Transformed worship

Romans 12:1,2 (NASB)

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

We who are disciples of Jesus Christ are different. We are supposed to stand out. We live in a world that hates what we believe and hates Him in whom we trust. We are the counter culture. 

This is not in any way judging the worship styles of others, but rather a subject to ponder and consider, seriously and prayerfully. I will say, quite honestly, I do not know if I have an answer to the quandary, but here it is. The Apostle Paul talks about being living sacrifices and worshiping God with our lives. 

The early church sang "psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." Obviously we know what the psalms were, but as to what hymns and spiritual songs would have been sung, what style they followed and so on, we can't really say because this has been lost to us. We can guess that the music focused on the holiness and worthiness of God, but beyond that, we have little to go on.

For centuries, the music of the church was completely different from the secular folk music the people sang in bars and festivals. The music of the Roman Catholic Church in the middle ages was primarily chanting and eventually some chorale music. The separation of sacred music separate from secular music was extremely important.

Luther and some of the other reformers were the first I know of to mesh sacred and secular music, often setting worship songs to the music of bar tunes. Some of the most cherished hymns are set to tunes that would have had bawdy and possibly unwholesome lyrics, but the people knew them. Of course, considering Luther's heart and mindset, it seems unlikely that he wanted to do other than give the common people tunes they could connect with so they could better worship God. The lyrics of his hymn writing are some of the most moving ever penned. 

Worship, in the modern Church, has become something of a spectacle. It feels less about actually connecting with God and more about making a show to entertain. This becomes more evident when we look at modern worship music. The argument that church music needs to compete with secular music so it will hold people's interest prevails. 

I'm not sure that's really so. If we are not supposed to be conformed to the world, shouldn't the music we use to honor God also not conform to the world? Worship is not about us. It is not about entertaining people. Worship is about giving glory to God. 

Are we allowing ourselves to be transformed by God and the Holy Spirit's work in renewing our minds, or are we instead being conformed to the world by copying their music styles so that we'll look cool? Isn't the message of the Gospel enough by itself without gimmicks? Do we really think God isn't able to use His word without our intervention?

Again, I'm not trying to bash Christian musicians in any way. I actually enjoy a lot of what is billed as "praise and worship" music. What I'm trying to do is start a thoughtful conversation on how we can give worship back to God instead of making it about us. 

God is the one who does the work of transformation. He can and will use us despite ourselves, but should we not still endeavor to worship Him just for the sake of worship? Why does it have to be about how many people fill the pews? When did we become so distant from God that we don't just follow His word and let Him do the work? 

God is bigger than us and His will is eternal. If we submit to Him and let Him do the work, His kingdom will benefit far more than when we try to do it our way.

Do they hate us for the right reason?

John 15:18-25

18 “If the world hates you, [a]you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [b]sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have [c]sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’"

I've heard the above passage used as a defense for people hating those who call themselves Christian. It's an interesting defense because it seems true on the surface. The trouble is, most of us who either claim the name or to whom the name is applied, fail to "slaves" to Christ. Oh, certainly, we give lip-service to the idea, but when it comes down to brass tacks, our service to Christ often falls to the side so we can feed whatever lust may be the flavor of the day. We see something that strikes our fancy and we put all our time and energy into it. We all do it.

And eventually those things eat away at us. We become prideful, disdainful, all the things the Apostle Paul warned us are fruits of the flesh in Galatians 5. But before that, in verses 13-15 (NASB), he says the following:

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

We spend so much time being cantankerous and finding ways to tear down other people that the message of Christ is lost. Not only do people hate us because we come across as jerks, they come to hate Christ and all that He stands for. This is a horrible thing and must not be.

Let us be like Christ. Let us love our neighbors, that being everyone we come across to the end that Christ is glorified, then, if people still hate us, that is for God to sort out. We will have done right.

The psalmist wrote about a tree planted by flowing streams of water which never dies and just keeps growing. Let us plant ourselves in the knowledge of the Word of God, in prayer and in meditation. Let us do good for those around us and love them as the Father has loved us. Let us not be that tree that dies away leaving only a gnarled trunk and branches behind.

Let us be a remnant

Matthew 5:43-48 (NASB)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It's interesting that the early believers did not embrace the name Christian. "Christian" means "little Christ." It was originally intended as a slur against early believers.

So many claim the name in our modern time, but so few seem to understand what it means. I do believe what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, that we are known by our fruits and those who are redeemed and living by God's Spirit will produce fruit in accordance with that spirit: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Two days ago, on the anniversary of a horrible event in the history of the United States of America, over a hundred people lost their lives in a tragic accident in the city of Mecca. It was tragic because people died without having heard of the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

I find myself heartbroken by the response of people who call themselves Christian, who rejoice even now because people were killed, rather than mourning that souls passed from this world without Christ. Even more so, when they are questioned about their response and shown how it does not match Biblically with what they claim to believe, they became verbally abusive and try to find ways to justify their hatred.

It feels so hollow, so unlike the picture of Jesus Christ who did not cast a stone at the adulterous woman, despite being himself sinless. Jesus could have killed the woman right then and there and been blameless in the eyes of God, but he instead forgave her sins, and told her to go, change her ways and stop sinning.

I believe we are lost as a nation and as a people of faith. If what I am seeing is the way that people are interpreting the scriptures; if such hatred is to be accepted rather than condemned, then we have fallen from the path of discipleship and we are truly lost.

Thankfully, God is greater and His will is above all things. His Holy Word, Jesus Christ, reigns from His throne in the heavens, waiting for the final trumpet to return and claim those who truly believe in his name: "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”.

But until that time, He calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies. Where we see evil, let us not repay it with evil but with good so God and His Son my be glorified by it. Let there be a remnant who honor God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit not only in word, but in deed.

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”

Romans 9:27-28 (NASB)

A Father's gift

Matthew 6:7-12


“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."


To those of us familiar with the trials of parenting, we know that above all things, even when we don't see eye to eye with our children, we want the best for them. God provides for us, even though we are imperfect, so how much more so do we provide for our children as we are able.


It's actually painful when we cannot provide the things we want to give them, over and above the things they need. Just today, God granted a huge answer to prayer allowing me to provide a huge need for my own son. I don't agree with all of his life choices, but I still want what's best for him and have been praying about this particular need for months.


God loves us. We don't always understand, but He always, always gives us exactly what we need. Always, no exceptions.


So, if you have a need, ask God to provide. He won't always give us what we want, but if we need something, He never fails.

All the good it does...

Read Isaiah 64

"You welcome those who gladly do good,
    who follow godly ways.
But you have been very angry with us,
    for we are not godly.
We are constant sinners;
    how can people like us be saved?
We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,"

The concept of being a neighbor, of being a "good" person, is alien to my natural inclinations. Yes, most people see me as a nice person, a "good" guy, but they don't see how I have to work at it. Inside, I'm a sarcastic, cynical jerk.

Just a few nights ago at work, a co-worker said something to me, and I immediately took offense. My first inward thought was; "Why is she being so nasty to me?" It started to rankle, but I had to force my own feelings aside. My thoughts then turned to "Is there something I have done that has caused a problem?" Of course, this was also a selfish response, because I was still thinking about me. When I did eventually say something, it was simply to ask if she was ok, because she didn't seem like herself. Do you know, she was so grateful that someone noticed? She had been in pain all day from arthritis and was really suffering. This allowed me to have an opportunity to truly minister to her.

This goodness is attributable solely to the work of God in my life. This is a multi-faceted work. As a disciple of Christ, there are many things that work together to help fight the natural inclinations that fight against the goodness of God. These factors include the impact of many Godly men and women (including parents), knowledge of the Word of God, and repeated time spent in prayer and meditation. It's not me, it's Him.

When we think of someone as a good person, we do not see their inward motivations. The prophet juxtaposes God's welcome for those who do good with the realization that our own goodness pales in comparison to the goodness of God Himself. His goodness is far beyond our ability to conceive, let alone copy.

But...

There is hope.

While in Romans, the Apostle Paul writes that all have sinned, in Ephesians 2:8-10 he clarifies that the gift of Christ, salvation through the blood is there, to enable us to do good.

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

See, like the Word says; "it's not me, it's Him."

What's in a name?

Read Acts 2:42-47

Christian.

We use the word a lot. We call ourselves by it. If someone asks what we believe, we say that is what we are. Are we?

The word started nearly 2,000 years ago as a slur in the city of Antioch in what is modern day Syria. It is literally translated; "little Christ" and was intended to mock the believers in the newest religious movement of the time. Over the years, it came to be embraced by believers as a badge of honor. More years passed and it's meaning has changed to a more ambiguous moniker for any person or group even loosely associated with a church. Many of us, especially in the west, who use the name to describe our faith, don't really resemble anything close to Christ Himself, not even a little.

For this reason, I personally don't prefer to refer to myself as a Christian. I know I don't deserve such a title: I just don't measure up.

The believers in the early days of the Church were active neighbors. This is, after all, the second greatest commandment; "Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself." They sold possessions and used the money to care for the needs of others. They shared what they had with those around them.

There are grand cathedrals in Europe which sit empty on a Sunday, or have been repurposed because no one bothers to go anymore. Here in North America, congregations of Bible preaching Churches continue to shrink. We're comfortable. We're Lot in a land of indulgence.

Lot lived in a land of selfishness, Godlessness, and excess. He was comfortable. His faith didn't spill out to those around him. He lost his home, his wife, and the innocence and integrity of his children. In the end, God spared his life, but even then he didn't really change.

So too do we live, surrounded by excess and indulgence, even surrounding ourselves with those who tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need. These voices tell us that we deserve to indulge, while the Christ of the Bible was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," who Himself said, "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Religion isn't about what I can get, or how I can benefit. The Apostle James wrote that "pure religion" is to care for the less fortunate (paraphrased). James spends a good bit of time telling his readers not to elevate the rich over the poor, but here we are, doing just that in western society. For certain, having wealth is no sin, but loving wealth, as the Apostle Paul wrote "is the root of all sorts of evil."

If our faith is real, we will step out of our comfortable spaces, love our neighbors, and focus not on what we want, but what is best for those around us. Lot's failure wasn't that he didn't speak out about the excess and indulgence around him. Lot's failure was indulging in that excess. He was comfortable.

So, I pray that god will work in me so I can seek to touch the lives of those around me in a tangible way, not judging their actions since that is not my place, but rather showing them they are loved. In time, God will work to correct their self-destructive behaviors, but I am called to love my neighbor, to be a "little Christ", and to live a life of service, not a life of selfishness. I pray that others who may read this would be convicted in much the same way.

A Troubled Heart.

Read Psalm 34

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."

I find the above to be poignant. In recent months expecially, It's been difficult to sleep at night due to a troubled heart. Those who know my situation are familiar with what troubles me and others can likely identify with the overwhelming sadness at watching a loved one destroy themselves.

In the passage referenced above, the psalmist, David, was on the run from someone who had at one time taken him in as family, his father-in-law; Saul. He had taken refuge in a foreign land, pretended insanity to escape harm from that land's ruler, and lived each day not knowing what the next would bring.

Yet, here he writes: "I will praise the Lord at all times.

    I will constantly speak his praises.

2 I will boast only in the Lord;

    let all who are helpless take heart.

3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

    let us exalt his name together."

I wish I were that strong. I know that God promises He is with us through all the difficult paths of life. I know that He has a plan in all the troubles, so I hold these promises up and remind myself of them constantly.

I struggle with anger, hurt, frustration, and a host of other emotions. Yet, here, the Psalmist is in danger of his very life, and he spends each day praising God for His faithfulness. Though he could have thrown up his hands and given up, thinking this was his darkest hour, David instead continues to trust God to fulfill His promises.

So, I've been meditating on this passage, ruminating on it, keeping it in my thoughts. As the psalm continues:

"The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;

    not one of them is broken!"