Worship

More documents

Info

which . . . sanctifies the life, makes a man walk with God and delight in God's law, lifts him above the fear of the world and the love of the world, enables him to exhibit something of God's image and God's likeness before his fellow-men, makes him just, loving, pure, gentle, good tempered, patient, humble, unselfish, and temperate. This is the worship that comes down from Heaven, and has the stamp and seal and superscription of God. Whatever men may please to say, the grand test of the value of any kind of worship is the effect it produces on the lives of the worshipers. A man may tell us that what is called Ritualism now-a-days, is the best and most perfect mode of worshiping God. He may despise the simple and unadorned ceremonial of Evangelical congregations. He may exalt to the skies the excellence of ornament, decoration, and pageantry, in our service of God. But I take permission to tell him that Christian men will try his favorite system by its results. So long as Ritualistic worshipers can turn from matins and early communions — to races and operas; and can oscillate between the confessional and the ball-room — then so long the advocates of Ritualism must not be surprised if we think little of the value of Ritualistic worship. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. The best public worship is that which produces the best private Christianity. The best Church Services for the congregation are those which make its individual members most holy at home and alone. If we want to know whether our own public worship is doing us good, let us try it by these tests. Page 26 of 29
Does it quicken our conscience? Does it send us to Christ? Does it add to our knowledge? Does it sanctify our life? If it does, we may depend on it — it is worship of which we have no cause to be ashamed. The day is coming when there shall be . . . a congregation that shall never break up, a Sabbath that shall never end, a song of praise that shall never cease, and an assembly that shall never be dispersed. In that assembly shall be found all who have "worshiped God in spirit" upon earth. If we are such, we shall be there. Here we often worship God with a deep sense of weakness, corruption, and infirmity. There, at last, we shall be able, with a renewed body, to serve Him without weariness, and to worship Him without distraction. Here, at our very best, we see through a glass darkly, and know the Lord Jesus Christ most imperfectly. It is our grief that we do not know Him better and love Him more. There, freed from all the dross and defilement of indwelling sin, we shall see Jesus as we have been seen, and known as we have been known. Surely, if faith has been sweet and peace-giving — then sight will be far better. Here we have often found it hard to worship God joyfully, by reason of the sorrows and cares of this world. Tears over the graves of those we loved have often made it hard to sing praise. Crushed hopes and family Page 27 of 29
Page 1 and 2: Page 1 of 29
Page 3 and 4: WORSHIP "God is a Spirit — and th
Page 5 and 6: I. I have first to show the GENERAL
Page 7 and 8: mourning souls are cheered, and hea
Page 9 and 10: (a) For one thing, true public wors
Page 11 and 12: must know what they are doing. It i
Page 13 and 14: We must beware that we do not rush
Page 15 and 16: The Jew's religion approached the w
Page 17 and 18: prominent position. It appears to m
Page 19 and 20: history. Pliny records that when th
Page 21 and 22: But I cannot forget, for all this,
Page 23 and 24: pretended to be sacrificing priests
Page 25: food, will strengthen him who uses
Page 29: Page 29 of 29

Worship

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?