WCF 21.6 WLC 11 (Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day)

PREFACE: We continue to define what are the key forms of religious worship as well as what it ought to look like on the Sabbath day as we are gathered as church… religious worship: Prayer, reading & hearing of God’s Word (sound preaching on Lord’s day) with genuine commitment to be doers the Word of God with faith/understanding/godly fear, not hearers only… Now continue

6a.Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the Gospel(bullet# 1), either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed(bullet# 2)(22); but God is to be worshipped everywhere(1), in spirit and truth(bullet# 3)(2);

1 - is now, under the Gospel, either tied unto: WCF is stating something changed about the condition of religious worship under the gospel.

And what changed? It is no longer… (NEXT)

2 - either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed:

This implies that before the Gospel event took place, the place of worship mattered as God Himself instructed the OT saints like Abraham & Jacob, to worship Him in specific places as meeting points (usually on hills/mountains) for holy encounters with God. Though God is omnipresent(everywhere), this shows the seriousness of approaching God’s presence.

Just look at the strict regulations God gave Moses on Mt. Sinai surrounding the construction of the tabernacle where God would reside along with sacred instructions on how worship shall be carried out by the people of Israel. It spans 15 chapters (Exodus 25 - 40)

Even prophet, Daniel when exiled to Babylon looked towards Jerusalem where the temple was destroyed when he prayed and worshiped God.

And what is the gospel? Good news of salvation & redemption by the death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ, incarnate Son of God. For what? Your miserable condition as enemies of God due to your sins.

And it is precisely because of what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, according to the Gospel(good news), has done to declare you perfectly righteous before God’s holy judgement, the promised Holy Spirit of God indwells in you, making you the temple of God. Therefore worship is neither tied to… (NEXT)

This is why Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, John 4:21 “... believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”… (NEXT)

3 - but God is to be worshipped everywhere(1), in spirit and truth:

What is meant by spirit & truth?

6b. as in private families(bullet# 1)(3) daily(bullet# 2)(4), and in secret(bullet# 3), each one by himself(bullet# 4)(5);

6c. so, more solemnly in the public assemblies(bullet# 1), which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected, or forsaken(bullet# 2), when God, by His Word or providence, calls thereunto(bullet# 3)(6).

22. John 4:21 “Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”

Malachi 1:11 “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” ; 1 Timothy 2:8 “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;”

John 4:23–24 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.””

Jeremiah 10:25 “Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name, for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.” ; Deuteronomy 6:6–7 “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” ; Job 1:5 “And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.” ; 2 Samuel 6:18 “And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts” , 2 Samuel 6:20 “And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”” ; 1 Peter 3:7 “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” ; Acts 10:2 “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.”

Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread,”

Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” ; Ephesians 6:18 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

Isaiah 56:6–7 ““And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”” ; Hebrews 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” ; Proverbs 1:20–21 “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:” , Proverbs 1:24 “Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,” ; Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” ; Acts 13:42 “As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.” ; Luke 4:16 “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.” ; Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Q 11. How does it appear that the Son and the Holy Spirit are God equal with the Father?

a. The Scriptures manifest that the Son and the Holy Spirit are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names(bullet# 1)(6), attributes(bullet# 2)(7), works(bullet# 3)(8), and worship(bullet# 4)(9), as are proper to God only(bullet# 5).

6. Isaiah 6:3 “And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”” , Isaiah 6:5 “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”” , Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”” ; John 12:41 “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” ; Acts 28:25 “And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:” ; 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” ; Acts 5:3–4 “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.””

7. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ; Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” ; John 2:24–25 “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” ; 1 Corinthians 2:10–11 “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

8. Colossians 1:16 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” ; Genesis 1:2 “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

9. Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” ; 2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Our Father God Who Art...Hallowed be Thy Name

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done...

Give us this day our daily bread...

And forgive us our sin...

As we forgive those who sin against us...

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen