Worship and the Holy Spirit

2024-07-08

Where do we worship? “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22). We worship in the holiest place in heaven, with full faith and boldness, where Christ is. The Spirit brings this down to our experience.

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). Because we are in Him, we are where He is positionally, in heaven. Where are hearts are is more important than a specific building. In the New Testament era, there is no more any earthly temple. We are the temple. The Spirit binds us to Jesus and to each other.

Therefore, we must worship in the Spirit, and not by earthly ritual. “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). There used to be specific mountains where people worshipped. Jesus Christ has superseded all those things.

How do we worship in the Spirit? “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:26). Everyone brings of what the Spirit has given them.

What is the main event of worshipping in the Spirit? “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). The sacrifice of the Old Testament is gone because Jesus was the sacrifice to end them all. Now, we simply remember Him and what He has done in the Lord’s Supper.

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7). They may have had a preacher there, but the “church service” was defined here by breaking bread, namely, the Lord’s Supper.