How Deep Is Your Love?

How deep is your love
I really need to learn
'Cause were living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
We belong to you and me

—The Bee Gees, 1977


What Are We Here For?

I write this for my own enjoyment. I am embarrassed by the people who say they read my blog.

This entry will not appeal to you. We live in a day of seeker-sensitive, need-meeting oriented churches and services. I am much less therapeutic, preferring to make you look into your Bible instead of inside yourself to get the answer. And I find that sometimes we need to be reminded of the basics.

We were made to worship. Church exists because Christ calls his people to assemble for his worship.

The Old Testament is a narrative of worship. The Patriarchs worshipped as they wandered. Israel worshipped in the wilderness with a tent and an ark. When they settled in the land the tent became a tabernacle, and finally a temple.

God was worshipped in a sanctuary. The sanctuary was a place where God dwelt. It was a buffer zone between a holy God and an unholy world. It was the cusp where the Kingdom of God was conceived. So the sanctuary served as the focal point of worship. But the building was nothing apart from obedience. This is worship.

There was a place and time. They worshipped on the Sabbath and during the Feasts. They prepared for worship by circumcision. The elements of worship were prayer, praise, scripture reading, preaching, almsgiving and sacrifice. But the sacrifice was nothing apart from obedience. This is worship.

We worship God in spirit, but according to the truth. Principles first laid down in the Old Testament transcend dispensations.

The church is the new royal priesthood. Every believer's heart is now the sacred dwelling-place of the divine nature.

We have a time when the congregation comes together: Sunday. Some churches have services Friday or Saturday, but we still honor his resurrection when we meet on Sunday, for he was the sacrificial Lamb of God.

We prepare for worship. Circumcision is nothing, but baptism relates you to a local body. Baptism links us to Christ by a good conscience. Baptism marks our entrance into a body of believers. Baptism states that we are living according to a new life and walking in a new way.

If we make everything worship then nothing is worship. God is worshipped by our coming together. We offer the sacrifice of prayer and praise. Think through this.

ELEMENTS OF WORSHIP
1. Preaching the word (discipleship goal 1)
2. Prayer and praise to God together (discipleship goal 2)
3. Observing the ordinances (discipleship goal 3)
4. Giving an offering (to enable discipleship goal 4)

At the end, there is no temple (Rev 21:22). There is no Sabbath, for it is now the Sabbath rest (Heb 4:9-10). There is unceasing praise, and no need for sun or moon to regulate sacred time (Rev 21:23). There is preparation, for we have washed our robes (Rev 7:14-15).

There are still elements to our worship. We pray (Rev 5:8). We sing (Rev 19:6). The scroll is read and the word is proclaimed (Rev 5,14). We share a supper with the Lord (our marriage supper, Rev 19:6-8).

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Assistance for the Resistance

THE PSALM

What's in a number? In this case, Psalm 122 contains a profession of the King's love for his people in community.

That's a profound passion, so don't miss it. Let me give you three C's of Christianity: community, commission, and compassion. Okay, since you're not into postmodern-speak, let me throw down some Old School terms next to them: church (community), cross (commission), and Christ (compassion).

If that's not what it's all about, I don't know my Jesus very well. Watch this.

Fifteen songs of ascent. Solomon authored the one in the center. David authored two on each side of that central anthem. The rest are orphans, but probably compiled by Hezekiah. Psalm 122 is said specifically to be by David, who is said specifically to be a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:11). So Warren Wiersbe provides a neat outline of what was on the king's heart (which is what our heart should beat for) in this Psalm.

David had a heart for God, 1-2

David had a heart for praise, 3-5

And David had a heart for prayer, 6-9

Slick. Sweet. Right now the King is coming, but he's not back yet. He fought the battle and won it all. Want to be a complete subject in the kingdom? It's a trinity—three C's: community (the spiritual kingdom), commission, and compassion. Psalm 122 provides divine assistance to the Resistance. Come here and let me show you.

First, start with determined dedication (a heart for God). Then, deepen your devoted adoration (a heart for praise). Finally, follow God's purpose in desperate dependence on him (a heart for prayer).

Most issues of life are heart issues. I don't mean to diminish doctrine or deprecate the need for knowledge, but I am with Donald Miller on this one. He doesn't quite say it this way, but truth is impotent until heeded. So you don't just need to read your Bible every day; you need to heed it every day. And that has to do with what goes out from your heart.

That's when you will begin to see the fruit of the Spirit start to work. Joy (v 1), love (v 6), peace (vv 7-8). Peace is the sign of true prosperity. Sunshine and glory. You ain't blessed if you stressed.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Our last Psalm (121) was sung when the city was sighted from a distance. But this one was chanted as they got up to the gates.

Hold it; you missed that. Too many times you have gone to church, heard the sermon, shouted Amen from the distant pew, but then walked out and promptly stepped out of the gate God invited you to enter. His word corrected you and his Spirit convicted you. You agreed mentally (and perhaps even vocally), but when you walked . . . you went back the other way. Look, if you're going to get to the gates, GO IN!

DOCTRINAL APPLICATION

Okay, I know some of you are type-D personalities. I haven't said nothing if I haven't said something doctrinal, prophetic and deep.

The church is a bride. It is also a city (Rev 22). She is "built" (like a Brick House, the Commodores would say). Matthew Henry points out that means the houses strengthen and support one another (a "closely knit unit," Unger says), as "a type of the gospel church." And its real strength came because justice was administered there—by a man after God's own heart.

Peace is in the walls (for the citizenry). Peace is in the palaces (for the ruling gentry). Prophetically, the nations will sing this Psalm to one another antiphonally as they go up to Jerusalem during the Millennium (see Isa 2:2-3; Jer 50:5; Zech 8:21-23, and for a complete statement of the process, Zech 14:16-21). Gotta go!

What is their hurry? To get to that justice administered by a king after God's heart. That's what blessing is, because his justice will mandate peace. The authority of the twelve apostles, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, will derive from their King (Isa 32:1 cf. Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30). Are we deep yet?

INSPIRATIONAL APPROACH

Go Old School with my girl, Pat Benatar. Worshiping in community with the people of God gives assistance to the Resistance.

Many times I've tried to tell you

Many times I've cried alone

Always I'm surprised how well you

Cut my feelings to the bone

Don't want to leave you really

I've invested too much time

To give you up that easy

To the doubts that complicate your mind

We Belong to the light

We Belong to the thunder

We Belong to the sound of the words

We've both fallen under

Whatever we deny or embrace

For worse or for better

We Belong, We Belong

We Belong together

Step INSIDE the gates. Faith makes present what grace promises. Trust in your trouble and you will triumph. Our High Priest pleads for us. Our Prince delivers us. Our welfare (community) is bound up with our King. Be soul-conscious in sensitivity (compassion, v 8). And exercise that compassion in fulfilling the commission (v 9).