Was It Really For Me? -God

Sermon by: Lt. Amber Ohl
Scripture focus: Zechariah 7:1-14

This passage is basically a question and answer session. Two men  from Bethel, exiles from Babylon were questioning if they still needed to be fasting and mourning the destruction of the old temple.

The new temple was nearly complete and they were already using it. For seventy years, the people had been mourning the loss of their temple and fasting. The men simply asked if they still needed to continue the ritual. God replies with a question, one that really hits close to home, he asked them "was it really for me?" God cares more about the attitude and condition of our hearts then the outward symbols of our worship.

I think of it this way, the catholic people perform communion. That ritual is meaningless if you aren't mindful of what you are doing it for.

It all comes down to the heart of our worship. We need to be living all of our lives in worship to Him. If we are just going through the motions, either for a check off our list or recognition from others, that isn't where our worship should come from.

God was simply reminding the people of this. They weren't doing the rituals in actually morning of the temple. Nor were they fasting in memory of what they had lost. They were simply going through the motions. God was reminding them of that.

The final parts of this chapter are instructions on how we should be living our lives and even examples of how we can live our worship.

Reading this chapter isn't just a history lesson, it is a call for us to examine our own lives. Where are we just going through the motions, forgetting the reason behind what we are doing.

This is a song we sang during worship and to me it wraps this message in a beautiful way.

The Heart of Worship

Michael W. Smith

When the music fades

All is stripped away

And I simply come

Longing just to bring

Something that's of worth

That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about You, It's all about You, Jesus

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

When it's all about You, It's all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth

No one could express

How much You deserve

Though I'm weak and poor

All I have is Yours

Every single breath

I'll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about You, It's all about You, Jesus

Songwriters: Matt Redman

The Heart of Worship lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group