Experiencing Heavenly Worship Through Christ's Mediation

 

Summary

In reflecting on the profound nature of worship, we are reminded of the immense privilege and joy it is to gather as God's people. Worship is not merely a ritual or a routine; it is an invitation to enter into the heavenly realms, where the veil between heaven and earth is momentarily lifted. This sacred act is a foretaste of the eternal worship we will one day experience in the presence of God. As we gather, we are not just assembling in a physical space but are spiritually transported to the heavenly Jerusalem, joining with angels and the saints who have gone before us in a symphony of praise.

The book of Hebrews provides a rich tapestry of understanding about the superiority of the new covenant worship, emphasizing that Jesus Christ is the Mediator of this worship. Unlike the old covenant, where worship was mediated through priests and sacrifices, the new covenant offers direct access to God through Jesus, our High Priest. He is not only the object of our worship but also the leader of it. In His role as the divine Liturgist, Jesus assembles us as the family of God, leads us in praises, preaches the Word, and meets us in our deepest needs.

Worship is a dynamic encounter with the living God, where Jesus Himself declares the name of God to us, teaching us to live in communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is through this divine interaction that our hearts are transformed, our faith is deepened, and our souls are satisfied. The presence of Christ in worship assures us that our praises are perfected, our prayers are heard, and our needs are met with grace and mercy.

As we come together each Lord's Day, let us be mindful of the heavenly reality we are partaking in. Let us approach worship with reverence and awe, knowing that we are joining a cosmic assembly that transcends time and space. In this sacred gathering, we find our true identity as children of God, united with Christ and each other in a bond that is eternal and unbreakable.

Key Takeaways:

1. Worship is an invitation to enter the heavenly realms, where the veil between heaven and earth is lifted, allowing us to join in the eternal praise of God. This sacred act is a foretaste of the worship we will experience in eternity, reminding us of our true home and identity in Christ. [08:54]

2. Jesus Christ, as the Mediator of the new covenant, transforms our worship by offering direct access to God. Unlike the old covenant, where worship was mediated through priests, the new covenant allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for us. [12:47]

3. In worship, Jesus assembles us as the family of God, leading us in praises and declaring God's name to us. This divine interaction transforms our hearts, deepens our faith, and satisfies our souls, as we are reminded of our identity as children of God. [19:08]

4. True worship is a dynamic encounter with the living God, where Jesus Himself preaches the Word to us, teaching us to live in communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This encounter is not just about imparting information but is an instrument of communion with Christ. [39:56]

5. In worship, Jesus meets us in our deepest needs, offering grace and mercy. As we gather in His presence, we are assured that our praises are perfected, our prayers are heard, and our needs are met, reminding us of the intimacy and access we have to the throne of God. [44:52]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Opening Prayer
- [03:15] - Personal Testimony
- [06:28] - Revelation's Impact
- [08:03] - Worship in Heaven
- [10:27] - Superiority of New Covenant
- [12:47] - Jesus as High Priest
- [16:39] - Jesus' Ongoing Ministry
- [19:08] - Assembling God's Family
- [22:57] - Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
- [25:03] - Intimacy of Access
- [28:51] - The Lord's Supper
- [31:24] - Jesus as Liturgist
- [35:16] - Sharing the Hymn Book with Jesus
- [39:56] - Jesus as Preacher
- [44:52] - Jesus Meets Our Needs
- [49:32] - Tasting Heaven's Worship

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 12:22-24
2. Revelation 4:1-11
3. Hebrews 2:10-18

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#### Observation Questions
1. According to Hebrews 12:22-24, what are the elements of the heavenly assembly that believers join in worship? How does this passage describe the role of Jesus in this assembly? [09:36]
2. In Revelation 4, what imagery is used to describe the scene of worship in heaven? How does this imagery help us understand the nature of worship? [06:28]
3. Hebrews 2:10-18 speaks of Jesus as our High Priest. What specific roles does Jesus fulfill in this passage, and how do they relate to our worship experience? [16:39]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of worship as entering the heavenly realms, as described in Hebrews 12, change the way believers should approach their worship gatherings? [09:36]
2. Revelation 4 presents a vivid picture of worship in heaven. How might this vision influence a believer's understanding of their identity and purpose in worship? [06:28]
3. Hebrews 2:10-18 describes Jesus as the one who declares God's name to His brothers. What does this mean for the believer's relationship with God and with each other during worship? [16:39]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the idea that worship is an invitation to enter the heavenly realms. How can this perspective transform your personal worship experience and attitude when gathering with others? [08:54]
2. Jesus is described as the Mediator of the new covenant, offering direct access to God. How does this truth impact your confidence and approach in prayer and worship? [12:47]
3. In what ways can you be more mindful of the heavenly reality you partake in during worship? What practical steps can you take to prepare your heart and mind for this sacred gathering each week? [19:08]
4. Consider the role of Jesus as the divine Liturgist who leads us in praises. How can you actively participate in this divine interaction to deepen your faith and satisfy your soul? [19:08]
5. Worship is described as a dynamic encounter with the living God. How can you cultivate a sense of reverence and awe in your daily life that reflects this truth? [39:56]
6. Jesus meets us in our deepest needs during worship. Reflect on a recent time when you felt your needs were met in worship. How can you share this experience to encourage others in your community? [44:52]
7. How can you remind yourself of your identity as a child of God, united with Christ and others, in your daily interactions and decisions? What specific actions can you take to live out this identity? [19:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Worship as a Heavenly Invitation
Worship is an invitation to enter the heavenly realms, where the veil between heaven and earth is lifted, allowing us to join in the eternal praise of God. This sacred act is a foretaste of the worship we will experience in eternity, reminding us of our true home and identity in Christ. In worship, we are spiritually transported to the heavenly Jerusalem, joining with angels and the saints who have gone before us in a symphony of praise. This experience is not just a ritual but a profound encounter with the divine, where we are reminded of our eternal identity and home in Christ. [08:54]

Hebrews 12:22-24 (ESV): "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

Reflection: How can you cultivate an awareness of the heavenly reality during your personal worship time this week?


Day 2: Jesus as the Mediator of Worship
Jesus Christ, as the Mediator of the new covenant, transforms our worship by offering direct access to God. Unlike the old covenant, where worship was mediated through priests, the new covenant allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus is not only the object of our worship but also the leader of it, assembling us as the family of God and leading us in praises. This new covenant worship is superior because it is centered on Jesus, who provides us with the assurance of direct access to the Father. [12:47]

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV): "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: In what ways can you approach God with more confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for you?


Day 3: Assembling as God's Family
In worship, Jesus assembles us as the family of God, leading us in praises and declaring God's name to us. This divine interaction transforms our hearts, deepens our faith, and satisfies our souls, as we are reminded of our identity as children of God. Worship is a dynamic encounter with the living God, where Jesus Himself declares the name of God to us, teaching us to live in communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This encounter is not just about imparting information but is an instrument of communion with Christ. [19:08]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the worship community to strengthen your identity as a child of God?


Day 4: Dynamic Encounter with the Living God
True worship is a dynamic encounter with the living God, where Jesus Himself preaches the Word to us, teaching us to live in communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This encounter is not just about imparting information but is an instrument of communion with Christ. Through this divine interaction, our hearts are transformed, our faith is deepened, and our souls are satisfied. The presence of Christ in worship assures us that our praises are perfected, our prayers are heard, and our needs are met with grace and mercy. [39:56]

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to ensure that your worship is a dynamic encounter with God, rather than a routine activity?


Day 5: Jesus Meets Our Deepest Needs
In worship, Jesus meets us in our deepest needs, offering grace and mercy. As we gather in His presence, we are assured that our praises are perfected, our prayers are heard, and our needs are met, reminding us of the intimacy and access we have to the throne of God. Worship is not just about singing songs or listening to a sermon; it is about encountering the living God who knows our deepest needs and meets them with His grace and mercy. This assurance transforms our worship into a profound experience of God's love and provision. [44:52]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: What is one specific need you have today that you can bring to Jesus in worship, trusting Him to meet it with His grace and mercy?

Quotes


I began a practice every Lord's Day morning before I went to the public gatherings of God's people of reading through Revelation chapter 4 and chapter 5, because by God's grace, I suppose I had been given a kind of fundamental instinct to understand that this is what every true child of God longs to experience when he or she is in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and a door is opened into heaven. [00:06:43]

And you must by faith enter in, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the gap between heaven and earth, between time and eternity, between the visible and the invisible is all crossed by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And you find yourself sharing in that awe and wonder and admiration and astonishment and protestation of spirit and soul that the Apostle John experienced when in the Spirit on the Lord's Day he was taken to heaven to worship. [00:08:40]

Because as Hebrew 12 underlines for us, "We have not come to assemble at Mount Sinai, but we have come to the heavenly Jerusalem, there to assemble with angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant." "Therefore," it tells us, "let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe, because our God is a consuming fire." [00:09:48]

And the author of Hebrews wants to underline for them that everything about new covenant religion is superior to the old, that the Mediator is superior to the old, that the promises are superior to the old, that the covenant is superior to the old, and that the worship is superior to the old, because in the new, there is the glory of Christ that was only opaquely displayed in the types, in the liturgies, in the principles, in the sacrifices and ceremonies of old covenant worship. [00:11:04]

The language the author of Hebrews uses invites us to see Jesus as the Mediator of the new covenant, not only as the object of our worship as the God-Man exalted to the right hand of the Father, but as our continuing Mediator and High Priest, the Liturgist, the Conductor of the worship of God's people. And in a sense, in that statement, the author of Hebrews is simply summarizing in a sentence some principles he had already enunciated earlier on in the letter in chapter 2. [00:13:49]

And as the Word of God is expounded to us, we begin to discover that Jesus Himself is the true Preacher, the true Teacher, the true Theologian, the true Prophet, the only one really in the church. My preaching is preaching on the Bible that addresses itself to your mind. His preaching is preaching from inside the Bible that gets inside the heart. And that is what true preaching in the power of the Spirit in Jesus Christ always accomplishes. [00:39:50]

And that is our understanding of what happens in the exposition of Scripture. I can't conceive of living the Christian life without having vital contact with this kind of preaching in which by the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus Himself preaches His own gospel to us and we discover that preaching is not a matter merely of imparting information; it is an instrument of communion with my Lord Jesus Christ in which the voice of the individual who is the mouthpiece begins to fade into insignificance, and the voice of Jesus Christ as He brings His Word to bear on my mind, my heart, my will, my conscience, my affections, all of my being, that is the voice that I hear. [00:41:00]

And, fourthly, because He does these things, we discover in all true worship that Jesus meets us in our need. Notice these words as the author of Hebrews speaks at the end of chapter 2 about the Lord Jesus, "because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted," and similar words of the end of chapter 4, interestingly, related intimately to the Word of God. [00:44:07]

O God, have mercy on my soul. My need is so intense and great, but therefore, "since we have a Great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, one who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, one who has been tempted in every way, let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." [00:44:56]

And on the day of Pentecost, there begins the assembling of the great congregation from north and south and east and west, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. By the power of the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ is assembling to Himself this great and glorious congregation of His people. And as He assembles them to Himself, as He creates the new covenant ecclesia, the new covenant assembly of God, as He assembles them to Himself, He turns to the throne of His Father and He says, "Father, here am I and the children You have given Me." [00:24:05]

And even when we come to the Lord's Supper in this miniature feast that is a foretaste of that glorious feast that one day we shall fully enjoy, He stands at the door, John hears, He stands at the door and knocks and says, "If anyone will open the door, I will come into Him and I will sup with him and he with Me." He assembles us as the family of God. [00:28:44]

And as most of you know, these words, amazingly, are drawn from the great Messianic twenty-second psalm. And the context, as you follow that psalm through, is a context in which Jesus of whom this psalm speaks as He makes it his own, it leads us from His crucifixion through His exaltation to His glory, and it is in the context, not of His crucifixion, but the context of His exaltation and His glory, His victory that He will sing the praises of God in the presence of the great congregation, in the middle of the church, as we might literally translate it. [00:29:55]

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