The Church: Its Meaning - The Place of the Worship of God, Part 2

What great words as we enter into the opportunity to see what the Word of Lord has for us. His robes for from mine, Isaiah 61 verse number 10 They're called the garments of God, the robes of righteousness in which He clothes us because of His great love for us Psalmist speaks about that if you have your Bible turn with me to Psalm 96 as we begin our time in the word this morning Psalm 96 we are looking at The church and looking at the meaning of the church and if you've been with this for any period of time This is what we have been studying and we'll continue to study all throughout the fall as we come to grips with what it is God has done in the assembly of the redeemed Psalm 96 verse number 1 says sing to the Lord a new song Sing to the Lord all the earth sing to the Lord blessed his bless his name Proclaim good tidings of his salvation from day to day Tell of his glory among the nations his wonderful deeds among all the peoples For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised He is to be feared above all gods For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens splendor and majesty are before him Strength and beauty are in a sanctuary Ascribe to the Lord Oh families of the peoples ascribe to the Lord glory and strength Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name bring an offering and come into his courts Worship the Lord in the holy attire tremble before him all the earth say among the nations the Lord is reigning when we gather together as an assembly The assembly of the redeemed where the Redeemer himself rules and reigns in and among us We gather together and we are saying that the Lord reigns in us The Lord is our King the Lord is our God and we've come to worship him and The only way we can worship him is in holy attire and that are that is the robes of his righteousness Which he has clothed us with The psalmist understands that very well that we worship the Lord in holy attire attire and we tremble in fear before him We do that simply because of his holiness and our unworthiness But as we said last week The psalmist says in Psalm 130 verse number 4 there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared God is seeking true worshipers those who worship him in spirit and in truth And as we gather together as an assembly of the redeemed We gather together to worship him just that way in spirit and In truth In fact the psalmist says over in Psalm 63 these words.

Oh God you are my God I shall seek you earnestly My soul thirsts for you my flesh yearns for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water Thus I have seen you in the sanctuary To see your power and your glory Because your loving-kindness is better than life my lips will praise you so I will bless you as long as I live I will lift up my hands in your name the psalmist was so enraptured with his God That he would earnestly and he would eagerly and he would early seek his God and Could not wait to be in the sanctuary to behold the beauty of his God the splendor of his majesty and Then he says and there I will bless you He didn't go to the sanctuary to receive a blessing He went to the sanctuary of the Lord to bless his God Because that's what true worshipers do True worshipers don't go To be blessed in the sanctuary They go to bless the true and holy God That's why the Lord seeks true worshipers those who who really Truly worship him in spirit and in truth.

They they worship him Authentically and they worship him accurately They worship him sincerely and they worship him Scripturally, that's what it means to worship God in spirit internally authentically in truth Because you want to worship God Accurately, and the only way you can accurately worship him is to understand what he demands in the scriptures and so worship requires certain things and we told you last week that it requires number one a preparation of the soul a Preparation of the soul And I want to talk to you about that this morning Because I think it's such a lost art in Christianity The preparation of the soul told you last week that when you come to church to worship God Don't count on us to prepare your soul It must already be prepared when you arrive For if you are not prepared to worship the King once you arrive there is no guarantee that you'll ever be prepared to worship him while you are here and Because God seeks true worshipers those who worship him in spirit and in truth The worship of God is a a daily experience.

It's a daily Routine that you and I go through every day as we worship and honor and Anticipate all that God is and give glory to his precious name but true worship if We are to worship him in spirit and in truth Worshiping him from the inside out requires a preparation of the soul How does that happen? What does that look like? well Let me explain it to you number one it requires a clean heart a Clean heart What did David say in Psalm 51 verse number 10?

Create in me a clean heart. Oh God and renew a right spirit within me now David was already Committed to his God He was already a follower of God, but it was the sin That had separated him from his God That's why you later say restore to me the joy of my salvation not my salvation because he's already saved But he had lost the joy of his salvation Why because there is sin that has separated him from his God and for nine months as Bathsheba was pregnant God's hand according to Psalm 32 was heavy upon the was heavy upon David and he drenched his couch with tears Because of a sin, but when he began to repent of a sin in turn from a sin He would ask the Lord to create in him a a clean heart Oh God and Renew a a right spirit within me What if I'm going to worship you in spirit if I'm going to worship you from the inside out I must have a cleansed heart Somers would say in Psalm 66 verse number 18 that It's my iniquities that separate me from God If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord Will not hear me.

That is I must have a clean heart Now a true worshiper has already been cleansed by the blood of the land All of our sins have been forgiven right past present and future we experience the forgiveness of sins and We are so grateful to the Lord because he has forgiven us of all of our sins and yet There is this this daily Cleansing that takes place as we confess our sins to the Lord the word confess I'm like, oh means to say the same thing about our sin that God says about our sin So John tells us if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness It's not that that that I am not saved I am saved It's not that my sins aren't forgiven.

They are forgiven But there's something that separates me from my God where the communion and the fellowship with him has been lost because of of my sin That's why the Lord said in Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2 that my hand is not short that I cannot save nor are my ears dull that they cannot hear But it's your sins that have separated me from you It's our sins That separate us from our God and what separates us is that joyous communion that joyous fellowship that we can have but have forfeited Because of our sin, so the preparation of the soul demands a a clean heart Listen to what a W Tozer says.

He says these words No Worship is wholly pleasing to God until There is nothing in me displeasing to God That is just so good No worship is Wholly pleasing to God until there is nothing in me. That is displeasing To God I Wonder on your on your way in today. Is there is there anything that was displeasing to the Lord? And yet you expect to come in to worship the Lord Well, it requires a clean heart We're about to partake of the Lord's table Thanking God for the forgiveness of sins, right? and yet sometimes we harbor bitterness in our on our soul and We have an Unforgiving spirit That's a problem Because you know the Lord's Prayer and you know, the Bible says in Matthew chapter 6 that we are to forgive Or and forgive us our debts as we I've also forgiven our debtors But there's only one commentary on the Lord's Prayer that the Lord gives There's only one Aspect of the Lord's Prayer or the disciples prayer I should say that the Lord expounds upon It's the area forgiveness He says this For if you forgive others their transgressions Your Heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you do not forgive others Then your father Will not forgive your transgressions So you say wait a second, how can I have unforgiven transgressions if all my sins are forgiven That that just can't be but yet that's what the Lord says I Don't have unforgiving sins in the judicial sense Because all that was taken care of under the cross But in the parental sense in the relational sense I could have unforgiven sins You see it's those kinds of sins that Keep me from Experiencing the great blessing of God Because we're to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us and The highest mark of the believer is The character of forgiveness His desire to forgive others their sin But how many times do we do we come to worship the Lord and yet there's this bitterness There's this anger in the soul, there's this resentfulness That bruise within us that keeps us from truly worshipping God with a clean heart So important, let's drive it home a little closer for the Bible says these words in first Peter chapter 3 verse number 7 you husbands in the same way and live with your wives in an understanding way as Someone weaker since she is a woman and Show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life so that your prayers will not Be hindered how many prayers of Husbands are hindered Because they don't honor their wives The word honor Same word used in first Peter chapter 1 that speaks of the precious blood of Christ Same word is used We're talking about treating your life your wife as the most precious possession on earth If you don't treat your wife that way Your prayers are hindered Why because my heart's not clean before the Lord There's a reason that something else has taken the precious place of her and that ought not to be especially if I'm to picture Christ's love for the church and The love my wife as Christ loved the church, right?

So that shouldn't be happening But Peter makes it very clear that it's very easy for you not to do this and thus your prayers then be hindered because Because there's something else more precious to you than the helpmate the gift that God has given To you. That's why it's so important to have a clean heart So if I'm gonna prepare the soul it comes because there's a clean heart number two.

There's a contrite heart a contrite heart same Psalm same 50 Psalm 51 same author David a broken and contrite heart thou will not despise a broken and contrite heart a heart that's been crushed and Is humbled God resists the proud? He gives grace to the humble over and Isaiah chapter 57 It says in verse number 15 for thus says the high and exalted one who lives forever whose name is holy I dwell on a high and holy place and also with the contrite and the lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite Psalm 34 The Lord says in verse number 18 the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit when we come to worship the Lord it requires a preparation of the soul It begins with a cleansed heart.

I must be clean on the inside it requires a contrite heart a broken heart Because that's the heart God does not despise God wants to bestow grace upon you, but he only gives grace to the humble not to the proud So therefore I must understand exactly what it means to to have a a broken and contrite heart David was was a broken man over his sin And he humbly came before him so many times we go to church with with with an arrogant spirit as if you know What can I learn today? I'm not gonna learn anything new today As if you know it all and we come with with with with the spirit of arrogance that that doesn't allow us to to listen to What the Lord is saying to us on that day or we come because we're we're so filled with arrogance We believe the pastors talking to somebody else and not me, but if you think that I'm talking to you Believe me because the Lord wants you to understand the truth of his word You have a broken heart you have a humble heart you have a contrite heart Do you come saying Lord teach me?

Lord I'm here to learn from you Lord. I'm here to give to you Lord, I'm here to worship you the preparation of soul begins with a clean heart number two a contrite heart number three I love this one a clear heart a clear Heart listen to Psalm 86 Psalm 86 is so rich When the psalmist says these words in verse number 11 Teach me your way.

Oh Lord. I will walk in your truth Unite my heart to fear your name Unite my heart to fear your name to fear the name of God is to live a life in the worship of God But David knew That there was something that needed to happen For his heart to be united what's the opposite of a united heart a Divided heart right a divided heart And it's so easy for our hearts to be divided because there are so many Distractions that take place that we're not worshiping the Lord with all of my heart all of my soul all of my mind all of my strength I come with a Partial mind a partial heart and partial strength and a parcel partial soul Because I'm distracted with something else Maybe you're distracted because of somebody else's in the room.

Maybe you're distracted because of what took place on the way to church Maybe you're distracted because what's gonna happen after church. I don't know but you have a divided heart Back in Luke chapter 10. Remember with Martha and Mary The text says lieutenant Martha was distracted She was distracted by everything around her and She was upset that Mary wasn't helping her prepare the meal for the Lord But Mary had chosen the better part the part that was necessary the priority Which was what to sit and listen at the feet of Jesus?

Martha couldn't do that because she was distracted her heart wasn't clear It was not united It was not fixed It was not focused Upon the Lord And therefore she was unable to hear what God had to say How many times do we come with an unclear heart Because it's so divided There's something else that has taken a priority And God wants all of us Not just part of us So if I'm gonna prepare my soul So that when I go to the house of the Lord to worship with the people of God the assembly of the redeemed My heart is clean Contrite And clear It's completely and totally Fixed upon the Lord Over in the book of Ezekiel These words are spoken Ezekiel chapter 33 verse number 30 But as for you son a man your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses Speak to one another each to his brother saying come now And hear what the message is which comes forth from the Lord They come to you as people come and sit before you as my people and hear your words but They do not do them For they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth and their heart goes after their game Behold you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a Beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument for they hear your words But they do not practice them Why?

You've ever met those people that come to church and they they hear the word of the Lord But they don't put into practice the word of the Lord Why? Because their heart is not clear Their heart is not fixed Their hearts distracted in this case for Israel. It was their lustful game It was for that what they wanted to do. Oh, they they love to hear you Ezekiel You speak as one with a sensual song they they love to hear the words come out of your mouth They say oh come and hear the word of the Lord from Ezekiel.

He's such a great prophet of God But they had no desire to do what the word of the Lord says Why? Because the distractions are more important to them Than their God worship demands. I have a clear heart Because it's a contrite heart and a clean heart But if it's a clear heart number four, it is a connected heart it is a firmly established steadfast heart a Connected heart Psalm 57 David says my heart is steadfast. Oh God My heart is established. Oh God. My heart is firm. Oh God My heart is steadfast.

I will sing. Yes, I will sing praises awake my glory awake my heart and lyre I will awaken the dawn. I will give thanks to you. Oh Lord among the peoples I will sing praises to you among the nations for your loving-kindness is great in the heavens and your truth to the clouds Be exalted above the heavens. Oh God Let your glory be above all the earth He had a connected heart In other words, it was fixed on one thing on one person the reason our hearts are Unclear is because they are not connected to the Lord himself That's why the Bible says Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

That's Matthew chapter 6 in Colossians chapter 3 Paul says Set your affections on things above not on things below fix your gaze above Say with Hebrews chapter 12, right? Fix your gaze upon Christ consider the Christ and fix your eyes upon him for he is the author and finisher of your faith Our hearts need to be connected completely to Christ We need to be so in touch with the Christ that all we think about when we arrive is nothing but the Lord He is central on our minds But is it not true that so easily we are distracted And we are taken away from our thoughts about the Lord And we could think about other things that are just not that important Think about it you come to church to worship the Lord for an hour and 15 minutes you think that you'd want to have a cleansed heart a broken and contrite heart an Undistracted heart a very clear heart Completely fixed and connected to the Lord God of Israel next a compliant heart A compliant heart Psalm 139 Remember what the psalmist said, you know these verses verse 23 search me O God and know my heart try me and know my anxious thoughts and See if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting Way, that's a compliant heart Lord search me Try me Know my heart Know my anxious thoughts Lord, I want to be led in the way of righteousness.

I want to be led your way not my way So whatever you say the answer is yes It's not wait a minute or I'll pray about it. It's yes Whatever your word says Lord. Yes is my response Because my heart is compliant I really want to do what you want me to do But if I don't have a contrite heart, I won't have a compliant heart if I don't have a clean heart I won't have a compliant heart if I don't have a connected heart or a clear heart. I won't have a compliant heart. I Have a compliant heart because I'm broken.

I'm humble. I want to hear what God says My sins are confessed I'm right before my God I'm in fellowship with my God I'm in communion with my God and therefore I can't wait to hear what he has to say.

I Would think that would be all of us That we gather together see I just can't wait to hear what the Lord has for me today Because the answer is yes That's what I'm going to do. Whatever he says That's what I'm going to do and lastly a controlled heart a Controlled heart this is the byproduct Controlled by the Spirit of God remember we told you Philippians 3 verse number 3 best definition of a Christian in the scriptures So we are the true circumcision. We are the true marked ones. We worship God in spirit We glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in The flesh We don't trust in ourselves We trust in the Lord We are controlled by the Spirit of God We're not controlled by the whims that come down the pike every so often by different people and social media No, we are controlled by the Spirit of God And we want to follow what God's Word says So according to Colossians 3 16 let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly right That that the Word of Christ might be at home in my heart because I want to be controlled by everything God's Word says a controlled heart You see true Worship worshiping God in spirit and in truth means I must worship him genuinely Authentically from the inside out according to all that his word says To do that my heart must be right The soul must be set in order And the only way that happens Is if it's clean That there's nothing Displeasing in me so that my worship will be fully and wholly pleasing to the Lord That my heart is contrite broken humbled and then the heart is clear and connected and compliant and controlled by the Spirit of God When that happens I Am ready to receive all that God has for me You've heard people come to church and and say well, you know it I didn't get anything out of that That's a commentary on their soul It's not a commentary on the preacher the preacher might be bad I'll give you I'll give you that but if he opens the Word of the Lord and he reads from the scriptures, right?

And you didn't get anything out of it. That's a commentary on you on A heart that's an unforgiving kind of heart. That's a bitter heart. That's a resentful heart That's not clean That's not contrite That's not compliant That's not clear nor connected And definitely not controlled by the Spirit of God Because that kind of heart Can't wait to hear what God has to say Let me pray with you father We thank you for this day and the opportunity you give us to spend time in your word as brief as it may be But father we are a blessed people Because we've been forgiven our sins And that's just the beginning of all that takes place in our hearts And our prayer father is that each and every week we would truly come Prepared in the innermost being of our lives And that Lord when we come We would come because we truly want to worship you in spirit According to your truth So we ask that Lord you would continue to work a great Great work in our hearts.

We pray for those who are here today and might not even know you Lord we pray that you cleanse them from their sin. They would know what it means to be born again They would know what it means to be among the assembly that we deemed Where the Redeemer rules and reigns in their hearts We ask in Jesus name Amen