Continuing on this thought-provoking message of the
dangers of entertainment from the last post. The third danger associated with entertainment
is (3) the danger of worship as entertainment. Dr. Mathison mentions that in a
book by Neil Postman titled, “Amusing Ourselves to Death”, explored are the
ways that television has affected everything from politics to education, from journalism
to worship. I have heard that when interviewed, the inventor of the television was
asked what the greatest feature of the new entertainment device, which is now
in virtually every home, to which he answered: “the switch to turn it off”. Why? A shift from a word-based culture to an
image-based culture has turned everything into entertainment. Sadly, we have
witnessed the consequences of the constant demand for entertainment in the way
that many churches have tried to make worship conform to this shift. This has
resulted in the exchange of God-centered worship for man-centered worship. The danger
is real.
Jesus said in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit
and in truth.”
Professor Mathison states that some worship services
today have more in common with Broadway shows or rock concerts than they do
with anything found in Scripture. When teaching and preaching the Word of God
and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ as foundational truth for life,
while giving praise, honor and glory to God, are not the primary focus and prime
objective of worship, then when the entertaining lacks, so does the church as
the great commission takes a back seat. If our worship is biblical, however, it
is not to be man-cantered but God-centered. This cannot occur if the primary
concern is amusing those whose conscience has been dissuaded by an emphasis on
entertainment in worship. When we attempt to make worship amusing or
entertaining, we are showing the entire world that our God is not taken
seriously, because it is either blasphemy or something very close to it. What
is exactly is worship and who is being worshipped?
(4) A fourth danger associated with entertainment is the
danger of distraction. Our increased demand for incessant entertainment can
easily distract us from more important things. Studies have found that many
would rather be playing, hitting the town, watching the boob tube, engaged in
social media, or surfing the internet than studying, taking care of their homes
and family, doing their job or getting enough sleep. Distraction is a real danger.
Mathison explains that as Christians, we are permitted to
enjoy the good gifts of God, even the good musical, storytelling, and athletic
gifts He has given, but these good gifts are not the greatest gift and must
never become our chief end in life. If we are to be faithful and wise followers
of Jesus Christ, we must constantly be on guard against the ways in which the
enemies of Christ (the God-rejecting secular world system, the sin nature of
our flesh desires, and the devil) seek to turn a good thing bad and cause us
harm.
Blessed in Christ alone
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