Washed and Gathered

Revelation 7:14-15 says,  ". . . These are the ones who died in the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.  That is why they stand in front of God's throne and serve Him day and night in His Temple."  

When I look at that passage, I know why I can't wait for every Sunday to come around - so that we who are "washed" can "gather" and worship Him.  I need to encounter my God in my private worship,  but I also have a need to encounter Him with the gathered body of Christ, being reminded of His salvation, His promises,  and our being able to grow with others in our faith.  As we gather, we also are able to see not only how we can worship together, but how we can love and serve others in our daily routines.  Verse 15 reminds us that worship brings us into the presence of God.  The original Greek literally says that "the One who is seated on the throne will tabernacle over" His people.  So, in a literal way, God pitches His tent over us to shelter us as we gather for worship.  Wow, what a concept.  And of course according to Rev. 21:3, someday we will experience that tabernacling perfectly as the dwelling of God is with His own.

In John 1:14 he writes that when the "Word became flesh, He tabernacled among us".   Someday we will know God face-to-face, but meanwhile God teaches us in our worship how He is tabernacled over us.  If we remember how God is "tented" over us and keep Him the center of our worship, we minister and care for those around us in a "tented" way.  When we remember we've been washed and are encouraged by our gathering together, then we will more earnestly and passionately make everything we do an act of worship.  And, if we do that, our families, our neighbors, our world will see Him!  mjm

All Encompassing Worship!

The last couple of weeks I have had the occasions with hospital visitation to be driving in and through the Dallas area.  I started noticing something on church signs.  One church said - traditional worship, one said contemporary worship, - one said blended worship - one said southern gospel worship - one said country western worship and one said - Liturgical worship.  Now, the fallacy in some of those signs, for instance you can find 50 different definitions of contemporary worship, blended worship, Liturgical worship and even traditional worship.  But the thing that really struck me is - all of those signs point to the unfortunate fact that man still tries to make worship about himself rather than our Lord God!

Just two weeks ago I had a man come up to me and rant and rave for five minutes about how he could not attend a church with this contemporary junk he is hearing in churches and that he loves southern gospel music.  In that five minute conversation I never heard a word about worship.  And I thought to myself, the same God is present no matter what "style" of worship is going on.  The mature believer is going to make worship about Him, not "my" preferred style of music.  In both the Old and New Testaments we see indication that there was a variety of song, style, and instrumentation used in the worship of God.  Why wouldn't there be?  Our God is so multi-faceted, as we see in all the different names for God and His Son throughout scripture, that there needs to be a multi-faceted expression of praise and worship to Him.  

Some say well we just can't reach the younger people unless we do their music.  I don't see anywhere in scripture the call to use the world's music to reach people.  I see us being reminded that it is the Spirit of God that draws men, and God's people draw men through their authentic worship and witness. I go back to Psalm 40 where it says that many will come to God when they see the people of God praising Him in all circumstances.  

It takes real arrogance to dismiss hundreds of years of hymn writers beginning in the Word of God because they are old.  Those expressions have much to teach us about who God is in all of His fullness through their experiences and theology.  But, it also takes the same kind of arrogance to say that there are not some new things and expressions of worship worthy to be used in giving us a more intimate  , and sometimes more simple, expression of worship to our God in new music.

May we come to understand that our expressions of worship should cover the gamut of everything we can find that is worthy to give praise and glory to His name - and that all worship is about Him.            To God be the Glory!!!  mjm

Praises and Promises

Psalm 50 caught my attention in my reading today.  The Psalm has to do with God Himself being judge. In the midst of the Psalm, beginning about v. 8, He says, "I am not finding fault in your worship or your sacrifices.  You are constantly bringing Me your burnt offerings.  But, I know all these creatures and they are all available to me."  Then it turns, and He basically says He is more interested in a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and His people performing their vows to the Most High.  He is saying He would much rather have a "banquet of praise and a feast of promises".  

So, what the Lord is saying to them, and I believe to us, is that He is looking for Praises and Promises in our worship.  Our Lord is blessed by our praise and thanksgiving, but only if it leads us to obedience, the keeping of our vows before Him.  Often we've said that if our worship does not lead us to obedience to all He has commanded and expects from us both little and large, then our worship is lacking in authenticity.  It is not real.  It is simply noise and show.  

It is easy to do the things that make it appear we are praising and giving thanksgiving to God.  But, unless it is from a heart of humility seeking to be obedient to Him in all things, it falls far short of the worship He desires. May our worship be full of heartfelt "praises and promises". mjm  

Sounds of Confusion and Uncertainty

Paul warns us in both Eph. 6 and II Cor. 10:4 that we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world - against evil spirits in heavenly places.  In II Chronicles 20 we see worship and warfare.  I hope you will again read this passage as a background as I lift out some highlights that I believe give principles and guidance to our worship.  

Jehoshaphat and Judah find themselves surrounded by a vast army.  He begs God for guidance and orders all to begin fasting.  He literally prayed and sought God out for help.  This principle is why we have some 200 people, both worship choir and worshipping prayer warriors in our church, committed to praying for the worship of our church - acknowledging that without Him we are powerless against all that would keep us from worship.   It is first in gaining victory.

Then the Spirit of God came upon one of the Levites (worship leaders) and He said to the people - "Do not be afraid!  Don't be discouraged  . . . for the battle is not yours, but God's.  Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord's victory!"  We as worship leaders should be so prayed up that when we stand before God's people they see His victory on our countenance.  But we must pay the price in preparation before God, both spiritual and musical, for that to happen.  Then it says, "Jehoshaphat  and the people began to worship the Lord."

The next day singers were appointed to walk ahead of the army singing and praising God.  As they joined in unison singing and giving praise, confusion was rampant among the enemy and they started fighting among themselves.  Notice that what was worship became that which caused confusion among  the enemies.  Can you imagine even one person from Judah not singing?  When the people of God are fully unified and ALL singing praise it not only ushers in the power and presence of God, it brings confusion and fear against evil spirits.  Satan and his angels can not stand the unified praise of God's people.  

I am reminded also of when Moses came down off the mountain and the people were dancing and singing in worship of a golden calf.  Even before Moses arrived in the camp, he asked about the sound of confusion that he was hearing.  When God's people are worshipping Him, there is no sound of confusion and uncertainty, but the sound of oneness in victory.  In our worship may the Lord and anyone else who passes by hear sounds of confidence and victory from God's people in our worship.  mjm

Toward Easter

Many traditions and churches, including evangelical and some Southern Baptist churches, observe Ash Wednesday today - the beginning of the Lenten season.  We do not formally observe this in our church, but I think we could be informed in a way that is meaningful to our personal worship leading up to Easter, which in turn would prepare us for more meaningful corporate worship during these six weeks leading up to the anniversary of our Savior's death.  

For many this is a time set aside as a special season of fasting, for some abstinence of something chosen that would tend to draw the heart from God - fasting, reflection and repentance with a full focus on all that has been accomplished for us in the death and resurrection of our Lord in a season of prayer.  In the early church some would sprinkle ashes on their heads the first day of lent as a token of humility and sorrow for sin.  Thus the first day of lent was called Ash Wednesday.  

The main purpose was seen as a time to deepen our walk with the Lord, purifying the heart from sin and uniting us closer to our Savior in devotion.  It corresponds to the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness.  

The prayer and spiritual discipline of the Lenten season should serve us by sustaining and refreshing the reality that we are in Christ and reminding us that we belong to one another in Christ.  As we approach Easter, great contrasts are awakened in us as we read God's Word and pray in light of the paradox of death and resurrection.  This journey to Easter can be a meaningful time in our walk as we reflect on all that leads us to the contemplation of His death, the cross and all its meaning, along with celebration of the resurrection.  We will remember during this time and season . . . that Joy Comes in the Morning!  mjm

To Whom and with Whom?

We, the church, are commanded to "sing the new song" to God some nine times in scripture.  The "new song" is our joyful response to our redeeming Lord.  Some want to see music or the "new song" as a stimulant, but it should be a response to the acts of our Lord - as opposed to being used as a stimulant.  

I believe there would be a huge difference in the music of the church if Christians recognized and were aware of to whom and with whom they are singing.  I wonder if we would be as insistent on having our own musical taste satisfied if we had a stronger awareness that God Himself is our primary audience.  Would we be insistent on our personal favorites if we really knew in our hearts that we are a part of the great choir of the church of saints and angels and, even as scripture indicates, the galaxies? "All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing . . . " Do we realize we are literally part of a cosmic choir, singing in harmony the "new song" unto the Lord?  One of the early Christians, Gregory of Nyssa, states "that the concord of all creation is truly a hymn of the glory of the inaccessible and inexpressible God."  

I have often said to choirs that there is far more going on around us when we are caught up in singing to and praising our God together.  If we had spiritual eyes to see what happens around us when God's people are in unity and harmony of praise, I think, unfortunately, we would be shocked and surprised.  May we become more aware of the . . . to whom and with whom of the singing of the "new song" to our Lord. mjm

Too Dramatic???

The story is told of a pastor preaching a sermon and telling about an Easter Sunrise service held on the rim of the Grand Canyon.  He told how as the first rays of light break forth, Matthew would be read, "An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone."  At that moment an enormous boulder would be pushed over the edge of the canyon, and as the giant stone thundered down the canyon side thousands of feet below a 2000 voice choir would burst into Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus".  

One might say a little over done, a bit too dramatic.  However, as expressed by the pastor, "We live in an Easter, not a Good Friday world."  When looking at the dramatic in worship - has worship become too theatrical, too performance-oriented?  Some theologians of today are calling the church to a drama and excitement which grow out of a deep sense of God's presence, rather than drama for the sake of drama.  Some congregations are more interested in entertaining an audience than in praising God.  "Entertaining" worship is deadly to an authentic expression of God's people.

However, there is a profound sense in which true authentic Christ-filled worship is theater.  But the dramatic in worship must grow directly out of the dramatic in the Gospel itself.  Robert Webber said "that Christian worship is drama in the sense that it is both a dramatic retelling and a dramatic reenactment of the Biblical story.  When we move into the sanctuary and prepare to worship, our whole body, soul, and spirit become engaged in rehearsing the work of Christ which gives shape and form to my life"... and worship.   So, as another has put it, "worship is the celebration and dramatization of God's story."  So, born out of that there is a sense of drama inherent in Christian worship.  Actually, it is already there; we just have to bring it to the surface. mjm

More Elements . . .

Following up from the last blog where we talked about the first three elements of the presence of God's glory - praise, humility, and unity - let me continue a little more on unity.

Psalm 133 speaks to unity.  This wonderful Psalm (I hope you will read it) suggests that with unity the anointing will flow.  We see the oil representing the Spirit of God flowing over Aaron's head.  Aaron was the high priest.  We believe this to be a reference to Jesus as High Priest and "head" of the church. So the anointing comes from Jesus and runs down over the priesthood (us).  Then it flows over the entire body (the Church).  

When the entire body comes together in unity, God will do things beyond our imagination.  When God pours this kind of anointing upon the Church it doesn't just bless us, it blesses the land we walk on and live in, our nation and our neighbors.  The end result is not just power and glory, but "life forever- more."  Satan is scared to death of what would happen if we stood together in total unity.  Standing together in unity is worship!  Without it we can forget seeing the glory of God displayed in the church.

Another element is: a priesthood.  There will be no manifestation of the glory of God here on earth apart from His priesthood ministering to God and the world.  As we see in Hebrews 4-9, the whole reason for Jesus coming to earth is because man could not provide a priest who was able to serve in purity eternally.  Jesus is the chief priest of heaven and is raising up for Himself a priesthood on earth.  The royal priesthood of believers must rise up and serve if we want to see God's glory on earth.

So far we have the elements of praise, humility, unity, and a priesthood as prerequisites to real, earth- shaking, glory-manifesting worship.  The final element is absolutely essential and stands above all the others - the blood of Jesus.  Without His blood we have nothing.  The blood releases every heavenly blessing and hastens the glory of God.  If we participate in a bloodless worship, the result will be powerless worship.  Just as when we approach evangelism without the blood story, we approach without any chance of effectiveness.  When we apply the blood to our lives, deep communion with Him takes place.  It is the blood of the Lamb that destroys and conquers our enemies.  The Glory of God always settles on the blood of Jesus.  In Rev. 12: 10-11 we see that if we are to be over-comers in our worship, we must "overcome by the blood of the Lamb".

In conclusion for the last two blogs, if we desire to see the manifest presence of God we have to come together in unity, worshipping and ministering as priests, praising God with humble hearts through the overcoming blood of the Lamb!  Hallelujah - let the worship begin!  mjm