Worship Is Our Privilege
As Christians, we have the privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord, and be foremost in joy as redeemed by Him.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that joy is the essence of the Christian faith, where worship is not just a duty but a privilege filled with delight. He encourages believers to approach God with songs of joy, whether in communal worship or personal struggles, as Jesus has removed our burdens and replaced them with the call to rejoice. Spurgeon highlights that the redeemed should lead in praising the Lord, celebrating the freedom from sin and the joy of salvation.
Text
The genius of the Christian religion is joy, its proper spirit is delight, and its highest exercise is praise. "They shall praise the Lord that seek him." Now we go up to the house of the Lord with the congregation of the faithful with songs of holy joy: now we draw near to the feast of communion at the Lord's table with delight, and ere we depart we sing a hymn; now we go forth to the good fight of faith, and our battle song is a jubilant psalm; now do we even go to our beds of painful sickness and sing the Lord's high praises there.
Since Jesus died our heaviness is dead; our murmuring is buried in his tomb. Since Jesus endured the wrath of God, which was due to us, that wrath has passed away for ever, and it is now the privilege, nay, the duty of every Christian to rejoice in the Lord. Let all the people praise him, and let the redeemed of the Lord be foremost in the joy.
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Good News For Seekers," delivered September 3, 1876.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Privilege of Worship
- A. Worship is a joyful expression of gratitude
- B. Worship is a response to God's love and redemption
- II. The Source of Joy
- A. Jesus' death has removed our heaviness and murmuring
- B. Jesus' sacrifice has made it possible for us to rejoice
- III. The Duty of Rejoicing
- A. Every Christian has the privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord
- B. We are called to be foremost in joy, as redeemed by the Lord
Key Quotes
“They shall praise the Lord that seek him.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Since Jesus died our heaviness is dead; our murmuring is buried in his tomb.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Let all the people praise him, and let the redeemed of the Lord be foremost in the joy.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We should make worship a joyful expression of gratitude to God.
- We should rejoice in the Lord, and not let our heaviness and murmuring hold us back.
- As Christians, we have the duty to be foremost in joy, and to praise the Lord with all our hearts.