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September 1943
the one who comes in his own pame, “showing himself that he is God” (cf. John 5:43; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4). Thus Satan attempted to deflect even the Lord Jesus from the worship of the true God. But Jesus promptly silenced Satan with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which drove him from His presence (Matt. 4:1-11). “Our Father . . . Hallowed be thy name,” is the proper attitude of ap proach to God in prayer (Matt, 6:9). In other words, one is saying, “Let Thy name be supremely hallowed, let •' it be magnified, let it be exalted, as the highest good.” The world, the flesh, and the devil will unite in opposing this approach to God. Many- think that if God is sufficiently implored, H will yield what they desire Him to give, irrespective of His wyi. “Be not ye therefore like unto them,” cautions our Lord (Matt. 6:8). Putting God first opens the way for other petitions that may be upon the heart, with assurance that they will find their an swers. . III. T he M anner of W orship (John 4:23, 24) True worship will be in spirit and in truth. It is not a physical exercise, although the body may be in different postures. It is not a psychical exer cise, although the soul may be in flamed with a holy passion. It is a spiritual exercise, apart from the world and all its suggestions, with the spirit of man exalted and in touch with God. It will be, therefore, in truth. Some have interpreted this passage as meaning in Him who is the Truth, even Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6). Such worship in spirit and truth the Father seeks because He is, Himself, Spirit and Truth, Points and Problems Godly reverence is the honor, re spect, and worship which we owe to God. It should be a vital part of every life constantly, a moment-by moment attitude. The Scriptures as signed for today’s lesson suggest that this reverence should be: 1. An exclusive reverence (Ex. 20: 3). Here we have the teaching that no other god is to be before the true God, or, more distinctly, none is to be “in front” of Him. In the land of Egypt, there were hundreds of gods whom the people sought to put “in front” of J e h o v a h . -Archaeologists so far have discovered the record of about 2200 gods and goddesses. Israel must not let any of these gods get in front of the true God. Likewise, in the land .of Canaan, to which the people were journeying, there, were many gods. They must not be permitted to have any place in Israel’s life. In Amer ica today there are many gods that seek to displace the true, God in peo ple’s affections.
kicked some leaves over it, intending to return later and get it for himself. He had broken the eighth and the tenth commandments. In one short day Walter broke six of the Ten Com mandments. God gave the law as a light to show men- what He required, that they might realize their hopelessness of keeping the law, and then accept as Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who perfectly kept the law. When we realize that we have broken God’s law, we should come to Christ, con fess that we have sinned, and ask Him to cleanse us. or likeness could ever reveal God, who is a Spirit. There is nothing on earth or in heaven to which God may be likened. The natural man desires to have something he can see, before which to bow. But no physical con ception of God is permitted. Every outward image or likeness is pro hibited. Nature attracts by the sen sual, God by the spiritual. Hence keeping the commandments demands obedience, and obedience is love in the life, while love is obedience in the heart. It is required that God be held as sacred (v. 7). The “name” means the character. All that God is, all His- attributes, all that may be known of Him, is embodied in His name. Hence that name is to be s a c r e d , and guarded against all irreverence. “ In vain” means "vanity” or "inutil ity.” Nothing of this kind is to be permitted with" God. II. T he O pposition to W orship (M att. 4:10; 6:9) Since the beginning of history, Satan has desired man’s worship. Hence he has opposed all worship of God. He determined that he himself should be the object of man’s wor ship, and he has ever been persistent in this endeavor. There will come a day when he will attain his objective, as he thinks, and man will worship BLACKBOARD LESSON
broke the third commandment, and we shall break the third candle. Bill’s knife dropped from his pocket as he pulled his trousers off. He did not notice it, but Walter did, and he
OCTOBER 10, 1943 REVERENCE FOR GOD E xodus 20:3-7; M atthew 4:10; 6:9; J ohn 4:23, 24
E xo d u s 20:3 T hou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 T ho u shalt not m ake unto thee an y graven im age, or an y likeness of an y thing that is in heaven above, or that is i n . the earth beneath, or that is in the w ater under the earth: 5 T hou shalt not bow dow n thyself to them, nor serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visitin g the in iquity of the fathers upon the children u n to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 A n d sho w in g m ercy y unto thousands of them that love me, and keep m y com m andm ents. 7 T ho u shalt not take the nam e of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord w ill not hold him guiltless that taketh his nam e in vain. M atth ew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is w rit ten, T h o u shalt w o rship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 6:9 A fte r th is m anner therefore pray ye: O u r Fathe r w hich art in heaven, Hallow ed be thy name. John .4:23 B u t the hour cometh, and now is,* w hen the true w orship pe rs shall w o rship the Fathe r in spirit and In truth: for the Fathe r seeketh such to w orship him. • 24 God is a Sp irit: and they that w o r sh ip him m ust w o rship him in sp irit and In, truth. G O L D E N T E X T : “ God is a Sp irit: and they that w orship him m ust w o rship him in spirit and in tru th ” (John 4:24). D E V O T IO N A L R E A D IN G : John 4:21-26. Outline and Exposition I. T he F oundation of W orship (Ex. 20:3-7) I T IS required that God be acknow ledged as supreme (v. 3). There must be no rivals, and there can be no equal, to Him. The law is not a transcript of God’s mind, but it is the revelation of God’s mind concerning what man ought to be and to do. In order to be what the law demands, man must have right eousness; in order to do what the law demands, he must have life. As man has neither righteousness nor life in himself, he finds himself under the curse the moment he approaches the law. He discovers he is and does what the law condemns. It is required that God be recog nized as spiritual (vs. 4-6). No image
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