Americus Times Recorder

IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
(By REV. P. B. FITZWATER. D. D., Teacher of English Bible in the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago)
(Copyright, 1919, Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR AUGUST 3
CHRISTIAN WORSHIP.
LESSON TEXTS-Rev. 7:9-12 John 4:1-10. 19-24 Mat 6:5. 6. Heb. 10:19-25.
GOLDEN TEXT-God Is a spirit. and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth -John 4:24.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Mat. 4:10: Psalms 84 and 122.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Children praising God (Mat. 21:15, 16).
JUNIOR TOPIC-Worship in God's house (Luke 2:41-50).
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-Why worship and how.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-The nature and value of true worship.
I. What Is Worship? (Rev. 7:12).
It is the attitude of the soul toward God, which recognizes him as the Supreme Being of the universe and benevolently inclined toward his creatures. It is the outgoing of the affections toward him and the ascription of praise and adoration to him as the one from whom all blessings come, the one to whom all glory and honor should be given. the one who is all-wise and powerful
II. Whom to Worship (Rev. 7:10-12).
1. God (vv. 11. 12, cf. Matt. 4:10).
Since in him we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28), and from him every good and perfect gift cometh (James 1:17), we should worship and adore him.
2. Jesus Christ the Lamb (v. 10).
We should worship him because he is God and because he. in the incarnation, linked himself with humanity and on the cross made an atonement for us and is now our high priest, through whom we have access to God (Heb. 10:21).
III. Qualifications for Acceptable Worship (John 4:1-10. 19-24).
This is a fine example of personal evangelism. Christ "must needs go through Samaria" to find this poor, sinful woman. He skilfully disclosed his identity to her. He knew the deep need of her soul, even the inward unrest which was hers while practicing sin. He made the point of contact by that which was uppermost in her mind, namely, water, and passed from the water of earthly to the water of everlasting life which was in himself (v. 10). In order to worship God acceptably there must be-
1. Knowledge of Christ (v. 10). Must know him as a prophet from God (v. 19)-the one sent of God (Acts 7:37, cf. Deut. 18:15) to make known to lost men the way to God. Must know him as the Messiah-the one anointed of God to save lost men (John 4:42).
2. A new nature (vv. 23, 24). (Only the regenerated can worship God in spirit. Jesus declared "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). "Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). The natural man has not the capacity to "see" God, therefore he cannot worship him. God is spirit, therefore only the one whose spirit has been quickened can enter into fellowship with him in worship.
3. A sanctified life (Heb. 10:22) The life is sanctified by the Spirit (I.Peter 1:2); through obedience to the Word of God (John 17:17).
4. Faith in God (Heb. 11:6. cf. 10: 22). Pretended worship without vitalized faith is an abomination to God.
5. Men of every nation and kindred (Rev. 7:9). God is the God of all nations.
IV. Where to Worship.
1. In secret (Matt. 6:5, 6). The soul shut up with God. with the world and its cares shut out, really worships. Every Christian ought to have a secret chamber.
2. In the assembly (Heb. 10:24, 25) While the private prayer is of first importance, there is value in joint worship with fellow Christians which should not be overlooked. The actions of others are helpful in conducing a frame of mind for worship.
3. Everywhere (John 4:20-24). God is the Omnipresent Spirit, therefore wherever there is a person whose nature is spiritual he can worship. Christianity is unlike every other religion in that without ritual or temple the individual may worship God anywhere. John as truly worshiped God in Patmos as in the assembly at Ephesus, or Paul in the Roman prison as well as with the beloved saints at Philippi.
To Those Who Seek.
It profits little to know Christ himself after the flesh; but he gives his spirit to good men that searcheth the deep things of God.-John Smith,
How Can One Forget?
God living in us. and with us. and under us! How then can a man forget God?
The True Christian.
He that can apprehend and consider vice with all her baits and seeming pleasures, and yet abstain, and yet distinguish, and yet prefer that which is truly better, he is the true wayfaring Christian.-John Milton.
Finds More of God.
The deeper one digs in nature the more of God he finds.
Beauty Made by God.
How much more beauty God has made than human eyes can see.