LESSON 1, INTRODUCTION:
Lately we have been focusing
on the grand theme of Worship!
While browsing a Christian book catalog, I noticed a new
publication. The volume was said to cover the Bible's view of
worship ... from Genesis to Revelation! Seems like it amassed
nearly six hundred pages, but I needed a copy.
How
it spoke to my heart! Not so much what the writer said, nearly
as much as the Scripture Texts he exposited.
A
recurring fact as God's Word taught us to worship is this.
Worship leads us to action! Of course it concentrates on the
Lord, in all His Glory and Honor and Praise! But it even does
more than that! Its outcome is practical! Even Mary's pouring
that precious ointment on Jesus' feet, an act of worship, was
practical ... once understood! Judas didn't understand it, but
he was lost!
Let
me give you an example of what I mean. "By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his
name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with
such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your
souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with
joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Hebrews 13:15-17
For
today we shall be content just to notice that worship has been
offered to God. It's called "the sacrifice
of praise" here! Then, renaming worship, Paul adds
"giving thanks to His Name!"
But, and here's the point, look how this worship ends!
1.
Doing good to others, apparently our fellow brothers and sisters
in Christ!
2.
"Communicating" with them, both by fellowshipping and by
sharing! Here worship leads to giving!
3.
Then, finally, being easily persuaded, "obeying" really, one's
Pastor, sweetly following his leadership and he feeds us out of
the Word of God!
4.
All of which, when properly done, leads to our spiritual
"profit!"
This Passage, only three verses long, will be our focus this
week, the Lord willing!
Worship ... then serve!
That's the Scriptural pattern to be followed, both on earth, and
in Heaven!
In
Heaven?
Yes!
Even there the worshipping throng is also said to serve the
Lord! "Therefore are they before the
throne of God," the worshipping,
"and serve him day and night in his temple," the serving,
"and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them."
Revelation 7:15
Let
us worship!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2:
Worship is the activity of Heaven!
One
which must also be practiced on earth!
That is, for us Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here's one description of worship, New Testament style.
"Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to
God continually." Hebrews 13:15
Moses and his heirs offered sacrifice for sure! Animals by the
millions! Doves, lambs even goats on occasion! Not counting the
oxen as well!
Blood sacrifice!
But
today, Jesus having died on the Cross, lambs and such are no
longer needed! The Lamb has been slain ... and raised back to
life!
Therefore when we worship now we offer a different kind of
sacrifice!
Here's one kind of sacrifice: "I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1
Paul even considered the Gentiles whom he won to Christ as an
offering! "That
I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,
ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the
Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy
Ghost." Romans 15:16
Then Peter,
speaking more generally, says: "Ye also,
as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God
by Jesus Christ." 1st Peter 2:5
And here in
Hebrews 13 our lips sacrifice an offering of praise to God!
Even this is done
"by Him!" See, "By him therefore let us
offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually." The
preposition "by" is "dia" and when used with the genitive case
as here it means "by means of" or "through" Him!
Yes, worshipping
God the Father is only possible by means of Jesus' Shed Blood!
Just as we pray "in Jesus' Name" ... so do we worship in His
Name too!
"Let us offer,"
the verb "anaphero," means "to carry up" or "to bring up" to
Someone an item of significance. Here it's a subjunctive,
expressing the ideal or the goal for Christian worship! The
first time it's used in Scripture, Matthew 17:1, Jesus "brought
up" Peter and James and John into a high mountain to behold His
Glory! Mark 9:2 also uses this construction, describing the same
incident. Secondly, Luke uses "anaphero" for the Ascension of
Jesus! "And it came to pass, while he
blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up
into heaven." Luke 24:51
The noun
"sacrifice" is spelled "thusia" and means that which is slain!
If often implies a violent killing! As Jesus was crucified! This
certainly implies that our praise might cost us something!
"Praise," a classic noun, is
derived from "ainesis." Its history is beautiful! "Ainos" in
Greek simply means a "story!" Not a story in the sense of not
being true! A story in this sense; a narrative, a factual
account! Therefore, "praise" Biblically, when this word is used
at least, is a delighting in and a relishing of the grand old
Story of the Gospel! Of course this includes the accounts of
Creation and the establishing of Israel and the Hand of God in
the affairs of man leading up to the Virgin Birth of Jesus!
Praise God for what He has done!
To whom do we
present this worship?
"To God!" The words "ho theos" are
used. It means "The God!" Not a god! The One and Only Living
God! "Theos" is framed in the dative case here. That means it
provides this information: "to whom" or "for whom." To Whom do
we direct our worship? God! For Whom do we give our heart-felt
adoration? God!
Then comes the
time marker, "continually!" The
term "diapantos" is used and is a blended word. "Dia" often
reveals the "channel" of an action! "Pas" means "all or every or
the whole thing!" So, "continually" means into all times, at
every opportunity!
What an
encouragement to worship this is!
Let's genuinely
"praise" God today!
"By Him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually." Hebrews 13:15
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3:
As we worship the Lord God today, frequent blood
sacrifice, the slaying of innocent little animals, is no longer
necessary!
Because of Jesus' vicarious Death on the Cross and His
subsequent burial and resurrection, we who are saved can bring
another kind of "sacrifice!"
The
"sacrifice of praise" says Paul in
Hebrews 13:15.
But, lest anyone misunderstand, the Holy Spirit inserts an
appositive, a restatement of that
"sacrifice of praise."
Here it is. "That is, the fruit of our
lips giving thanks to His Name." Hebrews 13:15b
The
opening words, "that is," introduce
a secondary definition of one's "sacrifice
of praise." In Greek "tout estin" links a demonstrative
pronoun and a present indicative verb. "This is" ... or "that
is" ... or even "which means!" It "is" and continues to be!
The
noun "fruit" is spelled "karpos." It comes from the verb "harpazo,"
meaning "to seize or take" for oneself! It actually pictures the
"picking" of live fruit! Our tongues can and should bear such
fruit!
The
noun "lips" translates "cheilos," a derivative of the Greek word
we know as "chasm!" The lips encircle the chasm known as our
mouth!
Now
here's a neat thing! The expression "giving thanks" uses "homologeo"
in Greek as its basis. "Homo" means the same! Homosexual, to
give a bad example. And "logeo" means "to say!" Put it together,
"to agree, to say the same thing, to assent, to profess or even
to confess!" As a present participle here, our term is giving
motion to the lips! Only this once in the whole King James Bible
is "homologeo" rendered as "giving thanks!" While 17 times it is
"confess!" Once it is even translated "promise," Matthew 14:7.
The
Believers' lips here are worshipping God, bearing fruit unto His
Name! Giving thanks to Him, confessing Him, professing Him,
promising Him, even acknowledging Him as in 1st John 2:23.
The
preposition "to" is provided by the dative case in which the
noun "Name" is fixed. Giving thanks "to" His Name and "for" His
Name!
One's "Name" in Scripture "onoma," represents his or her very
character and person!
It's quite amazing! In exactly one half of a verse we have
learned another way to worship our dear Lord!
Again ... "The fruit of our lips giving
thanks to His Name!
Let
us do so regularly!
Dear friend, have you borne any fruit this morning?
The
fruit of your lips I mean!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4:
What happens after we worship?
When God is exalted, what's next?
Paul gives us at least one answer in Hebrews chapter thirteen.
"By Him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving thanks to His Name. But to do good and to
communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16
See
the worship?
It's "the sacrifice of praise!"
"The fruit of our lips giving thanks to God's Name!"
Then notice what follows true worship.
Doing good!
Communicating!
These activities are even called "sacrifices" here!
And
they follow worship! They complement it actually, beautifying it
even more!
"To
do good" expresses "eupoiia" in Greek. It blends "eu," meaning
well or good, and "poieo," meaning "to make or to do." Doing
good things to others! Beautiful things! Poetic things!
Also "to communicate" is "koinonia" in Greek, a sharing with
others! Distribution, contribution, both are synonyms!
These two activities, doing kind things and sharing our goods
with the Brethren, are not to be forgotten!
"But to do good and to communicate forget
not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
"Forget" is spelled "epilanthanomai" and means "to neglect." Or
"to lose out of one's mind!" Actually "lanthano" can be defined
as letting something escape your notice! The prefix "epi" merely
intensifies the meaning. Here our verb is an imperative, a stark
command!
"Not" is "me," pronounced "may," and means "no" as a qualified
negation!
When I truly worship God, as I leave Church, I will find someone
and be good to him and her, giving them of my substance!
So
worship really spawns kindness and love and generosity and
helpfulness too!
Surprisingly, doing good here and communicating and giving to
those in need are called "sacrifices!" And "thusia" is the same
word that's used for blood sacrifice in past times. "Thuo" means
to slaughter! It's a violent word!
God, having just been adored and magnified, is "well pleased"
with such follow-up! "Euaresteo" means "good, the "eu" part,"
plus "arestos," agreeableness! Acceptable! Using "euaresteo,"
Enoch "pleased" God in Hebrews 11:5. And without faith it is
impossible to "please" God according to Hebrews 11:6.
Dorcas or Tabitha worshipped God, then ... made coats and
garments for the Church ladies! See Acts 9:39.
Barnabas worshipped God, then ... sold some of his land, giving
the money to help support poor Believers! See Acts 4:37.
Elisha worshipped God, then ... became a servant to Elijah the
great Man of God, helping him with the lowly tasks of life!
"Pouring water on the hands of Elijah"
says 2nd Kings 3:11.
Jesus worshipped His Father, then ... died on the Cross to save
us sinners!
And
in each of these cases God was well-pleased!
Especially that last one!
Friends, what do we do after we've worshipped?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5:
We
often separate Bible verses from their "context," making them
"say" things the Author did not intend!
This can be done without our even being conscious of it, at
least at times.
And
this week's Passage is a prime example of such a thing!
I
would like to try now and explain what has just been said.
Hebrews 13:15 is a beautiful verse! With that assessment no one
disagrees, not a Christian anyway!
"By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving thanks to his name." Again, this is
Hebrews 13:15, but just verse 15 mind you!
Then comes, of course, verse 16. "But to
do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased." That was explained yesterday. But
only in the "context" the Holy Spirit has placed it! We can best
"do good" and "share" and "fellowship," the root meaning of
"communicate," after we have worshipped God, giving thanks and
praise unto his Name! Truthfully, such doing good and giving and
helping is the outcome of worship! Without it we may not have
really adored and praised God as we might have thought!
In
other words, verses 15 and 16 really should be studied together,
just as the Lord has "built" them! "By him
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his
name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with
such sacrifices God is well pleased. "
The
noun here translated "context," which has already been used
twice in this Lesson, means "that which is woven together!" It's
Latin, and "textere" means "to weave." The prefix, again Latin,
is "com" or "con" and means "together." Do not cut asunder what
God hath woven together!
But
now, today, we come to verse 17. Many of you know it.
"Obey them that have the rule over you,
and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not
with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Surely, while this great piece of Biblical advice might be able
to "stand alone," it is best viewed in light of its "setting"
too!
When will a Christian most fervently see the need to "obey" his
Pastor? When will "submitting" to the Man of God's leadership
and preaching be most acceptable? And under what circumstances
will Christ's "joy" and our "growth" be most significant?
Answer: just after we've worshipped God ... in Spirit and in
Truth! Immediately following our having
"offered the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is,
the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name."
See? That's the context!
Now
for those of you who visit on Saturdays, we shall seek to
explain this concept further tomorrow.
We
shall then need to define these great verbs ... and a couple of
nouns too ... plus one adjective!
I'll capitalize them for you now. "Obey
them that have the rule
over you, and submit
yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with
joy, and not with
grief: for that is
unprofitable for
you."
It
just makes all the difference in the world when verse 17 here
"fits" into the plan, the pattern God is weaving ... about
worship!
The
context!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
Your Pastor is not on an "ego" trip! He is awed by the
responsibility verse 17 places into his hands! We are to "obey"
him and "submit!' He must "rule" over God's people acceptably,
"watching" for their very souls! He will be held "accountable!"
And he must serve "joyfully" too! Plus, without this combination
God's work in any given place, any Church, will become
"unprofitable!"
But
such a respectful attitude toward the Man of God where you
attend Church will follow, as thunder does lightning, the right
kind or worship!
The
Bible tells me so, when read in context!
LESSON 6:
David once, in Psalm 142:4, said that no man cared for his soul.
However, New Testament Believers who are in the right kind of
Bible-believing Churches do have someone who cares. Or at least
someone who "watches" over them spiritually.
Using the language of Hebrews 13:17, "they
watch for your souls." Surely that's a description of a
godly Pastor. Notice please, a sincere Man of God!
The
verb "watch" in this Text is "agrupneo" and literally means "to
keep awake!" The prefix "a" in a prohibitive meaning "no." And
its "root" is "hupnos" or "sleep" in Greek! Deliberately not
sleeping in order to watch over one's flock!
God-called individuals love the Lord and long to see those under
their "watchcare" grow in Grace!
Now
it's to this class of men, and to them only, the rest of our
Verse applies. "Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your
souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with
joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
That's the complete verse, Hebrews 13:17.
We
are to "obey" these Biblical Preachers! In a surprising move, "peitho"
is used here! Not the usual word for obedience, it means "to
have confidence in" a person! To "trust" him! To "believe" him
and even to be "persuaded" by him! And, as we can see, it is
rendered "obey" in the King James Bible. Seven times in fact!
And, yes, it is a command, being in the imperative mood. Also
it's middle voice quality here suggests that the subjects will
be changed by their obedience to the Man of God, to his Bible
preaching!
The
verb "rule," resented by many, translates "hegeomai" and means
"to go before" someone, to lead them properly! In the Scriptures
it's used as "having esteem, being governor or being chief!"
Here it's a present participle.
To
"submit" oneself is "hupeiko," obviously a relative of "hupo,"
under! The verb "eiko" means to yield! At times it can mean "to
be weak" or even "to surrender." Here we have its one-time
occurrence in all of Scripture! This is an imperative present
active verb.
What a list of verbs!
Those who oversee our spiritual welfare are NOT however
dictators who "lord over God's heritage!" And, again, their
lives need to match their testimonies! Genuine, non-hypocritical
Men of God!
These who seek to, using the Scriptures, bring us to maturity
... must also "give an account" for their faithfulness. "Apodidomai"
just means "to give" or "to deliver" or "to render." A future
participle, this time of judgment rested in the future as of
Paul's writing. It still does today. "Account" translates
"logos." It really means "something said."
That our Pastors be able to serve joyfully is important here. "Chara,"
or "joy" here means gladness or cheerfulness or delight. And
"grief" is "stenazo," that which constricts or squeezes
literally! It pictures one groaning or sighing due to pressure
and trials.
But
why would we care?
What's a Pastor's "reward" or "motivation" got to do with us,
his hearers? I can only give you the Bible answer here.
"They that must give account, that they
may do it with joy, and not with grief:
for that is unprofitable
for you."
We
"profit" when the Preachers serve the Lord joyfully and
faithfully and fruitfully! The adjective "unprofitable" is
spelled "alusiteles" and blends "a" and "lusis" and "telos," all
familiar words. Not reaching one's goal! Being tied up
spiritually! One scholar says "gainless."
The
Pastor longs to help me mature in Christ Jesus!
If
he is defeated or frustrated or overly burdened in his task ...
I suffer with stunted growth!
Reason enough!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7:
We
have been studying the Bible concept of Worship!
Not
topically, but looking at an actual three verse Text, analyzing
it in its Scriptural setting.
"By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to
communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must
give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief:
for that is unprofitable for you." Hebrews 13:15-17
No
one would challenge the fact that those first few words focus on
God and His Worthiness. "By him therefore
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that
is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
This is verse 15 alone. Worship God! Sacrifice unto Him! Praise
His Dear Name! Thank Him again and again!
But, when we arrived at verse 16 ... is that worship?
"But to do good and to communicate forget
not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Answer: yes, it is! These two good deeds are "linked" in worship
by the common word, shared by both verses 15 and 16, "sacrifice"
or "sacrifices."
Here's the implication: if we have genuinely praised the Lord,
continually so, and given thanks to His Name as we should, then
... we shall leave that time of worship and "do good" to our
Brethren, and graciously "give" to the right needs in their
lives!
In
other words, worship makes me both kind and generous! It does
not leave me bitter and stingy! This is a "horizontal"
consequence of worship, loving my peers in Christ!
Furthermore, adding verse 17 to the mix, true worship also seeps
into my attitudes toward my Pastor! Now we are going "vertical"
in our response to the experience of real worship!
"Obey them that have the rule over you,
and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not
with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." See, the
verse is loaded with authority! If I have worshipped, as Jesus
said "in Spirit and in Truth," I will love and appreciate and
follow my godly Pastor as he stays in the Word of God, living
right and preaching right to the Glory of God!
And
look at this. All the way through this three-verse Context, or
"Co-text" as I heard it called yesterday, there is joy and
delight!
Watch carefully.
Worship! The Father in Heaven actually "seeks" people to do so!
Jesus said this in John 4:23! "But the
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such
to worship Him." The verb "seeketh" is "zeteo" and means
both "to look for and to search for" ... and can even mean "to
expect!" Its present tense quality implies constant yearning for
such worshippers! Thus we can be safe in assuming God is
delighted when worship is raised to His Name! So here, God is
satisfied! Then, by our kindness and generosity to others, the
Lord is also "well pleased!" Additionally, one goal in our
respecting and loving true God-called Pastors is that they may
serve with "joy" and not grief!
Worship, either directly or indirectly, leaves all involved full
of satisfaction and delight and joy!
What a thought to contemplate this Easter Sunday morning!
Dear Believing Friend, today as you worship and adore your
Heavenly Father, subsequently love your Brothers and Sisters in
Christ, and sincerely encourage your Pastor!
How
spiritually and Biblically and properly "thrilled" you will be!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
