Worship in Christian preaching emphasizes heartfelt, sincere praise and reverence directed toward God alone, not mere formality or personal preference (John 4:24). Illustrations often use images of tuning instruments, animals praising God, and greeting a king to convey alignment with God's will and honoring Him as sovereign.
True worship includes freely praising the Lord, not restricted by human traditions.
A rural brother, considered a bit old-fashioned, visited a great city temple. As the eloquent minister drove home some great truth, the ruralite shouted, "Praise the Lord!" Whereupon an usher touched him on the arm and whispered, "Be quiet. "You can't 'praise the Lord' in this church." God pity both preacher and church!
Even whales praise God with beautiful songs, inspiring our worship of Him.
According to research conducted by the National Geographic Society, the 40-ton creation of God-the humpback whale-has a fascinating singing ability. Recordings have been made of the humpback whale singing in various pitches in solos, duets, trios, and choruses of dozens of interweaving voices lasting from six to thirty minutes. What an experience it is to hear, over one's own stereo system, songs from the ocean depths-sung by 40-ton whales! The passage of Psalms 148:7 comes to mind: "Praise Him down here on earth you creatures of the ocean depths." The Worship Service A small boy asked an aged sailor, "What is the wind?" The old man replied, "I don't know, son; I can't tell you what the wind is, but I can tell you how to hoist a sail." It is not really necessary to know all about the wind if we know how to set our sails. We simply make them ready, and let the wind come. This is what we are doing in a worship service-setting our sails for whatever gale the tomorrows may bring. Here, as it were, we adjust the wind-catching paraphernalia of our lives. Then we will be ready for life's gentle zephyrs or its howling storms. Here we align ourselves, set ourselves right with reality, and then, whatever winds may blow, we can receive their forward-thrusting force and sail on.
True worship involves humble reverence, not just friendly familiarity with Christ.
Noblem en were gathered together in London waiting for the King of Great Britain. They all knew him personally, yet they all honored him as their king. When he entered, they stood solemnly to their feet. "Take your seats, gentlemen," he said, "I count you as my personal friends." And then joking he added, "I am not the Lord, you know!" Immediately one of the noblemen, a Christian, said, "No, sir, if you were our Lord, we would not have stood to our feet; we would have fallen to our knees."
Worship is tuning our hearts to God’s voice to align with His will and power.
A sheep rancher in the remote mountains of Idaho found that his violin was out of tune, and, try as he would, he was unable to make the instrument sound the way it should. A frequent listener to a radio station in California, he wrote the station concerning his problem, asking these good people at a certain hour and minute on a certain day to strike the right note for him. This they did: stopping everything else, silencing all other sounds for a moment, they struck that note. In his shepherd's hut in the distant mountains, the shepherd heard that sound, and from that single note he put his instrument into tune again. Thus is the hour of worship, a special time of being in touch with God. Here we listen for the signal-tone He strikes for our lives, for the pitch He gives by which our hearts may be put in tune.
Singing hymns requires sincere commitment, not just mechanical or thoughtless participation.
The late Dr. Peter Marshall once selected for use in a church service the familiar hymn of consecration, "Take My Life and Let It Be." He requested the congregation to give particular thought to the words: "Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold." Exacting the practical sense of the words "not a mite would I withhold," he asked that all who could not sing this line with literal sincerity, refrain from singing it at all. The effect was a dramatic commentary on the glib, thoughtless manner in which, all too often, we sing our hymns. Hundreds of voices, with organ accompaniment, sang vigorously up to the designated point. Then, suddenly, there was only the sound of the organ music. Not a single voice ventured to so challenging a height!
True worship focuses on God, not on the preacher or personal preferences.
Henry Ward Beecher, the famous pulpit orator, once had to be absent and his brother was invited to speak for him. The church house was crowded, but when it became evident the eloquent Henry Beecher was not going to appear, many started to leave. Beecher's brother was not disturbed. He stood up before the murmuring crowd, called for silence and said, "All who came this morning to worship Henry W. Beecher may now leave. The rest will remain and worship God." What are we doing in our assemblies? Some, like the Athenians, come only to hear the preacher say "something" (Acts 17:20-21). "Is it relevant?" "Is it positive?" Are mental guidelines used in judging sermons? Some attend to judge the singing, the prayers, or the friendliness of the congregation. These go away with a host of criticisms, perhaps, or even pride, but worship has been forgotten. Why do we gather for worship? Some come to "get it over with for a week"; to get their tickets validated once more. But those who come because they need strength in carrying their crosses know the value of true worship. Worship has nothing to do with the song leader or the talent of the preacher. It has to do with you and your God. Let people do what they will to please themselves. "The rest will remain and worship God."
Worship is a spiritual checkpoint to realign our lives with God's will.
In the old days of ocean sailing, a small boy was traveling on shipboard with his father. About once a day the boy saw the captain stand on deck with sextant in hand, and, as they used to say, "shoot the stars." The boy said to his father, "Daddy, what is the captain doing?" His father replied, "The captain is taking our bearings, seeing where we are, finding out if we are going in the right direction." As a matter of fact, it is something of this kind that each of us is doing as we are in worship on Sunday morning. We are checking in with God; we are seeing where we are; we are finding out about our directions in relation to His will concerning our journey of life. We can so easily become confused or lose our way out there in the weekday world of days, and we need this checkpoint. Here we touch base with the Lord of our life, and from Him we take our bearings for going on. We can deviate from the course and by winds and currents be carried far astray, unless from time to time we check in with God to set our course again. The Meaning of Worship Worship that is accepted by God is a privilege unique to the Christian (1 Peter 2:5). It is not a right. I am permitted to offer acceptable worship only by the grace of God. Therefore it is disheartening when children of God deliberately reject this privilege and wantonly absent themselves from the public assembly God has ordained for His glory and our good. Consider briefly the significance of worship: It is obedience to a divine command. It is a means of nourishing the spirit. It assists in achieving spiritual growth. It encourages others in their spiritual development. It shows the world where my priorities are. It is one means of expressing my love for God. It is an avenue God has provided by which I can praise His name. It is the offering of spiritual sacrifices. It is a way of showing my thanksgiving to God for all He has done for me. It is a period of communion with God with the world shut out entirely. It is an experience that should make the heart of every Christian glad! Will you join your fellow Christians this Lord's day as they assemble to honor His name? Your Father will be looking for you.
Bringing our affections to God enriches Him and increases His joy.
If we should gather all the flowers that grow upon the mountain-sides and in the valleys, and heap them up before God, he would not be richer than he is now; but when we bring ourselves to him, and affection after affection opens and exhales in his presence, he is richer, and his joys are greater. Beecher.
Wave and heave offerings symbolize God's sovereign authority over heaven and earth.
Among the Jews, the wave-offering was waved horizontally to the four points, and the heave-offering heaved up and down, to signify that he was Lord of heaven and earth. Douces.
Christians should enter worship reverently, leaving worldly thoughts behind.
The traveller in Eastern countries lays off his sandals, tarnished with the dust of the way, at the gate of the palace which he would enter. The Christian pilgrim should lay aside his week-day thoughts, and devoutly enter the church, and engage in the worship of the Most High.
Churches suffer from superstition and profaneness entering through different doors.
Most of our churches have two doors. Superstition crept in long since at the one; and profaneness, in later days, shouldered in at the other. Spencer.
Congregational singing creates harmony from many individual voices like wind in a forest.
It is with the singing of a congregation as with the sighing of the wind in the forest, where the notes of the million rustling leaves, and the boughs striking upon each other, altogether make a harmony, no matter what be the individual discords.
True worship requires setting aside all worldly cares to focus fully on God.
It was said of Sir William Cecil, some time Lord Treasurer of England, that, when he went to bed, he would throw off his gown, and say, "Lie there, lord-treasurer," as bidding adieu to all state affairs, that he might the more quietly repose himself: so when we go to any religious duty, whether hearing or praying, coming to the Lord's table, or in any other religious addresses whatsoever, we should say, "Lie by, world; lie by, all secular cares, all household affairs, all pleasures, all traffic, all thoughts of gain; lie by all; adieu all!" Spencer.
Worship shapes the character of the worshiper to resemble the object of worship.
WORSHIP, Assimilation of Man becomes assimilated to the moral character of the object which he worships. To this fact the whole history of the idolatrous world bears testimony. A striking instance is that of the Scythians, and other tribes of the Northmen, who subdued and finally annihilated the Roman power. Odin, Thor, and others of their supposed deities, were ideas of hero-kings, — blood-thirsty and cruel, clothed with attributes of deity, and worshipped. Their worship turned the milk of human kindness into gall in the bosoms of their votaries; and they seemed, like bloodhounds, to be possessed of a horrid delight when they were revelling in scenes of blood and slaughter. It being believed that one of their hero-gods, after destroying great numbers of the human race, destroyed himself, it hence became disreputable to die in bed; and those who did not meet death in battle frequently committed suicide, supposing that to die a natural death might exclude them from favor in the hall of Valhalla. J. B. Walker.
False worship is lifeless and joyless, lacking genuine engagement with God.
Many of our churches defy Protestantism. Grand cathedrals are they, which make us shiver as we enter them. The windows are so constructed as to exclude the light, and inspire a religious awe. The walls are of stone, making us think of our last home. The ceilings are sombre, and the pews coffin-colored. Then the services are composed to these circumstances; and hushed music goes trembling along the aisles; and men move softly, and would on no account put on their hats before they reach the door; but, when they do, they take a long breath, and have such a sense of relief to be in the free air, and comfort themselves with the thought that they have been good Christians! Now, this idea of worship is narrow and false. The house of God should be a joyous place for the right use of all our faculties. I had rather see a congregation laugh, when it is a sign of life in them, than to see them asleep under appropriately called sound sermons. Beecher.
Worshipping immoral gods corrupts the worshipers' character to mirror those gods.
To the heathen divinities, especially those placed at the head of the catalogue as the superior gods, what theologians have called the physical attributes of deity — omnipotent and omnipresent power — were generally ascribed; but their moral character was always defective, and generally criminal. As one of the best instances in the whole mythology of the ancients, the Roman Jupiter might be cited. Had a medal been struck of this best of the gods, on one side might have been engraved Almightiness, Omnipresence, Justice; and, on the reverse, Caprice, Vengeance, Lust. Thus men clothed depraved or bestial deities with almighty power; and they became cruel or corrupt or bestial in their affections by the re-action of the character worshipped upon the character of the worshipper. In the language of a recent writer, "They clothed beasts and deprived beings with the attributes of almightiness, and, in effect, they worshipped almighty beasts and devils." And the more they worshipped, the more they resembled them.
— J. B. Walker
The Bible transforms lives, preventing sinful acts and leading to repentance.
A Thug at Meirut, who had been guilty of many murders, was arrested, and cast, heavily ironed, into prison. There a missionary visited him, and preached Christ to him with such success, that he professed conversion. As he was brought before the judge, and confronted by many witnesses, he said, pointing to them, "No need of these: I am ready to avow the crimes of my dreadful life." He then proceeded to declare, that, having been brought up among the Thugs, he fully believed, that, by the shedding of the blood of each victim, he had not only pleased the dreadful goddess Kali, but procured her favor for himself. And he recounted murder after murder in which he had been engaged, some of them attended with such cruelty, that those present who had begun to feel some pity for him again shrunk back; the judge himself lifting up his hands, and exclaiming, "How could you be guilty of enormities like these?" The only reply the poor man made to the judge was to place his hand in the bosom of his linen vest to take forth a little book; then, holding it up in his hand, he said, "Had I but received this book sooner, the book of Jesus, my Saviour and my God, I should not have done it."
Humans have an innate drive to worship a higher being or God.
There is in the nature of man, or in the circumstances in which he is conditioned, something which leads him to recognize and worship a superior being. Man is a religious being: he will worship. The history of the various races of men shows that all, however blindly, are feeling after God. Walker.
True reverence in worship involves mindful awareness of God's presence.
It is said that the Jews had before the doors of their synagogues an iron plate upon which to clean their shoes before entering; and, having entered, they sat silently and reverently, considering who it was with whom they had to do. Thus it was of old; but of late, though they come to the synagogues with washed hands and feet, they are as reverent, saith one that was an eye-witness, as grammar boys at school when the master is absent. Spencer.
Love for God motivates faithful attendance and worship despite physical limitations.
"I have in my congregation," said a minister of the gospel, "a worthy aged woman, who has for many years been so deaf as not to distinguish the loudest sound; and yet she is always one of the first in the meeting. On asking the reason of her constant attendance, as it was impossible for her to hear my voice, she answered, "Though I cannot hear you, I come to God's house because I love it, and would be found in his ways; and he gives me many a sweet thought upon the text when it is pointed out to me: another reason is, because I am in the best company, in the most immediate presence of God, and among his saints, the honorable of the earth. I am not satisfied with serving God in private: it is my duty and privilege to honor him regularly and constantly in public."
True worship is no longer confined to one place but is anywhere believers gather in Jesus' name.
It was formerly, and for hundreds of years, only in one place where God would be worshipped. Salvation was then confined to the Jews; and where the ark of the covenant, and the high priest, and the altar, and all the symbols of salvation were, there, and there only, would God be worshipped. Thither "the tribes of the Lord went up;" and, when banished from that place, they worshipped "towards it." So Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple. So Daniel, in captivity in Babylon, threw open his window, "and prayed towards Jerusalem." "I will worship toward Thy holy temple." There the great God actually dwelt in the Holy of holies; and only there would be worshipped. But our Lord teaches the woman of Samaria that this whole system of local worship was passing away. "The hour was coming," nay, "was come," when the mountain of Samaria would be as holy as Mount Zion, the steppes of Russia and the prairies of America as sacred as the land of Canaan; when neither in one place more than in another would God be worshipped, but anywhere and everywhere. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst." That is my church, my temple, my holy mountain, in the midst of the hearts of my praying people. "To all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Dean Close.
True spiritual worship brings the richest, purest, and most constant pleasure to the believer.
I know of no pleasure so rich, none so pure, none so hallowing in their influences, and constant in their supply, as those which result from the true and spiritual worship of God. Pleasant as the cool water-brooks are to a thirsty hart, so pleasant will it be to us to approach unto the living God. R. Watson.
Worshippers should prepare by setting aside worldly cares and treating worship as holy ground.
In the spirit of that significant Oriental usage which drops its sandals at the palace-door, the devout worshipper will put off his travel-tarnished shoes, will try to divest himself of secular anxieties and worldly projects, when the place where he stands is converted into holy ground by the words, "Let us worship God."
— Dr. J. Hamilton
To please God in worship, one must be like God in character, not merely perform rituals.
The heathen had a notion that the gods would not like the service and sacrifice of any but such as were like themselves; and therefore to the sacrifice of Hercules none were to be admitted that were dwarfs; to the sacrifice of Bacchus, a merry god, none that were sad and pensive, as not suiting their genius. An excellent truth may be drawn from their folly: he that would like to please God must be like God. Salter.
Many attend worship with empty forms, irreverence, or unkept vows, missing true obedience.
The temple itself is full of vacant worship. It resounds with rash vows and babbling voices. It is the house of God; but man has made it a nest of triflers, a fair of vanity, a den of thieves. Some come to it, as reckless and irreverent as if they were stepping into a neighbor's house. Some come to it, and feel as if they had laid the Most High under obligation, because they bring a sheaf of corn or a pair of pigeons; whilst they never listen to God's word, nor strive after that obedience which is better than sacrifice. Some come, and rattle over empty forms of devotion, as if they would be heard because of their much speaking. And some, in a fit of fervor, utter vows which they forget to pay; and, when reminded of their promise by the "angel" of the Church, they protest that there must be some mistake: they repudiate the vow, and say it was an error.
— Dr. J. Hamilton
Faithful worship includes loving God's house and honoring Him publicly despite personal limitations.
"I have in my congregation," said a venerable minister of the gospel, "a worthy aged woman, who has for many years been so deaf as not to distinguish the loudest sound, and yet she is always one of the first in the meeting. On asking the reason of her constant attendance (as it was impossible for her to hear my voice), she answered, 'Though I cannot hear you, I come to God's house because I love it, and would be found in his ways; and he gives me many a sweet thought upon the text when it is pointed out to me: another reason is because there I am in the best company, in the more immediate presence of God, and among his saints, the honorable of the earth. I am not satisfied with serving God in private; it is my duty and privilege to honor him regularly in public.' What a reproof this is to those who have their hearing, and yet always come to a place of worship late or not at all!
A public rebuke stopped a restless congregation, emphasizing reverence in worship.
It is well known, that the genius and eloquence of this popular clergyman, during his stay in Glasgow, attracted immense crowds to his church, and the feeling of disappointment when a stranger entered his pulpit, was but too visible for any one to mistake it. On one occasion the Rev. Dr. — of —, having made an exchange with Dr. Chalmers, was so struck and irritated, on entering the pulpit, with the reluctant advance of the assembling auditory, and the quick retreat of many from the pews, that he stood up, and addressing the congregation, said, "We will not begin the public worship of God, till the chaff blows off." We need not say that these words had the desired effect, and that the audience became stationary under this severe rebuke.
Irreverence in choirs shows lack of devotion and respect during worship services.
The result of my observations, says a minister of the gospel, is, that there is a great lack of devotion, (not to say of common good breeding) in the choirs of all our denominations. Especially is this manifested by smiling and whispering, and looking over tune books in the time of sermon. I once, in a strange church, had before me a leader, who formally took up his tune book, as soon as I had named the text, and began poring over it. Seeing some little boys of the Sunday school, similarly engaged, I took occasion mildly to reprove them, and noticed that the offender in the gallery took the hint and amended his manners. A thousand times would I prefer the Precentor, as I have seen him in the Presbyterian churches at the South, in the front of the pulpit, rise and lead the congregation, to the best trained, most exact, scientific, undevout choir in the land.
Luther views music as a God-given gift that refines character and combats evil.
"Music," says Luther, "is one of the fairest and most glorious gifts of God, to which Satan is a bitter enemy; for it removes from the heart the weight of sorrows and the fascination of evil thoughts. Music is a kind and gentle sort of discipline; it refines the passions and improves the understanding. Even the dissonance of unskillful fiddlers serves to set off the charms of true melody, as white is made more conspicuous by the opposition of black. Those who love music are gentle and honest in their tempers. I always loved music," adds Luther, "and would not, for a great matter, be without the little skill which I possess in the art."
Punctuality in worship shows respect for others' religious experience.
A woman, who always used to attend public worship with great punctuality, and took care to be always in time, was asked how it was she could always 439—441
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come so early. She answered, very wisely, “It is a part of my religion not to disturb the religion of others.”
The Countess's perseverance in attending worship despite hardships exemplifies faithfulness.
THE COUNTESS’S EXAMPLE.—The Countess of Burford, for the last few years of her life, had to ride, almost constantly, on horseback, upwards of sixteen miles, to and from the place where she attended to hear the gospel; yet neither frost, snow, rain, nor bad roads were sufficient to detain her at home, nor to prevent her being there before the worship began.
The tabernacle's elements symbolize Christ and the way a sinner approaches a holy God.
Tabernacle. Man has to approach God in appointed way. A righteous God and a ruined sinner may meet (v. 22) on a blood sprinkled platform and have fellowship (1 Pet. 1:18, 19). Tabernacle foreshadows Christ. Gold, a type of deity, silver of redemption, brass of judgment, blue of heavenly origin, purple of royalty, scarlet of atonement, etc
Carnal methods in worship are false and lack the Spirit's true devotion.
Strange fire of Nadab and Abihu speaks of the use of carnal means to kindle the fires of devotion and praise, which if true come only from Christ and the Holy Spirit. Danger of leading people without getting God's mind (Col. 2:23)
Modernized worship can mask compromise and depart from true religion.
Men always seeking improved plans of worship, something easier on the conscience. Jeroboam would be called a "liberal." Note in v. 28 he tries to give impression it is the same old religion, only a modernized way of stating it
Sin like malice and pride spoils the acceptableness of worship.
Leaven forbidden. Leaven in Scripture a type of malice, wickedness and human pride. Spoils all spiritual sacrifices. Beware of sins which spoil acceptableness of worship
True worshipers go to church to worship God, not for social reasons.
"Some go to church to take a walk; Some go there to laugh and talk; Some go there to meet a friend; Some go there their time to spend; Some go there to meet a lover; Some go there a fault to cover; Some go there for speculation; Some go there for observation; Some go there to dose and nod; The wise go there to worship God." 58. Picking them Off A great number of persons have been converted in the Tabernacle by the personal conversation of zealous and active members and officers of the church. While Mr. Spurgeon was preaching, they would be all about the place watching for anxious ones. "A brother was speaking to me, one Monday night," says Mr. S., "and suddenly he vanished before he finished the sentence he was whispering. I never quite knew what he was going to say, but I speedily saw him in the left-hand gallery, sitting in a pew with a lady unknown to me. After the service, I said to him, 'Where did you go?' He said, 'A gleam of sunlight came in at the window, and I saw a face which looked so sad that I hurried upstairs, close to the woman whose countenance was so sorrowful.' 'Did you cheer her?' 'Oh, yes; I spoke to her of the Lord Jesus, and she received Him very readily into her heart. Just at that moment, I noticed another eager face, and I asked her to wait in the pew till after the service, and I went after the other, a young man.' He prayed with both of these, and would not be satisfied until they had yielded themselves to God and accepted Christ as their Saviour. "That is the way to be on the alert," said Mr. Spurgeon. "We need a body of sharpshooters to pick off their men one by one. When we fire great guns from the pulpit, execution is done, but many are missed. We want loving spirits to go round, and deal with individual cases by pointed personal warnings and encouragements." 59. Pilfering from Spurgeon A certain gentleman produced two volumes of anecdotes and illustrations, in the first of which he took a number of Mr. Spurgeon's thoughts, and appended his name. Here and there through the book was the name, "Spurgeon, Spurgeon." Speaking sarcastically, Mr. Spurgeon said, "It was very kind to use the poor man's illustrations like that; very kind indeed; I ought to take off my hat to the gentleman, and I would, only it is not on my head." But while the second volume was being prepared, Mr. Spurgeon preached very strongly against some of the teaching of the Church of England. Many considered it a grievous sin. For this reason the compiler was unable to put the name of Spurgeon into his second volume, but he was unwilling to refrain from taking his illustrations, so he took them and inserted them without the author's name, and there is the first volume disgraced and degraded, as some thought, with the name of Spurgeon, but the second volume had his thoughts and illustrations without his name. Mr. Spurgeon says, in reference to this plagiarism: "I am a considerable sufferer by makers of anecdote books, for they never make one now without plucking my feathers pretty freely, and using my illustrations without stint. I do not say much about that matter; but there is one thing which, to me, is a greater cause for complaint—I mean when people take my material without even giving me the credit of it." No doubt that was thought to be a clever way of proceeding, but Mr. Spurgeon could not see the justice of it.
Bells mark sacred moments, reminding us of life's passing and God's sovereign future.
We have given up announcing the miracle of transubstantiation or putting to flight storms and demons or managing exorcism by bell, book and candle, but bells as sweet as the Angelus still ring over our English fields and woodlands on Sunday. The passing-bell in a country churchyard is full of pathos and memory, breaking the stillness and arresting for a moment the busy hay-makers as they pause to listen, and remember some old comrade who will no more be seen in their ranks. The solemn bell at our midnight services, now so customary on the last evening in each year throughout the land, is also charged with hallowed thoughts; indeed, I know few things more thrilling than that watch-night bell, which seems as the crowd kneels within to beat away on its waves of sound the hopes and fears, and tumultuous passions of the dead year when its echoes have ceased those kneeling crowds feel that one more chapter in the book of life has been written, that ringing voice has sealed the troubled past and heralded in with its iron, inexorable, tho trembling lips the unknown future. What with the dinner-bell, safety yard bell, school, factory and jail bells, small cupola spring-bells, safety electric bells, not to forget baby’s coral and bells, bell-rattles, last reminiscence of the extinct fool’s cap and bells, and fool’s wand, with its crown of jingling baubles, we seem never to hear the last of bells. Bells are the landmarks of history as well as the daily ministers to our religious and secular life. The bell’s tongue is impartial and passionless as fate. It tolls for the king’s death “_Le roi est mort_.” It rings in his successor, “_Vive le roi_.” The cynical bells rang out as Henry VIII led wife after wife to the altar, the loyal bells rang out for the birth of Charles I, and the disloyal ones tolled again for his execution. The bells of Chester rang a peal for Trafalgar, alternated with a deep toll for the death of Nelson, and some of us can remember the tolling of St. Paul’s bell as the Iron Duke’s funeral passed up Ludgate Hill. The long green bell which announced to the Pisans that the wretched Ugolino, starved to death in the bottom dungeon, had at length ceased to breathe, still hangs in the famous leaning tower of Pisa.
At the ringing of the Sicilian Vespers in the Easter of 1282, 8,000 French were massacred in cold blood by John of Procida. The midnight bells of Paris gave the sign for the massacre of St. Bartholomew’s day, August 24, 1471, when 100,000 persons are said to have perished. The great towers of Christendom have all their eloquent bell tongues, and as we pass in imagination from one to the other we not only catch the mingled refrain of life and death as it floats upward from the fleeting generations of men, but we may literally from those lofty summits contemplate all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them.--H. R. HAWEIS, _English Illustrated Magazine_.
Music unites diverse groups in friendship, faith, and shared humanity across cultures.
The teacher of music should bear in mind that his subject is related to life in a profound and many-sided fashion. The songs of home and friendship, of religion and patriotism, have no small place in the higher life of humanity. To cite one example: I have been present at a Phi Beta Kappa dinner at Harvard when, at the close, the company of scholars joined hands and sang together Burns’ song of “Auld Lang Syne.” I have heard the same song at a company of ministers at a theological seminary reunion. After the battle of Manila Bay, where the British and American marines fraternized, as the British men-of-war left the harbor, the marines of both nations sang the same song. It was the music of the plowman-poet that best fitted as a parting-song of friendship for the scholar, the theologian, and the marines of two great modern nations. Read the tributes to music of noted men of letters like Carlyle and Newman. See how they have been imprest by this art, which opens into the world of the ear or sound--a word which has its artists and poets, its historians and dramatists, its architects and builders, as the world of letters or of space.--W. SCOTT, “Journal of the National Educational Association,” 1905.
Per Nilson tells the story of Nisswa, Minnesota, where they hold the popular Nisswa Turtle Races.
Every Wednesday evening in the summer months, the people of Nisswa and the surrounding communities gather at a designated parking lot for the weekly races. It’s big excitement and big business. Vendors rent turtles; others sell "turtle products." And the fans gather early, placing their chairs and blankets in the best viewing sites.
In one recent contest, 435 turtles raced in heats of fifteen over a six-foot-long course. Bif, the announcer, calls the turtles to their mark, gives them the "Go!" . . . and the crowd goes wild. People stand, jump, and wave their hands in the air, imploring their turtles to be unturtle-like.
The excitement grows and finally reaches a boiling point as the preliminary winners all gather for the championship race. Amid unrestrained shouts and cheers, the first turtle crosses the finish line, and the winning "trainer" receives five dollars — along with a turtle necklace.
What an uncharacteristic frenzy of emotion for the normally reserved folks of Northern Minnesota! And some people get upset when Christians worship "too expressively" in church on Sunday morning.
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[Original illustration at this number was deleted for being obsolete]
After reviewing my sermon with my wife Celeste, I decided to redo it completely. As I walked to my study at midnight, a car pulled in to parking lot. “Pastor, I need someone to talk to.” We talked for an hour. Near the end of our conversation, the person says offhand: “I go to church to hear the sermon. The rest is just filler.”
Summary from Webber's book on worship.
1. Worship is a verb.
2. A Biblical pattern.
3. A meeting between God and his people.
4. Priesthood of all believers.
5. Order and freedom.
*
Adolf Zinsser was drafted into the German army and sent to Normandy. His parents were very godly people but Nazis broke up their independent church so they were forced to worship in their flour mill. Zinsser began to see that Hilter wanted to be worshipped. For example, the Hitler Youth met on Sundays during church. (Hilter had started out sounding pious.)
Zinsser did not want to shoot anyone. His prayer was, “Lord Jesus, let me never kill a man for a government that makes people hide to worship You.” He slept on his rifle and one day he could not find it. That day they saw action; he was put in charge of the horses and was captured. His parents also survived the war. God had answered his prayer that he not shoot anyone.
Ministry often requires creativity. What God is like:
Master of creativity.
1. He inspires creative worship.
2. He inspires creative witness.
Elijah and the soaked altar.
Jesus and woman at the well.
3. He inspires creative teaching.
Jesus preaching from boat.
4. He inspires creative administration.
Moses and Jethro.
What Creative Ministry Is Like:
1. Creative worship spontaneously involves God's people.
2. Creative witness shares naturally.
3. Creative teaching captures interest.
4. Creative administration facilitates ministry.
The Pursuit of Creativity:
1. Become an inquisitive thinker.
2. Become a constant observer.
3. Become a balanced innovator.
About 20 years ago [mid-1960's] a newspaper in western Canada, the Edmonton Journal, launched a crusade to rid the city of the blight of Christmas. It didn't take. Ted Byfield wrote about their effort:
"The Edmonton Journal has failed. Despite this odd challenge, the festive occasion remains what it always was in the capital of Alberta -- outrageous to the pure liberal, disgusting to the pure spiritualist, abominable to the pure Marxist, and inexorable to the purely common man."
Humanism fails to fulfill, therefore we make a very poor god. But if man cannot worship himself because he is too close to the subject and knows it for what it is, And yet cannot worship God either because God is too far away and he knows not what God is, then what can man worship? ...
Behind the tinsel of Christmas lies an astonishing answer. God has become man. He has shouldered the human burden, played the human game to its bitterest possible end, and emerged triumphant. In Him, therefore, every human finds his purpose, every life its fulfillment, every soul its God. That is Christmas. It is lethal stuff. No wonder they wanted to abolish it."
Sermon on the Sabbath. Two reasons for it: Rest & Worship. NT says it is done away by cross, but still good reasons to follow it: to remind us of God's grace and goodness to us, to remind us we are free people and not in bondage to work, and to remind us of our hope in God's Kingdom (Heb 4).
References:
Christianity Today, "Day of Rest and Gladness," p. 102, October 2, 1981.
Christianity Today, "Rest? Never on Sunday," p. 16, September 19, 1986.
(good, focuses on "rest" without bringing up issue of Sabbath/Sunday)
[See #609]
#612
*
Sermon for sanctuary dedication.
1. Weighing the expense of our sanctuary.
2. Why spend money on a church:
a. Use of money shows our priorities.
1. Contrast churches with sports stadiums.
b. Churches honor God, should cost us something.
3. Why churches can be lavish.
a. Temple was a work of art.
b. Gives us a glimpse of heaven.
c. Shows God's beauty and order. (contrast modern art)
d. Can be a witness for God.
e. Can be a place where we encounter God.
4. Our homes reflect our inner selves.
5. Our sanctuary reflects the congregation.
a. Respect for God's house.
b. Behavior in God's house.
6. God requires a special kind of worker.
a. Huram, Bezalel
7. A church building in God's perspective.
A review of Webber's book, which looks at the "act" of worship. "Worship is not an experience we have in the presence of God, Webber insists throughout, but the act of offering God our best when we are in his presence."
Kierkegaard described Christian worship as a performance in which God is the audience, the congregation is the performer, and those who stand up before the congregation (preachers, readers, choir, soloists) are the prompters. The popular mentality of evangelical Christians inverts this.
[see also HolwickID #6864 & #14639]
The thought of heaven often seems boring to Christians. Worship is the same way, but it should be different.
Irenaeus: "The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of the glory of God."
Entertainment and numbers preoccupy most churches. Worship is something we do for God. Webber talks about what real worship consists of.
*
Secular people are searching for meaning in life. Paranormal experiences are popular, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" summaries the attitude. Believers are shunned by the establishment, but they persevere. Little children are especially open to it. In the end even the scientists bow down and worship.
"This claim to a secular experience of transcendence constitutes a powerful challenge to the quality of our Christian public worship."
Christian worship is often weak. We need to listen to Jesus' criticism of religion. The OT prophets were also strong on it.
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