Genuine worship comes from a heart that treasures God above all human treasures, the praise of man, money, whatever.

And it aims to inspire a God-centered passion in people.

It wants at all costs to avoid diverting people from God-centeredness

in worship. At any cost, we will not draw people away from God in worship.

If genuine worship treasures God above all things and inspires God-centered passion in people.

What happens when our worship is careless?

John Piper addresses that ever important question

from Malachai 1, 6 to 14 in this episode of Light and Truth.

This sermon was originally preached

at Bethlehem Baptist Church on November 1st, 1987.

Let's read verse 8 and verses 13 and 14.

The Lord says in verse 8,

the Lord says in verse 8, when you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil?

And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Then drop down to verse 13. What a weariness this is, you say,

and you sniff at me, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick and this you bring as your

offering. Shall I accept that from your hand, says the Lord?

Cursed be the cheat, who has a male in his flock and vows that in sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.

So I think with those few verses you can see what the problem is in this passage, the priests, and no doubt reflecting the spirit of the people as well are offering stolen animals, mangy animals,

broken-legged animals on God's altar.

They are careless in their worship.

Now what I want to do this morning is talk about the origin of careless worship,

the essence of careless worship and the opposite of careless worship.

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