January 18, 2008

• Bible Reading: Things To Look for in a Church–What We Find in Solomon's Temple, # 3: Worship

  WORSHIP OF GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS AND MERCY
  

  
  

  They ... praised the LORD, saying,
  For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
  (II Chronicles 5:13; 7:3)

  The children of Israel worshiped the LORD with these words of acclaim: For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever. These praises filled the temple. What sounds fill our church gatherings? Mouths filled with praises to our God ought to be one of the hallmarks of the people of God.

  Part of God's purpose in choosing us is for us to be a people who continually exalt Him:[1]

  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (I Peter 2:9-10).

  This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise (Isaiah 43:21).

  What portion of our gatherings with other believers is spent in praise to our God? One defining characteristic of the Church is that we are the people of God, saved by His blood, so we alone can render thanks and praise to Him for His gift of salvation. How often do we remember that our God is good and His mercy endures forever? Do we consider singing as only a filler that comes before the sermon? Do we become distracted with church business and forget that an essential component of the Church's business is to render praises unto our God? When we gather together as God's people for a "worship service", is worship really our primary concern? Does our time of worship focus on Him or on us? Do we look to exult in Him and lift Him up, or do we make ourselves central by focusing on what we can get out of our time together?

  Do we truly treasure the miracle that the Gospel of Christ is? Do we wonder at the love of God which brought the Kingdom of God to sinful men through the Lord Jesus Christ's willingness to come to earth to become the Lamb of God slain for the sin of the world. Has the incarnation become a mere doctrine to us? Do we not value the magnificence of such a God who condescended to us since we had no power to come to Him? Does our love for our Savior so fill us that it spills out in lavish and extravagant praise to our God in the same way Mary Magdalene broke the alabaster jar of perfume and poured it out as proof of the deep love that gushed forth from her heart for Jesus. Do we get excited when we sing, hear and read the Gospel story all over again? For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. Do we forget that apart from His mercies toward us, we deserve only eternal damnation? To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him (Daniel 9:9). Do we pray with earnest, If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? (Psalm 130:3). Apart from the saving and sanctifying grace of our God through our Lord Jesus, who always lives to intercede for us, we are bound in sin, prone to wander and perpetual backsliders.

  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him (Psalm 103:8-13).
  

  Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote:

  A Christian who does not delight always to go back again and consider our Lord, and all that He did, how He came and died and rose again, is confessing that there is something seriously wrong with himself. We must never cease to marvel at the fact that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son into it in the way He did, and that the Son endured and suffered and died and rose again.[2]

  Do we delight to always go back again and consider ... do we never cease to marvel ... ?

  Do we praise God for His goodness and mercy shown to us through the cross of Jesus Christ? Do we praise our God who loved us so much that He who sent His only begotten Son to die for us while we were powerless and while we were yet sinners? Has amazing grace become commonplace to us? Have we forgotten the cost of our redemption: the precious blood of the Son of God was shed for us. Do we stand in awe that God became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. Do we stand amazed that Christ in human form lived a holy life without sin? Do we remember how He suffered in our place although he did no wrong. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (II Cor. 5:21). He bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (I Peter 2:24). Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Hebrews 5:7-9). Do we marvel that a holy God died willingly for our sin? Do we tremble at the resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead? Are we filled with astonishment that the very power that raised Jesus from the dead comes to give life to our mortal bodies also (Romans 8:11)?

  Have we begun to take God's goodness and mercy for granted? Has our salvation become passé to us? Have we somehow come to think we deserve this salvation or have earned this gift of salvation or aren't really all that bad after all? Have we come to believe that adhering to our orthodox doctrine entitles us to receive His mercy? Do we think that our good works curry favor with Him and in some way entitle us to receive His mercy? Or rather, do we cry out with David, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? (II Sam. 7:18)

  Should not the Church marvel all the day that we who were not a people are now the people of God and we who had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy? Glorious, wondrous, amazing grace flowing down on us through the blood shed at cross by our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

  
  We Were Once . . . But Now
  
  We were once
  born in sin
  but now
  are born again
  
  We were once
  not a people
  but now
  are the people of God
  
  We were once
  shown no mercy
  but now
  are shown mercy

  We were once
  under wrath
  but now
  under grace

  We were once
  afar off
  but now
  are made near by the blood of Christ

  We were once
  like sheep going astray
  but now
  are returned to our Shepherd of our souls

  We were once
  dead
  but now
  are alive

  We were once
  lost
  but now
  are found
  
  We were once
  without hope
  but now
  rejoice in hope of the glory of God
  
  We were once
  without Christ
  but now
  are in Christ

  We were once
  captives
  but now
  are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ

  We were once
  strangers and aliens
  but now
  are sons of God and joint heirs with Jesus
  
  We were once
  dead in transgressions and sins
  but now
  are covered by His blood

  We were once
  filthy
  but now
  are made clean
  
  We were once
  walking in darkness
  but now
  are children of light

  We were once
  stony hearted
  but now
  are given hearts of flesh
  
  We were once
  mourning and ash-covered
  but now
  are dripping with oil of joy
  
  We were once
  condemned
  but now
  are redeemed
  
  We were once
  guilty
  but now
  are justified
  
  We were once
  desolate
  but now
  are married
  
  We were once
  forsaken
  but now
  are delighted in
  
  We were once
  barren
  but now
  are fruitful
  
  We were once
  clothed with filthy rags
  but now
  are clothed with robes of righteousness
  
  We were once
  ashamed
  but now
  are honored
  
  We were once
  driven out
  but now
  are gathered together
  
  We were once
  slaves to sin
  but now
  are slaves to righteousness

  We were once
  under the law
  but now
  are under grace

  We were once
  in bondage
  but now
  are free indeed

  We were once
  bound to the law
  but now
  are bound to Christ

  We were once
  bearing fruit to death
  but now
  are bearing fruit to God
  
  We were once
  lovers of self
  but now
  are lovers of God
  
  We were once
  perishing with hunger
  but now
  are filled at His banqueting table
  
  We were once
  darkness
  but now
  are light
  
  We were once
  flavorless
  but now
  are salt
  
  We were once
  vessels for dishonor
  but now
  are vessels for honor
  
  We were once
  ruined
  but now
  are repaired
  
  We were once
  broken down
  but now
  are rebuilt
  
  We were once
  captive
  but now
  are set free
  
  We were once
  imprisoned
  but now
  are liberated

  We were once
  lame
  but now
  are leaping
  
  We were once
  broken-hearted
  but now
  are healed
  
  We were once
  without comfort
  but now
  are comforted
  
  
  And the even more amazing thing is that in Christ God's mercy endures forever. He keeps on loving us for Christ's sake in spite of our continuing sin and stubbornness.

  God's mercy with a sinner is only equaled and perhaps outmatched by His patience with the saints, with you and me.[3]

  We are no less dependent on the goodness and mercy today than we were the day we were saved.[4]

  Are we rejoicing in our salvation? Do we rejoice that we who once were begging prodigals have been adopted into the family of God by our heavenly Father? Heaven rejoices over us as does our Father, who rejoices over us with joy. Should we not be continually rejoicing in God for His goodness and mercy toward us each and every day?

  
  Isn't our worship together really a big party of prodigals lifting praises to the One who brought us from death to life? Do we have such a celebration in our hearts every day?

  After all, the Day will come when we will never cease to marvel at the fact that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son into it in the way He did, and that the Son endured and suffered and died and rose again as we repeat the refrain: Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. At that time, all the redeemed will be gathered around the Son of God, the spotless, slain Lamb of God, singing such praises to our God forever and ever and ever as John describes in Revelation:
  
  

  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes (Rev. 7:9-17).
  

  * * *
  

  I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth (Psalm 57:9-11).

  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; 12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom (Psalm 145:8-12).

  Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalm 106:1).

  Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation (Psalm 68:19).
  

  
  

  ---

  
  [1] Here I am focusing primarily on worship in the more traditional sense – worship as defined by singing God's praises, as was happening in the temple. However, we cannot forget that our whole lives ought to be given over to God in worship (coming soon to a blog near you). As we are indwelt by God's Holy Spirit, we are transformed and empowered to live as God's holy people, sanctified and separated to God, in a sinful world. As the Church lives as an holy nation and a peculiar people ... as strangers and pilgrims, and as we abstain from fleshly lusts, we shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light (I Peter 2:9, 11).
  
  [2] D.M. Lloyd-Jones, "Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 7.1-8.4. The Law: Its Functions and Limits" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 1979, seventh printing), 42.

  [3] Alan Redpath, "Victorious Christian Service: Studies in the Book of Nehemiah" (Santa Ana, Ca: Calvary Chapel Publishing: 2005; orig. published in 1960), 146.

  [4] When we see ourselves as sinners saved by grace, we cannot help but be humbled. This should spill out and affect our relationships with others, both inside and outside the church. An attitude of humility should pervade our churches, but too often we are prideful though we have no reason to be so. We become full of ourselves when we stop kneeling at the cross of Calvary's grace and see the only good in us comes through Christ.

  Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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