Do you follow the pattern? Many times folks believe themselves to be obeying God in all things, to be worshipping God as He has directed. They believe they are showing their love for Him in the things they do for Him. Many serve as will worshippers, Mt. 15:9 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

A Pattern? Pattern implies design and purpose. It implies authority was given. The follower may not understand the design or purpose at the time the pattern is given. Understanding often comes much later. Our examples will show us how God’s authority is to work in our lives.

Pattern obeyed- the Ark God gave Noah a pattern to follow for the building of the ark of safety. Gen. 6: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. Noah followed the pattern completely. Vs ¶ Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. God approved Noah for following the pattern. Gen. 7:1 1 ¶ And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Pattern almost obeyed- Amalek God told Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. 1 Sam. 15:3 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. Saul spoke of complete obedience. Vs And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. Saul obeyed partially doing what he agreed was necessary. Saul spared the lambs and spoils, and presumed to be obedient Saul was rejected by God as king. Vs And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Pattern Given- Altar of Incense God gave Moses the pattern for the altar of Incense and all of the Tabernacle and items. Ex. 30: ¶ And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. 2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. 4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. 5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Pattern Given- Altar of Incense God gave Moses the pattern for the altar of Incense and all of the Tabernacle and items. Ex. 30: And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

Pattern Given- Altar of Incense God gave Moses the pattern for the altar of Incense and all of the Tabernacle and items. Ex. 30:1-10 God gave orders for the usage of those items. –God gave ONE negative command, “not offer strange incense”. According to scripture that was never done. How was the pattern violated?

Pattern given and violated! The first tragic event was Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron. The offered the incense with “strange fire”. BUT, they did offer the right incense! Lev. 10:1-2 1 ¶ And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. The second event was King Uzziah, who went to offer incense, as the wrong attendant. 2 Chron. 26:18,19 18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

How was the pattern broken? True, people are quick to say, “GOD DIDN’T SAY DON’T DO IT THIS WAY…”. And, certainly, in this cause God did say not to do something, and they didn’t do it! Violation was because they didn’t follow the other specifics, the fire, and the person to attend to the offering. Other possible violations would be the wrong altar, and wrong God being served by the right altar. Specifics are always important to any pattern.

Pattern- Lord’s Supper Jesus institutes His supper. Mt. 26: ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. Those in His kingdom would eat with Him that supper, upon the kingdom’s arrival. Purpose to remember His death till He comes again. Components were: fruit of the vine, and unleaven bread. To be partaken on the 1 st day of the week. Acts 20:7 7 ¶ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Pattern- L.S. - Violated The Lord’s supper can be violated in several ways: Wrong components, wrong day, wrong people, wrong purpose, all which are specified. Violated one time in scripture, 1 Cor. 11:17-34, which also violated another pattern for the home. Allow me to illustrate this:

1 Cor. 11: ¶ Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 23 ¶ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1 Cor. 11: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1 Cor. 11: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Two Patterns for meals Lord’s supper Partakers- spiritual family of God. Components: unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. Place: assembling/ church. Purpose: remember his death. Common Meal Partakers- physical family and friends, etc. Components: herbs and meat. Place: home not the church, specified. Purpose: settle hunger and thirst.

Pattern- L.S. - Violated The Lord’s supper can be violated in several ways: Wrong components, wrong day, wrong people, wrong purpose, all which are specified. Violated one time in scripture, 1 Cor. 11, which also violated another pattern for the home. Allow me to illustrate this: 1 Cor. 11 shows violation in the abuse of the supper with a common meal, and also bringing the common meal into the church arena. Church despised when involved in a common meal.

Conclusion While there are many ways to violate a pattern, there is but one way to follow a pattern. That is, to keep all the specifics God has given as true to His purpose. Whether worship or life, God has given us the patterns for all we are as His children. Let us follow rather than violate the patterns.