June 20, 2025 - 1 Samuel 12:24 - "True Worship"

1 Samuel 12:24

"Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you."

This verse concludes Samuel’s solemn address to national Israel—a people often forgetful of the LORD Who, by His sovereign mercy, had delivered and preserved them. Here, the prophet tenderly exhorts them to steadfast devotion: “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.” Here we are taught the essence of true worship—rooted not in outward form or religious duty, but in reverential awe, loving service, and heartfelt gratitude for all that God has graciously done. We who are the LORD's true Israel are called here to reflect on the greatness of our Redeemer's work and respond with whole-hearted devotion to Him Who has loved us and given Himself for us.

This portion of God’s Word instructs us in three vital elements of true worship: fearing the LORD, serving Him in truth with all the heart, and considering how great things He has done for His people.

"Only fear the LORD"

These words in 1 Samuel are addressed to those whom God has chosen in Christ, redeemed and justified by the blood and righteousness of His dear Son, and called to Himself (v. 22). The fear spoken of here is not that of a cowering slave before his master, but rather of a reverent, respectful son before his father. Such is the privilege and authority with which chosen, redeemed, and justified sinners are commanded to approach Him. This fear of the LORD is entirely the result of the revelation of Christ to the heart by the Spirit of God in those whom God has already forgiven for Christ’s sake (Hebrews 12:9, 22–28).

"Serve Him in truth with all the heart"

Service to God is not a mere duty to be fulfilled, but rather the “reasonable service” of all who are objects of His sovereign mercy. The apostle Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). The picture is that of the bondservant who, having been given freedom to leave, willingly clings to his master and is bonded to him forever out of love: “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exodus 21:6).

Two key characteristics mark this service:

In Truth

No one can truly serve the LORD except in accord with the truth as revealed in the Gospel of His blessed Son. Many claim to serve the LORD based on their own decisions, dedications, works, or zeal. But their zeal is not according to knowledge: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:1–3).

To serve the LORD in truth is the result of God graciously revealing to the heart of a sinner the glorious Person and work of the LORD Jesus, Who is the Truth: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Anyone who seeks to serve God for any reason or motive other than Christ as their only Righteousness is ultimately self-serving. Some serve out of fear of punishment, others for reward, and still others to be seen by men. The only true motive is the Truth as it is in Christ, Who He is and what He has accomplished in His life and death to satisfy all of God’s law and justice.

From the Heart

True service to God—offered in praise, honor, and glory—is the outworking of God’s grace from the heart: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). It is from the heart that God causes His children to believe in the righteousness which Christ has established and which the Father has imputed to them by the death of His Son: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4). It is from the heart that they worship and serve Him: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).

"Consider How Great Things He Hath Done"

For Israel, this meant remembering how God brought them up out of Egypt, settled them in the land of Canaan, nurtured them, sent them prophets, and raised up faithful judges and kings to rule over them.

For the church, it is to consider God’s mercy and grace—not only in temporal provisions but especially in all spiritual blessings in Christ, such as justification, pardon, forgiveness of sins, peace, and eternal life in and through Him: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

What could be more necessary, more needful, or more glorious?