Song of Praise: Doxology
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 29:29, John 4:24 & Exodus 32
Devotional:
Proper worship of God is essential to proper fellowship with God. In order to rightly worship God, we must understand the nature of God. Who is God? What does He require of man?
The answers to these questions are eloquently written in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 4 and 39.
Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 4
"Q- What is God?
A- God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth."
Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 39
"Q: What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A: The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will."
Knowing the nature of God is important, because we don't want to worship a false god of our own imagination.
It is easy for us to worship a god of our own imagination, rather than worship God as He has revealed Himself to us.
God is wise and good, and because of that fact, we can trust that how God instructs us to worship Him is also the wisest and best form for worship.
The Westminster shows us that God requires us to obey His commands, as found in Scripture.
We don't need to guess or imagine how to worship God, we just need to read the words that He has given to us. Proper worship may require a bit of diligence and research, but God is knowable and so is His will for worship.
We must take caution not to become like Aaron, who assisted the Israelites in making their golden idol; thinking he would be helpful, and constructed an image of God to appease the people.
Aaron and the Israelites held a false festival to the Lord, one that God had not instructed them to celebrate.
A few chapters prior, God had powerfully saved the Israelites from their Egyptian enemies, and miraculously parted the Sea.
Both the Egyptian army and the Red Sea impediments were creations of God. He was able to command them as He wished.
Still, the Israelites wanted to play 'creator', and like every cheap knock-off, their created god was inadequate.
We read in Exodus 32:6 that "Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry."
The Israelite's worship was not rightly ordered and the result was revelry and sin.
How prideful would we be, if we believed that we held a greater knowledge, or creativity, than the Israelites, or even worse, God?
God's design for His worship is the zenith of all creativity.
Saint Augustine once said, "Lord, command what you will, and give what you command."
Indeed, He has.
Because the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper is the consummation of our worship service, we need to take a careful look at it's structure, and our response to it.
How do we celebrate this weekly feast?
When we prepare our hearts to partake in the Lord's Supper, our countenance shouldn't be forlorn and sullen, but rather beaming with pleasure and gratitude.
When we partake of the Lord's feast with a proper attitude, we are affirming all that He has done to bring us into such a fellowship.
Only a proper view of God and His attributes can satisfy and lead us to worship in spirit and in truth.
We've not formulated or bought-into the false lenten feast. Rather, we are acknowledging and rejoicing in the mighty victory of our King Jesus- this is why we feast and seek to feast rightly.
Benediction:
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
Table Talk Questions:
What was the great sin of Aaron and the Israelites?
Why is it important to worship God rightly?
How has God given us what we need to worship Him rightly?
Today's Meal:
Amanda's Santa Fe soup, Italian Bread, & Peanut Butter Bars
Recipes:
Amanda's Santa Fe Soup
Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8-10
2- 15 ounce cans kidney beans (not drained)
2- 15 ounce cans pinto beans (not drained)
2- 15 ounce cans black beans (not drained)
1- 10 oz can Rotel
1- 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2- 11 oz cans (shoepeg) corn
1 Medium onion, mincenced
1 package of ranch seasoning
1 package of taco seasoning
32 ounces chicken broth
2-3 chicken breast shredded
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Tostitos Tortilla chips (optional)
Instructions:
Pour everything in a pot and cook until boiling.
Turn down the heat and let it simmer for at least an hour.
*We like to top ours with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and tostitos (crumbled for a topping).
Italian Bread
Prep and Cook Time: 3 ½ hours
Serves 12-16
2 teaspoons Yeast
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups warm Water
4 cups Bread Flour
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Cover the dough for 1 hour, punch it down, shape it into a rustic, round ball, Sprinkle it with a dusting of flour, and place on prepared sheet Pan.
Allowed to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Bake in a moist oven (place a dish of water in the oven while the bread bakes) at 400ﾟ for 1 hour, or until bread is crusty and Brown.
Peanut Butter Bars
Prep and Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 14-16
1 cup Peanut Butter, smooth, and not the healthy kind
2/3 cup Butter softened
1 ¼ cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar packed
2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 ⅓ cup Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ cups Peanut Butter Chips
Nuts (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, butter and both sugars until they are creamy and smooth, slowly add in the eggs.
Carefully add in the remaining ingredients and pour the mix into a prepared 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with nuts if preferred.
Bake for 30-40 minutes. For a chewier bar, bake less, for a firmer bar bake a bit longer.
Cool, slice, and serve