2019.02.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ Hebrews 12:22-13:4

Read Hebrews 12:22-13:4

Questions for Littles: Where does the church gather for worship on the Lord’s Days (v22)? With whom does the church gather on the Lord’s Days (vv22-23)? Who is the Priest who leads that worship (v24)? Who is the Preacher who preaches in it (v25)? What is He using that worship to prepare us to receive (vv25-28)? How should we participate in that worship (v28)? What kind of earthly life does that worship produce (vv13:1-4)?

This week’s Call to Worship, Prayer for Help, Song of Adoration, and Confession of Sin all came from Hebrews 12:22-13:4. Some time back, we went over this portion of Scripture in a series of several sermons, and it serves us well now to review their teaching:

First, congregational worship on the Lord’s Day joins a celebration already in progress in glory, where Christ’s gospel accomplishments are being delighted in by angels, perfected saints, and even God Himself.

Second, Jesus is the leader of this worship. He is the Great High Priest who is the Mediator of this new (everlasting) covenant. And the blood that has sprinkled everything to sanctify it is not the blood of bulls and goats, but His own blood, which overcomes all of the guilt of all of His people’s sins.

Third, Jesus is the preacher in this worship. He speaks from heaven, and He calls for a response from us. We must not come out of worship unchanged, which would be to refuse Him who speaks. Rather, we take all of His truth to heart, and all of His instruction as marching orders for our lives.

Fourth, we rejoice that rather than our trying to worship Him well enough to get something from Him, He has already designed His own worship as the method by which He is giving us an unshakable kingdom.

Fifth, when we come to such worship, through such a Mediator, we must do so according to His prescriptions, with dignity of manner, and reverence of heart.

We come by grace, but we still come to a Holy God!

Finally, this God-loving worship sends us out into a neighbor-loving life. Love of brother. Love of stranger. Love of sufferer. Love of spouse.

How do you prepare for worship? What do you do during? How do you follow up?

Suggested songs: ARP184 “Adoration and Submission” or TPH95C “Now with Joyful Exultation”