True Worshipers Edify - Worship and Maturity

Just a recap:

Week 1 we looked at True Worshipers Matter; Worship and reality

Week 2 we looked at True Worshipers Receive; Worship and our inability

Week 3 we looked at True Worshipers Exalt; Worship and humility

Week 4 we looked at True Worshipers Gather: Worship and community

Tonight we will see True Worshipers Edify; Worship and maturity. And we will start in Exodus 20. Then we will move later to 1 Corinthians 12-14.

English Standard Version Chapter 20

20 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Hopefully, you are aware that that was commandments 1 through 5, as those are primarily the ones dealing with our relationship directly with God.

Two quotes to get us going:

Institutes of the Christian Religion Chapter 12: God Distinguished, that He May Be the Exclusive Object of Worship

1. Scripture, in teaching that there is but one God, does not make a dispute about words, but attributes all honour and religious worship to him alone. This proved, 1st, By the etymology of the term. 2d, By the testimony of God himself, when he declares that he is a jealous God, and will not allow himself to be confounded with any fictitious Deity.

Ch. 12 - “GOD DISTINGUISHED FROM IDOLS, THAT HE MAY BE THE EXCLUSIVE OBJECT OF WORSHIP”

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 1997).

The second is from Bryan Chapel in Christ Centered Worship:

Making God the exclusive goal of worship sounds very reverent but actually fails to respect Scripture's own gospel priorities. Certainly it is true that God is the most important audience member for our worship. But if God were not concerned for the good of his people, his glory would be diminished. He expects us not only to praise his name (Psalm 30:4), but also to teach, admonish, and encourage one another in worship (Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 10:24).

Now these two quotes might seem at odds with one another, but they are not.

Last week we looked at how we should gather together in worship, and that gathering has tons of benefits.

But have you guys ever seen pictures that advertise or are meant to symbolize worship? What are they usually?

They are usually someone listening to music, experiencing music either live or in headphones. Eyes are usually closed. Smiling face. Hands uplifted. Worship.

When you Google image search “worship” the trend that shows itself is either a singled-out person in a dark environment that could be any concert in any area in the world, eyes closed, hands raised. But even in the middle of a crowd, the photos suggest this one person is singled out, solitary. The other major trend in the image search is a single person, usually in silhouette, standing or bowing with arms raised.

Whether you realize this or not, the images are conveying the message that worship is personal. It is solitary.

And there is a personal aspect to this, please don’t misunderstand. But as we saw last week, Scripture is clear that worship is to happen corporately.

“God never intended that He be the only one concerned for the good of His people. He invites us to join Him.” (p85)

So, it isn’t odd for us to lambast the selfishness of American Christianity. But, we were by far not the first to look to ourselves as more important than others (the opposite of Isaiah 5:21 and Romans 12:3)

Isaiah 5:21 ESV

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!

Romans 12:3 ESV

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

But the church in Corinth…well, they had the same problems we have today. They wanted glorious, spiritual ecstacy, not boring stuff like the spiritual gift of administration. NO! They wanted to prophecy and speak in tongues!

Paul responds to them by telling them that when the gather, stop looking at yourselves and start looking to help others. 1 Cor 14:26

1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

Paul tells them that when they work together to build one another up (community, last week, right?), that is what glorifies God. We still serve God alone, but we are to do it both personally and together. Look at Paul’s words to the church in Rome:

English Standard Version Chapter 1

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

In fact, the word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 14 for our meetings is not worship, but edification. That is “building up.” Worship and Edification are “two sides of the same coin” according to Kauflin (p86). He says this:

“When we serve others for their good, we’re bringing glory to God. And when we exalt God through our expressions of praise, prayer, and thanks, we’re building up those around us. At least, that’s the way God intends it to work.” (p86)

Now, this is where it gets tricky right. “But, Pastor Stephen, isn’t that your job?” Or isn’t that the job of the staff? The Elders?

Well, yeah. But also, no.

See, we, as church members, typically think that that building up is the job of those who are the public leaders. Pastors, Elders, musicians, teachers. You get it. And we see that in how we comment on things. “I didn’t like that song today, sounded sloppy.” “He’s preaching another long one.” “Man, you killed it today on that last song!”

If you notice, we judge the quality of our meeting together based off of the actions of others. However, that is not how God wants it to work. God’s plan for it is that we come to our meetings asking how we can serve.

This is evident all throughout 1 Corinthians 12-14. Look, for example, here:

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV

So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

We should come to worship gatherings not as consumers, but as participants. I always cringe when I see (usually around major sporting events) people put memes on Facebook that show a football stadium, and people cheering, and they bash everyone who is remotely stoic in church. Things like, “If Christians acted like fans at sporting events, we’d change the world” or “If more people were on fire for God like they cheer for the Bengals, we’d win the world!” It always irks me, because the images and posts seem to indicate that if people would just be more boisterous they would be better.

Because, in fact, Christians already DO act like fans at sporting events. They sit in the seats. They complain to their neighbors about how the “show” is going. If they don’t like it, they bark about it on social media. And many of them have decided it is too uncomfortable, too inconvenient, and too expensive to go anymore, so they’ll just watch it on TV.

In fact, if we are going to compare church to a football game, it’s like Greg Ogden said:

“The church today has been compared to a football game with twenty-two people on the field in desperate need of rest, and fifty thousand people in the stands in desperate need of exercise.”

— Greg Ogden

We are not meeting together to get something out of it. We are meeting to put something into it. We are meeting to build others up. What we get out of it is a blessing from the Lord - and that happens when other faithful saints serve alongside us, seeking to serve and edify us.

What we really need is to realign our priorities. Paul helps us here in 1 Corinthians.

The Priority of Variety

Look at 1 Cor 12:4-6:

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 ESV

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

So some of us are like Debbie Downers. Or Party Poopers. You know that song? “Every party has a pooper, that’s why we invited you!”

We think we are non-essential personnel. “Well, I can’t sing.” “I can’t preach.” “I can’t…I can’t…I can’t...”

Good. If that’s where you are, maybe you’re ready, because it isn’t about you. It is about what God will do through you.

So instead of wallowing in fake humility that is really self-pity, look at how Paul addresses the church in Corinth. He talks directly to the disaffected. “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong.” Paul calls hogwash on that. Yes, there are significant differences between our feet and our hands. Feet get dirty. They might smell. They are usually shrouded in socks and shoes. Hands do cool stuff. Like build things. Play instruments. Greet people with a hand shake.

If you’re a foot, you probably feel a lot less important.

But, unless you are part of the Addams Family, how’s Mister Mano gonna get anywhere without Fantastic Mr. Foot? Feet are important. Both are part of the body.

And look, We all have seen or know people who maybe have lost parts of their bodies. And they have to learn to adapt. But if we were all an eye, that would be gross. Icky, rolling around collecting dirt and lint and hair…UGH!

For the church in Corinth, they saw some gifts as more prestigious (hands, eyes) than others (feet, ears). And the thing is, if I ask each of you what you think the best or most prestigious gift or role in the church is, some of you might say “pastor,” but you might diverge pretty quickly after that. Some of you may wish you could play in the band. Some of you may wish you were an usher, or deacon, or teacher.

But the thing is, God gifted us all exactly how He wanted us to be. And He doesn’t make junk. He created us with varying gifts so that the confluence of those gifts in the local church would constitute a complete body ready to do kingdom work.

Everyone has gifts. Everyone has a role. And yes, there are some gifts that have tighter requirements. But God calls and places people in those areas. But, like, imagine if only those prominent gifts, like preaching and music, were the ones exercised. No greeters. No children’s and preschool workers. No setup, no admin. No..*gasp*…no…coffee!!

As Kauflin says, “You might have a crowd. But you wouldn’t have a church.” (p90)

The Priority of Love

“All you need is love/Love is all you need”

-John Lennon, 1967 (“All You Need Is Love”, Lennon-McCartney)

Unlike the Beatles idea of all you need is love, Paul’s look at that emotion in 1 Corinthians 13 is much more theologically accurate. And way less warm and fuzzy.

Love is the glue that holds our service together. If we are to do all the things, but we don’t love as Christ has commanded and modeled for us, we’re just making noise. To quote Shakespeare,

“It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

-Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5

So, how do we know when our efforts to build others up lacks love?

Well, what’s your goal? Is it for your glory? Or for Jesus’ glory? If you (or I) are tempted to discouragement, anger, bitterness, comparison, or envy by someone else’s serving, it is a sure sign that our serving lacks love and brings no glory to God. (p91)

Look, even when we gather something as simple as your facial expressions matter. Do you know how much easier it is to lead a new song looking out over a congregation of smiling people, over sour-faced ones?

At the first church I served, I was leading worship one Sunday morning, and about halfway back on my left side, was a guy. Just standing there, like I’d stolen his puppy. Arms crossed. Brow furrowed. The whole bit. I see him there, and I lean into this song even more, wanting to help him break out and worship, you know. Again, younger and dumber me. But, nothing I did seemed to change him at all. Service is over, and I am exhausted from really trying to get through to him.

Staff meeting the next morning, we were going over the service, and I tell the staff, “man, I don’t know what was going on with the dude, but it was like an angry brick wall.” The pastor looks at me and goes, “really? He stopped me after church and said it was the most powerful worship service he’s been in, and that he really enjoyed it.”

My reply: “Well, he needs to tell his face that next time!”

As I look back and cringe on things I’ve done not well in ministry, trying to get God to move in one person during a service is right there. But, also, if that guy had been less evil-faced, who knows what other folks may have been blessed as well?

The reason love is a priority for the way we serve others is because it is the way that God has served us. The more we understand the depths of God’s love, the more we will want to serve others with that same love. (p92)

The Priority of Intelligibility

This one should seem obvious, but it can get a little nuanced.

Example: If all of my musicians started playing different songs, it would sound like chaos. They are all playing a song, and so it is actually correct and musical (individually), but the whole is not musical. In fact, even if we all played the same song, but started at different times, it would still be chaos.

In the same way, when we use “insider language” or jargon or “church-ese,” we tend to exclude or at least make it more difficult for those outside to fellowship with us.

Please don’t misunderstand: worship is for the believer, not the unbeliever. If an unbeliever doesn’t understand, that is expected. But we don’t have to make it more difficult than it already is.

Words like surety, missional, redeemed, legalistic, interpose, grace, mercy, atonement, justification....those are all good words, but might require some explanation.

Similarly, if we don’t do a good job of showing visitors where the children’s church area is, where the preschool is, where the bathrooms are…we could be a stumbling block to those who need better clarity.

The Priority of the Gospel

Ultimately, our meetings should be about the gospel. Kauflin notes, “While the things we do as God’s people bring Him glory, they’re meant to point to what God has done to make us His people.” (p93) That’s the gospel.

When we look at how Paul closes out his letter to Corinth, he makes the admonishments we just talked about but then says this:

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

God wants to edify us as individuals and together as a congregation. We are a community. We are the bricks of a larger building. But that means that each of us has a purpose, and we are not just thrown willy-nilly in a pile, but stacked with precision by the Father who is ordering the universe for His glory.

The best way to edify one another is to build them up into Christ. We do that by drawing attention to who Jesus is, to what He’s accomplished. Our gifts are not for our own glory, but to glorify the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Everything we do is meant to help others see what Jesus Christ has done and why it matters. True worshipers, then, have the good of others in view because they have Christ’s glory in view. We should never think about exalting God without thinking about serving and building up others as well. (p94-95)