The Voice of Worship: How It Changed Me
[powerpress] The exciting thing about engaging God on an ongoing basis in worship is that He is kind enough to show Himself to you, shower you with His love, and change you for the better through it. Because you become what you behold, engaging Jesus in worship is one of the primary mechanisms through which He transforms you into His image. Today we will discuss how times of devotion transform the worshiper by describing what we find in the presence of God and, as a result, what happens in the heart of the worshiper.
In God's Presence
Prior to the Jewish temple being built, the tabernacle was the place of worship for the Israelites. It was for this place that God, through Moses, gave instructions about how to build a sanctuary, a place of meeting with God, that was to be a copy and shadow of what is in Heaven (Hebrews 8:5). Included in this tabernacle were articles used in worship that give us a picture of what God does in our hearts as we come into His presence.
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. (Hebrews 9:1-5 NIV)
God shows His practical nature. Though the temple would later be built using sturdy cedar wood, the tabernacle was made using acacia wood - the only wood available in the Sinai desert. How appropriate that is for the beginning days of a church plant. God allows us to begin where we are, but it is not where we are to remain as we are changed in worship. There is an expectation of maturation and progress.
The Holy Place
The lampstand (Revelation 1:19, 20)
In the book of Revelation, Jesus gives the metaphor of seven lampstands representing seven different churches that He was instructing in a life of devotion to God. The church is a constant light to the nations as to how to enter into relationship with God through Jesus. It is the only institution in the world that will teach you to do this properly through the preaching of God's truth. Once you come to Jesus, the first thing that you find in God's presence is a love for His people, His church, which He describes as His bride. Devote yourself to her now.
The table with the consecrated bread
Meeting with Jesus in worship means that you are led to His Word and through it are consecrated, literally set apart to Him, as you meditate on His nature, work, commands, and ways. Through study of the Scripture you are literally "dining" with Jesus, being prepared for transformation by acquiring the knowledge of God.
The Most Holy Place
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:45-53 NIV)
The powerful thing is that on the cross, Jesus became sin and took the wrath of God upon Himself that caused a separation between humanity and God. Because of His propitiatory death, the curtain that once kept men and women out of the most holy place where God met with His people was torn in two, forever declaring a new access to all believers through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. His cross where His substitutionary sacrifice was made has become our atonement cover.
It is in the Most Holy Place that we move from a place of information to transformation.
The golden altar of incense (Revelation 5:6-10) (used to overpower the smell of flesh burning from the sacrifices) It was linked to the prayers of the saints in Revelation. Prayer, the two-way communication with God, is where the transformation begins. We encourage you to give God the quality time that you need to see the transformation take place.
The golden covered ark of the covenant This represented the literal presence, being before the face of God.
Inside were the:
Gold jar of manna (John 6:27-35) The manna that the Israelites ate during their wanderings in the desert was God's supernatural provision for their most fundamental needs. As Jesus was walking the earth, He described Himself as the bread of life. Through perpetual relationship with Jesus, He promised that you will never go hungry or thirsty. God literally feeds and refreshes your soul through your encounters with Him so that you are not wasting your life pursuing things that will not satisfy the deepest needs of your psyche and emotions. This means that your every relationship, whether platonic or romantic, career ambition, and sense of identity find themselves fulfilled as you contextualize your life through Jesus and His leadership.
Aaron’s staff that had budded As the Israelites were coming out of Egypt, they found themselves rebelling against the leadership that God had given them in Moses and Aaron. Aaron's staff that had budded was God's supernatural sign of authority given to Aaron as priest. In the same way, you find grace in the presence of God to submit to Jesus' authority in your life as you come to Him in worship. Fear and intimidation are broken in the presence of God. You leave times with Jesus with an ability to walk in His authority (Mark 3:13-19), ministering by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of GOD. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.” ― Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
The stone tablets of the covenant In God's presence, His law is written on your heart as it was originally written on the tablets that He gave Moses for the people. You encounter the grace of God so that you want to obey, rather than feeling merely outwardly compelled to do so. Your heart is literally transformed with a love for Jesus.
Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover Through worship, you are able to see God in His splendor and marvel at the mercy of God reflected in the gift of Jesus Christ. The atonement cover was a constant representation of the sin that brought the judgment of God that has now been satisfied in Jesus.
The difference between God's temple and the pagan temples of the day is that on the cherubim, you would expect to see an image of the deity. However, in the Hebrew context, there was no image that could adequately reflect or represent the glory of God, thus no image was to be found. In the same way, because He was not an idol, there was no representation of Him to be dressed, "fed," and entertained on a daily basis. The placement of the expensive materials, such as the pure gold used as utensils and dyes nearest the ark in the Most Holy Place, reflected the reverence and awe with which you are to approach God.
In the Heart of the Worshiper
The result of continually being in God's presence is that a change continually takes place in your heart. This is sanctification and is Jesus setting you apart for noble, rather than ignoble, holy, rather than common, purposes. He does this by changing your appetites and perspectives. You are allowed to see clearly for the first time with a bird's eye view over your circumstances and culture.
“How happy we would be if we could find the treasure of which the Gospel speaks; all else would be as nothing. As it is boundless, the more you search for it the greater the riches you will find; let us search unceasingly and let us not stop until we have found it.” ― Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
A Psalm of the Sons of Korah
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob. Look on our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. (Psalm 84:1-12 NIV)
A History of the Sons of Korah (Numbers 16)
Though the authors of a beautiful Psalm that reflected deep relationship with God, the sons of Korah had a sordid heritage. Korah was the cousin of Moses and Aaron who was noted for leading a rebellion against their leadership following the Exodus from Egypt. God dealt with this.
In the midst of God's judgment, He has redemptive purposes. The Korahites were among the chief Levitical families (Numbers 26:58). Under King David's rule, they were assigned as "gatekeepers" (I Chronicles 26:1) and participated in giving praise to the Lord (II Chronicles 20:19). Because the temple represented the place of God's dwelling, the gatekeepers had the high honor of defending the meeting place of God from defilement since it was the center of worship of Yahweh, the one true God. These people had the privilege of constantly dwelling in proximity to God's presence.
Though the heritage of the sons of Korah was that they were striving and rebellious, God took his descendants and made them those who found their place as worshipers before the Lord. In the same way, no matter where you began today, you can come to a place of repentance and faith through Jesus. You can become a true worshiper who turns the valley of Baca ("weeping") into a place of springs, because you know the secret of meeting with the living God.
Second City Church- The Voice of Worship Sermon Series 2014