Worship and Witness -- 8/17/08

Sunday, August 17, 2008

WORSHIP AND WITNESS

Read II Cor. 5:17-21…
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now let me ask you a question. Can you worship a God like that? “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Think about yourself. Think of all the evil deeds you have done. Recall some of the wicked thoughts that have passed through your mind, both the lustful thoughts and the unkind thoughts. Don’t forget some of the cutting remarks you have made that hurt others. And what about your neglect of the God who created you? How many times you did your own thing instead of what you knew He wanted you to do! Now hear the words again: “If anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation.” Can you bow down before the God who could take such a wicked person as you and make you brand new? Is not the new creation the miracle of miracles?

Now another question. Can you unashamedly proclaim the greatness of the God described here? Verse 21 again, “For God has made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Think about it. No one else could fix what was wrong with you. How can anyone take a person who has nothing to offer but filthy rags and make him the righteousness of God? How could God dare to place all of our sins upon His own precious Son? Who can imagine Almighty God pouring out the full force of His wrath and punishment upon His pure and spotless Son? Can you tell the world about a God like that? If God could do that in your life, can you invite the world to come to Him? Can you urge one and all to glorify the God you glorify?

Some people attempt to boil the entire Christian life down to our testimony for Christ. Surely that is why the Lord leaves us in this world. He could just take us on home to heaven, but He leaves us here in order that He might use us to draw others to Himself. Our witness for the Lord must be the one driving purpose in our lives. Didn’t Jesus leave us with the Great Commission? “Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20a).

On the other hand, others would say that the great purpose of our lives is to worship the God to whom we owe everything. What does it mean to tell others about the Lord, if we ourselves are not His true worshippers? Remember the simple words of Jesus: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24). Surely the most important thing in life is to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him, even as Mary did (Lk. 10:38-42).

This morning let’s take a look at our worship and our witness. As we will discover, the two go together. They are so closely linked that they can hardly be separated. In order to demonstrate that, I mainly just want us to go through some well-known scripture passages.

I. A Lesson from Isaiah

Let’s begin with Isaiah 6:1-8…
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Did Isaiah worship the Lord? Indeed, he did. And where did that worship begin? It began when Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. Isaiah got a glimpse of who God really is. He heard the seraphim cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, (or the Lord Almighty).” Upon seeing God for who He was, Isaiah could either run and hide, or he could face the truth about himself. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5). And that light pierces to the depths of the human spirit; it exposes us for who we are. Naked and exposed, Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am undone.” Isaiah understood what he would later state, that all of our righteousnesses (righteous deeds) are like filthy rags. Anyone who gets a glimpse of God and is honest with himself will say with Isaiah, “Woe is me, for I am undone.” We can compare ourselves with others and manipulate those comparisons until we come out okay, but when we see the Lord, we realize that we are a mess. Isaiah joined the seraphim in worshipping the Lord God Almighty.

I ask you, is this passage not all about worship? Yes, Isaiah worshipped God in spirit and in truth. There was no pretense. God, who is light, pierced through the darkness and Isaiah let go of all pretense. Yes, this passage is all about worship.

But wait a minute. After the Lord cleansed Isaiah through sending one of the seraphim to him with a hot coal and announcing this cleansing, there is something else that happened. It’s in verse 8, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? and, Who will go for us?” There is nothing here which would indicate that the Lord was speaking directly to Isaiah. No, it’s like Isaiah overheard the Lord in His conversation with the angels. Surely the Lord had much to say to His people Israel, but whom would He send? Isaiah broke in with enthusiasm and said, “Here am I; send me.” “Lord, don’t look any further; I’m at your service. Send me with your message. I’ll go.” The rest of the book is basically Isaiah proclaiming the message of the Lord.

In light of verse 8 and the rest of the book, couldn’t we say that this passage is all about witness? Though the people wouldn’t listen to Isaiah, he faithfully proclaimed the message of the Lord. It is Isaiah who penned those words, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6). It is Isaiah that we quote, when we say, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Is. 9:6). Though he lived some 700 years before Jesus came into the world, he was God’s faithful witness to proclaim the coming of the Messiah.

Can we see it? Worship and witness are tied together. After seeing the Lord high and lifted up, there was only one things for Isaiah to do. He made himself available to declare the good tidings of the Lord. How could he do anything else? How could he agree with the seraphim that the Lord is absolute holiness and that the whole earth is full of his glory, and then not lead the way in declaring that truth to the people God created?

II. Philippians 2:5-11

Let’s read again Phil. 2:5-11… (If you haven’t committed this passage to memory, I would encourage you to do so. Much of God’s plan is within this passage).
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Can you worship the God who sent His Son into this world to die and then exalted Him above every name? Can you worship the Christ who left the glory of heaven and lowered Himself and lowered Himself and lowered Himself until He finally gave Himself for us on the cross? Can you worship the Christ before whom every knee will some day bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord? Can you refuse to give glory to God the Father for conceiving and executing this plan to redeem man and bring glory to Himself and His Son?

Now I ask you, can you tell the world about a God like this? Can you keep within you this message about the Lord Jesus? Can you fail to tell your acquaintances about the Jesus who left the glory of heaven in order to die on the cross? Can you contain the news about the ever-increasing glory of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Surely as we meditate on this passage, we will be driven to worship the Lord. But just as surely, will we not be stirred to tell the world? Can we worship this God and not be a witness of His glory? Can we tell others of Him and not bow down to Him ourselves?

Charles Spurgeon was a man who knew the importance of worship and witness. Out of his worship grew a deep desire to see others come to know his Lord. Listen to these blunt and searching words which he spoke… “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.”

III. Worship and Witness in the Psalms

Now let’s come to a passage that deals more directly with our worship and witness. Let’s read Psalm 95:1-7a...
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 3. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 6. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

The Psalmist invites us to come into the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving and singing, to joyfully sing to the rock of our salvation. He describes that rock as the Lord, who is a great God and a great King above all other so-called gods. This God is so great that He made and sustains all of creation. Yes, He made it all and he owns it all. So the Psalmist comes to the climax in verses 5-7a, “O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

Are you heeding the Lord’s invitation to worship Him? Are we responding to that invitation to worship? Let’s be honest. As a whole, we are weak in our worship. I must remind you that not everything which calls itself worship is truly worship. That was the message which Jesus delivered to the Pharisees. Let’s read it in Mark 7:6-7, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." To the outward eye, it seemed like they worshiped because their lips spoke words of praise to God, but their hearts were far from the Lord. Is that not an apt description of much of what passes for worship in our day? And I suggest that it describes too much of what goes on with us.

Notice again verse 6, “Come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Why the words “bow down” and “kneel”? You might say, “It’s possible to get on your knees and still not worship.” You would be absolutely correct. I suspect that was true of some of the Pharisees. Nevertheless, we can’t just ignore what the Lord has given to us in His Word. Why didn’t he simply say, “Come, let us worship”? Why the two-fold exhortation to bow before the Lord?

We do many things that are good and honorable in the sight of the Lord. For example, we read His Word. That is certainly pleasing to the Lord (provided we do it in the right spirit). Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed” (Jn. 8:31). We could quote dozens of passages that commend the reading of the Word. We can serve Him by being a servant to those around us in His name. As a matter of fact, we are told in II Tim. 3:16-17 that it is the ministry of the Word that prepares us for service. We can do these things in obedience to our Lord.

Nevertheless, there is something a bit different about worship. To worship the Lord we must give up control, dignity, respectability. We see that in the concept of bowing down, of kneeling before the Lord. This kneeling speaks of a deep submission to Him. Yes, I know that we can kneel outwardly and not be submitted, but I’m talking about a submission that begins on the inside and works itself out in the body.

For some of us, in order for us to bow down before the Lord, He would have to do a work within us, because there is pride within us. Kneeling is not natural. That is not something we normally do. If I did that, there would only be one reason, and that is because I am submitted to Him. But now some of you are already protesting. You say the reason you don’t kneel before the Lord is that you don’t want to call attention to yourself. You don’t want to make a big show like the Pharisees did. May the Lord open our eyes to the deception of the enemy. Do you see it? Instead of our eyes being upon the Lord who is worthy of all our worship, we are consumed with concerns about what others will think. The bottom line is that we are not able to focus upon the Lord Himself. We are people-centered instead of God-centered. I’m not saying we are like that in every aspect of life, but as a people we are like that when we come together to worship the Lord. For the most part, we are too dignified to heed the invitation of Psalm 95.

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that if we all got on our knees this morning, we would suddenly be worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth. What I am saying is that the Lord wants to use this passage to expose our self-centeredness and human focus. When we learn to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, we won’t be able to carefully control everything that happens. And there are some of us that greatly fear losing control.

I remember a dear lady that was dominated by the fear that she would shed tears. She was never able to share herself with others because she was afraid that she would cry. I am not condemning her; I hurt with her. What a tragedy that pride and respectability ruled her life. Brothers and sisters, she is not alone.

Let me remind you of a story you might not have thought about in a while. David had become established in Jerusalem, but the ark of God had not yet been brought into the city. So David prepared to bring the ark up from the house of Abinadab, where it had been taken during the reign of Saul (I Sam. 7:1-2; II Sam. 6:3). The ark of God should be in the holy city, where the Lord’s anointed reigned. So they put the ark on a new cart and two of Abinadab’s sons drove the cart. As they were in route to Jerusalem, Uzzah, one of Abinadab’s sons which drove the cart, reached out to steady the cart. Apparently, they hit a rough spot in the road and the ark was in danger of falling off the cart. When Uzzah touched the ark, God was angry and killed him on the spot. We read that David was displeased because of what the Lord had done (II Sam. 6:8), but he wasn’t nearly as displeased as God was. And why was God angry? Why did He kill Uzzah? It was because they had not obeyed the law of the Lord. Later (I Chron. 15:1ff), after the ark spent three months in the house of Obededom, David decided to try again. But this time we read that David told them how to transport the ark. The Levites carried the ark on their shoulders, using staves, as Moses had commanded them in the law (Ex. 25:14; see I Chron. 15:14-15). David acknowledged that they had not properly sought the Lord the first time, and that’s why Uzzah died.

Now as they were bringing the ark up to Jerusalem the second time, it was quite an occasion. David made a really big deal out of the whole procession. Why? Because this was the ark of the Lord, where the Lord dwelt between the cherubim. Above the mercy seat, which was the lid of the ark, the Lord’s presence dwelt in a very special way. Therefore David had arranged for sacrifices and for singers and for great celebration at the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem. It is this context that we read these words… (II Sam. 6:13-23)

And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21. And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 22. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

Don’t misunderstand. Some people have gotten the idea that David was naked when he danced before the Lord. No, not at all. We read here that he had on an ephod. Let’s read the parallel account in 1 Chron. 15:27, "And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen." So we see that he also had on a robe of fine linen. The ephod was originally a garment worn by the high priest. It covered the upper part of the body, as a coat would, but it had special features. You can read about it in Ex. 28.

So what did David’s wife Michal mean when she spoke to David about “shamelessly uncovering himself”? There is no indication of this, other than the words of his wife. Remember that when she saw David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. We could wish to know more of the details, but this is all we are told. Though we don’t know the details, the key seems to be the hardness of her heart. She complained about him uncovering himself in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants. Why wasn’t Michal out there among the handmaids? I suspect she was too dignified for such a thing. David threw away all his dignity as he worshiped the Lord that day. He was consumed by the glory of the Lord, as they brought in the ark. That is what bothered Michal. Her husband was supposed to be the king, and now he was acting no differently than the lowest servant. Instead of wearing his royal clothing, he wore a linen robe and an ephod. I suspect that he was leaping and dancing with such vigor that the proper position of the ephod was disturbed. Perhaps it came unfastened and hung in a rather undignified manner. This has nothing to do with immodesty, but everything to do with dignity, refinement, and sophistication. David threw it all away in his desire to worship the Lord. And when rebuked by his wife, he made it clear that he would not change a thing, but would become even more “vile,” if that’s what it meant to rejoice in the Lord. A close New Testament parallel is found in Mary, as she anointed our Lord and wiped His feet with her hair. She was so consumed with the glory of her Lord that nothing else mattered. Oh that we might be able to worship the Lord like that.

But Psalm 95 does not end at the middle of verse 7. There is another whole section. It is striking that these two sections are put together in one Psalm. We almost wonder if there is a mistake, because the second half seems to bear absolutely no resemblance to the first. The invitation to worship is followed closely by a very stern warning. “Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart.” May we hear the warning, and may we proclaim the warning. We worship the King who is above all gods, but we also warn of the danger of rejecting this Almighty King.

And if you move into the next Psalm (and don’t ever think that there is no reason for the arrangement of the Psalms, especially in this section), we find that it is one of those missionary Psalms, emphasizing the fact that His glory is to be proclaimed to all nations. Just read the first 9 verses… (Ps. 96:1-9)
O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. 3. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

So even here we see that there is a connection between our worship and our witness. Oh that we might lose ourselves in the glory of our God, but when we do, how can we not rise to proclaim Him to one and all?

Conclusion

We could look at many other passages, but let’s close with this question: Worship and witness are linked closely together, but does one come before the other? Is either one of these primary? The answer is, “Yes.” Our witness grows out of our worship. That is not denying for a minute the importance of our testimony for the Lord. Nevertheless, worship comes first.

Many of you have probably already throught of Mary and Martha. Let’s read it again in Luke 10:38-42…
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Was the service of Martha unimportant? That is not what Jesus is saying. There is a time for service, but Martha’s timing wasn’t as good as Mary’s. Mary saw the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening intently to Him. As a result, she would later perform an act of service that neither Martha, the apostles, or anyone else was able to perform. How did she know that it was right and proper to go and anoint Jesus with the expensive perfume? Was it not because her service, her testimony, rose out of her worship of her Lord?

Consider a parallel. What about faith and works? They are very, very closely connected, as we see in James 2. Faith without works is dead. If there are no works, rest assured that the so-called faith is not genuine. But if there is no faith, there can be no works. But does one come before the other? Is one of the two primary? Yes. Faith comes first; works rises out of faith. We see this clearly in Eph. 2:8-10…
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are save by grace through faith, and not by works. But when that faith is genuine, works will be produced as a result.

I was reminded the other day of some words that I have read in the past. It was good to be reminded. I want to read you the opening paragraph of a book entitled Let the Nations Be Glad, by John Piper. In this paragraph he speaks about worship and missions. I don’t believe we will do it any violence to substitute the word “witness” for missions. So when I read the word “missions,” make the application to our witness. I will try to read it rather slowly, so that we can grasp what he is saying.
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. it is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever… Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions.

Brothers and sisters, the day is coming when bearing witness for Christ will not be necessary. All those in His presence will be worshipping Him along with us. We bear witness in order to effectively invite as many as possible to join in this eternity-long worship of Him who is worthy.

There is no better preparation for heaven than our worship and witness. As we worship, we are preparing for what we will do forever and ever. As we witness, we are urging others to join us in worshipping Him. We know that the day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Our desire is that those around us will bow the knee now, so that the bowing and confessing in the end will be with joy rather than regret, shame, and despair. But make no mistake about it, the effectiveness of our witness depends upon the reality of our worship.