Week 2 Class Notes

Welcome back!

Last week our focus was trying to sort out what acts and more importantly motives of the heart, define worship. To key on offering, I introduced Cain and Abel, but this week pointed out 1 Samuel 15:1-26 as an additional point to lead us into this week's lesson.

This week our focus is on human nature and design. Every person has been designed by God to worship something or someone. We can see it in every person we know, including ourselves (who we know best). Scripture supports this as well and is filled with lessons about this.

We looked at Exodus 23:23-33 where it points out that all the Amorites, Hittites, Jebusites etc. all who did not recognize God, did worship other gods...and what is most exciting was to hear that people in the group 'got it' when it came to this passage. The points are two:

1. God told them to destroy them probably because He knew their hearts would never turn from what they (the 'ites') were entrenched in worship toward.

A member of our class pointed out (and I hope you understand it is important to me that others, led by the Holy Spirit, contribute to the learning) Romans 1:21-25 as possible support for God's action here, and while 'new testament' if we understand that God has never changed and opportunities to find Him have always been present, this does seem to stand as support.

2. As he knew his chosen people (another group of ites...the Israelites) , He also knew that if they invited these people (the other 'ites') into their homes and families with tolerance, they would become snared by what the 'ites' chose to worship, and it wasn't God himself.

Another classmate shared Deuteronomy 4:15-19 to support this statement and it is right on!

The key issue here is NOT the destruction of others, but rather the dangers of inviting other gods into our lives, or being enticed into worship of things or people who are not God.

The conclusion?

We need to be careful as to whom or what we invite into our lives, knowingly or 'unknowingly' placing it or them in a place of worship. We are to worship none other than God alone.

So the questions for this week are:

1. What are the trappings of our worship nature?

Let's think about this for a moment. If ALL humanity is designed to worship, and if ALL of us will worship something or someone, how can this nature 'trap us' into incorrect worship?

As we examine our life:

2. What draws you?
To what or whom do you draw near?
Hold in high esteem? (not always bad unless it moves into legitimate worship of them or it)

3. Does your time, priorities and expenditures reflect your response to worship of God alone?

4. What actions should be taken by us to reflect whose we are?

So now it is up to you and I to explore this, wrestle with it and most importantly seek scriptural answers and direction from God himself, prompted by the Holy Spirit.

I look forward to seeing you next week as we talk about the many gods of man and the most dangerous aspect of living that supports why God tells us (like the Israelites) to be careful what or whom you invite into your life.

Please try to be early and prepared for class. I hope you find the material engaging and thought provoking, but most importantly that God is directing your thoughts and heart as we all continue to walk down the road of faith together. May our Lord bless you as you set Him and He alone as the one whom you worship and whose you are.

By the way, did you like how the Holy Spirit 'dove tailed' the class with the sermon today? Did you also like how He led the class? I sit back amazed and grateful to be included in the 'seeing' of His power and direction unleashed as we sit together before Him. It is these kinds of things that, I believe, caused the early church to explode! (in a good way of course).