The Savior's Right

James Smith, 1859
 

"Worship Him, for He is your Lord." Psalm 45:11

These words refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the proper object of religious worship and adoration. He is Lord of all. He has all rule, and all authority. All things are put under his feet. He is the supreme Judge, and has all the hosts of heaven, earth, and hell under his control. It is his to appoint to all offices in the world, and in the church. Everything is at his disposal, and is used by him for the accomplishment of his will. All power in heaven and earth is his. He has power to quicken the dead in sin, to support and comfort the tried, to subdue and put down all his foes, and to preserve all his people unto his kingdom and glory. Such is his power, that he will ultimately subdue all things unto himself.

He is our Lord. Lord of our persons, claiming them for his own. Lord over our faith, demanding, requiring, and regulating it. Lord over our consciences, and will rule and use them. Lord over our property, and requires it to be used for his glory. He purchased us. He claims us. He employs us. He holds us accountable. He provides all for us—and wishes us to look to him for all we need. He is our rightful sovereign, and has placed us under his laws. He is our gracious Savior, and has brought us into liberty and peace. To him we owe the homage of the heart, and the obedience of the life.

"Worship him." This is the command of the Father. Not only are we to love his person, reverence his authority, and do his will; but we are to render him the worship and adoration of the heart. We cannot think of him too highly, love him too ardently, or adore him too solemnly. He is worthy of all—of more than all. And as the Father commands us to worship him—it is clear that he is really, truly, and properly God. God by nature. God equally with the Father, and the Holy Spirit. To him, therefore, we may bring our petitions; from him, we may expect our supplies; and at his hands, we shall receive every blessing. O for grace to adore the Savior! O to be enabled to trust him as God, obey him as God, and worship him as God!

Jesus is to be worshiped in public, in the great congregation. Jesus is to be worshiped in the family, and thus to be honored before our children. Jesus is to be worshiped in private, as the omniscient and omnipresent God. Every knee should bow to him, in prayer, praise, and intercession. Let us then testify our love to Jesus, by habitually and devoutly worshiping him.

And let us bear in mind, that the Lordship of Jesus, and the worship of his people, are inseparably connected; the one being defended the other is maintained.

Reader, do you worship Jesus? Do you render to him the homage of the heart? Jesus is to be worshiped both with the body and with the soul. To him every knee must bow, for the Father has solemnly pledged his word that they shall. If therefore you do not bow to him now as the God of saving grace—you will be obliged to bow to him at length as the God of holy justice. We must either bend—or break. He will be Lord. He will subdue every foe, either by his gracious power, or by his just wrath. Every obdurate foe he will destroy, for he has informed us, that the time is coining when he will say, "But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence!" Luke 19:27