Tuesday, July 8, 2014

CROSS Series Week 1: Attendance Required


As we take a break from the book of John for several weeks I thought it would be appropriate to remind us of the mission that is set before us as a church: Crystal Spring Baptist Church exists for people to KNOW Christ, GROW in Christ, and SHOW Christ to others. Though this is a clever reflection of the very real biblical mandate for all disciples, a mission statement is merely a goal or intention if it is without a strategy to accomplish it. Therefore, I want to take a few weeks to demonstrate what I believe the Bible says is necessary to accomplish this mission in South Roanoke and around the world. (“Your direction not your intention determines your destination”-Andy Stanley)
 
 

In order to help us remember the important principles that we will learn in this series, I have decided to adopt and acrostic: C.R.O.S.S. to guide us through our series. Today we will be dealing with the C, which in this case stands for Corporate Worship. Corporate worship is something that Crystal Spring Baptist Church gives herself to and it is something I believe the Bible mandates, in part, to help move the mission of God forward. However, why is corporate worship worth our time? How vital is it? Where does the Bible say I have to go to church? In what ways does what we do on Sunday morning help us accomplish our goal? The answers to these questions are found in three elements found in Hebrews 10:19-25.

I. ELEMENT#1: The Conditions for Corporate Worship-10:19-21 & 22b-c

Hebrews 10:19-22 constitutes one long sentence (rendering especially difficult to diagram J). The length of this sentence does not merely emote complexity of thought, but intensity of appeal. The author of Hebrews begins a new thought in verse 19 as indicated by “therefore, brethren” and introduces something in response to what has just been discussed (namely, the superiority of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ). Having established that Jesus Christ is the greatest ever sacrifice and that His sacrifice was sufficient once for all, the author moves to encourage his audience in light of the supremacy of Jesus. First, he encourages an active, vibrant, corporate worship life.

However, before the content of this encouragement is made known, the author establishes the conditions that render corporate worship a possibility in the first place. In his mind, the encouragement he hopes to bring will have more staying power if he first reveals what has been done to make it possible. First, he suggests that a corporate worship life has been made available by means of the blood of Jesus (i.e. spilled during the sacrifice he has just finished discussing), “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus” (10:19). The key word in this passage is “confidence,” meaning “authorization” to enter into the holy place. Whereas before Jesus’ death, the holy place was reserved for the select few who were appointed as high priests, all believers because of the sacrifice of Jesus are able to confidently enter into the presence of God because of the blood of Christ (emphasized as the last word in the phrase). Though today we take corporate worship and the free worship of God in His presence for granted, for those in this author’s audience, this was a relatively revolutionary idea! Jesus’ blood is the believer’s pass into the presence of God. Our worship of God is a most wondrous privilege that we can only dream of enjoying because of the most expensive tickets ever purchased, salvation through the blood of Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

The author continues to explain why the believer has confidence to enter into worship of God in verse 20, “by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh…”  Jesus Himself is the “new and living way” through which believers have access to the Father. This idea of Jesus as the “way” evokes the idea of an entrance or doorway. Interestingly enough, these concepts of a new and living way and a door are in keeping with what we have been learning in John.

John 14:6-“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes unto the Father except through Me.”

John 10:9-"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture”

A simple illustration of Jesus’ role in creating this confidence before the presence of God might involve a first date with a potential mate. Though previously intimidated by his/her presence and perhaps even kept at an arm’s length because of who he or she is, someone who knows the person personally might sacrifices his/her time and energy to make it possible for you to sit down with this individual. Not only that, but when you arrive to speak with this man or woman, your friend walks with you and introduces you, giving you all the confidence in the world that you will not be turned away and every reason to enjoy your time with that person without fear. This is similar to what Jesus has done for every believer. Jesus has sacrificed a lot to make it available for disciples to meet God and worship Him and has even ushered them into His presence. This should give all believers confidence, rendering their worship possible and vibrant.

Confidence is the first condition of our worship. In part, disciples worship because they have confidence in the presence of almighty God through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is no true worship of God without confidence in His presence.

However, not only has Jesus gone ahead and paid for our meal and introduced us to our date, He is a mediator and advocate for us in his/her midst. The second reason why believers can worship God in a meaningful way is because they have a cleric, “and since we have a great priest over the house of God” (10:21). Jesus as “a great high priest” is the mediator between us and God—the bridge between God and man—the advocate pleading the disciple’s case. Without Him, God would dismiss each disciple from His presence. However, Jesus steps in, speaks for them, and defends their legitimacy as worshippers, thereby captivating the almighty’s attention.

Confidence is the first condition of a believer’s worship. The second is a supreme cleric who acts as the believer’s greatest defense. Without Him, God would not give us the time of day. However, there is a third condition the writer of Hebrews spells out for worship.

The third condition of worship is “cleansing” (having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience) (10:22b).  This act of spiritual cleansing happens on two levels. First, the heart is cleansed from an evil conscience. This describes a washing of the inner self, complete with its nefarious motives, impurities, and general predisposition toward sin. This radical cleansing of the inner man is accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ described earlier in Hebrews 10 and echoed in Psalm 51:2.

Psalm 51:2-“Wash me thorough from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

However, not only has the heart been cleansed of Jesus, so has the body, “and our bodies washed with pure water” (10:22c). Parallel to “hearts sprinkled clean” this describes a consecration of the flesh as well or the outer man. Though this remains to be realized existentially, essentially God looks upon believers as those who are totally pure because of Jesus sacrifice (inside and out).

Jesus Christ has not only sacrificed Himself to set us up with God and advocated on our behalf in His presence, He has clothed us with righteousness, rendering us suitable for the occasion of true worship. This is not unlike a friend who makes you a reservation with a girl or boy of your interest, takes time to advocate on your behalf to him or her, and makes sure you look appropriate for your first date.

Jesus has given His disciples confidence, He acts as Cleric, and has Cleansed believers so that they might worship appropriately, rendering us capable of answering the call to worship.

II. ELEMENT#2: The Call to Corporate Worship-10:22a, 23-24

In light of the conditions given, the author of Hebrews moves to capitalize on the sense of wonder and awe created by what Jesus has done by calling all disciples to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (10:22a). This is the imperative upon which all of the conditions hang. In other words, the appropriate response to what Jesus has done is to make the most of the relationship He has paved the way for by drawing near to God with total assurance of faith, sincere in heart because, as stated earlier, the heart has been cleansed by Jesus.

The plural form of the verb for draw near (“let us draw near”) suggests that this date with God is a group date, to be enjoyed by all of the disciples that the author of Hebrews is encouraging.

Therefore, corporate worship involves drawing near to God with faithful assurance because of a cleansed heart. Drawing near to God identifies the vertical direction of worship (knowing Him).

The second part of the call to worship involves “hold[ing] fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful” (10:23). Not only are disciples to draw to God in worship together because of a clean heart, they are instructed here to hold fast to their hope in light of the confidence that Jesus has provided. Agreeing in form and function of the imperative before it (let us draw near), this word means to continue to believe, with the implication of acting in accordance with such belief. Continuing in belief implies a love for understanding and growth of knowledge of the things of God (growing in God). Because “the one who promised is faithful,” the believer has every confidence in their relationship with God and can unswervingly hold to the hope that comes with such a bond—the hope of eternity, the hope of life, the hope of blessing, etc.

Therefore, worship also involves inward conviction of the promises of God. Holding fast the confession of hope identifies the inward direction of worship (growing in Him).

However, there is a third part of worship, the aspect directed towards others, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (10:24). This solidifies the corporate aspect of worship within the context of this passage and the occasion of Hebrews as a whole. Not only are believers to draw near (disciple-God) and hold fast (disciple-self), they are to be about the business of spurring each other on to love and good deeds (disciple-disciple). The kind of activity described here, of actively encouraging one another toward love and good deeds seems to support a communal aspect of worship that has more recently been vilified.

Perhaps ever since Martin Luther’s Sola Scriptura idea was promulgated and mis-appropriated, the church has value personal pursuit of God over and above a corporate pursuit of God. This has led to an unhealthy and unbiblical view of spiritual autonomy that is never described in Scripture. The writer of Hebrews seems to say that part of true worship of God involves a dynamic community of people who are encouraging one another to the things of God (love and good deeds).

Therefore, the worship that has been made possible by all that Jesus has provided (confidence, a cleric, and cleansing), is upward focused (drawing near to God {knowing Him}), inward focused (holding fast to the confidence {growing in Him}), and outward focused (stimulating one another on {showing Him}). However, how is this supposed to be done?

III. ELEMENT #3: The Character of Corporate Worship-10:25

The third element answers this question as it provides the character of corporate worship, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some” (10:25a). Regular assembly is one way in which this kind of worship is accomplished.  Forsaking the opportunity of meeting together, as is the habit of some (according to the writer), is prohibited as it dilutes the worship experience and fails to take advantage of Jesus has provided. The character of corporate worship (the upward, inward, and outward elements [knowing God, growing in God, and showing God]) requires the assembly of believers.

If forsaking the assembly of believers is forbidden, what is called for? The answer is found in the end of verse 25, “but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” “Showing God” to others is not limited to demonstrating Him to unbelievers. It includes showing God to those inside the faith, providing encouragement to one another. This is especially significant in light of the end that is drawing near. As the world heads toward its end, the author of Hebrews, even 2000 years ago, understood the vital role encouragement of the saints would be.

So What?

The conditions, the call, and the characteristics of corporate worship all point to its significance in the life of a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. The conditions cause us to appreciate all that Jesus has done to allow for the corporate worship of God; the call to corporate worship commands us to give ourselves readily to drawing near, holding fast, and encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ; and the characteristics compel us not to forsake this opportunity, but to, whenever possible, assemble together for the purposes of encouraging one another through knowing God, growing in Him and showing Him to others through love and good deeds.  

When we think about the nature of God, the significance of corporate worship should not surprise us. He Himself is in relationship with Himself in the Trinity and is constantly in a state of corporate worship. As those who are made in His image and those who have had their image renewed by Jesus Christ, one way that we reflect Him is by meeting together and worshipping Him corporately.

Therefore, your attendance in this assembly, is not based on tradition, ritual, or casual organization. It is an opportunity paid for by Christ’s blood for you to worship God as a community. DO NOT NEGLECT IT. God needs to be worshipped, and you and I need to be encouraged as the world draws near to its end as we know it. Our corporate worship is not just a routine, but an active way Crystal Spring Baptist Church seeks to accomplish the Mission of God to know Christ, grow in Christ, and show Christ to others.

 

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