God inspires the authors of Scripture to use many metaphors to express the relationship He desires with humanity. Jesus is described as the Groom and the Church as His bride in Ephesians. Revelation includes a “marriage supper of the Lamb.” John describes baptism as “birth.” All of these metaphors are oriented toward family and in line with God’s identity as Father.
In order to understand these images we must understand what God is doing in the sweep of salvation history. Therefore, we must comprehend the concept of covenant. Covenants create family out of two disparate parties. From all eternity, God is a perfect Triune family - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The creation itself was imprinted with God's covenant identity. With a seventh day Sabbath, even time spoke of covenant (oath = sevening yourself).
After the fall of man, covenants were established with mankind to foster a renewed relationship between the two distinct parties. Covenants were established with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. Sadly, humanity was unable to keep these covenants. To remedy this hopeless situation, in the fullness of time, Jesus came - God in flesh - to offer humanity a covenant in which they could truly "live and move and have their being."
God's intent in this covenant was to incorporate humanity into His divine family - for us, as Peter put it, to share in His divine nature. With the failure of the Old Covenant, Jesus came to right the wrong. Jesus fulfills all of the requirements of the Old Covenant as he initiates the New. As the new Adam, Jesus undoes the curse by faithfully following God's plan. As the faithful first born son, Jesus fulfills the original priestly order. Like Noah and Moses, Jesus brings us through the water to a new life. As the spotless lamb, Jesus fulfills the statement of Abraham that "God will provide a lamb," and He also fulfills and reinterprets the Passover (1 Cor. 5:7-8). Like Melchizidek, He is a high priest who offers bread and wine. As the High Priest, Jesus also mediates the new covenant before the heavenly throne. Jesus institutes a thank offering (Eucharist)redefining the Hebrew Todah offering. As the atoning sacrificial Lamb Jesus fulfills the Day of Atonement sacrifice. As the Son of David, Jesus becomes the eternal King of kings who sits on David's throne forever. Jesus, as "God made flesh" is the representative head of humanity, and only hope for mankind to enter into a family relationship with the Trinity.
The New Covenant, which unites us to God and each other physically and spiritually, is offered to us through the stuff of creation - through things like a real man, a real book, real water, and bread and wine. Note that Jesus became flesh. He shed real blood. He offered His disciples real bread and wine - stating that they were His body and blood. John quoted Jesus as saying, "unless you eat the flesh (sarx) of the son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. (John 6:53)" And to insure that there was no confusion, in John 6:55 Jesus said, "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born of water and the spirit in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:5). The early Fathers agreed that Jesus was speaking of this new birth in terms of water baptism. Peter said, "It is this water that now saves you...(1 Peter 3:21)."
As noted earlier, God desires spiritual union with us...but He offers His grace through physical means - that is that Jesus became flesh and died a real death on a real cross and was placed in a real tomb from which He was raised on the third day. The "Way" that leads to the Father is all about being united to Christ in His death and resurrection. The question is,"How are we united to Christ." God lays out the prescription for us...and it includes right belief and right action. Some say that all we need to do is believe the right things - a cognitive operation. James speaks directly to this making the point that even the demons believe (James 2:19). Surely they are not counted among God's family! Belief must be translated into obedience. Again, covenant language - "Obey my voice and I will be your God, and you will be my people..."
What is the way that we must follow - to obey His voice? God offers Jesus as the way. Romans 6:4-5 declares to us that unity with Christ comes through baptism into His death and being raised with Him in His resurrection. In this physical act of baptism, Paul says that we are "buried with Him," and "raised with Him." The physical and spiritual converge. This is God's prescription.
Further, in baptism we are "born" into the Kingdom of God - as Jesus instructed Nicodemus. The Church has long taught that she is, in effect,our spiritual mother. Through the ministry of the church - acting as One with Jesus, we are nurtured through the gestational process in the womb of the church. Then birth is given through the waters of baptism into the Family of God. Baptism (as birth) is the God prescribed sign of the covenant which brings the candidate under oath and puts the covenant into effect (Col 2:11-12). Covenant language is used here to describe the initiation into the covenant - like circumcision was in the covenant with Abraham. Baptism was held to be a one time act in which, according to several Scriptures, there is a connection with the remittance of sins (Acts 2:38, Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5).
But, what if we sin after baptism? God has made a covenantal provision for this. We are asked to "confess" and "examine" ourselves before we come to the Table (1 John 1:9, 1 Corinthians 11:28). Communion is God's ongoing prescription for covenant renewal (1 Cor. 10:16-17, John 6:53, etc.). Both of these acts are God's prescribed way for us to "participate" in the death and resurrection of Jesus - thereby faithfully following God's plan and obeying His voice. What's more, because we share "one loaf, we who are many, are one body" (1 Corinthians 10:17). According to Paul, unity with Christ and His people comes through the one loaf shared at His Table.
Human marriage is an amazing picture of covenant relationship. When Jesus came, he described Himself as the "bridegroom" and the ones who were united to him in baptism were called "espoused" (John 3:29, Mark 2:19-20, Matthew 22:1-14, 25:1-13, 1 Corinthians 6:15-17; particularly 2 Cor. 11:2). This is not merely a metaphor...but it is fulfilled reality. Like the temples were a shadow of the heavenly temple, marriage, in earthly terms, is a shadow of the reality of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:32). The Wedding Supper of the Lamb is the culmination of a book full of liturgical imagery. Every marriage feast on earth...and much more importantly, every experience at the Table of the Lord foreshadows (prolepsis)the marriage supper of the Lamb - the ultimate marriage feast.
I believe the covenantal hermeneutic brings all of these earthly metaphors into focus as they are fulfilled in the New Covenant. We are born into the Church - the Church is the bride of Christ - born into the family and married into the family. God really desires to relate to us and His prescription makes us FAMILY.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Holy as He is Holy
Back in the sixties and seventies, a young boxer burst onto the scene. Cassias Clay, later, Muhammad Ali was known for many things. Most notably, he was recognized as an accomplished boxer and he did not mind telling the world how great he was. In fact, Ali often declared himself to be, “The Greatest.”
In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He had called himself "the Great," and was the monarch who made the famous statement, "I am the state!" His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in state in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial, thousands waited in hushed silence. Then the presiding Bishop began to speak; slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, "Only God is great." (from Today in the Word, April 1989, p. 24.)
Through every period of history right up to this very day, there has never been a shortage of men who strove to be “great.” What is it that drives us toward greatness? Is it man’s applause, fame, fortune and all that goes with it? These temporal rewards are quite alluring. So many want to be great, but how many seek to be holy?
1 Peter 1:14-16 records several imperative statements concerning holiness. "14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" Have you ever pondered this passage…really considered our call to holiness? As an imperative, this instruction is not optional. This is a strong mandate. But, we are human. How can we possibly rise to the level of holiness? This article will delve into what it means to “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Our culture is not without a concept of holiness. The problem is that the holiness and spirituality of the world is based on a faulty view of holiness. For many, holiness is achievable through human effort. This is a fatal mistake. It is impossible to achieve holiness on our own, because any holiness in man comes from union with God. Legend has it that the early church leader Augustine was once accosted by a heathen who showed him his idol and said, "Here is my god; where is thine?" Augustine replied, "I cannot show you my God; not because there is no God to show, but because you have no eyes to see Him." If we desire to be “Holy, as He is holy,” we must see God – we must look to His holiness…for He defines holiness.
Let’s look at two places in Scripture where the veil is drawn back and we are given a glimpse of heavenly worship. Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 reveal to us that an everlasting hymn is being sung to the Lord. The hosts of heaven sing in Isaiah 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Similarly, Revelation 4:8 says, “…Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
What can we learn from this? The hosts of heaven recognized and praised God for His holiness – “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, Almighty.” God is at his essence – holiness. This holiness is expressed in the perfect love of the Trinity. God, as Father, eternally begets the Son, and their love is expressed as the Holy Spirit - perfect holiness in self-giving love. Theologian Columba Marmion calls this divine relationship the eternal “embrace of love.” We cannot understand holiness until we apprehend this foundational Trinitarian truth. Scholar and theologian Robert Webber says that God offers us His “Divine Embrace.” For the Father sends the Son so that failed and fallen humanity may be united to the Son through the Holy Spirit. This unity is no less than a sharing in God’s holiness through adoption. Because of this, Peter said that we may, “share in the divine nature – of God.” In Ephesians 1:4-6, Paul says, For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” Thomas Aquinas put it this way, “We become sons in the Son.” This is an amazing reality, but, we must see that man’s holiness, our adoption into God’s family, and our sharing in the divine nature are not based on anything inherent in us, but are solely based on what Jesus has accomplished for us.
Jesus came to communicate the holiness of God to us so that we might become God’s children – joint heirs with Jesus. And He did so by offering Himself, the innocent for the guilty. “Greater love has no man than he lay down His life for his friends.” When Jesus stretched His hands out upon the cross, He offered us a share in God’s divine embrace. Jesus gives us this expression of holiness as our only hope for being united to God, and as our example for holy living. God chose us in Christ, “that we should be holy and without blemish.” But, how did God choose us? He did so IN CHRIST! To be found holy and without blemish, we must be in Christ. This is God’s foreordained plan. But how do we come into Christ? Romans 6:3-8 contains the answer. “3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6for we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Anyone who wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
So, the beginning of holiness is found in dying to self, and being raised into the life of Christ. “We must decrease and He must increase.” As we conform more and more to the image of Jesus, we find God’s holiness present in our lives in greater and greater abundance. More and more we bear the likeness of our family. This is God’s will for us. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 states, “It is God’s will for you to be holy.”
In the back of Catholic churches are small fonts. These bowls are filled with water that has been set apart for baptism. As worshipers enter the building, they touch the water and make the sign of the cross. This practice is to remind the worshipers that they are baptized into Christ…that they need to die to themselves daily and live in Christ. What a powerful symbol! I wonder how many of us are living out our baptism – as Jesus instructed – to take up our cross daily? Only in dying to ourselves are we truly alive in Christ – and only in Christ are we new creations – holy and without blemish – only in Christ are we adopted sons. This is our calling – to be embraced by the holy love of God by His dear Son, in the Spirit. In this, we may be “holy as He is holy.”
In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He had called himself "the Great," and was the monarch who made the famous statement, "I am the state!" His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in state in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial, thousands waited in hushed silence. Then the presiding Bishop began to speak; slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, "Only God is great." (from Today in the Word, April 1989, p. 24.)
Through every period of history right up to this very day, there has never been a shortage of men who strove to be “great.” What is it that drives us toward greatness? Is it man’s applause, fame, fortune and all that goes with it? These temporal rewards are quite alluring. So many want to be great, but how many seek to be holy?
1 Peter 1:14-16 records several imperative statements concerning holiness. "14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" Have you ever pondered this passage…really considered our call to holiness? As an imperative, this instruction is not optional. This is a strong mandate. But, we are human. How can we possibly rise to the level of holiness? This article will delve into what it means to “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Our culture is not without a concept of holiness. The problem is that the holiness and spirituality of the world is based on a faulty view of holiness. For many, holiness is achievable through human effort. This is a fatal mistake. It is impossible to achieve holiness on our own, because any holiness in man comes from union with God. Legend has it that the early church leader Augustine was once accosted by a heathen who showed him his idol and said, "Here is my god; where is thine?" Augustine replied, "I cannot show you my God; not because there is no God to show, but because you have no eyes to see Him." If we desire to be “Holy, as He is holy,” we must see God – we must look to His holiness…for He defines holiness.
Let’s look at two places in Scripture where the veil is drawn back and we are given a glimpse of heavenly worship. Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 reveal to us that an everlasting hymn is being sung to the Lord. The hosts of heaven sing in Isaiah 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Similarly, Revelation 4:8 says, “…Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
What can we learn from this? The hosts of heaven recognized and praised God for His holiness – “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, Almighty.” God is at his essence – holiness. This holiness is expressed in the perfect love of the Trinity. God, as Father, eternally begets the Son, and their love is expressed as the Holy Spirit - perfect holiness in self-giving love. Theologian Columba Marmion calls this divine relationship the eternal “embrace of love.” We cannot understand holiness until we apprehend this foundational Trinitarian truth. Scholar and theologian Robert Webber says that God offers us His “Divine Embrace.” For the Father sends the Son so that failed and fallen humanity may be united to the Son through the Holy Spirit. This unity is no less than a sharing in God’s holiness through adoption. Because of this, Peter said that we may, “share in the divine nature – of God.” In Ephesians 1:4-6, Paul says, For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” Thomas Aquinas put it this way, “We become sons in the Son.” This is an amazing reality, but, we must see that man’s holiness, our adoption into God’s family, and our sharing in the divine nature are not based on anything inherent in us, but are solely based on what Jesus has accomplished for us.
Jesus came to communicate the holiness of God to us so that we might become God’s children – joint heirs with Jesus. And He did so by offering Himself, the innocent for the guilty. “Greater love has no man than he lay down His life for his friends.” When Jesus stretched His hands out upon the cross, He offered us a share in God’s divine embrace. Jesus gives us this expression of holiness as our only hope for being united to God, and as our example for holy living. God chose us in Christ, “that we should be holy and without blemish.” But, how did God choose us? He did so IN CHRIST! To be found holy and without blemish, we must be in Christ. This is God’s foreordained plan. But how do we come into Christ? Romans 6:3-8 contains the answer. “3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6for we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Anyone who wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
So, the beginning of holiness is found in dying to self, and being raised into the life of Christ. “We must decrease and He must increase.” As we conform more and more to the image of Jesus, we find God’s holiness present in our lives in greater and greater abundance. More and more we bear the likeness of our family. This is God’s will for us. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 states, “It is God’s will for you to be holy.”
In the back of Catholic churches are small fonts. These bowls are filled with water that has been set apart for baptism. As worshipers enter the building, they touch the water and make the sign of the cross. This practice is to remind the worshipers that they are baptized into Christ…that they need to die to themselves daily and live in Christ. What a powerful symbol! I wonder how many of us are living out our baptism – as Jesus instructed – to take up our cross daily? Only in dying to ourselves are we truly alive in Christ – and only in Christ are we new creations – holy and without blemish – only in Christ are we adopted sons. This is our calling – to be embraced by the holy love of God by His dear Son, in the Spirit. In this, we may be “holy as He is holy.”
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A Faithful Witness – Under Oath
The story is told of a man and his lawyer who faced a difficult courtroom battle against his opponent who had two lawyers. "I want you to hire another attorney to help with my case," he told his sole counselor. "The other fellow has two." "That's not necessary," replied his attorney. "I can defend you by myself." "I still want a second person," the defendant insisted. "When one of the plaintiff's lawyers is talking, the other one is thinking. When you talk, nobody's thinking."
Americans have long been fascinated by the courtroom. So often, matters of life and death unfold before our very eyes. From Perry Mason to Matlock, to Law and Order, to Denny Crane and Boston Legal, not to mention the real life legal sagas of O.J. Simpson, Martha Stewart, Bernie Madoff, and now Lindsey Lohan, the courtroom is an endless source of intrigue and fascination.
In order for the courtroom to be a place of justice, what must exist? No case could ever be solved without a witness. In order to bring a strong case to the courtroom, either as the prosecution or the defense, a faithful witness is needed – someone to tell the truth. But, there is a problem trusting people to tell the truth…and that is that people tend to lie. So, what is the answer to this dilemma? We place people under oath. “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, SO HELP YOU GOD.” This last phrase is what reveals this statement to be an oath. You see, we don’t ask people to promise to tell the truth. A promise is based on MY NAME AND WORD. We ask them to "swear" to tell the truth. When we add the phrase “So help me God,” we invoke the NAME AND WORD OF GOD. Now the witness is bound by sacred oath to tell the truth. If they do speak honestly they remain faithful to the oath. If they lie they are responsible before God and incur His curses and wrath. This sounds downright Scriptural.
Hebrews 6:13-20 is instructive. "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." This beautiful passage highlights the strong name of the Lord. When we take an oath, we invoke the faithful name of the Lord – because he alone is trustworthy. It is God alone who can be trusted to keep His promises.
From what do we derive this legal ritual of placing the witness “under oath?” Most people have no idea that this is covenant language. In the Hebrew 6 passage, God’s covenant with Abraham was referenced. Verse 13 said, “When God made His promise with Abraham…He swore by Himself.” In Biblical covenants two parties were brought together. Because a sacred and reliable relationship was sought, the expectations of the covenant would be stated, and then an oath would be taken to put the covenant into effect. Normally this oath or sign of the covenant included a sacrifice or a meal. Remaining committed to the covenant incurred the blessings of the covenant relationship. Breaking the covenant brought about the judgment or curses of the covenant. At appointed times the parties would come back together and restate the covenant expectations. The sign of the covenant would be repeated insuring that both parties were still “under oath.” It was vital that the covenant participants remained “under oath.” Showing the obvious application to the courtroom, Proverbs 14:5 states, “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” Placing people under oath is the best way to insure that we have faithful witnesses.
In legal matters, there are two terms no one wants to hear: “you are under arrest”, and “you are guilty.” While these concepts are untenable anytime, conviction and condemnation can be especially unpleasant in terms of spiritual matters. But, there is a great difference in the two terms. In spiritual terms, conviction is intended to lead us to repentance and forgiveness. Until we breathe our last, being under conviction has the potential to redirect us to the one who offers us a “not guilty” verdict and ultimate freedom for eternity.
After physical death, all of our appeals are exhausted. Hebrews 9:27 teaches us, “It is appointed unto man once to die…and then the judgment.” Condemnation comes to those who are under the curse, who remain in their sins – those who have rejected Jesus’ offer of forgiveness purchased for them through Christ’s atoning death on the cross. We will either be found guilty under the curse of Adam and our own sin, or we will be found innocent as we are in Christ. His righteousness becomes ours as we stand before the holy Judge who will not countenance unrighteousness in His Courts.
What is it that God desires from us while we have life on this mortal coil? The Lord's instruction to the disciples at His ascension provides one very important answer to this question. Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The Lord desires for us to be his witnesses. He wants us to be like Jesus, who John describes in Revelation 1:5 as, the one, “who is the faithful witness...” Jesus instituted the New Covenant by offering His disciples a cup. He said to them, “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Remembering the covenant vow brings us back “under oath.” We are invited to His Table so that we might renew our covenant with the Lord…that we might be convicted of our wrongdoing, confess our sins, receive his gracious forgiveness, and realign our lives under the Lordship of Christ. In doing this, we come under oath afresh, and we are renewed as His faithful witnesses.
Americans have long been fascinated by the courtroom. So often, matters of life and death unfold before our very eyes. From Perry Mason to Matlock, to Law and Order, to Denny Crane and Boston Legal, not to mention the real life legal sagas of O.J. Simpson, Martha Stewart, Bernie Madoff, and now Lindsey Lohan, the courtroom is an endless source of intrigue and fascination.
In order for the courtroom to be a place of justice, what must exist? No case could ever be solved without a witness. In order to bring a strong case to the courtroom, either as the prosecution or the defense, a faithful witness is needed – someone to tell the truth. But, there is a problem trusting people to tell the truth…and that is that people tend to lie. So, what is the answer to this dilemma? We place people under oath. “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, SO HELP YOU GOD.” This last phrase is what reveals this statement to be an oath. You see, we don’t ask people to promise to tell the truth. A promise is based on MY NAME AND WORD. We ask them to "swear" to tell the truth. When we add the phrase “So help me God,” we invoke the NAME AND WORD OF GOD. Now the witness is bound by sacred oath to tell the truth. If they do speak honestly they remain faithful to the oath. If they lie they are responsible before God and incur His curses and wrath. This sounds downright Scriptural.
Hebrews 6:13-20 is instructive. "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." This beautiful passage highlights the strong name of the Lord. When we take an oath, we invoke the faithful name of the Lord – because he alone is trustworthy. It is God alone who can be trusted to keep His promises.
From what do we derive this legal ritual of placing the witness “under oath?” Most people have no idea that this is covenant language. In the Hebrew 6 passage, God’s covenant with Abraham was referenced. Verse 13 said, “When God made His promise with Abraham…He swore by Himself.” In Biblical covenants two parties were brought together. Because a sacred and reliable relationship was sought, the expectations of the covenant would be stated, and then an oath would be taken to put the covenant into effect. Normally this oath or sign of the covenant included a sacrifice or a meal. Remaining committed to the covenant incurred the blessings of the covenant relationship. Breaking the covenant brought about the judgment or curses of the covenant. At appointed times the parties would come back together and restate the covenant expectations. The sign of the covenant would be repeated insuring that both parties were still “under oath.” It was vital that the covenant participants remained “under oath.” Showing the obvious application to the courtroom, Proverbs 14:5 states, “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” Placing people under oath is the best way to insure that we have faithful witnesses.
In legal matters, there are two terms no one wants to hear: “you are under arrest”, and “you are guilty.” While these concepts are untenable anytime, conviction and condemnation can be especially unpleasant in terms of spiritual matters. But, there is a great difference in the two terms. In spiritual terms, conviction is intended to lead us to repentance and forgiveness. Until we breathe our last, being under conviction has the potential to redirect us to the one who offers us a “not guilty” verdict and ultimate freedom for eternity.
After physical death, all of our appeals are exhausted. Hebrews 9:27 teaches us, “It is appointed unto man once to die…and then the judgment.” Condemnation comes to those who are under the curse, who remain in their sins – those who have rejected Jesus’ offer of forgiveness purchased for them through Christ’s atoning death on the cross. We will either be found guilty under the curse of Adam and our own sin, or we will be found innocent as we are in Christ. His righteousness becomes ours as we stand before the holy Judge who will not countenance unrighteousness in His Courts.
What is it that God desires from us while we have life on this mortal coil? The Lord's instruction to the disciples at His ascension provides one very important answer to this question. Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The Lord desires for us to be his witnesses. He wants us to be like Jesus, who John describes in Revelation 1:5 as, the one, “who is the faithful witness...” Jesus instituted the New Covenant by offering His disciples a cup. He said to them, “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Remembering the covenant vow brings us back “under oath.” We are invited to His Table so that we might renew our covenant with the Lord…that we might be convicted of our wrongdoing, confess our sins, receive his gracious forgiveness, and realign our lives under the Lordship of Christ. In doing this, we come under oath afresh, and we are renewed as His faithful witnesses.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Indifference or Excellence?
As Americans, a principle that we value, perhaps more than any other, is our freedom. Our liberties and freedoms should never be taken for granted. Many have died to preserve them. Yet the greatest threat to our freedom may not be an external threat like terrorism, or despotic dictators who seek to overthrow this country and all that we stand for. The greatest threat to our freedom may be our own indifference. We must be on our guard where liberty and freedom are concerned.
When you ask people about what freedom means to them, you may get a variety of answers. This article will consider two possiblities. First, we will explore the "freedom of indifference," and second, the "freedom for excellence."
For some, freedom means being unencumbered by rules and regulations. “I am free to do what I want…Nobody can tell me what to do.” This understanding of freedom is quite common and is part and parcel of our current culture’s focus on personal rights and autonomy. In this scenario, the prevailing motto and mantra is, “live and let live.” For proponents of this philosophy, freedom is defined as the absence of anything that would control them. It is life with no restraints, rules or regulations. The law is seen in a very negative light…because it constrains and stifles one's sense of expression. This way of thinking is reflected in the song, “I did it my way!” and is called the “freedom of indifference.”
Allow me to give you an example of the “freedom of indifference” in action. Imagine that you place a child in front of a piano. You try to teach him where middle C is and how to play a C major scale. He looks at you incredulously and says, “No, stop bothering me. I just want to play what I want to play. Leave me alone.” You can imagine the “beautiful” sounds that he will create on the piano. Heaven forbid that this child ever gets hold of a violin. This is the freedom of indifference…and sadly, it is the way a large portion of our population approaches life – even some Christians.
For others, freedom is not from something…but to something. Freedom helps one to achieve excellence – but through a disciplined and dedicated life. Consider James 1:25. In this passage, James reveals that true freedom comes, not by dispensing with discipline and the law, but living the law that actually gives freedom. Read this carefully. "…the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." Now look at James 2:12. "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom…"
How can the law give freedom? Doesn’t the law squelch freedom? Isn’t the law like placing a burden around our necks? Concerning this, Jesus instructs us in Matthew 11:29 and 30,"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." But wait a minute…a yoke is used to control. How can a yoke be easy? How can a burden be light? This is oxymoronic!
Allow me to give you an example of how living by the law and discipline actually sets us free. Remember the child on the piano from a few minutes ago. Imagine that he is open to the instructions of the teacher. He begins to work on his scales and he embraces the discipline of daily practice. In accepting this disciplined regimen of preparation, the child develops skills that were, at first, pedantic and painful, but over time become easy and natural. After years of dedication, determination and discipline needed to achieve excellence, this child, now plays with complete freedom and abandon. His personal expression is set free to soar where it never would have gone otherwise. What a stark comparison. The undisciplined child can only bang incoherently on the piano – is he really free? The child who submitted to the rules of preparation is free to play whatever he wishes. The freedom to excellence is an amazing concept for all of us as we consider our spirituality and the living of our faith. We must speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law the gives freedom.
As Christians, how can we live out our freedom to excellence? We must take Jesus’ yoke upon us. We must serve as Jesus served and live lives of self-sacrifice. This is not about personal expression, but about submitting to Jesus who taught us that life comes from death – that leadership comes from service – that joy comes from suffering and sorrow – that greatness comes through humility. How was Jesus able to maintain perfection and demonstrate such absolute excellence? What disciplines did He follow?
Jesus modeled some important foundational disciplines for us to imitate. First, He knew the Scriptures. He fought off Satan with the Scriptures. He taught the Disciples by quoting the Scriptures. Jesus had disciplined Himself to study the Scriptures. He knew them well enough to quote them at the drop of a hat. How about us? Do we have that freedom? It will take more than a cursory glance at the Word of God. We must dedicate ourselves to making the Word central to our lives!
Second, Jesus prayed to His Father often. So many times we find Jesus retreating from the crowds to spend intimate time with God. Think of His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” This stands in stark contrast to the freedom of indifference which says, “Not your will, but my will be done.” How about us? Are we so in tune with God through the daily discipline of prayer that we no longer seek our own agendas and desires…but rather…seek God’s will. With the Apostle Paul, are we more interested in meeting the needs of others, than our own (Phillipians 2:3-4)? That is a level of excellence that only disciplined Bible study and prayer can bring to us.
Over and over, Jesus demonstrates for us the freedom to excellence. We have also looked at the freedom of indifference. Which do you prefer? Or, better stated, which way of life does God prefer for His children? If you choose the freedom to excellence, realize that it will require discipline, dedication, and determination, but in the end, the outcome is clear.
Some may say that the child banging mindlessly on the piano represents freedom. But, the child who has mastered the piano through diligence and discipline is free to play any song from the vast repertoire - to explore the musical universe – with abandon – with freedom – with excellence. We have the freedom to choose? Which will it be - indifference or excellence?
This article was inspired by an article written by Christopher Kaczor entitled, “The Truth Will Make You Free.”
When you ask people about what freedom means to them, you may get a variety of answers. This article will consider two possiblities. First, we will explore the "freedom of indifference," and second, the "freedom for excellence."
For some, freedom means being unencumbered by rules and regulations. “I am free to do what I want…Nobody can tell me what to do.” This understanding of freedom is quite common and is part and parcel of our current culture’s focus on personal rights and autonomy. In this scenario, the prevailing motto and mantra is, “live and let live.” For proponents of this philosophy, freedom is defined as the absence of anything that would control them. It is life with no restraints, rules or regulations. The law is seen in a very negative light…because it constrains and stifles one's sense of expression. This way of thinking is reflected in the song, “I did it my way!” and is called the “freedom of indifference.”
Allow me to give you an example of the “freedom of indifference” in action. Imagine that you place a child in front of a piano. You try to teach him where middle C is and how to play a C major scale. He looks at you incredulously and says, “No, stop bothering me. I just want to play what I want to play. Leave me alone.” You can imagine the “beautiful” sounds that he will create on the piano. Heaven forbid that this child ever gets hold of a violin. This is the freedom of indifference…and sadly, it is the way a large portion of our population approaches life – even some Christians.
For others, freedom is not from something…but to something. Freedom helps one to achieve excellence – but through a disciplined and dedicated life. Consider James 1:25. In this passage, James reveals that true freedom comes, not by dispensing with discipline and the law, but living the law that actually gives freedom. Read this carefully. "…the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." Now look at James 2:12. "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom…"
How can the law give freedom? Doesn’t the law squelch freedom? Isn’t the law like placing a burden around our necks? Concerning this, Jesus instructs us in Matthew 11:29 and 30,"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." But wait a minute…a yoke is used to control. How can a yoke be easy? How can a burden be light? This is oxymoronic!
Allow me to give you an example of how living by the law and discipline actually sets us free. Remember the child on the piano from a few minutes ago. Imagine that he is open to the instructions of the teacher. He begins to work on his scales and he embraces the discipline of daily practice. In accepting this disciplined regimen of preparation, the child develops skills that were, at first, pedantic and painful, but over time become easy and natural. After years of dedication, determination and discipline needed to achieve excellence, this child, now plays with complete freedom and abandon. His personal expression is set free to soar where it never would have gone otherwise. What a stark comparison. The undisciplined child can only bang incoherently on the piano – is he really free? The child who submitted to the rules of preparation is free to play whatever he wishes. The freedom to excellence is an amazing concept for all of us as we consider our spirituality and the living of our faith. We must speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law the gives freedom.
As Christians, how can we live out our freedom to excellence? We must take Jesus’ yoke upon us. We must serve as Jesus served and live lives of self-sacrifice. This is not about personal expression, but about submitting to Jesus who taught us that life comes from death – that leadership comes from service – that joy comes from suffering and sorrow – that greatness comes through humility. How was Jesus able to maintain perfection and demonstrate such absolute excellence? What disciplines did He follow?
Jesus modeled some important foundational disciplines for us to imitate. First, He knew the Scriptures. He fought off Satan with the Scriptures. He taught the Disciples by quoting the Scriptures. Jesus had disciplined Himself to study the Scriptures. He knew them well enough to quote them at the drop of a hat. How about us? Do we have that freedom? It will take more than a cursory glance at the Word of God. We must dedicate ourselves to making the Word central to our lives!
Second, Jesus prayed to His Father often. So many times we find Jesus retreating from the crowds to spend intimate time with God. Think of His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” This stands in stark contrast to the freedom of indifference which says, “Not your will, but my will be done.” How about us? Are we so in tune with God through the daily discipline of prayer that we no longer seek our own agendas and desires…but rather…seek God’s will. With the Apostle Paul, are we more interested in meeting the needs of others, than our own (Phillipians 2:3-4)? That is a level of excellence that only disciplined Bible study and prayer can bring to us.
Over and over, Jesus demonstrates for us the freedom to excellence. We have also looked at the freedom of indifference. Which do you prefer? Or, better stated, which way of life does God prefer for His children? If you choose the freedom to excellence, realize that it will require discipline, dedication, and determination, but in the end, the outcome is clear.
Some may say that the child banging mindlessly on the piano represents freedom. But, the child who has mastered the piano through diligence and discipline is free to play any song from the vast repertoire - to explore the musical universe – with abandon – with freedom – with excellence. We have the freedom to choose? Which will it be - indifference or excellence?
This article was inspired by an article written by Christopher Kaczor entitled, “The Truth Will Make You Free.”
Friday, April 30, 2010
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Several weeks ago an interesting piece of mail was delivered to my house. In our mailbox was a letter from the census bureau telling me that we would soon receive a letter from the census bureau? There is no telling how much money was spent sending this letter telling us that another letter was forthcoming. Soon after that initial correspondence, we did receive another letter…this time it contained the census form. One political pundit wondered, “if they know how many letters to send to everyone across the United States, why do they need to spend millions of dollars to take a census?” It seems rather senseless. Have they lost their senses on these expenses?
In this article we will take a census of your beliefs about a very important concept that relates to our worship. The concept is “reverence.” When you hear the word “reverence,” what comes to your mind? When you hear the word “reverence,” do you think of it as a positive or a negative? Let's take a look at what the Scriptures have to say about this inner disposition of the heart.
Over the past 30 years, many churches have narrowly defined worship as a celebration. As Christians we do have much to celebrate, and worship can be a celebration, at times. “For everything there is a season…” But, if our only disposition in worship is to celebrate, then how do we deal with sorrow and mourning? How do we confront sin and a call to repentance? Can our worship be penitential in Advent and Lent if the only acceptable disposition is celebrative?
In the Old Testament there are examples of solemn assemblies where the sin of the people was brought to light, and a return to God was the focus of the event. Crying out to God for mercy would not aptly be described as a celebration. Joel 1:14 and 2:12-13 help us to understand the solemnity of these events. “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (2:13-14) "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
In worship that is always a party, we lose the capacity to deal with the solemn issues we have mentioned, and we may lose our sense of reverence in the Presence of our Holy God. Do you know why the Scriptures record the song of heaven as being, “Holy, Holy, Holy?” In Hebrew there are no words for good, better and best. In order to declare that something is to the “inth” degree, they use repetition. Holy, Holy, Holy means absolutely, perfectly, infinitely Holy. When Moses confronted Yahweh in the burning bush, what was Moses instructed to do? “Take off your sandals for you are standing on holy ground.” We need to see God as pure holiness, and when we do, we will respond like Isaiah – “Woe is me…I am unclean.” In this realization we do not need a party, but a sacred assembly. Our gatherings for worship desperately need a revival of this kind of thinking. Rather than talking through the organ introit, we might just experience a holy hush as we enter the sacred space and as we focus on the Presence of our Holy God.
Just how important is reverence to our worship? Hebrews 12:28 describes our worship as a convergence of heaven and earth. We gather in the New Jerusalem, a euphemism for heaven, with the Lord, the angels and saints of all the ages where Jesus mediates the New Covenant in His blood. He goes on to say, (verse 28) "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe…" Did you catch it? We are to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. A right disposition toward God is critical to worship that is acceptable to God.
When you come to worship, do you realize where you are? According to the passage we just read, we are around God’s throne of grace. Do you realize who is there – God, and the Lord Jesus, the company of angels, and the Church of the firstborn. Beloved – that is, in the best sense of the word, AWESOME!! And do you realize why we are there? We are there to worship God with reverence and awe.
I find it interesting to hear some of the discussions while walking through the church on Sunday mornings. Many engage in conversations about ballgames, current events, television shows, and a plethora of topics that are quite unrelated to the eternal purpose of our gathering. Oh that we might come before His Presence with “reverence and awe…” from the very moment we enter the sacred space set apart for worship.
In conclusion, let's look at Revelation 8:1. John is relating a vision of heaven in which the seventh seal of the scroll is opened by the Lamb. It says, “When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” Can you imagine all of heaven falling silent? This is the ultimate holy hush. The vision continues, "Next I saw seven trumpets being given to the seven angels who stand in the presence of God. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints.”
We have discussed many times that the Temple in Jerusalem was intended to be a foreshadowing, a copy of or a model of the heavenly temple. The worship in the Temple was an imitation of heavenly worship. When the high priest would take the incense from the brass altar into the Holy Place, the people were instructed that “the time of the incense had come.” This is the activity Zechariah was involved in when the angel spoke to him about the birth of John. When the people heard this, they fell down spreading their hands in silent prayer. The temple fell silent for 30 minutes.
Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence in heaven? Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence in the Temple? Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence at your church on Sunday? How about three minutes? It would be really difficult to imagine it because our culture demands activity and diversion. Do you know what we really need? We need to “Be still and know that He is God.” Reverence is evident in heaven, in the Old Covenant Temple, and I pray that we will exhibit this most appropriate and Scripturally mandated attitude in our worship. Reverence must begin in each of our hearts. And it begins with understanding that, "The Lord is in His holy temple…let all the earth keep silence."
In this article we will take a census of your beliefs about a very important concept that relates to our worship. The concept is “reverence.” When you hear the word “reverence,” what comes to your mind? When you hear the word “reverence,” do you think of it as a positive or a negative? Let's take a look at what the Scriptures have to say about this inner disposition of the heart.
Over the past 30 years, many churches have narrowly defined worship as a celebration. As Christians we do have much to celebrate, and worship can be a celebration, at times. “For everything there is a season…” But, if our only disposition in worship is to celebrate, then how do we deal with sorrow and mourning? How do we confront sin and a call to repentance? Can our worship be penitential in Advent and Lent if the only acceptable disposition is celebrative?
In the Old Testament there are examples of solemn assemblies where the sin of the people was brought to light, and a return to God was the focus of the event. Crying out to God for mercy would not aptly be described as a celebration. Joel 1:14 and 2:12-13 help us to understand the solemnity of these events. “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (2:13-14) "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
In worship that is always a party, we lose the capacity to deal with the solemn issues we have mentioned, and we may lose our sense of reverence in the Presence of our Holy God. Do you know why the Scriptures record the song of heaven as being, “Holy, Holy, Holy?” In Hebrew there are no words for good, better and best. In order to declare that something is to the “inth” degree, they use repetition. Holy, Holy, Holy means absolutely, perfectly, infinitely Holy. When Moses confronted Yahweh in the burning bush, what was Moses instructed to do? “Take off your sandals for you are standing on holy ground.” We need to see God as pure holiness, and when we do, we will respond like Isaiah – “Woe is me…I am unclean.” In this realization we do not need a party, but a sacred assembly. Our gatherings for worship desperately need a revival of this kind of thinking. Rather than talking through the organ introit, we might just experience a holy hush as we enter the sacred space and as we focus on the Presence of our Holy God.
Just how important is reverence to our worship? Hebrews 12:28 describes our worship as a convergence of heaven and earth. We gather in the New Jerusalem, a euphemism for heaven, with the Lord, the angels and saints of all the ages where Jesus mediates the New Covenant in His blood. He goes on to say, (verse 28) "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe…" Did you catch it? We are to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. A right disposition toward God is critical to worship that is acceptable to God.
When you come to worship, do you realize where you are? According to the passage we just read, we are around God’s throne of grace. Do you realize who is there – God, and the Lord Jesus, the company of angels, and the Church of the firstborn. Beloved – that is, in the best sense of the word, AWESOME!! And do you realize why we are there? We are there to worship God with reverence and awe.
I find it interesting to hear some of the discussions while walking through the church on Sunday mornings. Many engage in conversations about ballgames, current events, television shows, and a plethora of topics that are quite unrelated to the eternal purpose of our gathering. Oh that we might come before His Presence with “reverence and awe…” from the very moment we enter the sacred space set apart for worship.
In conclusion, let's look at Revelation 8:1. John is relating a vision of heaven in which the seventh seal of the scroll is opened by the Lamb. It says, “When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” Can you imagine all of heaven falling silent? This is the ultimate holy hush. The vision continues, "Next I saw seven trumpets being given to the seven angels who stand in the presence of God. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints.”
We have discussed many times that the Temple in Jerusalem was intended to be a foreshadowing, a copy of or a model of the heavenly temple. The worship in the Temple was an imitation of heavenly worship. When the high priest would take the incense from the brass altar into the Holy Place, the people were instructed that “the time of the incense had come.” This is the activity Zechariah was involved in when the angel spoke to him about the birth of John. When the people heard this, they fell down spreading their hands in silent prayer. The temple fell silent for 30 minutes.
Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence in heaven? Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence in the Temple? Can you imagine 30 minutes of silence at your church on Sunday? How about three minutes? It would be really difficult to imagine it because our culture demands activity and diversion. Do you know what we really need? We need to “Be still and know that He is God.” Reverence is evident in heaven, in the Old Covenant Temple, and I pray that we will exhibit this most appropriate and Scripturally mandated attitude in our worship. Reverence must begin in each of our hearts. And it begins with understanding that, "The Lord is in His holy temple…let all the earth keep silence."
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Worship Gone Awry
Asking Christians to define corporate worship is a fascinating exercise in diversity. Some respond that worship is focusing one's attention on God. Others claim that worship is coming into contact with God through music. For some, worship is hearing the Word of God; being inspired by a message - whether spoken or sung. For many, worship must be accompanied by appropriate emotional stimulation. How they "feel" is paramount to these folks. There are more ways that people define worship - too numerous to recount here. Suffice it to say that most of the answers reveal an "individualistic" and subjective approach.
While almost all of these answers contain some element of truth, few people have a Scriptural definition of corporate worship in mind when answering this question. As we suggested in a previous article, the Scriptural defintion of corporate worship is based on the establishment and renewal of a covenant relationship with God. Through the salvific work of His Son, God has offered us a covenant relationship with Him as His family. Covenants have two components - Word and Sign. As we have outlined, worship is a revisiting of the Word (or stipulations) and Sign (sacrifice or meal) which ratifies or renews the covenant. Acts 2:42 reveals that the early Church followed this pattern in their gatherings. "They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers." For centuries, Christian worship has been defined and shaped in terms of covenant. Twin peaks are evident: Hearing God's Word, and participating in the body and blood of Christ through bread and cup (1 Corinthians 10:16). This is Scriptural worship - the sacred assembly of God's family engaging in covenant renewal.
If worship is defined correctly as "covenant renewal," how many churches really engage in Scriptural worship? While most churches include some form of preaching, few of them share the Table of the Lord every Sunday. I believe this is worship gone awry.
Allow me to illustrate. Suppose a couple is preparing for their wedding. They have decorated the church with beautiful flowers and candles, arranged for the music and musicians, and invited all of their friends and family. The big day arrives and everything proceeds "without a hitch". Everyone arrives at the gathering. The music begins right on time. With candles burning, mothers and grandmothers in place, the bride processes down the aisle and the bride and groom stand together before the minister. When the music finally ends, the minister proceeds to share some Scripture passages and his homily on the meaning of marriage. Then, there is a recessional and everyone goes home.
Consider this scenario for a moment. Was this really a wedding? What seems to be missing? The vows are missing. There is the Word, but there is no sign to ratify the covenant. Typically, weddings include sacred vows and several signs (including spoken vows, rings, the kiss and the consumation later on).
Many churches approach worship like the unfinished wedding above. Their worship is incomplete. Sure, they have a gathering with copious amounts of music, and a dominant message. But they do not include the second peak - the Table of the Lord. At the Table, we renew our covenant vow with the Lord. In Hebrew this term means to "seven yourself." The number seven stands for completion or perfection. In Greek, taking an oath is related to "binding Satan." In Latin, the word for oath is "sacramentum" and speaks of loyalty. Worship without this component is unfinished and is akin to the non-wedding, and synagogue assemblies which have the Word of God, but no sacrifice/sign.
Jesus held out the cup to His disciples and said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood...do this..." The New Testament Church did. So should we!
While almost all of these answers contain some element of truth, few people have a Scriptural definition of corporate worship in mind when answering this question. As we suggested in a previous article, the Scriptural defintion of corporate worship is based on the establishment and renewal of a covenant relationship with God. Through the salvific work of His Son, God has offered us a covenant relationship with Him as His family. Covenants have two components - Word and Sign. As we have outlined, worship is a revisiting of the Word (or stipulations) and Sign (sacrifice or meal) which ratifies or renews the covenant. Acts 2:42 reveals that the early Church followed this pattern in their gatherings. "They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers." For centuries, Christian worship has been defined and shaped in terms of covenant. Twin peaks are evident: Hearing God's Word, and participating in the body and blood of Christ through bread and cup (1 Corinthians 10:16). This is Scriptural worship - the sacred assembly of God's family engaging in covenant renewal.
If worship is defined correctly as "covenant renewal," how many churches really engage in Scriptural worship? While most churches include some form of preaching, few of them share the Table of the Lord every Sunday. I believe this is worship gone awry.
Allow me to illustrate. Suppose a couple is preparing for their wedding. They have decorated the church with beautiful flowers and candles, arranged for the music and musicians, and invited all of their friends and family. The big day arrives and everything proceeds "without a hitch". Everyone arrives at the gathering. The music begins right on time. With candles burning, mothers and grandmothers in place, the bride processes down the aisle and the bride and groom stand together before the minister. When the music finally ends, the minister proceeds to share some Scripture passages and his homily on the meaning of marriage. Then, there is a recessional and everyone goes home.
Consider this scenario for a moment. Was this really a wedding? What seems to be missing? The vows are missing. There is the Word, but there is no sign to ratify the covenant. Typically, weddings include sacred vows and several signs (including spoken vows, rings, the kiss and the consumation later on).
Many churches approach worship like the unfinished wedding above. Their worship is incomplete. Sure, they have a gathering with copious amounts of music, and a dominant message. But they do not include the second peak - the Table of the Lord. At the Table, we renew our covenant vow with the Lord. In Hebrew this term means to "seven yourself." The number seven stands for completion or perfection. In Greek, taking an oath is related to "binding Satan." In Latin, the word for oath is "sacramentum" and speaks of loyalty. Worship without this component is unfinished and is akin to the non-wedding, and synagogue assemblies which have the Word of God, but no sacrifice/sign.
Jesus held out the cup to His disciples and said, "This is the New Covenant in my blood...do this..." The New Testament Church did. So should we!
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