Steve Wallace

O, Worship the King

There are many compelling reasons for us to worship God. His holiness draws us to “worship at His holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy” (Psa. 99:9). In adoration as their Creator, his creatures “praise the Lord” (Psa. 147:1-6). His mercy and truth bring his people “into His courts with praise” because “the Lord is good” (Psa. 100). The majestic rule of Messiah induces his bride to worship him “because He is your Lord” (Psa. 45:11). The church, the bride of Christ, worships the King out of reverent regard for his righteous rule. In turn, the King greatly desires the beauty of his bride (Psalm 45; Eph. 5:27).

Jesus made it clear that acceptable worship is defined by God, not man:

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (Jno. 4:23-24).

The time for true worshipers is now (v. 23). All who desire to worship God must be careful to offer him worship that pleases him. Worship is vain if it pleases us while ignoring God’s revelation of what he says is true worship (Matt. 15:9). Now is the time to worship God in His way.

True worshipers will worship the Father (v. 23). They are not merely present while worship takes place; they actually express their personal reverence and adoration to God. They actively participate in worship.

The Father is seeking true worshipers (v. 23). God does not accept any and every form of worship man offers him (Amos 5:21-23; Mal. 1:10). We must be careful to be the worshipers God is seeking by bringing him the worship he wants (remember Cain, Gen. 4:3-5). The gospel of Christ teaches how to be true worshipers.

True worshipers worship God in spirit (v. 24). This is consistent with the nature of God, who is “Spirit”. Our worship is not driven by fleshly impulses, but by faith: “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). The heart of the true worshiper is circumcised, the sinful excesses now removed by “the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11-12). With sin removed, the heart of the true worshiper is exposed to God – sensitive and response to the majesty, holiness, power and wonder of God our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer. The heart that expresses humble praise and thanksgiving is fully engaged in the moment, responsive to giving God the honor he is due. A heart that is far from God cannot offer him true worship (Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:8). Is your heart filled with sin? Do you only half-heartedly offer worship to God? If so, you are not yet the true worshiper God accepts. You can change that.

True worshipers worship God in truth (v. 24). How we worship God is just as important as the heart we bring before him. A good heart does not override false attempts to approach God. There is no Biblical basis upon which to reason that “if a person is sincere then God will accept his worship regardless of how he may express that worship.” Of course, this rationale approves everything from bead counting to candle lighting to ceremonial crucifixions. Please consider the example of Nadab and Abihu. There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of these two priests when they offered “profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them” (Lev. 10:1). Yet, their sincerity did not legitimize their worship. In fact, their failure to worship “in truth” brought their demise: “So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord” (Lev. 10:2). Failure to worship “according to the prescribed manner” as “the Lord commanded” was sin against God (Lev. 9:16, 7, 10, 21). One fails to hold God as holy when he offers God uncommanded worship (Lev. 10:3).

The New Testament reveals the worship that is “in truth”. As noted previously, every approved act of worship must be from a heart that is turned heavenward (“in spirit”). Christ approves the church coming together to worship with (1) Prayers, (2) Eating the Lord’s Supper, (3) Preaching the word (1 Cor. 14:26; Acts 2:42; 20:7), (4) Singing (Eph. 5:19), and (5) Giving (1 Cor. 16:2). We can all agree these worship activities are “in truth”. All other forms of worship are additions of men that are not commanded by the Lord. Remember Nadab and Abihu before offering God worship that cannot be found in the truth of the gospel.

We must worship in spirit and truth (v. 24). The Lord gives no latitude to the right form of worship with the wrong heart. Nor can one acceptably worship God with a sincere heart while straying from the ways to worship defined in the truth of God’s word. Let us bring acceptable forms of worship to God with reverent, adoring hearts. O, worship the King! 

“Large Explosion Rocks Cairo”. “Syria Peace Talks Hit a Stumbling Block”. “Kiev Protests Take Dark Turn”. “West Explores Plan B for Forces in Afghanistan”.

Wars and rumors of war have raged for thousands of years. They are not present harbingers of the day of Christ’s return. They do signal that evil is real and continues to infect this world, hurting the innocent and exploiting every advantage in can to satisfy its lustful aims. If you think some war or rumor of it is a present sign of an imminent event from God, you have been deceived, my friend (“see that you are not troubled”, Matt. 24:6). The Bible teaches us to always be ready for the end, “for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42). “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:44). Are you ready for the Judgment Day?