03.17. The Touchstone Of Acceptable Worship

17. The Touchstone Of Acceptable Worship

(continued) In the last chapter I confined myself to the inquiry, ’What should we go to the House of God for?’ And I showed you that the purpose for which we go there is to draw near to God with our Confessions, our Supplications, and our Worship, or Homage; and further, to receive at the mouth of God’s Minister the Message which He is pleased to send us. In the present chapter we are to make the following inquiries:
’What should we bring with us to the House of God?’
and ’What should we carry away?’

’What should we bring with us to the House of God?’ In one sense we need bring nothing but our own emptiness — for our errand here is to obtain a gift, rather than to bring one. We should come like the impotent folk to Bethesda’s Pool, that we may be healed of our spiritual infirmities by the waters of life; or like the multitude in the wilderness, to be fed by the Savior’s hand. But yet, when we come to God’s Ordinances, much depends upon the spirit in which we come. What is a rich feast to one — may afford no nourishment to another. The person who comes to church as he would go to any other place — will be very apt to miss the blessing which his heavenly Father has to give him, and will return with his heart untouched, and his soul unfed. While he whose mind is rightly ordered, whose look is upward, and whose heart, like the breathless stag, ’pants after the waterbrooks,’ ’thirsting for God, the living God’ — will not come in vain. Such a one, God loves to bless; and while He sends the rich empty away, He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

First then, if you desire the Services of the Sanctuary to be really profitable, it is necessary that you should bring with you a prayerful and devout spirit. Our business there is with a prayer-hearing God. We come, as I have already shown you in my last chapter . . .
to confess our sins to Him;
to seek a blessing from Him for our needy souls;
to praise Him for His great and varied mercies;
to worship Him with our adoring hearts.

What great need then have we to be prepared for so important a work, to have our hearts tuned for so sacred an employment, and to have the world driven out of our thoughts! For how can we expect our minds to be in a fit state to hold fellowship with God — if we rush into His presence fresh from our worldly occupations, and with worldly feelings still clinging to us?

Before coming then to the House of God, and before you leave your own house — I would advise you to spend a few moments in prayer. Kneel down, and ask God to give you that preparation of heart, which you so much need. Ask Him to give you a devout spirit, to keep your mind from wandering, and to raise it up to higher and holier things.

Secondly, it is important to bring with you a spirit of reverence. It has been remarked that the highest type of reverence is that which was seen in the Cherubim around the throne, veiling their faces as they chanted God’s praises. I am afraid it must be admitted that the tone and temper of the present day is somewhat irreverent. It extends to all subjects. It has been well remarked, that he who has not reverence for divine things, will have but little for human things. Irreverence in religion, breeds irreverence in ordinary life. But this spirit of reverence should especially be seen in the Sanctuary. There we are in the presence of a holy God. He is everywhere, but especially in the assemblies of His saints. When Moses drew near to the Bush in Horeb, he was charged to take off his shoes, for it was holy ground — God was there. And so He is in His Sanctuary. Endeavor then to realize His presence. Remember that it is the House, the Palace, the Presence Chamber of the Great King. We should ’keep silence before Him.’ The friendly greeting, the words of kind and Christian courtesy, should be reserved until we have left His courts. The habit which prevails in our churches of offering up a few secret words of prayer on entering, and of pausing for a while for a similar purpose after the Blessing has been given at the close — is very conducive to this reverential spirit. Our practice too of devoutly kneeling when we offer up prayer is no small help to our devotions. I would not only advise all my hearers to kneel — but I would go further, and recommend those of you who are able, not to indulge in that kind of compromise which some make between sitting and kneeling, a posture which is neither one thing nor the other. This was certainly not the posture which David intended when he exclaimed, ’O come, let us worship and bow down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker.’ Neither can we imagine this to have been the posture of our Lord, when, in the garden of Gethsemane, He poured forth those words of earnest supplication to His heavenly Father. Nor again, if we picture to ourselves a Criminal condemned to death, can we suppose for a moment that he would use an attitude of ease in falling down before the Judge, and entreating him in mercy to reverse the fatal sentence. No, it would be the real kneeling of a suppliant. And this is the posture that I would recommend to you, unless you are prevented by old age, or by bodily infirmity, which would of course render it impossible. In saying this however let me remind you that as much as there is in a devout posture — it is nothing without a humble and devout heart. A devout heart however, and a reverential frame, generally go together — the one helping the other. For if we kneel — it will help to keep us in a prayerful spirit; and if we have a prayerful spirit — we shall assuredly be constrained to kneel.

Thirdly, it is important to bring with you a humble and teachable spirit. Do not criticize God’s minister who leads you in prayer. Whether his reading be too fast or too slow for your taste, whether he performs his task well or ill — accept it; and let it not interfere with your devotions. Satan will greatly rejoice, if he can thus disturb your prayers, and lead you away from the one great object for which you come. And when the Preacher addresses you, think not of his manner, or his action, or the language with which he clothes the truth of God — but feel that it is a heavenly message which he is sent to deliver to you. Say within yourself, as Cornelius and his companions said to Peter, ’We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded you of God!’ Remember that your Minister is Christ’s ambassador — and therefore receive from him with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul.

There is just now too much of sensationalism and excitement among us, and not enough of sober earnestness. Is it not the case that when a celebrated Preacher is expected in any of our churches, many will forthwith leave their own congregation, with whom they usually worship, and flock to hear him? And what is worse — if an eccentric Preacher were advertised — a man who was known to step a little out of the common path — who was in the habit of saying startling things to attract or amuse his hearers — a man who had some peculiarity either of manner or of gesture — this would be quite enough to gather a crowded audience. But how sad that it should be so! Are we mere children, whose imaginations need to be excited? Is religion a plaything with us? Do we mistake God’s house for a place of entertainment? Do we go there to be amused? Or do we not rather go there as poor and helpless sinners — needing to be taught, and guided, and strengthened on our difficult road to Heaven?

Ah, it was not without a meaning that Jesus said, ’Take heed how you hear.’ You hear, not merely for the passing moment — but for eternity. You hear, not merely to gratify your taste, or to satisfy a morbid craving — but you hear that your soul may live.

Let me then repeat to you what I have said. We should bring to the House of God . . .
a prepared heart,
a reverential frame, and
also a humble and teachable spirit.

I will now say a few words as to what we should carry away with us from the House of God.

Remember, Public Worship is not the end — but the means. When a person comes to church, something is gained, but not everything. He has put himself in the way of good — but he himself may have received no good. Though he has been near to Jesus — he may not have touched even the hem of His garment. Though he has been to the banqueting-house — his soul may still starve. But if our attendance here has been blessed of God — if our worship has been profitable — if it has been something more than an outward form — something deeper, truer, and more spiritual — then . . .
we shall carry away a vast blessing with us;
we shall be holier and better;
we shall feel all the week a fuller sense of God’s presence;
we shall be brought so much nearer to Him —
and this will have a sanctifying influence on our whole lives. The true Christian worshiper will carry out in the world — what he has learned in the Church. He will go and live every day a Christian life, and thereby show the power which religion exerts on his heart and conduct. If we are . . .
no better for our Prayers and our Ordinances,
no holier in our daily lives,
no more upright in our dealings than mere men of the world,
no more truthful and reliable than others —
then is there something wrong with us, and our church-going has been a mere form without any substance!

It is well to ask ourselves, and that most solemnly: Are we living Christians? Is Christ formed within us? Are we constrained by His love, and influenced by His grace — to live no longer to ourselves, but to Him? Have we ever drawn near to God — and are we living a life of faith on Him?

Oh, see that your worship, your prayers, your hearing of the gospel, your reception of Christ’s ordinances — are having a real effect upon you, and are working the work of God within you. When the Jewish Lawgiver came down from the Mount, there was a holy radiance on his person, for he had been in company with God. And when the Disciples had been holding communion with their Lord, it was clear to the world that His blessed influence was upon them. Men ’took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.’ Just so, our approaches to God in Public Worship, and especially when it is enriched by the Holy Supper of the Lord — should have a marked effect upon us, an abiding influence on our everyday life. It should be a great help to us on our heavenward journey, a satisfying well, as we pass through the Valley of Baca on our way home to God. And when we reach that home, and are received into the Church above — what then? How will it be with us? We shall need no ordinances, no times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord — for He will be always with us — our Sun, our Shield, our Guide, our Teacher, our Portion, the bounteous Giver of every blessing. Then Two, at least, of the features which predominate in our earthly services will be no more needed. There will be no more need of Confession — for sin will be unknown in Heaven. And there will be no more Supplication — for all our needs will be abundantly satisfied. But we shall still praise God — yes, with a heartier voice than ever — and we shall worship, or pay homage, to Him who has loved us, and redeemed us, saying, ’Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power — be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever!’

I cannot better close this chapter than by giving you six plain directions which I lately met with.

First, Try to understand the Prayer-book. Study it carefully, and get the right meaning and spirit of our various Services.

Secondly, Join heartily and audibly in the Responses. Do not be afraid to speak out. The Amens in the ancient Church, we are told, ’used to sound like a clap of thunder.’

Thirdly, Take your Bible with you to church; follow the reading of the Lessons — and read the text of the Sermon.

Fourthly, Take a warm and hearty part in the Singing. If you have a good voice, use it to the glory of God.

Fifthly, Go to the house of God in a spirit of prayer. Go in a teachable frame of mind, anxious to appear before God. Go with all your sins, and all your troubles — and leave them at the feet of Jesus. Seek to know Him, and to love Him, as the Refuge of your soul.

Sixthly, Be careful lest the devil should pluck the good seed out of your heart before you get home. Think over, talk over, and above all pray over — what you have heard.