BIBLE LESSONS FOR FIRST QUARTER, 2017 THEME FOR FIRST QUARTER TRUE WORSHIP
My heart has been seeking God earnestly for inspiration for this new series of Bible Lessons. Slowly, as I have waited on Him, a theme began to develop as He brought Scriptures to my heart and connected them together. There was a burden about idolatry, and I saw how the entire Bible addresses this serious issue. There was a yearning to know His heart and His will concerning our worship toward Him. These lessons have developed from that burden and that yearning. My prayer is that God will burn these truths deep upon our hearts, and our worship will truly be only unto Him, in spirit and in truth–just as He is seeking for it to be.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
II Kings 17:36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Psalm 99:5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus. . . it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
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.
MEMORY VERSE: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. —Revelation 4:11
CENTRAL THOUGHT: From beginning to end, the Scriptures call us to worship, reverence, glorify and serve the Lord God.
WORD DEFINITIONS
II Kings 17:36 “Stretched out arm”: “1. The finger of God denotes any manifestation of the Divine power, where effects are produced beyond the power of art or nature. 2. The hand of God signifies the same power, but put forth in a more signal manner. 3. The arm of God, the Divine omnipotence manifested in the most stupendous miracles. 4. The arm of God stretched out, this same omnipotence exerted in a continuation of stupendous miracles, both in the way of judgment and mercy. In this latter sense it appears to be taken in the text: the judgments were poured out on the Egyptians; the mercies wrought in favor of the Israelites.” —Adam Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary. “Worship”: bow self down; crouch; fall down flat; humbly beseech; do reverence.
II Kings 17:36-37 “Fear”: show reverence; stand in awe; be afraid.
Psalm 95:6 “Bow down”: bow self down; kneel, as if bending down to drink; bring low; prostrate.
Psalm 99:5 “Exalt”: extol; “To raise in words or eulogy; to praise; to exalt in commendation; to magnify.” —Webster’s Dictionary 1828. “At his footstool”: at His feet.
Matthew 4:10 “Serve”: worship; minister to; to render religious service or homage. — Thayer’s Greek Lexicon.
LESSON BACKGROUND
There is no doubt but that God created humankind with several characteristics unique from the animals. He gave us volition, a rationing mind, the ability of speech and a deeper capacity to love, to list several—but this one thing distinguishes man above the others: the deep inclination to worship. There is a spirit in man, and this is the link that connects him to God, Who is a Spirit, and draws him to the search for fellowship. It is a homing instinct that beckons him to his beginning, a longing to render adoration, homage, and service to something—Someone—greater than himself.
The first scriptures in our lesson speak to Israelites who lived in Samaria who were mixing the worship of God with idols. God was reminding them of the covenant He had made with the children of Israel. Then there are several commands from the Psalms, which send out a clear call to worship, bow down to, and praise God alone. Jesus met the devil’s temptation to idolatry with the overcoming blow, “It is written,” citing the command written in Deuteronomy 6:13. He later answered the Samaritan woman’s questions about worship (John 4:23-24), bringing our lesson full circle as He addressed the issue of the polluted worship of the Samaritans and explained the requirements and call to all people for true worship. The last book of the Bible, the Revelation, deals again with apostasy, or the falling away from true worship, and gives clear command to worship God alone.
In the Scriptures, from beginning to end, God deals with fallen man’s continual downward slide into apostasy and idolatry and calls him back to redemption and true worship.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
DISCUSSION:
- Do’s and Don’ts: In the first verses of our lesson, what four things did God command to do, and what one thing did He forbid?
- Positive Action: In the verses from Psalms, what actions of worship are described? What reason is given for our worship?
- Settling the Issue: Describe the scene containing Jesus’ reply to the devil.
- Samaria—An Ancient Problem: What simple words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman give the solution?
- The Gospel Message: What is the essence of the gospel?
- Why Am I Here? Our memory verse explains the purpose for which we were created. What is it?
COMMENTS AND APPLICATION
Remembering our purpose—we were created for His pleasure and glory—should keep us focused and anchored. Years ago, it was erroneously taught that Earth was the center of the solar system in which it is placed, and everything revolved around it. Later, the truth of the matter was discovered, that the Sun is the true center, and the planets revolve around it. An eternal truth is represented here. God is the center. All life revolves around Him. When I begin to think that I am the center, everything is corrupted and in chaos.
Truly, He alone is holy; He alone is worthy of our worship, honor and praise. He created us to worship and serve Him. When we stop doing that, our God-given inclination to worship will replace Him with something. But it will be false, empty, and degrading. Our joy, our fulfillment, our life is in and through Him. Let us seek to humble ourselves—as one would kneel down to drink from the life-giving stream; let us lift up His name in praise and song; let us bring Him glory and honor every moment of our lives; let us worship Him in spirit and in truth.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
REFLECTIONS
Come worship the Lord, the gracious One is He,
The sound of His voice is music to me:
He is reigning victorious, He’s the “Ancient of days;”
Worship Him, He is glorious in His works and His ways.
In all this wide world, His name alone is high,
His banner’s unfurled in the bright, starry sky.
Of redemption I’m singing, since my night passed away;
Now the joybells are ringing in my soul all the day;
The Infinite One—I glory in His might,
For what he hath done to make wrong hearts right,
He doth give ev’ry blessing, light and life unto all;
Since His name I’m confessing, He doth answer my call;
Oh, glad hour to me to know and worship God;
I’m happy and free through the sin-cleansing flood:
And though dark clouds come sweeping o’er my soul’s sunny sky,
I can trust in His keeping, they will soon pass me by;
—by Barney E. Warren
Song #30 in Melodies of Zion
Published by the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1926
—Bro. Harlan Sorrell
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