Show WEEKLY Y SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON TIlE THE NATURE OF TRUE UE WORSHIP The International Uniform Sun- Sun Sunda Sunda Sunday da day School Lesson for J November NO oi ember 27 21 The Nature of True Worship Isa I 1 10 By WM VM W I. I E H. GILROY D D. D D D. D. D Editor of The That s explicit and pro pro- profound profound found definition of religion as do- do doIng doIne doing I Ing Ine justly loving lo kindness and walk- walk walkIng walkIng Ing log humbly with God was not an isolated Isola d instance of real and vital religious experience and outlook in inan Inan an ass age and religious environment that attached much importance to ritual and sacrifice is evident In Inthis Inthis inthis this lesson Jesson taken from the Intro Intro- Introduction Introduction introduction to w the prophecy of Isaiah The book of ot Isaiah Is now com com- commonly comI com com- commonly supposed by Biblical scholars I to be the work of ot at least two hands The latter part of the book from the fortieth chapter on on Is re regarded re- re regarded regarded as coming corning out of ot the period following the Exile to Babylon It deals manifestly with that phase of Israels Israel's life The former part of the book of Isaiah Is regarded as dating from almost two hundred years earlier The writer of the earlier prophesies prophesies esies associated with the name of ot Isaiah was practically contemporary contemporary contemporary with Micah So that when we set sd the teaching of this lesson side by side with that of the last lesson taken from Micah we have enforced the impression of hat that t age as one of religious revival revl in I n Israel STRESSING G REALITY The greatest revival and progress ess ress r of religion have hase hn e always come from f rom a new emphasis upon reality fb This means sometimes a going back b ack to an early experience or caching t that may have become corrupted c or neglected Surely every everyman everyman everyman man who has read the New Testa Tests Testament Testament ment e with intelligence and sincerity has us often orten felt as he has read the Impulse i for tor a return to w a keener and more snore practical following of the example and teaching of Jesus Jesus' The later religIon of theology and nd form torm orm becomes quickened In such moods of ot exaltation In irs an impulse of deep allegiance to the personal Christ At other times tines this revival comes through a going back through form and ritual rHual to w the spiritual expert expert- experiences experiences and meanings that form and ritual arc are Intended to w express It ItIs ItIs Is so easy for experiences that were I vital to become merely formal and most of us follow tollow religious custom I without thinking out and following the realities for ourselves I So It was that Micah challenged a religion of formal offerings and an i sacrifices In which the heart itself was not concerned Worship in good living the surrender of the soul to God is depicted depleted as the only sacrifice in irs which God has pleasure TilE THE DRAMA OF ISAIAh IS It Is this teaching of Micah that finds equal enforcement in this In Introduction In- In introduction to the prophecies of Isaiah Isaiah presents the truth in dramatic form It Is la a trial scene In which heaven hea and earth are arc the judges It reminds us of Micah's s figure of the Lords contro contro- controversy controversy versy with his people Here lIere God himself Is ie represented as saying to W Israel What unto me Is the multitude of your jour our sacrifices Considering the fact tact that animal sacrifices were stilt still an Important ritual rI ual fact of the religion of Israel it Is almost impossible for us to tc grasp gr p the full significance of the revolutionary rC character of the words of ot Micah and Isaiah It is almost as If one should hould say I today that forms torms and creeds arc are un unimportant un important and that It Is the real life lUe that counts It 1 Is as if 11 one I were to set Christianity over against mere Those Th e who done so in our own on day have often orten been accused of being unorthodox in faith or disloyal to the Church May they not often olten represent how how- however however however ever in our own age very ery much what Micah and Isaiah represented In theIrs The words that Isaiah attributes to W the Lord are tremendous anc and sweeping in their quality Bring no more snore vain oblations Incense 1 Is Isan an ass abomination unto me m me-i me the new moons and sabbaths the calling o of assemblies I cannot away aay with 1 It Is Iniquity even the solemn meet meet- ing Your new neVI moons and sour jour ap ap- appointed appointed ap- ap appointed pointed feasts my soul they arc are a trouble me use I am weary wear to hear them I There b is only one way of life r I 1 I I f k i i 1 I k 1 1 i Text Isa Iss 1 1102 10 20 Hear the world of ot the Lord ye e rulers of or Sodom give car ear unto the law of our God o 0 people popple of To what purpose Is the multitude of or your our unto mo me m the tho Lord I am full of or the Ine burnt of or rams and aid the fat rat ot of fed beasts and I delight not In the blood of ot bull or of or lambs lamb lambs or or of he ho goats Koats When so e e come to appear be before Tore me sue III who hath hails required this Isis at our hand hando to o tread my courts courts' Bring no more vain aln oblations oblation Inc nse Is an abomination unto me the new now moons and sabbaths the tho railing calling cal ng of or assemblies I cannot away ay with It t Is iniquity even en th pi pil r l t nl ne Your lour new moons and your appoints l t feasts my soul they are aro a IL trouble rouble unto me 1 I am an weary to tu ussr t And when ye e c spread forth our hands I will hide mine misS eyes from Crom you jou ou yea yeo when yo make many prayers I will not hear your jour our hands are aro full tull ot of o blood Wash you jou snake make n you jou clean a put away the evil of ot sour our doings doing from b be be- before T le d fore mine eyes es cease conne to do evil cv I Learn to do well veIl seek judgment ment relieve relle the oppressed Judge Jud o the tho falls fath fatherless cries erless plead for the tho widow Come Coma now end and let us reason together tog the Lord Though Thou h your jour our sins sine bo be as 08 scarlet they shall be a all as w White hite chIe as a snow though they t be e red like crimson they be he as liS wool If It je ye e be willing and obedient je ye e shall be bo devoured with the sword for fol fortIs tho mouth of o the Lord Loid hath halts spoken It and Isaiah In the words that he attributes to God finds It with wills equal Wash you make you I clean put away the evil of your jour our doings from before b tore mine eyes cease to w do evil learn to 10 do well weIl seek Justice relieve relle the oppressed judge ludge the fatherless plead for the widow I 0 IrH But this Is not all Isaiah represents senta the Lord as not merely con- con condensing densing but as appealing and lur lur- luring lurIng ing men roen to grace crace and righteousness ness Come now stow and let us reason to together to- to together together gether saith Jehovah though your sins tins be as scarlet they shall be as aI white as snow though they b- b b bred red like crimson they shall be as wool Tilt TL TI CIll G What wonderful teachings are these In what a magnificent way they scale the heights and ascend to the very depths of the realities of soul roul life and social and national religion I If It the preachers and prophets ets eta of ot religion had all been equally open-minded open and fearless and practical pr and arid definite how much further would the world be along the road of true religion and ond the at at- attainment attainment of social justice and how much more triumphant would be the power of the church In the modern world What is the teaching of the les lea lesson son ron It Is that these things come home to the Individual soul that our religious life Ille does not depend upon others but that today in earnestness simplicity and sincerity we can b ln to practice these great things of religion in our own lives In all our relations to God and to ie I our fellow men |