INTRODUCTION: Last week we talked about things we should bring to worship. We said that we should bring the right preparation, the right attitude in worship, and the right conduct in worship. This week we will talk about some wrong things that we often bring to worship.
BODY 

I. SOMETIMES WE BRING WORLDLINESS TO WORSHIP.

A. The world can blind us to what is of true value.

1. 2 Corinthians 4:3,4- "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

B. Worldliness can lead us astray.

1. 2 Timothy 4:10- "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."

C. Worldliness will keep us from being spiritually minded.

1. 1 John 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

A. Why is critical spirit some damaging to proper worship.

1. The fostering of a fault-finding attitude of mind in a believer is fatal to worship, for it occupies the Christian with his fellow believer, instead of God.

2. Galatians 5:14-17 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." 

3. We can bring a critical spirit into worship, being critical of everything that is attempted in worship.

a. "The preacher preached too long, too short, used the wrong grammar", "the songleader hit the wrong tune", "worship is too dull."

B. A critical spirit is often prompted by envy.

1. Example of Korah and Dathan.
2. Numbers 16:1-3 "Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?"

C. There is a cure for such a spirit.

1. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

A. Jesus warned us about this problem.

1. Matthew 5:23,24- "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

B. Grudge holding can cause us to be spiritually blind.

1. 1 John 2:9-11 "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

A. What do we mean by this?

1. We are talking about the Christian who doesn't bring any effort to worship- he doesn't make effort to participate but expects to "spoon-fed" by others.
2. Worship is not generated by lounging in an atmosphere of spiritual apathy and neglect- it takes effort both before, during, and after worship.

B. Let us prepare our minds for worship.

1. Psalms 119:15, 48- "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes."

C. Let us join together in the praise of our God.

1. Psalms 29:2 "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.