The preaching of the gospel and listening to a lecture are quite distinct from worship. But salvation must precede worship. In John 4 the Lord says, "Salvation is of the Je WS." Among them the true God was known. There was no true knowledge of God except among the Jews. Paul says to the Athenians, "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you." Only those who know God can worship. I get into the place of perfect acceptance through the work of Jesus Christ, and there I can worship. None can worship unless in this place of divine favor.
This chapter (John 4) takes the place of worship away from among the Jews, and it supposes accomplished redemption. Wherever God put His name, there was the place of worship. Now Christ declares, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." It can only be in His name.
The essence of worship is that the Holy Spirit can take up our praises and prayers to God in perfect association with Christ. in the offering in Deuteronomy 26, we find a beautiful picture of holy worship offered by the individual, but worship in the assembly supposes the Holy Spirit uniting all together in joy and praise—"they lifted up their voice to God with one accord" (Acts 4:2424And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: (Acts 4:24)).
In Deuteronomy 16 we get three feasts: the pass-over, Pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles. The Passover is the sacrifice of Christ for us. Pentecost is the Holy Spirit already given us, but the feast of tabernacles is still future. There is very little joy in the Passover; as soon as it was done they returned to their tents. At Pentecost we find, "Thou shalt rejoice before the Lord." But in the feast of tabernacles there is something more; here they have come into the fullest blessing, and worship flows because of being in that fullness of blessing.
Certainly we must get our conscience cleansed first, but Christ wants children to be with the Father. Is all we know of God this: that He is satisfied about our sins? satisfied with the blood? No, He wants to get our souls into the sense of relationship with Himself when we worship, and this, too, as the Father. In Luke 15 we get God's own joy, "Let us eat, and be merry" When we come up to the cross, we do so only about our sins, but when we have passed through the rent veil, we have gotten to God's side of the cross. That is, God Himself is known as well as the blessed truth that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Our place of worship is in the holiest where all the value of Christ is put upon us. In Exodus 12 they fed upon the sacrifice—redemption accomplished. Worship is the return of the heart to God for all His blessings in Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us God's feelings about the sacrifice of His Son, and worship goes up to the Father. All our joy and peace flow up to God in praise.
Worship is the best part. When we get to heaven, we shall not want gifts. All who praise ought to walk so that praise should readily burst out. What is so beautiful is the thought that "praise waiteth for Thee, O God"—their voices all ready, and their hearts all tuned to praise.
Our place is that of children with the Father, and our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Praise belongs to both.
Christ's heart ought to move ours, and He never leaves out any. It is the first circle and love must flow to all the saints in it. Some may be going wrong, but we are to love them still.
What we get by the Holy Spirit is a child worshipping the Father. We are standing with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, between the first and second coming of Christ, as worshippers waiting for His coming.