I'm Thankful for the Church - part 2
I’m Thankful My Church Worships Together
As we consider the Church functioning together, the most obvious function is our worship. The truth is most Christians tend to forget that “church” isn’t something we go to. It is who we are. The reason for this forgetfulness is simply because the thing we do most often is worship. We meet each week to worship together. It certainly isn’t the only thing we do, but it is absolutely the central thing we do.
Last week we discussed loving one another, and worship is connected to our love for another. As we worship together, it draws us together in fellowship, which in turn promotes loving one another. This week, let’s take a look at this concept of worship in the church. We are going to look at the end of Hebrews, so turn with me to Hebrews 10, but at the end I’d like to offer some very practical advice on building fellowship through the worship service.
Our Confidence to Worship
First, let’s consider why we can be confident to worship together. For many people, especially those who are new Christians, or perhaps even the lost person who visits, they may have the sense they are not worthy to be part of the worship service. The weight of their sin is still on their conscience, or they have the wrong idea the regular church goers are more deserving of being in the church.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19-23
We have confidence to draw near to God in worship because of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.
It is only through Christ that we have fellowship with God, and so, Jesus is also the only reason we can draw near God through worship. This may seem like a Sunday school 101 point, but it is a fact that we too often forget.
How do I know we forget it? Consider why you came today. Was it out of habit? Did someone drag you here? Was it for the music, the free breakfast, or to see that certain someone? If the reason is anything other than “because I want to meet with Jesus,” then you have forgotten why we can worship at all.
Now, those other reasons are fine, and as we are growing in Christ, it may take someone dragging us here, or some other incentive, but the Truth is: we can only draw near to God because of Christ. And because of Christ, we can experience being in God’s presence. Perhaps you came today because of some other reason. I hope by the end of the service, you have been drawn into the presence of God, because that is why we come together in worship.
The second part of this passage points us to the other reason we draw together in worship. The first is out of the confidence that we have in Christ to worship. The second is because we have been cleansed from “an evil conscience.” When we are saved, two things occur simultaneously, though one continues throughout our lives. First, Christ opens the door to heaven to us. We have access to the Father and heaven, because Christ opened the door. Second, we are being cleansed of our sin through His blood. As we worship, we approach the throne of God, and just as Isaiah came before God in the temple, we realize what sins still remain in our hearts and minds. Consider the picture in Isaiah 6.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 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!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah 6:1-7
Isaiah stands before the throne of God in the Temple of the Lord, and he sees the Lord high and lifted up. There are heavenly creatures surrounding the throne singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!” And though Isaiah was a prophet and priest of the Lord, a person whose life was already devoted to the Lord, when Isaiah sees God, he reacts in repentance. He is lost. He is a “man of unclean lips” and he dwells in a land of unclean lips. He recognizes his sin, and feels doomed to die.
But what does the Lord do? He sends one of the seraphim with a coal from the altar to cleanse Isaiah of his sin.
When we draw near to God in worship, we can be confident that whatever guilt still remains on us can and will be cleansed if we confess it.
That is the promise we have in Christ, and that is what can happen each and every Sunday. But it only works if we come with repentant hearts and come ready to hear from the Lord.
Our Fellowship in Worship
This cleansing also promotes our fellowship with one another. Last week, we discussed the 47 “one another” verses in the New Testament that speak to how we can love one another. But, do you remember how they work? What is necessary before we can do any of the one another’s? We must be reconciled to Christ.
Once we are in Christ together, then we can bear with one another, love one another, serve one another, and we can do the one another found in Hebrews 10.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Gathering together in worship is just one more way we can stir up one another to love and good works. The phrase “stir up” is also used to mean “provoke” or “spur on”. The picture is literally a spur kicking the person on, much like using a spur on a horse…or a mule depending on the person you are spurring on.
God is very aware that we are human, and humans need poking and prodding every once in awhile. The reason we gather together for worship is so that we can spur each other in our walk with Christ. This reason is also why online worship will never replace in-person meetings. For all the reasons why online worship services are good, they fail at this crucial point. When we see each other face to face, we can look each other in the eye and say, “we have to do better together.”
Gathering together for worship encourages service to God.
Skipping down to chapter 12, the writer picks up this point again. Look with me.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
Hebrews 12:12-15
Notice the similarity to Mark 9 from last week where Jesus tells us to “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” The principle is the same here. As we draw near to God in repentance, He will cleanse us because of the work of Christ, and then we can be restored. And as each of us are restored, then we can have peace with one another. The Hebrews writer here reinforces the necessity for us to be healed. He begins with the picture of a worn out person with drooping hands and weak knees who cannot walk in righteousness because they are spiritually handicapped. He tells that person to lift their hands, strengthen their knees, and straighten the paths for their feet, because Christ can heal. They are to strive for holiness because Christ has opened the door to heaven, and each of us can be cleansed by His sacrifice.
Then, he tells us to be sure that “no one fails to obtain the grace of God.” Don’t let anyone go without God’s grace. Don’t let anyone continue in their sin. Don’t let anyone go without striving for holiness, because without it, no one will see the Lord.
But he isn’t just talking about the lost person that may wander in our midst. He ends his point with that reference to a “root of bitterness.” That phrase is a direct allusion to Deuteronomy 29:18. There, Moses tells the people to beware of any root that may bear poison or bitter fruit. It is a metaphor for those whose hearts are turned toward other gods. Holiness does not just refer to our individual relationships to God, it also refers to our corporate relationship. We keep watch for those who have begun to wander from God, because sin will always cause problems. If we allow “little sins” to creep in, then eventually, that “little sin” will become a big problem.
Gathering together for worship encourages repentance of sin.
Our Gratitude through Worship
As we gather together, we find ourselves drawn closer to God. We are cleansed and forgiven of our sin, and we can encourage each other to continue their walks with Christ. This corporate worship that so often becomes just another habit is actually a central tool for our Christian maturity. It also becomes a place where we can show gratitude for what God has done, and is doing. Look further down in Hebrews.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reference and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Worship is ultimately about giving back to God what He has done for us. It is our response to God for His great love, mercy, and grace. That is how our worship can be “acceptable” rather than ritual.
Acceptable worship includes reverence for God, repentance of sin, and a grateful heart.
Hebrews 13 gives a quick rundown of how we can demonstrate our gratefulness to God through our ethical living. Though we don’t have time to run down the full list, I would like you to turn with me, because it includes some of those practical tips I promised.
Let brotherly love continue.
Hebrews 13:1
Tip 1: continue to grow in love for one another.
Figure out how to show love for your brother and sister in Christ. Greet them. Talk to them. Listen to their needs. Celebrate with them in the good times, and cry with them in the bad. Last week, I gave you the 47 one another verses. Put those into practice!
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:2
Tip 2: be hospitable to guests.
You don’t know the story of the person who came and sat in your spot, nor do they know it’s your spot…nor is it actually your spot. Be hospitable to them always. They may be on their way to surrendering to Christ, but inhospitality is a tool for the devil to keep people bound in their sin. As you greet one another in love, don’t neglect to greet the stranger.
Verses 3 & 4 remind us to pay attention to those in prison, and to keep our eyes on our own spouses. Good advice, of course. Then, in verse 5:
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”Hebrews 13:5-6
Tip 3: be generous and content.
Though this verse is certainly referencing our attitude with money, we also must remember that the same attitude is necessary in all our desires. Whether the style of music, the style of the sanctuary, or some other aesthetic, consider how a content heart can promote peace within worship. Maybe there is a particular song that isn’t your favorite, but if that song is used by God to reach someone else, then maybe we can get over ourselves and be grateful God is at work in our midst. So, be generous with both your money and your attitude towards how people worship.
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7
Tip 4: Remember to honor those who lead.
Whether the pastor, the music leader, the singers, or anyone who comes to give a testimony, don’t forget to honor their leadership and service. This church does not run on chance and magic. It runs because of the people who serve the Lord through their service to this church. The ones on stage are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many who work in discipleship classes, in fellowship meals, in evangelism and missions, and the ones who lead us in worship. Honor them.
As far as I can see it, we have two options as members of the church. We give honor and respect to those who fulfill the necessary tasks of the church, or we get up and do it ourselves. God is not honored by the pew sitter who complains about how things are done. Honoring our leaders means letting them lead and supporting them in the ways God has gifted us to support them.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
Hebrews 13:8-9
Tip 5: Don’t be led away by bad teachings.
Stick with the church. If you come to believe something different than what your church teaches, then double check your new beliefs. Do they align with Scripture? Are they what Christians have taught for 2,000 years? Is it a core issue, a secondary issue, or just a matter of opinion? Is this new belief worth breaking fellowship? Take time to discuss it with those who lead in teaching and interpreting Scripture. After all, part of giving them honor is checking with them when you hear something foreign to sound doctrine.
As we close, consider this: these attitudes are directly related to how well we will fulfill the Great Commission. Those who do not yet know Christ will only know there is something different about us if they see something different. They must see our love for one another. They will only want to come and listen if they are welcomed to come. They will only understand the Gospel if we are generous to share it in a way that engages their hearts and minds. Our leaders can only lead us in evangelism and mission efforts if we follow their leading. And, of course, they can’t hear the Gospel if we start sharing something that isn’t actually the Gospel.
There is a false argument that floats around church circles. It is a false dichotomy that says a church’s worship will either be seeker-friendly, meaning geared for those who have not yet followed Christ, or it will be whatever the opposite term is. It is difficult to define what that term should be, because most people against the seeker-sensitive church tend to say things like, “I prefer a biblical church!”—meaning if a church is sensitive to those searching for Christ, then it isn’t actually following Christ. Like I said, it’s a false dichotomy. Churches can certainly stray to one extreme or another, but that’s because they aren’t actually following the biblical model.
What we are seeing in even this short section is that churches should be places where people are drawn to worship the Lord. Whether they are drawn for the first time or the billionth, the music, the message, the Bible reading, and everything else that goes into a church service should be geared toward drawing people to the throne of God. Anything else is a sin problem.