The Fruit of Worship Is Glory (1 Peter 1:3-9)

Note: This is the first in a new style of blog post from Pastor Matt. From this point forward, Pastor Matt will make a single post to the church blog each week; members are encouraged to comment as they feel led. Quotes are taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

You might wonder why we emphasize regular worship attendance at the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Berlin. The answer lies in our intention: When we gather together for worship, our goal is to glorify God as we remember what God has done for us in the past, ready ourselves for what He will do for us in the future, and rejoice in what He is doing for us at present. We emphasize regular worship attendance because the fruit of worship is glory!

Remember

After Jesus had prayed over and broken the bread at the Last Supper, He gave it to the disciples and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19b).

Worship helps us remember all that God has done for us. Peter reminded us of this when he wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

We gather together for worship because of what Jesus has done for us. We were dead in our sins, but have been made alive through Jesus Christ; to Him be the glory forever!

Ready

In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus taught His disciples the importance of being ready for His return. He provided the application of that parable when He said, “Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [when I will return]” (Matthew 25:13).

Worship helps us prepare for what God will do for us in the future, for Jesus is even now preparing a place for us. Peter reflected on this when he wrote, “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through the faith for a salvation ready to be received in a little while” (1 Peter 1:4-5).

Our relationship with God was restored at the cross - even now we are being made into Jesus’ likeness here on earth - and there will come a day when our salvation will be fully realized, when we will witness the Son of Man’s return to bring us home to be with Him forever, to His glory.

Rejoice

Jesus’ will for us is to know His joy fully and completely as we bear fruit in His service. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

Worship reveals our joy as we celebrate all that God is doing in our lives in the here-and-now. Peter put it this way: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6).

Peter wasn’t blind to the fact that following Jesus brings with it hardship - Jesus promised us no less. But our circumstances do not produce our character, they reveal it, “so that the tested genuineness of your faith – now more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

When we gather for worship, we rejoice that God is at work in us, no matter our circumstances, thus giving Him glory.

 

We set aside time for worship each week because we wish to glorify God, and the fruit of worship is glory. As we worship we remember what He has done for us, we ready ourselves for His return, and we rejoice that He is at work within us, knowing that when we do that we are fulfilling God’s purpose for His people: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).