This morning’s emphasis in the worship service was on the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for worship. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul refers to the gospel (Christ died, was buried, and resurrected) as being that of “first importance.” Have you ever stopped to think that if it were not for the gospel we would have no desire to worship and no means to worship?
As human beings we have no inclination whatsoever to worship God. Yes we are creatures designed to be worshipers, but we naturally turn our worship to those things that are created rather than to the Creator (Romans 1). We naturally desire to worship anything but God. The gospel places those who believe in Christ. Since we (as believers) are in Christ and therefore are made partakers of the promise (Galatians 3) our passions and desires have been changed. According to Romans 6:6-7 the “old self was crucified with him (Christ) in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Therefore, Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” We are free from sin! Not only have we died to the body of sin, but we have also been risen to a new life. Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” We have died to sin and have become alive to God! We have new passions and new desires given us by the power of God living in us which is the Holy Spirit. With these new desires comes a new found desire to worship the one, true Creator God! This new life allows the psalmist to say, “Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!”
Not only does the gospel give us the desire to worship God, but it also gives us the means with which to worship God. 2 Timothy, chapter 2 tells us that “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” We, as sinful beings, cannot enter the presence of God on our own. Our sin prevents us from even approaching the God of the universe with any kind of offering. But it is through that same crucifixion of the old man and the resurrection of the new man that allows us to enter the presence of our God. Since believers are now found in Christ we have bold access into the very presence of God. Not bold as in proud or self-confident, but rather bold in the sense that we do not have to tremble in fear because of our sin. Our sin has been taken away through Christ on the cross and now when God looks at us he sees the righteousness of Christ. It is through Christ that we can offer praise and worship to God.
I pray that we never forget that our worship ought always to be gospel focused. This is not only the worship that occurs on Sunday mornings although this time of worship is by no means excluded. Rather, this includes all of our worship whether it is our own private devotional time or the work that we do during the week. All these things can be acts of worship if we do them for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). May our worship be always gospel centered.
No comments:
Post a Comment