The Heart Matters

Worship

The activity of worship was the weakest segment of this book concerning the purpose of the church. White typifies worship as a service that mainly consists of corporate singing. This was somewhat surprising in that he first classified worship as gathering together in the temple daily, praying and the breaking of bread. I believed his emphasis would rest on acts of corporate love and service.

White gets it right that the traditional approaches to worship are stale and that these outmoded activities of worship do not appeal to a postmodern culture, but that is all he gets right, for his “rethinking” is more like repackaging the stale bread.

He likens the needed change to what Luther did when he changed the lyrics to beer hall songs and wrote the song, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” (This criticism is especially difficult for me as I have a soft spot in my heart for that old hearty ballad.) White proposes that we must rethink our worship services so that the songs are contemporary and that the format of the service is sensitive to those who are walking through the doors of church for the first time. He also believes that a “sense of the sacred” must be preserved as that is what postmodern society is seeking. I suppose to White sacred equals songs of praise.

Worship is not limited to groups practicing ritual and singing, but rather it is a devotion to the “one living and true God.” This devotion described in 1 Thessalonians 1:9 is one where the focus is not on the things of this world, but rather focus is on the Kingdom of God. To worship the Lord with devotion is to look to the interests of Christ (Phil 2:21) – to get on board with His mission. Also, worship is not the act of singing. John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” This sort of worship happens in the heart. It is not saying one thing with your mouth and doing another with your life. Jesus made this point clear in Matthew 15:8-9, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” Worship has nothing to do with rules at all.

Although believers can worship together as a group, it is more attuned to personal devotion. The question becomes not how are you going to worship, but rather who are you going to worship? Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy. To offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship.”

Now, I’d like to stress that singing can be part of personal worship. The heart is often moved along by melodies and rhythm. Often I have learned scripture coupled with song. At these times, my heart is lifted up through the melding of harmony, voice and truth. Recently, I witnessed Joni Eareckson Tada praising the Lord through song. Her brief outburst of a joyful song, a personal expression, edified those in her presence. I am not advocating that we all take up singing praises of the Lord to one another, yet in some circumstances it seems fitting. Why else would Ephesians 5:18-19 say:

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (NASB)

Another common translation for this passage is:

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

The Greek for these highlighted words is τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν . This is the dative form for “te kardia umon.” The dative case in Greek can be translation either in your heart or with your heart. If “in your heart” is used, then it could be argued that singing is a silent act of the heart. On the other hand, if the dative is translated as with you heart, it could be argued that singing and melody making is an act that the heart should fully accompany. The difference is slight, but it exists.

Regardless of used translation, too much emphasis has been place on singing as a act of worship. The church as taken something minor and personal and turned it into the main act of worship. The church has warped a jubilant expression of joy and turned it into the focus of worship, “though hearts are far from Him.” God still cries out today as Jesus did in Mark 7:6.

And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

So do our lives exemplify a “living sacrifice?” This is a personal as well as a corporate issue. First we need to strive as individuals to live sacrificial lives, considering others as better than ourselves. The needs of others ought to be a primary concern of worship. This includes not only a focus on learning the truth, but also on character transformation, for Paul makes it evident in Romans that our act of worship is a free offering of our lives as sacrifices – lives that are different – lives that stand apart from the world.

And so, if we are individually striving to focus on the needs of others and if we are seeking for God to change our characters so that we too may imitate Paul as he imitated Christ, then our local Body of Christ should emulate such worship. If it does not, then we are not imitating Christ. Then, we are not looking to the needs of others – including their physical needs, as well as their spiritual needs. We must challenge and encourage one another with the word. This is corporate worship, laying down one’s life for those in the church. Time to get messy.