After the resurrection, the women grasp Jesus’ feet and worship Him (Matthew 28:9). The disciples worship Him in Galilee, even as they wrestle with awe and hesitation (Matthew 28:17). Luke tells us that they worship Him as He blesses them and ascends, and they return to Jerusalem with great joy (Luke 24:52). Stephen prays to Jesus saying “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). The doxology of Revelation 1:5 is directed to Christ as we read, “To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood…to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5 represents the elders falling to worship the Lamb as they sing the “new song” to Him (Revelation 5:9-10). The climax comes in Revelation 5:13 as they sing, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.” The saints cry out in worship, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10).
Paul applies the language of prayer directly to Jesus when he describes the church as those “who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2). The Lord’s Supper is practiced as a memorial to Him (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The final prayer of Scripture is addressed to Him as John says, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Hurtado’s summary captures the theological significance of these realities as he says the early Christians “redefined their devotion to the God of their fathers so as to include the veneration of Jesus. And apparently, they regarded this redefinition not only as legitimate but, indeed, as something demanded of them.”2 The deity of Christ is the theological conviction demonstrated in Christian worship from the beginning.
Special thanks to Donnie DeBord of Apologetics Press for this series.
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