INTRODUCTION

The mixture of amusement and true worship always yields idolatry. In Exodus 32, the children of Israel observed a "feast to the LORD" at the same time that they "rose up to play." As men begin to grow cold and indifferent on the Lord, they seek ways to make the spiritual worship of God more appealing to their flesh. This is often accomplished by the union of pleasure and worship. In an effort to keep people interested in the worship of God, churches add comedic relief, drama, carnal music, and a host of other worldly amusements. In doing so, the worship of God is corrupted and becomes nothing more than idolatry or false worship.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Read Romans 10:17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
  See All.... Lost people see preaching the word of God as foolishness (1 Corinthians l:18, 21). Even Christians become dull of hearing and want to be entertained (Hebrews 5:11-12 [11] Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. [12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
  See All...). Oh, that we had the heart for God like the people in Nehemiah's time (Nehemiah 8:1-3 [1] And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. [2] And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. [3] And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
  See All..., 8; Nehemiah 9:3And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
  See All...).
• Do you judge the worship of God by the amount of amusement or entertainment received? If so, do you think this pleases God?
• Do you think the saints of God of old required amusement in order to worship God? Do you think those who were martyred for the faith would find modern worship to be idolatrous?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to give you a heart for Him.
• Ask the Lord to show you that amusement is not worship.

HYMN

Brethren, We Have Met to Worship

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