Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness; Sermons I. THAT TO REVERENCE GOD IS THE ONE RIGHT THING FOR US TO DO. There are many things which it is well, proper, right, for us to do; things which make for the well-being of others; things which contribute to our own ennoblement and self-respect. But the thing which, above all others, it is right for us to do is to revere and honour God, to "give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name. That which is due to our kindred and friends, that which is due to ourselves, - this is as nothing compared with the reverence, obedience, and submission which are due to him from whom we come, without whose creative energy we had not been, without whose sustaining power we should cease to be, in whom we live, and move, and have our being," to whom we owe everything we are and have. To serve God is to secure ourselves against the worst evils; it is to avail ourselves of our highest privilege; it is also, and foremost of all, to discharge our deepest obligation; it is to render that which is due indeed. II. THAT TO BRING TO GOD OUR CONTRIBUTION MAY BE AN ACCEPTABLE THING TO Do. "Bring an offering, and come before him." It is true that he "needeth nothing' at our hand; that "if he were hungry he would not tell us;" that "every beast of the forest is his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Psalm 1.). It is also true that there were conditions under which God was "pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering" (Psalm 51:19). And it is also true that the Divine Lord who sits over against the treasury is pleased with the two mites which the widow gives of her poverty. We may "bring an offering" now that may be very large and "munificent" in the sight of men, which shall be very lightly esteemed, or even weigh nothing or less than nothing, in the sight of the holy and the pure One. But then we may "bring an offering" that may be very small in man's reckoning, which, laid by the hand of love on the altar, shall weigh much in the balances of heaven. III. THAT TO WORSHIP GOD MAY BE A BEAUTIFUL THING TO DO. "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." That which is called Divine worship may be an altogether unbeautiful thing in his sight. That which is rendered carelessly, slovenly, thoughtlessly, stiffly, heartlessly, or hypocritically, is utterly unbeautiful before him. But there is worship of another kind. We render our service in the beauty of holiness when: 1. From a pure desire to give to God our best, we worship him most tastefully. When, thus prompted and with this aim in view, we erect for his worship the costly and beautiful building, we sing his praise with perfected harmony, we read his word and preach his truth with cultured carefulness. 2. We bring to his worship the most excellent and requisite graces - humility, faith, docility, gratitude, adoration, generosity, consecration of spirit. Then, when clothed upon with these beautiful garments of the soul, do we most truly "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - C.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. I. GOD IS ENTITLED TO AND CLAIMS THE HOMAGE OF HIS CREATURES.II. These claims are made upon us, HIS INTELLIGENT CREATURES. III. THE WORSHIP AND HOMAGE REQUIRED ELEVATES THE MAN WHO PAYS IT. (J. Robinson.) I. AN ACCOUNT OF HIS NATURE. He is God alone. He deserves something which is due to no other being in the universe — religious worship and adoration. II. On account of THE CHARACTER HE POSSESSES. It is absolutely perfect. There is something in His character suited to excite every proper affection of which the human soul is capable. III. On account of THE RELATIONS AND OFFICES WHICH HE SUSTAINS. 1. Creator. 2. Preserver.These imply that God must necessarily be the universal Teacher, Master, Sovereign, and Judge. IV. On account of THE WORKS WHICH HE HAS PERFORMED. Conclusion: 1. How reasonable are God's requisitions! He merely requires the payment of a great debt. 2. How immeasurably great, then, is the debt which our world has contracted, and under the burden of which it now groans. (E. Payson, D. D.) I. ON OUR RELATION TO GOD AS HIS CREATURES. II. ON THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DIVINE EXCELLENCE VISIBLE IN THE UNIVERSE AROUND US. III. IN THE CONSTITUTION AND SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF OUR MINDS. Worship is not only fit and proper as an act of the mind, but one to which it is naturally prone. IV. ON A CONSIDERATION OF WHAT IS MOST CONDUCIVE TO THE WELL-BEING OF MEN. The very act itself elevates the mind; it reminds us of our true position as the creatures and the servants of God. Conclusion: 1. These acts of worship divide the world into two great classes — those that fear God and those that fear Him not. 2. That as the public worship of God is one most important means of proclaiming the great facts of His existence and government, it demands the special and constant attention of all that fear God. 3. That as worship and homage are the requirements and the just rights of the Supreme Being, and as they are intimately connected with our well-being in this life and that which is to come, it is a serious and important inquiry how we may be able to present it most acceptably. (J. Robinson.) Bring an offering I. WHAT DO WE COME TO CHURCH FOR? Not merely to get but to give. Not to take only but to offer. Not to hear simply, but to worship: "bring an offering," "worship the Lord."II. WHAT IS THE OFFERING THE BRINGING OF WHICH CONSTITUTES WORSHIP? It is the offering of ourselves. Spirit, soul, body, substance. Conclusion: 1. This true explanation of the object of our meeting in God's house gives the clearest condemnation of those who absent themselves. "I can read my Bible at home" might be an answer if we be but "hearers"; none if we be "worshippers." 2. How great is the honour of being allowed to honour God — as worshippers! 3. Our direct worship shall be the smoke of the incense; but our whole life shall be, as it were, a compound of sweet spices. (J. R. Vernon, M. A.) The religion of the gospel of Christ is the "beauty of holiness," as it concerns —I. II. III. (Legh Richardson.) 1065 God, holiness of 8609 prayer, as praise and thanksgiving Covenanting a Duty. Chronicles |
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