What steps can we take to ensure our worship remains God-centered today? Learning from Jeroboam’s Misstep “One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.” (1 Kings 12:29) Jeroboam’s two golden calves were meant to make worship “easier” for Israel, yet they replaced the true God with an image of convenience. The account warns us that any shift—however practical it seems—away from God’s revealed pattern quickly drifts into idolatry. Signs That Worship Is Drifting off Center • Substituting human creativity for God’s clear commands (Leviticus 10:1–2) • Prioritizing convenience over obedience (1 Samuel 15:22) • Exalting personalities, places, or styles above the Lord Himself (1 Corinthians 1:12–13) • Treating worship as entertainment rather than reverent encounter (Hebrews 12:28–29) Steps to Keep Worship God-Centered 1. Submit to Scripture First and Last • Measure every song, sermon, ritual, and decision against the written Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17). • Refuse anything that contradicts or eclipses plain biblical teaching (Deuteronomy 4:2). 2. Guard the Object of Our Adoration • Keep the spotlight on the LORD alone—no substitutes, images, or celebrity leaders (Exodus 20:3–4). • Regularly reaffirm, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory” (Psalm 115:1). 3. Center Everything on Christ • Sing, preach, pray, and serve with His gospel at the core (Colossians 1:18; 3:16–17). • Remember that only through His finished work do we draw near with confidence (Hebrews 10:19–22). 4. Worship in Spirit and in Truth • Invite the Holy Spirit’s guidance, conviction, and joy (Ephesians 5:18–19). • Anchor emotions to doctrinal truth so zeal never outruns reality (John 4:24). 5. Pursue Reverence over Convenience • Choose holiness even when it costs time, energy, or popularity (Romans 12:1–2). • Resist shortcuts that dilute awe—Jeroboam’s “nearer altars” led to ruin. 6. Practice Corporate Accountability • Let elders and congregation evaluate practices together (Acts 15:6–21). • Welcome loving correction when traditions overshadow Scripture (Proverbs 27:6). 7. Offer Daily Lives as Worship • Carry Sunday’s devotion into Monday’s decisions, seeing every task as service to God (Colossians 3:23–24). • Live so that gatherings become the overflow of obedient, grateful lives (Romans 12:1). Closing Encouragement Jeroboam’s calves remind us how swiftly worship can slide from God-centered to self-centered. By clinging to Scripture, exalting Christ, and surrendering convenience to reverence, we keep the Lord enthroned in our hearts and gatherings, giving Him the honor He alone deserves. |
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