WORSHIP NOTES
Volume 20, No. 11 (November 2025)
Here is the second of the three keynote Bible lessons I gave at the conference.
CELEBRATION
Sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
(1 Chronicles 16:23, 28-29)
1. What is celebration? Worship.
a. Always a RESPONSE to God’s initiative
“The purpose of theology is doxology: we study in order to praise.” (J. I. Packer)
b. The central issue in the Fall was worship (Genesis 3/Romans 1)
For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. . . .They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1:21-23, 25)
c. Exodus
“Let my people go, that they might worship Me.”
d. Ten Commandments
The first four concern worship
2. Where is celebration?
a. Anywhere
The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. . . . But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. (John 4:19-21, 23)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
b. In private (personal)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1-3)
O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You;
my flesh faints for You,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because Your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise You. (Psalm 63:1-3)
c. In public (corporate)
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together! (Psalm 34:3). . . addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. (Ephesians 5:19)
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
d. Private/corporate worship (weekday worship/weekend worship)
A symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship
3. How do we celebrate?
a. Praise (for who God is and what He has done)
Sing to Him; sing praises to Him,
tell of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
seek His presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that He has done,
His miracles and the judgments He uttered. (1 Chronicles 16:9-12)Praise Him for his mighty deeds;
praise Him according to His excellent greatness! (Psalm 150:2)Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
b. Thanksgiving for salvation
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)
c. Confession, lament, intecession
4. Why can we celebrate?
a. Old Testament: kept at a distance (because of sin)
b. New Testament: access to God through Christ (removal of sin barrier)
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:51)
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, LET US DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. . . .
and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:18-19, 23-24, 28)
c. Jesus, the Leader of our worship
our imperfect offering subsumed in His perfect offering to the Father.
“I will tell of your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Hebrews 2:12)
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