Enter into His gates

Written by: Andrew Friesen on 12/1/2010

God created you for a purpose.  It's worship.  I’ve heard many things about worship from messages preached as well as from the christian music scene.  Some of it is good, and some of it not so good.  Please understand my purpose in writing this is to exalt and lift up Jesus in all of His glory.  I pray God reveals more of His love to you.  This world is lost without Christ and the only way the world will be saved is when the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to them.  

First of all, I want to say that the Bible is about Jesus Christ and it’s not a book about what we ought to do or not do.  How do I know that?  From the Bible.  Luke 24:27 says, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Notice that Jesus did not preach do’s and don’ts.  Jesus did not focus on man.  Jesus preached JESUS.     

The first time the word worship is mentioned in the bible is in (Genesis 22:4-5) is says, “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 

God told Abraham to take his only son.  "Then God said, take your son, your only son, Issac, whom you love..." Genesis 22:2.  "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son." John 3:16

The story of Abraham and Issac has been preached in such a man centered way.   I have heard so many sermons that turn this scripture to focus on man.  They say:  What is YOUR Issac?  What is your idol?  Referring usually to a loved one, or a car, or some hidden thing in your life.  They say:  “You need to give up YOUR Isaac.”  Do you see how it puts you at the center?    

“Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

   “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

   “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Dear friend, I pray from the bottom of my heart that you will see this.  Mt Moriah where Abraham was located is close to Mount Calvary where Jesus was crucified.  In that moment when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Abraham saw in a vision the cross of calvary where Jesus (the greater lamb of God) would sacrifice His life and provide everything for you.  Hallelujah!  

Worship is all about Jesus and HIS sacrifice on the cross.  We worship because of who Jesus is and what He has done on the cross for us.  It was God that said now I know that you fear (love) me because you have not with held your son, so that you and I can say:  "Father now I know that you love me because you gave Jesus on the cross."  Praise the Lord!  

We do not worship God to get into His presence.  I know I might get into trouble with this one.  First let me say that there is something very powerful that happens when believers meet together to glorify Jesus.  However, we don’t praise God for 45 minutes so that He will “show up” so to speak.  That’s wrong.  The wonderful good news of Jesus is this:  When you trust in Him you are in His presence and He is in you in all His fullness.  Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who were once formally far off have NOW been brought near by THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.”  Not by praise and worship.  But some say the bible says in Psalm 100 that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise.  You must remember that that was in the old covenant before Jesus came and made a new a living way.  Now we give thanks BECAUSE his presence is with us.  I’m not entering in to His gates.  WHY?  Because Jesus has entered into MY GATES.  Praise God!  On the cross by His blood he tore the curtain and He left the gates of the old covenant and came into my gates.  I’m my beloved's and He is mine.  Praise Jesus.    

Being filled with the Spirit comes before our response to God.  Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our part in worship is actually VERY SMALL while God's part is BIG.  Remember before Ephesians 5 come chaper 1,2,3, and 4 that focus on what God has done for us.  When we see that.  Wow, we respond in worship.  

Your thoughts? -Andrew