In his sermon, Mike Davenport explores the subject of religious worship and the Sabbath day as outlined in chapter 22 of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. He highlights the importance of worship in the Reformation, referring to John Calvin's belief that the mode of worship and the source of salvation are the core tenets of Christianity, with the former being more crucial than the latter. Davenport underscores that worship must be conducted as prescribed by God, not according to human imagination or any influence not aligned with Scripture. The sermon emphasizes that acceptable worship is limited by God's revealed will, requiring adherence to the ways outlined in the Bible. It is asserted that worship should be directed solely to the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and mediated through Jesus Christ. The idea of the regulative principle is introduced, which dictates that worship practices should align with God's commands, avoiding innovations not sanctioned by Scripture. Davenport calls for sincere worship from the heart, warning against practices based on personal preferences rather than divine instruction.

Well, tonight we're going to ask you to leapfrog ahead a little bit. We're going to jump actually to chapter 22. We're going to come back and deal with chapter 21. We had scheduled that for Scott and with the vacation and everything it just kind of made a little difficult. So we're going to jump ahead to chapter 22 dealing with of religious worship and the Sabbath day.

In many ways, in many ways this is to me one of the most precious topics it really is and I hope you'll get a sense of that tonight as we try to unfold it. We'll be spending four weeks because of the importance of the material and the fact that they have eight paragraphs, but there's a lot to think about and a lot to cover. And I'm going to be using some quotes from some of the reformers. You'll hear a lot from John Calvin tonight because much had to do with the worship of God. That brought about much of the Reformation, and so it's a very important subject.

So tonight's study from the 1689 actually provides us a perfect opportunity to recite one of the catechism questions together. We talked about it today. What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. Now part of those duties that God requires of us are taught in his word.

They are duties to him in regards to our worship. So of those duties that we find, some of those are in God's Word that have to do with the worship of God. Just how important is the worship of God? Why would the writers of the confession carve out a whole section on this topic and then spend eight paragraphs on it? Well it's because the worship of God is of the utmost importance.

It was the very foundation of what all the reformers sought to change in the church. And outside of maybe Martin Luther, John Calvin is probably one of the best well-known, most well-known of all the reformers. In his treatise entitled, On the Necessity of Reforming the Church, he wrote the following. And listen to this. It's very enlightening.

Listen to the order. If it be inquired then by what things chiefly the Christian religion has a standing existence among us and maintains its truth, it will be found that the following two not only occupy the principal place, but comprehend under them all other parts. And consequently, the whole substance, the whole substance of Christianity is this, a knowledge first of the mode in which God is duly worshiped and second of the source from which salvation is to be obtained. He said those are the principal things and everything else falls under that as points and sub points and sub sub points. Those two things.

The mode in which God is duly worshiped and secondly, the source from which salvation is to be obtained. Do you get the message that Calvin is conveying to Calvin and the reformers? The worship of God was more important than the salvation of man. The worship of God was more important, it is more important than the salvation of man. You see man's salvation is not an end in itself.

It is the means to an end. Is not the end of God's saving a sinner to make that sinner once again a worshiper of Him? We are saved in order that we may worship God both here and now and for all eternity. Our public worship, what we've been engaged in today as his body here on earth is but a foretaste of that worship which will be his throughout all eternity. Calvin penned these words in another place, there is nothing more perilous to our salvation than a preposterous and perverse worship of God.

So that second thing in order, the worship of God, how he's to be duly worshiped, and then the salvation. He said that the salvation of man, there is nothing more perilous to that salvation than a preposterous and perverse worship of God. Let us know and be fully persuaded that wherever the faithful who worship him purely and in due form according to the appointment of his word are assembled together to engage in the solemn acts of religious worship, he is graciously present and presides in the midst of them. Another man, Dr. Robert Godfrey, who was a former president, not too former, not too far back, former president of Westminster Theological Seminary in California.

In a 2003 conference on worship, he said the following, this is what has been lost in our worship due largely to the revivalist tradition. The fact that worship is not primarily about getting people saved or about instructing people, but about meeting with God. I believe that people's attraction to more liturgical churches, And if you're not familiar with that term liturgical, it's where there's an order and they do specific things and they go through that order and there's different parts, responsive reading, sometimes saying like the Apostles' Creed, reciting the Lord's Prayer. He says, I believe that people's attraction to more liturgical churches is that in such churches it is often clear the people have come to meet with God. And too often in our evangelical churches we have lost that sense of reverent anticipation in worship.

That's one of the reasons why it was on my heart to write about how we come into the presence of God when we gather in the morning. Hey, it's great to see one another. I love each and every one of you and I want to talk to you. But have we lost that sense of work coming into the presence of the thrice holy God? Have we lost that sense of reverence?

Are we gathering together for this purpose, to meet the true and the living God? Have we grown cold to the very purpose of worship? Well, may the Spirit of God bring true revival to our hearts, especially in this important area of religious worship and the Sabbath day. So paragraph one, the light of nature shows that there is a God who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is just good and doth good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart and all the soul and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed will that he may not be worshiped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.

We'll note first that the very light of nature teaches us that man should worship God. Nature itself. If this was not the case, men like Bill Nye and Richard Dawkins would not spend the entirety of their lives trying to disprove the existence of God and His creation. Why did they spend their entire existence demolishing that? Because they don't want to worship God, because nature teaches you that God is to be worshiped.

It also declares nature, His lordship, and His sovereignty. He declares His lordship and His sovereignty. To declare that there is a Creator makes man now responsible to that creator. It's his lordship. It's his sovereignty.

He created and he created for the purpose. They don't like that purpose. They don't like being told what to do. So nature itself teaches us that man should worship because of the lordship and the sovereignty of God. But it also declares that God is just, that he is in his very essence good and that he is in his dealings good unto all mankind.

Why is it that man is preoccupied? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? They've got it all wrong. Why does God's sin reign even on the just, but not the just only, but even the unjust?

Why does he do that? He's just, He's good, and He doth good unto all His creation. Nature teaches us that. But note second, the definition of worship. They give us a definition of worship.

And as we go through it, realize that they thoroughly believe that the light of nature declares this to be our due response to what the therefore is there for. It's a hermeneutic principle. Whenever you see the word therefore, ask, what is it there for? There's a reason. Here's the therefore.

The light of nature shows us that God is to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart and all the soul and with all the might. What a simple yet wonderful definition of worship. That's what it is to worship. Worshipping God is to fear Him. It's to love Him.

Worship is to praise Him and to call upon him, to trust him with all of our heart and being, and to serve him with heart, soul, mind, and strength. That's what worship is. Well, so far so good. In regards to the truth, we have not lost very many professing Christians yet. But note the next word.

It's an important conjunction. But, but, we're getting ready to lose the vast majority of Christendom. But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed will that he may not be worshiped according to the imagination and devices of men nor the suggestions of Satan under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures." You mean there is an acceptable and by virtue of that phrase an unacceptable way of worshiping God? That is correct And that acceptable way of worshiping him is not revealed by the light of nature. There are certain things that the light of nature reveals.

How God wants us to worship is not revealed by the light of nature. Do you see the carefulness of their wording, the acceptable way of worshiping the true God? Why would they here declare him to be the true God? They've dealt with him already. They've already talked about the entire Trinity.

Why are they here calling him the true God? For this reason. Those, and listen well, those who do not worship the Lord in an acceptable way actually worship a god of their own making. Let me read that again. Those who do not worship the Lord in an acceptable way actually worship a God of their own making.

God said you shall have no other gods before me. Not a problem. We don't worship Molech, we don't worship Baal, we don't worship Bala, I don't have any other gods before you. Have you created one of your own imagination? There are people in evangelical churches today that don't believe in hell.

Why do they not believe in hell? Because my God would have never sent a person to hell. You just created your own God. You might as well have gotten some gold and silver, melted it down, set up a statue. If you don't worship God in an acceptable way, you created your own God.

And that's why they say there is an acceptable way of worshiping the true God. Now, what makes that particular way of worship the acceptable way? What makes it the acceptable way? Well it is instituted by God himself. It's instituted by God.

And as we see at the tailed end of this, it's prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. Remember they have already stated that nature itself teaches us that the God of heaven and earth has lordship and is sovereign over all. Therefore it is his prerogative to dictate how he will be worshiped. He is Lord, he is sovereign, he dictates what is acceptable. Is that not reasonable?

That's reasonable. If that little word but was not disturbing enough, how about that word limited? Limited. Autonomous man does not like that word limited in any context. The acceptable way of worshiping is so limited by God's revealed will.

You see, we are not free to worship according to our imaginations or ideas. We are not free to worship God according to the suggestions of Satan, no matter how those suggestions come to us. Even an angel of light whose Satan can disguise himself as. Remember what Paul said about preaching another gospel? If an angel descended and preached another gospel besides what I preached to you, let him be anathema.

Let him be accursed. It's limited by God's revealed will. We are not free to worship God in any other way, not prescribed in His Word. Here's a question to ponder. Can you name the ways of worship that do not fall under the category of any other way not prescribed in the holy scriptures.

There are none. Our way of worship, the things that we do, either are prescribed in the scriptures or they are another way, an unacceptable way. There's no middle ground, none. Calvin knew that this concept that is limited and only God's acceptable way can be done. He knew that this concept struck at the heart of man's pride.

He wrote, I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by his word. The opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated as it were in their very bones and marrow, is that whatever they do has in itself a sufficient sanction provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honor of God. Have you ever heard somebody talk about the different elements of worship? I really like organs. I really like...

You really like? We all have preferences, okay? There are things that we do like. But is that a reason to consider something in the worship of God I really like? God's will has determined what is acceptable.

Calvin goes on to say, but since God not only regards as fruitless, but also plainly abominates whatever we undertake from zeal to his worship, if at variance with his command, what do we gain by a contrary course? The words of God are clear and distinct. Obedience is better than sacrifice. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men? Every addition to his word especially in this matter of worship is a lie Near will worship is Vanity This is the decision and when once the judge has decided it is no longer time to debate.

Calvin says, case closed, case closed. The judge has spoken. He doesn't want sacrifice if in that sacrifice you disobey. Consider the words of Calvin again in another place. Nor can it be doubted but that under the pretense of holy zeal, superstitious men give way to the indulgences of the flesh, and Satan baits his fictitious modes of worship with such attractions that they are willingly and eagerly caught hold of and obstinately retained.

Satan desires to hold out the baited hook of adding to the worship of God based on what you like. There are church shoppers trying to find the place to be. Paul told, I believe it was Timothy, hey, in the end, men are going to have itching ears. They're going to go someplace that's going to satisfy, they're going to hear what they want to hear. But you continue in sound doctrine.

Continue in sound doctrine. Secondly, Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone, not to angels, saints, or any other creatures. And since the fall, not without a mediator, nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone. You see this fear, this love and praise, this calling upon, trusting in, and serving is to be instructed and regulated by the Word of God and is to be directed to God and to God alone. Remember what we heard this morning.

Are there more gods than one? There is but one only, the living and true God. It's one only, and this one we are to worship. Now within that Godhead as we've studied before are three persons. And notice how the writers draw attention to the three persons and they draw attention to the unity.

We're not worshiping three gods. We're worshiping three, but we're worshiping Him alone. We're worshiping God alone. But in the worship of God alone, we recognize the three persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And to the triune God is to be given all praise and worship just as his own sovereign will has prescribed.

Now we find here in this writing the impact of the church at Rome and even the Anglican Church of that day. The confession declares that worship is not to be given to angels, saints, or any other creatures. Now, are we too sophisticated in our day and time to be guilty of such worship? Not at all. We can be guilty of fearing, loving, praising, calling upon, trusting in, and serving someone or something else other than our God.

Sometimes that someone or something is ourselves. So don't think, well that was for another people of another time. Far too often we take Christ off his throne so that we can ascend that throne, as if it all revolved around us. The fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden brought another difficulty in regards to our worship. Not only has a way been prescribed by scriptures, a mediator has been established.

We cannot worship God except through the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ. We are familiar with and often quote Hebrews 10, 24, and 25 in reference to our corporate worship. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. It's talking about corporate worship, right? Yeah.

It's talking about our times together. Don't forsake the coming together. And when you come together, make it apart, Come together. Yes, you're coming together to meet God, but stir one another up to love and good works. And so much more as you see the day approaching.

But do you recall the verses before that? Before the, let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembly. Do you remember the verses before that? A passage that establishes the very foundation of that corporate worship verses 19 to 23. Therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful." So you see that even the corporate worship that he's talking about in our coming together, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, that corporate worship is founded upon the fact that we as individuals come and we enter into this corporate worship and we enter into the very presence of God. Why? Because Jesus is our mediator. He's opened a way through the veil. That is His own flesh.

And we can come now with boldness, with boldness because of Christ, Because of Christ. Our worship is acceptable not just because it is done in accordance with Scripture but also because our mediator makes it a sweet smelling sacrifice in the nostrils of our God. Now, although there are plenty of things that we should come away with after a serious contemplation of the worship of God, one thing we must not forget, our hearts. Our hearts. Dr.

Godfrey said this regarding Calvin's concern, Calvin was deeply concerned about the heart in worship. While sincerity does not justify practice, correct Practice doesn't count much with God if it's not coming from a sincere heart. See we can throw the baby out with the bathwater. We can say yes we've got right doctrine. We can try to carry our 1689 in our pocket.

Let me read Chapter 22, paragraph 4. Calvin says, we have to be careful how we worship, but we're bringing our heart to God in worship. And correct practice doesn't count much with God if it's not coming from a sincere heart. So as in all things, we are susceptible to falling into the ditch on either side of the road while we must must must not or must take heed by the Of the way that we worship we must never come short of bringing our hearts and engaging our hearts in that acceptable way. So in closing, I just want to mention something called the regulative principle.

The regulative principle. It's the principle that is to regulate how we worship. And it's really a three-legged stool. And it's what God has commanded us, we better do. We better do.

And all of Christendom would agree with that. Most all of it. Secondly, what God says don't do, don't do it. Don't do it. We're not free to make up something simply because God said we can't do it.

He's told us how he wants to be worshiped. And he asked the Israelites many times, who required this at your hand? Who? Not what is this you're doing. Who required this?

Did I? I did not. And so we have to be careful. Well, let's look to the Lord in prayer. Oh, Father, give us grace to learn how it is you desire to be worshiped.

What is that acceptable way? And may we walk in it. May we not walk in new ways, but may we ask for and walk in those old paths. Lord, you are sovereign. You have declared how you will be worshiped.

May we be true worshipers, for you are seeking worshipers who will worship you in spirit and in truth. May we be such a people. In Jesus' name, Amen.