The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-06
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
SPIRITUAL WORSHIP
By HIGHT {. MOORE ..

Scripture: Exodus 20:4-6; 80:
Is; John 4:19-24.
The Second Commandment re-
ouires spiritual worship. 1t was
broken by Aaron and Israel when
they made and worshiped the gold
en- calf, 1t was interpreted and APP
piled by Jesus in his conversation
with Samaritan woman at ia
cob'S well.
SPIRITUAL WORSHIP
COMMANDED Exodus 20:l-6)
GOD DEMANDED spiritual
worship. If the sovereignty of God
be acknowledged, worship follows
as a matter of course. But wor-
shin of God is attended with the
temptation to use some represen-
tation of him or some intermedi-
arv between us and him. Hence
the Second Commandment: "Thou
shalt not make unto thee any graz
ven image-thou shalt not bow
down myself to them, nor serve
them" There is therefore no room
in our religion for the carved I'M
aye or the sacred picture of saint
" relic. Remember that God is
Jealous, and that he visits the mi
ouity of the fathers upon their
children to the third and fourth
generation-the trail and the
trace of sin running down the
channel of heredity. And the same
is true in good sense of those
who love God and keep his COM
mandments, for his mercy will re-
appear in their line even to the
thousandth generation. Worship
must be sincere and without in
termediary. ..s...
SPIRITUAL WORSHIP ... ,.
ABANDONED Exodus 32:l-s)
ISRAEL DESPISED spiritual
worship. Moses spent forty days
on Handicapped Sinai whittier he
had been summoned to receive the
Decalogue on tablets of stone,
hear. additional instruction, and
prepare himself for further lead
ership. Meantime, impatient Isra-
el sought new leader in compli-
ant Aaron and broke the Second
Commandment by establishing
idol worship. Jehovah knew the
iniouity OF Israel. He saw them
give their gold and make the gold
en- calf. bring their offerings to
its altar, engage in the impious
feast before it, and recognize the
idol as representing the gods de-
livering them out of Egypt. To
Moses in the Mount, Jehovah re-
vealed these shocking events in
camp on the plain below. OF
course sin must be punished, for
Israel in its obtuseness and obsti-
macy deserved no longer the pa
tient and powerful Hand of God
to lead them safely Oh. Why
should not Jehovah at one fell
stroke sweep the SHINING, stiff
necked Hebrews away and make
out Of Moses a great nation? How
ever, the doom that Israel deserv-
ed was averted in answer to
Moses prayer.
WORSHIP
INTERPRETED (John 4:l9-24)
JESUS DESCRIBED spiritual
Passing through Samaria
on his way from Judea to Galilee
Jesus stopped at Jacobs well
where he taught the Samaritan
woman the nature of worship and
revealed to her himself as the
Messiah. Cd The elements of wor-
ship Shortened from worth
ship" which means worthy of
honor") include all that is involv-
ed in feelings and acts of rever-
ence toward God. 1t means just
recognition Of the worthiness of
God. 1t means reverential regard
for him. 1t means devout adora-
ton of him, intensified far be-
You'd contemplation of ocean, or
mountain, or art, or music, or ar
chitecture. 1t means loving COM
munication with him, for when
we truly worship, God speaks to
us and we speak to God. (2) The
essentials of worship embrace
spirituality, for we must worship
'm spirit; scripturalness, for we
must worship gin truth" in the
sense of conformity to the truth
as revealed in the Bible and writ
ten upon the tablet of conscience;
and sincerity, for we must wor-
ship "in truth in the sense that
our hearts must be put into our
worship or it is not genuine wor-
ship. (3) The effects of worship
are happy in high degree. 1t sup
Plies our deepest needs; the
clouds Of sorrow vanish, the dark
ness Of doubt disappears, the
waves Of dependency fall back to
their level. 1t elevates character,
Just as our flowers which would
whlten and wither in a dark Gel
lar, thrlveS and bloom in beauty
IN sun and rain. 1t influences con-
duct profoundly, for it clarifies
our minds, Sharpens our faculties,