If even secular Uncle Sam can trust God, how much more can you? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 101 Q. But may we swear an oath in God’s name if we do it reverently? A. Yes, when the government demands it, or when necessity requires it, in order to maintain and promote truth and trustworthiness for God’s glory and our neighbor’s good. Such oaths are approved in God’s Word and were rightly used by Old and New Testament believers. Summary Our passage today comes in a context in which God's magnificent grace has been on display. God had brought His people, seventy in all, into Egypt four centuries earlier, and they had grown into a large nation. He overthrew their slave masters, and all the people had to do was watch the miracles unfold. He gave them His law, and then extended them mercy when they immediately broke it in one of the most heinous ways possible. God's grace came freely to them as it has to you, but though you've obtained it no cost, there are obligations you must fulfill as a recipient of this grace: Fear the Lord your God; Walk in obedience to Him; Love Him; Serve Him with all of your heart and soul; Observe the Lord's commands and decrees. Notice why Moses says you must keep these obligations: The heavens, earth and everything in them belong to the Lord (v14); The Lord set His affections on you and loves you (v15); He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords (v17); He defends the defenseless among us (v18); All of those things, AND: The Lord's commands and decrees have been given for your own good (v13) Dig Deeper We come to this passage today in the context of understanding when it's proper to swear an oath in the Lord's name. Granted, of all of the worries, challenges, and problems you have on your plate right now, knowing when it's ok to put your hand on the Bible and swear "So help me, God" probably isn't high on your priority list. But take a moment to just take in the fact that even our highly secularized government and society recognize the power of God's name and ask people to officially obligate themselves accordingly by swearing an oath in God's name. If Uncle Sam can trust God in this way, how much more can you? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of gods and Lord of lords; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for His massive displays of grace, both in the Bible and in your own life, and pray that whether under oath or not, you will live up to His expectations; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Timothy 1

Seemingly little sins are a massively big deal before our holy God. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 100 Q. Is blasphemy of God’s name by swearing and cursing really such serious sin that God is angry also with those who do not do all they can to help prevent it and forbid it? A. Yes, indeed. No sin is greater, no sin makes God more angry than blaspheming his name. That is why he commanded the death penalty for it. Summary This account of the punishment for blasphemy shows the seriousness with which the defamation of the name of God was taken. During a fight between two boys, one blasphemed the name of God with a curse. The guilty party is described as having a father who was Egyptian and a mother who was an Israelite. The significance of this description is that his father’s heritage made him a foreigner, and while those considered foreigners to the Israelites were protected by the Law, they were likewise expected to keep the Law. This is demonstrated in the same harsh punishment being given to one considered a foreigner as would be given to any Israelite. Moses sought the Lord’s instruction on how to handle this situation. God commanded Moses to have all those who heard the curse to lay their hands on the guilty party’s head. In doing so they are identifying the offender and placing the blame solely upon him for their having heard this blasphemous language. The misuse of the name of God was a serious offense, and the occurrences in Leviticus chapter 24 show how none were spared from the consequences of such defamation of the name of God. Dig Deeper It is important to keep in mind when reading about the type of punishment delivered in Leviticus 24 that we are not Israelites living under Mosaic law. In Romans 7:4-6, Paul writes: 4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Paul’s teaching to the Romans is that because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we are released from the old covenant law. This is why these types of stoning’s are not present today, they are not a part of the New Covenant of grace ushered in by Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote in verse 6, “we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not the old way of the written code.” We live under the New Covenant and do not hold to the “old written” code of the laws meant to instruct the Israelites on how to live as a society. However, God’s moral law remains intact. Breaking the third commandment through blaspheming the name of God is still a serious sin. While the consequence is not a physical death, this sin does make one worthy of condemnation. While we trust in the grace given through Jesus, we also recognize that misusing the name of the Lord falls short of our calling to live a life full of gratitude for the grace we have been given. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, hallowed (holy) is your name; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Help us to know the seriousness of our sin, that we may turn away from it ourselves, and do all we can to turn others from it as well; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 13

If you fail to warn others, their sin becomes your sin. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 99 Q. What is God’s will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say. Summary The prophet Ezekiel here is giving an account of God’s calling him to be a watchman for the people of Israel. A watchman was an individual who kept a lookout over the entrance of the city, announcing the arrival of messengers and warning of impending attacks on the city. The role of a watchman was an important one; they were there to protect the city. A watchman who failed to give warning of an attack would bear indirect responsibility for those who died. As a watchman appointed by God for the people of Israel, it was Ezekiel’s responsibility to deliver messages which he received from God to the people. Ezekiel was warned that his calling was to do more than just declare condemnation on the wicked, he was to first speak out and dissuade the people from their wicked ways. To fail to encourage his fellow Israelites to give up their sinful ways would leave Ezekiel accountable for their blood. If Ezekiel was faithful in warning others about these dangers and they ignored his warning, the fault would not lie with him. However, to do nothing, to not warn of the dangers of wicked living would leave Ezekiel liable. Dig Deeper Sometimes, as Ezekiel was warned, you can find yourself in violation of God’s law not because of what you have done, but for what you have left undone. One of the ways you can dishonor the name of God is by standing idly by while someone defames the name of God. Arguably, one of the most common curse words spoken in the English language is the misuse of the name of God. The use of terms such as “Jesus”, “Jesus Christ”, or “Oh My God” in a derogatory way is rampant in western media and the broader culture. And unfortunately, this misuse of the name of God can cause others to likewise share in the defaming of the name of our Lord. Many who misuse the name of God in this manner do not understand the defamatory nature of using the name of the Almighty in this way. This is where a gentle reminder can make a difference in someone’s life. Perhaps that person does not care about the misuse of the name of God; if that is the case then the fault of their actions does not lie with you. However, to not share the truth of their actions with someone who does not understand the defamatory nature of their misuse of the name of God would leave you with some level of accountability for their breaking of the third commandment. As you do your best to follow God’s law out of gratitude for all that Christ has done for you, remember to also be a help to those who are seeking to do the same. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the great judge who calls us to warn of His impending wrath; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom and courage to not only live and speak righteously on your own, but to gently call those around you out of their sinful language; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 12

You don't need to invoke God's name every time you make a promise if your life truly reflects God's name. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 99 Q. What is God’s will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say. Summary In Matthew 5:34-37 Jesus speaks against making oaths, instead encouraging the people to “let what you say simply be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’”. In James 5:12, James is restating this same teaching for the recipients of his letter. This reminder was necessary because it was far too common for people, including even the religious leaders such as the Pharisees, to be guilty of making empty oaths. Agreements would be sealed with an oath such as swearing by the temple, that if the oath were broken the guilty party would tear down the temple stone by stone. This might add some showmanship to the agreement; however, the inauthenticity of these words is concerning. These deals were commonly struck with no intention or expectation of one party attempting to tear down the temple if they failed to live up to their end of the deal. This lack of intention made these oaths no more meaningful than a modern-day pinky promise. Dig Deeper Swearing an oath was once an important part of serious transactions. In making an oath you are vowing that if you break your agreement then some predetermined misfortune will come upon you, such as the example of swearing to tear down the temple if you break your oath. While these types of oaths are not as common as they were in the 1st century, there are still remnants that can be seen today. One example is the pinky promise. While often thought of as something youth use to declare their intention to keep their promise, the pinky promise has a bit of a darker meaning behind it. Very literally, a pinky promise is an oath that if you break your end of the bargain then your pinky finger will be chopped off. Fortunately, this is not an oath that is often upheld, otherwise there would be children running around everywhere missing a finger. However, this is an example of an unnecessary oath. While Jesus and later James speak against the making of unnecessary oaths in a general sense, the third commandment speaks to not misusing the name of the Lord through invoking his name in an unnecessary oath. When such an oath is made, it cheapens the value you hold on the name of God. Instead of depending on a grand gesture or oath to declare your intention to keep your word; follow the instructions given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and repeated by James: “let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’”. Be honest in all your dealings so that your word will be trusted as true and so that there will be no need to make a grand oath to declare your intent to honor your word. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who answers every promise He's made with "YES" in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20); ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your the way you keep your word will be a reflection of Christ's integrity; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 11

God's name must only be attached to that which is absolutely true. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 99 Q. What is God’s will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say. Summary Leviticus 19 forms the basis for much of the New Testament book of James. James, the younger, half-brother to Jesus, would preach to new Christian converts by taking a portion of God's Word they knew well and unpacking it in the light of Christ. We'll see an example of this in tomorrow's reading. This section of the law, given to Israel through Moses, directs the Israelites to not thwart justice. The people are directed to not lie, steal, or profane the name of God by swearing falsely by it… something we call perjury. This command draws upon the third commandment, to not misuse the name of God. To commit perjury using the name of God is to bring the name of the Lord into your lie, and it is about as clear of an example of the misuse of the name of God as there is. Sin often starts small but quickly grows big. The transition from lying to perjury in verses 11 and 12 demonstrates how one sin can lead into more and greater sin. Notice the how each of these actions God prohibits quickly leads to the next if unchecked: steal → lie → deceive → blasphemy. Lying, under the right circumstances, can be something more than deceitful words but an act of blaspheming the very name of God. Dig Deeper In a courtroom, when you are sworn in under oath, it is tradition to place your right hand on the Bible. The symbolism on display in this action is that you are swearing by God that you will be honest in your testimony. To make such an oath, and then speak dishonestly, is perjury. Swearing falsely by the name of God is a means of profaning the name of God. In being sworn in under oath, you are calling upon the name of God to witness to the truthfulness of your testimony. But when you willingly lie under oath, you are instead calling upon God to bear witness to your lie. And while God will not bear witness to your falsehood, so calling upon our Heavenly Father to bear false witness is a blasphemous way to use the name of the Lord. We should all be careful not to misuse the name of the Lord through perjury. Also, do your best to avoid using lies and deceit in your dealings with others so that these sins will not lead into a larger web of sin, which might quickly end up including blasphemous perjury. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father is holy, so we must be holy; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for His law and pray for the strength to keep it as a new creation in Christ; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 10

How often will you hear God's name used flippantly today? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 99 Q. What is God’s will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say. Summary The third commandment directs us to not blaspheme the name of God. Depending on the translation of scripture you are reading, the wording will look a bit different. For example, the NIV (New International Version) and NLT (New Living Translation) use the words “misuse the name of God” in their translation. The ESV (English Standard Version) and KJV (King James Version) translations instead translate this as speaking against taking the “name of the LORD in vain”. The difference in translation does not necessarily equate to a disagreement in the meaning of Exodus 20:7; both translations bring out a different nuance of the Hebrew word that was originally written. Beyond the question of how to best translate this passage, there is also the challenge of determining what is meant by misusing the name of the Lord or taking the name of the Lord in vain. The Catechism shows how there are multiple items that fall under the umbrella of misusing the name of God. This will be our focus for this week, examining the ways that the name of God is blasphemed as laid out in the Heidelberg Catechism. Dig Deeper As Q&A 99 warns against blaspheming or misusing the name of God, the first listed example of misuse is cursing. While there is a sinful aspect to profanity, not all profanity falls under this description. The type of cursing described by the catechism is profaning the name of God. There are multiple ways in which one may find themselves profaning the name of God. One such example is to directly curse the name of God. A more common way that the name of God is blasphemed is through its use in place of a curse word. Arguably the most used curse word in the English language is the misuse of the name of God. If you regularly watch television or listen to the radio, you may notice that there are several curse words that are “bleeped” out or muted when spoken; yet the most profane of them all, blaspheming against the name of God, is allowed, and has become normalized. But just because something is common, that does not mean it is okay. Misusing the name of God, including through cursing using the Lord’s name, breaks the third commandment and is worth taking seriously. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose name is holy; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your mouth will only use God's name in ways that praise Him; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 9

Beware of worship that relies on optics & images. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 98 Q. But may not images be permitted in the churches as teaching aids for the unlearned? A. No, we shouldn’t try to be wiser than God. He wants his people instructed by the living preaching of his Word— not by idols that cannot even talk. Summary The people of Israel really struggled with idolatry. Almost immediately after God had given them the 10 Commandments, they created a golden calf. They went on to worship the bronze snake. They built altars and sacrificed to Baal on them. The list goes on and on. The prophet Habakkuk, along with other prophets, is calling the people out for their false worship. Idolatry is a terrible sin against the Lord, and humanity has been struggling with it since the very beginning. Why did Adam and Eve eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Because they thought they could become like God themselves! There is no value in an idol carved of stone or wood. They are just human made images, that pale in comparison to God Most High. They cannot guide us. They cannot help us. They cannot save us. They are not alive, nor can they give life. Dig Deeper When I was a kid, my Sunday school teachers would use flannelgraphs for Bible lessons. They would pull out the board, and then they would start to read from the Bible. As they read about Moses and the burning bush, they would place a flock of sheep on the board. Then they would place the burning bush. Then they would place Moses on the edge of the board, eventually moving him to the burning bush. It was a fun way to learn Bible stories. Whenever we would study the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) there would not be flannelgraphs for Jesus. My class questioned why. My teacher would refer to question and answers 97 & 98 in the Heidelberg Catechism. God can not and may not being visibly portrayed in any way. What about images to help others learn? No, we should not be wiser than God. Humanity is easily led astray by our desire to be wiser than God. Surely, we think, we can create a picture of Jesus and it will not be an issue. God gave the people a bronze snake to save them from venomous snake bites and they eventually offered incense to that snake. Simple things like a picture of Jesus can lead to idolatry and they are forbidden by the Lord. I’ve been in a church building that had statues of Jesus and the apostles, and sacrifices were being made to those images. God gave his people the second commandment, and it forbids idolatry. While we most often think of idolatry as a golden calf or bronze snake, it can happen with images of Jesus as well. Anything that gets us thinking of God in a way that is contrary to his nature is to be guarded against. Pray that God would reveal the idols that you may be struggling with in your life so that you can worship and serve him alone. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God Most High, giver of life and eternal life; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to reveal the idols that I have in your life so that you can worship and serve God alone. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 8

God's Word is worth more than a thousand images. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 98 Q. But may not images be permitted in the churches as teaching aids for the unlearned? A. No, we shouldn’t try to be wiser than God. He wants his people instructed by the living preaching of his Word— not by idols that cannot even talk. Summary In the early Christian Church, when the people of God gathered for worship, they would read from God’s Word. It is incredible to think that the people of God have been hearing from this very same Word in worship for thousands of years. Just as you have read and listened to scripture read during worship this year, believers all over the world have as well. Just as you have read and listened to scripture during worship this year, so too have believers for centuries. The Apostle Peter reminds the Church that the Word of God, the Bible, is completely reliable. It shines a light on the darkness of this world, telling you of God’s incredible power, sovereignty, and grace as it helps you to understand who God is, and how much he loves you. God reveals Himself to you in his Word. Dig Deeper On Tuesday, we briefly discussed the three parts of a worship service: Approach, Word, Response. The Word is central to our worship. We hear from the Bible, God’s Word. The sermon expounds upon God’s word, helping us to better understand what God wants from His people as it instructs us how we can worship and serve Him. The Lord’s Supper and baptism are visible signs of God’s incredible grace, helping us to understand in a tangible way what he has done for us. The Word is central to worship because of how important it is to the Christian life. If we are not spending time in God’s Word, how can we be transformed by the Holy Spirit through it? The Apostle Peter reminds fellow believers that the prophets foretold of Jesus. They spoke of the one who would come: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Is. 7:14).” God did not give the Church images or pictures for worship; He gave us the Bible. The Bible is to be read in worship, just as it has been for thousands of years. The scriptures are to be used for preaching and teaching God’s people. God wants us to know Him. The only way to know God is to read His Word, and hear it preached. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Heavenly Father, who cannot be depicted in an image; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I seek out the true preaching of your word so that I may be transformed by it; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 7

Even good & godly things can become idols. What are you tempted to idolize? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 97 Q. May we then not make any image at all? A. God can not and may not be visibly portrayed in any way. Although creatures may be portrayed, yet God forbids making or having such images if one’s intention is to worship them or to serve God through them. Summary After the people of Israel had been wandering in the desert for some time, they became impatient with the Lord. They were sick of eating the same food, and they grew frustrated that God was not immediately taking them to the Promised Land. So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. The people cried out to God, admitting their sin. God told Moses to create a bronze snake, so that when the people were bitten by a venomous snake, they could look at the bronze snake and be healed (Numbers 21). Seven hundred years later, during the reign of King Hezekiah, the Israelites were burning incense to the bronze snake. You read that correctly, 700 years later the people were burning incense to the same bronze snake that Moses had lifted up in the desert. God had told Moses to make the bronze snake to save the people, and the people ended up burning incense to that snake, turning a symbol of the coming Messiah's salvation into an idol. King Hezekiah came along and destroyed that snake to keep people from falsely worshiping it. Dig Deeper Is there an item in your church building that was donated by someone years ago? Perhaps it has a little plaque by it saying who donated it? Or maybe there is a beautiful tapestry sewn by hand that hangs on a prominent wall. It seems that every church building that is 30+ years old has at least one of those types of items. It was donated at one time, and now it sits there because how do you get rid of something someone donated? We may not worship that item like we worship God, but it may have become sacred. I’ve seen church members leave a church because an item their family donated twenty years ago was being moved to a different place in the building. Something that was meant to honor God has become something that causes division in his church. This is the danger of idolatry and why God has given this commandment. We do not set out to make idols. When Moses made the bronze snake, he did so at God’s command. But over time, these items become sacred, putting them in a place that should only be reserved for God. What item in your church building has become sacred? Is it time to get rid of that item? Would that cause an issue in your congregation? Nothing should be put before the Lord. We are to worship God and serve him alone. The bronze snake - the very symbol of salvation - became an idol to the people of Israel, and it needed to be destroyed. Do not fall into the same trap with an item in your church building. Worship and serve the Lord alone. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Lord of all Creation, nothing is above you; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Lord, what have I placed before you? What it is occupying a place in my heart that should only be reserved for you? ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 6

God takes worship seriously. Do you? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 96 Q. What is God’s will for us in the second commandment? A. That we in no way make any image of God nor worship him in any other way than he has commanded in his Word. Summary Just as God gives the Law to the people in the book of Leviticus, He also gives them directions on worship practices. He informs the priests as to what they are to wear. He outlines various festivals that the people are to celebrate. He tells them to make burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt offerings. Not just anyone could make these offerings. Only the priests were to make these offerings on behalf of the people, and they are to be done in a very specific way - the way God had explicitly commanded. Aaron (Moses’ brother) and his sons were ordained as priests for the people of Israel. They had begun to lead the people of Israel in worship. Unfortunately, rather quickly after being ordained as priests, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu make a critical error: they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD - meaning they had taken their coals from a different source than what God had commanded. As one commentator put it, Nadab and Abihu did not do something God had prohibited, they were punished because they had did not do exactly what God had commanded. God burned up Nadab and Abihu for offering unauthorized fire before him. At first glance, this seems like an incredibly harsh punishment. Nadab and Abihu were worshiping God after all, so why does it matter if they used fire incorrectly? It was not that they used it incorrectly, it is that they went against the command of the Lord. They were worshipping God in a way different from how He had commanded in His Word. Dig Deeper The Lord had given the people of Israel explicit instructions on worship practices. He had set the priests over them to lead them in worship. When God gave these commands to the people of Israel, He did so to shape them into His people. He had chosen them, and set them apart. As such, they were to live differently from those around them. They were to worship the Lord alone, and they were to worship Him exactly as He had instructed them. Nadab and Abihu were careless as worship leaders, offering unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. As such, they were leading the people falsely in worship; they were leading people to worship God in a way that was contrary to His commands. Worship is about God. We worship God because He is holy, just, merciful, and so much more. When we worship the Lord, our worship practices must be based on His command, on how God wants to be worshiped. There is a general pattern that we follow to ensure we are worshiping God based on what we read in scripture: Approach, Word, Response. The Approach to God is the first part of the worship service where we come before the Lord with singing, prayer, and scripture reading. We lift the name of the Lord, as we come before our holy God. The Word is where we hear from God’s Word, the Bible. Not only is scripture read, but a sermon is given. This is the central part of our worship service because God is central to our lives. We want to hear from God, and be shaped by Him. The Lord’s Supper and baptism are a part of the Word portion of worship. We end with the Response. We have heard from God, and now we are responding to the Lord as we sing a doxology and leave the worship service to go serve the Lord faithfully. As the people of God, we do not add things to our worship hoping to please God, nor do we take things away to save on time. We worship God as He wants to be worshiped. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is worthy of praise; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I worship you as you want to be worshiped, not doing what is pleasing in my sight, but is pleasing to yours; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 5