How can we ensure our worship remains focused on God, not convenience? The Setting behind 1 Kings 12:27 “‘If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, the heart of this people will return to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.’” (1 Kings 12:27) Jeroboam feared losing control, so he reinvented worship to keep people close and comfortable. Two golden calves, two local shrines—easy, quick, and spiritually disastrous. The Danger of Convenient Worship • Convenience tempts us to adjust God’s commands to fit our preferences. • What starts as “practical” soon replaces obedience. • When worship is redesigned for human comfort, loyalty subtly shifts from God to self, tradition, or leaders. Recognizing Modern Parallels • Selecting churches for amenities rather than truth (2 Timothy 4:3). • Skipping gathering altogether because online options feel easier (Hebrews 10:25). • Choosing songs, sermons, or practices mainly for emotional lift instead of biblical depth (Colossians 3:16). • Treating giving, service, or time in Scripture as optional extras when schedules allow (Malachi 1:8). Safeguards for God-Centered Worship 1. Anchor everything in Scripture – Deuteronomy 12:5-6: God chooses the place and pattern; we don’t invent it. – John 4:23-24: Worship “in spirit and truth” requires both heartfelt devotion and doctrinal accuracy. 2. Embrace the gathered assembly – Acts 2:42: teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer—none were optional. – Hebrews 10:25: meeting together fuels perseverance. 3. Offer costly devotion – 2 Samuel 24:24: “I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” – Time, energy, resources given sacrificially keep worship from becoming self-centered. 4. Guard the heart daily – Psalm 139:23-24: invite God to expose self-interest. – Romans 12:1: present bodies “as a living sacrifice.” Sacrifice remains the language of worship. 5. Keep Christ central – Colossians 1:18: He “has the supremacy.” – Lord’s Supper, baptism, preaching of the cross remind us worship is about His work, not our convenience. Remembering the Cost of Authentic Worship • Jesus traveled the ultimate inconvenient road—Calvary. • Apostles risked prison and death to gather and proclaim. • Early believers walked miles, met in catacombs, and lost property for the joy of obeying Christ. Encouragement to Persevere • Psalm 103:1: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” • Genuine worship enlarges the soul, strengthens faith, and magnifies God—benefits convenience can never match. |
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