Biblical Worship, Intro

Lord willing this morning we will begin to examine a subject that the Lord has been laying on my heart in recent weeks-- and that is the subject of corporate worship.

It is always a good thing to examine all things in light of God’s Word-- and how we worship and our attitudes (in our hearts and minds) concerning worship should be examined regularly. The very word worship means to bow down, to adore, to show respect. It is truly a humbling act where we recognize our unworthiness and God’s worthiness. Worship recognizes the glory, the power, the majesty, and of the great attributes of the One, True, Living, Triune God.

In worship we give honor, praise, and glory to God. Worship requires reverence and respect. In Hebrews 12:28 we are instructed to worship God acceptably with reverence and godly fear-- or better put with reverence and awe.

With this in mind we need to examine ourselves to see if we are worshiping God in an acceptable way.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5-6, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.”

Examine yourselves to prove the faith that was given to you as a gift by God. If you have received faith, you first received grace-- and if you received grace you are not a reprobate-- for a reprobate will never be saved, because they will never receive the free grace of God.

You can know that you have been given faith-- and as God’s elect, his chosen and redeemed child, you can know that you are not a reprobate destined for hell.

Our confession states in the chapter on Assurance, “… such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.

2. This certainly is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith, founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ, revealed in the gospel; and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God, and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy.”

In those assurances we have more reason to worship.

Knowing we have been given faith, and seeing the grace of God in our lives should provoke a response in us. That response should be one of praise and worship for the savior of our souls.

By grace we have been saved-- saved from sin and eternal punishment in hell.

We all deserve it. We are not worthy of God’s love and grace-- but he freely gives it to his people.

Through the perfect sinless life of Jesus Christ who was offered up once for all as a perfect sacrifice, a propitiation for our sins-- taking the wrath of God that we deserve, through his suffering and death on the cross at Calvary, through his burial in the grave for three days, through his resurrection-- where he conquered death and sin --- through all of that we are saved. Through Jesus Christ alone, by God’s Grace alone-- we are saved!

That should make us want to worship God with everything in us.

We should want to worship him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

I have organized this message into points that are in the form of questions.

Why do we worship? How do we know “how to” worship? What are the Elements of worshiping God? What do we receive from Biblical Worship? And How do we approach corporate worship?

I will be turning to our confession of faith, The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, throughout this message. Our Baptist Forefathers who wrote and subscribed to this confession were very wise. There are some great explanations of things in there and I feel it is important to look back at our stated beliefs for some refreshing of sound doctrine and to see the great truths the Lord has given his people.

Why do we worship?

I think I already led into this with Jesus Christ dying for our sins and the free grace that God has Sovereignly bestowed upon us; God is the foundation of our life. We are called to worship him in the Scriptures.

We worship because we are saved by God’s grace. We were redeemed by the work of Christ, and we were made God’s people-- he deserves our worship.

Now there are two types of worship: the first, is Personal worship (your individual private worship and/or worship with family) and the second, is Corporate Worship-- which is the assembled elect of a local church worshiping. We are focusing on the corporate this morning-- what we do as a gathering of God’s elect.

How do we know how to worship?

Our confession of faith has an entire chapter on worship. There are 8 paragraphs in that chapter on the subject. I’m not going to read all 8, at least not at this very moment. But I do want to read the first paragraph now.

Chapter 22 Of Religious Worship And The Sabbath-Day.

Paragraph “1. The light of nature shows that there is a God who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good, and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God, is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.”

Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 17.

Worship is instituted by God himself and all the ways of that worship are prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. But we need something else.

Eph 1:17–23, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

We know how to worship because God’s Holy Spirit works within us. He instructs, he guides us, and he moves us to worship. The Holy Spirit gives us the heart, the mind, the will, the strength, and the desire to worship God.

John 4:23–24, Jesus said, “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.”

It is only by the Holy Spirit and in Jesus Christ that we are able to worship. The verse says in spirit and truth. What is the truth? Truth is what God prescribes in his Word, according to his will, on how he is to be worshiped.

This is part of a doctrine that in theological language is called the Regulative Principle of Worship.

What that means is that Worship is Regulated by the Scriptures alone. The Scriptures teach us that God’s Word is the ultimate and final rule and authority for all matters of faith and life. We don’t dare go beyond what they Lord has given in his Word. We don’t add to it, and we don’t take away from it. What I read from the first paragraph of chapter 22 of the confession a moment ago is an explanation of the same thing.

We believe that what is not commanded in the Scriptures is forbidden.

2 Tim 3:15–17, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.(this is the critical verse here- key to the regulative principle) 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” Scripture alone.

Additionally, the Regulative Principle teaches us that not only are we to do things that are a command, but we are to do things that are also given by example. If God does not command us to do something, or he doesn’t give us an example-- then we don’t do it. If he commands it and/or gives an example-- you better do it.

Deuteronomy 11:1, “Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.”

Command and example-- very important principle.

We have another theological term called the Analogy of Faith. Simply put-- Scripture interprets Scripture. Isaiah 28:10-13, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little...”

Our confession of faith explains this principle in chapter 1.

Paragraph “7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all, yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.

Paragraph 9, this is the more important paragraph in explaining the Analogy of Faith, “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly.”

Taken all together these principles shape the foundation for how we worship-- we look to the Word of God alone for direction and we go nowhere else.

What are the Elements of worshiping God?

The things that we learn from the Scriptures in commands and/or examples for worship comprise a number of key elements that need to be observed.

The confession of faith states in chapter 22, paragraph “5. The reading of the Scriptures, preaching and hearing the Word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, as also the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, are all parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to him with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover, solemn humiliation, with fastings and thanksgiving, upon special occasions, ought to be used in a holy and religious manner.”

Lord willing we will look at these stated elements of worship and a few not necessarily mentioned in that paragraph.

1. The Assembly

Throughout the Bible, we read about God’s people assembling together to worship him. You can’t have corporate worship without multiple people. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Mt 18:20.

We are taught in the Word that believers are part of one body, which is Christ Jesus. The people of God are referred to as the “called out ones.” They are a separate people.

Peter says, 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him (which is worshiping him) who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 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.”

God intends for his people to gather that we should shew forth his praises-- to worship him in one accord. We see this often in the book of Acts.

Acts 2:46-47, “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, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

There is a great example for us on gathering as God’s people.

In Colossians 2:2–3 Paul says, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Without assembling together we cannot be knit together as the body of Christ, and by that assembling we will know God to a greater degree.

Family integrated worship

How does one become a member of this assembly? Upon profession of faith and scriptural baptism a believer can be admitted into the local church.

Our confession states in chapter 27, paragraph “6. The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their profession and walking their obedience unto that call of Christ; and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel.”

That subjection to the ordinances is a willful submission and humbling to receive what the Lord has commanded for observance-- principally baptism for admittance into the local church.

So let’s take a look at our second element of worship:

2. Partaking of the Ordinances- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

According to our confession, “Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only Lawgiver, to be continued in his church to the end of the world.”

We’ll take a look at Baptism first- I’m a Baptist so I’m going to spend a few minutes here.

Jesus commanded Baptism in Mt 28:18–20 ,”All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore (here is the command), and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Peter, in Acts 10:45, says, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

There were true believers who were regenerated by the Holy Spirit and Peter said they need to be baptized.

Born again, professing believers are the only worthy subjects of baptism.

That’s why we don’t baptize infants.

In Acts chapter 8 Phillip is led by the Holy Spirit to preach Jesus unto the Ethiopian Eunuch. The Holy Spirit converted the Eunuch and moved him to want to be Baptized.

Ac 8:36–39, “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water (full immersion there), the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

We have the command and the example in Scripture for Baptism. In the case of the Eunuch we have his conversion and his baptism;

and then he goes away rejoicing-- he was worship the Lord with joy.

Turn with me to Romans 6:1.

Does the natural man want to be Baptized? No. Baptism represents what Christ did in saving sinners- his death, burial, and resurrection. The Gospel is foolish to the unregenerate man. The natural man is rebellious and in bondage to sin. He is proud and arrogant and will not submit unto the commands and examples set forth by God.

But for the Spirit filled believer, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we cast aside our pride and humble ourselves unto obedience to partake in this blessed event.

Paul says in Romans 6:1–11, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

John Gill on this verse wrote,

“baptized into Christ, I take to be, is to be baptized purely for the sake of Christ, in imitation of him, who has set us an example, and because baptism is an ordinance of his; it is to submit to it with a view to his glory, to testify our affection for him, and subjection to him, without laying any stress or dependence on it for salvation; such who are thus baptized, are baptized into his death; they not only resemble Christ in his sufferings and death, by being immersed in water, but they declare their faith in the death of Christ, and also share in the benefits of his death; such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and atonement: now this proves, that such persons are dead to sin, who are so baptized; for by the death of Christ, into which they are baptized, they are justified from sin; by the death of Christ, their old man is crucified, and the body of sin destroyed; besides, believers in baptism profess themselves to be dead to sin and the world, and their baptism is an obligation upon them to live unto righteousness.” (John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 2, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 459.)

We do this one time act out of worship, out of gratitude, and as a witness unto the great works our savior has done for us.

How glorious that our Lord has called us to partake in such practices.

What a blessing to assemble together as his chosen people and worship his Holy name-- the name that is above all names.

We are not worthy of the grace of God, but in his sovereignty he freely gives us his grace, love, and mercy.

When we contemplate what all God has done for, especially the sacrifice of the Son of God for our salvation, how can we not want to bow down and adore the Living God? We should be humbled and approach worship with reverence and awe.

“For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised…” Ps 96:4.

Lord willing, next week we will continue on examining worship.