October 18, 2012

Since the writer of this blog occasionally gets to express an opinion or two, he will.

Worship.  What is it?  Merriam-Webster says it is “reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also: an act of expressing such reverence”

A scan through a Bible concordance indicates that it is an act of focusing on and expressing the worth of God.  Where and how? The apostles clasped Jesus’ feet and worshiped him; the prophetess Anna was in the temple where she worshiped day and night.  Often a way is not specified, and a variety of worship methods is indicated.  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:1 that we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is our spiritual act of worship.

1 Corinthians 14:26 describes a form of congregational worship.  This could be done in a building, out in the woods, at the side of a river or lake – anywhere.

You could take Romans 12:1 and make the living sacrifices worship by providing a meal for someone, mowing a lawn, doing yard work, sitting with someone who is ill, or providing transportation.  All those things are expressing the worth of Jesus by giving of ourselves and doing them in His name.

As I mentioned at the all hands meeting the other night, my preference would be to have the auditorium filled with pews as it was designed to be. That’s the result of years of “tradition”.  However, if a mix of pews and tables will serve to let our neighbors, who are living in today’s culture, feel comfortable and drawn to Jesus Christ when they step inside, we can be as the Apostle Paul who declared he would be all things to all people in order to win some.

First we must be, then we are expected to do.

norm d. | church elder