In the Old Testament, man worshipped the God in the temple. In the Old Testament age, when a man wanted to worship God, he had to go to the temple. But the New Testament worship is not in the temple. Rather, it is in Christ because God is in Christ.
Today, although our God is the same as the one that the Jews worshipped, there is a difference in age, and there is also a difference in form. The God that the Jews worshipped then was only God; He was not man. He had only divinity; there was no humanity. But in the New Testament, the God that we Christians worship is both God and man. He is a God-man. When we worship God today, we are worshipping such a One. All who are not worshipping this God-man are not worshipping God. Today, God is an incarnated God, a God that is mingled with man. When we worship Him, we are enjoying not only God, we are enjoying Man as well. This is marvelous.
During the three and a half years when the Lord Jesus was fulfilling His ministry on earth, sometimes He was in Galilee, far away from Jerusalem. But sometimes He went to Jerusalem and was even found near the temple there. In the temple, there were rows and rows of priests serving God properly and according to the regulations of the Old Testament. But Jesus was not there. Perhaps He was in a little cottage beside the temple. There we see a group of Galileans, some sitting and some standing. There are even some tax collectors and harlots. All these are lowly Galileans. At this time, was God being worshipped in the temple, or was Jesus being worshipped? Do we go up to the temple, or do we go to a little cottage to worship God?
We can see clearly that at that time, God was in that little house. This is because Jesus was there, and God was inside Jesus Christ. The most difficult point we encounter when we preach the gospel to the Jews is that they still think that God is in the temple. They do not believe that God is in Jesus Christ. We have to tell the Jews that God left the temple two thousand years ago. Today you cannot find God outside of Christ. You must go to Christ. When you are in Christ, you will find God.
In the same principle, today when we worship God, we should not be attracted by beautiful cathedrals. We are seeking Christ, and we are worshipping Christ. We go to the place where Christ is. This is the New Testament worship. Originally, we were meeting in big meeting halls with pianos and dignified sermons. Later, we were led to have home meetings and small group meetings. Four or five families now meet together in homes. Some homes look alright. But other homes are quite uncomely; the chairs are broken, the benches are crooked, and there is no separation between the kitchen and the dining room. As a result, some brothers and sisters find such meetings impossible to take. They are not willing to come to this kind of meeting.
However, we have to see that to worship God in the New Testament, we have to find where Christ is. Do not despise a place that appears ragged, for Jesus may be dwelling there. Today, His name is not yet the glorified Christ. His name today is called Jesus of Nazareth. Hence, we all have to see why we must change this old way. The old way suits our natural human concept. But in the Bible, God’s ordained way matches His economy. For this reason, we must return to the New Testament and worship and serve according to the New Testament. Only then will we satisfy God’s desire.
Worship in the New Testament has no form. If there is a form, it will easily become a worship service. However, until today, after we lead people to salvation, they still have the natural concept of attending worship services. On Sunday, they will look for chapels nearby in order that they might attend services. The beginning of a program is usually hymn singing. Then the preacher offers his prayer. After that, the pastor delivers his sermon and expounds the Bible. When the service is near its end, there is another hymn with prayer and benediction following. We have to see that it is not wrong to worship God. But it is absolutely wrong if we take the above way. A set program and procedure will fully kill the spirit within the saints. We must never bring this way of worship service into the home meeting, small group meeting, or Lord’s Day morning meeting. Its result is terrible. We have to change our concept completely so that we can have the New Testament worship.