Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Politics and Jesus

I have been thinking about how Jesus would respond to our political climate today and what, if anything, he would say about this election? But, in thinking about that, I realize that his world at the time he was on earth was very different than mine, so this can only be my speculation. But, I have noticed that Jesus did not seem to say hardly anything about the Roman authorities over Israel during his day.
IN LUke 20:20-26, some men come to Jesus "pretending to be honest" and ask Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar. They want to capture Jesus in his own words expressing either support or denial of the Roman government. They think the question is a no win for Jesus. But, again, Jesus raises the question to another level, by saying, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." It seems clear that Jesus was thinking on a different level than these men. The kingdom that he was concerned about was His Father's kingdom.
This seems to come up over and over again. I think about how John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod. It seems to me like that would be a good opportunity for Jesus to make some comments about Herod or to express his anger in what happened. After all, they were related. Mary went to Elizabeth's house before Jesus or John were born. But, Jesus doesn't get distracted or lose his focus for a single moment.
Which leads to a question about what Jesus says. "Am I truly giving to God what is God's?" Furthermore, the thought about what is God's is important to. For it seems that we are His and everything about us. We owe him our very breath and everything we have and are. It is because of Him.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Worship and Sacrifice

I just read a really good sermon about worship by Bob Deffinbaugh at www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=438 In this message, he talks about words that define and describe what worship is. He says that worship includes humility, reverence and service. He notes that worship and service are often linked. It made me think about Cain and how God didn't accept his sacrifice and then also Ananias and Sapphira mentioned in Acts 5 who died because of their lack of reverence.
Then also the Lord's Prayer. When you look at it it means "Hallowed by Your Name." first and foremost before any requests or any thing is mentioned about men. In fact, the first half of the prayer is about God and His kingdom and not man at all. Jesus seemed to be preoccupied not with what we need in the prayer, though that is included, but about what is happening here becoming more like what is happening in the kingdom of God.
Rev.Deffinbaugh also mentioned that there is a response in worship. That it is a response is because God first revealed himself to us. We find out about who God is and what He is like. We can see what He has done in nature and read about His love for us in scripture. We can learn about heaven and what awaits the believer at the end of this life. So, then worship is a response, an adoration, a focus on something other than ourselves.
Worship defined by Rev. Deffinbaugh is "the humble response of regenerate men to the self-disclosure of the Most High God. It is based upon the work of God. It is achieved through the activity of God. It is directed to God. It is expressed by the lips of praise and the by the life in service."
Notice that it doesn't say that it is either loud or quiet, it doesn't say that it is contemporary or traditional. It doesn't say that it must include a drum set or loud preaching or speaking in tongues. It does seem to include as it did in the Old Testament the idea of sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to the is world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Hebrews 13:16 "And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifice God is pleased."

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Worship in Spirit and Truth

I was looking at these verses John 4:23-24. "True worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth."
Keeping in mind that Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman, the woman starts an old argument with Jesus. Or at least she tries to. Where is the best place to worship? On this mountain or in Jerusalem? Jesus however doesn't fall for her trap, but rather lifts the discussion to a higher place, namely, what is worship really in the first place? What worship is acceptable in God's sight. So, first he defines who God is by saying that God is Spirit. Meaning, that God is not limited to this mountain or to Jersualem. It reminds me of what Solomon said in 2 Chronicles 6:18 "But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built." Solomon, at that moment, had it right. He understood that God is everywhere and isn't limited. That is part of what Jesus meant here.
Then, he says the Father seeks worshipers who worship in Spirit and in truth. This isn't to knock public worship or the worship service, but rather to look at what worship really is and is not. It is possible to go to "worship" for years and never truly worship. It is possible to bow and look religious and not truly worship. For Jesus, worship was a matter of the heart.
Adam Clarke makes this comment about worship from this passage, "a man worships in spirit, when, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he brings all his affections, appetites, and desires to the throne of God; and he worships in truth, when every purpose and passion of his heart, and when every act of his religious worship, is guided and regulated by the Word of God."
So, the question should be asked of the believer, "Am I truly bringing under the influence of the Holy Spirit my affections, appetites, and desires?" "Are these things brought under the Lordship of Christ?" "Or is there an elephant in the room that hasn't been spoken about?" "Is this surrender that I confess complete?"
So, true worship then is a great internal work. It is a work of the Spirit. It is a matter of the heart. It would appear to me that it is possible then to go through the motions of church and religion and love the religion rather than God. Or love the piety rather than God. Or even to love the Bible rather than God. Or to love the commands, and structure and power or anything else that the church or religion has to offer and not truly love God and not truly worship Him at all. Seem to me that this calls upon us to look into our hearts and ask ourselves what we truly worship.
"Do not love the world, nor the tings in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever."
1 John 2:15-17

Psalm 32:5-7 God is Ready and Eager to Forgive

  Psalm 32:3-7 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me...