In This Issue

• DAVID CALLED HIM "LORD"
• SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP
• PERHAPS HE HAD A POINT
• MORE INFORMATION...

DAVID CALLED HIM "LORD"

The Pharisees had gathered together against Jesus, to hear a lawyer from among their number test Jesus by asking Him what was the greatest command of the law. Jesus had given an answer that was unquestionably correct. Then, "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him "Lord," saying: "The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool’"? If David then calls Him "Lord," how is He His Son?’ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore" (Matt. 22:41-46).

One of the primary things the Pharisees and Sadducees hoped to use against Jesus was His claim to be the Son of God. Such a claim put Him on an equality with God, and was considered blasphemy by the Jewish religious leaders. In fact, it was just that claim that the Sanhedrin used to declare Him worthy of death, Matt. 26:64-66; Luke 23:69-71.

It was their intention to use His claim of being God’s Son against Him that caused the passage cited by Jesus to give them such trouble. They knew the Scriptures taught that the Christ or Messiah would be a direct descendent of King David. They also recognized Psalm 110 as a Messianic psalm -- that is, a psalm foretelling the coming and reign of the Messiah. But had they ever noticed that David had called the Messiah his Lord? What is the significance of that? The Christ would be a direct descendent of David -- no doubt about that! But He was also David’s Lord. This had not previously been understood.

For, you see, Jesus was not only physically descended from David, Matt. 1:1, but He existed in the spirit world before David ever came into existence. On one occasion, Jesus asserted, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). The apostle John, referring to Jesus as "the Word," writes: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3, 14).

Jesus the man of Galilee was descended from King David. But before David was ever born, that same Jesus was with the heavenly Father, and was the One who created this universe. And that is why David called Him "Lord." 

--CRJ

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). Worship is a very important subject to any person who would please God, for God seeks men to worship Him. Of course, we must realize that God is not a beggar, desiring the crumbs that fall from our spiritual tables, but He only seeks worship that is in spirit and truth. Spirit as used in this instance is concerned primarily with man’s attitude toward God. One must bow to God with humble, contrite spirit and worship in accordance with God’s word. Jesus said to the Father in John 17:17, "You word is truth." Christ made it plain that God does not accept just any and all religious service in Matt. 15:9, "And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Paul spoke of those who "ignorantly worship" God, saying that God demands that such persons "repent" because "He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31).

In Acts 18:13, the Jews accused Paul of persuading "men to worship God contrary to the law" of Moses. In what respect then, was the worship taught and practiced by the inspired apostle different from that contained in the Old Testament law?

Jewish Worship Under the Law

Those who worshipped God in accordance with the Law of Moses TAUGHT that law with its Sabbath observance, animal sacrifices, circumcision, etc., Mark 2:24; Luke 2:24; Acts 15:1. They observed the Passover, and other Jewish feasts as acts of worship, John 12:20. When they sang, they made melody on numerous mechanical instruments of music, Psalm 33:2; Psalm 150:3-5. They, of course, prayed to God, Luke 18:10-14. Tithes and offerings were given, Deut. 26:10-12. These gifts were in proportion to income without regard to poverty or prosperity. Study Matt. 23:23; Matt. 5:23-24.

Paul’s Teaching and Practice

On the other hand, Paul taught that the Law of Moses had been abolished, Eph. 2:15. No one is to be judged by whether he keeps the Sabbath or other observances of Moses’ Law, Col. 2:16. Animal sacrifices are no longer necessary, Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever, Heb. 8:27. Physical circumcision avails nothing, Gal. 6:15.

Christ fulfilled and became our Passover, 1 Cor. 5:7. We are to observe the Lord’s supper as a memorial to Him, 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:20-26. We sing and make melody IN OUR HEARTS to the Lord, and we pray to the Father in Jesus’ name, Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16-17.

According to Paul’s teaching, Christians’ giving is to be in regard to prosperity and ability, and to be acceptable to God, it must be contributed because of love rather than from a feeling of necessity or command, 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:8).

Specific Acts of Worship

It is made clear by the Lord in Matt. 15:9 that TEACHING is an act of worship. The people referred to in this verse worshipped in vain by teaching the commandments of men. If they had been teaching the will of God, that act of worship would have been acceptable. Our worship must be "in truth" -- that is, in harmony with revealed truth.

According to the inspired apostle Paul, one may teach by speaking and SINGING in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16. With these, we not only teach and admonish one another, but we also praise God, Heb. 2:12.

A study of the great feasts of the Mosaic dispensation quickly reveals that such feasts were considered by the Holy Spirit to be acts of worship to God. "And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast" (John 12:20). It was at this very feast that Christ instituted the "LORD’S SUPPER" and commanded, "Do this in remembrance of Me" Luke 22:19). Shortly afterward, by His sacrificial death on the cross, He fulfilled the Passover, Luke 22:16, so that we find the true worshippers of God in the New Testament dispensation meeting "on the first day of the week to break bread" (Acts 20:7) in accordance to His command.

PRAYER has always been an act of reverence and respect -- worship, paid to God. One passage of Scripture will suffice to make this fact perfectly plain. "And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, ‘We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come" (Rev. 11:16-17). Much could be said about Scriptural prayer, but briefly stated, acceptable prayer in these "last days" (Acts 2:16-17; Heb. 1:1-2) must, as all worship, proceed from a proper motive, James 4:3 (in spirit) and it must be in the name of -- that is in recognition of the authority of -- Christ, Matt. 28:18-20.

Finally, let us take a brief look at the "CONTRIBUTION" as revealed in the New Testament. We need to be very careful, lest we think that we give to God as if He were in need, Acts 17:25. All that we have is already His, Psa. 24:1. We are His stewards, Luke 12:42-48; 16:1-13. As such, we will give account of "our" time, opportunities, abilities, and money. The Jews worshipped God at the altar with their tithes and offerings. "And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God... I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God. So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you. When you have finished laying aside all the tithes of your increase..." (Deut. 26:5-12). Likewise, Christians worship God when they fulfill their God-given responsibility in the matters of gifts and offerings. See 2 Cor. 9:7 and Acts 24:17. We should remember that to minister to brethren in need is to minister to Christ, Matt. 25:34-40, and to fail to relieve the needs of Christ’s brethren is to refuse to aid Christ Himself, verses 41-45. However, let us never forget that such "gifts" do not actually provide God with anything. He is not in need. But they do serve (please) Him -- and the greatest benefit (blessing) rests on the cheerful giver, Acts 20:35; 2 Cor. 9:7.

--CRJ

PERHAPS HE HAD A POINT

A Bible class teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the verses. Little Bobby was excited about the task, but he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Bobby was very nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my shepherd... and that's all I need to know!"

--from Tim Smith’s list

A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

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