WORTHY  WORSHIP
 

INTRODUCTION

   Today we will discuss a lesson dealing with matters close to the heart of all of us. These matters are critical, yet I do not want it to be negative criticism but rather constructive instructive criticism.

For I like everyone in this audience need an application to what I will discuss today.

We are created and made worshipping beings.  God in his handiwork has shown his superior nature and demonstrated abundantly his existence.

God has shown in his dealing with mankind through the revelation of his will.  God  has pointed out that he is the only object worthy of our adoration and worship.

JOHN 4:22-24  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Matthew 4:10  Get thee behind me satan for thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve.

John 4:24  God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

This involves not only our observation of God's directives in the matter of worship.  But our assembling with the proper disposition of attitude of heart.  Our presence  before him to worship in spirit and in truth.

The New Testament Church was commanded to come together on the first day of the week.
 

The readers in Palestine under the influence of the orthodox Jew who already had weakened in regard to their faith.

A few had turned back to a law that had no remedy for their sin sick souls.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is still binding today.

Somebody says preacher the book of Hebrews had the background dealing with the Jews in Palestine. The book is complicated and comprehensive.    I understand all of that.

What I am saying preacher,  is that the regular assembly of the local church is not under consideration.

It isn't,  I thought he said not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.

Preacher,  that's not what I am saying.  These were Hebrew Christians or Jewish Christians....

You mean that God has one law for Jewish Christians and another law for Gentile Christians?

No preacher,   that's not what I mean, I am saying.

What you're saying this that Hebrews 10:25 doesn't apply?

If you understand the nature of the New Testament church,  then you know without assembling it is non-existent

Oh you are the church, and wherever you go Christ is represented either for better or worse.

 Make no mistake about it you have an obligation as a representative of the kingdom of God whether among heathen or brethren to assemble.

 God almighty has organized the New Testament church out of his infinite wisdom on a local basis, and that is the only
organization of the New Testament church you will find.

When the assembly ceases you have no entity, nothing substantial, and nothing you can lean, or take hold of, or whom
you may serve, or from which you can draw strength.

When Paul addressed himself and Timothy to the church of Philippi,  He said to all the saints in Christ Jesus in Philippi
with the bishops and the deacons.

That  is the total organization of the New Testament church Philippians 1:1

 Philippians 1:1      Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at
                             Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
 
 

The entire organization of the New Testament church is found in that passage..

Men meeting the qualifications of I Timothy 3 and Titus 1

Recognized by their spiritual maturity, their fidelity to Christ,  they are appointed as leaders, overseers by the local body which is the members.  This is such a divine appointment that God endorses..

Acts 20:28     Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath
                      made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Other days of assembly is not excluded from the New Testament pattern..

Acts 20:7      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.
 
 
 

When should the laying by in store be accomplished?  When you come together.  What day Paul?

 The first day of the week which follows the last day of the week we call Saturday.

This was the day that Jesus arose from the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.  It was also on this day he appeared to the disciples after the resurrection.

On the first day of the week the church of the New Testament came together, to observe the Lord Supper, thus the
breaking of bread.

Acts 20:7      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.

Also To give of their means.  We are to be ready for every good work.

Titus 3:1    Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every
                 good work,

Therefore we are directed to assemble together for the purpose of worship upon the first day of the week.

Other days of the week are not excluded.  Man is a worshipping being.  If your concept of acceptable worship to God is worshipping him 2 days a week you are mistaken.

You must continually adore the name of our father in heaven.  Or do you just assemble on Sunday and Wednesday evening out of peer pressure.

To worship god 1 hour a week is an utterly mistaken concept of acceptable worship.

Psalms 122:1    I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

This building here is not the house of Jehovah.  You the Christian comprise the house made up of spiritual stones,
built up a spiritual house, to offer spiritual sacrifice, that is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

You as the church are the house of God.

Can you honestly from the heart say I was glad to worship the lord?.

I am overjoyed, and count it a genuine privilege,  to assemble with my brethren every opportunity that I have.

Can you really say that?   Naw?

I understand Christianity is a growth, and new babes in Christ cannot be fully conscience of the joy involved.

The limitless blessings  that is ours through fellowship with others of like precious faith. The babe cannot realize or
fully grasp everything.  He hasn't experienced it yet.   But he will grow and mature and then he will understand.

But when we have been members of the body of Christ for years, and our decorum or propriety of conduct and attitude  toward worship must be examined.  This is our plan and our pose as we will do today.

Now we came here today for the sole purpose of worshipping God.

Now let me say this.  I love those handshakes, smiles,  the discussions of whatever may be of mutual interest to us, always upright and noble.

They may not deal with more than trivia but the concern and fellowship we experience in love is great that is communication.

Learning to appreciate and love one another more through association and dialogue and that's expected.

We are social beings and that is clearly understood by all of us.

However I want to point out that when we come into this auditorium assembled to worship to the extent of our limited abilities we need to focus our minds upon the design and purpose of that assembly.

Preacher,  we are worshipping beings and worship all the time.

Well that's true, we should not forget his divine presence. This is ever apparent to the Christian, and we thank him for
these blessings.    We express our thanks for his providence, and out of his love for us, we repent when we misstep.

I am talking now of special occasions where a congregation of Saints come together to worship God, according to expressed instruction of the scriptures.

The heart and mind must be conditioned so that our worship is accepted of God.

Now that doesn't mean dead and staid.   That doesn't suggest we do not have something to say one to the other.

We can talk and this is possible even after we take a seat in the auditorium.

But we must be careful lest the entire assembly through sound make it appear we are not really conscious why we are here.

For instance one stands to lead the singing.

Sometimes two or more are engaged in conversation. After the leader begins the song,  talking continues we are unwilling to quit our conversations.

What you have to say to someone may be very important and significant,  Yet it does not take precedence over what we are assembled together to do, and our purpose in the assembly.

For my benefit in the purification of my heart.   the worship rendered must be accepted of God. We must be careful lest we become involved in other things.

The story is told of song leader, he begins a song, and two ladies are engaged in serious conversation.  They lean closer together and continued talking during the song.

The song said,  " I bring I bring rich gifts to the what hast thou brought for me."

 In a clear and audible whisper,  ,a pinch of salt, a cup of flour, and a half spoon of sugar is heard.

What is our mind on, what are we thinking about?   Why are we here today?

Exchanging recipes is marvelous.   I think its a great and wonderful way of sharing with someone.

Maybe my wife asks for this one, and that one, and then goes home and tries them out out on me.

I like most of them, swapping recipes is fine,  but we are here for a specific reason.    The worship of God.

I need to focus my attention to the very limit of my potential.  I cannot completely  and utterly divest myself  of every thing around me where other thoughts come flooding in on me and God understands this.  But I can comprehend and appreciate
the purpose for our assembly in this auditorium when we come to worship

The singing so vital in our worship to God.  I sometimes feel and maybe I am mistaken that sometimes a spectator situation may take place

Now I  know there are occasions in the singing when we just stop our heart still carries the lyrics and momentarily I just listen.  But I am also to participate and worship God.  I must be doing my part in the singing.

I understand we know the use of our vocal music.
 

Ephesians 5:19      Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
                             melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16     Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another
                              in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
 

10 times God specified singing, and that is our authority for congregational singing in worship..

The singing is going on, and we talk, and write notes, or something else.

 That attitude is not sincere and reverent.

I need to be conscious of the fact I am here to worship God.  I can't carry a tune in a bucket but it is not the melody
its the words.  We can sing a lie and place a tune to it.  The words with respect and reverence is what matters.

We should develop ourselves to sing with gladness of heart in worship to God.

I Corinthians 14:15    What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also:
                                  I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
 
 

Will I follow and do what God says?

Most of us think of the solemnity of prayer.  We don't interrupt by walking, talking, or whatever, but when it comes to singing we have little or no respect it seems toward its reverence.

Are we emphasizing one part of worship over another.  Like the Lord Super for example?

I think every act of worship is important.  Like the red letter edition of the scripture.

 Somebody says I want the red letters to do exactly what the Lord wants me to do.  Just take it from Matthew to Revelation friend he said it every bit every bit.

What he said personally is of no more validity, or has no more authority, than what he said through his inspired apostles.

We make a mistake at times by thinking one part of what God wants is more important that another part.

Through Christ I have a relationship with God,  it is for my privilege, and joy, and strengthening,  that I am here to worship God.

I need to be very careful,  for I am in the divine presence when I worship.

I Corinthians 11:10    For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Because of the angels,   what's that?   Just the right thing to do?  because of the world? I didn't read that.

No, no, no,  he said because of the angels.

Matthew 18:20   For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We either believe it, or reject it.  If we disbelieve it , then there is no purpose for us to be here.
 
We must accept and understand that God is present with his people.

Think back to the Old Testament,  If you were the high priest approaching  God once a year. Going to the ark of covenant or testimony,  above which is the mercy seat covered with the wings of the cherubim,  in this holy place how would you feel.

If you were not clean, I mean ceremonially clean clothing and body you would die.

Ample preparation with the blood of bulls and goat was made too give atonement for your sins and the people.

You talk about coming into contact with an atomic explosion,  you haven't come into anything if you walk through a hydrogen bomb exploding.

When you come into the presence of God there is an awesome feeling of reverence, Godly fear, and respect for him
 

God doesn't want to scare us,  he seeks our comfort and peace of mind.  Yet he seeks the inclinations and desires of our heart to worship him, and participate in my soul and spirit.  I am worshipping not watching others.

Singing is part of worship.

Then there is the matter of prayer.  Let me say I appreciate the feelings of someone who says I can't pray publicly.

David prayed constantly in his life and talked to him as if talking to a friend.  He acknowledged sins and thanked him for all his care and providence.  I am deficient in that area.  We all feel a little out of order as we come into the throne room of prayer

We must pray.

I Timothy 2:8    I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
 

Matthew 26:41   Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

I  Thessalonians  5:17   Pray without ceasing.

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

James 5:16    Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
                      fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
 
 

Philippians 4:6     Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
                             requests be made known unto God.

We are commanded to pray, yet each one of us is aware of our capacity in prayer.

We assess our ability,  by what we see and hear,  we are prone to this, we are natural and a part of things we see.

Not eloquence is commanded,  nor structured diction, or speech, that's not the idea,  no,no,no,no,no

Prayer is designed to pour our hearts to the Lord.  That's all it amounts to
 

The Pharisee considered himself righteous  and avoided sinners.   He thanked God he wasn't like others, isn't that marvelous.

He gave tithes, fasts, and was not like a filthy sinful publican.

The publican, he bowed himself in humility,  prayed asking for mercy.  He went away justified.

The thoughts of the heart is important.  Even in a public prayer it is not eloquence, but to simply express the desires of your heart/

Examine  the condition of your life,  ask forgiveness, and continual blessings that prayer will fit 99.44 one hundred percent of the audience

A word,  a paragraph,  a whole chapter, just pour your heart out to God.  Maybe your embarrassed by your words, don't let
that worry you God understands what you are trying to express.

Romans 8:26      Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
                          but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
 
 

God knows your mind and heart, you will improve with practice.

When you lead a public prayer do not allow your natural timidity to diminish the sound of your voice.

A microphone is supplied to put every word in the ears of every one.  In every room including the nursery  your voice is amplified just speak in the microphone.

What we are doing is leading the minds of other people in prayer.

I Corinthians 14:16     Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned
                                    say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

Say "amen",  to give thanks, simply and clearly allows other brethren praying with you to concur.

Preacher , Paul was talking about talking in tongues,

That's exactly right, but he went on to say, he would rather speak  5 words to instruct others, than that 10,000 words
nobody understands.

I need to speak up in public prayer, and if the people agree with the prayer they can say amen.

We are talking to the Lord,  not anything fancy, or eloquent, just pouring out our hearts to the Father.
 

This matter and thing about assembling is very important.

Preacher,  the Bible doesn't say I have to be here Sunday night, Wednesday night, meeting, ect.

That's true I agree.  Well preacher,  I am here every Lord's day morning.

But may I ask you to consider this.   I ask this question helpfully and sincerely.

Why aren't you here Sunday night and Wednesday evening.   I know you could give 1,000 answers and say I am tied up.

Second question,   Is what you're tied up in more important than your relationship with God, and the assembly of the saints?

Our assembly shows the world we are God's people.

The assembly shows that he has a resting place in the world.

The assembly shows that God has a power spreading and moving his cause throughout this world.

Absenteeism does not say this to others.

Absenteeism says to a world that may not understand your unique situation, that God doesn't have anything and the devil has it every bit.   Because even those who claim to follow the Lord don't care enough to assemble but an hour a week..

Somebody says preacher, that isn't fair, you said yourself,  the scriptures don't say you have to assemble, Sunday night and Wednesday night,  That's true, that's true.

The scripture did not say what time on the first day of the week to come together, but just please  notice this statement.

If you can be here to worship God, to fellowship with the saints,  to edify, and participate in the services in upbuilding activities to the adoration of God.     If you can be here and are not then you have a problem.

Oh no, no,   you don't have a problem of absenteeism.   You have a heart problem,  You don't love God as you should.

I am not saying that your bad, you may be doing a lot of good works, and that's commendable,   I am saying that you are robbing yourself by your absenteeism.

If I love God,  I will seek to worship, and spend time with him and his people.
 
 
The Lord did not state every date to worship him,  but he wants me to worship out of love.

Because I love him is why I worship.  This is the only motivation that is acceptable to God.
 

Would you be here tonight  and at every other service?  If not, does the Lord understand your reason?
 

CONCLUSION
The way we worship is vital to our soul salvation.  Have you obeyed the Lord and are you a faithful Christian?

                Believe Jesus as God son, John 8:24
                Repent of sins, Acts 2:38
                Confess the Lord with the mouth, Romans 10:10
                Be baptized for the washing away of sins, Acts 22:16
                Live faithful unto death, Revelation 2:10
 
 
 
 
 
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