Slices
Prepare
Bring to mind a favourite worship song. What does it remind you of about God? Sing or play it.
Bible passage
21 ‘“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, 23 but I gave them this command: obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backwards and not forwards. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.”
27 ‘When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, “This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.
29 ‘“Cut off your hair and throw it away; take up a lament on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned this generation that is under his wrath.
Explore
Now imagine the same hard-hitting church welcomer from yesterday has a slot after your sung worship. They insist that singing to God is good, but if our hearts are not in line with his, and our hands aren’t acting accordingly, this worship is pointless. Again, Jeremiah is doing something similar in today’s reading, reminding the people of God’s commands, which they continue to reject (v 24).
God is so angry with Judah’s behaviour that he tells them there’s no point in wasting meat on sacrifices (vs 21–24). Why does God say this (vs 22,23)? Their hearts are evil (v 24) and their behaviour is getting more depraved with each generation (v 26). But even as they have gone further from God, he has called them to come back for several centuries, ‘day after day, again and again’ through his prophets (v 25). But still the people don’t listen (v 27) and therefore they can’t offer God anything he’ll accept. Worshipping God is not a tick-box exercise!
Thankfully, we no longer need to offer sacrifices, due to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:12). But we are called to offer a ‘sacrifice of praise’ (Hebrews 13:15) in any circumstance. Our bodies are also required to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1,2). True worship is obedience to God’s commands, overflowing from a heart that praises him.
Respond
Thank Jesus that his sacrifice is enough to bring us back to God. Where might your worship need to stretch further?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Exodus 23,24; Matthew 26
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for the Scripture Union team presenting SU resources at the Hand in Hand children’s work conference this weekend. Pray that resources will find their way into the right hands and those who are speaking will equip and empower God’s people.
