Worshiping in the Church

Isaiah 6:1-8; Ephesians 5:15-21

GOLDEN TEXT: “Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.”—Psalm 111:1

TRUE worship of God implies wholehearted devotion to the doing of his will. Paul writes, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph. 5:15-17) Then the apostle admonishes that we “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”—Eph. 5:18,19

Hymn singing is an appropriate and pleasurable method of praising the Lord, a form of worship that dates back to very ancient times. Songs of Zion were sung by the Israelites. Musical instruments have also long been used in praise service to God. Music is harmony of tone, a blending of sounds suggestive of the marvelous manner in which all the works of God co-ordinate to reveal the majesty and glory of their Creator.

Paul speaks of making melody in our hearts. Ability to appreciate harmony of tones is a sort of sixth sense to those who possess it, and Paul is using the thought to illustrate the heart attitude of those who, through the truth, are “in tune” with the Lord. Those of the consecrated who may not be able to distinguish one musical tone from another are, nevertheless, able to “make melody in their hearts to the Lord.”

None can truly praise the Lord unless he knows him; and none can truly know him except as he gives them a vision of his glory. There is more than one kind of “vision.” Isaiah’s vision of God’s glory was apparently in the nature of a dream, or trance. In it the prophet had impressed upon his mind the sight of a glorious temple in which he saw the Lord, “high and lifted up.” He also saw holy creatures called seraphim, and these were saying one to the other, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.”

But there is another kind of vision, namely, the vision of truth. Blessed are those whose “eyes” are able to “see” truth’s vision. Like Isaiah’s vision, the vision of truth reveals the glory of God. Every feature of the truth—the divine plan—portrays the holiness of our God, so that the antitypical temple—the church—is filled with his glory. The more we learn of the truth, the better appreciation we have of the wisdom, justice, love and power of God; and like the prophet, we see him “high and lifted up.”

As already noted, true praise and worship of God implies unreserved devotion to the doing of his will. God’s purpose in granting his people visions of himself is to inspire such devotion. As Isaiah beheld the Lord, “high and lifted up,” he was smitten with a humiliating sense of his own imperfection, and he cried, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” Then one of the seraphim took a coal from off the altar, touched the prophet’s lips with it, and he was made clean. Following this, he heard the Lord inquire, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I, send me.”

This is the attitude of heart and mind which the truth is intended to inspire in those who are honored by an understanding of it. First, as in the case of Isaiah, the vision of truth makes us realize that we are “undone,” that we are members of a sinful, dying race, having no right to expect favors from God. But the truth also reveals that the Lord has made provision to cover our imperfection so that our sins are not imputed to us. This provision is through Christ, and the merit of his shed blood.

The entire vision of truth by which the glory of God is revealed to us, combines to impress the query, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Yes, the vision of truth is God’s invitation to serve him, and if we are in the right attitude of heart we will not be happy unless we are engaged in praising, worshiping and serving him.

Peter writes, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (I Pet. 2:9) The “marvelous light” of divine truth is so inspiring that those who are blessed by it cannot refrain from praising God, its Author.

We praise Him in song and in prayer; by word of mouth and with instruments of music. We make melody in our hearts unto the Lord and together we sing of his goodness. Like the seraphim in Isaiah’s vision, we sing unto one another, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.” But this is not the end of what truth’s vision means. God is to be praised outside of the congregation of the saints. He is saying to us, “Whom shall I send?” and the full meaning of praise and worship is not realized in our lives unless we respond to our God, saying, “Here am I, send me.”

QUESTIONS:

What is implied in wholehearted worship of God?

Why does God give visions to his people?

Are Christians to praise God outside of the church?

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