Holy Spirit

The Essence of New Testament Worship

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Though the elements of Christian worship are the same as those in the Old Testament, there are two new factors at the very heart of the New Testament that bring about a decisive reorientation. First, Christian worship is through God the Son; second, it is worship in the Holy Spirit.

Worship Through God the Son

The first of these new factors is that Christian worship is in its very core and essence the worship of God the Father through God the Son. The elements remain; the Christological orientation is new. If space allowed, one might easily work through the data afresh to show this truth. In this conclusion, a few indications must suffice. Worshipers now stand in a personal relation of sonship to God on the basis of adoption in Christ. They pray in the name of the Son (John 16:23). The works of God in the Son are the theme of their praise (Eph. 1:3–14). Their plea for forgiveness is that Christ gave Himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin (1 John 1:7–9). Their confession is the confession of Jesus as Lord (1 Cor. 12:3). The Scriptures, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, testify of Christ (John 5:39). Preaching is the setting forth of Christ in his revealing and reconciling work (2 Cor. 5:18–21). The Lord’s Supper is the Passover of the new and final exodus, the showing forth of the one sacrifice for sin (1 Cor. 11:26). Christian almsgiving acquires a new ground and basis in the light of God’s gift in Christ (2 Cor. 9:15) and of the giving of all gifts to him (Matt. 25:31–46). The suitability of worship at various points in life rests in the fact that all Christian life is lived in the Lord (Rom. 14:8). The decisive point, then, is not that new forms are provided or new levels of devotion ensured, but that God has come in person and fulfilled his work of grace. With this focus, worship is given a depth and content that it could hardly achieve in the time of Old Testament and Jewish expectation.

Worship in the Holy Spirit

The second of the new factors in Christian worship is that in its very core and essence it is the worship of God the Father through God the Son and in and by God the Holy Spirit. True worship has always been both spiritual and in the Spirit, but as Jesus himself showed, his own ministry brought with it a specific coming of the Spirit that makes possible in fullness the worship that is in spirit and in truth. Prayer occurs with the assistance of the Spirit (Rom. 8:26–27). Praise is rejoicing in the Spirit (Eph. 5:18–20). Confession of sins is under conviction of the Spirit (John 16:8). Confession of faith is confession by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Holy Scripture, given by the Spirit, is illumined by the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:6–8). Preaching is a demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor. 2:4). The fellowship of the Lord’s Table is a fellowship of the Spirit (cf. Acts 2). Liberality flows from the love that is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Living life in a context of prayer and praise and proclamation is walking in the Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1–17). It is a question not of spiritual worship as distinct from liturgical worship, but rather of the inner ministry of the Spirit in regenerating and sanctifying power. The person who is born of the Spirit and led by the Spirit is one who even in outward expression offers to God through Christ fitting and acceptable worship.

The Trinity

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As a doctrine and a liturgical formula, the Trinity is not developed in the Bible, nor are the distinctions between the three “persons” always clearly articulated. Nevertheless, the concept of God as Father, Son, and Spirit is present.

The stress in Scripture is always on the unity of God. The Father and the Son are one (John 10:30; 17:21); they glorify one another (John 17:1). The Father and the Spirit are one, for the Spirit “searches all things, even the deep things of God,” and knows his inward being (1 Cor. 2:10). The Son and the Spirit are one, since the Father sends the Spirit in the Son’s “name” (John 14:26). The Word and the Spirit are one. When the psalmist declares, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Ps. 33:6), the principle of poetic parallelism suggests that the word of God and the Spirit (ru‡ḥ, “breath”) of God are the same. Similarly in the New Testament, a comparison of the parallel passages, Ephesians 5:18–20 and Colossians 1:6, reveals the identity of the Spirit and the Word, and Paul says specifically that “the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17). The apostolic church remained committed to the uncompromising monotheism of the Jewish faith, expressed in the Shƒma‘ of synagogue worship: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4), although the phrase is more accurately translated “Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone.” When the Trinitarian formulation, or an approximation thereof, appears in the New Testament, there is usually a strong suggestion that the different terms used express the same living reality.

The Trinitarian formula, so familiar in Christian worship, is found in Scripture only in Matthew 28:19, where the risen Christ commissions the apostles to make disciples of all people, baptizing them “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The use of the word name in the singular suggests that the unity of the three “persons,” rather than their distinction, is in view, and in actual practice the early church usually baptized into Jesus Christ, or into his name (Acts 2:38; 8:12; 19:5; Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 1:13).

The Trinitarian formula is also implicit in certain expressions of the apostle Paul, although other words may be substituted for the classic terms Father and Son. Writing to the Corinthians, he mentions varieties of gifts (charismata) but the same Spirit, varieties of ministries or service (diakoniai) but the same Lord, and varieties of effects or workings (energēmata) but the same God (1 Cor. 12:4–6). Again, his wording suggests a stress on the oneness of the source of the church’s power. In Ephesians 4:4–6 Paul proclaims “one body and one Spirit,” the life or breath of the body; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” into Jesus the Son; and “one God and Father of all.” The Trinitarian pattern is repeated within the clause applying to the Father, who is “over all and through all and in all.” Thinking in Trinitarian terms, God is over all as Creator King, through all in the pervasive life-giving presence of the Spirit, and in all as Christ in the corporate church (“the hope of glory,” Col. 1:27). Paul’s familiar benediction of 2 Corinthians 13:14, often used in Christian worship, commends his readers to “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship [koinōnia, participation or communion] of the Holy Spirit.”

In these expressions, we see not the attempt to formulate a doctrine of God in three persons (the need for that was perceived later in the church’s history) but the effort to convey, within the limitations of human language, something of the fullness of the workings of the divine in relation to his worshipers. In the Spirit he offers his people life, gifts, communion; in the Son he quickens in them service, obedience, and faith; in the Father he governs and provides for them in his authority, creative working, and steadfast love. In every way he moves toward them to dwell in their midst, the covenant Lord with his covenant people, that in the end “God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28).

AN HONEST SLIP

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Worship at our church is usually powerful! The instruments, the voices, our worship leader’s direction under the Holy Spirit — wow, what mornings as we stand and lift our hearts to God in praise and adoration; indeed, we are celebrating the goodness of our loving God. The dictionary would call us celebrants — folks who participate in a celebration.

When pastoring in King City, California, we had invited a singing group to come to our church and share their ministry with us. They called themselves the Celebrant Singers.

This group consisted almost exclusively of young single-adults. I thought it might be funny if I “accidentally” introduced them as The Celibate Singers! Believe it or not, I refrained — but still blew it: I accidentally presented them as the Continental Singers (another popular singing group at that time). That truly was an honest mistake — one the director didn’t much appreciate!

Someone has said, “No matter what happens… some memories can never be replaced.”

Guess that’s true — I still remember (and laugh about it) that night of January 30, 2002! Do you suppose the director still remembers? If so, is she laughing? I’ll draw application for us once again from that great voice of the past: Sheriff John! He taught us kids to: “…laugh and be happy with a merry melody. A song will make a hat rack look like a Christmas tree. Get rid of worry in a hurry, chase those blues away Just laugh and be happy all the livelong day!”

TURNING ON THE LIGHT

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Perhaps some of you have visited Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico; a few of you (very few I’m sure!) may have even seen the Endless Caverns in Virginia — or The Oregon Caves (near Cave Junction, OR). All these cavern tours are run pretty much the same way. After you’ve walked down to the center of the earth and you look over the rails into these bottomless shafts, they cut the lights! And of course, it’s pitch black.

(I’ve often thought about “helping” these tour guides come up with a different tour plan. One way might be when they call the lights, scream at the top of my voice, “Oh my gosh, she fell in!”)

At any rate, they douse the lights so you can see what true darkness is like — you literally can’t see anything. Suddenly you appreciate light like never before!

The lights in these caverns illuminate your way through; you can see what’s there — and very importantly you can find your way out! The Endless Caverns near New Market, VA, burns 4000 lights for illumination!

In a similar way, the Holy Spirit illuminates, shines His light on our darkened, dull minds so we can “see”, so we can understand what the Bible is saying — and how God intends to use it in our life-journey. Paul says spiritual truths are understood (and appreciated!) only by the Spirit’s illumination (I Corinthians 2:14). Jesus said the Spirit would lead us into the truth (John 16:13).

So when you open the Word, ask the Spirit to open your eyes/ears! That’s what David did! He prays, in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law [instructions].”

THE HILL CLIMB

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It used to be that you could ride your motorcycle all over the hills near our home in Alta Loma, CA — there weren’t any houses!

Back in the mid-70s, my brother Dave and I were hill climbing with our dirt bikes. We came to a very daunting hill — and Dave shot up to the top, turned around, then shouted down to me, “No problem man. I made it!”

Have you ever been hill climbing? It can be terrifying. Going up is bad enough; coming back down is even worse! Well, I reluctantly moved my bike into position, knowing I had a choice to make:  I could sit there, revving my engine (hoping I’d run out of gas!), wallowing in fear and intimidation because of the enormous obstacle in front of me, OR I could listen to Dave, believe him, and go for it. I decided to take on the hill — and I made it!

In the same way, the difficulties, losses, pressures, intimidation of this world cannot cause us to fear and fail if we’ll look up to Jesus because He’s already reached the top. He’s paved the way. He’s saying, “No problem. I’ve made it. Come on up!”

True, we must climb the hill — and yours might be a long one — but Jesus is at your side and will get you where He’s already been!

I need to relate an especially important factor to successful hill-climbing: Your bike must have enough gas in the tank if you expect to make it all the way to the top! The Christian’s “fuel” is the Holy Spirit and His use of Scripture. Get a handful of Bible verses that apply to your struggle, memorize them, and quote them often, especially when you’re starting to “sputter” up the hill.