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Sunday Life Mirror
Theme:REVERENCE AND GODLY FEAR
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TEXT:
Heb 12:28. Ps 89:7
Memory Verse:
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire Heb 12:28-29(NKJV)(KJV)
INTRODUCTION:
Those who have given their lives to Christ have received a spiritual kingdom into their lives called the kingdom of God. God Himself delivered them from the power of darkness and translated them into this Kingdom of His dear son Col.1:13. In this Kingdom what matter are not meat and drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rm14:17. In it God reigns in the hearts of His own Children (them that believe), as they worship, serve and offer sacrifices unto Him.
However, these spiritual duties are not to be done perfunctorily but in such a way as please Him well. In other words, for our services, sacrifices and worship to be acceptable (in this Kingdom that cannot be shaken), they must be well pleasing to Him. To achieve this, two most essential ingredients of acceptable spiritual service must always be present,
1. Reverence 2.Godly fear
For example In Heb. 10:19 & 22, the bible says ¡°Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus ¡ let us draw near with a true heart¡.This boldness should not be abused but ever tempered with reverence and godly fear, knowing that our God is also a fire that consumes when He is disrespected or angered.
Study:
- 1. WHAT IS REVERENCE? The English dictionary literally defines reverence as ¡°great respect and admiration from the heart. In the Old Testament, it is translated from two Hebrew words, Yare¡¯ and Shachah.
YARE: The root idea is ¡°fear.¡± It is used to express attitude toward God Himself, as in Ps.89:7,¡± God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him (KJV) or toward His sanctuary, as in Lev 19:30:26:2 ¡°Ye shall keep my
Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary I am the Lord¡± (KJV). So the group of ideas there would be ¡°fear¡± ¡°awe¡± ¡°reverence¡±
SHACHAH: The root idea is ¡°falling down¡± as prostration of the body. It is used to express the bearing (behavior, attitude or manner) toward another who is considered superior as in 2Sam 9:6, 1King 1:31, Esther 3:2,5. The group of ideas here, therefore, is ¡°honor,¡± ¡°obeisance¡±, ¡°reverence.¡±
In the New Testament ¡°reverence occurs as the translation of three Greek words, adios, phobeomai, and entrepomai
AIDOS: The idea is modesty (humility, quietness, decency self effacement, keeping oneself from attracting attention, shy) Heb 12:28
PHOBEOMAI: ¡°Fear¡± Eph 5:33(KJV) (honour,respect) it is used to set forth the attitude of proper subjection on the part of a wife toward her husband. Compare 1Pet 3:2(KJV)
ENTREPOMAI: The idea is that of the ¡°self ¨C valuation of inferiority¡±, and so sets forth an attitude toward another of doing him honour. (Mt 21:37£¬Heb 12:9)
In our next lesson we are going to look at certain irreverent behaviours we must avoid at all costs so as to receive His approval and blessings instead of His wrath and curses when we offer Him worship, sacrifices, offerings and services.
PS 87:7, Lev: 19:30
When we are in the house of God (Church, Sanctuary, Worship Service), there are certain irreverent behaviors we must avoid at all cost so as to receive his approval and blessings instead of his wrath and curses; as we offer Him worship, sacrifices, offerings and services .
- 1. Walking about during service Eccl. 5:1
- 2. Leaving your mobile phones on or walking up and down in and out answering it while the service is on.
- 3. Murmuring or side talks during service against what is being said from the pulpit.Hab 2:20,Nu 14:2-4, 26-28, Exd 16:8, Num16:1-3
- 4. Joking or distracting peoples¡¯ attention by tapping, pinching or matching their fact while the service is on. Hab 2:20
- 5. Refusing the instruction of ushers during service
- 6. Sleeping while the service is going on
- 7. Coming late to Church service and causing unnecessary distractions to others. Mt 25:10-12, Eccl 3:1
- 8. Coming to Church with a rebellious mind already made up on what you want to hear and what you don¡¯t want to hear even if the Holy Spirit is convicting you. 1Thes 5:19, Eph 4:30
- 9. Coming to inquire from His prophet or Presence when you have already made up your mind to go your own way. Ezek 14:4
- 10. When we offer strange fire before the Lord that is when we do what God has not asked us to do probably to attract attention to our selves. Lev 10:1-3
- 11. When we offer sacrifices with blemishes .Mal 1:8, 14, Deut 15:21, 17:1, Lev 22:19-21.
In what other ways do we dishonor and disrespect the Lord?
- 1. By using the name of the Lord in Vain.Ps111:9, Exd.20:7, Mt 6:19
- 2. By touching His anointed 1Chron 16:22, Ps 105:15
- 3. By inciting rebellion against Church authority Heb 13:17
- 4. By sowing seed of discord among brethren Prov. 6:16
- 5. By being hearers only and not doers of His word. Ja 1:22
- 6. By dishonoring the Lord¡¯s body. 1Cor 11:27-29
- 7. By defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit which is our body.1Cor.3:16-17, 1Cor 6:20, 2Cor 6:16
- 8. By living in Hypocrisy
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