True Worship, Part 4

Paul says all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

In other words, everything we do we do that you might receive the grace of God, so that in response you might give thanks and glory.

Everything is geared tasks need your attention and needed now obviously when you're spread thin when your focus is divided, you need to prioritize and make sure that you devote yourself to what's most important.

With that in mind, think about your worship. How disciplined are you in keeping the jumble of daily life, your career, family activities, a favorite pastime from hindering deep ongoing communion with the Lord will today. John MacArthur helps you answer that question and make worship the priority it should be. As he continues his series.

True worship and I with the lesson here is John were involved in a very essential study of acceptable true spiritual worship. There is nothing that is more important in the life of a believer. There's nothing more important in the life of any man or woman, then, that his life for her life be oriented toward worshiping God worship God as the supreme activity of the universe and so were considering some of the very important elements involved in the true worship now. Already we have noted several times in our text is John chapter 4, and particularly versus 20 through 24. And as we read them again and again we have noted. First of all, the statement, particularly at the end of verse 23 that the father sequence such that is true worshipers will worship him. The father sequence true worshipers and with that scripture in mind we have discussed quite at length the idea of the importance of worship and I have told you that. Basically there are four reasons why worship is important.

First of all, because scripture is literally filled with the truth about worship. Secondly, because destiny is marked by worship.

Thirdly, because the major theme of eternity and redemptive history.

Included is worship and fourthly, because Christ commanded us to worship Scripture, destiny, eternity in the very command of Christ, tell us the importance of worship and in order to try to sum up our thinking, and brought what we've said together before we go on to the next major point in the text.

I would again have you note verse 23 that God seeks true worshipers. That's the thrust of that most important verse, and what it tells us is a very important truth that the goal of salvation is worship you to write that down somewhere. The goal of salvation is worship.

The reason God redeems people is so that they may be worshipers in second Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 15, Paul says all things are for your sakes, that is all the things that he goes through to get the gospel out that the abundant grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. In other words, everything we do we do that you might receive the grace of God, so that in response you might give thanks and glory to God. Everything ultimately is geared to produce worship such does the father seek. According to verse 23 and just as a note for you theologians.

I believe that the father's seeking is efficacious and indicates his sovereign eternal purpose to save now acceptable worship then becomes a very important theme is the essential and direct result of Christ's saving work and if you remember that the Lord said he'd come into the world to seek and to save that which was lost and you tied in with verse 23 you get the whole picture of Christ's coming.

The father seeks true worshipers the son comes to seeking to say the seeking of the father or true worshipers in the seeking of the sun to say brings the two together.

God seeks true worshipers and the only way they can become that is through salvation.

Failure to worship God is the violation of Romans one designates the whole world of Christ projectors. Let me illustrate this to you by having you turn in your Bible to to Psalm 22 may seem a strange place to go in regard to this, but I think you'll see how important it really is. Psalm 22 is a prophetic picture of the death of Christ. It is not vague, it is not symbolic. It is explicit it is prophetic in a very dramatic way. In many of the things that are said in Psalm 22 were directly fulfilled on the cross. For example, verse one, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me that anticipation of the Messiah's reaction to his death was indeed fulfilled by Christ who uttered those very words and then through verse 21 you find a description of the crucifixion interwoven with that which relates, of course, to David the psalmist himself. For example, in verse 13, you have very apparent indication of the crucifixion, they gaped upon me with their mouths like a ray evening and roaring lion. You remember that in Matthew 27. The crowd gaped at him indeed like a roaring and ravening lion screaming crucify him. In verse 14 it talks about being poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. And that is exactly what happened in crucifixion from the suspension by the four great wounds.

There was a dish joining of the body. My strength is dried out my tongue cleaves to my jaws. You remember how well John 1928 where Jesus said I thirst member 16 talks about piercing his hands and his feet talks about being compassed about by dogs.

The reference to the savage soldiers verse 18 about the parting of the garments of Christ.

The casting lots for his vesture.

All of those things very explicit Christ would go to the cross and he would suffer those things indeed came to pass, but for what that begins in verse 22. I think it most interesting. I will declare thy name under my brother in the midst of the congregation will I praise the you fear the Lord. Praise him all he the seed of Jacob glorify him and fear him, all you the seed of Israel, for he is not despise nor report the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hidden his face from them.

But when he cried out to him he heard in other words, the immediate response to the work of Christ is what praises and praise the meek shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the Lord that seek him in your heart shall live forever.

That's everlasting life that comes through the death of Christ. I watch verse 27, all the ends of the earth shall remember and turning to the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall what worship that's the climax that is the elements as you enter the kingdom. So you have in that marvelous Psalm rather explicit indication that the goal of redemption is worship. Worship in Exodus chapter 19 verbal Exodus chapter 19 verse seven and Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words, which the Lord commanded him.

When Moses received the covenant from God. He told it to the people: everything God said and the people answered together and said, and this is the greatest illustration of wishful thinking in all the world.

All that the Lord has spoken we will do nice thought all that the Lord spoken we will do you know something God and believe that for one minute.

God knew they wouldn't do it.

It would never be able to approach him on the basis of their law keeping.

He knew they would never be able to approach him on the basis of their self-righteousness.

He knew they would never be able to draw nigh onto him with clean hands and a pure heart because they themselves and clean their hands and purify their heart that is due immediately on the heels of that, you look at chapter 20 and after he has given them the specifics of that marvelous Mosaic covenant in verse 22 the Lord said to Moses, thus shalt thou say under the children of Israel. You seen that I've talked with you from heaven shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall you make unto you, gods of gold and all. Thou shalt make unto me, and shall sacrifice there on my burnt offerings and thy peace offerings like sheep and nine oxen in all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless the and if that would make me an altar of stone. Thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, or if they'll lift up thy tool upon it.

Taoist polluted did not want to be the mark of man's craftsmanship, rough stones were enough, neither shalt thou go by steps on the mine altar, that thy nakedness be not expose their own.

He didn't want it elevated near so that when people went up people could look up the back of their clothing they would be exposed was to be humble was to be on the earth. So what's the point. The point is its God knew that man had no place and no right and no access on their own to worship. It because they could not keep his Lotta matter what they thought they could do and so God has established an altar as the basis of worship and the implication was that you had to bring to that altar sacrifices sheep and oxen. Peace offerings were enough so that the ground or the basis of true worship became sacrifice. Sacrifice made possible communion between man and God.

If that's true then ultimate sacrifice made possible ultimate communion and so we say then that the death of Christ was to provide God with the fulfillment of his seeking after true worshipers. And as we meet at the cross and our sin is dealt with and we are purified by the blood of Jesus Christ. We then become acceptable worshipers of the father so worship is always an issue of salvation.

The basis of worship is sacrifice not to look at it from another angle. Look with me at the end of the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 66 last chapter the last chapter in just the last paragraph of the last chapter and Isaiah has swept through redemptive history in a marvelous way talked about judgment. The first half of the book. Verse 39 chapters talked about God's punishing of the nations as well as the people of God, and then he is moved into the great futurist talked about the coming of the Messiah is talking about the coming of the kingdom. Now in chapter 66 about the wonderful marvelous future that God has the millennial kingdom that is to come in. We read this in verse 22 for as the new heavens and the new earth and now is gone beyond the kingdom and now he is into the eternal kingdom the eternal state and goddesses make a new heaven and a new earth. And as that remains before me set the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass in here. You are ultimately that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me set the Lord stop what's the point of this. You start on the book of Isaiah with judgment. Then you come to great truths about the Messiah and his work in chapter 52 and 53 we find out about the suffering Messiah who pays the price for sin, he dies on the cross. Why, in order that he might produce a generation of eternal worshipers. It says right here so Isaiah's flow tells us that the Messiah will come to produce in eternity worshipers who can truly worship the true and living God with me at first Corinthians chapter 14 chapter that most of us associate with issue speaking in tongues and, indeed, that's correct, but I would like to draw you to verse 23 first Corinthians 14 and is talking about the meeting together the church and what goes on the church in Corinth. He says in verse 23.

If, therefore, the whole church become together in one place and all speak with tongues, and their common unlearned or unbelievers will not say you're mad out of your mind and saying, but if all prophesy that is speak the truth of God and the language understood in their common one that believes not, are is unlearned, he is convicted by all and judged by all non-note carefully. Verse 25 and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest that you want to really crack open somebody's heart don't speak in tongues speak so we can understand if you really want to open somebody's heart then speak that which will convict him, which will condemn him, which will reveal his heart to him. That's how to reach and when he is convicted, and when he is judged, and when he is reached as his response falling down on his face.

He will what worship God. Beloved, you know what I believe.

I believe you have an adverse very initial response to salvation.

That is Paul's way of indicating the man has been brought the conversion to worship God and report that God is truly in your midst so that you see here evangelism with the result of what worship that is the goal of angels is the goal of salvation. We see it in all of these passages, and I think I'll just allude to Philippians 33 where Paul defines a Christian, this way one who worships God in the spirit rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh. A Christian is one who worship God in the spirit so worship is that which God seeks and the ground of worship or the basis for worship or the key that unlocks the door, makes worship possible. What takes you from an unacceptable worshiper to acceptable worshipers. Salvation. Salvation in Jesus Christ will they wrote this the perfect righteousness of God is witnessed in the Savior's blood is in the cross of Christ retrace his righteousness yet wondrous grace God could not pass the sinner by his sin demands that he must die, but in the cross of Christ, we see how God can save us righteously. The sin is on the Savior laid just by his blood, the debt is paid.

Stern justice can demand no more and mercy can dispense restore the sinner who believes is free, and says the Savior died for me and that my friend is the basis of worship that we were sinners should be redeemed by the worthy Christ.

I think you understand that worship is important is that which the father seeks true redemption. If your redeemed purse, and you don't worship right you did not, that very thing for which you were redeemed. You see, that's the core not talk about something. Now let's return to John for John chapter 4 when Jesus arrived on the scene people worshiping the Samaritans were worshiping. In fact, in verse 20.

She said we worship in this mount, and she would made reference to mount terrorism and the Jews were worshiping.

Verse 20 says in Jerusalem. They were worshiping what it was all over against this unacceptable worship there worshiping the right God. But in the wrong way and with the wrong attitude. It was over against that our Lord postulates what is true acceptable worship that tells us that there is was not if Jesus were arrived on the scene today and to look at the big picture of Christianity. I wonder what kind of things you have to say about quote unquote Christian worship today when writer says much of so-called public worship in Christendom is merely a form of Christianized Judaism in many cases it is thinly veiled paganism.

For example, in Judaism there was a separate priestly caste, who alone could conduct the worship of Israel, whereas in Christendom, a man-made priesthood called the clergy is essential to its worship, in spite of the plain teaching in the New Testament that all believers are priest these priests of Judaism or a distinctive dress is also does the clergy Judaism emphasize an earthly sanctuary or building in like manner Christendom makes much of its consecrated places of worship and missed calls the edifice the house of God. Jewish preset altar on which were offered sacrifices to God in Christendom is directed alters in these ornate buildings, before which candles burning incense is offered and in many cases in which a wafers Which is looked upon as if it were the body of Christ. It is hardly necessary to say that all this copying of Judaism is absolutely foreign to the teaching of the New Testament. Thus Christendom has initiated its own specially educated and ordained priesthood whose presence is indispensable to quote administer the sacraments.

These men rubbing gorgeous vestments from within a roped off sanctuary, stand before a bloodless altar with a background of burning candles crosses in smoking incense and conduct the worship for the laity with the use of an elaborate prepared ritual with stereotyped prayers responses from the audience. The whole service proceed smoothly and with mechanical precision is a marvel of human invention and ingenuity with an undoubted appeal to the aesthetic. But a tragic and sorry substitute for the spiritual worship which our Lord declared his father sought from his redeemed children." Our Lord came today that's what he might do might indict that kind of worship that would equate the Judy's or he might also indict the worship of the more traditional Protestant church which may be a little more like Samaritan worship. But what is elaborate, not quite as ornate. Not quite a sophisticated. In fact, the Samaritans of the time that Jesus spoke to this woman didn't even have a building. It had been long ago destroyed, but it was shallow worship was indifferent worship was, not according to the prescriptions of Scripture that it needed to be corrected.

In fact, both the worship of its Judeo stick. As well as its Samaritan.

Work to be eliminated. Total total in favor of the true worship. That's John MacArthur showing you the connection between repentance and true worship that's the title of this study. True worship on grace to you, John. This issue of understanding what true worship is and how to worship the Lord there's some interesting history in your own pastoral ministry.

It might surprise people to know that you were a pastor for a decade or so before you did this series on worship and I remember you saying that you had learned some things about worship that you had not previously understood. So talk about that for a minute that I think of that generation. When I was beginning here. Worship was defined in a certain pragmatic way.

I honestly don't think I'd ever heard a sermon defining it theologically. Worship was singing and praying and reading Scripture, and what you did at church.

I pretty much seem to me that the idea of worship never really escape the Congregational event and that it first struck me when I was going to John for that.

Our Lord said the father seeks true worshipers I thought will that's think that's a purpose for salvation, then right, he's saving people to make them into true worshipers. I think that that experience in John four was the first time that dawned on me or very early on in the ministry and it was then that I began to explore what is it mean to worship in the true way, what does it mean to worship in spirit. What does it mean to worship in truth, because that's very definitive and very very foundational and out of that came that original series on worship and out of that came the book titled worship.

This is a book that still very popular. Might check the report from Moody and their people still purchasing the book on worship and that's been around for many of the 40 years 40 years it's it's amazing For a number of years in my early ministry I I didn't really define worship in a biblical way.

So when I did, and that original surgeon the Gospel of John. It was life transforming for me and I would say that my understanding of worship is one of maybe four or five foundational elements of my life and ministry. That's basically still supports what I believe my ministry should be and what the church should be so. The study on worship from originally way back in the early 80s has been revised and updated a number of times through the years and my preaching, but in particular this book called worship will instruct you in what is listen your first priority, your first priority is worship the father seeks true worshipers. Your service comes after your worship so I don't know how you view, worship, or what you think about it, but this book will change that and put it in line with the word of God.

Get a copy of the book worship but for the next two weeks nearly all our resources including this book are available 25% off the regular price. That's right, and friend. This is a book about what should happen in a church service and every moment in between. Find out how to make worship your lifestyle to pick up John MacArthur's book, simply titled worship at 25% off the regular price on US orders. Contact us today.

Call 805 five grace or place your order@tty.org. This book will show you how to avoid counterfeit worship and experience the joy and blessings of the real thing.

Take advantage of our current sale prices and order John's book title worship and call during regular business hours 855 grace or you can order online anytime@tty.org now something you want to watch for that is are truth matters conference starting this Wednesday, May 18. The event is sold out, but you can catch every teaching session. Then Q&A via live stream if you follow us on social media. Be sure to check our latest posts about watching the sessions, or simply go to our website TTY.org or the conference schedule and the links for streaming the teaching from John MacArthur, 10 AM, Justin peters and more. Again, go to TTY.org to find out how to live stream. The truth matters conference now for John MacArthur.

I'm Phil Johnson.

Make sure you're here tomorrow when John helps you turn from idols that you may not realize are hindering your worship.

It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one person at a time grace to