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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