Worship as Rule

  Thus far in our study in “Delighting in the Triune God”, we have answered the questions of who it is that we worship and why we should worship. Now that we’ve answered these foundational questions, we can move on to more practical questions about worship, starting with the question of what worship is. To best understand what worship is, we have to take a deep-dive into the words of Scripture that we translate into “worship”. I find that one of the best ways to understand the meaning of a Biblical word is to consider two things: the first way that it is used, and the totality of the ways that it is used. So, over the next three weeks, we are going to look at three different ways that the Bible defines worship by looking at where we first find worship in the book of Genesis.

Before we can deal with this first definition of worship, we have to address a considerable chasm that exists between a Biblical way of thinking about our existence as human beings, and the way we, as Americans think about it. Most Americans, whether Christian or Jewish or Atheist, have a basic philosophy of life which I would call “existentialist libertarianism”. I mean two things by that label. First, most Americans believe that we are “autonomous” (which literally means “self-law”, or “self-determining”). We believe that we determine our own existence. Second, most Americans believe that we are and should be free from all restraints, whether legal or corporate or even religious. No one has a right to make any demand upon our lives.

Let me give you three cultural references that prove this out. In the sphere of pop-culture, you can find innumerable songs that promote the idea that we can determine our own path in this life and define our own existence. Consider just one example in Kacey Musgrave’s country song, “Follow Your Arrow”. The second verse of that song says, “If you don't go to church You'll go to hell, If you're the first one on the front row, You're self-righteous son of a- Can't win for losin', You 'll just disappoint 'em, Just 'cause you can't beat 'em, Don't mean you should join 'em, So, make lots of noise, Kiss lots of boys, Or kiss lots of girls, If that's something you're into, When the straight and narrow Gets a little too straight, Roll up a joint, or don't, Just follow your arrow, Wherever it points.”

Second, consider an example from our legal precedent. In his majority opinion on the case known as “Planned Parenthood v. Casey”, which determined that a woman has a right to an abortion because she has a right to self-determination, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.”

Now, of course we can easily see how far this philosophy of self-determination and unbridled liberty goes when we consider issues like homosexuality and abortion, but don’t think that we Christians get out of this so easily. We too swim in these same cultural waters. One glaring example can be found in how viscerally we react against anyone, whether they be a government official or a business owner, telling us that we have to wear a mask. Most of the reasons I’ve heard people give for why they refuse to wear a mask revolve around these ideas of self-determination and total freedom. We see it also in the way we think about church membership and our own preferences with respect to worship. Even as Christians, we believe that the individual is obligated to no one and owned by no one.

This is why the Bible can be very difficult for us to understand, not to mention obey. The Bible is written in a totally different mindset. The Bible reveals that we are not self-determining or absolutely free. We have to understand this if we are to understand what the Bible means when it speaks of worship. So, to see this, let’s start by reading Genesis 2:5-17. From this passage I want you to understand that worship is the act of aligning the whole of our lives under the rule of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words that our English Bibles translate into the word, “worship”. Today, I want to look at the first Hebrew word for worship: “Abad”. This word is used right here in our passage in verses 5 and 15. Your translation may have the word “work” or “dress” in those two verses. This is the Hebrew word, “Abad”. Your first reaction to that might be to think, “Now Preacher, you’re trying to pull one over on me because my work is different from my worship.” I want to suggest that you would be dead wrong to assume such a thing, and I want to show you that by seeing four different ways that this word is used in the Old Testament.

First, “Abad” means that we, as God’s creation, are obligated. We see that, clearly, in Genesis 2:15. Moses writes that God put Man in the Garden of Eden to “work and keep” the garden. I’m sorry to ruin your idea of Paradise or Heaven, but God has always created us for work. Work is not a part of the curse. Toilsome work is, but satisfying, meaningful work is not. God created Adam, in part, to tend his garden. God commanded the Israelites to work. Implicit in the fourth commandment is the command that the Jews should work for six days. Work is an act of worship because our good work brings glory to God. As we make a beautiful piece of furniture or provide healthcare or deliver raw goods to a mill or plant a garden, we bring glory to the God who made us with those gifts and talents, and we benefit the world with our work.

Second, “Abad” means that we, as God’s creation, are owned. You see this in the way that God establishes the garden and the rules that he gives to man. He sets boundaries and gives tasks that mankind are to follow. Man is to work as a servant of God. The word “Abad” can also mean “enslavement”. For example, in Exodus 1:13 it says that the nation of Egypt “abad” (“enslaved”) the Hebrews. This is certainly an uncomfortable fact for us, because we have a very long and sad history of slavery in our country, and we also love our freedoms. But, whether we are legally free or not, the Bible states one hard truth about our spiritual condition: you are either a servant of God or a servant of Satan. Titus 3:3 tells us that those who are outside of Christ are slaves to their passions. In John 8:34, Jesus says that “whoever sins is a slave to sin.” I have heard so many young people say that they don’t want to follow Christ so early in life because they want to be free to enjoy life before they commit, but they are only fooling themselves. Sin will never let you be free. Those things that you do to “enjoy life” will later be regrets that you can never rid yourself of. You were made to be a servant of God, and whether you acknowledge it or not, he owns you.

Third, “Abad” means that we, as God’s creation, are called to obedience. We find that in Genesis 2:16, as God gives a command to Adam that he is to obey. This doesn’t just establish a master/servant relationship between God and Adam, but it also establishes a King/subject relationship. The Old Testament writers also use the word “Abad” to speak of the relationship of a king to his subjects. In 1 Kings 4:21, it says that the nations “abad” or “served” Solomon. So, not only were we created to be servants to God, but we were created to be obedient to his rule as our only true King.

Finally, “Abad” means that we, as God creation, should give him homage. The last way that the word “Abad” is used in the Old Testament is in reference to our worship. In Exodus 3:12, God promises Moses that he will bring his people out of Egypt that they may “abad” him on mount Sinai. In the second commandment, God commands the people not to make idols and “abad” them. In Psalm 72:11, the Psalmist looks forward to the day when all nations will “abad” God.

This is what worship is, and it is very obviously not the way of the world. After the fall of Adam, all of humanity was brought under the rule of sin. God warned Cain, in Genesis 4, that the sin would rule over him, and it ultimately did. From Cain to the people of Babel, sin reigned over humanity. And, even in the chosen people of Israel, sin reigned. As soon as they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, they were crying out that they would rather return to slavery than follow a pillar of fire into the wilderness. They served other gods, all while paying homage to Jehovah in the temple services. It seemed that no one could be set free from the reign of sin.

Yet, Jesus did what humanity could not do. He lived in complete obligation to his Father. In John 9:4 he said, “I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day.” He also lived under the complete authority of God. In Phil. 2:5-7, Paul says that he became a slave so that he might deliver us from our bondage to sin. Jesus was completely obedient to His Father. When tempted by Satan to bow down and serve him as the king of this world, Jesus responded in Matt. 4:10 – “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” 

Friend, because Jesus has righteously served God in your place, he has given back to God the obedience that you could not. Jesus has proven that he is the only true and right ruler of this world by rising again from the dead. He calls you to trust in him. Remember, you are a slave. You will either be a slave to Satan and Sin, or a slave to Christ. But, it is Christ alone who is the good king and good master. He has said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Won’t you turn from the slavery of your sin and turn to Christ today?

Brothers and sisters, we are called to worship God by aligning the whole of our lives under the rule of Christ. This means that every aspect of our lives should be brought under the rule of Christ, from the way we raise our children to the way we interact with our bosses or the way we treat our employees to the way we work and what we choose to do for work. And yes, even our retirement, even our vacation, even our leisure is not our own, but it is to bring glory to God as we serve him in it. Everything that we do, down to the smallest of things, is either an act of obedience or disobedience to our king. Young people, don’t be taken in by the modern philosophy that you should choose a career path based solely on how much money it will bring. Rather, choose a career in which you can honor God and bless others with your work. Adults, see in work and leisure an opportunity to bless the Lord. Work well. Bless others. Be generous. Retirees, do not think that you are retiring to do what you’ve always wanted, but rather, find new work that brings glory to God. Serve the community, the church, your family. May we each use our gifts and talents, the whole of our lives, to worship our Master and King.