Title: Does God Demand Worship? (17)
Series: Weakness Is Your Greatest Strength
Author: Eddie Snipes
Text: John 4:23-24
Let's dispel another myth, this one is concerning worship. Is God so ego centrical that He demands people to worship Him? And does God punish those who do not? Or does worship mean something more?
Some feel like they have to force worship because they don't want God to judge them. They go through the motions, but their heart is not in it. Putting on a show is merely an act of fulfilling a demand of a God who will become angry if we don't meet His requirements.
When Stalin took over during the Russian revolution, he required the people to come and hear his speeches. In the book, The Gulag Archipelago, one of these events is described. After the speech, everyone gave Stalin a standing ovation - not because they were blown away by his words, but because they were afraid of what would happen if they didn't.
During a lengthy standing ovation, everyone realized that they could not stop. The leadership was watching them, and anyone who stood out as not adoring the leader would be considered an enemy. The crowd applauded for more than two hours while Stalin seemed amused as he basked in his glory. This went on until one exhausted man stopped and sat down. The crowd soon followed his lead and sat down, but this man was taken away to a concentration camp to be punished for his lack of worship.
Many have been taught to view worship as if God were watching to see who will applaud Him and show loyalty. Those who don't do enough may displease God, or even be punished. Religion has turned worship into a blasphemous image of God. Blasphemy simply means to say something false about God. The picture of God demanding to be applauded and demanding worship is a false image of Him. How can we enjoy worship if we are viewing God as a Stalin-like figure?
True worship emerges from freedom, but false worship is a de ...
Series: Weakness Is Your Greatest Strength
Author: Eddie Snipes
Text: John 4:23-24
Let's dispel another myth, this one is concerning worship. Is God so ego centrical that He demands people to worship Him? And does God punish those who do not? Or does worship mean something more?
Some feel like they have to force worship because they don't want God to judge them. They go through the motions, but their heart is not in it. Putting on a show is merely an act of fulfilling a demand of a God who will become angry if we don't meet His requirements.
When Stalin took over during the Russian revolution, he required the people to come and hear his speeches. In the book, The Gulag Archipelago, one of these events is described. After the speech, everyone gave Stalin a standing ovation - not because they were blown away by his words, but because they were afraid of what would happen if they didn't.
During a lengthy standing ovation, everyone realized that they could not stop. The leadership was watching them, and anyone who stood out as not adoring the leader would be considered an enemy. The crowd applauded for more than two hours while Stalin seemed amused as he basked in his glory. This went on until one exhausted man stopped and sat down. The crowd soon followed his lead and sat down, but this man was taken away to a concentration camp to be punished for his lack of worship.
Many have been taught to view worship as if God were watching to see who will applaud Him and show loyalty. Those who don't do enough may displease God, or even be punished. Religion has turned worship into a blasphemous image of God. Blasphemy simply means to say something false about God. The picture of God demanding to be applauded and demanding worship is a false image of Him. How can we enjoy worship if we are viewing God as a Stalin-like figure?
True worship emerges from freedom, but false worship is a de ...
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