New/Improved/Or Just Plain Old Sin

Introduction:

A. Read I Kings 12:25-33.  Jeroboam changed...

     1. The object of worship from God to calves.

     2. The place of worship from Jerusalem to Dan and Bethel.

     3. The people of worship from Levites to the lowest of people.

     4. The time of worship.."And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of he month, like unto the feast that is in Judah."

B. Why did Jeroboam make all these changes?

     1. Out of fear (26-27).

     2. Because of bad advise (28-29).

     3. Because he could (31-33):

         a. "He made...: an house of high places; priests of the lowest of the people; calves; altar."

         b. "Jeroboam ordained (32)".

         c. "He devised of his own heart (33)."

C. "And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan (30)."

     1. Jeroboam's changes caused the people to forsake God.

     2. Because they turned from God, God eventually caused them to be destroyed by their enemies, carried off into captivity, and were never heard of again.

There are those today who would like to change the worship of the church.

  I. What kind of changes do they want to make?

       A. Some, like Jeroboam, want to change the people of worship.

          1. God had chosen the Levites to serve at the temple, but Jeroboam changed that.

              a. He "made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi (31)."

              b. "Priests after the manner of the nations of other lands (II Chronicles 13:9)."

          2. Some today want to make changes in this area of worship.

              a. There are those who want women to be able to lead in prayer, serve at the table, lead the singing, and preach.

              b. This is not just in denominations, but in the church itself.

          3. Many would say...

              a. "What would it hurt?"

              b. "Women are just as capable of doing these things as men."

              c. "Other religious groups are doing it."

              d. "If we would be more flexible, and make a few changes like this, we would attract more people."

          4. It is not what God has authorized.

              a. God has said that women are not to "teach, nor to usurp authority over the man" (I Timothy 2:12).

              b. To have women to lead worship in these areas would be a violation of what God has said.

              c. It is not a matter of whether a woman can do these things, but God has said she is not to do these things.

      B. Some want to change the acts of worship.

          1. Some want to add things:

              a. Drama...they think it makes worship more alive, and interesting.

              b. Singing during communion...they say it makes it more spiritual.

              c. If they want things to be more: alive (entertaining), interesting, and spiritual..how long will it be before they bring in mechanical instruments of music; have choirs; hire singing groups; and have Holy Spirit Revivals?

          2. Some would probably like to take things away:

              a. I was told by a brother and sister in Christ, at a congregation where I held a meeting a few years back, "people no longer want to hear book, chapter, a verse preaching."

              b. I am sure that a lot of people would like to do away with book, chapter, and verse preaching, and just have stories, poems, and quotes from books like Readers Digest, but Peter said (by inspiration).."if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).

              c. There are others who have tried to say that the Bible is not "a blue print, or pattern, but a love letter."

              d. What they mean is that: we do not have to strictly follow it, we just need to read it and see the love of God has for us, and love Him in return.

              e. But, Jesus said.."if ye love me keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

              f. Some people make like to change the worship, by doing away with book, chapter, and verse preaching, but God says..."preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine (II Timothy 4:2)."

  II. We cannot allow them to change the worship of God.

      A. God has left it up to the church to defend the truth.

           1. The church is the "pillar and ground of the truth" (I Tim.3:15).

               a. It is the very foundation and support of the truth.

               b. The church needs to take the truth to the world, and defend it from it's enemies.

               c. We cannot allow those who call themselves our brethren to twist it, abuse it, and trample it under foot.

           2. If we are going to defend the truth...

               a. We need to know what is being taught and practiced that is false.

               b. We need to rightly divide the word so we can contend for the truth.

               c. We need to be prepared to defend it.

           3. We need to....

               a. Understand the need for authority in all we do and say (Colossians 3:17).

                b. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good (I Thessalonians 5:21).

               c. Not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).

      B. It is a shame when God's authorized acts of worship are changed, and nothing is done about it.

          1. The people in Israel (the northern 10 tribes) did not seem to make a peep when Jeroboam made all the changes he made.

              a. Were they afraid to say anything when he set up the calves?

              b. Did they not know any better, when he changed the priesthood?

              c. Or, did they like it when they didn't have to go all the way to Jerusalem?

              d. If any, or all of these reasons were true, they should have been ashamed.

          2. If God's people allow changes in the worship to be made today, they ought to be ashamed.

              a. Fear should not stop us.  Jesus faced the cross with joy (Hebrews 12:2).

              b. Ignorance is no excuse.  God has given us His word, and we should know it well enough so we can discern between "good and evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14).

              c. If we allow changes to be made because we like the changes, then we are no longer seeking to please God, but ourselves.

III. There are those who stand up for the truth.

      A. There were those who stood up for the truth against Jeroboam.

          1. There was a man of God (I Kings 13) who...

              a. Came to the altar Jeroboam set up in Bethel, and said God would raise up a man by the name of Josiah, who offer the priests of the high places upon that altar (in other words he would put the false priests of Jeroboam to death upon the altar Jeroboam had made) (2).

               b. He also said, as a sign, the altar would be destroyed (3).

           2. Later on the king Abijah of Judah (the southern nation) stood on Mt. Zemaraim, and told Jeroboam, and the people...(II Chronicles 13).

               a. They had made calves, not Jehovah, their gods.

               b. They had cast out the priests of the LORD.

               c. They had forsaken God.

      B. There are those who stand for the truth today.

          1. There are those who....

              a. Write for brotherhood publications, and continually are contending for the faith, and there is a dire need for them to do so, for there are many false teachers, and false doctrines out there.  We would do well to subscribe to some of these publications, and keep ourselves aware of what is going on.

              b. There are those who debate false teachers publicly.  We should pray for them, and the truth.

              c.  There are those who do so from the pulpit.  We need to encourage them, and stand behind them.

          2. There are brethren like you and me that do so every day.

              a. We do so by practicing, and teaching the truth.

              b. We do so by not allowing wolves to creep in.

              c. We do so by warning one another of false things we hear about, and we need to warn one another (I Peter 5:8).

               d. We do so by teaching young Christians the basics, so they can learn to detect error, and defend the truth.

                

Conclusion:

A. Those who try to bring changes into the church do so by calling them new, or improved, but they are not new or improved.  They are just plain old sin.

B. We need to do things:

     1. How God says, and when God says.

     2. When Jeroboam made changes, it "became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan" (I Kings 12:30).

     3. God wants us to worship Him, and He has told us how to worship Him.  Let us rejoice in the opportunity to do so!