Worship – A new reality
2 Samuel 6 New International Version (NIV)
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem 6 -23
Worship a new reality
What is Worship?
You might find all kinds of answers.
We might pick the wings off this butterfly of a word and get declaring God worthy = sounds all right to me.
Or if we are dining out on this word we might decide to go Greek most often translated “worship” (proskuneo) is “to fall down before” or “bow down before.”
But what is worship and how do we find a new reality?
worship is not about being pitch perfect – in tune toneally cranked up or electronically smart– it is as Jesus says….
John 4:21-24
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Ever since Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain the importance of worship has been on the table.
It has occupied the minds and hearts of true followers of God for centuries.
Spirit and Truth.
That’s the answer but do we know how to get there?
King David is one of the great examples of a worshipper of God in the Old Testament and in his life we find vital clues for worship both in his successes and his failures. He like us had to engage in the worship of his Godly ancestors and yet help freshen it up for his generation.
The covenant box was critical As a sign of His covenant God had the Israelites make a box according to His own design, in which to place the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. This box, or chest, was called an “ark” and was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The Ark was kept in the tabernacle in the desert.
The real significance of the Ark of the Covenant was what took place involving the lid of the box, known as the "Mercy Seat." It was here that the high priest, only once a year (Leviticus 16), entered the Holy of Holies where the Ark was kept and atoned for his sins and the sins of the Israelites. The priest sprinkled blood of a sacrificed animal onto the Mercy Seat to appease for past sins committed. This was the only place in the world where this atonement could take place.
. The Apostle Paul, wrote about Christ being our covering for sin - Romans 3:24-25: "…There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished" Just as there was only one place for atonement of sins in the Old Testament—the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant—so there is also only one place for atonement in the New Testament and current times—the cross of Jesus Christ. We come to worship through the mercy and the grace of God made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ our saviour.
When God had established the ark in Israel as the centre of worship he lay out very careful instructions. It was the place where his presence dwelt and it was to be respected greatly.
Aarons sons died when they got it wrong. The charge of carrying the Ark and the rest of the holy utensils was given to the family of Kohath, of the tribe of Levi(Num. iv. 2-15).
The tribe of Levi were a people set apart for God.
They were covered by grace and it was God’s plan for them to carry the covenant box the place where God’s presence fell. David revered God and he longed to have him worshipped in Israel. He wanted God not himself to be at the centre of attention for Israel and he desired great worship
We see this in how he confronted Goliath - 1 Samuel chapter 17 . David was offended by the arrogance of Goliath and his unwillingness to acknowledge the greatness of the God he worshipped
We last heard of of the ark of God when it came back from the land of the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7:1. It sat at the house of Abinadab for some 70 years. David had a great motive - to emphasize the presence and glory of God in Israel by moving the ark of God to Jerusalem/
2 Samuel 6 New International Version (NIV)
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,[b] the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it,[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
It sounds great, even modern, All the latest technology An ox cart was now replacing the Levites who used to carry the Ark – Instead of blood being sacrificed it was now the Ox the animals that pulled the Ark – and worship – they worshipped with all their might there were thirty thousand able young men – and they were worshipping with all their might - -with Modern instruments castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals. You’d think that God would have to be happy with that – but what happens next?
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
What went wrong? –David had apparently forgotten that at the very heart of worship was obedience and worshipping God’s way. It was about doing what God wanted and he apparently missed it on this occasion!
A man was walking through an art gallery when he came upon a picture of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross. He stopped and looked at the beautiful portrait of Calvary's love. As he stared into the face of Christ, so full of agony the guard tapped him on the shoulder. "Lower," the guard said. "The artist painted this picture to be appreciated from a lower position."
"Lower. You've got to go lower." The man now dropped down and looked up. Only then as he looked up at the painting from such a low posture could he realize the artist's perspective. Only then could he see the full beauty of the cross.
(Sermon Central.)
Is the same not true in worship? Only as we position ourselves lower and lower in humble submission can we behold more fully the glories of our wonderful Lord. Numbers 23:19 is clear: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” No, God does not change His mind.
The charge of carrying the Ark and the rest of the holy utensils was given to the family of Kohath, of the tribe of Levi; (Num. iv. 2-15).
The family of Kohath were covered by grace and when David chose to transport the covenant box in the wrong way then it was a recipe for disaster. God had not changed his mind.
The Philistines had previously carried it that way after capturing it because of the Israelites disobedience but when it proved too hot to handle they had transported it back on an ox cart.
David chose to adapt the ways of the Philistines and paste them onto the way of God and it failed.
Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart: The meaning of the names Uzzah means "strength" and Ahio means "friendly."
Much service for the LORD is like this - a new cart, a big production, with strength leading and friendly out front - yet all done without inquiring of God or looking to His will. Surely David prayed for God's blessing on this big production, but he didn't inquire of God regarding the production itself. This was a good thing done the wrong way.
The bible says Romans 3 verse 23 The wages of sin is death and when sin encounters God without covering it dies and it doesn’t matter how strong we are we cannot survive in God’s presence without Grace.
For the Christian that means being covered in the blood of Jesus – For David it meant obeying God’s instructions.
We need to prepare ourselves for worship. It starts on the knees availing ourselves of the grace of God.
Since the curtain in the temple was torn in two at Jesus death the way has been opened for Christians to worship God = but how should we do this
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
We come into God’s presence with Sincerity – full assurance – belief -our hearts cleansed by the blood of Jesus and baptism.
That then is the preparation for worship.
It calls for humility and a lowliness of heart.
David is forced to reconsider the whole process.
Here he has spent enormous resources and energy into a triumphant procession only to end up in despair and anger. But that is not the answer
We read8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[e]
9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
David learned fear of the Lord, shall I say a new respect and many of us need to learn again the might and power of God wasn’t it the Prophet Isaiah who said after seeing God – in Isaiah chapter 6 I am undone I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips
First point
Start in the right place. A place of humility and grace.
What happened next?
12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.
13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
David is returning to basics ”When those who were carrying the ark “–
David had repented – I can guarantee that those who were carrying the ark were from the family of Kohath, of the tribe of Levi. Repentance is part of worship and so is grace. We read…. he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
So David comes to worship with repentance and humility and a lowliness of heart.
Now they enter into worship and what worship that was because David had now built a firm foundation for worship
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
14. David danced before the Lord—
with all his might—leaping, and divested of his royal robes -conduct apparently unsuitable to the age or the dignity of a king. But it was unquestionably done as an act of repentance , joy, thankfulness, and devotion
This was the Kings act of humility and worship and all joined in with him.
Jerusalem was in an uproar of worship.
Second point – give your all to God – Be unashamed of him and love him with all you have.
Avoid The Michal factor.
20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
Being a spectator is not the place of blessing.
You have to choose wheather you wish to be a David or a Michal.
Michal did not like to see the King in such an undignified way. But he was dignified before God. We must be too.
The third point is there was overall unity among the worshippers. –Maintain Christian unity.
When there was unity something spontaneous and beautiful happenned.
Blessed Unity of the People of God
When speaking of unity psalm 133 says
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore
◄ 2 Chronicles 5:13
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
As the trumperers and singers were as one – their unity pleased God and his presence came down.
I found this story. On the first night of a week of prayer commissioning Dr Hoovers new church in Valparaiso Chile, a strange thing happened, The whole congregation, numbering more than one hundred, broke forth simultaneously in audible prayer. It was a thing that had never happened before. The prayer lasted ten of fifteen minutes and was described by an eyewitness as “like the sound of many waters.”
by Stanley Frodsham pub Gospel Publishing House Springfield Missouri.
Three key ways to maintain a new reality in worship.
First point
Start in the right place. A place of humility and grace.
Second point – give your all to God – Be unashamed of him and love him with all you have.
The third point is–Maintain Christian unity.
I saw a sermon illustration and this guy was saying
Imagine.
Imagine you are in a hotel room and you have ordered pizza.
There is a knock on the door and it is the pizza guy.
But he doesn't have the pizza wrapped it is in his hand and running down his arm is the cheese and some pepperoni.
and you just wonder where that hand has been.
You know this is not right and you ask him where is the box?
You see the box is not very valuable just worth around 39 cents but the pizza needs to be in the box.
The pizza needs a clean and new vessel
You are God's vessel
and to worship him and to be used of him you just need to be clean and empty.
That is what God wants you to be like for worship.
Clean and empty open to receive the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
When you are like that you can worship Him.
