Mt. Vernon Church of Christ

Services

Sunday A. M. Bible Study - 9:30

Sunday A. M. Worship - 10:30

Sunday P. M. Worship - 5:00

Wednesday Evening Bible Study - 6:00


Address

700 Mill Street

Mt. Vernon, Indiana  47620

Contact

(812) 838-2635

email

Gospel Plan of Salvation

Hear - Rom. 10:17

Believe - Mark 16:15,16

Repent - Luke 17:3

Confess - Rom. 10:10

Be baptized - Acts 2:38

Live faithfully - Titus 2:12

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God...” (I Peter 4:11) Mt. Vernon Church of Christ

Jesus said that God requires worship and that our worship is to be "in Spirit and in truth." He went further and said that God seeks sincere, spiritual worshipers. His exact words were, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such doth the Father seek to be His worshipers. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth" (John 4:23,24).


The inference from these words is that real worship is a most profound privilege, never to be treated lightly or complacently. Today the tendency in religious assemblies is to be increasingly informal, shallow and emotional. In these modern days it is easy to be outwardly pious in worship but inwardly unconcerned. It is entirely possible for worshipers to fail completely to worship as the Christ directed and, in failing, they miss one of the most uplifting privileges ever given to human beings.


Christian worship derives its true significance from the nature of the God we worship. The God of the Bible, the God whom we approach in worship, is infinite in greatness, goodness and holiness. He is our heavenly Father (Matt. 6:9); the One in Whom "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). He is the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, and His presence fills the universe (I Tim. 1:17; Jer. 23:24). In other words, the God whom Christians worship is infinitely adorable and worshipful; and everyone needs grace to offer well-pleasing worship to Him. The only proper approach to God by imperfect man is that of reverence. "...Let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28,29). All praise, prayer and service to God should be offered with respect and awe. No other attitude toward God is appropriate in human beings.


HOLINESS


God is holy. Over and over this truth is affirmed in the scriptures. Psalm 99 expresses it in strong terms: "Exalt the Lord our God; worship at His footstool! Holy is He!... worship at His holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!" (Ps. 99:5,9). Joshua said, "...for He is a holy God" (Joshua 24:19).


Isaiah was overwhelmed with a sense of unworthiness when he became aware of God's holiness. "In the year, that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple...Above Him stood the seraphim. . . And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is Jehovah of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. 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, Jehovah of hosts" (Isaiah 6:1-3,5).


Thus Isaiah learned what modern man needs to learn--that God is "...the high and lofty one Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is holy" (Isa. 57:15). Even Jesus, in his sinless perfection, addressed the God whom we worship as, "Holy Father" (John 17:11). And John in his visions on the isle of Patmos learned that the ceaseless chant of heaven's living creatures is, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come" (Rev. 4:8).


Therefore the basic principle of all human approach to God is reverence. The basic law of reverence in the Old Testament, as God spoke it is this-- "You shall be holy for I am holy" (Lev. 11 :44,45) . The law of reverence as given in the New Testament is expressed in the same words (I Pet. 1:16). The Bible word "holy" is a strong word. It means "pure, sacred, dedicated, free from defilement." Since the God we worship is holy, we, His people, are to be holy in all manner of living; and in nothing are we to be more pure, genuine and sincere in purpose than in worshiping our Holy Father.


This writer is not ready to say that certain language must be used in prayer to God and other language is wrong, but he is ready to say that any approach to God which carries with it the idea of the "buddy system" is one that borders on the ridiculous. God is holy. He is our "Holy Father” or our "Father which art in heaven." To be acceptable to Him, we must always be careful to approach Him in an attitude of reverence that becomes appropriate for human beings, who at best are mere worms of the dust.


OMNIPRESENCE


Another aspect of God's nature which should be remembered in our worship is that "God is everywhere." The formal expression for this sublime truth is to say that "God is omnipresent." This means that God is an invisible Presence from whom nothing is hidden. The Psalmist had this truth in mind when he asked, "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? On whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou one there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwelt in the uttermost parts  of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7-10). God reminded Samuel of His inescapable presence when he said, "...Jehovah seeth not as men seeth;. ..Jehovah looketh on the heart" (I Sam. 16:7). And Paul said, "...for in him we live, and move, and have our being..." (Acts 17:28).


Let Christians remember, then, that God is present, unseen, but seeing, when we worship; and He looks not alone at our pious posture or conduct but into our hearts. If in our hearts there is only well-hidden luke warmness, God knows it.


RIGHTEOUSNESS


There are other aspects of God's nature which should influence the sincerity and reverence of our worship. The God whom Christians worship is faithful to all His promises; He is righteous in all His judgments and good in all His gifts. He is abundant in mercy and loving kindness. He has not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. He is slow to wrath, not willing that any should perish, but that all might be saved.


In addition, He is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask on think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20). The God we worship is able to make "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).


LOVE


Then there is the love of God which, above all else in His nature, ought to move us to a more profound worship. It would seem then, that the greatness and goodness inherent in the very nature of God would create in every person a spirit of grateful wonder which would cause everyone to feel as the Psalmist felt, who four times came out with this exclamation in the same Psalm: "Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his loving kindness, and fan his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Ps. 107:8,15,21 ,32).


Christian worship ought to be a holy endeavor, an awe-inspiring privilege. Sad to say, it is apparently not a serious endeavor nor an inspiring experience to many who call themselves children of God. Worshipers must draw nigh to the true and holy God with their hearts as well as with their lips.


William S. Cline, Defender, April 1978




The God We Worship
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