February 3, 2018 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "The Second Word: Worship" The Ten (part 2 of 10) by Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Jonathan Osorio

Children's Feature: Joey Oh

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:4-6, TNIV read by Marlin Dolinsky and Sharon Dolinsky

Sermon Notes:

When someone says the word God, an image comes into our minds. When we kneel to pray, there is an image in our minds of the Being to whom we pray. When we recite the words of Jesus, “Our Father who art in heaven…” an image comes to our minds of the One we call Father.

While we may never have paused to ponder exactly what image it is that we hold, what is certain is that we do have an image, a picture, of God in our minds. What is the image you hold of God? Is God grandfatherly? Approachable? Given to laughter? Kind? Or is God harsh, severe, and austere?

A problem develops when we linger too long on the images we have of God. Our images of God can begin to replace or even overcome the reality of who Scripture actually suggests God to be. Our images of God, then, can end up being too stern, too lax, or just simply too small.

The French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher Voltaire once said: “In the beginning God created man in His own image, and man has been trying to repay the favor ever since.” If I could paraphrase and contemporize what I understand Voltaire to mean, it is simply this: while humans have the inestimable honor of having been designed, formed, and created by God—in God’s image, no less—we continue to try to re-make this awesome, other-worldly God in our image and in ways that are consistent with and familiar to our world. However, that image is far too constricting for the reality of who God is.

Maybe that is why God was so concerned to make sure that the Israelite people, having just exited Egyptian slavery where evidences of gods made in human and other images abounded, not continue that practice. “Do not try to re-make Me into physical images, reflecting the mental images you have of Me.” Why? Because it would negatively affect their understanding of God and would end up limiting what God could do in their lives and world.

Our question, then, is where and how does that apply in our lives today? Join me, as we consider “The Second Word” of The Ten.

Randy Roberts

Senior Pastor