The Action of an Attitude

"Boy, I really worshiped God yesterday."

What images immediately come to mind about what actually went on yesterday? What action? What location? What day? What really went on? The most common response is likely that this person was in a Sunday morning worship service, and the music being sung and played was especially moving in some way. And there's nothing particularly wrong with that. But it is probably the image most people envision in response to this statement.

We know well that "worship" is not equivalent to "music." (Even knowing that, we still often use the word "worship" to refer specifically to worship music, and then usually in the context of a Sunday morning gathering.) But even understanding this, though, some would say that although it's not the music, it is the emotions behind the music: the standing, the hand raising ... you know, really feeling it. That's worship - when you really feel it. And some people really feel it much more than others (who apparently, worship God less).

We often confine worship to Sunday morning. We even call it a "worship service." That's not an incorrect term, but then we end up saying odd things like, "Let's begin to worship." We're not worshiping, we're not worshiping, we're not worshiping ... wait for iiiiiiiiitttt ... NOW! Now, we've begun to worship! And then we'd better be "done worshiping" before the Baptists take all the good tables at the restaurants.

Those who don't particularly get into music have to then come up with apologetic excuses, like "I worship God in my own way." Because, you know, I can't seem to do it the right way.

The most common Greek word used in the New Testament that we translate "worship" means "to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to kiss the hand." There are two parts to this: the attitude (humble reverence toward someone) and action (bowing down). Nothing about music, a certain time of the week, or a certain building. Worship is the action of an attitude. Not necessarily a physical bowing down; rather, an attitude that's never just an attitude, but one that ends up in an action that expresses the attitude.

Singing is in fact one of those actions of worship - unless that singing has little to do with the attitude of bowing down to God. In fact, if "worship music" becomes about you having a particular feeling, it's not bowing down to God much at all. Rather, it's bowing down to a feeling. Having intense feelings while truly worshiping God through music is all well and good - I often feel that, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying that feeling. But when the feeling becomes the objective, we've switched what we're bowing down to.

The action of an attitude. Going to work and doing your job because you bow down to God and do your work because it advances His purposes in the world is a form of worship. Going to work to get a paycheck so you can buy things is not worship. Volunteering with Awana because people tell me you're good at it is not a form of worship, but serving in Awana, even enjoying it, because it's a way to bow down to God is. Trying to share something about Christ with your neighbor because of your awe for God is worship; sharing because you're supposed to is not very worshipful.

To say "I worship God" means that I live out an attitude of awe, reverence, respect, and honor. I do in order to demonstrate His great worth. I draw attention to His greatness with singing, learning, teaching, working, serving, helping, loving, and bearing witness. My actions reveal an attitude that God is awesome. "Worshipers of God" doesn't describe singers and it doesn't describe people with right doctrine. It describes people who live out awe.

I hope I will never begin to worship. I would like to think I've already started, and that I'll never stop. And I hope I'll continually get better at it.

I'd like to tell you something, but it isn't clean

In the Old Testament Law for the Israelites, God gave Moses some pretty crazy food restrictions. It's OK to eat land animals that have split hooves and chew cud, but not camels (because the hoof is not completely split) or the pig (because it doesn't chew cud). It's OK to eat fish with fins and scales, but not if they have only one or neither. And don't eat skinks. (I don't want to eat skinks, but now that you tell me that I can't, I'm tempted to.) Don't eat certain animals because they are considered "unclean," even though their cleanliness habits are not really different than other animals.

Also, houses with mold - unclean. People with leprosy - unclean. Dead bodies - unclean. Touch any of those, and you become unclean, too.

Anything that was "unclean" was not necessarily morally "bad." Some of the laws about being clean have to do with everyday, unavoidable necessities of life. Rather than evil, "unclean" means "unacceptable," particularly with relationship to the rituals of the tabernacle (and later, the temple). Nothing unclean could be used for the ceremonies and sacrifices. Anyone who touched something unclean became unclean, and then he couldn't be involved with the ceremonies until he went through a cleansing ritual. Once clean, then he was "acceptable" and could participate. The correct terms here are "ceremonially clean" and "ceremonially unclean."

So, why the weird restrictions? Why do rock badgers get a bad rap, for example? The best theory I've read so far is that the "unclean" things are "abnormal." The normal house has no mold ("normal" meaning "as it should be" instead of "more common"). Animals that both chew the cud and split the hoof are "normal," but those that have the odd combination are "abnormal." Fish "normally" have fins and scales. Bodies "ought" to be alive - that's their normal state, what they were made to be.

There's nothing magic about clean or unclean animals. Clean animals aren't "better," necessarily. The laws were primarily for the purpose of revealing God and His character. So, everything associated with the tabernacle must be a prime example of its kind - "normal" (as it should be), unblemished, highest quality, unspoiled, and so on. And it must be so because of what that teaches us about God. If less than the best was acceptable in the worship of God, then what would that teach us about God?

So, now look at sin from a new perspective. Sin is not just "bad" because it falls into the bad category that God arbitrarily set. Sin is any departure from the perfect character of God or from God's perfect design - "abnormal." Sin is abnormal (even though it's very common). Therefore, sin makes us abnormal or "unclean," and therefore "unacceptable" for the worship of God. Not because we're just "bad," but because abnormal is unfitting for worshiping the perfect God. We are "unclean," not because we're "dirty," but because we depart from God's ideal. We need to be made "clean" - made "normal" again. Then and only then are we "acceptable," fitting for the worship of God.

This new look at sin gives us a new look at the work of Christ. He alone makes us "clean," "acceptable," fitting for worshiping God. He "normalizes" us to the perfect character and design of God, because He fulfills the perfect design of God for our race.

We receive this by faith. Even though we don't suddenly become actually normal, we are then covered by the "normalcy" of Christ until He finishes the work of making us actually normal. That work continues in every believer until He completes it.

How to respond to this truth? Rather than setting our sights on being meritoriously "good," it is more accurate to pursue becoming more and more fitting for the worship of God. In other words, rather than me trying to be the most moral me, my focus would be taken off of me and onto the God worthy of worship. My goal would be to become more and more suited to worship Him. I get to worship Him now by the grace of Christ, but my pursuit is to be increasingly appropriate for that privilege.

This kind of transformation is a work of Christ within us that we embrace by faith. He will eventually complete that transformation. Until then, my habits and actions will either be in concert with His work or contrary to it. May my eyes be fixed on what a holy God is worthy of, rather than trying to feel worthy within myself.

The Tech of Worship

Over the last several weeks, the Worship Teams has been investigating the use of a couple of different software packages for displaying the lyrics, announcements, and sermon notes. No software package is the best at everything, but one that suits many of our team's needs well is Proclaim, published by the people at Logos (http://proclaimonline.com and http://logos.com). In a lot of ways, this won't make much difference to the congregation - all proclaims display nicely. Most of the difference is in the ease of putting the presentations together in a team environment. However, there are a few features for the congregation that some may want to take advantage of.



First, you'll need a mobile device, such as an iPhone, iPad, or Android tablet. If you don't, then  you should be able to worship and takes notes as before. If you do, then go to the Logos website or the app store and download the Logos app for your device. This is a great app for Bible reading and a whole host of Bible study tools and Christian books. Many Bibles and books are free, but you can also purchase an amazing array of others. You will need to create a user ID and password for your Logos account. (Note, the support for Android phones is coming - the Logos app is there, but the Proclaim support is not yet functional.)

Then, when the worship service begins and the presentation software goes "on air," your app can detect that there is a presentation being shown. You can use the menu to hunt for a presentation, or you will soon get a pop up asking if you want to follow our presentation.

Then, whenever there is a slide on the screen with the following symbol in the lower righthand corner,



that means that there is a "signal" available. A signal can be a scripture reference, for example. Your app will ask you if you want to jump to that passage of the Bible. If you choose to, then your app will jump straight to the passage in the translation of your choice.

A signal can be a calendar event. For example, when the slide is being displayed for the ladies' tea, your app will pop up a notice that allows you to automatically add that event to your device's calendar. Just click, and it's on your calendar, with the right date and location.

A signal could be a website - click and your device will navigate to that website. There are a few other signals possible, but we likely won't be using them.

Logos is more than a mobile device app. There is a full program for both Windows and Mac with an extremely rich set of Bible study features. This program can also be downloaded from http://logos.com. This is the Bible software I use far more than any other, and I continue to build my digital library with commentaries, theology books, pastoral books, and so on.

You can also access your Logos library through a web browser at http://biblia.com. It's not as feature-rich as the full program, but it's great to be able to get to your books even if you're away from your computer.

The program, the app, and the website all stay in sync - leave off reading in John 3 in the program, and then later go to the website, and after you log in, you'll go straight to John 3. Plus, your entire library is available on all three platforms (for the most part - some book licenses are only valid in the program version).

Many of you use YouVersion (http://youversion.com) on your mobile device. That's good software, too. But we can't sync it with the presentation on the screen. Currently, we are using YouVersion to allow you to follow the sermon and take notes. We are still testing that - some of you like it, some of you don't. We're trying to find a more usable system for notetaking on your devices in a way that connects directly to our sermons somehow.

If you have any questions on getting set up with this, please just let us know!

The Greatest Commandment and Worship

It's a little big change - or a big little change. I'm not sure which.

The worship service will be a bit different on Sunday, although not radically so. And yet, the concept behind it is something I've not seen anyone do before. We will structure the service based on Mark 12:30, where Jesus tells a scribe that the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." We will structure our worship around this statement as a way to live it out together in worship.

With all of our heart: We will worship together in music as the worship team leads us through songs and prayer all related to the theme of the week. The worship leaders work hard to consider the passage and theme in order to select music that draws our attention to the same truths, so that we are teaching the same things, whether by music or by the message.

With all our soul: Dan will lead us in corporate prayer for one another. This is also a time for us to worship through the offering. We often think of the offering as the practical necessity of running a church, but it can truly be another act of worship. The word offering itself suggests the spiritual act of giving of ourselves for the ministry of the church.

With all our mind: We will have our normal short message for the kids, and then send them off to Children's Church and Junior Church. Then we will open up the Word together to worship God with our minds (and hearts, souls, and strength, but moreso the mind).

With all our strength: The last part will include sharing events plus ministry opportunities and needs with the family business of a few announcements. The worship team will send us off with a final song, and then rather than a normal benediction, we will have more of a commissioning to send us all into the week with our mission to the world firmly in mind.

So, the worship service won't be radically different than we're used to, but a few things have been moved around from our norm, plus we want to better reinforce the various aspects of worship as Jesus describes in the Great Commandment, with our final thought being on the Great Commission.

We'll give this a spin for a few weeks and see what we think. Again, it's not a huge change, but I do want you to be aware of the thoughts that have gone into how the worship service will be put together.