1st March 2025

1st March 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20v1-21)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


What sins are forbidden in the second commandment? “The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counselling, commanding, using, and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself; tolerating a false religion; the making any representation of God, of all, or of any of the three Persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever; all worshiping of it, or God in it or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or service belonging to them; all superstitious devices, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it, or taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever; simony; sacrilege; all neglect, contempt, hindering, and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.”


Imagine your birthday arrives and you ask for a chocolate cake with salted caramel frosting. How would you then feel when the candles were lit and you were presented with a battenberg cake instead? The second commandment forbids us from going into worship viewing ourselves as the audience. The Lord is the one who had decreed what pleases Him in worship and to offer Him the opposite rips up the second commandment.


Whilst there is an awesome beauty when it comes to stained glass windows, our fellowships would be much better off without a false image of Christ looming down from a multi coloured window. The Lord forbids us from making any representation of Him at all and even we Presbyterians should rethink our burning bush logo. I'm certain some of you will think I'm being extreme but we would do well to seriously consider the implications of the Lord's second command.


I'm convinced that none of you would accept the introduction of a golden idol into worship next Sunday morning, I'm sure you would denounce me if I stated that touching your toes seven times was necessary before entering church and I do not doubt for a second that you would consider me mad if I erected a full size statue of Mary at the door to Edengrove. Why then do we tolerate images of the Lord? Such images can never accurately portray Him, aren't required by Him and rob Him of His glory.


The Lord has not left His worship to the imaginations of sinful men and women. We are not in the entertainment business trying desperately to provide a better show than the church down the street. God speaks each Lord's Day by His Word, He strengthens us by the sacraments and we can call upon Him in prayer. Put away your smoke machines and your atmospheric lighting. The Lord has given us a feast.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.