What is a healthy doctrine of worship?
Ever thought deeply about worship? Why do we, as Christians, do what we do on Sundays? We call our meetings "worship services" but what do we mean? Are we really worshipping in the biblical sense? Are we really giving God our hearts as the expression of praise that he deserves?
It's easy to see worship as a "pattern" to be replicated. It's easy, takes very little effort, and it doesn't engage our hearts. In fact, the NT never asks us to replicate the early Christian's worship services. It simply calls us to see ourselves as they saw themselves - as recipients of the grace of God in Christ who are now indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Ideally, worship will automatically flow out of this union like streams of living water. Worship is meant to reinforce this living relationship rooted in our faith in Christ's accomplished work of redemption.
Identity: Healthy worship is an encounter with God that blesses us, blesses God's work in Christ, is Spirit-led, and removes all judgment, egotism, arrogance, or pride from our sinful human hearts. There is no room for comparison and competition in true worship. Worship reminds us of our creatureliness and reinforces God as the Creator. Authentic worship is a momentary glimpse of and experience of heaven. Worship is when God says, "I Am" and "you are mine."
Character: We are to draw strength from that relationship for each week's battles. Worship prepares us to go into the world to make disciples (Matt 28:19-20), and to deal with the troubles of the world (John 16:33). Worship is also ethical as it informs our values, reminds us of who and whose we are, and calls us to a higher righteousness reflected in holy living (1 Pet 1:13-16; 2:9-12).
Freedom: Worship reminds us that we are not God and we don't set the agendas of our lives. So too, we don't set the agenda of worship. Granted, we are free to worship and express our love for God within the bounds set in Scripture (in both OT and NT). So, we are not locked into a "pattern" hidden somewhere within the pages of only the NT. There is more freedom in worship than we have been willing to see. As Paul contrasts Law and Spirit he writes, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom" (2 Cor 3:17).
Finally, I love what John Calvin said, "Worship lifts us up into the throne room of God."
2 comments:
Hi Daniel,
"Non-member" here, I like your highly thought-provoking post this month. Below are my first thoughts and I'd like to come back and respond some more after reflecting . . .
I can only write from my limited knowledge so I'm thinking you are targeting "corporate" worship, right? I mean . . . that's not the only time a Christian worships, yes? Adoration for our Lord causes spontaneous outbreaks of praise and worship every day of the week. God is most worthy of such constant praise and worship.
My thought on corporate worship is that it includes rituals, traditions, and all those familiar things that help people progress through the hour or two in an orderly manner. Corporate worship isn't the only way to worship and it's a different facet of the same diamond . . . private worship is deep, too, it's just a different facet of the same diamond.
I have a question (and I don't have the answer) . . . If corporate worship is flat and God isn't "experienced" is that His fault? The worship leader's fault? If during the week a Christian's worship is just as flat . . . how is worship on Sunday going to be different?
There is another saying, "We have the amount of God in our lives that we want."
Great post this month!
Welcome NM! Great points! I like the diamond analogy and its implications for worship - a multifaceted experience. So much better than the stereo-typical "two sides of the same coin" which seems limited to only 2 sides. Worship has so many facets it's impossible to see them all in one glance (or ever for that matter).
Yes, the emphasis in the original post is on corporate worship as traditionally experienced on Sunday mornings. But you are correct in that all of life should be seen as worship. Every step should move us closer to God's presence as well as remind us that we are never apart from his presence. Paul talks about our "spiritual act of worship," meaning the very life we live as Christians is a worship experience (Rom 12:1-2). This is our "walking worship" in addition to our worship in the assembly. Indeed, all of life is worship.
I do think there is something special about corporate/communal worship that may be missing from our private acts of worship. There is just something awesome that happens (ideally) when God's people come together as a community to praise his name. I think God shows up in a very powerful way.
For example, we're always in God's presence but we're in his presence more so during communal worship than when we cut the grass. In both cases we are in the presence of God but I think he meets his people in a unique and special way when they call on him collectively.
Psalms talks about this often. There is even a subset of psalms referred to as the "Sanctuary Psalms" (Pss 26-30). Each psalm emphasizes the need for God's people to enter the sanctuary. Here there is a unique experience of the presence of God that is unmatched in daily life outside the sanctuary. The thought is of protection where we flee from the troubles and chaos of life in order to enter the protective house/shelter/tabernacle of God. I like the idea of seeking solace in the sanctuary. The protective presence of God is evidenced and experienced in the sanctuary.
I guess my real question is does this happen when we worship or do we run through our worship services on Sundays out of a sense of obligation? Are we really trying to meet God there? If we fail to meet God in worship I think it's our own fault, not his. He meets us but we still have to have ears to hear and eyes to see.
The Pharisees stood in the presence of God in Jesus but didn't see or experience it because they had blinded themselves. It is exaclty as you say, "We have the amount of God in our lives that we want." I certainly don't want to put all that pressure on the poor worship leader;-) You get out of worship what you put into it.
Blessings,
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