Life
in the Father's House Memorial OPC, Fall 2008
Lesson 6, "Participating in Worship
Services" Pastor Matthew Judd
"Modern man worships his work, works at his play, and plays at his worship" (quoted by D. Whitney).
The Centrality of Worship for the Believer [in the midst of Christ’s church]
Pictorially represented in the OT - in the tabernacle and temple
All of life is worship - life radiates out of this "center"
Two aspects of
worship: Worship as a "broad"
principle (1 Cor. 10:31,
Worship as a "narrow" command (Lev. 23, Isa. 66.23)
Terminology of worship: English - "worth-ship" - the object is worthy of honor,
reverence, respect, adoration, etc.
Hebrew and Greek - the focus is on the action of the
worshipper - "to bow down, to lie prostrate"
The Essence of Corporate Worship
The focus of true worship is on God. Consider the first four commandments...
1. The right object
2. The acceptable manner (WCF 21.1)
3. The acceptable attitude
4. The acceptable time
The acceptance of our worship is found in our High Priest and Mediator. (Heb 10:11-25)
The participants of worship actively respond to God with their whole being. (Psa 95, 96)
The outward should flow out of the inward (John 4.23-24, Matt. 15)
[An aside: pp. 124-125 pit duty against delight/joy. There is a problem with this
illustration. What is described in a negative way and condemned in this illustration is
NOT properly called "duty". Rather, it is external formalism. Our duty before God is to
delight in him with our whole being. Anything less than this falls short of what is due
unto God (i.e. duty).]
The Nuts and Bolts of Corporate Worship
Preparation - 4th commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy..."
The integrity of our lives (Ps. 15)
Our relationships with others (Matt. 5.23-24)
Our posture the rest of the week (morning and evening sacrifices)
Prayer
Other practical matters...
Learning from the Teaching of God's Word - God speaks, we respond. (WCF 14.2)
10 suggestions to help us be better listeners... (pp. 129-130)