RELIGION versus GRACE | Worship in Spirit (b)
Consider 3 common traps relating to worship:
i) Worshiping externalism? How easy to be overly impressed by the architecture of an ancient place of worship or the recent construction of a ‘branch building’ by volunteer workers – and be less impressed by the awesomeness of God! (Jer 7:1-7; Matt 24:1-2) The first three centuries of Christianity avoided such money-draining distractions. What of fancy rituals? “What we find in the New Testament, perhaps to our amazement, is an utterly stunning degree of indifference to worship as an outward ritual, and an utterly radical intensification of worship as an inward experience of the heart." See here.
ii) Worshiping feelings? The Hebrew word for “celebrate” in 2 Samuel 6:5,21, which describes David dancing joyfully before the Ark of God, comes from a root word meaning to laugh, to play, to have fun. Yes, God wants us to be filled with a holy joy but “before the Lord” (6:5,14,16,17,21). It is the presence of the Lord which evokes the joy – not the event itself. Avoid the trap of worshiping worship.
iii) Worshiping Men. We respect our parents and pastors but must stop short of idolatry by putting any man or body of men on a pedestal. Do not make people our god – including idolizing ourselves. God alone is God, cast down the idol of men! (Isa 2:17,22). What about Christ-centered worship? It is worship oriented on what Christ has done for us, not about what we do for him. It is about more of Christ and less of me.
Consider 3 common traps relating to worship:
i) Worshiping externalism? How easy to be overly impressed by the architecture of an ancient place of worship or the recent construction of a ‘branch building’ by volunteer workers – and be less impressed by the awesomeness of God! (Jer 7:1-7; Matt 24:1-2) The first three centuries of Christianity avoided such money-draining distractions. What of fancy rituals? “What we find in the New Testament, perhaps to our amazement, is an utterly stunning degree of indifference to worship as an outward ritual, and an utterly radical intensification of worship as an inward experience of the heart." See here.
ii) Worshiping feelings? The Hebrew word for “celebrate” in 2 Samuel 6:5,21, which describes David dancing joyfully before the Ark of God, comes from a root word meaning to laugh, to play, to have fun. Yes, God wants us to be filled with a holy joy but “before the Lord” (6:5,14,16,17,21). It is the presence of the Lord which evokes the joy – not the event itself. Avoid the trap of worshiping worship.
iii) Worshiping Men. We respect our parents and pastors but must stop short of idolatry by putting any man or body of men on a pedestal. Do not make people our god – including idolizing ourselves. God alone is God, cast down the idol of men! (Isa 2:17,22). What about Christ-centered worship? It is worship oriented on what Christ has done for us, not about what we do for him. It is about more of Christ and less of me.
_____________________________
Worship? Outpouring of a heart responding to a realization of who God is
Worship? Outpouring of a heart responding to a realization of who God is