The Glory of Jesus

Hebrews 1:1-4
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, October 01, 2006
Copyright © 2006, P. G. Mathew

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” – Hebrews 1:1-2

Our God is infinite and personal, a God who communicates that we might know him. The epistle to the Hebrews tells us that God has spoken to us finally and fully in his Son, Jesus Christ. Let us, therefore, examine this revelation of God and his Son.

This is a mystery epistle in that we do not know who wrote it or to whom it was directed. It seems this exhortation was written to a Hellenistic Jewish Christian congregation, possibly in Rome, which was being persecuted for its faith in Jesus Christ. These people were under severe pressure to abandon their confident faith in Jesus and go back to Judaism to avoid further trials. The author encourages them to persevere in their faith until death so that they may obtain better things through Jesus Christ, their great high priest. For many centuries people thought Paul wrote Hebrews, but this view is not held by most modern scholars. Only God knows who really wrote it. It does appear to be written before the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

The first four verses are an introduction to the ultimate reality of our communicating, infinite, personal God. Pagan gods are mute idols; the God of the Scriptures is the only true and living God. Through God’s gracious revelation, we know who he is, who we are, and what the world around us is really about. Through Christ we understand creation, fall, and God’s gracious plan of redemption.

Atheism denies God, pantheism identifies creation with God, and deism denies God’s present involvement with creation. Only Christianity teaches that ultimate reality is the infinite, personal, triune God who is directing creation to his ultimate purpose. This revelation has been progressive, given to men in two phases. From Moses to Malachi, God promised through the prophets that a Messiah would come. In the second phase, God has spoken to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of a Savior. Both are the revelation of God himself.

Paul declares: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16). Peter tells us, “No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The revelation of God in the sacred Scriptures is completely inerrant and totally trustworthy for our faith and life. Let us, then, pay attention to the glory of this Jesus, the Son of God.

I. Jesus Is God’s Son

“In these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:2). The first point is that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son incarnate, through whom God has spoken to us. Note the phrase, “in these last days.” Jesus inaugurated the last days and we are living in them. This messianic age will continue until Jesus Christ comes again in great glory.

The prophets were men of the earth below and sinners just like us. But the Son, who is from heaven, is eternal God himself. The revelation of God in his Son is full and final. We are to listen to the voice of God in the Scriptures and respond to him obediently, not to seek a fresh, new word. If we long to hear from God, listen to the Scriptures. No theologian, no philosopher, no scientist, no guru can give us a new or different word. Any revelation that contradicts the full revelation of God in the Scriptures is not from God, but is an anti-word from the devil himself. The word of God alone can give us everlasting encouragement.

God has spoken finally in his Son, who is God himself. He is the great prophet, superior to all other prophets through whom God spoke. His Son, however, is more than a prophet, he is our Judge, Creator, and God, whom we must worship. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).

II. Creator of All Things

Second, we are told that Jesus Christ created all things.”But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son . . . through whom he made the universe” (Heb. 1:2). We do not live in an impersonal universe. By his command, the Lord Jesus Christ created all things for the Father; and, therefore, he has a personal interest in his creation. This truth contradicts the evolutionary hypothesis, which is popular today because of its atheistic foundations. But the belief that animals, man, and everything else came out of inanimate matter is sheer irrationality. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that because the Son created the universe, he is the Lord of all history. The apostle John declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4). Paul says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:15-18).

This Son is also the creator of the new heaven and the new earth. He also makes us new creations. Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), and “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation” (Gal. 6:15).

The Creator/creature distinction is the basis for all sound thought. All creation is the work of Jesus Christ. If so, Jesus Christ is almighty and all-wise. In other words, Jesus Christ is God himself.

III. Heir of All Things

Next, we learn that God appointed this Son heir of all things. Jesus Christ already owned all things by virtue of creating them. Because of his successful, mediatorial work of our redemption, he is now also appointed heir of all things by the Father.

In Psalm 2:8 God says, “Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” The Son owns all things; nothing is excluded. The wonderful thing about this truth is that all who are united to Jesus Christ by faith will also be heirs with him. Hebrews 1:14 asks, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” In Hebrews 6:12, 17 we read: “We do not want you to become lazy but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised . . . . Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his promise very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.”

Paul speaks about this privilege: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). The seventeenth-century theologian John Trapp counseled people to “be married to this heir of all and have all.” He pays all our debts and he gives us all his wealth. So Paul writes, “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God” (1 Cor. 3:22-23). Jesus came to make poor people rich in him. As Christians, we are rich indeed.

IV. Radiance of God’s Glory

Then we are told that Jesus Christ is the radiance of God’s glory (v. 3). The Son is light proceeding from the Father, as a beam of light comes from the sun. Jesus is ceaselessly the radiant light of God’s glory. This speaks about the oneness of the Son with the Father. The Son is the same in essence as the Father, sharing the nature of God the Father. The Son is God.

V. The Exact Representation of God

Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being (v. 3). “Exact representation” comes from the Greek word karaktêr, which means “true copy.” This speaks about the otherness of the Son from the Father. They are distinct persons, yet the Son is the true copy of the Father. He is of the same nature as the Father, yet he is a different person.

Let us understand the glory of this Jesus Christ, our Savior. The apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side has made him known” (John 1:1-2, 14, 18). Paul also speaks of this idea of being one in essence but distinct in person: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Christ] . . . For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Col. 1:19, 2:9).

Do you want to know God? Look at Jesus Christ. When Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us,” Jesus told him, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8-9). In his person and work, Jesus Christ makes visible the invisible God.

VI. He Maintains All Things

Jesus Christ sustains, maintains, and preserves all created things by the word of his power. The writer uses a present participle, pherôn, indicating that Jesus Christ is continuously doing this, directing all creation to its God-ordained goal.

All things are sustained and maintained by him, which includes the devil and his demons, and all the unbelieving people of the world, who breathe and exist because of his common grace. It includes us, his bride, his body, his church, that he redeemed. It includes all nations and potentates, all idolaters and false religionists. It includes the smallest particle and the largest star.

By his powerful word Christ created all things, and his word will sustain all things till the end. The continuing stability of the universe is due to Jesus Christ. Not only does he sustain the sparrows and the lilies of the field, but he also sustains us, if we have trusted in him, by his special grace. (PGM) He tells us, “Do not be anxious.” The Lord is our shepherd; we shall lack nothing. Fear not; Jesus Christ is bearing us up in being, and he shall never fail nor falter. Paul declares, “Nothing in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus Christ keeps his universe, Isaiah says, in the hollow of his hand. It is he who maintains creation in its being and holds it together (Col. 1:17). When we study creation, we discover his laws. Such discoveries should cause us to praise him.

VII. Our Great High Priest

This Son, Jesus Christ, is our great high priest. Verse 3 continues, “After he had provided purification for sins . . .” All of a sudden the writer introduces the issue of sin. There was creation and fall; now, thank God, there is redemption.

God is holy, but man became filthy due to his sin. Man deserves to be destroyed for his stubborn rebellion against his Creator, Owner, and Sustainer God. Yet God has sent his only Son to make atonement for our sins. Jesus Christ, the sinless One, came into this world as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. No one else was good enough to deal with our sin and guilt. The Seed of the woman, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the virgin-born Jesus Christ, became our great high priest and the perfect sacrificial victim. By his blood shed on the cross, Christ cleanses our conscience and makes us perfect to enjoy fellowship with our perfect God. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).

How did Jesus Christ provide purification for our sins? By his sacrifice of himself. “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” . . . He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:14, 26). The apostle John speaks about this also: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

As sinners in need of cleansing, we must cry with David, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2). By his death, Jesus Christ provided cleansing for all our sins.

Christ’s work of atonement was more difficult than his work of creation or sustaining. He created and sustains by the word of his power, but the work of redemption required his humiliation, incarnation, death, burial, and resurrection. The wages of our sin is death; Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place and for our sins. “Amazing grace-how sweet the sound-that saved a wretch like me!” Away with all ideas of self-esteem! We are filthy sinners, rebels under the wrath of God. Thank God for the Son who provided purification for our sins once for all by his shed blood.

There is no other Savior. Jesus himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Notice the exclusivism. There is no salvation except in Christianity. Peter said the same thing: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And John tells us, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

The Son alone provides purification for all our sins, and everyone who repents and trusts savingly in him has been cleansed of his sins. Now we can approach God with confidence to worship him because our filth has been taken care of. What happened to our sins? Jesus Christ took them far away. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

David prayed, “Blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Ps. 51:1-2). Jesus Christ blotted out our sins and now they are gone forever. We can look, but we will not find them. By his blood Christ washed away our sins and cleansed all the stains in our consciences. Isaiah says he made our consciences as white as snow (1:18) and put all our sins behind his back (38:17). That means he does not see them again to judge us, for he judged them in Jesus Christ. Isaiah also says he blotted them out and remembers our sins no more (43:25). Jeremiah says God forgave all our sins and wickedness (Jer. 31:34), and Micah says he has trodden our sins underfoot, defeating their power and conquering them (Micah 7:19). Jesus Christ destroyed sin’s power, hurled all our iniquities into the depths of the sea, and they shall not be brought back to be punished again. All our sins have been punished by the holy God in his holy Son.

In Christ we have been cleansed of all the filth of our sin. We have been justified and clothed with the perfect, unimpeachable righteousness of Jesus Christ, which gives us confidence and boldness to approach the throne of God.

VIII. He Sat Down at God’s Right Hand

Verse 3 continues: “After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” There were no chairs in the tabernacle or in the temple. The Aaronic priests of the Old Testament period never sat down because their work was never finished: they had to offer sacrifices daily.

But our great high priest, the Son of God, by offering himself as a perfect sacrifice in our behalf to God, atoned for all our sins. He is our propitiation and his work is done. Therefore, Jesus Christ cried out from the cross, “Tetelestai-It is finished!” There are no more sacrifices. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, ascended into the heavens, and is seated in the most honored place because of his mediatorial work in behalf of us. He is seated on the right hand of “the Greatness in Heaven,” as we read in the Greek. He alone is the Great One. He is Prophet, Priest, and King.

The author of Hebrews was likely thinking about Psalm 110, where we read, “The Lord says to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'” (v. 1). It is God’s intention to defeat every enemy of Jesus Christ and make him a footstool. Every enemy shall feel the weight of Christ’s feet on his neck.

Paul also spoke about this seated Son in Ephesians 1: “[God] raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be the head over everything for the church” (vv. 20-22).

It is the purpose of Jesus, the seated Christ, to make every unbeliever realize that he is victor, conqueror, and king, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:25: “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

Even now Jesus Christ is ruling. As King of kings and Lord of lords, he defeats all rebels who will not trust in him. As Priest/King, he also makes intercession before the Father for us.

God Is Speaking to You

In conclusion, let me ask: Do you desire God to speak to you personally? Then understand that he speaks to you in the Scriptures, and he is doing so right now. God has spoken in the past by the prophets; he has spoken in the messianic age in his Son, in the New Testament, written by the apostles; and he speaks today in the Scriptures through his appointed pastors and teachers.

“So, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts'” (Heb. 3:7-8). Today you are hearing his voice. I urge you to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Avail yourself of this great provision of the purification for sins provided by the atonement of Christ. God is speaking to you in grace. He does not have to speak to anyone. Revelation is a gracious act. Listen to him as he speaks the words of eternal life.

But if we reject him and his word, be aware that he is the Son, he is God, he is the seated King who shall defeat all his enemies. The words that give life shall also judge and condemn those who reject him (John 12:48).

Hebrews 10:28-31 says, “Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Every unbeliever does this. But in Hebrews 12:25 we read, “See to it that you do not refuse him speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?”

God is speaking. I beseech you, by the mercies of God, believe the Father’s revelation in his Son. Bow down and worship him. Heed the heavenly Father’s counsel on the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” The Son is God’s final revelation, the Creator and heir of all things. He is the divine radiance of the glory of God and the exact representation of his being. He is the sustainer of all things, our great High Priest and Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

May God help us not to treat his revelation and his Son with contempt and unbelief. May we fall down and worship him even this day and be saved.

The Object of Our Worship

We are to worship God alone; we must not worship any man, angel, or other created being. When Cornelius began to worship Peter, Peter immediately rebuked him, saying, “Stand up. I am only a man myself” (Acts 10:25-26). It is all right to respect a minister who preaches the word of God, but worship belongs to God. We must not worship angels, even holy ones. When John fell prostrate before the mighty angel who appeared from heaven, the angel said, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!” (Revelation 19:10). Certainly we must not worship Satan or demons, although unbelievers do (Revelation 9:20). And we must not worship any created thing, whether children, wealth, power, or possessions; worship of creation is idolatry.

Every person is a worshiper by nature, and ultimately there are only two kinds of worship: worship of the true and living God, and worship of Satan. All true believers in Jesus Christ worship the true God; all who reject Jesus Christ worship Satan and his demons. Satan hungers and thirsts for worship, demanding that even Jesus worship him: “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” But Jesus told him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only'” (Matthew 4:9-10).

Scripture alone reveals what true worship is. Thus, to the degree we are ignorant of Scripture, our worship will be unacceptable to God. And although the Bible is full of worship, the book of Revelation particularly teaches us about proper worship. Therein we see the object of true worship seated on the throne in heaven, with the angels and the spirits of just men made perfect falling down and worshiping him, exclaiming, “Thou art worthy!” Throughout Revelation we find hymns praising God for his being, his works, and his attributes. True worship is God-centered and brings glory to him.

The Participants in Worship

But who can worship God acceptably? A sinner cannot, because he is by nature a worshiper of Satan, no matter how much he denies it. God will not hear the prayers of a sinner. He tells us, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44), because only those who are holy can approach the holy God in worship.

In John 3:6 Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh,” that is, sinful flesh, which cannot worship God. Most modern worship is worship of the flesh. It is pure entertainment, designed to appeal to man and make him feel good. But God condemns such abomination parading itself as worship. As Jesus told the sinful Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Who, then, are the true worshipers whom the Father is seeking to worship him? In his gospel, John speaks about three “musts” that are prerequisites of true worship: “You must be born again” (John 3:7); “The Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14); and “[God’s] worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

To truly worship God we must be born again. Jesus Christ made atonement for our sins and accomplished redemption for us when he laid down his life on the cross. This was the Father’s plan from all eternity, and now the Holy Spirit applies this salvation to elect sinners by causing them to be born again. “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6). The born-again person truly repents of his sins and trusts savingly in Jesus Christ alone. In his justification, his sin problem is dealt with once for all and the Father now sees him as holy in Jesus Christ; thus, he is now able to worship, for there is now fellowship between him and God.

A redeemed person will worship God with his entire being. After being brought out of their Egyptian bondage, Moses and the people of Israel rejoiced before the Lord, declaring, “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:1-2). The Lord had told Pharaoh, “Let my people go so that they may worship me” (Exodus 8:1). The primary purpose of redemption is that God’s people may worship and serve him all the days of their lives, and, when they die, they will be ushered into the very presence of God to worship him in joy for all time and eternity.

Thus, enabled by the Holy Spirit, we worship God in spirit and in truth. The Scriptures reveal Jesus Christ as the truth (John 14:6); there is no true worship possible without the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. Any religion that rejects the triune God is false, for we are created for God’s glory (Isaiah 43:7), and he will never give that glory to another (Isaiah 42:8). So all worship that is not in the Holy Spirit and in Jesus Christ is idolatry. In fact, God will not accept even Christian worship if it consists only in mere ritualism. God requires those who worship him to come with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

How many times did Israel bring their sacrifices to God, but their hearts were far from him! God says of such mechanical worship: “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps” (Amos 5:21-23). Then he reveals his prerequisites for acceptable worship: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (v. 24). Only when we are walking in heartfelt obedience to God will he accept our worship.

In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for their inappropriate worship: “Your meetings do more harm than good” (v. 17). And not only is false worship unacceptable, it can also be dangerous, for divine judgment can fall upon such worshipers. In fact, Paul told the Corinthian church: “That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep” (v. 30). Though Cain worshiped, his worship was unacceptable to God, and he was cursed (Genesis 4:11). Nadab and Abihu were killed as they worshiped (Leviticus 10:1-2), as was Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:7). Ananias and Sapphira fell dead in the midst of the whole assembly because their hearts were not right during worship (Acts 5:1-10).

It is dangerous to go to church unless we acknowledge God and fall before him in total surrender . Conversely, when we worship acceptably, our worship will result in a blessing such as that pronounced in Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

The Place of Worship

Where should we worship? At least once in a lifetime, all Moslems should make a pilgrimage to Mecca to worship Allah. But Christians do not have to go to any specific place; we can worship God anywhere. The temple is no longer in Jerusalem; now it is made up of believers, as Paul declares: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). “You” there is plural; wherever true believers come together, God is in their midst.

This is true even of family devotions, for there the church is coming together. And when God is in our midst, there cannot be any disorder. Members of the family must come with all their minds, strength, will, and emotions prepared to pray, to sing God’s praises, and to listen to the word of God as articulated by the father. If we train our children to worship like this at home, they will be able to worship acceptably in the church.

Psalm 22:3 declares that God is enthroned upon the praises of his people, so we do not need an elegant cathedral to worship God; we are the elegant, Spirit-built cathedral of God. Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). When we walk by faith and not by sight, we will see God in our midst and hear him speaking to us. And as God receives our worship, he in turn blesses us.

Believers can worship in a simple building, in a home, or under a tree. No matter where we worship, we are, in reality, worshiping on Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God (Hebrews 12:22-24). We are joining with thousands upon thousands of holy angels in joyful assembly, worshiping as the church of the firstborn ones who have inherited the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ. We come as holy people, washed clean by the sprinkled blood of the Lamb to worship together with all the saints who are no longer living on earth but are worshiping in heaven.

So no matter where we worship physically, we are worshiping spiritually in the city of God, where Jesus is now seated as King of kings at the Father’s right hand. We are also seated with him, for “God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).

The Time of Worship

As we read in Acts 20:7 and elsewhere, Christians are to worship specifically on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, because that was the day Jesus rose from the dead. But, in reality, we are to worship God at all times as we live our lives, as 1 Corinthians 10:31 exhorts us: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

In Romans 12:1 Paul writes, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” And in 1 Peter 4:11 we are told, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” Worship involves all of life. The redeemed live a life of worship, beginning here and never ending.

The Elements of Worship

What, then, does acceptable worship consist of? First, it is God-centered. Worship should not be designed to entertain us or make us feel good. The object of our worship is the living God in our midst.

Some churches poll their members to find out what they want the pastor to preach. But God does not need to check with us to see what we need to hear. If he did, do you think we would ask him to speak to us about sin, repentance, judgment, and hell? Do you think we would ask him to correct and rebuke us? Of course not! He has the authority to speak whatever he knows we need to hear.

Many churches are not houses of prayer; their worship centers around man. But God detests such false worship. When we come together, we must focus on the invisible presence of God, and we must tell our children to do likewise. We must train them in the home so that they will behave correctly in the church.

In worship we should sing God’s praises in hymns that glorify him. The songs in the book of Revelation are examples of God-glorifying hymns. We should also come expecting to hear the word of the Lord proclaimed: “Thus saith the Lord!” We should also come expecting to receive his blessings. God ministers to us as we minister to him. He makes the weak strong, he heals the sick, he comforts the weary. He ministers to us spiritually and physically. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Second Chronicles 5:13-14 describes what happened when the ark of God’s presence was brought into Solomon’s temple: “Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” That is the greatest reality-the glory of the Lord filling his temple. By faith we see God’s glorious presence even now and we are awestruck: God is in our midst!

Therefore, let us fall down and worship God acceptably. Let us honor him with God-glorifying prayer, God-glorifying singing, and God-glorifying preaching. Let us believe the word proclaimed and surrender to his holy will. Let us worship him by repenting and confessing our sins. Let us also worship by being baptized in his name and by participating intelligently and thankfully in the Lord’s Supper. Let us worship him by giving an acceptable offering of money and, finally, by receiving his benediction of peace.

Every element of acceptable worship is accomplished through the energy of the Holy Spirit. Philippians 3:3 tells us that Christians are those “who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh.” True worship is Pentecostal through and through. Ephesians 5:18-20 exhorts, “Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In true worship, God is glorified and we are edified. As the Shorter Catechism teaches, man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. (PGM) Worship should not cause us to become drowsy and miserable, anxious to leave as soon as possible; rather, it is a joyful activity, wherein we exclaim with the greatest enthusiasm, “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:12).

Good things happen as we worship God acceptably. We will be converted and healed and receive comfort and guidance for our lives. Our faith will increase and our fears will be driven out. The God who is in our midst is not inactive, nor is he the apathetic god of Aristotle. The true, personal, living God cares for his people, and he will help us as we worship him.

The Results of Worship

There are several specific things that happen when we worship God acceptably.

1. We will delight in God.

True worship results in pure pleasure for a believer. In Psalm 16:11 David declares to the Lord, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” The pleasure of sin lasts but for a moment, but the pleasure of worship will never end.

When Martha was upset at her sister for worshiping rather than serving, Jesus rebuked her, saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better.” Only one thing is needful-to behold God in his glory. That is what happens when we worship him now, and it will happen more fully when we enter heaven.

Throughout the psalms we read of the great delight a true worshiper experiences: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26); “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1); “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord'” (Psalm 122:1).

In Psalm 27:4 David expresses his one great desire: “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

2. God will delight in us.

When we delight in God, he delights in us. Isaiah 62:3-5 says, “You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” We give joy to the very heart of God.

Zephaniah 3:17 tells us, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” What is the subject of God’s song? We are!

3. We draw near to God.

Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” And Hebrews 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” As we draw near to God through Jesus Christ, he meets our every need.

4. God draws near to us.

James 4:7-8 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will draw near to you.” And Psalm 22:3 says, “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.” It could also be translated, “You inhabit upon the praises of Israel.” As we draw near to God, he draws near to us to bless us.

5. God ministers to us.

First Corinthians 14:26 says, “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” God ministers to us through the preaching, singing, prayers, prophecies, and testimonies of others. When we worship alertly and actively, we receive great blessings.

6. God defeats our enemies.

As we worship, the Lord does something else: he defeats our enemies. We find this truth illustrated in 2 Chronicles 20. As a vast army came against Judah, King Jehoshaphat went out to meet the enemy head-on: “Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.’ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever'” (vv. 20-21). Notice how they worshiped as they went out to war. And we read in verse 22: “As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.”

7. Unbelievers are saved.

In 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 we read, “So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'” People get saved as we worship God.

Preparation for Worship

How, then, can we worship God acceptably, that we might experience his blessing?

1. We must be born again.

It is quite possible to be in the church, yet not be born again. We must not assume that we are Christians; rather, we must examine ourselves to see if we are truly born of God. A good tree will bear good fruit. If we are truly Christians, we will love God and his ways. We will love to pray, love to do right, and love to worship God.

These are serious issues. I hope all of us will critique ourselves and ask hard questions. Jesus once came across a fig tree that had many leaves but no fruit. He cursed it, for it had the appearance of life, but it was all for show. “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6). The Father is seeking those who worship him in spirit and in truth: to do so, we must be born again.

2. We must realize that when we worship, we are meeting with God.

God is the center of our worship, not us; thus, his presence should regulate everything that happens in the church. Hebrews 12:28-29 says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.'”

How many churches worship in this manner? The truth is, very few. For many, worship is mere entertainment geared toward making people feel comfortable and happy. But God is not our buddy. He is a consuming fire. He is opposed to evil, and he never changes. Therefore, we need to remember that when we come to worship, we are entering into the very presence of the holy God, and should come in all reverence.

3. We must maintain a proper relational life.

As Christians we must strive to always live in right relationship with God and other people. We must never ignore relational problems, especially when we come to worship, for we are coming to God, whose eyes are like blazing fire. God does not want us to pray to him or worship him if we are at odds with one another.

The Scriptures say that God will not listen to the prayer of an unrighteous person, but the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effectual. God hears our prayers only in the context of holiness. So we must come to God with hearts that are pure. God says, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44), and “Without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

A number of scriptures speak about how our relational life affects true worship:

Matthew 5:23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Suppose we have a relational problem. We try to ignore it and come to worship, but the Holy Spirit reminds us of it and convicts us of our sin. What should we do? We must immediately go and mend the broken relationship. Only then will our worship be acceptable to God.

Mark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” How many people worship in a disorderly manner? Because they come with unholy hearts into the presence of God, they get nothing out of worship and go home miserable. They worship God in vain. God commands us to forgive, and if we are Christians, we will do so before we come to worship God.

1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” How many prayers of husbands and wives are not answered because of disharmony? Spouses must live in proper relation to one another; otherwise, their prayers will be hindered and their worship will be unacceptable.

1 Timothy 2:8 “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” How many people quarrel, yet expect their prayers to be heard? But such prayers are not heard because we have disobeyed God’s order as to how to draw near and worship him.

Psalm 66:18 “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” When we are conscious of sin, yet do nothing about it before coming to worship, God will not hear us. Our worship becomes unacceptable, doing more harm than good. But the psalmist did not cherish sin in his heart; thus, he confidently declared in verse 19, “But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”

Ephesians 4:26-27 “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” How many of us prefer to ignore our sin and carry on with our animosity, saying, “It’s okay. God does not mind.” No! Here God commands us to be reconciled right away, before the time of evening prayer; otherwise, our prayers will not be answered.

James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” This principle is illustrated by Elijah, whom James says was a man like us (v. 17). Yet his prayers were effective because of his righteousness. This is not referring to the imputed righteousness that Jesus Christ gives to those who are justified by faith; rather, it refers to experimental righteousness-the righteousness of a man who is right with God and man. This is not the prayer of a perfect man, but of one who has not cherished sin in his heart.

How many times were our prayers ineffectual because we cherished sin in our hearts! We thought God would ignore our sin. But God will never tolerate sin. Someone once said that holy God and sinful man are incompatible, and God does not change; therefore, man must. Only when we pray in righteousness will God answer our prayers. If we are not being blessed by God, we must examine our lives. We must pray that God will give us humility to put things right.

4. We must be in one accord.

Throughout the book of Acts we find this idea of the church being in one accord, as they were on the day of Pentecost. It is in this context of unity that the fire of God comes upon us.

In 1 Peter 3:7 we are told that husbands and wives should be of one accord; otherwise, their prayers will not be heard. And in Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus says, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” The church must come together in agreement, not in envy, jealousy, finger-pointing, or quarreling. We must not emulate the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:10-12); rather, we must heed what Paul said in Ephesians 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” God establishes the unity of the Spirit, but it is our responsibility to promote and maintain it, both in the church and in the home.

Lack of unity affects the whole church. Some even experience physical weakness because this principle is violated (1 Corinthians 11:30). If we try to pray and worship while we are not in agreement with others in the body of Christ, our prayers are wasted.

5. We must pray for upcoming worship services.

This is our responsibility as Christians. Pray that God will meet with us whenever we meet to worship, and that we will come together for the better rather than for the worse (1 Corinthians 11:17). Pray that we can get along with our spouse, our children, and with those we do business with so that we can worship acceptably. Pray that the worship service will be a time of great blessing, a time of strengthening and edifying each other, and a time of praising God. Pray for the minister, for the worship leaders, for the musicians, for the nursery workers, and for all others who work together to make the service possible. Pray that God will meet with us and we with him.

6. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit

We must recognize the singular importance of the Holy Spirit in worship. Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness so that we can pray. Prayer is the central part of worship, and God’s temple is a house of prayer for all nations. But because we do not know how to pray, we must ask the Holy Spirit to fill us and teach us so that we can worship properly. Ephesians 5:18-20 tells us to be filled with the Spirit.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, submitting ourselves to his rule over our entire life. As the Holy Spirit comes on us, we will worship in the Spirit, as the disciples did in Acts 2. There the Holy Spirit caused them to speak in other tongues and declare the great works of God, meaning, probably, the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? We must ask God in sincerity to fill us. When we do so, he will fill us. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can pray (Romans 8:26ff.), sing (Ephesians 5:18ff.), preach (1 Corinthians 2:4), confess (1 Corinthians 12:3), and worship (Philippians 3:3).

7. We must study the Scriptures.

Before worship, we should prayerfully study the Scriptures, especially the text that has been announced for the sermon. Read it again and again, trying to understand it. Then you will be eager to hear, and will listen intelligently. The Scripture is a great feast for a Christian.

8. We must be prepared to worship God with all our faculties.

Mark 12:30 says we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This means we must come to worship rested and alert. Do not treat God with contempt by falling asleep in the church. We need to bring the best to God-our freshest mind, heart, and emotion. Malachi says we should not bring diseased animals to the king. We must bring our best mind and refreshed body to worship the great King.

Coming to worship with a fresh, alert mind is critical, because worship is not fundamentally an emotional experience that leaves our mind void; it is primarily an activity of the mind. And modern technology or emotional entertainment is no substitute for hard intellectual work and serious prayer. We must be rested, sharp, and eager to heed the word proclaimed, sing songs with understanding, and pray.

True, some people have to work at night, and some may have to occasionally stay up all night with a child. I believe that the Holy Spirit can help us in those situations. But the general rule is that because God communicates with our minds, we need to do everything possible to have a fresh mind. We must prepare our bodies for worship the night before. Do not stay awake until the wee hours of the morning and then fall asleep in the house of God. Come rested. Be ready to worship and sing vigorously, and train your children to do the same. The one who gave us being must be worshiped with all our being.

Our emotions, too, must be employed in worship. The proper use of emotion is to love God and hate evil. Thus, emotions must be regulated by the word of God. The word of God is the engine with which we are to guide our life. If we do what is right, we will feel better.

9. We must come hungering not for blessing, but for God himself.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that we must never seek after blessing or happiness directly; it is a byproduct of seeking God.

Psalm 42:2 says, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” and Psalm 122:1 says, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'” Who is in the house of the Lord? God himself. We go there to meet with him.

In Psalm 84:1-4 the psalmist exclaims, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”

We must confess that generally when we come to God, we come seeking a blessing, not the Blessor himself. We are like a son who greets his father coming home from a business trip by grabbing the toy his father brought him and running away to play with it without hugging or otherwise acknowledging his father. A normal father will not appreciate such behavior, and neither does our heavenly Father.

God himself is the object of our worship. In Psalm 63:1-3 we read, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” So we must seek God for who he is, not for what he can do for us.

10. We must come to worship dressed in a way that honors God.

We would not go to a wedding or to the White House in flip-flops and a T-shirt. In the same way, when we come to the house of God, we must dress a certain way. It must be modest, but also in a way that no one notices us. Some people tend to either under-dress or over-dress. Both are a way of saying, “Notice me!” But we must always be conscious that God himself is in our midst and dress appropriately. Don’t come to church in low-cut, revealing outfits, or in expensive, ostentatious clothing. Dress to honor God.

11. We must come to worship with an offering.

Tithes and offerings are part of worship. In 2 Samuel 24 David wanted to purchase the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite so that he could offer sacrifices there. Araunah told David he could have it for free, but David replied, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing” (v. 24). In other words, offering must be sacrificial.

Sacrifice means something that causes us pain. We must teach our children to bring offerings in a sacrificial manner so they can be blessed throughout their lives. The widow with two mites could have given none of them, or only one. But she sacrificially gave both-all she had to live on. In the same way, Mary brought expensive perfume, worth a year’s wages, broke the bottle and poured it on Jesus to anoint him (John 12:1-3, 5). Worship should be costly.

12. We must exercise discipline.

We should not got out during worship to get a drink of water or go to the restroom, if we can help it; again, we must be fully cognizant that we are worshiping in the very presence of God. When Queen Elizabeth is giving her annual speech at the opening of Parliament, do you suppose anyone would dare to get up while she is speaking and go out to get a drink of water? Of course not! In the same way, we should not get up and leave when the infinite, eternal God is in the midst of the church.

Parents must also train their children to stay in the sanctuary for the duration of the worship service, and they do so by training them to behave correctly at home. If we train our children, they will do what is expected of them. If we require them to come to family devotions with alert, fresh minds, we will be building good habits in them.

13. We must worship expectantly.

We must come to the house of God with a sense of need, and expect God to meet that need. He will do so as we sing, pray, give tithes and offerings, listen to the word preached, and so on. God fills the hungry with good things, but sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:53). Jesus Christ meets the needs of those who come to him expectantly.

I hope we will not say, as the Laodiceans did, “We have need of nothing.” Come with a sense of need; God is here to fill it.

14. We must be humble.

If people ever praise us, we should deflect all glory to God. When we take glory to ourselves, we are depriving God of the worship that is rightfully his. All blessings come to us from God. We must not take up glory for ourselves; rather, we must say, “Praise God. He did it. To him be all glory.”

As we put these admonitions into practice, our worship will be acceptable to God, and he will bless us. Then we will go out in joy and be led forth with peace, and the mountains and hills will burst into song before us (Isaiah 55:12).