A few years ago I was in the presence of one of my
favorite pastors. He told me a story about one of the communion services held at
his church. It seems that on this particular day while service was going on, a
gentleman came into the sanctuary and with his hat in his hand began walking
down the aisle towards the communion table.
It was well known that this man was a drunkard, as he
was approaching the table the ushers were about to stop him, however this
pastor was curious to see just what this gentleman was going to do, so he waived
the ushers off.
As the man approached the table he reached into his
pockets and pulling them inside-out and removed all of the money that he had.
After that he lifted up the cloth covering the sacraments, placed all of his money
on the table, and covered everything up. Then he bowed on one knee at the altar,
turned to the pastor and acknowledged him by nodding; and then turned around
and walked back up the aisle and out of the door.
Amazed by what he’d just witnessed, the pastor began to
ask himself the following questions:
·
What were the factors in this man’s life
which pushed him into an addiction to alcohol?
·
Where did he learn that level of respect
for God?
·
What’s wrong with the church at large that
the same level of respect is not practiced in the “House of the Lord?”
There is an indictment against the church because of
the blatant disrespect we have for the God of the church and the disregard we
demonstrate towards one another.
Listen to what God has to say in Malachi 1:6-9:
“The
LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a
servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the
honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask,
‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
“You have shown
contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we
defiled the sacrifices?”
“You defile them by
saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect. 8 When you give
blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer
animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your
governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
“Go ahead, beg God to
be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he
show you any favor at all?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
Jesus
once told a woman; God is a Spirit, and anyone who worships Him must do so in
Spirit and in truth… (Ref. John 4:24)
Every
Sunday churches across the globe are filled with individuals who are only there
to clear their conscience. The most unscrupulous, un-repentant people on earth
boldly enter into His gates with iniquity in their hearts and into His courts
with their minds on the next conquest,
whatever that may be, as if they’re asking an Holy God: “We Cool?”
Most
have done nothing all week long that even remotely brings glory and honor to
His name. Can you imagine the millions who party on Friday, all night on
Saturday and then stagger into the sanctuary late to service on Sunday
hung-over?
Yet
the sanctuary is filled with people offering up false praise and worship to the
King of kings…Together we sing: “I love
you Lord, and I lift my voice…” But there are those who have animosity
towards a fellow brother or sister in Christ, come into the sanctuary with
food, gum, and water as if it is the place for a social gathering, many show
little to no respect towards the pastor or any of the church leaders who are making
a concretive effort to walk up-right before the Lord. But they came to get
their praise on…
Picture
this; God is waiting to feast on the praise and worship of His people, but what
we present to Him is waste lifted up on a garbage can lid. All week long the
flesh is warring against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh which has
fallen weak; but people still make the futile attempt to give God left-over
praise as if no one has ever taught them how to truly reverence the God who
allows us morning, by morning to experience brand new mercies and grant us His
grace for another day.
Observe
the drunkard…no one rightfully knows what drove him to that state. He could
have lost a loved one and never recovered from the loss, perhaps his
marriage/family broke-up, maybe a doctor informed him that he has a condition
which is terminal. But whatever the case may be, this man still had enough respect for
God and the house of God to give Him reverence.
Notice
that he also left an offering at the table of everything he had before he
turned and walked out. This man respected God so much that he didn’t even
linger in the presence of God in a state of drunkenness. But so many “church-folk” will continue to occupy
the pews as unclean and unrepentant as can be; and still try offering to God
filth-covered praise.
God
gladly will accept praise that comes from a spirit that’s broken and worship
from a heart of contrition.
(Ref. Psalm 51:17,
34:18)
So
learn from the drunkard; honor and respect God, repent, and let your light
shine so that the God in you is revealed to the world and before you leave the
table, leave an offering.
(Ref. Luke 15:7, Acts
8:22, 1st John 1:9, 2nd Corinthians 9:6-8)
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