Worship

WORSHIP?

Deuteronomy 6.4-12

In the US there was a well known preacher called Henry Ward Beecher. His congregation was packed every week and many visitors came to hear him preach. One Sunday he was away from his home congregation and his brother was filling in for him. When his brother walked out to begin the service many people realising it wasn't HW Beecher got up and left. This is what his brother said in response as they left: "Would all those who came to worship H W Beecher please leave. Would those who came to worship Almighty God please be seated." We may find that humorous but you there is actually a great deal of truth contained in that story. Why do we come to worship each Sunday? What is it that draws us to church week after week? When we come are we coming to worship Almighty God? Is that the priority of our hearts when we enter our church? Why do we so easily skip worship? Is worship just the singing or is there more to it than that? In this post, I am going to try and bring to you some biblical understanding of worship.

As we begin let me give you a definition of the word 'worship.'

Worship = attributing ultimate worth to something or someone. We make something the object of worship when we make the pursuit and enjoyment of it the overriding aim of our lives. Worship gives direct expression to the ultimate purpose for living.

Turn to Deuteronomy 6.4-12. Deuteronomy means 'second law giving' and is basically three sermons by Moses recalling the deliverance from Egypt and the journey in the wilderness to the borders of the Promised Land. It ends with Moses final words to the people of Israel and his death. It exhorts the people of Israel to obey the Law of God and not to forget God, nor their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, when they enter the Promised Land. Chapter 6 is part of the first sermon preached by Moses to the people of Israel on the banks of the Jordan as they looked over to the Promised Land.

Turn to verse 4 and the first sentence. The first word 'Hear' gives the Hebrew title to these verses - 'Shema.' This is one of the first things that Jewish children are taught at home. Moses calls them to listen to what he is about to tell them. This is like the sergeant major barking out 'attention' on the parade square - everyone jumps and no one speaks. Look at the first thing which Moses declares to them concerning God, read verse 4. The uniqueness of God is expressed and the unity of God is declared. Their attention is focused first on who God is - 'the Lord our God.' Here is the first thing we learn concerning worship - the focus of worship is God.

When we come to worship Almighty God we need to ask ourselves 'Who am I focusing on?' Moses called the attention of the people first and foremost to God. When we come to worship our focus is on God - it is not on ourselves or those around us. Why is our focus to be on God first - because Exodus 20.5 tells us that God is a jealous God and He will not share His glory or honour with anyone or anything else. So let me ask you: "When you come to worship is God the primary focus of your heart and mind?" Israel was called to attention and their hearts, minds and gaze was directed towards God.

Verse 5 Moses then directs them to love the Lord God and this is actually central to an understanding of the book of Deuteronomy and also to worship. The rest of the book of Deuteronomy is actually a commentary on this command to love God. The injunction to love God is actually based on the precedent of God's all encompassing love towards them, and us. Ultimately this love was seen in their deliverance from the slavery of Egypt and now the Promised Land. For us it is seen in the Cross of Christ where God's love for a sinful world was revealed in the death of His only begotten Son that we might be delivered from the slavery of sin and brought to the Promised Land for all eternity. So our attention is focused on God and we are called to love God - but look how we are to love God. It is not a sentimental or emotional love but a love which encapsulates everything we are. The all embracing love of God is responded to by an all encompassing love for God in obedience. So when we come to worship God it is to be all encompassing. We are to worship God in the totality of our being. It is not that we section off a little part of our lives and leave it to one side we come to worship God. Worship should engage our intellect, our emotions and our souls. Hence in John 4 Jesus tells the Samaritan women that those who worship God must do so in 'spirit and in truth.' Worship engages our souls. Worship is not just a physical or emotional act but is at its very core 'spiritual.' Hence Mary could say in Luke 1.46-7 'that her soul magnified the Lord…' Even though Moses calls them to love God with all that they are - genuine worship is not worked up within themselves. Genuine worship is always a response to the presence of God. Mary responded to God's call on her life to be the mother of Christ. If we look at Hebrews 12.18-24. When we see God as He is then we respond to His presence. Genuine worship is the outpouring of our hearts in response to the realisation of who God is and of the experience of His presence. This time look at Hebrews 10.19, 22. In the OT, under the old covenant access to the presence of God was limited and restricted to certain individuals at certain times. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and then only once a year. But Hebrews tells us that now access is no longer limited and no longer restricted and therefore in worship we enter directly through Christ into the presence of Almighty God. We enter directly into the holiest of holies through the blood of Christ and come into the presence of God. We draw near to God in worship. For the Hebrews who were listening to Moses they knew that access to God was limited and restricted. They knew that they could not enter the presence of God without the shedding of the blood of an animal and even then it was done for them by the high priest. Our high priest, Christ Jesus, shed his own blood for us so that we could have unlimited access to God. We enter the presence of God in worship, not on our own merit but through the blood of the eternal covenant of Christ Jesus. So remember that when you come to worship - you are drawing near to the presence of almighty God. Mindful of that we should not rush in.

Not only do we draw near to God in worship but James (4.8) tells us that God draws near to us in worship. Hebrews 4.16 also tells us that when come to worship God it is there that we find grace to help us in our daily lives. 1 Peter 2.5 tells us that when we come to worship we are being built up in our faith as we offer to God our worship. So when we come to worship God we realise that we, unlike the OT covenant, have access to God which was once denied. We come to offer our spiritual sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving before Him. He draws near to us and draws us near to Him. As we worship Him we receive grace which builds us up as the Body of Christ. In that sense worship is a transforming activity through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Verses 6-9 are then an outworking of what Moses has called the people of Israel to do in worshipping God. You see worship is not limited to what we do when you publicly come together on a Sunday morning. Worship is actually about all areas of our lives. Hence Moses calls the people, no commands them, to live constantly under the Law of God. They were to write it upon their hearts - that is their understanding and their wills. As they reflected upon, and obeyed, the Law of God they would discover the love of God and the will of God for their lives. You see their worship and their obedience could be separated. Do you hear that? Your worship and your obedience cannot be separated. Their worship and their obedience was not, and is not, a matter of formal legalism and ritual. You can keep the Law and yet be unrighteous before God. You can substitute ritual for a relationship very easily and far too many people do. Their worship - in which they heard the commandments of God was to permeate every aspect, condition and situation of their daily lives. Listen to these words from James 4.8. Can you see how the striving for personal holiness is actually part of worship? Can you see how the striving for personal holiness is actually part of your preparation to worship God? Moses commanded them to constantly and consistently reflect upon the commandments of God - in order that they might worship God.

But listen now to what Moses commands the people - read verse 7. Having understood themselves they are then to teach their children. Parents if ever we needed to hear a word from God here it is. It is our primary responsibility as parents to teach the Christian faith to our children - it is a command of God. Can I, humbly, say to you 'Why would your children take worship seriously if you do not? Why would they listen to the Word of God if they never see you with a bible in your hand or never hear you pray? Why would they take seriously to commandments of God if they hear and see you break them? Why would they come here to worship each Sunday if they do not see it as a priority in your life? Why would they take the bible seriously if they hear you 'roast the sermon Sunday by Sunday?' I know that sounds harsh but let us be very honest - it is the truth. God commanded the Israelites to teach their children how to worship and how to live - by their example. Is this not a challenge to us this morning? What example of worship do we set before our children? I am not trying to lay on a guilt trip but we need to take the Word of God here seriously if we desire our children to do so. How are we to do that? Verses 8-9 by making worship and the Word of God central in our lives, conversation and actions.

Verses 10-12 God commands them through Moses not to forget Him when things go well with them in the Promised Land. He reminds them that it was not their strength that brought them into the Promised Land but God. He reminds them that all that they will receive in the Promised Land is actually through grace and not the labours of their hands. We too should remember that. It is all of God's grace and not of our works at all. It is easy to forget God when life is comfortable. Maybe that is the problem with us at times - maybe we don't have enough persecution. Maybe being a Christian is too easy here and we become lazy and apathetic about our faith. How often we make lame excuses not to come to worship on a Sunday. How often we miss opportunities of fellowship and worship because of small things which would never stop us doing other things. The people of Israel were not to forget who delivered them from the slavery of Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. Can I ask you: "Do you constantly remember who delivered you from the slavery of sin and brought you to salvation and the Promised Land of eternity with God?" Let us not forget God and our deliverance when times are prosperous.

Conclusion

This post has only scratched the surface concerning worship but I believe it is important that we understand what we are about when we come together to worship God.

We come because He is the Lord God and He alone is worthy of our worship. We come before a God who is a jealous God and who will not share His worship or glory with anyone else. Therefore when we come to worship our focus is on Him alone. As the songwriter says : for an audience of One.

God draws near to us and we draw near to Him when we worship. Where once access was limited and restricted now because of Christ it is open for all to enter the presence of God. We enter God's presence when we come to worship.

God through His grace builds us up as the Body of Christ as we worship. We receive His grace by faith. Can I say on this point - we come to worship - to give all that we are and have to Him in worship - we do not come to get. We come to give worship - not to primarily receive. God does bless us in worship but we come to give Him worship. We do not come to be entertained. We come to give worship and a change in our minds concerning that would dramatically change how we worship and our worship experience.

Worship is not limited to what we do here on a Sunday but is our whole lives as we respond to the love of God in Christ by obedience.

We are to set the example before our children and to teach them how to worship. It is our primary responsibility as parents/adults to teach the children entrusted by God to us to worship God alone.

We worship because God alone is worthy of our worship