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Worship – Part 2
of 2
Exodus 34:14
by Paul
George
In order for our worship to
be pleasing to God, it must be according to the principles set down in the
Bible. In Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, the principles of
worship are clearly established. First, the woman believed that the central
place where God was to be worshiped was on Mount Gerizim (John 4:20). Although
she, as a Samaritan, looked for the coming Messiah, she worshiped in
considerable ignorance for the Samaritans rejected all the Old Testament books
save those books of Moses, called the Pentateuch. Even these Scriptures were
altered to conform to the Samaritan preoccupation with Mount Gerizim. Second, in
the conversation with the woman Jesus reveals the essential principles of
worship.
God Is the Initiatory of
True Worship
The words of our Lord to the
Samaritan woman indicate that it is the Father who actively seeks true
worshipers (John 4:23). God has initiated our worship of Himself in several
ways. First, He has revealed Himself to us in human flesh, in the person of
Jesus Christ. When men recognized Him as God’s Messiah, they worshiped Him (John
9:35-38). Secondly, He has accomplished redemption through the work of Jesus
Christ. The sin that alienated us from God, Jesus paid the penalty for sin by
His death on the cross. Third, He has given us the written word that instructs
us in true worship.
God Is the Enabler of
Acceptable Worship
Just as God has initiated
worship, He enables us to worship Him through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26;
Philippians 3:3).
God Is the Object of
Acceptable Worship
All acceptable worship is
God-centered. Worship is God-centered when we focus our worship on God, His
perfection, and His desire for praise and adoration. All too often, we try to
modernize worship, to update it and make it more meaningful and relevant to us.
Our worship should be relevant and meaningful to us, but we must see that
worship is first for God’s sake rather than our own. When we place the emphasis
of our worship on what God will do for us rather than upon our duty of devotion
to God our worship is not God-centered.
Acceptable Worship Is
Worship in Spirit
The Samaritan woman, as did
many Jews, thought that worship was essentially a matter of externals. She was
preoccupied with a central place of worship: “this mountain” (verse 20). The
Jews thought of worship in terms of sacrifices, rituals, observances and holy
days. The essence of true worship is internal, in spirit, not external. God is a
spirit being; thus, we must worship consistent with His nature.
Israel’s worship under the
Law consisted of many ceremonies and rituals, but even then, God was concerned
with what went on in the spirit of those who worshiped. Repeatedly the outward
forms and motions of worship were condemned by the prophets (Isaiah 1:10-17;
29:13; Matthew 15:8-9; Mark 7:6-7). This is why an unbeliever can never worship
God; his spirit has never been quickened. He is dead in his trespasses and sins
(Ephesians 2:1).
Even today there is a great
emphasis on externals, stained-glass windows and magnificent cathedrals, massive
choirs and expensive organs, the eloquent oratory, the dignity of liturgy and so
on, rather than communion with God in our spirits, as the Holy Spirit works to
communicate between our spirit and God’s (1 Corinthians 2:10ff.).
Acceptable Worship is
Worship in Truth
As countless others, the
Samaritan woman worshiped in ignorance; she worshiped “what she knew not” (vs.
22). Acceptable worship can never be that which we deem best; it must be a
response to the divine self-disclosure of God. Our Lord Jesus personified God’s
truth (John 14:6) and so men could worship Him in truth. If our worship of God
is not firmly based on the truth of God revealed in the Scriptures, it is
unacceptable to God.
There Is Freedom in
Worship in Our Age
One of the contrasts between
the worship of our age and that under the Law is the freedom that we are given.
The perfect church service
would be one were our attention would have been on God and not the service. The
perfect church service would be one were the focus would be on God and not
entertainment. The perfect service would be one where the charge to Peter would
be fulfilled, “Feed my sheep.”
Worship Is Our Highest
Calling
“Man’s chief and highest end
is to glorify God, and fully enjoy Him forever.” Worship is the occupation of
eternity.
May God help us to worship
Him in spirit and truth.
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