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“Worship: The Christian's Fuel”
Worship: The Christian’s Fuel
Wade Webster
We often sing,” This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” As Christians, we are on a journey. The journey is life and the fuel for the journey is worship.
First, fuel is essential. Our cars, our houses, and our bodies all require fuel. In like manner, worship is essential. Christians run on it. Just as our cars require gas, our houses require electricity, and our bodies require food, our souls require worship. When we understand the essentiality of worship, we will not miss an opportunity to fill up our spiritual tanks (Heb. 10:25). Have you ever thought you were going to run out of gas? Have you ever waited a little too long and run out of gas? The worship services are like a gas station when our cars are running on fumes. They are like a Chick-fil-a when there hasn’t been any food in a hundred miles. When we understand the necessity of worship, we will also not miss an opportunity to encourage others to fill up their spiritual tanks (Heb. 10:24).
Second, fuel is expensive. Gas for our cars is expensive. Gas and electricity for our homes is expensive Food for our bodies is expensive. In like manner, true worship is expensive. We can’t offer to God that which costs us nothing (2 Sam. 24:24). One of my teachers in preaching school gave us an outline on this passage that I have used many times. He called the sermon: Four Attitudes Toward Giving. Attitude 1 – “I will not offer.” Some people are scrooges. They won’t give to anyone or anything. Attitude 2 – “I will not offer unto the Lord.” Some people will give, but not to the Lord. They will give to civic organizations or to special charities, but not to God. Attitude 3 – “I will not offer unto the Lord that which costs me.” Some people will give. They will even give to the Lord. However, they will only give that which doesn’t really cost them anything. Attitude 4 – “I will not offer unto the Lord that which costs me nothing.” The proper attitude toward worship is giving sacrificially.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Many may be met with who know God, but never glorify him as God, because they never adore him, and worship him, with the love of their hearts. They go to church or to some place of worship regularly, and sing psalms and hymns, and they may even have family-prayer at home; but their heart has never adored the living God with living love. Their worship has a name to live, but it is dead. They present to the Lord all the eternal harvest of worship, but the corn is gone, only the straw and the husk are there…”
Third, fuel is evaluated. Gas for your car is inspected and approved. There is a state regulatory commission that tests its purity. Electricity and gas for your home are regulated and metered. Food is carefully screened by the FDA and ingredients and nutritional information are listed on the package. In like manner, our worship is being measured. It will be approved or rejected based upon its purity. In the book of Revelation, John wrote, “And there was given unto me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein” (Rev. 11:1). Measuring the temple and the altar doesn’t trouble me very much. However, the measuring of the worshippers does. We do not want to be weighed in the balances of God and be found wanting (Dan. 5:27). Do you remember when you were a little kid and went to an amusement park? Do you remember the measuring sticks that were posted at the rides to determine whether or not you were tall enough to ride? Do you remember how disappointed you were when you came up short? Just think of how horrible it would be to come up short when measured by God’s measuring stick or His word (Phil. 3:16; 2 Thess. 3:6; John 12:48).
To be acceptable, worship has to be in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).In spirit has to do with the right attitude. God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). In truth has to do with the right action. We have to do what God commands us to do in the way that He commands it to be done (Lev. 10:1-2/Eph. 5:19; Gen. 4/Heb. 11:4; Mt.. 15:7-9).
In this lesson, we have examined the Christian's fuel - worship. As we get ready to worship this weekend, let's make sure that we don’t neglect to fill up our spiritual tanks.
