LESSON THREE - THE OBJECT OF OUR WORSHIP
Since the creation, man has worshipped everything under the sun, and even the sun itself. There are millions of gods and goddesses around the world. Fabulous temples have been built by their devotees, and yet the majority of men seem unhappy with their religion. Why? What is wrong?
The thing that is wrong is that the masses of the people have not yet come to believe in the one and true living God. Christ points to him, when he says, [John 4:24 (KJV) 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.] God then is to be the object of man's worship. Only when he learns this and directs his worship to him can he find the peace and comfort of soul that he has so long searched for.
In this short lesson we want to find out who God is and why we should worship him.
1. God is the creator of all things.
["In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1 (KJV) ] It might be argued that the Bible is saying this, but what proof is there otherwise? Just look around and see what God has created. The earth and all things therein serve as simple proof for God's existence. Something cannot come from nothing, therefore someone had to create it. Where there is a creation, there must be a creator. David said, [Psalms 19:1 (KJV) 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. ] Who can dispute that? Who will dispute it?
God created man and woman in his own image. [Genesis 1:26 - 27 (KJV) 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.] [Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ]
2. God sent his Son Jesus to save man from his sins.
Concerning the purpose of the Lord's coming, we read, [John 3:16 - 17 (KJV) 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ] Paul wrote, [Romans 5:8 (KJV) 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ] Again, he says, [ 1 Timothy 2:3 - 4 (KJV) 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. ] As to our salvation, he writes, [ Ephesians 2:8 - 9 (KJV) 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.]
3. God has blessed us with all blessings, physically and spiritually.
James writes, [James 1:17 (KJV) 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ] Paul says, [Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:]
4. There is one true and living God.
In speaking of the oneness of God, Paul declared, [Ephesians 4:6 (KJV) 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ] He continues, [ 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ]
5. God is a Spirit.
We have already read in John 4:24 where it is plainly stated that God is Spirit. In other words, God is not flesh and blood. He is not physical. He is not material. When we therefore learn that he is Spirit then we can understand him better inasmuch as we will think of him as being on another plane and not on the level of man.
6. God is love.
John declares, [1 John 4:8 - 11 (KJV) 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ] He says therefore that if we do not have any love then we cannot know God for God has revealed himself through love.
7. God is living today.
Peter confessed Christ as the Son of the living God, (Matthew 16:16). Paul talks about the church of the living God. (1 Timothy 3:15). Again, he speaks of those who turned away from their idols to obey and serve the true and living God. (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Some have declared God dead, but they are the ones who are dead spiritually. God lives. Christ taught, [Matthew 22:32 (KJV) 32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. ]
8. With God all things are possible.
When Jesus talked to the people about who could be saved, he said, [Matthew 19:26 (KJV) 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ]
9. There none good but God.
Mark 10:18 (KJV) 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
10. No man hath seen God.
John wrote, [ John 1:18 (KJV) 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ]
We could go on and notice that God is no respector of persons (Acts 10:34, 35), that he knows all works from the beginning of the world (Acts 15:18), that he will eventually judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Romans 2:16), that he can give eternal life (1st John 5:11), etc.
The God we speak of knows all, sees all, hears all, is everywhere at the same time, is all powerful and without beginning or end. There is no one to be compared to him. He is the creator of all else. He is the one that is to be worshipped, praised, honored and glorified both now and forever more.
However, he will not accept just any kind of worship. If we are going to worship him then it must be on his terms and not ours. He has revealed the type of worship he wants in his word and we are going to see this in the lessons that follow.
Thought Questions
Lesson 3
1. What has man been known to worship?
2. Explain what is wrong with the religion of the majority of the people.
3. Quote John 4:24.
4. Who is to be the object of man's worship?
5. State Genesis 1:1.
6. Give some proofs for God's existence.
7. What declares the glory of God?
8. How did God create man and woman?
9. Why did God send his Son to earth?
10. Quote John 3:16, 17.
11. Who died for us?
12. How are we saved?
13. Where does all of our blessings come from?
14. Read Ephesians 1:3.
15. What does Paul say about the oneness of God?
16. How would you describe God?
17. Explain "God is Love."
18. Does God live today? In what way?
19. Are all things possible with God?
20. Who is good?
21. Has any man ever seen God?
22. Is God a respecter of persons?
23. Who will eventually judge the world?
24. Tell some of the characteristics of God.
25. What kind of worship does God want?
The thing that is wrong is that the masses of the people have not yet come to believe in the one and true living God. Christ points to him, when he says, [John 4:24 (KJV) 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.] God then is to be the object of man's worship. Only when he learns this and directs his worship to him can he find the peace and comfort of soul that he has so long searched for.
In this short lesson we want to find out who God is and why we should worship him.
1. God is the creator of all things.
["In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1 (KJV) ] It might be argued that the Bible is saying this, but what proof is there otherwise? Just look around and see what God has created. The earth and all things therein serve as simple proof for God's existence. Something cannot come from nothing, therefore someone had to create it. Where there is a creation, there must be a creator. David said, [Psalms 19:1 (KJV) 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. ] Who can dispute that? Who will dispute it?
God created man and woman in his own image. [Genesis 1:26 - 27 (KJV) 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.] [Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ]
2. God sent his Son Jesus to save man from his sins.
Concerning the purpose of the Lord's coming, we read, [John 3:16 - 17 (KJV) 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ] Paul wrote, [Romans 5:8 (KJV) 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ] Again, he says, [ 1 Timothy 2:3 - 4 (KJV) 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. ] As to our salvation, he writes, [ Ephesians 2:8 - 9 (KJV) 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.]
3. God has blessed us with all blessings, physically and spiritually.
James writes, [James 1:17 (KJV) 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ] Paul says, [Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:]
4. There is one true and living God.
In speaking of the oneness of God, Paul declared, [Ephesians 4:6 (KJV) 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ] He continues, [ 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ]
5. God is a Spirit.
We have already read in John 4:24 where it is plainly stated that God is Spirit. In other words, God is not flesh and blood. He is not physical. He is not material. When we therefore learn that he is Spirit then we can understand him better inasmuch as we will think of him as being on another plane and not on the level of man.
6. God is love.
John declares, [1 John 4:8 - 11 (KJV) 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ] He says therefore that if we do not have any love then we cannot know God for God has revealed himself through love.
7. God is living today.
Peter confessed Christ as the Son of the living God, (Matthew 16:16). Paul talks about the church of the living God. (1 Timothy 3:15). Again, he speaks of those who turned away from their idols to obey and serve the true and living God. (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Some have declared God dead, but they are the ones who are dead spiritually. God lives. Christ taught, [Matthew 22:32 (KJV) 32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. ]
8. With God all things are possible.
When Jesus talked to the people about who could be saved, he said, [Matthew 19:26 (KJV) 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ]
9. There none good but God.
Mark 10:18 (KJV) 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
10. No man hath seen God.
John wrote, [ John 1:18 (KJV) 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ]
We could go on and notice that God is no respector of persons (Acts 10:34, 35), that he knows all works from the beginning of the world (Acts 15:18), that he will eventually judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Romans 2:16), that he can give eternal life (1st John 5:11), etc.
The God we speak of knows all, sees all, hears all, is everywhere at the same time, is all powerful and without beginning or end. There is no one to be compared to him. He is the creator of all else. He is the one that is to be worshipped, praised, honored and glorified both now and forever more.
However, he will not accept just any kind of worship. If we are going to worship him then it must be on his terms and not ours. He has revealed the type of worship he wants in his word and we are going to see this in the lessons that follow.
Thought Questions
Lesson 3
1. What has man been known to worship?
2. Explain what is wrong with the religion of the majority of the people.
3. Quote John 4:24.
4. Who is to be the object of man's worship?
5. State Genesis 1:1.
6. Give some proofs for God's existence.
7. What declares the glory of God?
8. How did God create man and woman?
9. Why did God send his Son to earth?
10. Quote John 3:16, 17.
11. Who died for us?
12. How are we saved?
13. Where does all of our blessings come from?
14. Read Ephesians 1:3.
15. What does Paul say about the oneness of God?
16. How would you describe God?
17. Explain "God is Love."
18. Does God live today? In what way?
19. Are all things possible with God?
20. Who is good?
21. Has any man ever seen God?
22. Is God a respecter of persons?
23. Who will eventually judge the world?
24. Tell some of the characteristics of God.
25. What kind of worship does God want?