Worship

DEVOTION
HEBREWS
WORSHIP
Heb 9:1-5
9:1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 
NIV


We are going to get to the reason for all this explanation of the first covenant, but we do need to stop here for a moment and see how regulations for worship in an earthly sanctuary are a part of the first covenant. Although we are not seeing a reason for each article spoken of here, we do see that there was a prescribed method of how the people were to worship. Are we still trying to worship by some prescribed method? It is part of the first covenant and it there not a new one? Should we not be free to worship however the Spirit moves us? Why are some so rigid in how the sanctuary must look, how it has to be set up, how there must be an altar, a cross, or whatever else they insist must be in certain places within the sanctuary? Why should it be a certain color? Why should only certain music be acceptable? Why must there be in some churches a written out script that has to be followed? Regulations for worship are still such an important factor for some, even the pastor; priest must wear a certain vestment in order to be official in some churches. Why do we feel out of synch when the order of service is disturbed? If some of us get too enthusiastic in our worship, why do others think we might be a little over the edge? Should we not all be able to worship our Lord with great enthusiasm? Why are we so stuffy, so subdued? Did not God send Jesus to die for our sins, so that we could be born again, so we could inherit eternal life? Should we not be dancing in the aisles, well at least raising our hands, filled with gratitude and thanksgiving, singing and praising God with all our strength? Should we not have tears of joy streaming down our face every time we have a chance to worship in the sanctuary, and not just in the outer room, but in the holy of holies? It seems obvious that the rules and regulations for worship were established for the first covenant, and that having a new covenant, a better covenant, an everlasting covenant, we would have a newer freedom to worship. Let us worship our Lord with all our heart, our mind, our soul and our strength, but let us not make that into some rule and regulation, interpreting exactly how that should look. Jesu set us free, and we are free indeed to worship him in spirit and truth.