 |
|||
Volume. XXIV, No. 45 From The Pastors Heart: Worship 7My last thought about giving is from the Lord’s instruction. Paul says in Acts 20:35, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” One of the primary reasons that people do not give to the Lord is the love of money, which is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10a). The Lord Jesus taught us that the whereabouts of our hearts are the same as whereabouts of our treasure in Matthew 6:21. It means that the Lord does not force anybody to give anything to Him, unless they are willing to give. But, here is some wise advice from the Lord: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). The next principle of worship is: Fourth, worship has its own time.
Of course, I am not saying that there are times we cannot worship, or there are only certain times we are allowed to worship. Worship is a way of life, if we believe in God. However, what I am saying is that there are times for corporate and special worship.
One, when God visits His people, they worship. Exodus 4:31 (cf. 12:27; 34:8) says, “And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.” The children of Israel suffered under the bondage of the Egyptians. They were slaves and did not have the privilege of keeping their own male-babies. God saw their afflictions and sent Moses to them for deliverance. This was a time when the people worshipped. This practice was also found in the Exodus story. Exodus 12:27 says, “That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD\'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”
Two, there are times designated for all God’s people to bring themselves to the presence of God. It may also include voluntary worship appointed by the head of the family. 1 Samuel 1:3, “And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.” Eli brought his family to worship the Lord at the tabernacle in Shilo. The text says that it was a yearly practice. This practice may include two things: one is about the place of worship and the other is the frequency of the required worship. Deuteronomy 12:5-7 says, “But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.” Deuteronomy 16:16-17, “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: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” In this compulsory requirement to all males of Israel, there are three stipulations: (1) a place of worship: Jeremiah 26:2, “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD\'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD\'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Acts 8:27, “And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship”; (2) the frequency (designated feasts) of worship, and (3) offerings. It is important to know that God who is everywhere and is able to be worshipped anywhere designates a place of His worship for corporate worship. However, we must not forget John 4:20-24, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” How we worship is even more important than where we worship in the New Testament. Even all the Gentiles and heathen will come and worship God. Malachi 1:11, “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zephaniah 2:11, “The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.” Three, when we are grieved and submit ourselves to God’s unknown will, we worship Him. Job 1:20, “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.”
Third, when a person is dedicated to the Lord’s service, he worships. 1 Samuel 1:28, “Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there” [cf. 2 Sam. 15:32]. Samuel was dedicated lifetime service to the Lord. He was also an answer to his mother’s prayer with vows. He worshipped in the tabernacle at Shilo.
Fourth, there are appointed times to worship. Isaiah 66:23 says, “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” There were special feasts in the Old Testament, when the children of Israel were gathered to worship. Besides, they offered sacrifices both in the morning and evening as a form of their worship. It was a daily activity. Acts 2:46 reveals a bit of information about early Christians’ worship: “And they, 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.” They came to the temple every day. We need to understand that early Christians came to the temple to worship God until there was a final breakup between Judaism and Christians. Worship was a daily activity.
Fifth, Sabbath day worship is something that we need to consider. Modern day Christians have forgotten the sanctity of the Day of the Lord. We do not worship on Jewish Sabbath day any more but on the Day of the Lord when Jesus rose again from the dead. However, the sanctity of the Day of the Lord must be equally honored as the Sabbath day was honored in the Old Testament. One day out of a week must be devoted to worship God. In fact, the Sabbath day concept was instituted by the Lord Himself in Genesis 2 and clearly commanded in the Ten Commandments. I hope that all of you will read Isaiah 56 and meditate upon it. Nothing hurts me more than seeing professing Christians who despise the Lord’s Day. Some professing Christians deliberately make holiday plans so they skip the Lord’s day worship in order to extend their holidays. They leave on Sunday morning and return after Sunday worship. What I know is that God honors those who honor Him. If we are on holiday and cannot find a church nearby, we still need to gather ourselves in a place to worship God and sanctify the day. Do your businesses on other days but worship Him on His Day. Sanctify the Day of the Lord. I’ll write a few more words about the Lord’s day worship next week before moving on to the next principle.
Lovingly,
Your Pastor
|
|