Episode Overview

Title: Bowed Down in the Presence of God
Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Date: February 4, 2026

This episode centers on the profound and lingering impact of true Christian worship—experiences that transcend the immediate and usher believers into a sense of awe before the presence of God. Sinclair B. Ferguson reflects on memorable worship moments, the lasting significance of sacraments, and the transformation that occurs when we “see the King’s face” in worship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Diversity of Worship Experiences

(00:08–02:03)

• Ferguson begins by inviting listeners to recall their most memorable worship experiences.
  • Settings range from large gatherings filled with praise, to humble worship in distant, rural locales, or moments of powerful preaching and communion.
  • Common thread: Regardless of circumstances, what unites these memories is becoming “conscious of the presence of the Lord with us.”

2. The Manifest Presence of God

(02:03–03:10)

• Jesus’ promise in the “farewell discourse” is highlighted: when believers respond in “obedience and trust and love through the Holy Spirit,” both Father and Son “make our home with us.”
  • The climax of worship is often described as the feeling that “at last we have come home.”

3. The Lasting Impact of Worship and Sacraments

(03:10–04:35)

• Ferguson draws on the Westminster Confession of Faith to emphasize:
  • The power (“efficacy”) of sacraments and worship “is not tied to the moment of administration.”
  • Example: The meaning of baptism lasts throughout Christian life; the pleasure of the Lord’s Table (communion) “endures even when we get up and leave.”
  • Memorable analogy:
    • “It’s like the taste of really good coffee at the end of a meal. It lingers and we continue to taste it.” (04:19)

4. Worship Shapes Character and Dignity

(04:35–05:20)

• The continued “sense of awe, of reverence, of solemn joy, of pleasure, of the experience of the treasure of the presence of God” has a transforming effect, shaping character and instilling dignity.
  • The realization that “little you and little me… have been in the presence of the Creator of the cosmos” is a source of lasting reverence.

5. Personal Reflections on the Presence of God

(05:20–06:40)

• Ferguson recounts early church experiences where, regardless of hymns or sermons, the congregation regularly felt “bowed down with this sense of awe.”
  • “God seemed to break through the veil between heaven and earth, between eternity and time, and bow us down in his presence.” (06:16)
  • Once someone has tasted this sense of God's presence, “you can never be fully content until you taste it again.”

6. Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ Perspective

(06:40–07:19)

• Ferguson shares a powerful quote from Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones:
  • “I can forgive almost anything in a service so long as there is a sense of the presence of God.” (06:54)
  • The means of worship—sermons, hymns—are all to this singular end: “that we meet with God.”

7. The Essence of Worship

(07:19–end)

• Referencing the Old Testament, Ferguson asks:
  • “What is the point of dwelling in Jerusalem if we never see the king's face?”
  • Concludes: “That’s what worship is about, seeing the king’s face.” (07:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The same is true of worship. It’s like the taste of really good coffee at the end of a meal. It lingers and we continue to taste it.”
  —Sinclair B. Ferguson (04:19)
• “God seemed to break through the veil between heaven and earth, between eternity and time, and bow us down in his presence.”
  —Sinclair B. Ferguson (06:16)
• “I can forgive almost anything in a service so long as there is a sense of the presence of God.”
  —Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, quoted by Ferguson (06:54)
• “What is the point of dwelling in Jerusalem if we never see the king’s face? And that’s what worship is about, seeing the king’s face.”
  —Sinclair B. Ferguson (07:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:08 – Introduction: Memorable worship experiences
• 02:03 – The promise of God’s manifest presence
• 03:10 – Lasting efficacy of sacraments and worship
• 04:19 – Worship’s lingering impact (the “good coffee” analogy)
• 06:16 – Personal experience: Bowed down in awe
• 06:54 – Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones quote
• 07:26 – The heart of worship: “seeing the king’s face”

Conclusion

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s reflection centers on Christian worship as a transformative encounter with God—the “lingering taste” that shapes faith and character. The episode urges listeners not only to recall past sacred moments, but to hunger for ongoing, authentic encounters with the presence of the King in corporate and personal worship.