Worship Is... What?!

WORSHIP IS . . . WHAT?

Two Scenarios:

            Pastor invites friend over to help out on Sunday morning

            Game Time:  “Make Some Noise”

wor·ship

Christian worship joyfully ascribes all praise and honor, glory and power to the triune God. In worship the people of God acknowledge God present in the world and in their lives. As they respond to God’s claim and redemptive action in Jesus Christ, believers are transformed and renewed. In worship the faithful offer themselves to God and are equipped for God’s service in the world.

-       Presbyterian Book of Order W-1.000000

wor·ship

 noun \ˈwər-shəp also ˈwȯr-\

: the act of showing respect and love for a god especially by praying with other people who believe in the same god : the act of worshipping God or a god

: excessive admiration for someone

-       Merriam Webster Dictionary

(Webster considered education "useless without the Bible")

Scary Stats:

In a 1999 research study by Barna Research Group, Ltd., disturbing statistics were discovered regarding the worship experience of regular church attendees (NOT the Poinsettia and Lily crowd!) in American churches. Results included:

Ø  Two Thirds of faithful church-goers cannot give an adequate definition of worship.

Ø  One-Third of church attending adults stated they have never experienced God’s presence.

Ø  One-Half of regular church attendees asserted they have not experienced God’s presence in the last year.

Biblical understanding of worship:  Worship is not a suggestion it is an often repeated command.

            “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord… (Psalm 29:2)

            “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness…” (Psalm 96:9)

            “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10)

            “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures;    and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and        wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen."

            (Rev. 7:11-12)

            “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

First three of the Ten Commandments are about worship:

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

Worship may be the most important thing we teach and do since we will be doing it for all eternity. It is one of our most important purposes in life as is an essential part of our beingness.  

 “Worship is written upon the heart of man by the hand of God… In a broad sense worship is inseparable from and is an expression of life. It is not that man cannot live without worship, it is that he cannot truly live without worship…man was made to worship as surely as he was made to breathe. We may restrict the expression of worship for a season, just as we may briefly hold our breath, but there is an inward craving for worship that cannot be permanently stilled.”  - Judson Cornwall The Practice of Praise

Worship challenges of those who work at church on Sunday mornings.

The enemy of our souls understands the priority of worship. The truth is that Satan will often tempt you and me in the same way he did Jesus. If he cannot get us to worship him, then he will do everything he can to keep us busy with mundane tasks, problems in life, etc. He will even help keep us busy with church activities in order to keep us from focusing on the Lord and worshipping Him. Do not fall for his ploys.

            Worship. It is and always will be our first priority.”    - Tom Kraeuter Worship Is… What?!

TABLE TALK . . .

1.     Discuss which of these worship experiences you can relate to:

It is the priority of your life.

It starts in your heart.

It proceeds from heart to action.

It is a response to God, a giving to God.

Your conscience has been quickened by the holiness of God

Your mind is fed by the word of God.

You heart is open to the love of God.

Your will is devoted to the purpose of God.

2.     What does your worship life look like on Sunday mornings? 

3.     Is there somewhere else, some other time you practice worshipping?

4.     How do you respond to traditional/liturgical elements of worship? 

            Do they have meaning for you, or are you simply reciting familiar words?

            Does singing familiar hymns bring you into a worshipful, heartfelt, honoring God, giving Him glory           kind      of place?

            When the choir sings is it a worship experience for you, or is it more like a performance to break up the   service?

            Do you feel like you’re brought into the presence of God in our traditional LJPC services?

5.     How does the contemporary worship service style impact you?

            Do you feel like you are brought into the presence of God by the music?

            Do you wonder how many people stand during worship due to peer pressure or because of genuine        heartfelt worship?

            Does the music portion of the service feel like worship or entertainment?

            Do you feel like you’re brought into the presence of God in our contemporary LJPC service?

6.     When have you richly encountered God in a gallery, book, performance, or film? Try to explain what happened to you and why.

An All Y’All Anecdote

While on the LJPC Holy Land Tour last November led by Stan and Marie Beard, I often found myself in a state of wonder. Of the many magical moments that moved this old music man, none compared to an extraordinary event at the tomb where Jesus was taken following His crucifixion.  Our group had just finished viewing the tomb and had gone to a shaded area on the grounds. Surrounded by olive trees, we reflected on what we had just experienced and prepared to take communion together.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Stan had just finished reading Matthew 28: 5-7 when, as if on cue, a group of Christians under the canopy next to us began singing . . . in Korean. Although we didn’t understand their words, we knew ours by heart and without so much as a nod from anyone in our group we spontaneously joined them through the universal languages of music and Christianity. Truly an “All Y’All moment as we sang:

I serve a risen Savior,
He’s in the world today,
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

The vastness of the global Christian community overwhelmed me as East met West less than fifty feet apart. A ‘Divine Appointment’ such as this could only have been orchestrated by God Himself. If one little tumbler hadn’t clicked exactly at the right time in the complex itineraries of these two tour groups we would have never touched greatness in this extraordinary moment. Though normally separated by miles, cultural differences, and languages, we joined in the same place at the same time sharing our common faith in the risen Savior living in our hearts.

The Coolest Community . . . Forever!

What’s the coolest community you’ve ever been in . . . Your neighborhood . . . Your workplace . . . Your school . . . Your growth group?

For us as Christians, the greatest community possible is one that includes God. That’s right! Our almighty Father, the Creator of the entire universe, invites YOU and ME to be in community with HIM! How cool is that? In a world where increasingly many find community only on digital devices and gadgets, as believers we can skip right past the technology and go directly to the source of all that is or ever will be. God promises to be in community with each one of us.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.  Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

Did you ever notice that the word ‘unity’ is embedded in ‘community’? To be in unity we must have trust and love. That’s the endgame . . . creating unity with others and with God through following His invitation to spend time with Him. The challenging part as we commune with God is to de-clutter our minds, to be good listeners, intent on hearing that “still small voice”.

Here’s a Lenten challenge for you. Spend a minimum of four minutes a day in prayer with someone you love. Pray for each other. Pray for family members. Pray for friends, the church, the world, and then . . . listen. My wife and I have been doing this for some time. We believe this habit is deepening our relationships in the coolest community forever. (And yes, listening is the hardest part!)

Over the past 40 years I’ve been blessed to direct six church choirs. So many extraordinary moments made even more intense through God’s gift of music. Members of these choirs became close, like an extended family, oftentimes the ‘largest small group’ in the church. The root of the word “choir” in Hebrew comes from the ancient root that refers to community! It’s only natural for me to end this devotional with music. Please get together with one or more loved ones and listen to The Brilliance singing Breathe at the link below. Let their song be your prayer to conclude today’s devotional while you listen for what God is saying to you!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7zQ6g-yy3M