Biblical Worship, Part 3

”Biblical Worship, Part 3” (Exodus 20:4-6) Introduction: We have been talking about the worship of God, that which is His due by right of being our covenant God. But do we even understand what worship is? What the word means? The word ”worship” means ”worthship.” It is ascribing to something the worthiness to ”receive special honor in accordance with that worth” (Harrison 5 6 0 ) . In the worship of God, it means to tell of God’s wonderful works and holy attributes, and to proclaim to Him and others that He is worthy to receive all honor, praise, glory and adoration on account of them. And since worship is to be given in accordance with the greatness of the One receiving it, our infinite God is worthy of infinite praise. The Bible teaches us that we are to worship God alone. When Jesus was confronted with the devil’s temptation to give Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would but fall down and worship him, Jesus replied, ”BEGONE, SATAN! FOR IT IS WRITTEN, ’YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM Jesus recognized that this usurper, this vile creature ONLY”’ (Matt. 4 : l O ) . had no worthiness in him. God is the only Being worthy of worship. And so He alone must be worshiped. But not only is He alone worthy of honor, He also claims the right of exclusive worship from His children by virtue of His gracious covenant with them. But far from this being offensive to the child of God, it is his delight, for the child of God loves nothing more than to ascribe to his gracious Lord the glory which is His. But as the Lord has been showing us in the Second Commandment, in order for Him to receive our worship, it must be done according to His will. God does not accept anything that we call worship as worship. He has told us what we may do, and what we may not. And if we love Him, we will certainly give Him the worship that He commands, rather than only pleasing ourselves. This evening, we will want to look briefly at what God tells us are those things which He commands and accepts as worship.

I.

First, There Are Those Elements of Worship Which Are More Common. They Are the Things That Make Up the Bulk of Our Regular Worship. And Remember, that When We Talk About Worship, We Do Not Mean only the Worship Service, but All Public and Private Worship. A. The First of These I Would Like to Mention Is that of Prayer and Thanksgiv ing . 1 . Paul writes, ”BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER ANn SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO COD” (Phil 4:6). a. It is a means of calling down the blessing of God. And it is a precious means of building up the saints. b. It is one of the spiritual weapons in our arsenals to tear down the strongholds of the enemy ( 2 Cor. 10:3-4). c. Prayer is talking to God. Prayer is the breathing out of the regenerate spirit. It is the vocalizing of our holy desires to God. d. What the breath is to the body, so is prayer to the soul. If we judge the body to be dead which doesn’t breathe, so we must judge the soul to be dead which doesn’t pray. 2.

Prayer is something which the Lord requires of all of His saints. It is a part of your spiritual duty.

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3.

a.

"WITH ALL PRAYER AND PETITION PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT, AND WITH THIS IN VIEW, BE ON THE ALERT WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE AND PETITION FOR ALL THE SAINTS" (Eph. 6:18).

b.

Every child of God will hear His call to pray, and will do so.

But there are certain ways that you are to pray, if it is to be acceptable to God. a. You must pray in the name of the Son of God. (i) Jesus said, "AND WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. IF YOU ASK ME ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL no IT" ( J O ~ 14:13-14). (ii) Prayer is to be made to God, and Jesus is God incarnate. Therefore you may pray to Him. (iii) But in order that your prayers may be heard, you must also pray in His name, that is, through Him as your Mediator. You have no access to God on your own. That is why you need Christ. b.

You must also pray by the help of His Spirit (Rom. 8:26). (i) The Lord tells us of "THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND OF SUPPLICATION" which was poured out on the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, at the time of His crucifixion (Zech. 12:1 0 ) . (ii) This is the same Spirit that you need to help you in your prayers to God. "WITH ALL PRAYER AND PETITION PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT" (Eph. 6:18). (iii) He is the divine nature of which you are a partaker (2 Pet. 1:4). He is the One who moves you to desire holy things. That is why He is called the Holy Spirit. His working in your soul is what causes you to cry out after holiness, and you need His help if your prayers are to be pleasing to God.

c. You prayers must be according to His will. (i) John says, "AND THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE WHICH WE HAVE BEFORE HIM, THAT, IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARS US" ( I John 5:14). (ii) You cannot expect to pray for things which the Lord does not want you to have, and expect to receive them. (iii) And if there should be any doubt in your mind as to whether what you pray for is God's will, you must be willing to submit your requests to God and say, "Lord if you are willing, do this or that." d.

And lastly, you must pray for those for whom it is lawful to pray. (i) You may pray for all who are alive. Paul writes to Timothy, "FIRST OF ALL, THEN, I URGE THAT ENTREATIES AND PRAYERS, PETITIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS, BE MADE ON BEHALF OF ALL MEN, FOR KINGS AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, IN ORDER THAT WE MAY LEAD A TRANQUIL AND QUIET LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND DIGNITY" ( 1 Tim. 2:1-2). (ii) You may also pray for those who shall live hereafter, even as our Lord prayed, "I DO NOT ASK IN BEHALF OF THESE ALONE, BUT FOR THOSE ALSO WHO BELIEVE IN ME

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(iii)

THROUGH THEIR WORD” (John 1 7 : 2 0 ) . But you must not pray for the dead. After David’s son conceived in adultery died, he said, ”WHILE THE CHILD WAS STILL ALIVE, I FASTED AND WEPT; FOR I SAID, ’WHO KNOWS, THE LORD MAY BE GRACIOUS TO ME, THAT THE CHILD MAY LIVE.’ BUT NOW HE HAS DIED; WHY SHOULD I FAST? CAN I BRING HIM BACK AGAIN?” ( 2 Sam. 12: 22- 23). And Abraham said to the rich man, in Jesus’ parable, ”AND BESIDES ALL THIS, BETWEEN US AND YOU THERE IS A GREAT CHASM FIXED, IN ORDER THAT THOSE WHO WISH TO COME OVER FROM HERE TO YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE, AND THAT NONE MAY CROSS OVER FROM THERE TO US” (Luke 1 6 : 2 6 ) . Once death has occurred, there is no longer anything that may be done for an individual. ”IT IS APPOINTED FOR MEN TO DIE ONCE AND AFTER THIS COMES JUDGMENT” (Heb. 9 : 2 7 ) . Since this is the case, such prayer could not only do nothing for a dead person, it would also be an affront to God. neither has the Lord authorized you to pray for those who have sinned the sin unto death. John wrote, ”IF ANYONE SEES HIS BROTHER COMMITTING A SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH, HE SHALL ASK AND GOD WILL FOR HIM GIVE LIFE TO THOSE WHO COMMIT SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH. THERE IS A SIN LEADING TO DEATH; I DO NOT SAY THAT HE SHOULD MAKE REQUEST FOR THIS” ( I John 5:1 6 ) . This is a difficult passage to understand, but it may best be explained by a total apostasy from the gospel. The author to the Hebrews writes, ”FOR IN THE CASE OF THOSE WHO HAVE ONCE BEEN ENLIGHTENED AND HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT AND HAVE BEEN MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HAVE TASTED THE Goon WORD OF GOD AND THE POWERS OF THE AGE TO COME, AND THEN HAVE FALLEN AWAY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW THEM AGAIN TO REPENTANCE, SINCE THEY AGAIN CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD, AND PUT HIM TO OPEN SHAME” ( 6 : 4 - 6 ) . And Peter says, ”BUT FALSE PROPHETS ALSO AROSE AMONG THE PEOPLE, JUST AS THERE WILL ALSO BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, WHO WILL SECRETLY INTRODUCE DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES, EVEN DENYING THE MASTER WHO BOUGHT THEM, BRINGING SWIFT DESTRUCTION UPON THEMSELVES” ( 2 Peter 2 : l ) . Perhaps what is being spoken of here, is a so-called brother who turns away from Christ entirely and departs from the true faith. Others have understood it to mean that sin whereby the Lord chastens His child with death, even as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:30, ”FOR THIS REASON MANY AMONG YOU ARE WEAK AND SICK, AND A NUMBER SLEEP.” Still other see it as a reference to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Whatever may be the case, John seems to indicate

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that this sin may be known, and if it is, you are not to pray for them.

B. Prayer Is Only One Part of Worship. Another is the Reading of the Scriptures. 1 . This has been the practice of the church even from early times. a. After the Old Testament church was spread abroad by the exile, worship at Jerusalem became impossible, so the Jews founded synagogues. b. In the synagogue worship, the Scriptures would be publicly read. We see this in the statement of James, at the Jerusalem Council, where he said, "FOR MOSES FROM ANCIENT GENERATIONS HAS IN EVERY CITY THOSE WHO PREACH HIM, SINCE HE IS READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH" (Acts 1 5 : 2 1 ) . 2.

C.

This practice of the Old Testament church also continued into the New Testament dispensation. a. This is what the apostle John was referring to where he wrote in the introduction to the book of Revelation, "BLESSED IS HE WHO READS AND THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORDS OF THE PROPHECY, AND HEED THE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN IT; FOR THE TIME IS NEAR" ( I : 3 ) . b. As a part of worship, the reading of the Scriptures is important. It is the purest way of having the Lord Himself preach to you. Paul wrote to Timothy, "ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY m n AND PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS; THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE ADEQUATE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" ( 2 Tim. 3 : 1 6 - 1 7 ) . The word translated here "inspired" means "breathed out by God". This passage tells us that the words of Scripture, not the authors themselves, are the very breathings out of God. They are His words. And when they are read, they have as much authority as if God Himself entered into this place, and opened His holy mouth, and spoke to us personally. That is the kind of reverence we ought to have for the Scripture. And notice that it says "ALL SCRIPTURE". It is not that one portion of Scripture is profitable, but another is not. All of it was given by God to equip us in His service. This is not to say that there aren't some portions which are more profitable than others. But we must never allow ourselves to think that any of it is unimportant. And so when you hear the Word of God read, it is not just a ritual. It is not just to set the mood of the service. It is the living God speaking to you personally, and you must listen carefully with reverence and fear, and do what He says.

But Not Only Is the Word to Be Read, It Is Also to Be Preached. 1 . Paul wrote to Timothy, his true son in the faith, "I SOLEMNLY CHARGE YOU IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND OF CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, AND BY HIS APPEARING AND HIS

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2.

KINGDOM: PREACH THE WORD; BE READY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT, WITH GREAT PATIENCE AND INSTRUCTION. FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; BUT WANTING TO HAVE THEIR EARS TICKLED, THEY WILL ACCUMULATE FOR THEMSELVES TEACHERS IN ACCORDANCE TO THEIR OWN DESIRES; AND WILL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, AND WILL TURN ASIDE TO MYTHS” (2 Tim. 4:1-4). This official heralding of God’s Word is to be done by Christ’s ambassadors. Paul writes, ”THEREFORE WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, AS THOUGH GOD WERE ENTREATING THROUGH US; WE BEG YOU ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, BE RECONCILED TO GOD” (2 Cor. 5:20).

It is through His ministers that the Lord Himself entreats you to be reconciled to Him. Christ has appointed preaching in His church as a means by which He communicates His will to His people. 4. He gave to us all the principles in His Word, but not all the possible applications in all possible societies. The minister stands in the place of Christ, to expound and explain what the text means, and then applies it to the circumstances of God’s people. 5. And you are to receive it as you would the God’s Word itself, but only inasmuch as it is an accurate declaration of God’s will. It has no authority of itself. If it were merely the word of man, then it would need to be treated as such. But if the word preached reflects the truth of God, then it comes with the highest authority that there could possibly be. 3.

D.

And When It Is a Faithful Exposition of His Word, You Owe to Him a Conscionable Hearing of It. 1 . If you are a slave of Christ from the heart, you will certainly want to hear all the will of your Lord, even as Cornelius who, when he received the messengers that the angel of the Lord had sent, said, ”NOW THEN, WE ARE ALL HERE PRESENT BEFORE GOD TO HEAR ALL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN COMMANDED BY THE LORD” (Acts 10:33). The servant waits upon His Lord to hear His good pleasure. 2. But for the Word to be of profit to your souls, there are certain things which must accompany your hearing. a. First, you must hear the word with faith. The author to the Hebrews writes, ”FOR INDEED WE HAVE HAD GOOD NEWS PREACHED TO US, JUST AS THEY ALSO [that is, the Israelites in the wilderness]; BUT THE WORD THEY HEARD DID NOT PROFIT THEM, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNITED BY FAITH IN THOSE WHO HEARD” (4:2). You must believe that it is God’s Word, and believe what it says. b. Second, you must also tremble when you hear it with godly fear. The Lord said through Isaiah the prophet, ”BUT TO THIS ONE I WILL LOOK, TO HIM WHO IS HUMBLE AND CONTRITE OF SPIRIT, AND WHO TREMBLES AT MY WORD” (66:2). There should be a holy fear in your heart that you should ever turn aside from what He declares only to face His wrath. c. And you must have a willingness to do whatever He says to you. James wrote, BUT PROVE YOURSELVES DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT MERELY HEARERS WHO DELUDE THEMSELVES. . . . ONE WHO LOOKS INTENTLY AT THE PERFECT LAW, THE LAW OF LIBERTY, AND ABIDES BY IT, NOT HAVING BECOME A FORGETFUL HEARER BUT AN EFFECTUAL DOER, THIS MAN SHALL BE BLESSED IN WHAT HE DOES”

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(James I: 22, 25). The blessing of God does not rest upon you if you come and listen to the preaching of the Word. It is not the hearers who are blessed, but those who actually do it. To hear and not to do is only hypocrisy. But to hear with the purpose of doing all that your Lord commands, is an act of loving obedience. e. And so are these elements mixed in your heart as you hear the Word? Do you pray and ask God to grant you ears to hear His Word in the public preaching of it? Do you believe that it comes from Him and receive it as His very Word? Do you tremble in godly fear that you should ever turn away from it, and endeavor to do it with all your might? If so, then James says that you will be blessed in what you do.

d.

If not, then you are only deluding yourself if you think that you are going to gain anything by merely listening and not doing. Just as you derive no pleasure in asking your children to do something that they refuse to do, even if they hear you, so the Lord derives no pleasure from His children when they hear His Words, but neglect to retain them and to do them. g. May God grant to all of us the grace to listen and to learn. May He help us to see just how important His Word really is. May He help us to treat it as such, and to endeavor to make it the standard of our lives. h. So far we have seen that prayer, and the reading, preaching, and hearing of the Word are parts of the regular worship of God. Next week we will look further at what God commands in worship. Amen. f.