Divine Worship Directed to Christ

Driving home: There is but one God, therefore there is but one true object of religious homage and veneration.

When Cornelius fell at Peter's feet, Peter recoiled with 'holy violence' from any whiff of religious veneration — 'Stand up; I also am a man.' A true servant of the one God refuses worship instinctively.

When there was anything that bordered on religious veneration or homage, Peter as a man who loved the one true and living God recoiled with holy violence from the very suggestion that religious homage should be paid to him. He says, stand upon your feet. I'm but a man. Don't treat me as though I were a god.

8:04 - 8:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: There is but one God, therefore there is but one true object of religious homage and veneration.

Twice in Revelation, John falls at the angel's feet and the angel says, 'See thou do it not... worship God.' Even the highest creatures refuse worship — yet Jesus receives it without rebuke.

The angel speaking to John says, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God. And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not? I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. Now, do you see the point that I'm making?

9:53 - 10:20 Read in full sermon

Paul describes Christians as 'those who continually call upon the Lord' — not a one-time call but the ongoing activity of a worshipping life directed to Christ.

once when they entered into the orbit of union with Christ in their own life history, but he describes them with a present participle, those who continually call upon the Lord. That's the mark of the people of God. They continually call upon Him for all needed grace, for all the duties and responsibilities laid upon them in the Word of God. Hence it should not surprise us to hear our Lord say in the familiar words of John 14 in verse 1, Ye believe in God, believe also in Me.

25:50 - 26:31 Read in full sermon

Even an archangel ten million degrees above Michael would be 'weary to frustration in half an hour' if he tried to handle all the prayer needs Christ handles — only deity can sustain such a role.

Be he the most exalted angel, be he above the archangel Michael, be he ten million degrees exalted above the highest angel of God, he would be weary to frustration in half an hour. with the millions of the people of God in all places calling upon God for all the grace needed, for all of their duties. And yet our Lord is able, well able, to hear every such call and to respond with such grace as is needed because He is God.

27:59 - 28:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If Jesus Christ is not God, Heaven has been turned into a sanctuary of universal idolatry.

If Christ is not God, then Revelation 4-5 means heaven itself has become a sanctuary of universal idolatry, with every creature directing to the Lamb the worship reserved for God alone.

If Jesus Christ is not God, Heaven has been turned into a sanctuary of universal idolatry. For everything in heaven and earth and beneath the earth is rendering to the Lamb every expression of veneration, honor, and worship that is due to the one God. Oh, bless God for so eloquent a testimony to the fact that our Savior is indeed God. and no amount of the clever manipulation of a few texts in the hands of the Russellites

35:48 - 36:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: How long has it been, child of God, since you have poured out in the secret place all of those mingled actings of true religious veneration and homage and praise and worship at the feet of Jesus?

Stephen's last words are not addressed to the Father but directly to Christ: 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' He dies praying to the One who passed through death himself.

We find Stephen in the last prayer that he prayed before entering the presence of God. Praying directly to Christ in Acts 7-59. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. You see, there was much more consolation in the thought.

43:34 - 43:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Refuse to use cheap, flippant, sentimental language about Christ that you would never use about a head of state.

Pastor Martin recoils at modern preaching that calls Jesus 'a peach of a Savior' or says preachers are 'bananas about Him.' If you were given an audience with President Gerald Ford, would you dare such language?

Jesus is a peach of a Savior and I'm bananas about Him. if you were given an audience with President Gerald Ford and you were pleased with what you saw and heard would you have the audacity to slap him on the back and say Jerry you're a peach of a guy you'd say you're kidding you think I'd what you would say is Mr. President I've deeply appreciated the time you've spent with me and I want you to know I've been impressed with your warmth with your genuine humanness etc Whatever expressions of thanks you gave, they would be couched in language befitting the presence of a common citizen standing ...

45:30 - 46:17 Read in full sermon