May 29, 2018 - - Hebrews 12:22-24 Worship

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV

When we gather for worship--in our homes with our families, in prayer times with others, in the sanctuaries of our churches--we are surrounded by the saints of God.

R.C. Sproul recalled a time he spoke to a gathering of 30 people who were in a church hall that could accommodate 800 - 1000 people. To the 30 people gathered there he said:
     I am always frightened when I speak and intimidated and particularly when speaking to an audience this large. And they laughed. Then I took them to Hebrews and I reminded them that they when we assemble together for corporate worship, like now, we are in House of the Lord. The author of Hebrews tells us we are not assembling at the feet of a mountain that can be touched by human hands, but in the mystical communion of the saints. We are transported, as it were, into the heavenlies so that every time we come together in solemn assembly as Christians in corporate worship we are joined by the saints of the past, the spirits of just men that have been made perfect; that we enter into the Holy Place where Christ is and where the angels are. And that happens every time the people of God assemble for worship. Do you see your great-great-grandmother? Jesus? Martin Luther? See God? No. No. No. But they are there. 
Suppose you came to church and the veil was lifted, like for Israel. You see worship in heaven. Would it be any different than how you normally worship God?
If you saw Christ, high, and lifted up and saw elders and angels singing, "Worthy is the Lamb" and you are invited to participate. What would your worship be like?
One glimpse would transform our worship forever.
We'd understand why it is we are worshipping.
Americans are the most informal people on the face of the earth. When we are entering into the Presence of the Living God we are like Babe Ruth who when he entered into Buckingham Palace said, "Hi King!"

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
He is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues people under me.
O LORD, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of may that you think of him? 
Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
Prayer is Psalm 144:1-3, 15, ESV