Biblical Worship Does... (2)

Last Sunday Pastor Josh spent time talking on the head and the heart because of their foundational importance in biblical worship.

To reiterate, what we are looking to achieve these two weeks is a clear understanding of what worship is, and what Biblical worship does. We are addressing the posture in which we take when approaching worship.

This week we see that Biblical worship involves our hands, and is encompassed and validated by our character.

It’s important to note that when we talk about our hands were talking about the physical entitlements of worship so when we hear hands can replace it with wealth or time or anything that we physically bring to worship.

So lets lets work this morning to answer the questions, What do I do?

As we look at some scriptures this morning, my encouragement to you is to open your copy of the word of God, and if you don’t have a copy, please feel free to take a copy from the back, if you don’t own a copy at home, please take one to keep that’s out gift to you.

We are reminded of this passage.

Colossians 3:16

ESV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

When talking about biblical worship, Colossians answers where do we start.

We first, let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. Let is a active verb here, meaning it is happening or is in the process of happening.

Allowing the word of Christ to dwell in us richly.

The word used here in the Greek is ἐνοικέω (in-e-cow) that we translate dwell, or to take residence in, live in.

He’s using this illustration here in his wording because its as practical as the very places in which we live. We all have a home, we all know the value of our home, and we all wrestle with how terrifying it is to lose our home.

We are protective people and what enters into our most intimate dwelling and dears to defile or destroy, we defend, as we should.

Whats being asked of us here is to invite the very words of Christ to live in the most intimate places of our hearts. The very place that we are also called to protect (proverbs 4:23).

The reason we make a big deal of this is because the practically of worship with our character and our physical contributions, is set up by the presence of the Word in your heart and your head.

It fills and prepares us to then do the rest of what this verse says. Included in this mind you is the part of worship that we tends to get pigeonholed all of Worship, Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, With thankfulness in your hearts to God. While we can spend the rest of our time talking about what that means a specifically, I want to spend our time talking more on the form of worship rather then the function of worship. with that what we are doing is actually underlining the importance of skill and ability in our worship.

So looking when we do this together as a greater part in corporate worship, the reality is that a lack of skill can become a genuine hindrance.

think about it this way. Josh mentioned in our service last week that many aspects of worship go practically unnoticed until they go wrong. Then for some reason they become the focus in our minds. Someone drops a mic, a projector goes out, a word is spelled wrong in the slides. A teacher shows up late to teach a class, or doesn't show up at all, or phones it in on their lesson. A note is sang poorly.

All of these things become hindrances of the goal that we have for our hearts and minds. They become distractions and if C.S. Lewis has taught us anything in the screwtape letters, on distraction it was that we often find that anything or nothing is sufficient to attract out wandering attention. So if its not the song that is sang, maybe its the font that is used, or the lesson that is taught or the temperature of the room. What ever the distraction, our goal as a worship leaders then becomes to combat the enemy of distraction and eliminate all potential for distraction from what our true purpose is.

To honer the God who is worthy,and to approach him with thankfulness in our hearts.

We do this by underscoring the importance of our ability and giftedness.

As it relates to our corporate worship, outside of preference, to challenge a persons skill is to invite certain confrontation and argument. So we must understand why skill is so important, and why all throughout scripture God cares about what we do with our hands in worship.

Skill is developed through a combination of experience and competence.

It is something that for whatever reason has become taboo in the church, Because we respond with two polar extremes.Either we undervalue skill by emphasizing a person’s passion or feeling,Or we idolize skill by overlooking a person’s lack of love or knowing of God.

When we in the church can rightly understand and pursue skill,We become more fruitful worshippers together.And this is why we should prioritize it.

We see God commend skillfulness and use it for His glory throughout the OT.One example comes from 1 Chron. 25:6-8, which says;

1 Chronicles 25:6–8

ESV

They were all under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was 288. And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

and we see this idea repeat itself.

Also, in Exodus 36:1, God has Moses choose skilled and intelligent craftsmen to construct the tabernacle.

Later, David picked a specific individual to lead singing in 1 Chron. 15:22 because he was skillful at singing.

David also tells musicians in Psalm 33:3 to play skillfully on the strings,

As a king, Psalm 78:72 says that David guided the people with his skillful hand. The examples go on and on.

It seems clear that skill matters to God, So, it should matter to us too. But remember, valuing skill alone is not sufficient.

We need our skill to be theologically informed, And fueled by love for God.

Think about in this way. for college, Jackie and I had the pleasure to attend Carolina University. The university was located a short distance from old Salem. I’m sure many of us have had the pleasure of walking though an old house. So when Jackie and I would visit old Salem and see these houses, i was always tickled to notice that a lot of doors for these houses were typically smaller then what i’m used to. I mean granted they were just my height because i’m a little guy, but for me it was easy to walk in and out of these homes. I love my current home because as you walk down the stairs, I don’t have to duck to avoid hitting my head. this passageway dont effect the way in which I navigate the rest of my home. Now, Jeff Culver, Matt Gregory, Shaq. Would have difficulties living in my house.

Skill in Worship function as a door way. We can either create a means by which we navigate without obstruction to God, or we create hindrances that cause us to “hit our head” or trip.

Skill and ability and is vital in Worship.

My Character

We discussed that without right heart we cannot approach God in Worship.

We discussed that without a right mindset we cannot approach God in Worship.

We discussed that without the intentionality of our gifting we cannot approach God in Worship.

And even so. We, can have all of these things, but if we do not have proper character. We know it is impossible to Please God.

The passage that I am referring to here is Hebrews 11:1-8 ,

Hebrews 11:1–8 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

You may be asking, what does faith have to do with worship, matter of fact, what does faith have to do with character. Lets take a 30,000 ft view of this.

By faith able...

Gave the first fruits or in this case, the first born of his flock. Reguardless of what Gods position on Cains offering, God regarded Able as a person who considered the sacrifice of the best of his flock a good thing.

By faith Enoch...

Whom we can only assume that because of his inclusion here in the hall of faith and that he didn't experience death infers to use that by his Faith, his life was pleasing to God.

By faith Noah...

Who built the ark, not out of safty for his family, or peservation of himself but out of reverence perpared an ark for salvation.

By Faith Abraham...

believed that God would deliver his lineage. and even his son as he offered him up to God.

And the list goes on.

The consistent theme here is that when we find Gods people commiting these acts of faithfulfness we see a great image of people whom though they may not be perfect or refined, are people who are of a unique character.

It is clear, that we can approch worship with a heart tuned to be moved by acts of generosity. We can approach him with with a mind full of information that is theologically reinforced, can even approach it with a level of wealth or intellect,

but as we read in multiple places, God desires obedience over sacrifice.

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Hosea 6:6 ESV

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Micah 6:6 ESV

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Matthew 9:13 ESV

Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7

All of these passages speak into the same consistent theam.

The hard truth is this. God doesn’t care how emotional you get or how moved you are during worship, he doesn’t care about how smart you are, he doesnt even care how talented you are. He care about the character you bring. Worship is a question of quality not quantity.

So what Posture do you bring before God when you sing on a Sunday morning, what about when you give your time, what about when you give your monies. What about when you serve others.

Do you bring any kind of expectation. Even the smallest ones. Or do you Worship him in faith.

Because we know with confidence that that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect (Perfect work), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Lets closes with Mark 12 starting in vs 41.

Mark 12:41–44 ESV

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

She gave all in a act of complete dependence, obedience, and faithfulness to God. See the story here is not about what she gives, its the pouster she takes in her giving.

You want to know what worship looks like.

don’t look to the temple mount,

don’t look to the great signs and wonders.

don’t look to the great productions.

Don’t look to what we sing on a Sunday morning, or what instrument is played or isn’t played.

lets look to the widow, who’s very character is defined by her faith her obedience, and her faithfulness.

So to echo pastor Josh.

I hope this is what we are communicating not just from what we do during the week, But also visually this morning.

Biblical worship is not about being up on a platform, It is not about exalting ourselves, It is not about the decorations, It is not about what we wear, It is not about visually appealing slides.

Its not about what flags we have on stage

Or the country we belong to

or the holiday we celebrate.

So, we wanted to clear the stage, In an effort to emphasize what biblical worship is. Because biblical worship requires all of our being, My heart, head, hands, and character glorifying God.

We have all come here to proclaim the same thing. God you are holy, perfect, and worthy of all praise. And it is because of you we persist.

know next week, the stage will be back. The lights turned on, the platform replaced.

But let us not lose sight of what it means to keep the stage of our hearts cleared, reserved for the one who deserves it. let us, together as a church, cut down our idols and worship the one who is worthy.