Dead Worship

Over the years I have lead worship in a variety of capacities, whether I was playing one of my instruments or arranging the music.  Biblical worship is very important to me.  I analyze a song’s lyrics to ensure they glorify God and not man.  I check the scriptures to ensure a song’s lyrics speak Biblical truth.  I enjoy matching the music to the sermon and liturgical themes.  These days, I’m not doing much leading, but I still LOVE to worship my heavenly Father, whether alone in my home or in the company of my covenant family. 

Recently, I was preparing a lesson from John 4 (Jesus Talks to A Samaritan Woman).  Many of you are familiar with the story.  A half-Jewish woman from the Samaritan tribe, encountered Jesus at Jacob’s well in the middle of a hot afternoon.  Jesus broke several cultural barriers just by talking to the woman.  Jesus also pointed out her sin, the many husbands she has had in the past and the unwed man she was living with in the present.  Jesus spoke with kindness, authority, and respect.  The conversation eventually leads to Jesus revealing his true identity as the long-awaited Messiah.  It is verses 23 & 24 that have significant meaning.  Jesus says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth”.

What does this mean?  Well, 21^st century worshipers seem to think that Christianity revolves exclusively around the person of Jesus.  Of course, we want to exalt and worship Jesus, but remember that Jesus came to reconcile us to His Father.  He reminds us of this again in verse 23.  Who do true worshipers exalt on Sunday morning?  We worship the Father along with the Son and the Holy Spirit.  True worshipers worship the Triune God.  True worshipers are called to offer worship from the depth of their souls.  True worshipers must know the subject of our worship.  Unfortunately, many of America’s churches are driven more by what the people want on Sunday morning than what God wants.  Polls indicate people want their warm, fuzzy feelings met on Sunday morning.  They desire a sermon that sounds more like a self-help lecture than convicting truth  We want engaging, polished music to replicate the songs we hear on Christian radio.  Keeping these things in mind, how is the picture of today’s worship any different than the worship of the golden calf at the base of Mount Sinai 4,000 years ago (Exodus 32)?  We must guard our worship so it does not become an exercise in idolatry.

If we are worshiping the Father in spirit and truth, we must ask ourselves these questions.  Does the Sunday service highlight God or ourselves?  Does the teaching come from the full revelation of God as noted in the scriptures?  Do we focus on what is relevant to man or does our worship focus on what God desires? Does our music and prayers reflect the will of God and point us to Christ?  Do we come before the throne of God with a sense of awe and adoration or are we just stumbling out of bed half awake, going through the motions?  Does our worship look alive or does it appear dead?

It is clear from John 4:23, that not everything done in the name of Christ is pleasing in His sight.  Our worship is to be patterned after the example of Christ’s worship. Our Savior, being without sin (1 Pet 2:22), endeavored to please His Father every moment of His earthly life and ministry. Of course, we fail to live up to Christ’s standard, but God is gracious, and He forgives all who repent of their sins, including our inadequacies to worship in spirit and truth.  We were made to worship the Father, and we fulfill our purpose for living when we worship Him. 

The COVID pandemic and a string of recent illnesses has prevented me from attending corporate worship with my covenant family.  Despite the pain and discouragement of fighting cancer it is not enough to keep me from worshiping.  I am proof that in this world, we will have difficult times, sickness and heavy hearts. However, I have a Hope that will never disappoint me. I have hope in Christ, who has overcome the world.  It is only right that I worship in the midst of suffering. Satan would like all of us to curse God and die. He wants us to buy the lie that God has abandoned us.  However, this wasn’t true in the Garden of Eden, and it still isn’t true today.

The next time you gather to worship with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, remember it is the Holy Spirit that enables us to comprehend grace and truth so that we can worship the Father in an acceptable manner.  Scripture declares that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27, Matt 22:37). We are to love God with everything we got.  Our worship is for God’s glory, not our own.  Let us cling to the truth of God’s Word which never fails.  Let us worship with a spirit of a hopeful heart despite trying times.  Let us worship the God of our salvation, who has promised to return and reconcile all things to Himself. 

Our worship should look alive and always point to the glory of God.  If worship is not leading us to repent and giving us a heart to love our neighbor, then our worship is dead.  John Piper said,  “Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.” When we exalt God on His throne, we see Him as our Holy God, the Sovereign Lord, the giver of every good and perfect gift, and the author of salvation. When we worship in spirit and truth, then worship that is alive will naturally spring forth from our lips and hearts. Love for our neighbor will flow out of our love for God (Mark 12:30,31).  If we see God for who He truly is, how can we not but give Him our best, living worship.  The journey may be ours, but it is all for God’s glory!

When My Faith Doesn't Move Mountains

Many of you know I was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 months ago.   I underwent a double mastectomy and year of chemotherapy. Recently, I developed an abscess in my spine, which put me in the hospital for a week.  I am grateful the doctors located the infection and started treatment when they did.  If left untreated, in 3-4 days I would have been paralyzed.  This is a sobering reality.  But what is more painful to me than the physical pain I have endured this year, are comments made by people who claim to know Jesus yet accuse me of insincere faith.  They believe my “lack of faith” has interfered with God’s healing.  This is troubling and it grieves my heart. 

This week I was preparing a lesson form the Gospel of John, chapter 5.  A man who had been handicapped for 38 years was hanging out at a pool in Jerusalem that claimed to have healing powers.  The locals believed angels stirred up the water and if the ill person jumped in the pool at just the right time, they would be healed.  Jesus happened upon this pool as the handicapped man lay there waiting for someone to help him into the waters.  Instead, Jesus healed the man on the spot, telling him to “Pick up your mat and walk”.  Soon after, some Jewish leaders asked the man, who healed you?  What comes next is important.  Verse 13 says, “The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there”. 

No one else in the pool was healed. Only this nameless man.  It wasn’t the man’s faith that healed him.  He had no idea who Jesus was.  It was not the waters that healed him.  He never even entered the water.  It was the will of God that healed the man, so that Jesus could show His authority as the Son of God. 

Why are Christians today so preoccupied with physical or “miraculous” healing?  Do I desire my cancer to go into remission? Absolutely.  That is why I underwent 12 grueling months of chemotherapy.  I am bothered by people who confront me and in the name of Jesus, claim to speak healing into my life.  Faith is not some self-generated spiritual force that leads to wellness as some would believe.  Nor is prayer a vehicle by which we make demands from God.  I think one of the best quotes on the definition of faith came from the late theologian Charles Spurgeon, “Faith is believing that Christ is what he is said to be, and that he will do what he has promised to do, and then to expect this of him.”

Returning to chapter 5 in the gospel of John (verses 19-47), we hear from Christ himself who explains His identity and mission.  Christ said in verse 24, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life”.  Christ came to forgive sin, to offer eternal life and warn of final judgement.  Nowhere in verse 24 does Christ say he will heal all our disease and promise us a trouble-free life.  Then, Jesus proceeds to tell the Jewish leaders that he is a testimony “weightier that that of John (the Baptist).  Christ does not need man to prove His deity! So why then do we get so caught up in searching for miraculous signs and healings?  I think it is because we as Christians put way too much emphasis on the strength of our faith than the object of our faith. 

We want to see prayers answered, to validate our faith. We want to see healing, to validate our faith.  We want to see an engaging worship service, to validate our faith.  We want to see our political candidate win, to validate our faith.  The Apostle Paul tells us our faith is a gift from God, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). 

Will you have doubts in your walk with Jesus? Sometimes.  Will trials rock your faith? My testimony is proof. (James 1: 2-3).  But when these doubts or trials come, don’t look for a miracle or an answered prayer to validate your faith.  Look to Jesus.  Take your eyes off yourself.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: (John 14:6). Only Christ has the power to offer salvation.  Jesus promises to work when our faith is as small as a mustard seed (Matt. 17:20), for it isn’t the size of our faith that finally matters, but he who is the object.

Physical healing doesn’t always occur, and spiritual growth does not come instantly.  When trials come we should pray to God for our physical and spiritual needs. The answers to our prayers may come quickly, they may come in stages or they may not be answered at all. One thing that Jesus has taught me through my cancer journey is that true discipleship is costly and involves suffering.  When we read through the Bible, we will see Jesus in all its passages.  Our faith grows as we see the power, goodness and love of God displayed in Christ, whether that results in miraculous healing in our lives or simply the grace to endure pain.  Regardless, God’s grace should be sufficient. (2 Cor 12:9).  This may be my journey, but it is for His glory!