (Matthew 6:19-24).
iii) Own Inventions
@1. Some love and follow their own tradition rather than the word of God. As we noticed earlier, this was the particular problem that Jesus was referring to when he quoted Isaiah, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:7-9).
c) When our hearts are centered on things like those listed above, then our hearts are far from God and we worship him in vain.
The End ...
1. Vain WorshipIsaiah 29:13
"...these people draw near to me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, yet have removed their hearts far from me. Moreover, their worship toward me is the doctrines of men."
a) Even by the time the Messiah had come, many religious leaders were false in their worship. God was honored in words, but insulted in practice. A stark example of this is the second occasion on which Jesus cleansed the temple by driving out those who were desecrating it. He said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer' but you have made it a den of robbers" (Matthew 21:12-13, Isaiah 56:7).
b) There were two occasions on which Jesus drove people from the temple. The first is recorded in John 2:13-22, the second in Matthew 21:12-13.
c) Jesus showed great concern for the digression of his people from true worship and service to God into the hypocrisy and vanity of the religion they practiced. When he quotes Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:7-9 he uses the translation, "In vain do they worship me..." When we look at Isaiah 29:13 we can identify three elements of the worship that made it vain.
2. They Remove Their Hearts Far From Me
a) The secret of true worship is that we "worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Not only must the things we say and feel be true, but they must be the love of our spirits, our heart's deep desire. Unfortunately many people worship from ulterior motives, and the desires of their hearts are far from God.
b) For example:
i) Self glory
@1. Some seek their own glory and praise (Matthew 6:2-7, 16-18).
ii) Money
@1. Some seek wealth and earthly prosperity. They seem to be serving God, but they do so because they think God will make them rich on earth. This is not true Christianity (Matthew 6:19-24).
iii) Own Inventions
@1. Some love and follow their own tradition rather than the word of God. As we noticed earlier, this was the particular problem that Jesus was referring to when he quoted Isaiah, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:7-9).
c) When our hearts are centered on things like those listed above, then our hearts are far from God and we worship him in vain.
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