Lesson 2 - Question 34 of 41

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The Kingdom:  Individual Members of Jesus' Church:

Their Devotion to Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayer (Acts 2:42)

Let's look closer at the focus of our worship:

Jesus, speaking to the religious leaders at that time:  "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.  9But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" Matthew 15:7-9 (NAS)

Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of tradition learned by rote," Isaiah 29:13 (NAS)

Question:

According to Matthew 15:8 and Isaiah 29:13, what would be the best question to ask ourselves as we prepare to worship God and Jesus?

  1. Is the worship going to be pleasing to me?
  2. Is the worship going to please the crowd and attract more numbers?
  3. Am I drawing my heart closer to God as I worship; singing and praising Him?  

Pleasing Me? Pleasing Crowd? Heart Close to God?

Other Translations - Matthew 15:8:

"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (NIV)

'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (NKJ)

This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. (ASV)

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (KJV)

Other Translations - Isaiah 29:13:

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. (NIV)

Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, (NKJ)

And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh (unto me), and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught (them); (ASV)

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: (KJV)    

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