Obedience Is Not Enough

I.         Ps. 110:3 - God’s people will be volunteers

            A.        A reference to this age and to this people assembled here

            B.        What does it mean that you are volunteers?

                        1.         Today, we have a president interested in increasing volunteers

                        2.         He is even willing to compensate them, but that is not what being a volunteer means

II.        Plain obedience is not enough

            A.        God was not pleased with worship the Israelites offered him

                        1.         Mal. 1:10 - God would have preferred they just closed the temple

                        2.         Amos 5:21-22 - God hated their festivals and had rejected their offerings

                        3.         Why? These are the items of worship that God commanded of them!

            B.        The answer is found in Isaiah

                        1.         Isa 1:10-16 - Their sacrifices wearied God

                        2.         Isa 1:17-20 - What is acceptable is willingness and obedience.

III.       Worship of God has two essential parts - Spirit and Truth - Jn 4:23

            A.        Mt 22:37 - Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind

            B.        Jer 29:12-13 - Only when we seek God with our whole heart can we find him

            C.        Ps 119:2 - Obedience and seeking God with our whole heart

IV.      What we are talking about is zeal

            A.        Eccl 9:10 - Doing everything with all our might

            B.        Christ died for us so we can be a people eager for good works - Tit 2:14

            C.        Examples

                        1.         David

                                    a.         Ps 27:1-5 - David’s zeal for God gives him comfort from fear

                                    b.         Ps 73:25 - David desired only God

                        2.         Isaiah - Isa 26:7-9

                        3.         Asa - II Chron 15:15 - Just as Jeremiah had promised!

V.        Desire fulfilled is a tree of life - Prov 13:12

            A.        Without a longing for something greater than us, we die

            B.        Desire is born of the wings of hope - II Pet 1:11-13

            C.        How deeply do you want to reach heaven? Where is your desire and hope? Will you not show its presences within?