A few weeks ago, our Montgomery County boys’ basketball team punched their ticket to the state tournament in dramatic fashion. With the game tied and only seconds remaining, MOCO launched a deep three—as the buzzer sounded, the ball banked through the rim. Game over. The crowd went crazy. The Arena erupted. And it should have! It was one of those moments that just demands a response. Here’s what it looked like: [Show Video]
That shot didn’t just win the game; it sent our team to Rupp Arena for the Sweet 16, where they made an incredible run all the way to the Final Four. The response was electrifying. Our community rallied around them, celebrating every victory along the way. And why? Because some things in life are so significant, so thrilling, that staying silent just isn’t an option.
Think about other moments in life that stir up an undeniable response. A couple finds out they’re expecting a baby after years of waiting—tears, hugs, pure joy. A college student walks across the stage on graduation day after years of hard work—applause erupts. Or think about a soldier on deployment returning home to their family—the moment they step through the door, no one just sits quietly.
Some realities are so significant that they demand a response. In the same way, when we truly begin to grasp the magnitude of who God is and what He has accomplished through Christ, the natural and necessary response is worship. You see, worship isn’t a ritual. It’s not just something we do because we’re supposed to. It’s a lifestyle we live. We give ourselves in worship of our holy God. Here’s the core truth I want us to take home today: Worship is our joyful response to Christ’s finished work.
To set the stage, let’s turn to God’s Word; to both the book of Leviticus and the book of Hebrews. First, we’ll look at a few verses from Leviticus 21, where God calls His people—specifically the priests—to honor and revere His holiness in their worship. Then, we’ll read from Hebrews 12, where we see the contrast between worship under the Old Covenant and the incredible privilege we now have through Christ in the New Covenant.
Follow along with me beginning at Leviticus 21:1 – “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: “No one shall defile himself …”’” and verses 2-5, God then gives specific instructions about how they were to remain set apart—avoiding certain forms of defilement, particularly in relation to the dead.
And then, look with me at verse 6 – “They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the Lord, the food of their God; so they shall be holy …” And in verse 7, the priests were given regulations about marriage, ensuring that even their personal lives reflected the holiness required of those who serve before the Lord.
Verse 8 continues: You shall consecrate him, therefore, for he offers the food of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I the Lord, who sanctifies you, am holy.
Now, let’s turn to Hebrews 12, beginning in verse 18 where we’re given this comparison between Mt. Sinai, where the Law was given, and Mt. Zion, where the Love of God is displayed. Hebrews 12:18 – “For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church 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, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”
Now skip down to verse 28 – “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”
These passages show us that worship is not just something we do—it’s a response to the reality of who God is and what He has accomplished. From the holiness He required of Israel’s priests to the awe-inspiring invitation we now have to draw near to Him through Christ–worship is our joyful response to Christ’s finished work.
So today, we’re going to walk through three key aspects of a worshipful response. The first is this …
I. Worship Centered on God’s Holiness (Lev. 21–22; Heb. 12:28-29)
True worship begins with recognizing the holiness of God. When we approach Him, we’re not coming before an ordinary being—we’re standing before the Lord of all creation, the One who dwells in unapproachable light, whose glory fills the heavens. Worship is not casual or flippant. It’s not something we do out of habit or obligation. It is a response to the reality of who God is.
In Leviticus 21–22, God gives specific instructions for how the priests were to serve Him and how sacrifices were to be presented, making it clear that worship must be set apart—holy—because He is holy. And while we no longer live under the Old Covenant system, Hebrews 12:28–29 reminds us that God has not changed. He is still a consuming fire, still worthy of reverence and awe. So if we truly grasp His holiness, our worship cannot be halfhearted—it must be wholly devoted to Him. As we offer ourselves in worship, we must do so with …
A. Reverence for a Holy God
Leviticus 21–22 lays out the high standards for those who ministered before the Lord. The priests had to be set apart, their lives reflecting the holiness of the God they served. The sacrifices they presented had to be unblemished, no defect, no compromise, because worship was never about personal preference or convenience; it was always about honoring God’s perfection.
That principle remains true today. We may not be offering grain or sacrificial lambs, but the heart behind worship hasn’t changed. God is still holy. And because He is holy, our worship should be marked by deep reverence.
Isaiah 6 gives us a glimpse of this reverence. When the prophet saw the Lord high and exalted, the seraphim cried out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” Isaiah didn’t just waltz into God’s presence with casual indifference—he was wrecked. He was undone before the holiness of God. He cried, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah saw the holiness of God—and it humbled him to the core.
And yet, through Christ, we have been invited to draw near to this same holy God—not with fear of judgment, but with awe and gratitude. Hebrews 12:28 tells us, “Let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”
So the question is—how do we approach worship? What is our worshipful response? Do we come before God with a sense of awe, recognizing that we are in the presence of the Almighty? Or do we come distracted and disengaged, forgetting who He is?
When worship becomes about our preferences—whether we liked the songs, whether the service fit our schedule, whether we felt emotionally moved … you know, did we get those goosebumps? Was the coffee good? Was it too cold or too hot? Were the lights too bright or too dim? Was the sound too loud or too soft? Listen—in all of that, we can become so consumed with self that we lose sight of the One we’re supposed to be worshiping.
As we respond in worship, we must do so with the heart of Psalm 115, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory …” First and foremost, worship is not about us; it’s all about Him. It’s not about what we come to receive. Worship is centered on what we’ve come to bring.
B. Offerings to a Holy God
In Leviticus 22, God made it clear that the offerings brought before Him had to be the best. No lame or sick animals. No half-hearted sacrifices. Only what was worthy of a holy God. Why? Because the offering reflected the worshiper’s view of God’s worth. A weak, second-rate sacrifice revealed a weak, second-rate reverence.
And the same is true today. Worship is not just about singing or showing up to church—it’s about what we bring before the Lord.
Under the New Covenant, we don’t bring physical sacrifices anymore because Jesus has already provided the perfect offering. And now, in response to His mercy, we’re called to offer our very lives as a living sacrifice. Romans 12:1 urges us, “... by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
What does that look like? Our worship is not just what we sing on Sundays. It’s so much more! It’s how we live, how we love, how we give. It’s the way we serve others. It’s the way we prioritize God with our time, our energy, and our resources.
So here’s the challenge: What are we offering to our holy God? Are we giving Him our best—or are we offering Him our leftovers? Do we approach worship with intentionality and devotion—reverence for a holy God—or do we come distracted by preferences and disengaged in spirit?
True worship is not about going through the motions. It’s about responding to the holiness of God with lives fully surrendered to Him.
Worship is centered on God’s holiness. And next we see …
II. Worship Celebrating God’s Redemption (Lev. 23; Heb. 12:22-24)
In Leviticus 23, God gave Israel a calendar full of sacred festivals—holy days set apart to remember His saving work. These weren’t just empty rituals. They were joyful, deliberate celebrations that pointed forward to the redemption we now have in Christ. Every feast, every gathering, every moment of worship was meant to stir their memory and awaken their hope.
And while we don’t keep these festivals the same way today, the message behind them still matters. They remind us of something essential: worship is our joyful response to what God has done to save us.
Hebrews 12:22–24 tells us that we haven’t come to Mount Sinai—where the law was given in thunder and fear—but to Mount Zion, “the city of the living God,” where Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant. We’re no longer standing at a distance in fear. We’ve been welcomed in with joy—because the work is finished. Christ has made the way. So when we gather, we’re not just going through religious motions—we are celebrating God’s redemption.
A. The Festivals Picture Redemption
Leviticus 23 lays out a beautiful rhythm of sacred days: the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles. At first glance, it may seem like just an ancient religious calendar—but each of these was a window into the grace of God. Each one pointed forward to the greater redemption found in Christ.
The Passover – The blood of the lamb marked God’s people so that death would pass over them. That pointed straight to Christ, the perfect Lamb whose blood covers our sin (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The Feast of Firstfruits – Pointed to Christ’s resurrection. He is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” guaranteeing our own resurrection to come (1 Corinthians 15:20).
The Day of Atonement – Foreshadowed the cross, where Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary, not with the blood of animals, but with His own blood, securing our eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).
The Feast of Tabernacles – A picture of God dwelling with His people, fulfilled when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), and ultimately realized when we dwell with Him forever in the New Creation.
Each of these festivals called God’s people to remember and rejoice—and so does our worship today. No, we don’t celebrate with animal sacrifices or harvest rituals. We celebrate with praise, with gratitude, and with lives surrendered to Jesus—because the Redeemer has come. The Lamb has been slain. The tomb is empty. The Spirit has been poured out. And He is coming again.
The festivals pictured redemption—and now, every time we gather, we celebrate it.
B. Our Gatherings Celebrate Redemption
Under the old covenant, worship was tethered to a place and a calendar. The people gathered at set times, in a specific location, for specific feasts. But Hebrews 12 says something radical has changed. Because of Jesus, we’re no longer coming to Sinai in fear—we’re coming to Zion in joy.
Hebrews 12:22–24 says, “But you have come to Mount Zion… to the city of the living God… to the church of the firstborn… to God… and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.”
That’s what’s happening when we gather. Whether we feel it or not, whether the room is full or half-empty, whether it’s our favorite song or not—if we are in Christ, we are joining the chorus of heaven. We are worshiping in the presence of the living God, through the blood of the Lamb.
And it’s not just a personal moment—it’s a communal celebration. Just as Israel gathered for the feasts, so we gather as the church.
I’m grateful for the technology that allows us to stream our services for those who need it, but hear me: worship was never meant to be a private, isolated experience. It is the joyful assembly of God’s redeemed people, united by grace, lifting our voices in response to the gospel. That’s why Hebrews 10:25 reminds us, “Do not forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
This is why our gatherings matter. This is why being present with God’s people is a big deal. We don’t show up out of guilt or routine—we show up because we have something to celebrate. We show up because we’ve been redeemed. And we show up because Jesus is worthy.
Worship centers on God’s holiness—and it overflows with joyful celebration because of His redemption. And that leads us to one final truth…
III. Worship Culminating in God’s Presence (Lev. 24; Heb. 12:18-24)
In Leviticus 24, we encounter two powerful symbols of God's presence with His people: the light of the lampstand and the bread of the Presence. These weren’t just objects on display or pieces of decor. They were vivid reminders that God’s desire is to dwell among His people. The lampstand brought light into the darkness, symbolizing God’s illuminating presence, while the bread of the Presence was a continual offering, always before God. Together, these symbols pointed forward to a deeper reality—the ultimate fulfillment of God’s presence in Jesus Christ and His presence in us through the Holy Spirit.
In Hebrews 12, we’re given a stunning contrast. We no longer approach God at Mount Sinai in fear. Now, through Christ, we approach Mount Zion in joy. We come to worship with confidence and celebration—not trembling in terror, but rejoicing in His grace. In Christ, we are brought …
A. From Sinai’s Fear to Zion’s Joy
Hebrews 12:18-21 paints a vivid picture of what it was like to approach God under the old covenant. When Israel came to Mount Sinai, there was thunder, lightning, and the earth itself shook. The people were terrified. They dared not even touch the foot of the mountain, lest they die. Even Moses himself trembled with fear. God’s holiness was so overwhelming and their unholiness so exposed–it created a great divide between God and His people.
But look at what Hebrews 12:22ff tells us. Because of Christ, we no longer stand at a distance. We don’t approach God in fear, like those who trembled at Sinai. Instead, we come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God. We are brought into the heavenly Jerusalem, into the company of angels, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. Because of Christ’s finished work, we’ve been brought near to God. The way is open, and we can now approach with joy—moving from Sinai’s fear to Zion’s joy into …
B. An Unshakable Kingdom
Hebrews 12:26-29 reminds us of the unshakable nature of God’s kingdom. Everything we cling to in this world—everything we see and touch—will one day be shaken. But God’s kingdom? It will stand firm, immovable, for eternity. Leviticus 24 echoes this unshakable truth through the enduring light of the lampstand and the constant presence of the bread. Day after day, these symbols reminded God’s people that God was with them, never leaving, always present.
Now, Jesus—the true Light of Life and Bread of Life—fulfills what the lampstand and the bread in the tabernacle could only point to. He is the sustaining presence of God with us, and through Him, we are secured in God’s eternal presence. He invites us to come to Him, to feast on Him, and to find in Him life that will never fade away. We don’t have to wonder or worry if God is with us—He is, and He will be forever.
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A few weeks ago, when MOCO made that game-winning shot … it demanded a response. No one in the stands stayed seated. No one stayed silent. Why? Because moments like that are just too big to ignore.
But here’s the thing: as thrilling as that was, it pales in comparison to what we’ve seen in God’s Word today. The holy God of the universe has made a way for unholy people to draw near—not in fear, but in freedom. Through the finished work of Christ, we’ve moved from Sinai’s trembling to Zion’s rejoicing. We’ve been invited to feast on the Bread of Life, to walk in the light of His presence, and to live with the unshakable hope of His eternal kingdom.
And a reality like that demands a response. It calls for worship—not just with our lips, but with our lives.
So let me ask you: How will you respond? Will worship be your joyful response to Christ’s finished work—not just on Sunday, but on Monday morning, in your conversations, your decisions, your priorities?
Because when we truly see what God has done—when we truly grasp who He is and who we are in Him—worship won’t be something we have to force. It’ll be the only response that makes sense.
