Empty-Handed
Deut. 16:15-17

J.P. Morgan was one of the richest men who ever lived! He made his money in the banking business and was known to be one of the best money managers the world has ever known. Mr. Morgan lived in a vast mansion of 57 rooms, located on an estate of 26 acres near Glen Cove, New York. He had an entire staff of butlers, cooks, gardeners, and watchmen that took care of the place 24 hours a day.

The Bible says, “...it is appointed unto men once to die” (Heb. 9:27). And as all men do Mr. Morgan died. After his death, his family did not want to stay in the house any longer. But, due to the enormity of the mansion and its value, finding a buyer was impossible. During the depression, the Morgan property was valued in excess of a million dollars. Consequently, the house remained empty. As time passed, the plaster began to fall, the roof began to sag, and even the plumbing rotted. The entire house fell into disrepair and became a local eyesore. Years passed and finally the city of Glen Cove sold the 57 room mansion, which had been valued at a million plus years before, for $5,233. This is the fate of any great house that is left empty. To leave a house empty invites destruction.

When Jesus was teaching He said, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:43-45)

The best possible description of many Christians today is “they are empty.” Not knowing the daily, personal lives of most of our fellow Christians, how can a statement like this be made? How do we know that many are at best empty? We know, because that is their condition when they come to worship God!!!

In the Old Testament the people were commanded, “Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee” (Deuteronomy 16:15–17)

In both the Old Testament and the New the first obligation of the people was and is to assemble. Under the First Covenant there worship included many feast days and sacrifices. When they came to the place God ordained for them to worship they had to have their baskets full! Furthermore, the Lord demanded the best that they had; they were to offer “the first fruits”!

Even though this was what God demanded of the people of that day. it was said that He “grew weary of the sacrifices.” You see, they could not cleanse the people; they could not take away sin and God had designed a better system which was to come.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1–4).

On further he writes, “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:9–14).

Our all-knowing God knew the Old Law was a temporary and imperfect system. He also knew that He would replace it with the New and ratify it with the blood of Jesus Christ! Yet, the system being imperfect it was the one under which they lived and they had to obey it in order to please God. You see, that Covenant did not deal with the hearts of men. They were demanded to demonstrate that they were God’s people by their outward display. Even though the Law did not examine their hearts they were still required to assemble and bring their best.

Today we must come before Him in worship. He sees what we do and knows why we do it. What we render in worship must be our best. We as did the Christians of the early church are to be an assembling people... “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” (Acts 20:7). The New Testament enjoins upon us, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Brother, Sister, do you wish to honor God? If you do then, do not appear before him empty! What are we really talking about here? There is a difference between genuine Christians and what we might call “at-church” Christians.

It seems as though some treat their Christianity like a job! But friend, we don’t punch a spiritual clock! We do not shrug off a uniform at the end of a short assembly. You see, not knowing when we will be tempted next, or when the “evil day” will appear, we are encouraged to be continually clothed in the Lord’s righteousness and ready.

The inspired writer directs us, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore...” (Ephesians 6:13,14). If we will maintain our spiritual lives with a constant state of readiness, we will not be appearing before the Lord in the public assembly empty.
But many do come to worship God empty handed and empty headed. Why? To come with our “baskets full” takes preparation. Sadly, many of those “at-church” Christians and, cannot honor God in worship because they do not honor Him day by day with their lives. During the week there is no prayer, reading the Scriptures, meditation on the Word of God, talking to others about the Lord and His church. For these “at-church” members these things are nonexistent.

And we hear from these very same people “The services do nothing for me.” Or they might say, “I don’t get anything out of the services.” And they’re right!! The services will do nothing for you if you come empty! ...Nothing for you or the Lord!

Many times the public assembly becomes a struggle to awaken a dying faith, rather than purposefully worshiping, honoring, and serving God! You see, we are to worship God for what He has already done, not for what He might do! Can our service and assemblies strengthen us? Yes–and they should. But we are strengthened in knowing that we are doing our best to serve and honor the Lord.

Weariness abounds in many lives. This is usually our own fault. Our problem is lose focus. We are not “giving of ourselves.” When we give ourselves all belongs to God, but because we refuse to give ourselves, there is nothing left to give. We are simply TOO TIRED, TOO BUSY, GOING TOO FAST, and are TOO BROKE to really serve God when we come to worship–AND TOO BAD GOD IS NOT HAPPY!!

Therefore, the items of worship becomes a checklist of activities which we go through without a spirit of reverence, thanksgiving and without an attitude of service. Remember, the early church,
“Continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:46–47).

For centuries God’s people heard the promise of a new and better way. The promise of a coming Messiah that would take away sins. God always keeps His promises. God has delivered Him to us!!! Christian brother, sister, worship not for what God might do today, but for what God did one day.

The early church took the assembly and their new-found Christianity very seriously. It was a way of life, not something they went to a building to do! And the results were astounding... “And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women)” (Acts 5:11–14). Often they met under threat of enemies! Please read all of Acts 5.

The word of Christ did dwelt in the early Christians “richly” (Colossians 3:16). When they sang it was with “grace in [their] hearts to the Lord.” They worshiped with a fervent spirit, “to the Lord.” Even John when who by the civil authorities was banished to the Isle of Patmos, longed in heart to worship God saying, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10).


Again, because of the sincerity and devotion of these early Christians (in and out of the assembly) the results were astounding. Something you simply don’t see today. The surrounding community knew that this band of believers was serious, committed, loyal, honest, persevering, and true.

The apostle Paul wrote to a congregation, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1,2). Therefore each first day of the week the Christians remembered “even so do ye...” “As God hath prospered him...” “As he purposeth in his heart” he was to give (2 Corinthians 9:7).

The early church took the assembly very seriously. They recognized the magnitude of God’s gift; they recognized that they were saved and that they were now the Lord’s. They had been taught, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Have we lost this recognition? Why else would we come to God empty?

Listen to these amazing words– “O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?” (Deuteronomy 3:24). NONE! To answer this awesome THERE IS NONE OTHER! Even though we know this we replace will try to Him with any number of worldly things and worldly pursuits!!!

Read Exodus15:11-17 and Deut16:15-17. Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” The people who read and sang these words were serving under a different Covenant, yet they were serving the same God whom we serve.

What great reverence and respect they had! Can we have less? No, Jesus taught us that we must have more (See Matthew 5:20). Remember when Paul wrote, “ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” That meant inside and outside of the public assembly! When they came to worship God in the Old Testament they could not come EMPTY HANDED. Today, when we come to the assembly WE CANNOT COME EMPTY HANDED.