Ezekiel 46:3 - Homiletics

The people's worship.

Although there was an elaborate hierarchical system in the Hebrew religion, care was taken that the people generally should take an important part in the service. They were not admitted to the most sacred parts of the temple enclosure, but they were expected to come up to the temple and share in its worship.

I. GOD LOOKS FOR THE PEOPLE 'S WORSHIP . If this was expected under the Law, much more is it looked for in the gospel dispensation, according to which all the Lord's people are priests, and all are admitted to the most holy place through the rent veil God has personal dealings with each soul, and it is right for each soul to come up before him in grateful adoration. The service in which the people do not take part cannot be said to be of much use to them. It is true that there is value in intercession, and we should all plead one for another. Still, we cannot grant to any priest a power of attorney to execute our religious contracts in our stead.

II. THE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY WORSHIP . When the heart is in it, no joy on earth can be more rich and full.

"Lord, how delightful 'tis to see

A whole assembly worship thee!"

The dreariness of Sunday just arises from the fact that so many people who go to church really take no part in the service. It must be wearisome to sit as spectator of a feast of which one does not partake. But when once a living interest is taken in the worship, and the spectator becomes a guest at the table, the whole character of the scene is changed, and the joy of worship is experienced. Then it is possible to say, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord;" and "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

III. WORSHIP SHOULD BE ADAPTED TO THE PEOPLE . It may not be possible to make it all that we would desire in form and external expression. Indeed, popular worship can never reach the standard of fastidious aestheticism. In trying to satisfy the refined taste of one or two cultured persons, we may simply destroy the means of worship for the majority of a congregation. In that case the service, while it reaches the perfection of art, loses its spiritual character and degenerates into a mere musical performance. We should always bear in mind the practical end of worship, always see that it is in touch with the people and expresses and helps the devotion of the congregation generally. The church should be the people's home of worship, not the shrine of a privileged aristocracy. Christ was one of the people.

IV. WORSHIP MUST NOT BE DEGRADED IN ORDER THAT IT MAY BE MADE POPULAR . There is considerable danger of running into this opposite extreme in the effort to attract and interest the indifferent. But then the whole object is defeated. We may get the people and amuse them for a while, but what is the use of doing so if we sacrifice the great end of assembling together—the reverent adoration of the holy God? Fine art may be sacrificed, but spiritual reality must be retained. Religion, the essence of which is reverence, cannot be helped by mere vulgarity. The people's worship must be worship .