Incarnation: Worship Him!

Title: Worship Him!

Text: Hebrews 1:6

Series: Incarnation

Date: 12/19/2021

Introduction:

Are you ready for Heaven?

Image:

Revelation 5:13-14 is one of the most vivid pictures in the Bible of the worship of Jesus.

Subject: Worship is the love-induced bowing of our hearts and presenting of our bodies before the LORD. See Romans 12:1.

Need:

Are you so bored with the worship of Jesus that you opt for some other distraction?

“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” [Tozer, A. W.. Whatever Happened to Worship?: A Call to True Worship . Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.]

What do you think is the most important activity of God’s gathered people?

“The most important and highest activity that a company of God's people could ever engage in, is to offer Almighty God acceptable worship.” —D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones [Owens, Ron. Return to Worship: A God-Centered Approach . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

Existential question:

How can I persist in the worship of Jesus this Christmas season?

Text: Hebrews 1:6

Preview:

Where we agree - Jesus IS worthy of spiritual worship

Where we disagree — Jesus is worthy of worship with our entire person

Gospel Fulfillment - Persist in the worship of Jesus (How)

Body:

Resonance - Where we agree: Jesus is worthy of spiritual worship.

Statement of Idea:

We must believe that the Son is Worthy of our Persistent Worship.

Illustration: [re: drifting…Norris Lake] When we visit Norris Lake, we like to anchor the boat in a calm place and get out and swim. There have been times when we are misled to believe that the lake is so calm that we will not drift. Over time, we realize that even though we may not have seen ripples in the water, we had drifted.

In life, there are struggles that are like big ripples in the water of our lives. In those times, we know we need to be anchored by the truth of Jesus; but there are also that times when the water may seem calm, and this is misleading so much so that we begin to drift. Whether the ripples are noticeable or not, we must persist in increasing in the knowledge of Jesus, believing who He is, and worshipping Him faithfully — being tethered by Jesus Christ as the anchor of our souls. (Hebrews 6:19)

There are truths that anchor our souls, and the truth of the Person of Jesus as the God-Man, who is the complete speech of God is an anchor that keeps us from drifting.

Explanation (Show it) Hebrews 1:6

(a) And again - God has spoken multiple times in the OT to show that the Son is worthy of worship by showing how much greater He is than angels.

(b) When he bringeth again the firstborn [Colossians 1:15,18] - God has acted in such a way that uniquely manifests the greatness of the Son in contrast to the angels.

(c) He says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” - God has instructed the powerful angels to worship the exalted Son.

Application:

(Hebrews 2:1) Pay close attention to this truth about Jesus, so that you don’t drift away.

Dissonance - Where we disagree: Jesus is worthy of worship with our entire person.

Statement of Idea:

We must believe that the Son is Worthy of our Practiced Worship.

Illustration:

Connection to opening: heart/practice

Quote:

“You think what you have is a lust problem, but what you really have is a worship problem. The question you have to answer each day is, Will I worship God or will I worship sex?” [Idleman, Kyle. Gods at War: Defeating the Idols that Battle for Your Heart . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.]

Maybe the worship problem is not sex. Maybe the worship problem is relaxation, pleasure, money…etc Whatever it is, it is a worship problem.

We may think that we no longer have this tendency to worship other gods. Maybe this is because we don't recognize the ones we may be serving. [Owens, Ron. Return to Worship: A God-Centered Approach . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

Explanation (Show it)

(a) We agree that Jesus is worthy of worship, but we practice the neglect of God’s Word about Jesus (Hebrews 1:1)

But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself…that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan…or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.” - Savoy Declaration

[Beeke, A Puritan Theology, 653]

(b) We agree that Jesus is worthy of worship, but we practice life as if lesser things/beings have received greater authority (Hebrews 1:2)

John Owen taught at least 4 aims of worship. Among these aims he believed that the first of these was sanctifying the name of God by reverencing his authority.

He said, “Christians also sanctify God’s name by delighting in His will, wisdom, love and grace…This delight is not to be a carnal self-pleasing” or a “satisfaction in the outward modes or manner of the performance of divine worship.”

[Beeke, A Puritan Theology, p. 676].

He felt that outward forms, customs that were for the pleasure of people were too much like the Roman Mass. We should not give greater submission to these than we do to Christ and His authority.

App: Today, we submit our emotions to the authority of outward forms — so much so that when they are gone, we begin to realize that we were worshipping the form (i.e. choir, orchestration, decor, 20th Century practices....etc).

(c) We agree that Jesus is worthy of worship, but we practice life as if other things have more power to create & sustain (Hebrews 1:3)

An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.” There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.

Keller, Timothy. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters . Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

(d) We agree that Jesus is worthy of worship, but we practice life as if our wrongs can be made repaired by our rights (Hebrews 1:3)

Application:

(a) If we agree [that Jesus is worthy of worship], then practicing worship incl. listening to the Word of God.

Owen, “Every member of Christ’s church is to search the scriptures, to inquire into the mind of Christ, and to find out whatever is appointed by him...” [Beeke, p. 677, A Puritan Theology]

Our concept of God is sure to be faulty when He is conceived out of our emotions, preconceived notions, or what makes us feel good, rather than out of His Word. [Owens, Ron. Return to Worship: A God-Centered Approach . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

(b) If we agree, then practicing worship incl. joint submission to the Word of God.

There are two parts to consider here:

(1) Christians, as part of the local body, should worship by obeying Jesus in partaking of His ordinances.

(2) Christians, as part of a local body, should worship Jesus by obedience to the commandments of scripture.

Illustration: Uzzah [quote form Owen, p. 676] II Samuel 6:6-7.

“There be many Uzzahs amongst us, who have an itching desire to be fingering the ark. These…wanted to worship in their own way…He warned that none should under a pretence of Christian liberty and freedom of conscience, cast away all brotherly amity, and cut themselves off from the communion of the church.”

(c) If we agree, then practicing worship incl. rejecting all other life dominating sins. (i.e. submitting to the power of money, image, sex, drugs, social media slander, laziness, gluttony, drunkenness…etc)

Idleman’s Questions [Ibid]:

What disappoints you?

What do you complain about the most?

Where do you make financial sacrifices?

What worries you?

Where is your sanctuary?

What infuriates you?

What are your dreams?

(d) If we agree, then practicing worship incl. doing right because we have been made right by the blood of Jesus.

The person who persists in wrong will be lost forever.

The person who persists in right to offset his wrongs will be lost forever.

The person who persists in right because He has been made right will live forever.

Transition:

While we agree that Jesus is worthy of worship, a close examination of our lives may actually reveal that we are living in contradiction to our profession.

Becoming aware of this is one of the primary ways to redirect our worship, but why is it expected of God’s people that they worship Jesus?

How can I persist in the worship of Jesus this Christmas season?

Gospel Fulfillment - Persist in the worship of Jesus (How).

Statement of Idea:

We must believe that the Son is Worthy of our full faith in Worship.

Illustration: Luke 4:5-8

Explanation (Show it)

(a) Jesus endured temptation fully - Hebrews 4:15 .

(b) Jesus’ life obtained for us the righteousness we could never attain. Exodus 20:3, Romans 8:3.

(c) Jesus’ resurrection obtained for us the life so that we could worship Him.

Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died on the cross and rose from the grave to make worshippers out of rebels! He has done it all through grace. We are the recipients.

[Tozer, A. W.. Whatever Happened to Worship?: A Call to True Worship . Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.]

(d) Jesus’ exaltation clarified Who should receive worship. Hebrews 1:6.

3 options: incarnation, second coming, or exaltation (Philippians 2:9-11].

Ill: It is the return of the Hero.

Application:

Let your heart be filled with the love for Christ as you consider all that he has done. Don’t commit adultery with any other false god this season.

Is Jesus not worthy?

Is Jesus not worthy of our deepest affections?

Is Jesus not worthy of our declared blessing?

Is Jesus not worthy of our dutiful concentration?

Is Jesus not worthy of our daily devotion?

Is Jesus not worthy of our devoted exaltation?

Is Jesus not worthy of our deep fondness?

Is Jesus not worthy of our dutiful glorification?

Is Jesus not worthy of our deepest honor?

Is Jesus not worthy of our devout idolization?

Is Jesus not worthy of our undisputed love?

Is Jesus not worthy of our dutiful magnification?

Is Jesus not worthy of our dedicated praise?

Is Jesus not worthy of our deepest reverence?

Is Jesus not worthy of our devout veneration?

Is Jesus not worthy of our WORSHIP?

Bridge to Conclusion:

Existential Question:

How can I persist in the worship of Jesus this Christmas season?

Summary of Points:

Where we agree - Jesus IS worthy of spiritual worship

Where we disagree — Jesus is worthy of worship with our entire person

Gospel Fulfillment - Persist in the worship of Jesus (How)

Transition to Applications:

Conclusion:

Applications:

(1) To worship him, you must be His.

Will you receive Jesus today?

(2) To worship him, your heart must be consumed with his word.

Will you persist in the worship of Jesus through the Word?

Will you persist in the worship of Jesus through undistracted meditation upon his word?

(3) To worship him, your heart must be shaped by others in worship.

Will you persist in the worship of Jesus by faithful assembly with the body of Christ?

(4) To worship him, your heart must manifest worship in practice. (loving, sacrificial service for the undeserving).

Will you persist in the worship of Jesus by loving your wives?

Will you persist in worship by denying ungodliness?

Will you persist in worship by submitting to the needs of one another?

Heaven is the place where those who are true worshippers will continue to worship — and the object of their worship is Jesus!