Read at beginning of service:
Acts 10:34-35 (NIV)
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
INTRODUCTION
- Give background to text from 2 Kings 17:1-23
- In 2 Kings 17:1-6 we have the account of the last king of Israel named Hoshea), he reigned nine years.
- Verse 2 describes him as doing evil in the eyes of the Lord but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him ? nevertheless we learn that Shalmaneser (the king of Assyria) discovered Hoshea was a traitor, had him seized and put in prison.
- Shalmaneser laid siege to Samaria (capital of Israel) for 3 years and then captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. These Israelites were divided and settled in various cities and towns of the empire of Assyria.
- In 2 Kings 17:7-23 we are given the reason for Israel?s capture and exile by the Assyrians.
- The main reason given for this is they had sinned against the Lord their God (v7-8) The nature of their sin was:
- They worshipped other gods
- They followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.
- They secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right (v9)
- They built high places in all their towns.
- They built idols and burned incense and “sacred” places to other Gods on every high hill and under every spreading tree.
- They did wicked things that provoked the Lord to anger.
- They ignored the warnings to Israel and Judah made by all of God?s prophets and seers (v13)
- The people are described as stiff-necked because they would not listen. Stiff-necked is a condition described as not trusting in the Lord their God (v14)
- They rejected the decrees God had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them.
- They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless.
- They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do,” and they did the things the Lord had forbidden them to do.
- They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole.
- They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshipped Baal.
- They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire.
- They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord provoking Him to anger (v. 17)
- The result? “So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence” (vs 18)
- “Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.” (vs. 20)
- Then we come to our text for this morning. The Israelites are in captivity in Assyria and the king replaces them with imported captives from other countries. He settles these people into Samaria, the main province of Israel at that time.
(Read 2 Kings 17:24-41)
In this passage there is one thing that really stood out the first time I read it:
2 Kings 17:32-33 (NIV)
32 They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.
- They worshiped the Lord, but?
Here we have in these verses of chapter 17 a description of the worship of these newly settled people and I believe that there are several characteristics of this worship that we must take note of. In light of the particular emphasis placed on verse 32 and 33 I would ask you the question, “How might the Samaritan?s worship compare with our worship of God today?” In some cases, the comparisons may be a little too close for comfort!
How much of our worship includes the word “but”? “I?ll worship the Lord but in my way, in my time, and when it?s convenient?”
What is it that leads to “but” worship??
Looking at the Samaritans we find that?
THEIR WORSHIP WAS RESTRICTED BY SELF SEEKING PURPOSES
2 Kings 17:25-26 (NIV)25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”
- Talk about a welcoming party to your new home!!
- These freshly settled people were anxious to know how to appease the god of the country they lived in ? they were afraid that they would die!
- They would never have thought of God, had it not been for the lions. The lion “crisis” awakened them to the presence of the LORD and produced in them a desire to find out what He requires. This was good?
- The problem is that they viewed their worship as a way to get rid of the lions rather than an invitation for the presence of God. They sought a way to appease God so that they could get out of their crisis.
- Friends the purpose for worship is not to get rid of the lions but to welcome the presence of the lion-tamer! Yet how many people today think only of God: When they are ill, forgetting Him when they are well; During their calamities, but not during their joys; When faced with problems, but not when enjoying prosperity. How many people are like some sailors who in a storm pray fervently to God for deliverance, making promises but then get drunk or engage in immorality as soon as they get to land!
- If we turn to God only in the midst of crisis, our worship will be no different than the Samaritans!
BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION: Saul and his “sacrifice” ? (1 Samuel 13:1-15) contrast with David?s “worship” in 2 Samuel 6:12-23
2 Samuel 6:21-22 (NIV)
21 David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel–I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
THEIR WORSHIP WAS LIMITED TO FORM WITHOUT SUBSTANCE.
Their hearts were not in their service to the Lord?
- As evident by the fact that they continued to serve their “carved images” (vs 33)
- What service they rendered to the Lord possessed “form”, but not “substance”
Such worship is often common today?
- Where there is “form”, but not substance”
- Now, there is a need for “form” in worship?
- Possessing both a physical and spiritual nature, man needs physical ways to express his spiritual devotion.
- So God has provided physical expressions even in the New Testament worship, even though it is much more spiritual than that found in the Old Testament.
- The Lord?s Supper, singing, prayer, giving, etc., they all have “form”
- But to go through the “form” without the “substance” (a right spirit and attitude) is “hypocritical”.
Matthew 15:7-8 (NIV)7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
- As Christians we?re guilty of such worship if we?
- Sing “Trust and Obey”, but do neither
- Sing “I?ll Go Where You Want Me to Go”, but aren?t willing to go or do.
- Sing “Amazing Grace” with bored expressions on our faces and in our hearts.
- Worship that is both “form” and “substance” will follow the example of David when he said?
Psalms 138:1 (NIV) I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; ?”
Psalms 146:1-2 (NIV) 1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Psalms 147:1 (NIV) 1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Is our worship simply consist of form? Is there any substance?
- Is it simply going through the motions or playing out a part?
- If that is all we have, then our worship is no more pleasing to God than that of the Samaritans!
- Isaiah has this to say to us:
Isaiah 29:13-14 (NIV)13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. 14 Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
BIBLICAL STORY: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19) EMPHASIZE “SACRIFICE” Worship with substance is worship with sacrifice!
THEIR WORSHIP WAS DILUTED BY COMPROMISE
In the Case of the Samaritans?.
- They had God and they had “gods”; they liked the latter best
2 Kings 17:41a (NIV)41 Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols.
- They gave God lip service, but their hearts were not his because their worship was diluted
Such can happen to Christians today?
- When they seek to serve God, while also try to serve the world. When we worship God but dilute it with our heart?s attachment to the things of the world.
- But this is impossible according to Jesus.
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
(this passage is located at the end of Jesus? discourse on “Treasures in Heaven” it might be worthwhile to read from this passage ? Matthew 6:19-24)
- you worship what you treasure?
- When people try to serve both, the world always wins.
- It shows up in how their jobs, their recreation, etc., takes precedence over their service to God.
- It shows up in how they seek to rationalize their conduct.
But God cannot tolerate “compromise”
- He requires total commitment to Him, no matter the price.
- As taught in the Old Testament:
Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:14-15 (NIV)
14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.
- As taught by Jesus Himself:
Luke 14:33 (NIV)33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
- To compromise with the world is to commit “spiritual adultery”!
James 4:4 (NIV)4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
- Thus we need to heed Jesus? admonition
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION: Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego (Daniel 3:1-30)
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
CONCLUSION
In looking at what is written about the Samaritans and their “worship” of God we?ve noticed that their worship is restricted by self seeking purposes, limited to form without substance, and diluted by compromise. But in doing so is there anything that seems a bit familiar to your worship of God? If we?re not careful we can let our worship be like the Samaritans. If we?re not careful a writer could look at us and say, “They worshipped the Lord, but?” The sad thing is that in a great part of the Western World today that would be an accurate description – Worship that is prompted more by what we can get from God then birthed from a recognition of who He is, worship that has more emphasis on the method than the heart, worship that part of a list rather than defining your life!
Let Elijah challenge us to stop letting our worship be diluted by compromise
1 Kings 18:21 (NIV)
21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
Let Paul challenge us to a worship of form AND substance?
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
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. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let the example and words of David challenge us to a worship birthed out of love for God and who He is rather than what we can get from Him…
Psalms 29:2 (NIV)2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
Psalms 95:6 (NIV)
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;