Pure Worship

Presented to:

Bethel Chapel Pentecostal Church

Auditorium Sunday School Class

Granite City, IL

7 October 2018

Updated: October 5, 2018

By:

Boyce Belt

Pure Worship

Opening:

• “The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief.”  —T. S. Eliot^[1]
• Prayer

Text:

Mark 11:1-26 (KJV) And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Introduction:

Parallel passages: Matthew 21; Luke 19; John 12

John 4:23-24 (KJV) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

1. Praise

1. The Accolades of the Crowd

1. Shouting, running, and dancing, etc. are not God’s power but are our reaction to God’s power.

2. The Seriousness of Silence—Luke 19:39-40 (KJV) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
3. The Purpose of Praise

1. To Glorify God
2. Not to promote self
3. Not to promote our own agenda.

1. Their euphoria, however, was at fever pitch because they expected their messianic hopes to be fulfilled along nationalistic lines.^[2]
2. The way people acted on Palm Sunday contrasted dramatically with the crowd’s clamoring for Jesus’ crucifixion a few days later.  Some of the two crowds would have differed, but this was also the last time the onlookers thought that maybe Jesus was going to assume an earthly kingship and free His nation.  When it became clear that was not His purpose, disillusionment and hostility reappeared.^[3]
3. Too often we worship God in expectation of our own desires rather than according to His will and His character.  We must worship God because of who He is.
4. Because Of Who You Are

You spoke the words and all the worlds came into order

You waved your hands and planets filled the empty skies

You placed the woman and the man inside the garden

And though they fell they found compassion in your eyes

Oh Lord I stand amazed at the wonder of your deeds

And yet a greater wonder brings me to my knees

Lord I praise you, because of who you are

Not for all the mighty things that you have done

Lord, I worship you, because of who you are

You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise

Because of who you are

One holy night you brought Your promise from a virgin

And promise grew as he revealed to us your heart

Enduring love displayed throughout his Crucifixion

And in the dark, you tore the grave and death apart

Oh Lord I stand amazed at the wonder of your deeds

And yet a greater wonder brings me to my knees

Lord I praise you, because of who you are

Not for all the mighty things that you have done

Lord, I worship you, because of who you are

You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise

Because of who you are

4. James 1:27 (KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

2. Purity

1. A House of Prayer

1. For all nations

2. A Lack of Respect
3. A Den of Thieves
4. My Body God’s Temple

3. Phonies—On a fig tree the fruit is first formed, and then the leaves appear; so one would expect to find satisfying fruit on a tree in full leaf.^[4]  Jesus was looking for the edible buds, the lack of which indicated that the tree would be fruitless that year.^[5]

1. A Picture of Israel
2. A Lack of Fruit

1. James 1:26 (KJV) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
2. John 15:1-8 (KJV) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
3. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  While the gifts of the Spirit are given to various individuals, the fruit of the Spirit is to be manifest in the lives of all believers.

3. Wood for the Fire

1. Luke 13:6-9 (KJV) He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
2. Revelation 3:14-16 (KJV) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Conclusion:

Next Week: The Authority of the Word Mark 11:27 - 12:34

I Feel Like Praising, Praising Him

Prayer