'Worship' is an interesting English word.  It is all about the 'worth' or value that is given to a person or object.  If we worship, it is because we consider the thing or person to be of such precious value that we choose to alter our lifestyle to make room for it to control the rest of our lives.  In that sense, we may 'worship' possessions, friends, ideas, or even ourselves in varying degrees.  What interests God is whether we worship Him above all else: when we don't, those objects of worship become idols - false gods.  The only true God can never take second place to any idol, or even share glory with an idol (Isaiah 42:8).  If we want an idol, we can't expect God's favour.

In Luke 16:1-15, Jesus had been teaching the disciples with the Pharisees listening in.  The disciples were to handle money very differently from the wealth-obsessed religionists; as leaders of the Early Church, they were to handle and use money with godly motives, for eternal purposes – and often at cost to themselves (Acts 20:34).  What a contrast to the  Pharisees who were obsessed with getting and staying rich.  They had greedy and corrupt minds which would only produce false teaching (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

Jesus told them that money had become their god ... and therefore they had no meaningful relationship with the true God Himself.  Nobody can worship both God and money at the same time, money will always displace God unless we choose to give our money in His service (Malachi 3:6-10).  So, although they sneered at Jesus, His response exposed their hearts.  He said that even though they tried to justify their motives, God detests people who value money more than they value Him!  It is simply not possible to have your life controlled by money and by God at the same time.  Whichever is given top place will be loved, and the other hated.

This is still a problem for Christians.  Unless we understand how strongly Jesus feels about it, we will never get our priority right in worship.  We might go to church and yet be worshipping money in our heart; and God hates that.  We might even be involved in spiritual ministry but if our hearts are full of money worries, money lust or money satisfaction - money has become our idol, and our service is worthless.  How can we get right with God about it?  If it has such a hold on our hearts, give it away!  It is better to lose material things than to lose friendship with our Maker.  When a money-grabber becomes a money-giver, then the world will know that the gospel has power to save.  Do not forget that true faith in Jesus will include a confidence that God will meet every need (Philippians 4:19), and that is a powerful witness to the world that you have forsaken old idols in order to serve the true and living God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).  Any other life-motivation means that your profession of faith in Jesus is not whole-hearted ... indeed it is a lie.