What is Christian Worship?

Worship

Introduction

As we read scripture – we realise that worship is not just a great feeling on a Sunday as we sing a great song – the kind of feeling that you could get at a rock concert or listening to a CD at home – or watching a try scored at a Rugby match.

Worship is so much more than that – it is about us bringing our lives – in all their messiness and difficulty – into the presence of God, and under God's authority.

Worship in Revelation

In Revelation Chapter 4, John records the sight of elders and creatures worshipping God:

¹¹"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

- Revelation 4:11

Unfortunately the book of Revelation to John has been reduced to a kind of astrological chart for Christians.  Many people profit by writing books that claim to decode what John wrote – with little attention paid to the context in which he wrote.

John writes – essentially – about worship; in a time when Christians are being forced to worship the Roman Emperor.  When being a Christian might mean being chased out of town, losing your job and even being killed.

John paints a picture of that reminds us who is worthy of our worship.

You think Caesar is worth worshipping?

John's portrait of the most high God, of the risen Christ, of the heavenly songs of worship make Caesar look like a pipsqueak.

You think Caesar will last forever?

John's portrayal of the coming Kingdom and Judgment of God help us to remember that those people and things that seem to hold authority in this world only do so on a temporary basis. 

Ultimately God will have the victory.

In worship, the heavenly creatures and the elders bow down saying:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

- Revelation 4:11

The creator God has all the power, is literally the only worthy one.  Worth more than the cost of worshipping him.

Wor(th)ship

And that brings us to what the word worship, really means.

In Greek, the word translated as worship means to bow down, to prostrate oneself – sort of to lie on the floor in front of something or someone.

It is a way of saying to that person, thing or God, before which you bow down:

"You are greater than me.
I am less than you,
I surrender to you
I am yours."

Our English word for worship comes from "worth ship".

Worth is a simple word.

You could ask – so how much is that car worth?

How much is that painting worth?

What is a life worth?

How much are you worth?

What's it worth to you?

*  *  *

For each of us – I bet there are some seemingly worthless things, worth nothing to anyone else, but a lot to us.

A coffee cup – an old toy car…

We give things values / price tags.

We assign to them some 'worth'.

*  *  *

Wor(th)ship is about getting our priorities in order.  About assigning the right 'values' to the right things.

About making sure that the way we live is just – because we have set our priorities straight.

Listen to what God says – according to the prophet Amos:

²³Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. ²⁴Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.

– Amos 5:21

Wrong Values

If we look around – at the world we live in – it seems as if somebody has snuck in and switched the price tags around – our values are out of whack.

*  *  *

Wrong values have serious consequences.

Economic and environmental crisis, stupid poverty - a reminder that we, as a world community have put the wrong values on the wrong things.

We mispriced our fellow human beings, the cost of our actions to the environment.  We have valued getting what we want, when we want it, over what it costs us when we are over indebted.

The wrong price tags – on the wrong things.

Right Values

And so – the beginning of worship – is bowing down, on the ground, before our God – and exclaiming, you are worthy, like the elders and the living creatures in Revelation.

And when God is honestly our first priority and we hold everything else below that priority – the rest of our values will fall into place appropriately.

And its certainly not about singing.

It's about a life dedicated to God's reign in us.

Judging God

How do we decide what is most important to us?

It sounds totally crazy, but God, in giving us freedom of choice – invites us to Judge him.

Is this God – Yahweh, the creator of all things – Worthy, or not?

Each of us can say – yes he is worthy, or no he isn't – and from there we can choose to live our lives accordingly.

No one forces us to come to church on a Sunday morning, to say prayers as we live and move, no one forces us to dedicate our life's work and our family to God.  We choose – we get to decide if it's worth it.

*  *  *

Many of us choose to say: "Yes you are worthy."  Not because – as the living creatures in Revelation say '…you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created' – that is part of it.

But because – as we read later in Revelation – chapter 5:12-13 John sees the heavenly choirs singing:

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

(Animals and everything.)

"To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!"

And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped.

- Revelation 5:12-13

*  *  *

We don't choose to worship God because of his power and might – but because of his self sacrificing love for us.  His love has been made known to us – especially in his Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us.

*  *  *

The elders and the heavenly creatures Judge God, the God revealed to us in Christ to be worthy, and so they bow down and worship.

Do we?

Do we accept that a God who loves us so much is worthy of our everything?

Luke 12:22-34

In Luke 12:22-34 Jesus encourages his disciples to re-think their priorities.

Don't worry about clothes, about food, about where you'll live:

'…be concerned with his Kingdom, and he will provide you with these things.'

– Luke 12:31

Knowing that, like us, the disciples will say 'no ways you're mad', Jesus goes on:

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.  Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them. ³⁴For your heart will always be where your riches are."

– Luke 12:33-34

Jesus invites us to take everything that we value the most, that we desire most, that we think (and know) we need and make it less important than living for God the King.  He invites us to entrust all of that stuff to God.

Part of living for the King – is treating others as if they were Kingdom citizens too. 

Being generous with what we have – letting it go – in order for it to serve God.

Then, says Jesus, we will truly have everything that we need and more – treasures in heaven, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys.

And he warns us – where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

*  *  *

"Heart" in the language of the gospels is not a pump for blood.  It's like the soul, like breath in us, the source of our deepest emotions, the source of our life.

If your treasures are in banks, cars and clothes, they will eventually wear out; so will your heart – you will become hollow, lifeless and disappointed. 

Yet – if your greatest treasure – highest value is in God – then your heart will be safe… you will have fullness, life and constant hope.

*  *  *

Worship, is not a few minutes on a Sunday, a good feeling and an exciting pep talk.  But a constant attitude check and re-check.

What do we most value?  Where is my heart?

Not in order to make life difficult for us and miserable, but for us to be transformed, for us to make life, truly living – possible – so that we can have life in all it's fullness.

Psalm 63

The Psalm we read this morning takes us on the journey of worship.  It should reflect something of our journey – Sunday by Sunday.

We arrive parched – thirsty – hungry… everything we have encountered during the week has shifted our value system here and there; we have put our faith in everything except God as we seek to quench our hunger and thirst for something.

David recognises what he really thirsts for:

"…my soul thirsts for you (God), my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water…'

– Psalm 63:1

He recognises the value of God's love for him:

"…your love is better than life…"

– Verse 3

He recognises that God's help is not just a spiritual idea – but a living reality:

"…you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."

- Verse 8

David does not come with a pretty song – but rather he comes with nothing to offer… a thirsty and weary soul.  His son Absalom is trying to take away his throne.

Yet as he brings all of his brokenness – the reality of who he is and all his struggles – into God's light – he is transformed.  His faith is renewed – and knowing that God is still on his throne he is able to say, with faith:

¹¹Because God gives him victory,
the king will rejoice."

– Verse 11

*  *  *

I invite us all to come to God with what we are – the little we have, the brokenness of who we are, and say – with the creatures on earth and heaven:

"Yes Lord you are worthy!  I trust you with all that I am.  You are my King and I am your subject."

When we entrust all that we have and all that we are to God our King – when our families, friends and children see the priorities by which we live.

When those priorities affect the way we do our jobs, care for our families, spend our money and our time…

Then I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

AMEN

_________________

Message from:  Rev Angus Kelly

Email: paarlmethodist@gmail.com

Website: www.paarlmethodist.blogspot.com

Phone: +27218722568

Fax: 086 611 9307

2009-05-03 Church, Its better together

Click here to download the podcast


Mark 2:1-12; Acts 1:13-14 and 2:1 and 43-47; Psalm 26

First watch:

[Youtube Clip from Antwerp Station – Sound of Music – 4min]

http://preview.tinyurl.com/cpc9zq

Church
It's better together

Church

To me, the video that we watched just now illustrates what Church is meant to be, perhaps I could say that:

"Church is a group of people working out together how to dance to God's music."

*  *  *

The dance begins with sound – a song, or a beat, then: one or two people moving to it, learning the steps… more people join, more and more, and eventually the whole world is transformed by the dance.

Hearing the Music

Over the past two weeks we've been running a 'confirmation course for everyone' here at Paarl Methodist, in week 1 we spoke about the way that we are saved:  'By grace, through faith, the gift of God.'

And in week two: 'What we're saved from, and what we're saved for.'

Audio of the sermons is available on the church website – or you can take a CD from the welcome table.

*  *  *

As church, perhaps the gifts of God's grace – by which we are saved – could be understood as the music to which we dance.

Creation

The story of God's plan for creation revealed in scripture. 

From the beginning, 'created good'. 

"And God saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good."

– Genesis 1:31

In the end – redeemed by Jesus, ultimately heaven comes down to earth in Revelation and the world joins in the song of praise.

"And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride and adorned for her husband."

– Revelation 21:2

Law

The example of the law that teaches us some of the practicalities of godly love.

The words of the prophets calling us to justice, holiness, right living.

Jesus

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  All of which show us God's way of love.

The Holy Spirit, living in us, guiding us, reminding us what Jesus has said and done.

All of these combine to form a soundtrack that guides us in our dance.  As we learn to be the people, and the community that God wants us to be.

Listening to Music

To dance, I guess the first thing we need – is some familiarity with the music to which we are dancing.

We live in a world where different tunes compete for our attention. 

We want to learn to listen to the right tune – but the music is so loud and confusing, that every now and again – while we're dancing to one – we slip into the other.

I would say the loudest – and most obvious tune is the self pleasing, consumerist tune.

The consumerist tune…

Characterised in Paul's words, Ephesians 2:

"You were dead through the trespasses and sins  in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.  All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else."

- Ephesians 2:1-3

If it feels good, buy it, do it, own it.

The dance that goes with that is quite lonely – it involves dancing in exclusive places, with specific people.

It wants to make money out of everything.  It's about profit, fundraising… selfish gain.

It turns us in on ourselves and results in what a friend of mine describes as:

"Instead of using things and loving people.  We love things, and use people."

When we as a church lose our focus on the tune which we are supposed to be dancing to, even for a few seconds, we begin to dance to the other tune – and simply blend in with everything else that's going on.

Jesus' Tune

The alternative tune is Jesus' tune – again from Ephesians:

"…God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved…"

- Ephesians 2:4-5

Paul goes on to explain what this means – in terms of setting us free to be the people God created us to be.

*  *  *

Jesus' tune is a little different to the louder, easier to hear consuming, selfish tune. 

It results in a different dance, a different society, one where:

"Instead of loving things and using people, we love people and use things"

A society where the one who loves the most eventually has the victory.  Where people are set free to do the good and be the good that we were created to be.

Learning to Dance

The thing is, in order to dance to this tune – our ears need to become accustomed to the melody – picking it out from the other noises around us.

To hear it – takes practice.

*  *  *

And so we gather on a Sunday, as a community – the church, to listen for a moment, to literally sing and dance together as we drown out one set of songs, with another.

Songs of selfishness and pride are overwhelmed for a moment by songs of grace, love and sacrifice.

We act out the theme of these songs as we break bread and drink wine in memory of one who's love took him to the cross – but was vindicated by his resurrection.

We sing them to ourselves and we sing them to each other – and hope that as we go out into our community the tune will play in our head – and somehow we will be a different group of people – dancing to a different beat.

The Steps

I'm not much of a dancer.

I never went to lessons.

Just like anything in life – to dance takes practice.

The video that we saw was obviously not just a bunch of people who arrived at Antwerp station and happened to make up the same dance at the same time – as amazing as that would be.

They were all disciplined dancers – over 200 of them from two dance schools – they met together to rehearse – and then they took their dance to the station.

*  *  *

I wish that living like a Christian was something I just did automatically – without any discipline, without any practice, without teachers and mentors, and fellow disciples.

I wish I could do it without studying and restudying the scriptures for inspiration and motivation.  Using them to help me pick out the rhythms to which I should live out my life.

Without people who point out my mistakes (I hate that) and help me to correct them.

Without fellow dancers who I will let down if I don't meet them for practice.

But I can't.

*  *  *

To learn the steps – we need each other.

To hear the music – we need each other.

To remember why the music and the steps are so important – we need each other.

Or we quickly slip into a self serving, selfish kind of dance – that suits only ourselves.

*  *  *

That is why we need Christian community.  To help us live out our calling in the world more and more faithfully.

The first Church

Whenever we read scripture we must remember that what we hold in our hands – the Bible – was compiled and preserved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, by an organised Community of Christians and for them – the Church.

In Mark 2:1-12 we get one of our first pictures of Church:

*  *  *

At Jesus home in Capernaum, crowds gather to hear Jesus preach the word…  The word that:

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

– Mark 1:15

The crowd is so dense and people are so desperate to be near Jesus that some people remove the roof of the building so they can let their paralysed friend down to Jesus.

When Jesus sees their faith, faith that assumes Jesus' gracious love, that simply accepts Jesus' gracious gift – he says to the paralytic:

"Son, your sins are forgiven."

- Mark 2:5

Words we remember every Sunday as we make our confession – in faith that accepts God's grace.

Words that remind us what God is like – as Jesus shows us his face.  And we learn what kind of people we can and should be.

*  *  *

In Acts we see some flashes from the life of the church:

Acts 1:  They gather in love and humble prayer, sharing what they have so that no one is in need.

Acts 2:  By the Spirit they are released to speak boldly to all the nations of the world – ministry moves from inside the room to the streets.

Acts 3:  The church sees the suffering of the world, Peter and John, motivated by God's love heal outside the temple gates.

Acts 4:  The church faces persecution for conforming to God's rule alone – refusing to conform to Caesar and those in power.

Acts 5:  They tell the truth, when Ananias and Sapphira lied, they died.  Untruth causes death.

Acts 6:  They celebrate their diverse giftedness, people are set aside to do tasks according to their ability.

Acts 7:  Stephen testifies to Jesus Lordship and suffers death for it; loving his enemies even as he dies.  The music to which the church dances is very different to the tunes of revenge with which we are familiar; the church loves its enemies – becoming a contrasting and world transforming community.

Conclusion

I believe that the Church is meant to be God's gift to the world.  A group of people who help each other to live very differently, to offer grace and mercy in a world that seeks revenge.  To teach love and sharing in a world that promotes neglect and selfishness.

I don't think the way of Christ, that we are called to follow is an easy way.

But I am sure it is the only hope we have.

And I pray – that we will take the time and the discipline to listen to God's music and begin to transform the world with a different kind of dance.

Then – I believe we will begin to see the Kingdom of God in this place.

Amen.