A Call to Worship

Robert Ashcraft

Text: Psalm 29:2

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Introduction
{Editor's note: The following are excerpts from elder Robert Ashcraft's book, Call to Worship, pgs 7, 8. This book may be ordered from him directly. Here now, are excerpts from a Call to Worship}:

A church brings ultimate glory to God by honoring His Word. However, as this study will emphasize, one may honor the Word in a theological manner, as did the Pharisees, and neglect the true spirit of worship. Many biblical examples are given of those who appeared to render service and worship, but without the true spirit. Therefore, I appeal to all who love the Word, and who also appreciate church truths, to carefully read and consider the precepts advanced in this study.

This writer will admit that he has only recently learned some of the essentials of biblical worship. It is his conviction that corporate worship with other Christians within the local congregation should be considered the highest, most joyous, and most deeply satisfying experience of life.

Perhaps unconsciously many church members attend the worship services of their church and regard the preaching as a homiletical performance. Indeed, it appears that a spectator aura has pervaded the average Baptist church service; we come to hear the choir or some singer perform, to see or hear a performance from the pulpit, or to see and hear what our friends may wear or may have experienced.

Accordingly, their analysis of the worship service may be based on the level of performance by those who are singing and the homiletical performance of the preacher.

However, our prime reason for attendance at the house of God should be to worship and glorify God -- to show our love, our devotion, our honor, and our respect to Him, His work, and His Word. Our songs, our prayers, and our presence should be primarily for His worship and praise. Of the many things that a New Testament church may do that will bring glory to God, as Ephesians 3:21 suggests, it would appear that worship brings the most glory to God.

In Psalm 29:2, David described the indispensable character of worship: "Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

Ordinarily we don't think of holiness as being "beautiful," because god's holiness provides a stark contrast between His moral purity and integrity and our sins and failures. If we visualize God and His holiness -- high, lifted up, exalted, precious, loving, kind, merciful, enduring, patient toward us -- if we can get those holy characteristics firmly fixed in our minds, then we may begin to appreciate the "beauty of holiness." That would enable us to worship God acceptably. This concept is developed in chapter five of my book, "Worship and the Holiness of God."

God emphasized the importance of worship in the Old Testament by giving more specific details concerning worship than any other Old Testament activity. In addition to the prominence of worship in the Psalms, as well as many of the Old Testament books, a perusal of the Book of Revelation will indicate that worship, especially of the Lamb on the throne, will be the featured activity of the heavenly ages.

Especially in Revelation chapters 4, 5, 7, & 20, John talks about falling or kneeling before the Lord, casting our crowns before Him, proclaiming, "Holy, holy, holy..." and shouting, "Alleluiah." Therefore, worship will be continued after all earthly activities have ceased (Revelation 4:10, 11 ; Revelation 5:11-14 ; Revelation 19:1-7 ; Revelation 22:8,9).

Rather than coming to a service as a spectator to watch and hear the performance of those skilled in music or homiletics, we need to realize that true worship of God requires the involvement of the mind and of the heart; true worship of God is an activity involving concentration of the mind and heart exclusively on spiritual matters. Thus, the worship or giving glory to the Lord is the most important activity with which we as churches and individuals should be concerned.

Some might counteract that statement by suggesting that service to God is most important; however, a worshipper will be active in the service of God. Another might say that the church and church truths are most important, but a true worshipper will be obedient and will desire to discover and learn more about God.

The same thing could be said about the use of our talents and gifts, stewardship, witnessing or Christian living. But a worshipper of God will be proficient in all these things because he has a spirit of devotion and adoration, praise and joy, and a real concept of Who and What God is, and His plan and will for the individual.

When God is placed first, as Matthew 6:33 suggests, all the important aspects of life, including worship, will assume their rightful places, just as the pieces of a jig-saw puzzle formed the desired picture when properly fitted together. Thus, worship should be our primary activity during the church age, just as it will be the primary activity during the heavenly ages.