Continuing with the thoughts about Christ-centric worship, I want to elaborate a little more on the focus of our worship. Hear me. The focus of our worship is not and should never be music. Yes, that is coming from a musician who puts great emphasis on our giving our best offering to Him through music in worship. However, music is never the goal. I have to admit, I cringe inside just a bit when people come up to me after worship and say - "great music today!" It is not about the music, it is about Him!
Our complete focus in worship is embodied in the Son of God, the person of Jesus, Lord of the Church. He is to be central in our focus. "For in Him all the fullness of God was placed to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross." Col. 1:19 and Col. 2:9, "For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled . . ." He is to be the central person and focus of our worship. We should approach worship with a passion and desire for His manifest presence with us.
We also see in the passage above that He is the center point of witness through the gospel, the Lord's table and the witness of the cross.
Finally, we see that He is to be the center piece of our worship. The Word of God, the Bible, and the Sword of the Spirit exist for one purpose: "These [Scriptures] are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39). Either by type, foreshadowing, or direct mention, Messiah is the subject woven into every book of the Bible. And its ultimate message is - He is the Incarnate Word.
Music is not the focus of our worship. If so, it becomes an idol. Growing in our intellectual knowledge to know "about" God is not the focus of our worship. If so, that becomes an idol. Truth is important, but HE IS THE TRUTH! Our focus must be Him, our desire to love, adore, worship, sacrifice and serve Him. We need to make the main thing the main thing. Let's worship Him! mjm
