0806 PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP

AUGUST 6 = HEBREWS 12

WHAT’S IT THEREFORE?

We come to the final chapter of Hebrews, and it is again laden with powerful and challenging words. You might say that this is the practical application section of the book. It begins with the word “therefore.” And as I have heard Bible scholars say, we must always look to see what the “therefore” is there for.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…,” 

In the last chapter we read the “role call of the faithful,” and saw many practical ways that faith is seen in life. Those faith-filled saints serve as a great gathering of what we might call “witnesses,” that at the matter of two or three witnesses, every matter should be established. And because they are watching, and because they themselves have set such a high standard for faith, we are going to be called to learn from and even to follow their example.

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

Because of their example, we also are to throw off everything that hinders us. Any besetting sins, expensive indulgences, selfish habits, lazy routines, they all will hinder us. Let our every moment, our every possession be what yields for us treasure in heaven. As we run, we recognize the cloud of witnesses in the stands, cheering us on and inspiring us. But the One we are running toward is not them. The One we have fixed our eyes upon is the one who has gone before us and made a way for us to get to the Father. It is Jesus, the one who pioneered and perfected the path for us.

What was that path like for Jesus? Glad you asked! 

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Jesus was focused on the joy set before him. Reunion with the Father. The feast to come with his chosen Bride. The kingdom coming to earth. That focus of his was so strong that Jesus was willing to endure even the cross, the worst torture ever invented. But Jesus endured it. 

In fact, the writer says that Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. The cross was a very public execution, designed to bring the ultimate humiliation and shame on the subject. Jesus saw past all that to see a more attractive future, beyond this life and his suffering and shame. And so He sat down at the right hand of the Father, which of course means that Jesus is part of the Almighty One’s authority and honor.

Some verses later, the writer gives these essential instructions, that we might call practical worship:

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone…”

If you are like me, you kind of skip over this and say, “I think I’m a pretty nice guy. I’m not looking for any fights or to make any enemies. What’s next on the list?

But wait a second! It says to “Make every effort,” not just to be a nice guy. That sounds like this must be far more difficult than I might imagine. Every effort? Everyone? Go way out of my way to understand their worldview. Go out of my comfort zone in order to be where they are.

“…and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

We have seen this command multiple times in Scripture, to be holy. But as with the command to be at peace, so maybe we should look more closely at this one, as well. “Be holy.” That means to be set apart, separated from the common things of this world. Am I giving that the kind of moment-by-moment attention that it deserves? It sure seems important to be set apart for the Lord.

In fact, it is so important that the writer reminds us that without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Weren’t we just talking about faith? I guess holiness is a very practical aspect of faith. If I believe that there is a God, and that God is holy, then I spend my earthly days trying to imitate his holiness, not to simply try to fit in.

So let me review for a moment. Be at peace with everyone. Yet be set apart and unlike the world. I guess this is being in the world but not of it.

“..See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God …”

How would I fall short of the grace of God? Perhaps to take it so for granted that it’s almost as if I had earned his grace. I guess that’s like not being holy.

“…and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

What is a bitter root? How could it defile me? Bitterness can arise in me when I feel that I have been mistreated by someone, maybe by “the system” itself. I nurse the wound in my heart, rehearse the wrong in my head, and it takes root in me. I am no longer motivated by love, but by revenge, anger, hatred. I am judgmental, but view myself as discerning. I have an inner rage, which I think comes out as righteous indignation. But in truth, there is a bitter root growing up inside me. 

Perhaps I am even bitter toward God. I stopped trusting him when I feel like he betrayed me. I might think that I have an appropriate fear of God, but I don’t recognize that it’s not so much fear as it is that I don’t feel loved by the Almighty.

When this bitter root grows up in me, it causes trouble and it defiles me. Rather than my being holy, I have become cynical, or grumpy, or I have simply stopped disciplining myself because I just don’t care enough. So I am defiled. Defiled with lust, or drunkenness, or selfishness, or whatever the temptation is that I no longer deny myself the pleasure of.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, 

Be thankful. I like that. It sounds like the opposite of bitter.

and so worship God acceptably 

We all worship, all the time. The question is whether or not our worship is “acceptable” or not. Some of us worship the wrong God. Others worship the right God but in the wrong way. Either of those errors in worship make the worship “unacceptable” to God. So if I worship without thanksgiving, I guess that’s another “unacceptable” form of worship.

And here is another way to worship acceptably: 

with reverence and awe, 

When we have done away with bitterness, have thrown off every encumbrance to run well, and then worship with reverence and awe, we have begun to worship acceptably, in a way that pleases God. The reverence and awe are especially important, because of this final phrase of the book:

for our “God is a consuming fire.””

He is to be feared. He is to be loved. He has the power and the holiness to be a consuming fire if we get it wrong. So let us learn, as the Italian peninsula Hebrews did back in the first century, to honor the Lord and be in right relationship with him. 

And let us tell the world what we know. For our God is a consuming fire, and we would want none to perish, but all come to have eternal life. Amen.