Who Do We Worship - P4
Jehovah Mekadesh (The Lord Who Sanctifies)
As worshippers and worship leaders we are in essence the spiritual descendants of the Old Testament Levitical priesthood, and I believe that the same rules of holiness and sanctification that applied to them still applies to us today. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first high priest in the sanctuary of the Lord, and Exodus 28: 36-38 gives us a clear illustration of the importance of holiness in worship.
"Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.
It is very clear that God required a standard of holiness in the lives of those who offered up worship unto the Lord. Aaron could not come into the presence of the Lord with his own guilt and sin on his head because he was the one responsible for carrying the guilt and sin of the people of Israel. The ‘holiness of the Lord' was to be placed on the forehead of Aaron, and it was to go before him as he came into God's presence. The worshipper who is expecting to come into the presence of the Lord must be sanctified, or made holy, before the Lord.
We don't like to hear this message because it means that we have to change the way that we live. It means that we can no longer be a ‘normal, go-with-the-flow' Christian. The bible is very clear that there is only one standard—the Lord's standard. This message is not just limited to the Old Testament, but also is very evident in the New Testament. We know that Romans 12:1 teaches us how to be a true worshipper, but we are given further instructions in verse 2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 1 John 2:15 commands us, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Did you catch that? The love of the Father is not in those who want to hold on to the things and the patterns of this world. If we want to be in the will and the love of God we need to become like Jesus and be "in the world, but not of it" (John 17:16-17).
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.