When Jesus had the conversation with the woman at the well, they finally ended up talking about true worship. Jesus explained to her that true worship had nothing t do with the location of the worshiper.
You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:22-24 NIV)
When we worship in spirit and in truth, it has little to do with a worship service at all. It's about a lifestyle of service in worship of our God.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1 NIV84)
We are living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Our worship is our obedience in everyday life. It's not about gathering together to praise God on Sunday, only to leave and blaspheme God on Monday. Its about our life. That's why Paul's very next line says this.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
Why do we care what God's will is? We care because it leads us into all truth. We care because the truth sets us free. We care because it opens the way to God so we can come home to the Father again. We care because we must know the will of the Spirit before we can walk by the Spirit. We care because walking by the Spirit of God is worship.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV)
How about you? Do you worship God?
Showing posts with label 15.2.6 - Spirit Worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 15.2.6 - Spirit Worship. Show all posts
Friday, July 3, 2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Sacrifice and Worship
Worship is about drawing near to God. Being in the presence of God drives people to spontaneous worship. In the days of Moses, people were so frightened to be in the presence of God that they asked Moses to speak with God on their behalf. Moses became the first Israelite prophet. His brother Aaron would go into the presence of God to bring sacrifices and offerings. Aaron became the first High Priest.
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. (Hebrews 9:1-9 NIV)
Being in the presence of a Holy God not only drives us to worship. It also drives us to repentance. Whenever someone approaches God, they immediately recognize their own sin. They know that God is Holy and Righteous. In comparison, we are not. Old Testament sacrifices were a way of offering a sacrifice as a payment for that sin. Even back then, they understood that the wages of sin is death. The death of bulls and goats, though, were not really enough payment for what we have done. It never really cleared our consciences.
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, my God.'" (Hebrews 10:1-7 NIV)
When Jesus came, he laid down his life as the perfect sacrifice. He was the pure spotless lamb. His blood causes the angel of death to pass over us and allow us to live. Jesus paid the price once for all time. Because of his sacrifice, we can once again worship. We can enter into the very presence of God.
So how about you? Is Jesus the perfect sacrifice for you? Did he pay the price you deserve for your sin? Is your conscience cleared by Christ so that you may worship God again? Does his sacrifice pave the way for your worship?
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. (Hebrews 9:1-9 NIV)
Being in the presence of a Holy God not only drives us to worship. It also drives us to repentance. Whenever someone approaches God, they immediately recognize their own sin. They know that God is Holy and Righteous. In comparison, we are not. Old Testament sacrifices were a way of offering a sacrifice as a payment for that sin. Even back then, they understood that the wages of sin is death. The death of bulls and goats, though, were not really enough payment for what we have done. It never really cleared our consciences.
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, my God.'" (Hebrews 10:1-7 NIV)
When Jesus came, he laid down his life as the perfect sacrifice. He was the pure spotless lamb. His blood causes the angel of death to pass over us and allow us to live. Jesus paid the price once for all time. Because of his sacrifice, we can once again worship. We can enter into the very presence of God.
So how about you? Is Jesus the perfect sacrifice for you? Did he pay the price you deserve for your sin? Is your conscience cleared by Christ so that you may worship God again? Does his sacrifice pave the way for your worship?
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Body-Building Worship
Churches often find what they consider valid reasons to split over worship. One likes acapella music while another prefers instruments. One wants hymns, another wants choruses, still another wants contemporary Christian rock. We decide get other people together who agree with us, create a group and try to get our way through the influence of that group. If that doesn't work, sometimes we leave and start a new group just to match our preference. We call it a "new church plant" so we don't feel bad about splitting our previous church community.
Music isn't the only thing that threatens a church community. Gifted people can be a threat as well. This is rather ironic, since God gives gifts to everyone who comes home to the Father through the Son and receives the Holy Spirit. In fact, those gifts are given by God for a reason. We are all expected to use them. Sometimes, though, we don't like the gift we've been given and we are jealous of the gift another person has been given. That doesn't help the church at all, though. Instead, we tear apart God's design for the Church.
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18 NIV)
Working together as the Body of Christ is important because we are supposed to worship in Spirit and in truth. Worship in the Spirit is, in part, recognizing and living out the gifts we were given by God. Not only that, walking by the Spirit means we celebrate the gifts of others rather than feel jealousy. Finally, walking by the Spirit means using your own God given gifts without getting all full of yourself. The gift you have does not make you more important than anyone else. It is given to you so you can serve everyone else in His Body.
Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. (1 Corinthians 14:12-17 NIV)
One of these "church splitting" gifts back in the New Testament days was the gift of speaking in tongues. It makes sense that it could cause problems. It is a really cool gift. People were given the miraculous ability to speak in a language they had not studied and did not previously understand. This gift was a sign from God that the message the person was speaking came from God. Remember, all prophets had to have a miraculous sign to confirm that their message was from God. Speaking in tongues was just such a sign. In fact, it was a common sign that God poured out, starting on the day of Pentecost. The problem was that people got so caught up in the gift, that they forgot God. They thought they were worshiping God by speaking in tongues, but they forgot that God gave them the gift in order to validate the message God wanted to give to His people. (Remember, the New Testament church did not have the New Testament to read. They were living it!)
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. (1 Corinthians 14:22-26 NIV)
Music isn't the only thing that threatens a church community. Gifted people can be a threat as well. This is rather ironic, since God gives gifts to everyone who comes home to the Father through the Son and receives the Holy Spirit. In fact, those gifts are given by God for a reason. We are all expected to use them. Sometimes, though, we don't like the gift we've been given and we are jealous of the gift another person has been given. That doesn't help the church at all, though. Instead, we tear apart God's design for the Church.
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18 NIV)
Working together as the Body of Christ is important because we are supposed to worship in Spirit and in truth. Worship in the Spirit is, in part, recognizing and living out the gifts we were given by God. Not only that, walking by the Spirit means we celebrate the gifts of others rather than feel jealousy. Finally, walking by the Spirit means using your own God given gifts without getting all full of yourself. The gift you have does not make you more important than anyone else. It is given to you so you can serve everyone else in His Body.
Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. (1 Corinthians 14:12-17 NIV)
One of these "church splitting" gifts back in the New Testament days was the gift of speaking in tongues. It makes sense that it could cause problems. It is a really cool gift. People were given the miraculous ability to speak in a language they had not studied and did not previously understand. This gift was a sign from God that the message the person was speaking came from God. Remember, all prophets had to have a miraculous sign to confirm that their message was from God. Speaking in tongues was just such a sign. In fact, it was a common sign that God poured out, starting on the day of Pentecost. The problem was that people got so caught up in the gift, that they forgot God. They thought they were worshiping God by speaking in tongues, but they forgot that God gave them the gift in order to validate the message God wanted to give to His people. (Remember, the New Testament church did not have the New Testament to read. They were living it!)
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. (1 Corinthians 14:22-26 NIV)
So, how about you? Do you want worship services to be customized around you and your preferences? Do you get jealous or upset at spiritual gifts that God gave other people? Do you hide your own spiritual gifts because it doesn't match the "style" of the church where you worship or they are just not as "good" as someone else's gift? Do you use the gifts God gave you to worship God and build up His church?
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
True Worship
The woman at the well wasn't the only one who would be challenged with her idea of worship. In fact, the apostle Paul described worship in a way that had nothing to do with the location of a worship building or, for that matter, any style of music.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1 NIV)
True and proper worship, as he describes here, is when we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. Tonight I had the pleasure of listening to my son teach at a Bible study for young adults. As a part of his teaching, he stated that "God does not desire our sacrifice. God desires our obedience. Sometimes, though, our obedience requires sacrifice." He couldn't be more right. When we live a life following God, our very lives become a "sacrifice" before God. This is true and proper worship. Paul makes this clear as he continues his letter to the Church in Rome.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
So how about you? Is your life a "living sacrifice?" Do you worship God in all that you say and do? Do you conform to the pattern of this world, or are you transformed by the renewing of your mind? Do you know God's will for your life?
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1 NIV)
True and proper worship, as he describes here, is when we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. Tonight I had the pleasure of listening to my son teach at a Bible study for young adults. As a part of his teaching, he stated that "God does not desire our sacrifice. God desires our obedience. Sometimes, though, our obedience requires sacrifice." He couldn't be more right. When we live a life following God, our very lives become a "sacrifice" before God. This is true and proper worship. Paul makes this clear as he continues his letter to the Church in Rome.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)
So how about you? Is your life a "living sacrifice?" Do you worship God in all that you say and do? Do you conform to the pattern of this world, or are you transformed by the renewing of your mind? Do you know God's will for your life?
Monday, June 29, 2015
Talk About Worship
I don't know if you ever really thought about it much, but Jesus seemed to do a lot of his preaching and teaching on the road. Literally, he would teach people while walking from one place to another. He would break heads of wheat off, then use it as an opportunity for discussion. He wants to eat from a fig tree, and another teachable moment arises. Jesus often taught on the road.
So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. (John 4:3-6 NIV)
So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. (John 4:3-6 NIV)
Jesus is about to have another teachable moment. He and his followers were travelling and it was time to get some food and water. There wasn't a 7-11 or Speedway nearby, so they stopped by Jacob's well for a drink.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (John 4:7-9 NIV)
It was unusual for a man to address a woman directly in their culture. It was also unusual for a Jew to associate at all with a Samaritan. You see, Samaritans were people who had come from "mixed marriages." One parent was Jewish. Another was a believer in other gods. The result is that children grow up kind of wondering what to believe in all this. This woman was no exception. She needed some help in understanding God. It's a good thing she ran into Jesus.
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:10-14 NIV)
Jesus lets her know that he has something to offer spiritually. He is a man of God and, once again, uses his surroundings as a sort of object-lesson. He is by a well that has water, so he speaks of living water. He is getting ready to teach this woman who he is.
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. (John 4:15-19 NIV)
Now Jesus starts to reveal more about himself. He knows that she has had five husbands and is with a man now who is not her husband. She recognizes that this knowledge is a sign. He must be a prophet. So, she does what you do with prophets. She asks a spiritual question.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." "Woman," Jesus replied, "believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." (John 4:20-24 NIV)
Her question is at the heart of the dispute between Jews and Samaritans: where do we worship God? Samaritans worship in Samaria. Jews worship at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus gives her an unexpected answer: worship in Spirit and in truth. Then he tells her who he is.
The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I, the one speaking to you--I am he." (John 4:25-26 NIV)
So how about you? What does worship look like for you? Is it about travelling to a specific place or building? Is it about a certain type of preaching? Is worship about a certain kind of music? Do you also worship on the road to wherever? Do you worship in Spirit and in truth?
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