Worship Misunderstood

Extracted from a Brother who posted it on facebook

"The worship music tonight was incredible. It really brought us into the presence of God."

"We meet with God as we sing praise to him, especially when we do so in a particular way. The musicians and worship leaders will help to facilitate that encounter."

"As the worship leader and worship team, we are priests that bring God's people into his Holy presence."

Sounds familiar? I'm sure you've heard similar phrases within your Christian circles. What do you think of them? I had the privilege of being corrected at a (lengthy) workshop at the Christian Fellowship in my school and i would like to share what i can with you. God forbid that i may mislead you, my dear family in Christ.

1.) Worship depends on your concept of God. Is he a genie? A healing machine? A merciless, distant God?

2.) Worship may be acceptable to him or unacceptable.

Heb 12:28b "worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."

Roms 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP"

Others - Heb 11:4, Isaiah 1:10-24

3.) Idolatry in the OT included the worship of false gods and also THE FALSE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD

4.) Acceptable worship conforms to what God has revealed

Worship in the original language.

Proskuneo- Genesis 18:2, Exodus 18:7, Matthew 8:2 (bowed low, bowed down, RECOGNIZING GOD'S POWER) This is not just an action but an ATTITUDE of humility, reverence, submission and acknowledgement of his superiority)

Leitourgeo- Numbers 8:22 (Levites came to do their work), Joel 1:13, Romans 15:27, Philippians 2:17 (Minister, share, service, priestly work/service) Worship includes MINISTRY in church. It is NOT LIMITED TO WORSHIP SERVICE ON SUNDAY.

Sebomai- Joshua 4:24 Acts 13:43, 50, Mark 7:7 (fear) Worship is done in REVERENTIAL FEAR

Latreuo- Deut 10:12-13, Joshua 24:19-21, 2 Tim 1:3, (Serve) Heb 9:14 "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemised to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may SERVE the living God!"

OT: Worship in the Hebrew texts of the OT referred to homage, service, reverence and obedience

NT: Greek - worship encompasses EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES, including evangelism and loving others.

Remember the first phrase?

"The worship music tonight was incredible. It really brought us into the presence of God." What does this say? That the music brought us into the presence of God, right?

Saying this could mean 2 things:

Elevating music - Music is used in many religions, even Christianity to bring people to a heightened ecstacy, where we "feel" that we have met God.

Discounting Christ - Mark 15:37-38 "And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." JESUS' DEATH BOUGHT US ACCESS INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. The curtain covered the Holy of Holies in the Jewish testament, where God's presence is in the form of the 10 commandments. Only the high priest could go in during the OT. Jesus's death means we can all enter God's presence through him.

So then the focus of worship is no longer about a place (the church building?) but rather a person, Jesus. John 4:21-25 "Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father... But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth..."

But what does "in spirit and in truth" mean?

John 3:3 - "... unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" John 3:5 "Unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" John 15:3-15 (Abide in Christ and keep his commandments)

Spirit (John 3:5) - To be born again or simply, Christians to worship him. It's not just about sincerity. It's about recognizing Jesus & obeying him

Truth ( John 14:6) - Through Jesus

John 14:26 - "the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that i have said to you"

JESUS IS THE PLACE OF WORSHIP. When we POINT people TO JESUS, when we OBEY him, we are worshipping him.

"As the worship leader and worship team, we are high priests that bring God's people into his Holy presence."

This seemingly innocent statement elevates the members mentioned.

Jesus is the high priest. Not us.

He has made the ultimate sacrifice and remains the means through which we access God. There is no longer a need for more sacrifices. Hebs 7:23-28 (but he holds his priesthood permanently), 10:11-14, 10:19-22 (through his flesh)

So what do we do now that we know this? Hebs 10:23-25 "hold fast the confession of our hope... let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together... but encouraging one another..."

Sacrifices pleasing to God - Hebs 13:14-15 "Through him then let us continually offer up a SACRIFICE OF PRAISE to God, that is, the FRUIT OF LIPS that acknowledge his name.

Notice that praise is not "lips that acknowledge his name" but "FRUIT of lips"

Worship isn't lip service. There must be fruit. Heb 13:16 "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (read 12:28-13:21 for the whole context)

Worship & Praise is DOING.

Vaughn Roberts: "Offering my body to God is not just something i do as i sing on a Sunday and can then forget about for the rest of the week. It must be worked out in practice, day by day, hour by hour. A friend of mine has put it like this: "To say, 'I am going to church to worship', is as silly as saying, 'i am off to bed to breathe for a while.'"

So why do we still meet? What for sing songs? Hebs 10:24-25 (spur one another to love and good deeds)

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (Serve, Ministry) Eph 4:11-16(speaking the truth in love, to grow up into the head, Christ. To be mature and not easily swayed by every other false teaching that attacks the church from within)

When we sing, we sing to God, to each other, and as a reminder to ourselves. If our songs only all about us, what then becomes the object of our worship? Eph 5:18-19 (addressing one another in songs)

Col 3:16-17 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymn and spiritual songs..."

Summary:

Worship is NOT LIMITED to "worship sessions" or songs. This term we use in church already limits it. Worship is not in sessions but is in every part of our lives.

Music DOES NOT BRING US TO GOD. WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST. Music helps us express, helps us remember, and gives us a means to encourage each other

Jesus is the object of our worship.

End note:

Let us know what worship means and be helpful to one another by reminding each other that it is not limited to songs but rather challenging and reminding each other to apply it in our lives.

I will say this again. Roms 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."