Question 1: Whose responsibility is it to enliven the worship service?

Question 2: What is the interplay between the Spirit, the worship leaders, the congregation and you as an individual?

These two questions concern me because they may potentially convey a misconception about the true nature of worship.  If one were to ask about the nature of worship, one would likely get a wide variety of answers many of which, would, to one degree or another, center around the music segment of a corporate service.  I believe this is a fundamentally flawed view of New Testament worship.  The focus of New Testament worship is not something as narrow as the music portion of a corporate gathering, or even as narrow as the corporate gathering itself.  So, if worship is not fundamentally what we do in at a particular time in the church service, or the church service itself, then what is it?  D.A. Carson in Worship by the Book provides a definition of worship beginning with “Worship is the proper response…to God, ascribing all honor and worth…precisely because He is worthy, delightfully so.”

Regarding this definition, there are two points I would like to make.  First off, limiting our scope to mankind (angels, stars, the heavens, and all created things are all said to worship God), under this definition only born-again people can be said to be true worshipers of God.  Even though it can be said that mankind worships many things, and may even ascribe worth and honor to God Himself (perhaps, for the good things He has done or the good gifts He has given), none of this is the foundation for true, Biblical worship.  Only those who have been given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians. 4:6), which is a spiritual light that only God can give (John 6:44; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6), which enables a spiritual seeing of the goodness and worthiness of God, only these are the ones who can worship God for who He is in and of Himself.  No one ascribes this kind of honor to God apart from regeneration (Romans 1:21; 3:10-18), and as such, only born-again people can be those who worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Secondly, the “proper response” spoken of in D.A. Carson’s definition goes beyond heartfelt words of affirmation of God’s worth.  The way we live our lives on a daily basis reflects the worthiness or value of God.  The way we use our money, the way we use food, the way we use time, vacation, work, marriage, family, etc., constantly communicates the true worth of God to us.  In other words, the way we live our lives is what true worship is all about. Worship is not fundamentally about singing God-glorifying songs; although, that is part of worship. Worship is not fundamentally about attending corporate church gatherings; although, that is part of worship.  Worship is not fundamentally about giving, prayer, Bible study, etc; although, all of those things are a part of worship.  Worship is no less than living our whole lives for His glory.  Paul says it this way, “…present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1)” and “whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).” 

With these ideas in mind, I am now able to address the two questions listed above.  The very idea of “enlivening a worship service” seems to be incongruous with the definition of worship provided above.  But, perhaps, there is a way this can be taken that is Biblically faithful. When we gather for corporate services, how we truly see God is naturally reflected. So, if the corporate service feels un-lively to you, this mostly likely says more about the state of your heart towards God than it does the skill of the musicians, the eloquence of the preacher, or others around you.  In short, you are responsible to “enliven the worship service,” and this is a direct result of the depth of your spiritual understanding (knowing) of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).  This kind of understanding comes about as a result of the work of the Spirit on the heart (John 3:3, 5-8), and is cultivated in the life of the believer through the practice of spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, Bible study, etc…

This leads us to the second question. The interplay between the Spirit, the “worship leader” (I hate that term – once again, because it conveys a false idea of what worship truly is), the congregation and the individual is as follows:

It is the Spirit that causes us to be born-again so that we can see Christ as He truly is.  It is this that allows us to truly “taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).”  Only then can we ascribe true worth and honor to God as He is in and of Himself. It is only the Spirit that can make our worship true worship – worship that is in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

It is the “worship leader” that is responsible to pick appropriate music that fulfills the purpose of music in the corporate gatherings, which is nothing less than “letting the word of Christ richly dwell in us, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual sings, singing with thankfulness in our hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).”  As such, the words of the songs that are sung in a corporate gathering are far more important than the musical arrangement.  At the same time, it is important that the “worship leader” conduct the music in such a way that it is not a distraction to the service, or incongruous with the service.  It is the “worship leader’s” responsibility to make sure this proper balance is maintained.

Lastly, the congregant members are responsible to one another to come with their hearts prepared to minister to one another in song, admonition, and thanksgivings for whom God is, and what He has done for us in Christ (Colossians 3:16).

In the end, worship is far more than what happens at the corporate meeting level.  The essence of worship is living our lives in such a way that ascribes honor, worth and value to God (I Corinthians 10:31).  It is a life that demonstrates God as our treasure hidden in the field – our pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46).

This weekend’s  music set closes with Jordan Kaufman’s “All I Have is Christ.”  To see Jesus Christ as the all-powerful, all-wise, all-righteous, all-merciful, all-satisfying Treasure of the universe is our chief obligation. But simply saying (or singing) that Christ is valuable does not communicate the worth of Christ in a meaningful way. What I mean by this is not that our saying, “Christ is our treasure,” has no propositional content, but rather that the utterance of these words in speech or on song does not demonstrate in any meaningful way what really is going on in our hearts. We show the true worth of Christ when we really do “count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). We show the true worth of Christ when we are so satisfied in him that we let possessions, ambitions and family go and lay down our lives for the sake of the kingdom in mercy, missions, and, if necessary, martyrdom. This is the kind of life that demonstrates in a meaningful way that “All I have is Christ.”

I have been reading The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards.  I find Edwards to be a profound and deep thinker, which is clearly illustrated in this work.  This weekend’s music focuses on our affections toward Christ.  These affections are awakened when a person becomes born again.  That is to say, when God shines in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), our affections cannot help but be affected. 

I would like you to consider this very challenging section below from The Religious Affections (pgs. 50-53). Even though it is lengthy, it will be worth the effort to read through it.  

…true religion consists so much in the affections, that there can be no true religion without them.  He who has no religious affection, is in a state of spiritual death, and is wholly destitute of the powerful, quickening, saving influences of the Spirit of God upon his heart.  As there is no true religion where there is nothing else but affection, so there is no true religion where there is no religious affection.  As on the one hand, there must be light in the understanding, as well as an affected fervent heart; where there is heat without light, there can be nothing divine or heavenly in that heart; so on the other hand, where there is a kind of light without heat, a head stored with notions and speculations, with a cold and unaffected heart, there can be nothing divine in that light, that knowledge is no true spiritual knowledge of divine things. If the great things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why men are not affected by such infinitely great, important, glorious, and wonderful things, as they often hear and read of, in the word of God, is undoubtedly because they are blind; if they were not so, it would be impossible, and utterly inconsistent with human nature, that their hearts should be otherwise than strongly impressed, and greatly moved by such things.

If true religion lies much in the affections, hence we may learn, what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded before God, that we are no more affected with the great things of religion. It appears from what has been said, that this arises from our having so little true religion.

God has given to mankind affections, for the same purpose which he has given all the faculties and principles of the human soul for, viz., that they might be subservient to man’s chief end, and the great business for which God has created him, that is, the business of religion. And yet how common is it among mankind, that their affections are much more exercised and engaged in other matters, than in religion! In things which concern men’s worldly interest, their outward delights, their honor and reputation, and their natural relations, they have their desires eager, their appetites vehement, their love warm and affectionate, their zeal ardent; in these things their hearts are tender and sensible, easily moved, deeply impressed, much concerned, very sensibly affected, and greatly engaged; much depressed with grief at worldly losses, and highly raised with joy at worldly successes and prosperity. But how insensible and unmoved are most men, about the great things of another world! How dull are their affections! How heavy and hard their hearts in these matters! Here their love is cold, their desires languid, their zeal low, and their gratitude small. How they can sit and hear of the infinite height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus, of his giving his infinitely dear Son, to be offered up a sacrifice for the sins of men, and of the unparalleled love of the innocent, and holy, and tender Lamb of God, manifested in his dying agonies, his bloody sweat, his loud and bitter cries, and bleeding heart, and all this for enemies, to redeem them from deserved, eternal burnings, and to bring to unspeakable and everlasting joy and glory; and yet be cold, and heavy, insensible, and regardless! Where are the exercises of our affections proper, if not here? What is it that does more require them? And what can be a fit occasion of their lively and vigorous exercise, if not such a one as this? Can anything be set in our view, greater and more important? Any thing more wonderful and surprising? Or more nearly concerning our interest? Can we suppose the wise Creator implanted such principles in the human nature as the affections, to be of use to us, and to be exercised on certain proper occasions, but to lie still on such an occasion as this? Can any Christian who believes the truth of these things, entertain such thoughts?

If we ought ever to exercise our affections at all, and if the Creator has not unwisely constituted the human nature in making these principles a part of it, when they are vain and useless; then they ought to be exercised about those objects which are most worthy of them. But is there anything which Christians can find in heaven or earth, so worthy to be the objects of their admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their hope, and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ? In which not only are things declared most worthy to affect us, but they are exhibited in the most affecting manner. The glory and beauty of the blessed Jehovah, which is most worthy in itself, to be the object of our admiration and love, is there exhibited in the most affecting manner that can he conceived of, as it appears, shining in all its luster, in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, meek, compassionate, dying Redeemer. All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, love and compassion, are exhibited to our view, in a manner the most tending to move our affections, of any that can be imagined; as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, and so their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most affecting circumstances; even when he was under his last sufferings, those unutterable and unparalleled sufferings he endured, from his tender love and pity to us. There also the hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible: as we see the dreadful effects of them, in that our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God’s hatred of sin, and his wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it; and his wrath in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one who was infinitely dear to him, and loving to us. So has God disposed things, in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though everything were purposely contrived in such a manner, as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust, that we are no more affected!

We begin our Scripture memory program this Sunday, August 1st, 2010.  The program will last one year with us memorizing Romans 5, Psalm 103 and Romans 8.  Here are eights reasons from John Piper as to why he memorizes Scripture (found here): 

1. Memorizing Scripture makes meditation possible at times when I can’t be reading the Bible, and meditation is the pathway of deeper understanding.
2. Memorizing Scripture strengthens my faith because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, and that happens when I am hearing the word in my head.
3. Memorizing Scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming my mind to God’s viewpoint.
4. Memorizing Scripture makes God’s word more readily accessible for overcoming temptation to sin, because God’s warnings and promises are the way we conquer the deceitful promises of sin.
5. Memorizing Scripture guards my mind by making it easier to detect error—and the world is filled with error, since the god of this world is a liar.
6. Memorizing Scripture enables me to hit the devil in the face with a force he cannot resist, and so protect myself and my family from his assaults.
7. Memorizing Scripture provides the strongest and sweetest words for ministering to others in need.
8. Memorizing Scripture provides the matrix for fellowship with Jesus because he talks to me through his word, and I talk to him in prayer.

Here is the schedule for 8/1/2010 through 7/30/2011.

Already Memorized

• Romans 11:33-36
• Jude 24-25
• 2 Corinthians 5:21

Romans 5

• Romans 5:1-5                     3 weeks               8/1/2010 – 8/21/2010
• Romans 5:6-11                  3 weeks               8/22/2010 – 9/11/2010
• Romans 5:12-14                2 weeks               9/12/2010 – 9/25/2010
• Romans 5:15-17                2 weeks               9/26/2010 – 10/9/2010
• Romans 5:18-21                2 weeks               10/10/2010 – 10/23/2010

 Break (Catch-up)                                              10/24/2010 – 10/30/2010

Psalm 103

• Psalm 103:1-5                    3 weeks               10/31/2010 – 11/20/2010
• Psalm 103:6-14                  5 weeks               11/21/2010 – 12/25/2010
• Psalm 103:15-18                2 weeks               12/26/2010 – 1/8/2011
• Psalm 103:19-22                2 weeks               1/9/2011 – 1/22/2011

Break (Catch-up)                                              1/23/2011 – 1/29/2011

Romans 8

• Romans 8:1-8                     4 weeks               1/30/2011 – 2/26/2011
• Romans 8:9-11                  2 weeks               2/27/2011 – 3/12/2011
• Romans 8:12-17                3 weeks               3/13/2011 – 4/2/2011
• Romans 8:18-25                4 weeks               4/3/2011 – 4/30/2011
• Romans 8:26-27                1 week                 5/1/2011 – 5/7/2011
• Romans 8:28-30                2 weeks               5/8/2011 – 5/21/2011
• Romans 8:31-39                4 weeks               5/22/2011 – 6/18/2011

 Break (Catch-up)                                              6/19/2011 – 7/30/2011

This month’s memory verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21, which I believe sums up the gospel in a verse.  It read as follows… 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21 – NASB) 

The motivation for this month’s memory verse came from Gary Ricucci’s¹ brief summary of the gospel, which Lamar shared with us last night.  If you ever need a short summary of the gospel that contains the key theological points, then this is it.  Enjoy!     

The gospel, in brief, is the good news about the person and finished work of Jesus Christ.  Consider for a moment that the eternal Son of God relinquished the glories of heaven to become a man, a human being like you and me.  He lived a perfect and sinless life (unlike you and me), fulfilling every requirement of God’s holy law in a way we could never hope to accomplish.  And then in a glorious display of God’s love for sinners like us, He willingly receives the full fury of God’s righteous wrath against sin by dying for out sins on a cruel Roman cross.  Because God’s absolute and perfect holiness demands an equivalent holiness from all who come before Him, in ourselves we are all hopelessly lost and condemned.  But Jesus, who had no sin of His own to pay for, took our place, paid our penalty, and suffered our punishment.  Because His death as our substitute was perfectly sufficient to pay for our sins, God vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead.  So now all who place their trust in Jesus’ work on the their behalf and turn from their sin will be forgiven, counted righteous in Him, and saved from judgment for all eternity…all by God’s marvelous grace.  This is the gospel.  This is the good news.  Better news simply does not exist!  

 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!  34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?  35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever.  Amen.

1622-1714

Matthew Henry was an English Puritan who was the minister of a Presbyterian congregation in  Chester, England.   He is best known for his commentary on the whole Bible.  J.I. Packer states in his lecture series on the English Puritans that Matthew Henry’s commentary is precisely strong where so many commentaries are weak, and that is in the area of application.  As such, I thought it would be good to look to Matthew Henry’s commentary and the application he gives regarding this month’s memory verse.

Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

1. He (the psalmist) desires that as far as he was in the wrong God would discover it to him. Those that are upright can take comfort in God’s omniscience as a witness of their uprightness, and can with a humble confidence beg of him to search and try them, to discover them to themselves (for a good man desires to know the worst of himself) and to discover them to others. He that means honestly could wish he had a window in his breast that any man may look into his heart: “Lord, I hope I am not in a wicked way, but see if there be any wicked way in me, any corrupt inclination remaining; let me see it; and root it out of me, for I do not allow it.”

2. He desires that, as far as he was in the right, he might be forwarded in it, which he that knows the heart knows how to do effectually: Lead me in the way everlasting. Note, (1.) The way of godliness is an everlasting way; it is everlastingly true and good, pleasing to God and profitable to us, and will end in everlasting life. It is the way of antiquity (so some), the good old way. (2.) All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, nor tire in it.

God’s omniscience can be a scary thing. He knows our hearts better than we do. And if your heart is anything like mine, then the idea of a thrice holy God having such a perspicuous view into our hearts is indeed terrifying. Yet, we as saints can take comfort because of our union with Christ. Because of the atoning work of our Savior, our sins are forgiven, and we can come boldly to the throne of grace crying “Abba Father” to  find help in time of need. That is why we as saints can ask God to search our hearts without fear – knowing that He will complete the work that He began in us. In fact, because of the amazing grace shown toward us, our hearts cry out to God to root all wickedness out of us. God’s will is that our lives be conformed to the image of Christ. Psalm 139:23-24 shows that one way this is accomplished is by our asking God to show us those things in our lives that are not pleasing to Him, and then enable us through the Spirit to eradicate them, i.e., by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh. 

Our Prayer: Search me, O God, and see if there be any wicked way in me; whatever You find root it out of me, and lead me in the everlasting way!

1. Ask God to incline us to, open our eyes to, unite us to fear, and satisfy us with his Word (Psalm 119:36, 18; 86:11; 90:14).
2. Pray for purity in the midst of temptation (Matthew 26:41).
3. Pray for biblical, doctrinal faithfulness (Titus 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:16; Acts 20:27).
4. Pray for Christ-exalting marriages and family relationships (Ephesians 6:1-4).
5. Pray for boldness in witnessing (Acts 4:31; 18:9-10).
6. Pray for visionary, creative energy (Joshua 13:1).
7. Pray for converting power (Acts 16:13-14).
8. Pray for a great, global awakening to the all-satisfying glory of God (Matthew 6:9).