Have you ever had, I'm sure you have, just one of those mornings?
I'm having, or have had, been having one of those mornings this morning.
I kind of foolishly, last night, in order to stay up a bit later and study a bit more for this morning,
drank Mountain Dew, thinking that'll help get my brain going.
But I'm fairly worthless mentally after dinner.
So all it really did is kept me up late.
And I have a wife who's 20 weeks pregnant and needs her sleep.
And so I sent her off to bed and I took my place on the couch last night and went to bed about midnight.
Woke up at about 5.30 this morning and discovered that our puppy had made quite a mess of herself and our laundry room.
So this morning I had to put a puppy in a bathtub and scrub lovely things off of her.
My son is quite sick this morning.
I have a 16-month-old at home, kind of wheezing and coughing and just has a nasty, nasty thing going on.
I sort of threw on clothes this morning, in case you didn't notice.
And I'll point out that I'm wearing Argyle socks with my plaid shirt.
Because they were the socks in these shoes from the last time I wore them.
It's been quite a morning for me.
But I can say it is a privilege to be here with you this morning.
I love being with God's people.
And with all that going on and the chaos of this morning,
it is so good to get to be here with you guys this morning.
God has done a great work amongst us, calling together His church.
And there is evidence of that in this room.
So it's really, really good to be here.
And I hope you feel the same.
We're preaching a bit of time here,
kind of on both the vision of Christ Family Church and how that plays itself out.
And I mentioned last week the vision statement of our church,
that Christ Family Church exists to experience, proclaim, and display the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things.
But how?
How is it that we put wheels on that car?
How is it that that engine drives us down the road?
And we like to use a little analogy to kind of talk about the ministry of our church.
And we use a tree both to talk about the life of our church and our Christian lives as individuals.
When we talk about roots, branches, and fruit.
The roots being that depth that we have, our knowledge of the Word of God,
our theological database, so to speak.
And we want to be both individuals and a group of people that put our roots down very deep.
We want to suck out of the Word of God everything that there is for us in it
because we believe the Word of God is inspired.
That it is sufficient for our Christian living.
And that all we need is found within it.
I joked around with the guys last week that I think that God is probably thrifty enough
that if all the words in this book were not inspired,
He would have left some of them out so we could cut down on our printing costs as we produced it.
I think every word in it is valuable for us, whether you always feel that or not.
The branches are our exaltation of Christ, our proclamation of Him,
the prayers that we lift up to Him, the songs that we sing together,
and then the fruit is the fruit of love.
Both to the church, the things that we do together to love on each other,
and then our fruit to the world, our service and our evangelism to the world.
So that's kind of our neat little analogy we like to use.
And as I told you last week in my preparation, I was led to Hebrews chapter 10,
and I found contained within it this analogy, but not in quite as neat a form.
So we're just going to preach through Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19 through 25.
So let's read that together, and then we'll pray.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh.
And since we have a great priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see today, drawing near.
Let's pray together.
Father, you are a good, loving God,
and you have displayed this in the most magnificent way in the work of Christ
and in the redemption of your church.
We thank you for that this morning.
We thank you for your word,
and I pray, Father, this morning that my preparation or lack of,
and your word and your spirit will collide this morning,
that you will give us ears to hear and understand
not only what the text means,
but what the text means for us,
for our lives.
You'll bring conviction on us as a church and as individuals.
Pray, Father, that you will have your way with us this morning.
We pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
Alright, so last week,
we kind of narrowed in.
We focused in on the beginning of verse 22,
but to lead up to that,
we've been granted access now to God.
19 through 21,
because of the work of Christ,
we've been given access to God.
And then we're given three exhortations in the text,
and they're all preceded by a little phrase,
let us.
So you see that, let us, let us, let us,
which is where we're at.
And last week, we began,
the very beginning of verse 22,
with a little phrase,
let us draw near.
To talk about Christian worship,
when I say that carefully,
hear me very carefully,
we all worship all the time.
Everything you do is an act of worship.
What it is you worship
is to be determined,
but I'm talking about specifically Christian worship.
I'm not talking about when you
worship your car wrongly,
or a relationship you may have,
or how much money you have in the bank account.
That's not what I'm discussing.
I'm talking about Christian worship,
and particularly corporate Christian worship,
which is not just the singing of songs,
certainly includes the singing of songs,
but it's everything that we do together as believers.
That's why we call this a worship service,
which also includes the preaching of God's word.
This is an act of worship.
The listening to the preaching of God's word,
the prayers we pray together,
taking of the Lord's supper together,
are all acts of worship.
And so that's what verse 22 really addresses.
And as I told you last week,
that beginning phrase,
let us draw near,
is actually one word in the original,
which I told you was proser kamai,
and I was actually corrected.
That's the root of the word,
and I'm not even going to try to pronounce the actual word,
but the root of the word is proser kamai,
and we pulled out of that phrase
three things we should learn,
three things we should know as Christians
about proper Christian worship.
There's a lot of heat without light out there
in the world around the idea of worship.
Worship battles in churches,
and many churches have split over this,
primarily music.
Some have accommodated all the crowds
in order not to lose anybody.
A large local church on their website
advertises their services this way.
They have three.
A traditional blend of praise and worship.
An inspiring and vibrant contemporary worship experience.
Contemporary acoustic worship.
Take your pick.
Which one of these best suits you
and your personality and your preference?
Unfortunately, these preferences
are primarily, almost always,
predicated on opinion.
It's very rare that you have these conversations with people,
and they ever go to the scriptures at all.
So I asked the question last week,
who gets the final say?
Who gets to determine how it is
that we worship together?
Is it us?
Certainly not.
It's God.
The scriptures give us a lot of latitude about style.
It's not that there is a particular style,
a particular inspired liturgy that we must follow.
But there are some particular,
there are some things to do
that are proper.
It scares me that it's possible
for us to worship the right God wrongly.
That it's possible for us to even believe
by what we're talking about this morning
that we're doing it properly
and be doing it wrongly.
Matthew 15, 8 and 9,
Jesus said,
This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
In vain do they worship me.
This is valuable for us.
We pulled three points out last week.
I'm going to repeat them for you,
and we're going to move on
and finish verse 22 this morning
with the following three.
So six points total
if you're taking notes this morning.
Point number one,
Christian worship is
corporate in emphasis.
Let us draw near.
Our hearts, our bodies.
You can see this plural form
running through the entire text.
It's corporate in emphasis
because God's character
culminates in the work of Christ.
I said this morning,
You are the greatest thing
that God has done.
It's crazy, isn't it?
We are a mess, aren't we?
The action that's going on
in your Christian life,
the culmination of God's work,
what is being accomplished in you
because of Christ,
it's incredible.
The church,
in all its disaster,
is a great view of God's glory.
So Christian worship
is corporate in emphasis.
Any expression of Christianity
devoid of the church
is totally foreign
to the pages of Scripture.
You remember last week
the analogies were given,
the metaphors
that were a body made of parts,
a household
of family members,
a temple
built of living stones.
We're not meant
to exist apart from each other,
but to coexist
as a community
of Christians.
Psalm 22,
the psalmist writes,
I will tell of your name
to my brothers
in the midst
of the congregation.
I will praise you.
The second point
was Christian worship is
frequent in occurrence.
That term,
that original Greek term
was present and active,
both that we should
be drawing near to God
both now
and continually.
Forever.
Enjoy Him forever.
The New Testament
does not command
a particular frequency.
I think asking
how often
should we meet together
is really the wrong question.
I think we ought to
want to meet together
all the time.
Christian worship is,
number three,
thoroughly preoccupied
!
with God.
Thoroughly preoccupied
!
with God.
It's His approval
that we seek.
His applause.
Our worship services
are for Him.
Brothers,
we need to be careful
that we don't become
worshipers of ourselves
when we come into this place
looking to meet
our needs.
We're here to worship God.
We're the beneficiaries
of what happens
as a result.
So when you leave here
this morning,
you ought not to ask,
what did I get out
of this morning?
But was God pleased
with my participation?
So number one,
corporate an emphasis.
Two,
frequent an occurrence.
Three,
thoroughly preoccupied
with God.
This brings us
to our new point.
Number four,
Christian worship
includes all
of our being.
Includes all
of our being.
We get this from
this little phrase
with a true heart.
Let us draw near
with a true heart.
Christianity
is a religion
of the heart.
And you ask,
well,
then what is the heart?
Are we talking about
the muscle that pumps
blood throughout my body?
Absolutely not.
That's not what Scripture
means when it refers
to the heart.
The heart is the
center of who we are,
the place where
our personality
and emotions lie.
Essentially,
the whole
of our interior life.
God is not
primarily concerned
with our outward actions.
Do they matter?
Are some of them
prescribed?
Yes.
But He's not
primarily concerned
with our outward actions.
As we've said,
you can do all
the right things
wrongly.
He's primarily
concerned
with
our hearts.
We all tend to know,
we're all kind of
Christianized
in this culture.
Don't we?
A lot of Christianity
around us.
And you kind of
know the scene.
How many friends
do you even have
that went through
all the motions
before they actually
were Christians?
Before they actually
had regenerate hearts?
They went through
all the actions.
We know exactly
what we're supposed
to do.
We follow every cue
to a T.
When the crescendo
comes in the song,
right,
what happens?
Close your eyes.
Raise your hands.
It's the right moment
to do that type of thing.
If it's not,
you always sing
standing up.
We always sit
for preaching.
We know when.
We know.
And it feels awkward
if nobody tells you
what to do.
You're like,
I'm not sure.
I think we're supposed
to stand right now,
but I'm not really sure.
I can't even listen
to the first verse
of this song
because I'm just not sure
if I should stand up
or sit down.
It's very frustrating to me.
We can do the right things
with the wrong heart.
It frightens me a lot.
A lot.
Turn to Isaiah chapter 1.
See what God has to say
about this.
Isaiah chapter 1.
We'll read 11 through 16
to you.
It's God speaking.
What to me
is the multitude
of your sacrifices,
says the Lord.
I have had enough
of burnt offerings,
of rams,
and the fat
of well-fed beef.
I do not delight
in the blood of bulls
or of lambs
or of goats.
Let's pause here.
These were prescribed things.
These were things
that God had asked
Israel to do.
But he's saying,
I'm sick of them.
I have grown weary
of these things.
Verse 12.
When you come to appear
before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings.
Incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath
and the calling of convocations.
I cannot endure iniquity
and solemn assembly.
Your new moons
and your appointed feasts
my soul hates.
They have become
a burden to me.
I am weary
of bearing them.
When you spread out
your hands,
I will hide my eyes
from you.
Even though you make
many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands
are full of blood.
Wash yourselves.
Make yourselves clean.
Let's stop there.
Christianity is a religion
of the heart.
These are all things
that have an ass
of Israel to do.
And God says,
they have become
a burden to me.
Is our worship together
a burden to God?
I hope not.
Recall Simon the magician
in Acts chapter 8
went to Peter
and tried to purchase
the Holy Spirit
from him.
He already was a bit
of a miracle worker
himself.
And he saw this
spirit and dwelling
of Christians
and they were
healing people
and he said,
ah, it's a better power
than I have now.
I'd like it.
And he tried to purchase it
and Peter's response
to him was,
you have neither part
nor lot in this matter
for your heart
is not right
before God.
So I'll say to you again,
Christianity
is a religion
of the heart.
John Chrysostom said,
find the door
to your heart
and you will discover
it is the door
to the kingdom of God.
In Deuteronomy 4.29
God says,
from there you will
seek the Lord your God
and you will find him
if you search after him
with all your heart.
It's not all about
the outward appearance.
Those things matter.
But I'm just afraid
that we lose sight
of what really matters.
It comes about
the outward appearance
and not about
our hearts.
Many Christians
put on airs
on Sunday morning.
I'm thankful
that we're not a church
where I feel
pressured to wear a suit
to preach in.
I know I look pitiful
this morning.
That outward appearance
is so important
to so many of us.
What did Jesus call
the Pharisees
as they acted like that?
Whitewashed tombs.
Isn't that language?
That strong language?
You were like
whitewashed tombs
is what he said to them.
Somebody has
on the outside
made you look
very nice.
They have come along
and painted you up
clean and white.
Tomb carved into the rock.
But inside
you were full
of dead people's bones.
What's on the outside
is nothing
like what's on the inside.
Christianity
is a religion
of the heart.
The Psalms are
filled
with language
of the heart.
Where the outworking
of a heart
worshipping God
rightly
is joy.
I don't have time
this morning
to take you on
a survey
through the Psalms.
But I would invite you
to read them
looking for those
types of things.
The outward working
of a heart
worshipping God
properly
is joy.
Joy that expresses
itself
visibly.
We're Baptists.
We tend to express
ourselves
visibly
too often
in our
meetings together.
Do we?
There's
dancing
in the Psalms.
There's
standing
and lifting
of hands.
There's
kneeling.
There's lying
prostrate
on the ground.
There's actual
physical
action
that comes
out of
proper hearts.
C.S. Lewis
said that in the Psalms
God is set
on display
as the
all-satisfying
object.
Psalm 1611
David wrote
In your presence
there is fullness
of joy.
At your right hand
are pleasures
forevermore.
In Psalm 33
1
the psalmist
says
Shout for joy
in the Lord
O you righteous.
Praise
befits
the upright.
The upright
ought to praise
God
is what he's saying.
Those who are
righteous
because of
Christ
will praise
God's name
joyfully.
Joy is an
expressive
thing.
Is it not?
Some of you people
look dead
when you sing
songs.
It's expressive.
It's easy to look
at somebody and say
they have no joy
in their heart.
Isn't it?
People would say
that of us
when we're
praising our God.
2 Samuel
chapter 6
I think
displays this
rather well.
If you recall
the story
David
is now
king
his issues
with Saul
have been
laid to rest
at this point
and he
decides to
bring the
Ark of the
Covenant
back
to Jerusalem.
It's been
living
the Ark
has
at the
house
of Abinadab
and then
there's
this little
transport
that goes
on
if you
recall
and
there's
a little
stumble
as they're
carrying
the Ark
and one
of the
bears
of the Ark
reaches out
and touches
it to catch
it and
God gets
upset at him
and kills
him and so
David says
maybe we
shouldn't bring
that thing
home just
yet.
And so
it then
lives at the
house of
Obed-Adam
for three
months and
God blesses
him richly
for housing
it there
and so
David decides
okay let's
bring it on
to Jerusalem
now.
In
verse 14
says
and David
danced
before the
Lord
with all
his might
danced
before the
Lord
with all
his might
and you
recall that
David was
married to
Michal
which was
Saul's
daughter
and she
saw him
from the
window
and the text
says that she
despised him
with all her
heart
because she
felt that he
was disgracing
himself
I didn't
mention that he
was pretty much
dancing in his
underwear
but danced
with all
his might
and she
confronts
him
and if
you'll
allow me
a paraphrase
his response
to her
is she
says to
him
you have
disgraced
your position
you were
the king
of Israel
and you're
dancing in
your underwear
in front of
the ark
it's disgraceful
and his
response to
her
in my
own
paraphrase
form
is
I was
holding
back
you thought
that was
disgraceful
I was
holding
back
I will
become
even more
foolish
if it means
that my
God will
receive more
glory
you ought to
be joyful
in this
place
expressive
as a result
why
because our
God deserves
it
I don't
really care
how you
feel
you want to
dance a little
bit
or raise
your hands
and you
think that's
embarrassing
to you
what have you
become
a worshipper
of you
not a worshipper
of our
God
do you
realize
what God
has done
for us
we take
our sins
so
lightly
most of
us
probably
grew up
as fairly
moral
people
probably
in Christian
homes
and haven't
done anything
really
big
in our
own
eyes
big
sin
kind
of
things
any
sin
is a
great
affront
to God
anything
you have
done
you are
an
enemy
of God
before
Christ
set
entirely
against
him
your
sin
is
great
it
does
not
matter
what
you
think
of
it
God
says
your
sin
is
great
and
as
such
we
have
a
great
savior
there's
joy
in
that
David
danced
for a
reason
he was
celebrating
all
that God
had done
for him
and for
the people
of Israel
so
Christianity
is a
religion
of the
heart
the way
to the
heart
is
through
the head
the way
to the
heart
is to
the head
Psalm
51
David
wrote
behold
you
delight
in
truth
in
the
inward
being
and
you
teach
me
wisdom
in
the
secret
heart
one of
my
favorite
preachers
Arturo
Azuria
I call
him
Pastor
Art
to keep
it
simple
said
God
does
not
desire
empty
headed
emotionalism
neither
does
he
desire
empty
hearted
intellectualism
there's
a
balance
there
proper
Christian
worship
is a
marriage
of the
two
so as
I say
to you
our
time
together
our
worship
together
ought to
be
expressive
in
joy
it ought
to be
expressive
for a
reason
not just
because
we're
crazy
and we
have
an
experience
but as
it's
rooted
in
truth
the
value
of our
worship
can be
filtered
by the
truth
that
supports
it
we're
going to
talk about
this
more
next
week
the
value
of our
Christian
worship
the
legitimacy
of it
can be
measured
by the
truth
that
spawns
it
that
creates
it
that's
why we
preached
you
expositionally
that is
why it's
my great
burden
to just
teach you
what the
text
says
I believe
that's
enough
I'm
fairly
young
I don't
have
lots
of
life
experience
to share
with you
anyway
but even
if I
did
I don't
really
think
you need
to know
about
my
steps
to
success
I don't
think
how I
arrange
my
finances
are all
that
important
to you
as a
people
the
three
steps
to
having
a
healthier
marriage
of my
life
but what
the Bible
says on
those
topics
is
incredibly
important
to you
what
God
has
already
pinned
for us
is what
matters
most
and anything
I say
that's not
just an
explanation
just a
clearer
view
of what
these
words
are
teaching
us
is
totally
erroneous
you gotta
just dismiss
it
and forget
about it
altogether
John
chapter 4
Jesus
says that
God
is seeking
those
who
will
worship
him
in
spirit
and
in
truth
spirit
being
our
spirits
brought
into a
right
relationship
into life
by the
Holy Spirit
and in
truth
which is
who
Jesus
Christ
God's
expression
of himself
through the
work
of Jesus
Christ
so we
get in
this
text
both
the
whom
and
the
how
of
Christian
worship
so we
are
directed
by the
text
to draw
near
to God
who
has
revealed
himself
in
Jesus
Christ
with
hearts
that
are
engaged
God
wants
all of
us
a full
head
and a
warm
heart
let us
draw near
with a
true
heart
another
way
of
saying
this
some
of your
translations
may say
with a
sincere
heart
word
sincere
is a
very
interesting
word
again
with
the
guys
last
week
and
we
actually
talked
about
this
term
out of
first
timothy
the
english
word
sincere
comes
from
two
latin
words
sine
sera
it's
interesting
to know
the story
behind
these
words
and how
it is
that
they
got
put
together
and
i
actually
added
a bit
to my
knowledge
this
week
in
roman
times
when a
pot
was
created
if you've
ever been
in pottery
class
you know
that when
you put
the pot
in the
kiln
to be
fired
there's
a chance
that it'll
crack
i don't
know if
you've
experienced
that but
i took
some art
classes
in high
school
and was
very
distraught
that i
had to
redo
some
of my
projects
because
pots
cracked
well
in this
time
in order
to continue
to use
these pots
they would
fill
those
cracks
with
wax
so
this
vessel
that was
created
for use
would
have
a flaw
in it
and they
would
just
fill
it up
with
wax
because
it
would
still
hold
liquid
that way
if a
pot
was a
perfect
pot
a pot
that
didn't
have
any
cracks
in it
it
was
stamped
on
the
bottom
sine
sera
which
meant
literally
the
terms
mean
without
wax
a
perfect
object
a perfect
vessel
a
complete
heart
is what's
being said
here
all
of who
we are
sine
sera
to add
to that
I
got on a
site that
was debating
the origin
of the
term
I think
they were
wrong on
both
accounts
I think
that the
pot
thing
is
perfectly
fine
but
they
also
said
that
those
who
sculpted
in
marble
would
often
fill
the
cracks
the
mistakes
they
had
made
with
wax
and so
then
the
marble
statue
as it
was
put
outside
would
have
flaws
as the
hot
sun
began
to melt
the wax
out of
that
statue
and also
they
postulated
that
some
brick
added to
the brick
was wax
what happens
to a brick
as the wax
melts on a
building
the building
loses some
of its
structure
so pick
whichever one
you like
I like the
pot one
the best
that's the
origin of
that term
so a
perfect
heart
a
complete
heart
Psalm
9
1
kind of
marries
these
together
as we
conclude
point 4
Psalmist
writes
I will
give
thanks to
the
Lord
with
my
whole
heart
I will
recount
all
of your
wonderful
deeds
heart
and truth
combined
in one
so let us
draw near
with a
true
heart
number
five
Christian
worship
is
characterized
by
confidence
let us
draw near
with a
true
heart
in
full
assurance
of
faith
full
assurance
of
faith
I'll
draw your
attention
back to
Hebrews
chapter 10
verse 19
where he
says
therefore
brothers
since we
have
confidence
to enter
the holy
places
in either
the
tabernacle
or the
temple
depending on
where we
are
in history
there was
a place
called
the
holy
of
holies
and it
was
divided
by a
great
curtain
a veil
and one
time a
year
through
great
amounts
of
ceremony
one
man
was able
to enter
into
the
holy
of
holies
into
the
presence
of
God
and I
explained
to you
last
week
that
this
man
would
have
sewn
bells
into
his
robes
and
tied
a
rope
around
his
ankle
just
in
case
he
messed
something
up
if they
stopped
hearing him
move
inside
probably
meant
that
God
had
struck
him
dead
and
they
could
drag
him
out
of
the
holy
of
holies
even
the
great
high
priest
did
not
enter
into
the
presence
of
God
with
confidence
!
I
have
no
Levitical
line
I
can
guarantee
you
I
am
a
tent
of
a
man
that
these
high
priests
were
and
I
have
confident
access
not
just
access
but
confident
access
to
approach
God
there
was
lots
of
blood
shed
throughout
the
Old
Testament
but
none
of
it
granted
access
to
God
to
the
individual
if you
look
back
Hebrews
chapter
9
verse
22
writer
says
indeed
under
the
law
almost
everything
is
purified
with
blood
and
without
the
shedding
of
blood
there
is
no
forgiveness
of
sins
so
the
law
made
some
allowance
for
sin
but
blood
must
be
shed
in
order
to
forgive
it
but
the
bloodshed
of
animals
didn't
give
us
access
to
God
Hebrews
chapter
10
verse
3
he
elaborates
on
that
and
he
says
but
in
these
sacrifices
there
is
a
reminder
of
sins
every
year
for
it
is
impossible
for
the
blood
of
bulls
and
goats
to
take
away
sins
so
the
sacrifice
actually
only
kept
them
mindful
of
their
sin
now
we
get to
enter
with
boldness
and
why
because
of
the
blood
of
Christ
Hebrews
4
16
says
let us
then
with
confidence
draw
near
to
the
throne
of
grace
that
we
may
receive
mercy
and
find
grace
to
help
in
time
of
need
what
do
we
get
when
we
draw
near
what
is
it
that
we're
going
in
for
mercy
and
grace
not
justice
but
they
think
God
is a
just
God
he
absolutely
is
what
has
happened
to
God's
justice
on
our
behalf
given
to
Christ
Jesus
Christ
bore
the
wrath
of
God
for
us
the
due
penalty
of
our
sin
in
verse
20
you'll
see that
we now
have a
new and
living way
a confidence
to enter into the holy places
by the blood of Jesus
by the new
and living way
and this term new
is really
rich
not the typical
Greek term used
for new
throughout the New Testament
it's kind of an abnormal
one
kind of a rare
term
used
I'm not going to try to pronounce it
this morning
it's one of those mornings
right
the word means
freshly
as in
freshly
slaughtered
not the typical
simple
new
but through a
freshly
slaughtered
and living
way
that sacrifice
has been made
once and for all
and it's still
that new
and living way
it's as if
that perfect sacrifice
has been made
right now
in this moment
and now I can confidently
enter in
to the presence of God
and approach him
for mercy
and grace
because
of this new
and living
way
this sacrifice
that has been made
on my behalf
that was a perfect sacrifice
isn't that rich
Saturday morning
I woke up to another mess
with the dog
yes
you heard me right
another mess
with the dog
it was a bit more tragic
I'll spare you the details of it
but my very brave wife
ventured in
in her socks
and
and did quite a bit of cleaning
and after the fact
as her last
mode of escape
she
took off her socks
inside out
and tossed them
on the outside
of the laundry room door
where
my son
came and proceeded
to go and pick one up
and as a
father noticing this
I freaked
probably overreacted a bit
and yelled at him
did like
the game
no
and
he dropped the sock
and
stuck his little lip out
and began to tear up
and
all at once
in this
little moment
I
as I'm
mulling over this text
in my head
I thought about
the wrath of God
he didn't really know
what he was doing
obviously
but
but if that were me
the sins
the things I've
committed against God
his wrath
I mean
it was an overreaction
and
poor little guy
ran away from me
but I squatted down
and I opened up my arms
and I said
Cain
come here
and it was so cute
he turned around
a little pouty
and held out his arms
like this
and ran
back to me
and
and just
in a culmination
of all those ideas
I thought
that's the kind of
confidence we have
isn't it
to cry to God
Abba Father
Daddy
we can run
into his arms
in that way
kind of
a neat little thing
and it reminded me of
the story of the prodigal son
in Luke chapter 15
much in the same way
you see
this son
who has
really said
for all intents and purposes
to his father
I want my inheritance now
which means
I wish you were dead
I would prefer
to go
squander
that inheritance
than you be alive
and he left
with his money
you don't see the father
closed off
inside
you see him
standing out
and looking
because we know
that he sees the son
coming from a long way off
he was attentive
he was waiting
for his return
and the son
didn't think
he had the right
to approach the father
but what do we see
the father do
he girds up
his loins
and he runs
to meet the son
that would have been
an atrociously
humiliating thing
for a man
of his stature
to do
men with money
did not run
men who could afford
golden rings
and fine robes
and fattened calves
did not run
people ran for them
but not this father
he pulls up
his robes
and he runs
to meet the son
and he invites him
back
into the home
that is such
a beautiful picture
of the confidence
with which we can
approach God
because of Christ
so beloved
we do not
come to our king
sheepishly
but we come to
worship him together
confidently
it doesn't matter
what you did this week
you are God's son
you come together
with this church
and confidently
worship him
number six
and closely tied
Christian worship
is
preceded by purification
the writer of Hebrews
means for us
to understand
that because of this
all the others
can be proper
it's preceded
by purification
look at the last part
of verse 22
let us draw near
with true heart
and full assurance
of faith
with our hearts
sprinkled clean
from the evil conscience
and our bodies
washed
with pure water
now both of these phrases
are hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience
and our bodies
washed with pure water
are references
to some of that
ceremonial purification
that I
mentioned earlier
our hearts
speak well clean
from an evil conscience
look at Hebrews chapter 9
11 through 14
the writer says
but when Christ
appeared as a high priest
of the good things
that have come
then through the greater
and more perfect tent
not made with hands
that is not of this creation
he entered once for all
into the holy places
not by means of the blood
of goats and calves
but by means of his own blood
thus securing
an eternal redemption
for if the blood
of goats and bulls
and the sprinkling
of defiled persons
with the ashes
of a heifer
sanctify
for the purification
of the flesh
how much more
would the blood
of Christ
who through the eternal
spirit
offered himself
without blemish
to God
purify our conscience
from dead works
to serve the living God
what is he talking about
all this sprinkling
and heifer
purify the flesh
in those last two verses
he's referencing
Numbers chapter 19
where there's instructions
given to a person
who touched a dead body
so in some way
was involved
in embalming
or had a relative
who had died
somebody who had touched
a dead body
was considered unclean
and couldn't
go to the temple
as a result
and there was a process
by which
they were purified
there was ashes
mixed with blood
and they were sprinkled
with that
and then
a number of days later
they would be purified
that's what he's referencing
there
so if that
was for the purification
of the flesh
how much more
would the blood
of Christ
our great high priest
who through eternal spirit
offered himself
without blemish
to God
purify our conscience
from dead works
the second phrase
our bodies washed
with pure water
Ezekiel 36
25-26
God writes
I will sprinkle
clean water
on you
and you shall be
clean from all
your uncleanliness
and from all
your idols
I will cleanse you
and I will give you
a new heart
and a new spirit
I will put within you
and I will remove
the heart of stone
from your flesh
and give you
a heart of flesh
if you are not
a regenerate Christian
you cannot worship
God rightly
it is impossible
if Christianity
is a religion
of the heart
and you're not a Christian
you have a heart of stone
it does not matter
if you go through
all the motions
properly
it doesn't matter
if you look
like a Christian
it's a matter of the heart
so Christian worship
is corporate emphasis
frequent occurrence
thoroughly preoccupied
with God
includes all
of our being
characterized by confidence
and preceded by purification
and it's my prayer
and we'll pray in a moment
to descend
that Christ's Family Church
is a church
that worships God
together
rightly