Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, April 6, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

THE DEMAND OF GOD’S WORSHIP THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:1-3

Text: Exodus 20:3

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Introduction: The very first thing that God told Israel to do in the ten commandments He wrote in stone was to have a right attitude toward HIM.

There are ten commandments. The first four of the commandments deal with man’s relationship to God. The last six deal with man’s relationship to man. The first commandment is to put God first in your life.

If God is not first in your life, then the other things in your life will eventually fall apart. You can’t be what you ought to be toward men, if you are not what you ought to be toward God.

God will accept no other place than FIRST place. That is His demand:

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Jealous and envy are not the same thing, although they are often related. To be ENVIOUS means that you want what belongs to someone else. To be JEALOUS means to not be willing to share with others what belongs to you.

God’s name is not Envious; His name is Jealous.

To put someone or something before the Lord in your life is a deadly, dangerous sin.

I want us to consider two thoughts tonight about this first commandment:

I. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR WORSHIP

Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

A. Sacrifice is a characteristic of worship

The above verse is the first occurrence of 102 verses in the Bible where the word “worship” is found.

B. Service or submission is a characteristic of worship

Matthew 4:9-10 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

C. Speaking in praise

Psalms 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

II. THE COMPETITORS FOR YOUR WORSHIP

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

A. Satan

Matthew 4:9-10 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
God desires worship (John 4:23), and so does the devil!

B. Secular jobs

Habakkuk 1:16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

C. Sexual pleasure

Exodus 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
2. God uses terms of immorality to refer to idolatry. Sexual pleasure can BE, although it is not always, idolatry!

D. Substance

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.

E. Scenery

Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

F. Self

Luke 18:10-12 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
He DEIFIED himself, and he DESPISED others:
Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

III. THE CASE FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD

Acts 10:25-26 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

A. He is the infinite and eternal God

Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

B. He is the immaculate and holy God

Psalms 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

C. He is the investigating and final Judge of the earth

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.