The underlying theme in Ancient Future Worship is that worship "does God's story." It doesn't simply sing a song about Jesus paying a debt for my sin so that I don't go to hell, it doesn't just lightly declare that God's good and awesome without any context, it doesn't just plead with God to send His presence to me (which is usually about getting an emotional high than truly coming before Holy and Almighty God). Worship should be God-centered, not me-centered, and as Christians, our worship gatherings should paint a full picture of the specifics of our faith so that there is no way that what we do could fit into any other religion. And it should be worship that sends us out as salt and light, not worship that entertains us and keeps our religion inside the walls of a building, comfortable and safe and without saltiness as Jesus would say. Take a look at what Robert Webber says...
"...a dominant error of some Christians is to say 'I must bring God into my story.' The ancient understanding is that God joins the story of humanity to take us into His story. There is a world of difference. One is narcissistic; the other is God-oriented. It will change your entire spiritual life when you realize that your life is joined to God's story. In worship we remember God's story in the past and anticipate God's story in the future."
Most of us have been to an evangelistic service where the preacher does an alter call and tells people to pray "Lord Jesus, come into my life." That kind of prayer is already setting people up for that narcissistic Christianity that Webber talks about. Unbelievers and believers alike should instead be praying something more like, "Almighty God, I believe in you, I believe that by your work in this world, specifically through Your son Jesus on the cross, you've made a way to take me out of my own fallen life and bring me into your life and your plan for restoring your creation. I want to live in and for Your Kingdom in this life and for all eternity. I give all of my life to You now and ask that Your Holy Spirit would lead me all my days, for Your glory. Amen."
Take this opportunity to reflect upon where you're at. Are you trying to fit Jesus into your life when you can, most of the time just asking Him to bless whatever you're doing without any question of whether that's what He's desiring? Are you paying God lip service, making appearances at a church but in every other way your life looks like someone who tries to make their own destiny and doesn't walk humbly before their creator? Or are you laying your life down before Jesus on a regular basis and letting Him steer the wheel, even when its not what is fun or comfortable? Are you living in anticipation of what God's doing in the world and recognizing that you're supposed to be a part of that redeeming and restoring work both in how you let Him restore you and in how you follow the great commission? Imagine what a difference it would make if the church as a whole starting living like that. God should not be the co-pilot, like the bumper sticker says. He should be the pilot.
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
(Proverbs 19:21)
2 comments:
Amen! God's glory is the focus of worship, not what God can do for us! Worship Him because of who He is and because he is the Lamb who is Worthy.
Too often we worship because it feels good, or because it's expected, or because we are particularly happy with what God has given to us.
Beware worship music that begins and ends with 'me' or uses the words 'me' or 'I' more than the names of God!
Thank you. You let me think differently about worship.
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