Andy Nagahara
❖ Video
❖ Audio
Are You Disregarding God’s Word? (Psalm 50)
A. Turn away from counterfeit worship(1-6)
1. The call for a trial (1-6)
0 A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. <Selah>
2. The accusation of counterfeit worship (7-13, Jeremiah 7:22-26)
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.
8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
(Jeremiah 7:22-26)
22 For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices,
23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.
24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.
25 From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.
26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers.’
3. Verdict: Offer true worship (14-15, Romans 12:1-2)
14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
(Romans 12:1)Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
B. Turn away from sin
1. The accusation of sin (16-21)
16 But to the wicked, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
2. Verdict: Walk in the path of righteousness (22-23)
22 “Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:
23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”
Summary
Just like the Israelites, we are at risk of offering the kind of worship that God doesn’t desire. This affects the way we live and it grieves God. In order to avoid doing this, let us offer true worship by giving him our praise and thanksgiving.
For Discussion
1) What was Israel accused of?
2) How can we avoid making the same mistake?