WORSHIP - PURE & PERFECT

WORSHIP  PURE & PERFECT

 

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."  John 4:23-24

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."
1 Cor. 11:28

 

 

Jesus was sent on a mission and that mission was to find worshippers that would and could worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father sought this. Luke 19:10 taught this. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."  John 4:23-24 Once He found them, He then enabled them to be able at last to worship His Father and theirs in spirit and truth. Therefore He gave the church a commandment in John 13 that afforded them the capability to give pure worship while still on earth and that was through the threefold communion service.



Pure and perfect. See Deut 13 ch. note.The worship of a people forevermore determines their character and their conduct. A perfect worship is desired by God (1 Cor. 11:28). See Deut 23 chapter note. See Deut 26 chapter note.
Perfection of worship. Cf. 1 Cor 11:28 note
 prove (examine) yourself, and so.... These words are blazoned over the portal of every place where the members of the Christian fellowship gather together to observe the Holy Ordinance of Threefold Communion. It is the act in which the soul is called upon to exercise the highest function of its ransomed nature, that of worship in its purity (with clean feet), and in which it is strengthened for the exercise by the fullest realization of fellowship with the Risen Lord in anticipation of His final ministry work with our glorification when we possess an eternal body with a purified heart and mind and therefore perfect worship at last happens and which He has desired from the very beginning. All that reveals the utmost and high importance of this injunction. Before the holy hour of fellowship and of worship, there should be solemn self-examination. Opportunity is given at the onset of the threefold service for repentance in the foot-washing. The Table of the Lord is not the place for the confession of sin, that must precede it, for the Bride is seated wearing white robes. He wants and demands perfect worship. The absolution of our High Priest is to be sought and found before we enter into the Holy of Holies to offer to Him the sacrifices of our adoration. So, we are to eat the bread and drink the cup, as cleansed worshippers, having no more consciousness of sins, and therefore ready to offer worship to Him in spirit and truth. It is at our peril that we neglect such preparation. John 13 outlines this threefold service.
Cf. what Peter did for the man in Acts 3:6. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." All miracles like this were for the direct purpose of that person now being able to offer a perfect worship from a thankful heart.
Not money but the ability to afford a worship which was perfect.
Same thing happens for the person in a threefold communion service after the foot-washing.
Deut 13 ch. note
The discourse commenced in Deut. 12 continues with carefully expressed warnings against idolatry, and it is very arresting to note how the ways by which they might be seduced from the pure worship of Jehovah to the false worship of idols were guarded against. First, there would be the danger of curiosity and therefore they were charged not to inquire after false gods. Second, there would be a peril of signs and wonders wrought by false prophets. No such sign or wonder must be permitted to withdraw them from the pure worship of Jehovah and, indeed, any such working of signs was pronounced guilty of death. Third, in all probability there would be the temptation presented by some tie of blood or friendship. These must all be sternly guarded against, and any being seduced in either way were to be slain without pity. Once more there would be the peril arising from looseness of discipline in these very matters and the people were charged to take active measures against seducers and the seduced. The importance of these severe provisions will be understood as it is remembered that the worship of a people forevermore determines their character and their conduct.
Deut 23 ch. note
Under the Mosaic law certain persons were excluded from worship and others from the camp. Any who in any way violated the requirements of personal perfection in physical matters were not to be allowed to stand among the worshipers. Both the actually maimed and such as were the direct issue of sin were excluded. The Moabite and Ammonite were excluded to the tenth generation because of their refusal to help the people of God in the time of their need and their attempt to harm them in the matter of Balaam. The Edomite and Egyptian were to be excluded to the second generation only. In the case of the first, help had not been rendered in time of need; and in that of the second, Israel must never forget benefits received. With his eye ever on the future of the people in the land, Moses proceeded to touch upon various subjects to the end of this chapter and through the following two chapters seemingly without any system. Israel was to be a refuge for the oppressed slaves of other people. Usury among brethren was forbidden. Vows, it was plainly declared, must be kept, but it was also made perfectly clear that there was no necessity for making vows. In the case of need a man might eat in his neighbor's vineyards or pluck his standing corn, but no man was allowed to carry away from vineyard or cornfield anything for trade or personal enrichment.
Deut 26 ch. note
Here we have the final movement in the second of these great farewell discourses of Moses. In it the lawgiver lifted his eyes and looked at the land to be possessed, and proceeded to tell the people how they were to worship in the new land. The first recognition and act of worship necessarily is that of approach to God. Therefore they were instructed to go to the place of worship with the first fruits of the land. Then a formal confession of a threefold nature was to be made; first, the fact of possession was to be stated; second, the helpless origin of the nation was to be remembered: "A Syrian ready to perish was my father"; and, finally, the people's possession of the land was to be acknowledged as the work of Jehovah alone. With such confession, offerings were to be presented to the Lord and the people to rejoice together. Then followed a recognition of the other side of worship, which is the true and outward expression of the first. Gifts were to be bestowed on men, the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widow. This having been done, prayer again was to be offered to God in which the gifts bestowed on men are spoken of as dedicated to Him. All this is most suggestive, as it teaches us that our worship can be perfected only in service to our fellow men. The discourse ended with words that reminded the people of their relationship to God. Of the nation it was affirmed, "Thou hast avouched Jehovah this day to be thy God." Of Jehovah it was afflrmed, "Jehovah hath avouched thee this day to be a people for His own possession."