Worthy of Worship

In my sermon last week, titled, But If Not, we looked at the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3. And as we walked through that, we examined their refusal to bow down to the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And in doing so, in looking at their example, we recognized their unwavering faith in God. We noticed the degree to which they trusted in him completely. Again, without a doubt, without a pause, we serve God. We don't serve the King. We aren't going to bow down to this image.

And they put him first, even if necessary, unto the point of death. And there were a number of lessons regarding their faith that we pulled out of the account and drew the comparison to ourselves today. What is it that we can learn? And as well, by the example of, but if not, we don't submit to you, King. We submit to God. Over the course of this last week, I've continued to think about their story.

It seems like it just keeps circulating around in my mind. It's such a dramatic account. And there was a principle in that which just keeps jumping to the forefront of my mind, because based on a principle, they refused to submit. They refused to bow down. And it was a principle that they held to so tightly that it would not be pried from their grasp.

That principle is worship. It is worship. These three men were willing to die in order to worship only as their God had instructed. Again, the principle of life and death, Daniel chapter 3, was over worship. Brethren, what is worship?

What does worship look like? And a very important question to ask and to consider today is, who is worthy of worship? Who does the Bible show is worthy of worship? Because people may come along, kings may come along, false gods may come along. But understanding who truly is worthy of worship is an essential element to the worship that springs forth from us as a result. So today I want to look at the topic of worship in Scripture. We'll do it from a little more of a Bible study standpoint, a number of scriptures that we'll be covering today.

But I would like for us to hopefully gain a greater understanding of what God's Word teaches regarding worship and just who it is that is worthy of receiving worship. To begin with, we just can ask the question, what is worship? At least in its most basic form. What is worship? The Webster-Meariam online dictionary describes the English word worship to mean honor or to show reverence for a divine being or a supernatural power. It's to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor or devotion. Now, of course, this is the English definition, and that's the language I speak, but the Bible was written in Hebrew and in part Aramaic and in Greek as well.

So the term worship isn't necessarily in the English the same as we would translate it, but I think we would acknowledge that the Webster online dictionary definition here is quite close, or at least in general alignment with what we would understand biblical worship to be. It's showing honor and reverence to a divine being in that case. I want to begin today in Psalm chapter 29, and we'll see an expression of worship, such as came from King David, and see what we can learn from that. Psalm chapter 29, we'll pick it up in verse 1.

David was very expressive in his response to God and his prayers to God and his pleas to God, and in his worship before him as well. Psalm chapter 29 in verse 1, David says, Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name.

Worship the Lord, worship Yahweh, in the beauty of holiness. It's quite expressive terms there, the beauty of holiness. And our God is a holy God, and the manner in which we worship him in the time that we spend with him as we worship before him, and in his presence is holy and it's beautiful. And David says, To worship the Lord, in the beauty of holiness.

So this is a very poetic expression of what true worship before God looks like. It gives him the praise. Worship expresses to him the honor. It glorifies his name. It expresses that you are God and I am not. My life is subject to you. And I live in complete submission unto you.

The Hebrew word that's been translated as worship here in verse 2 carries a specific meaning. And it's a word that's found 170 times through the Old Testament writings. Not just the writings, but the scripture, the Old Testament. 170 times. This word worship appears. And it means to bow down, literally. To bow down, to prostrate oneself.

It is to face to the ground, bent knee, in humble submission, again before God. This action of worship by the bending of the knee, the prostrating of oneself, this action of worship is the most common outward expression of worship in the Bible as it's directed towards God. You know, if you look and say somebody worshiped, it is generally accompanied with the fact that they bowed down, or they bowed their head, or they prostrated themselves before God. It's a description in terms, at least in this case, an outward expression of worship. But as we'll see as we go on, worship that springs forth even outwardly starts from within.

There are 170 times this is used and it's worshiped towards God. So who does the Bible instruct? Specifically, our worship must be directed towards. Because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had opportunity to worship. Was the image, the gold image, just not quite good enough to worship? Was maybe King Nebuchadnezzar the most powerful king on the face of the earth in front of them at that time? Maybe he wasn't quite powerful enough that they would fall and worship him. Who does the Bible say? Worship must be directed towards. Who is worthy of worship?

Exodus chapter 20 is the, we would all likely agree, the best place we can start on this. Exodus chapter 20, I want to look at the first two commandments of the ten commandments here listed for us. Exodus chapter 20, we begin in verse 1, who is it that we bend the knee to? Exodus 20, verse 1, And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, you shall have no other gods before me.

Alright? No other gods before the true God, before Yahweh, before the one who had brought them out of the house of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Verse 3, again, you shall have no other gods before me. Verse 4, you shall not make for yourselves a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

You shall not bow down to them, nor shall you serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments.

The phrase here, to bow down, or bow down to them in verse 5, God said you shall not bow down to them, that phrase, bow down, is the same Hebrew word for worship that we saw in Psalm chapter 29 in verse 2. And again, it's the action of bowing down. And it's not just the bending of the knee, the expression is giving reverence. It is submitting, it is acknowledging that I submit my life, my service before you.

Here God says that you're not to put those things, any other God, any other idol, any other false God, that includes people, that includes whatever you might want to include in front of that, cars, house, whatever it might be, do not put those things forward before the true God. You are to worship Him alone, putting Him before all others. That's command. I've said it's chapter 20. That's the command. Very straightforward, very specific. The Bible clearly shows in many places that the worship of any beings outside of God is not acceptable.

Worship of men is not acceptable. Worship of other beings, other say angels, for example, is not acceptable. Let's start with other spirit beings. Again, this is a little bit more of a Bible study format, so I'd just like to walk through and look at some of the scriptures that back these things up. Let's go to Matthew 4. Matthew 4, again, no other spirit beings, no angels, no demonic power.

None of these are to be worshipped ahead of God or at all. Matthew 4, beginning in verse 1, this is the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. Now He has gone out into the wilderness. Matthew 4, verse 1, Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, He said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

We're walking through this process, you know, if. If you are really who you say you are, let's see some signs of that. Walks through, you know, go up, throw yourself off the temple. Verse 7, it's written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Verse 8, Again, the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, All these things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.

I have the power. At least for a time, God gave him the power over the kingdoms of the earth. And this way, He's saying, You know what, I can give those to you. If you just fall down and worship me. Verse 11, Jesus said to him, Away with you, Satan, it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him. So here we have Jesus Christ, who is rightly declaring that worship and reverence and submission and service, the bending of one's knee and life in that way, belong to the Lord your God. He would not bow down to Satan. Neither would he worship him. He would only worship his Father in heaven. A clear example from Scripture, again, we see clearly the Lord our God and God the Father in heaven, clearly worthy of worship.

Brother Satan wants desperately to be worshiped. He wants mankind to esteem him as God. You recall it was his desire to be as the Most High. You know, I will be as the Most High, and in that desire he desires mankind to live in subjection and submission and service to him. But obviously, as we understand, this is not a faithful angel, right?

This is one who has rebelled against God, seeking to receive worship for himself. And what the Bible shows us, though, is that faithful servants of God, whether angelic or mankind, faithful servants of God, will never seek worship unto themselves. They will, in fact, refuse it. Let's notice Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19 and verse 8. Here we have an account where an angel, a true angel of God, a faithful servant of God, had opportunity to be worshiped.

Let's see his response. Revelation chapter 19 and verse 8. Breaking into the passage, it says, And to her it was granted to be arrayed and fine linen, clean and bright. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. This is talking about the firstfruits, talking about the church. Verse 9, Then he said to me, the angel said to John, Right!

Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These things are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, See that you don't do that. See that you don't do that. He said, I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

So John here fell down, bending the knee, prostrating himself before this angel, a true servant of God. And his response was, Don't do that. Get on your feet. I am a fellow servant. Worship God. God's true servants will always direct the worship, the glory, the praise to God. Find another example. Just a couple chapters over. Revelation 22, verse 7. Revelation 22, verse 7. These are beginning with the words of Jesus Christ. Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

Verse 8. Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And then he said to me, See that you don't do that. Again, see that you do not do that, for I am your fellow servant and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God. Again, the point is directing of the praise, directing of the glory in the worship and the submission of the bending of the knee to God.

The angel says, I'm your fellow servant. It is God who is worthy of worship in this way. Now, Colossians chapter 2. We'll go there briefly because it highlights a very serious matter.

Colossians chapter 2. It shows us what the consequence of angel worship can be. It highlights the fact that that activity will rob you of your eternal reward. Brethren, it's that serious of a matter. And I would just say, consider if any angel would accept worship from you. It is clearly not a servant of God. Colossians chapter 2 and verse 18 says, let no one cheat you of your reward.

Very similar to the scripture that says, let no one take your crown. Don't let anybody grasp that out of your hand, cheat you of it, trick you out of it. No one can take your crown unless you be willing to let go of it yourself. Verse 18, let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight and false humility. What is false humility? Well, false humility would actually be pride, right? Something that raises itself up in opposition to God. So don't let them cheat you of your reward, taking delight and false humility and the worship of angels intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. So these things, this pride, this aspect of misdirected worship, and you take worship that is only worthy in one direction, and you turn and you offer it into another direction, these things are no small matters to God, and frankly our eternal life, brethren, is dependent on getting it right. Again, a true servant of God will never seek to receive your worship in the glory and the praise that belongs only to God. The same is true of human beings as well who serve God, and human servant will never allow themselves to be worshipped. Let's look at Acts chapter 10.

Acts chapter 10.

Human individuals that serve God will simply acknowledge, you know what, I too am a servant, worship God. Acts chapter 2 and verse 10 here, we're going to see the example of Peter and Cornelius. Peter just finished with this vision that God gave him of this sheet being let down from heaven with these unclean animals, and he says that Peter arise and eat. He says, well, not so, Lord. I've never eaten anything unclean. Of course, we understand that this was God showing him you're not the called the Gentiles common and unclean. By God's Spirit, they too can be the people of God. So Acts chapter 10, let's pick it up in verse 21, says, then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius and said, yes, I am him who you seek. For what reason have you come? And they said to him, Cornelius the Centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nations of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you. Then he invited them in, lodged them, and the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. Verse 24, and they followed the following day. They entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and he had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. Peter, person who was called by God, alright, who, apostle of God, servant of God, who God through a, when we say miraculous means, brought him to Cornelius' door. Now Cornelius opens the door, falls down, bends the knee, begins to worship Peter. What's Peter's response? Verse 26, but Peter lifted him up saying, stand up, you know, get on your feet, unbend the knee, Cornelius.

Again, stand up, I myself am also a man. So again, the point is no man is worthy of receiving worship from another. That honor, that glory belongs to God alone, and if anyone was ever to fall down at our feet as a man who serves God or as a woman who serves God, what should our response be?

Well, it should be the same as Peter. Get on your feet. I am a man. I'm a woman, whatever it might be. You know, I'm a servant of God. It is God who retains the worship. Worship him. Verse 27, as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. We can see another example of the attempted worship of servants of God, again, mere men, is expressed towards Paul and Barnabas as they came into Lystra. Acts chapter 14 in verse 8.

Acts chapter 14 in verse 8. The title of the sermon is worthy of worship. If I didn't make that known already. But the point is, again, of walking through these things, who is worthy of worship and who is not? Acts chapter 14 and verse 8. And in Lystra, a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked.

This man heard Paul speaking, and Paul observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand up straight on your feet, and he leapt and walked. I mean, can you imagine? You knew this guy. You grew up around him. He always sat on the street corner, you know, begging for alms or something, ever since he was a child. And now these men come walking in the Jerusalem with the name of Jesus Christ, and he says, You stand up and walk.

Imagine how dramatic that would be, not only to be on the receiving end of it as the one who was healed, but even just as those who would observe it as it took place. Verse 11. Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lyconian language, The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men. And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. Says, Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Sacrifice was a common to the core worship, even in false deities, false gods, oftentimes. What they worship was in many cases not according to what God would have sacrificed.

Excuse me, what they sacrificed. You know, God was specific in those things, and so many times the false gods, they sacrificed their children even in the fire to the gods. It's not of God, but here they come out by Paul and Barnabas seeking to sacrifice to them. Verse 14, But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and we preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are in them.

The tearing of the clothes was a sign of distress. You know, they were horrified.

Paul and Barnabas had come to preach the name of Jesus Christ, had come to point people to God here in Lystra. They heal a man, expressing the power of God for the purpose of, you know, helping to promote the gospel. What is the response? These now want to fall down and worship them.

They cry out, saying, Don't do this. We are mere men. Worship God.

Again, very appropriate response.

It is a prime illustration for us, brother, showing who is worthy of worship and who is not.

Some in their misdirected focus have even sought to worship the creation, rather than the Creator. And we won't turn and look at that in Romans, but again, the point was that does not lead to a good place. Vile passions, all kinds of things, when you suddenly take it upon yourself, who and what you will worship.

Take your eyes off of God.

Revelation chapter 4 gives us a glimpse into the heavenly realm, into the literally the throne room of God. Revelation chapter 4. And what we're going to see is that created spirit beings who are before the throne of God even acknowledge this point, that it is God who is worthy of worship. Revelation chapter 4 and verse 6 says, Before the throne there was a sea of glass-like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. You know, as a kid out wandering around in the dark at times, you know, I have to go out and do chores, put the chickens away, and I would kind of imagine that I really would hope I would not see.

You know, I would worry about the bad angels, but frankly I was a little worried even about the good ones, at least by description. Something with four faces might startle me just a bit, but these are God's faithful who serve at his throne. Verse 8, the four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night, saying, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. This is God the Father. God the Father is yet to come as well at his appointed time that he is determined. Verse 9, whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever, and casts their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created. So clearly here, God, and again, as I said, the Father who's being worshiped here in this passage, is to be honored and worshiped by all of his creation. Not just the physical creation, the spiritual creation worships God as well. And the glory goes to him. Part of giving the proper glory to God involves worshiping him according to the manner in which he's prescribed us to worship.

As in, we don't just decide what day we're going to specifically come into his presence for worship.

You know, we can worship before God at any time, but God does tell us the means and by what manner worship before him must be put forth. We don't just decide to make something up for ourselves and do it. There are proper standards. Deuteronomy chapter 12. Deuteronomy 12 verse 28, God says, you're going to be very careful as my people just exactly how you present yourself and worship before me in this way. Deuteronomy chapter 12 and verse 28 says, observe and obey all these words which I have commanded you, that it may go well with you, that in your children after you forever, when you do what is good and what is right in the sight of the Lord your God. When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you're not ensnared to follow them after they are destroyed from before you and that you do not inquire after their gods saying, how did these nations serve their gods? I will also do likewise. God says, you're not going to drive them out and then say, hey, I kind of like that little routine that you had there. All that sexual immorality that you had in worship of your God. That looks kind of like fun. He says, no, you're not going to worship me in the way that those nations who I am driving out because of their sin in rebellion worship their God. You're going to worship me according to what I declare. Verse 31, you shall not worship the Lord your God in that way.

For every abomination to the Lord which he hates they have done to their gods for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. I mean, can you even imagine? Think about the complete polar opposite of where that takes you. You know, our God is creating a family, false gods, and the influences and the demonic influences behind that seek to destroy. Seek to destroy family, seek to destroy the bringing the children in this way. He says, you're not going to worship me. That is detestable. It is an abomination to do so. And don't you ever even think that doing such a thing is to my glory and to my praise. Verse 32, whatever I command you be careful to observe it. You shall not add to it nor take away from it. So it's very specific. The manner in which God wishes his people to worship before him is specific and is important to God and must be conducted in a manner that is pleasing to him. Because worship isn't about us specifically. It's not directed towards us specifically. It is directed towards God of the universe, the one who has created us, the one who is bringing us along in his image, the one whom we submit to as the authority and the power over our lives. We don't just walk in the door and worship in any old way we choose.

Didn't work so well for the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, brethren, and it will not work well for us either. Jesus Christ makes much the same point during his ministry, Mark chapter 7.

Mark 7. Again, what our traditions would be and how perhaps we would think would be nice and good to worship God isn't always what God requires. Mark chapter 7 and verse 1.

It says, So they're like, why do your disciples not do that? Verse 4.

Verse 5.

Christ here is saying that their man-made traditions are actually inhibiting their ability to worship God as he pleases, as God has instructed. Again, layer upon layer upon layer of tradition, God says, that's not what I'm looking for.

Verse 8. He goes on to describe another tradition of, well, I can't care for my parents because, you know, whatever they might have received from me, you know, mom and dad, whatever I might have done to help you, I've given it to God. I've committed it to the temple. It's Corbin.

And Christ says, you know, through your traditions, you run around the law of God of what it is he said to actually do. Those traditions were not worshiping God as he desired.

And in fact, it was a form of worship that was really no worship at all.

Again, they were laying God's commandments aside by their traditions.

Scripture is clear, brethren. The way in which we worship God, the manner in which we do it, must be according to what God has instructed. We can't just make it up our own way. We can't just come into God's presence here on the Sabbath doing our own things, speaking our own words. Again, I'll reference back to what I mentioned earlier. Our words are important.

And as we come together specifically on the Sabbath, it's to be to the praise and the glory of God and the edification of one another.

But, you know, we can't just come into God's presence expecting God to be pleased with our form of worship if it's not according to what he desires from us, if it's lip service, but it's not really and truly from the heart. Question for us to consider is walking in the door on the Sabbath for a couple of hours to service. Is that all that God requires for worship?

I might take it a little further and ask, is the bending of the knee and the technical obedience of God's law all that God requires? Sunset to sunset, I didn't work. One o'clock to three o'clock, I showed up, walked in the door to church. And is that technical requirement being fulfilled what God specifically desires as it comes to worship? Is the bending of the knee alone what God requires? The bending of the knee is an outward expression of something greater that must be taking place within the heart. Otherwise, it's simply a vain motion. Anybody can go in and bend the knee, but bending the knee in true worship of God comes from within, and it's manifested in that outward way. Even the Pharisees in Christ's day bent the knee in the technical aspects of the law, didn't they? They painstakingly counted, you know, every mint leaf, every seed. We got to make sure we get this tithe just right, 10 percent. And yet Jesus Christ said, you know, in doing that and the way you're conducting yourself, you neglect the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. Those things are of the heart. Those are things that God gives us that are eternal, not just an outward expression of the technical requirement.

What does it take to worship God as He desires? Not as we might make up by our own rules or standards. What does it take to worship God as He desires? The answer is it takes the bending of the heart and the will to God. You can bend the knee, and that is important, and that is an outward expression of the worship, but it takes the bending of the heart and the will to God.

It takes the bending of the inner man. It takes the bending of the character and the nature of your heart to God. Truly, that's where true worship of God springs from. Spiritual worship is not only the bending of the knee and the fulfilling of the technical requirements of the law, because you see, not everyone who bends the knee to God truly worships God from the heart.

And think about that for a minute. Not everybody who bends the knee fulfills that technical requirement, truly worships God from the heart, but everyone who truly worships God from the heart will be found bending the knee, because it's the expression that springs forward from the will that is bent, the heart that is bent in submission to God, the character that is being developed according to his nature. That is ultimately what God desires. Notice John chapter 4.

John chapter 4. Here, Jesus Christ is engaging this Samaritan woman at the well. This is a deep conversation. It's a spiritual conversation. John chapter 4 in verse 19.

The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Well, they just had this discussion about living waters and what it is that she really could have been asking for. She says, I perceive you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship. So she's looking here at the external aspect of worship. You know, where's the place? Where does one go to bend the knee? Where is it that you must be that God would hear? Again, this technical aspect of worship. Verse 21. But Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship what you do not know. We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

God of spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.

So this is where we need to be, brethren, in our worship before God. And specifically, in this case, as Christ said, before the Father, we need to be worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.

In other words, we need to worship God from a spirit that is consistent with His spirit.

A carnal heart can bend a knee to God because it's forced in submission, but it is not true worship. But worshiping according to the Spirit is worshiping from a spirit that is consistent with the Spirit of God. And it's worshiping in a manner that's according to the truth of His word. Thy word is truth. The commandments of God are spiritual.

So it is a heart and a mind and a will that is bent in submission and service to God, according to the truth of His word. Worshiping in spirit and truth means that God is looking for true worshipers who will worship from the perspective of a converted and a transformed heart, esteeming His nature and His commandments above everything else.

It's one thing to say, God, you're the greatest authority. You could send down lightning and kill me. I bend the knee. You know, I won't deny that is an aspect of worship, all right, of fear and reverence. But that's not ultimately what God is looking for. God is looking for a heart that is developing His mind and His nature by His Spirit. And the greatest expression of worship, I believe, that we can express towards God is the taking on of His mind and His heart and His nature, becoming like He is. You know, we've probably heard the phrase that says, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Well, with God, I would say the sincerest form of worship probably would be defined at least, okay, this is Paul Moody's speech, but the sincerest form of worship to God would be defined by imitating Him, taking on His nature, because it shows a submission that we have from the heart to God. I stretch out prostrate before you that your will may be done in my life. You are the supreme being, the creator of the universe, one who has authority over my life. My worship is to day by day by day, through your Spirit, be a reflection of who and what you are. External worship practices alone, brother, are inadequate. Not that they're not important, not that they're not good. You know, singing praises the God. We do that at the beginning of our service, kneeling, dancing, playing music, whatever it might be that comes out as an outward expression of worship towards God of and by itself is inadequate if it's not springing from a heart that is worshiping God in spirit and in truth. You know, worship isn't just a feel-good emotional experience, but you know there should be emotion. We should feel good when we worship God. That should be the consequence of worshiping Him, but again it is expressed from the heart. You probably all, again, heard that phrase. Imitation is a sincerest form of flattery, and through our humble submission to God is one of the deepest forms of worship in spirit and truth that we can express.

The greatest treasure that God has given us is an understanding of Him, His Spirit, and His Word.

The greatest testament of our reverence and submission to Him is when we put our self aside, our carnal nature. Carnal nature is enmity against God. It's an opposition to God.

This sincere form of worship is putting self aside and allowing God to develop His perfect nature in us so that we become a reflection of Him. Again, that's what it means to worship in spirit and in truth. At this point, I want to actually transition a little bit because I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge at least one more expression of worship that we have contained in the Bible record, and that involves the worship of Jesus Christ. Sometimes questions come up, is Jesus Christ worthy of worship? Jesus had many individuals throughout the Scripture who fell down at His feet and worshiped before Him. You can find many examples of it taking place throughout the Gospel accounts. Many of those whom Christ healed turned and worshiped Him. The disciples worshiped Jesus Christ. The twelve worshiped Him as He ascended into heaven following the resurrection.

And you know what? Even the demons who know who God is and tremble worship Jesus Christ. I won't give you the Scriptures. You can go through that study on your own. You can find there's multiple examples throughout the New Testament, specifically the Gospels, where Jesus Christ received worship.

And yet in all of that, what don't you find? What you don't find in all of that is Jesus ever rebuking anyone for doing so. You don't ever find Him saying, don't do that. Unbend the knee. Stand up. Get on your feet. You've seen the examples. The angels did so. I'm a servant of God. Worship God.

The apostles' men said, you know what? Don't worship me. Worship God. But throughout the examples, I can find one. If you can find one, I would ask you to point it out to me. But through the examples of worship that Jesus Christ received, He never once said, stand up. Don't do that. It would appear He accepted their worship. Is there a conflict of Scripture with all of this? Is there a conflict of Scripture here, brethren? The Bible clearly commands not to worship any angel, not to worship any man, no aspect of the creation. We don't worship any other God besides the true God, the Lord, Yahweh. Then yet Jesus Christ would appear to have received worship without rebuking it. Is there a conflict? What should our assessment of this be? Is Jesus Christ worthy of worship?

I've looked into the Greek words translated worship in the New Testament. There are a few of them.

And the people who worship Jesus Christ, it is described there by the same terms as the worship of the Father. As in, you can go to Revelation and see where the beings fell down and worshiped before God. Take that word worship. You can find an example then Jesus Christ being worshiped, not in every case, but in a number of cases. The word is the same. It's described in the same terms. And the best I can determine looking at it, it was worship. Worship before the Son of God.

So again, is there a conflict of terms? I'd say the answer to us here is no. There's not a conflict.

Only God, only God, the true God, is to be worshiped. Jesus Christ was Emmanuel. He was God with us.

Matthew 1, verse 23. I'm not going to turn to these. You can, we know them. You can look at them later if you like, but just consider a few of these passages. He was Emmanuel, God with us.

Jesus Christ was God with God in the beginning, John chapter 1, verse 1. Jesus Christ had a form of equality with God, being in the form of God before coming in the flesh, Philippians chapter 2, verse 6 and 7. In Him, in Christ, dwelled the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.

Clausius chapter 2, verse 9. In Him dwell the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.

Jesus Christ had existed as an I AM being before, along with the Father, before Abraham was.

Said before Abraham was, I AM. God the Father also, I AM. Eternal self-existent being before Abraham was. John 8, 58. The Apostle Paul called Jesus Christ the eternally blessed God.

Romans chapter 9 and verse 5. The eternally blessed God. That's not to substitute the Father for the Son, but he was an acknowledgment of, in fact, who Jesus Christ was as well.

Said he is the eternally blessed God. And finally, he was the divine being before whom Joshua fell and worshipped outside of Jericho. The man who was the commander of the Lord's army, who said, Take your sandal off your foot. The place you stand is holy. Joshua chapter 5 verse 14 and 15.

And so, brethren, because of these scriptures and many others we could reference as well, there is no conflict with the worship that Jesus Christ received. As God, he too is clearly worthy of worship. And again, as you go back and you look through the examples of those that would worship him in the scripture, he did not refuse it. He did not reject it. That is truly what the scripture shows. Jesus Christ's worthiness to be worshipped also comes to us in another form. One, he was God with God, so he was worthy of worship. The other form that confirms his worthiness of worship is the testimony of God the Father himself. So let's look at Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 5.

Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 5 says, For which of the angels did he ever say, that he here is God the Father? Which of the angels did he ever say, You are my son, today I have begotten you?

And the answer is, he never said to any of the angels, You are my son, today I have begotten you. Jesus Christ was not an angel, as some denominations teach, that came in the flesh. Christ was the Son of God. And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son. Again, God never said that to an angel. He said it to Jesus Christ. Verse 6, But when he again brings the firstborn into the world, Jesus the firstborn, all right, firstborn among the firstfruits, when again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, Let all the angels of God worship him. Is God the Father, who has declared the Son worthy of worship? As you follow this out, following Jesus Christ's resurrection and return to the right hand of God, the Fathers continue to uphold Christ's worthiness in that way. Let's look at Philippians chapter 2 and pick it up in verse 8.

Philippians chapter 2 and verse 8, I referenced the first part of this earlier, having been in the form of God, then coming into the likeness of men. Verse 8 says, And being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on the earth, and those under the earth. There's nobody that's not included in that. Verse 11, That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

So the worship of Christ here is clear, brethren. He is worthy of worship. He's worthy of worship because his Father has made him worthy of worship, and he's done so to his own glory.

Again, verse 11, every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So the worship of Christ is to the glory of God, what it is that God has done through his Son.

In fact, when you study through many of the accounts of Jesus Christ being worship, what you're going to find is that worship often occurred because God the Father was being glorified through him, as in, you're the one he sent. You're the one we've been waiting for.

You're the one through whom he is accomplishing his purpose. Jesus was acknowledged as the Messiah that God had sent, and so they worshiped him. In another account where he intervened, he healed somebody, he was acknowledged as truly the Son of God, and so they worshiped him.

When Jesus Christ opened the disciples' understanding to what the scriptures prophesied about him, that he was actually the Messiah, the one who had fulfilled these scriptures from the Old Testament, later they worshiped him. This is all because of an understanding that this is the Son of God, this is the Messiah, this is the one who was God with God, the one whom the Father is sent, and to worship him as the Messiah was to glorify what God was doing in him and through him.

So worship of Jesus Christ didn't just kind of randomly occur apart from any thought or acknowledgement towards the Father, but as Christ was worshiped and glory given to him, it was to the glory of God the Father as well. Again, Jesus Christ never said, don't worship me. But I want to be clear right alongside that Jesus Christ also never said, do worship me.

Worthy of worship, received worship, did not refuse worship, never said don't worship me, but he also never said, do worship me. And I think that's important for us to at least acknowledge.

The closest I can find to Christ ever saying something like that is in John chapter 5 verse 23, where he said, all judgment, the Father is committed to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. So I would explain, I would answer the question of worship of Jesus Christ in this way.

Christ's purpose was to direct people's focus to his Father. When Christ came, he didn't say, hello everybody, I'm here, I'm God, the one that created you, along with the Father, and you can just gather around and worship me. That wasn't Jesus Christ's focus, was it? When people came to him, he pointed them to his Father in heaven for the glory of God. Jesus Christ taught them to pray to the Father. He taught them to glorify the Father, let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify who? Their Father, right, who is in heaven. And he taught them to point other people to God the Father through him. As they went out and they taught the gospel, tell people who Jesus Christ is to the glory of God. Again, through that, and by that, every knee would bow. Brethren, the Bible record does indeed show us that Jesus Christ is worthy of worship, but right alongside that it shows Jesus Christ directing our focus to his Father so that the emphasis of our worship and our praise is towards him. That our worship, if I can use the term, would be God-centered. Not that Christ wasn't worthy of worship or included in the receiving of worship, but it was to the glory of God, and that our worship is to be God-centered.

Let's also remember that our most sincere form of worship is often demonstrated through the way we live our lives. So we give Jesus Christ the reverence and the glory and the submission and the honor that he deserves when we live our lives as his disciples, when we live our lives in accordance to him as a reflection of who and what he was. So we look to his example and we emulate, again, taking on that nature, that character, that bending of the heart and the will.

And so we do conduct our worship today, recognizing that Jesus Christ is worthy of worship. And you know what? When he comes in his glory at the seventh trumpet, my knee will bow. He is worthy of worship. But we also express our worship in the manner that Jesus Christ instructed and demonstrated, which is the focus primarily towards his Father in heaven. So I hope that's clear.

One final point as we wrap up on worship today is that the Bible shows there's coming a time, brethren, at the end of the age when this principle of worthiness will be tested. It'll be challenged. And the whole world, and indeed us as the people of God, will need to understand, indeed, who is worthy of worship. Let's conclude in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.

2 Thessalonians 2.

Pick it up in verse 1. Again, the question here will simply be, who do we serve? Who do we acknowledge is worthy of worship? 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, in verse 1, Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means, for the day shall not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. 4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, and that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

It's coming a day when this man of sin, a physical being, will present himself. He will rise up in such a way at the end of the age that he exalts himself above everything that is called God, effectively claiming himself to be God, to put himself into position of God for the receiving of worship and praise and submission, again as God. And rather than the scary thing is, there'll be many who believe him. There's many who will submit and who will bow the knee.

Verse 5, Paul says, Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, and he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. When Jesus Christ returns, he will wipe away this man of sin. He will wipe away his temporary influence. And literally, brethren, as well, he will wipe away all those who bow knee to him. This is not where praise and worship and submission is worthy. This man of sin is going to be performing supernatural acts of power.

It's not going to be backed by God. Verse 9, The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power in signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not love the truth. We worship God according to Spirit and truth. You have to love the truth of God. They did not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved. Again, performing these supernatural acts, deceiving the nations, deceiving those who would reject God, setting himself up to be worshiped by the world. And brethren, again, the warning for us is we must not buy in. We must know who is worthy of worship and who is not. Brethren, beware.

That is Paul's warning. Verse 11. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie. God will use this, actually, for his purpose, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Brethren, let us never forget who God's word shows is worthy of worship and praise.