It has been placed upon my heart lately to take a deeper look at “real” Worship. Worship being the essence of an essential healthy spiritual life that drives everything else in our Christian walk, it is critical to have a proper understanding. Where better place to start then an experienced Pastor’s prospective?
I wrote: I heard a lecture this month, where the teacher stated that there are battles today over the TRUTH of God and over sound doctrine (the teaching, instruction, principles and positions, knowledge and belief)
... And when sound and solid doctrine goes, so goes the church. But the opposite is true also. He states that there is a great secularization of Worship in our country over the last years and many have turned the church into an Entertainment Center. I wrote something about this issue a couple times before, where Christ was not the focus ... the Service itself was. If we're trying to do God's Work in the "World's Way, then who are we really worshipping? You can bet that I am going to write more on this!
My question Pastor is: Can you define "Worship" for me … Authentic and genuine Worship?
I always considered the Sunday church service as a "Worship" service, where Christians and Seekers come each week, on the Lord's Day, on the day Jesus, who died for our sins, rose from the grave, conquering sin and death, to worship God as Savior and Lord, as the body of Believers. One day, I heard someone say that "worship" in only the singing of praise songs in the service. I still hear that today. Another time, I was told that they were not experiencing God’s presence. I see that this is confusing for many. What is true worship? Especially, coming up to Easter, can you explain it to me?
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He replied: I believe worship is defined in: Romans 12:1: Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, *acceptable to God, which is your *spiritual service of worship.
and
John 4:23-24: 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.
God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [God] in spirit and in truth.
How I live should worship God, my lifestyle. My worship must be in spirit and in truth. My words, my singing, my hands, clapping or raised, my playing of instruments, etc., etc. are all just outward "tools" to express my heart.
On a Sunday morning churches have what some call a "worship service". If we would think of that time much more in the light of Romans 12:1, we would have more "worship of Him in spirit and in truth." When the outer things of our expressions get more of our attention and focus than the Lord himself, then we are not worshipping in spirit and in truth as we should. I am certainly not opposed to the use of technology, but if the technology draws people's attention to it, then it is very likely that attention has been drawn away from the Lord. Finally, we must make sure we do not worship "worshipping".
Check out the back story of the Matt Redman song, "Heart of Worship" at:
http://www.crosswalk.com/church/worship/song-story-matt-redmans-the-heart-of-worship-1253122.html
Bless you,
Pastor Tracy
2 comments:
I like what the pastor said. I kind of have had a problem calling a church service a worship service. Ideally, we should be worshiping all the time (I think of Revelation how the 24 elders are seated around the throne and in constant worship). We are not doing that literally, but I do think there is great significance to it symbolically.
Going back to Romans 12, I can see how this could be. When I see a beautiful sunset and Thanks Father, I am in worship. When I stop what I'm doing to help a little one with his shoes (without complaining ;)) I am in worship. When I show my husband unconditional love after he's had a long day and may be a bit short with me, I am in worship.
Going "to" church isn't presenting my body as a living sacrifice in my opinion, but is good in other ways.
I think Ma, that in our life of worship, there are different elements of the discipline worship, just as there are different disciplines of life itself. You are surely correct that the regenerate child of God looks through "all of life" through the window of Jesus and the Word of God, to His glory, honor and praise, from our heart, mind and soul as constant worship.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to: "pray without ceasing." Galatians 5:25 says that "if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." & Colossians 1:10-12 says to "live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." There are many more verses as examples, but they all this speak to living a "constant" life of worship. Everywhere we look and everything we do, we should see the Lord and with a joyful and loving eternal perspective live in gospel truth and thanksgiving of precious life; and that surely is worship.
I totally agree, but what I am looking into, more specifically, is the Hebrews 10:24-25 element of "Corporate" worship in that life of worship: "let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." And this is what Pastor Tracy is addressing .. in the House of Worship, in the assembly of worshipers, for the purpose of worshiping God as the body of Christ. What we do in worship and why is always a deep subject and when it comes to God, there is "no box". Genuine "Worship" is a deep subject that deserves deep thinking and understanding, because it is not part of what we do, but who we are. Thanks for writing Ma. Your thought-provoking comments always are welcome and appreciated.
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