Lessons to take forward

The greatness of God and appreciation for the centrality of Christ’s redemption should fuel our worship. They are the center of our concern and focus.

The word of God should be more central and fill more aspects of our worship such as words of Scripture as lyrics of songs, biblical creeds, responsive readings, dramatic readings of the text.

God is present in a special way when His people gather for worship.

The tone of worship should primarily be celebrative.

The atmosphere and setting of worship should be given special attention motivated by the theological concerns of enhancing worship.

Communion is a significant aspect of Christian worship. It should have a more central place in our services.

Worship is best when forms are varied over time. God encourages us to be creative in patterns and methods of worship to help people follow Christ.

The revelation of truth/God leads to a response of worship in song and other forms, so we see that often music can follow teaching.

Seasonal festivals of worship are powerful to honor God, unify the body and enhance overall worship as we remember great acts of God.

The Bible provides few descriptions of weekly “worship services” as we know them today, telling us that we have freedom in form. We should focus on biblical functions of worship and can have expression in our weekly large gatherings.

posted by trace for bruce

Discussion part 3 capture, remainder

Steve posed the question: What do those coming in to worship see that clearly communicate our loyalties to God?

Do we differentiate what happens in the Worship Center from what happens outside the Worship Center?

A new sub-question under "Should we be helping people enter into the presence of God in a special way in our "worship services"?"

• How should our worship be different from our culture? How should it be similar?

part 3 discussion capture

Questions we are continuing to answer:

Should we be helping people enter into the presense of God in a special way in our "worship services"? (Gathering for a special time dedicated to worship)

What false worship practices do we have individually and corporately?

Also went on more regarding the "sanctuary"...my take is that a sanctuary is not necessarily a building but that place one finds rest in the presense of God.

part 3, worship with proclamation

just wanted to create a generic post for part 3 and open it up for any comments.

please feel free to either create a new post of your own, or simply add a comment to this post. either way is fine!.. and i hope you are enjoying part 3 - worship with proclamation!!

part 2 discussion capture

questions from discussion group regarding part 2:

Is God present in a special way in worship services?

Does this happen today? This does not refer to physical presence, but a relational connection or separation.

Is there a biblical order or orders of worship?


we discussed the definition of worship and added "love" and "results-bearing"

we also discussed the "presence" of God in light of the fact that God is not bound by space/time.

any comments?

more gamblings and questions

notes alone the way

Are we missing the love of God as we focus on holiness, glory and incomparability?

Essence of worship
Fear and adoration
Confession and commitment
Ritual acts and religious observance
Sacrifice
Proclamation
Praise
Prayer
Covenant renewal


See conclusion p 60
I would add “loving” or perhaps “gracious” “lovingkindness”

Definition
Focus is corporate

True worship is the celebration of being in covenant fellowship with the sovereign and holy triune God,
By means of
The reverent adoration and spontaneous praise
Of God’s nature and works,
The expressed commitment of trust and
Obedience to the covenant responsibilities, and
The memorial reenactment of entering into
Covenant through ritual acts
All with the confident anticipation of the fulfillment
of the covenant promises in glory.

Why “true”?
“celebration” -- too specific?
“sovereign, holy, triune” why not also loving, gracious?
Where is confession?
Where is the corporate sense? Gathered with God’s people, in assembly, together
Where is proclamation?

Our worship must be eschatological!
And I say our worship must also be evangelistic? Proclamational? Kerygmatic.


Is communion with God the goal? Service to God? His glory?
Communion with God is the heart of worship?

Sabbath, rest, garden, paradise, temple, tabernacle, special sense of God’s presence when His people gather for worship, time and space become sacred in the gathering.

General Ramblings on Our Second Assignment...

So, I was waiting for one of our cars to be worked on at the shop and I finished reading through page 118. Here are some thoughts I wrote down with page numbers for reference.

Intro Pt. 2 (pg. 77)
Creation began with light to dispel the darkness or there could be no life. If our hearts are clouded with darkness from the wold when we enter a worship setting, how can "life" or worship happen or exist? First a clearing of that darkness (repentance) must take place.

(pg. 78)
By not acknowledging the God of creation we are robbing the creator of his honor. How that must break his heart. To hear his own creation trying to logically explain away our very existence with the intelligence given by the creator himself. Lord, forgive me if I ever discount the glory of your creation!

(pg. 83)
"the people had to be made pure and holy by some means to draw near."
It is so VITALLY important that our teams who facilitate worship be prepared to come into God's presence. If they are not - what effect does that have on the congregational worship? I guess that says something about the age old debate of whether or not an unbeliver can be on a worship team.

(pg. 87)
"the glory of yahweh filled the place - indicates divine approval"
So when we hear comments from people that they "felt the presence of the Lord", does that indicate at all, more of a level of his pleasure or approval and movement among us? And why does this seem to be more concentrated at times than others?

Conclusion (pg. 89)
If we are now the temple or dwelling place of God, should our worship not reflect "a place of rest"?
Complete side note... When did the Levites (keepers of the temple) take a sabbath?

(pg. 104)
Tree of life...
The cross is also a representation of the tree of life for us. I had never really equated them before. Now the hymns that use the term "he died on a tree" have more meaning to me.

Conclusion (pg. 108)
According to Ross, our church is a sanctuary (if I am reading him correctly). I know in the past Bruce has pushed back on that mode of thinking. But, if we are... how do we remind people on a weekly basis that they are entering the presence of the Creator? Aren't we always in His presence? It's not the building - right?

(pg. 112)
When he spoke of the abuse of worship symbols it reminded me of the uproar that took place when we took down the cross. There is a fine line between using symbols to enhance worship and worshipping the symbols themselves. I thought of catholicism off the bat.

(pg. 114)
In discussing how sin keeps us from the presence of God it made me wonder if it is better for us to have a time of repentance before every worship service? I know it seems a bit legalistic and ritualistic, but isn't that part of why so many people have a hard time "getting in to it"? They can't because something stands between them and true worship.

Also it was interesting to note in a couple of places (I can get you page numbers if you would like) what could be the origin of some of the mormon rituals, like consumating a marriage when it happens in the mormon temple and the holy underwear they have to keep on at all times. I realized how easily people can take thing from the bible and pervert them into something so "off" of the original meaning of it.

That's all! Can't wait for some rousing discussion :o)

Emotional Worship

I remember when I thought of worship as an emotional feeling. I either felt like worshiping and it was good or I didn't and it wasn't bad just not as good. Maybe I sinned too much this week and God wouldn't want my worship. Of course its all about me!

It took me a while to get to where worship was a choice and had nothing to do with how I felt.

Then reading page 36 Ross describes God (which is ironic in itself because he describes God by using words that say He is indescribable) "...God is inconceivable, incomprehensible source of all existence, invisible majesty..."

As I read that page I started to cry but I felt like worshiping - wow there's the emotional feeling, but this time it was inspired by the majesty of who our Lord is. I wanted to share it so I read the page to my kids but the impact was lost due to the expensive words Ross uses. But I though what a great devotional to share with others.

I'm excited about this book and can't wait to read more.

eternal worship

p.59 of the text has a line that reads: worship on earth is a prelude to glory when all the saints will be gathered together and will join the heavenly hosts in paradise to praise and serve God forever.

and earlier on p.57 it indicates that worship satisfies four basic senses of the human spirit, the first listed is the intellectual sense.

i was delighted to consider that the intellect is a sense of the human spirit. when i read the words it wasn't like it was a new idea to me per se, but rather one worded in a way that hit home. i found myself nodding my head in agreement at it.

if the spirit in us lives on even after our physical death, then the senses of the spirit must live on. and if the intellect is a sense of the spirit, then our intellect will live on. hmh! and if the worship here on earth satisfies the sense of the intellect, and this is but a mere taste of what worship will be like for all eternity, then our intellect will be a part of our eternal worship.

i rather like that idea.

i'm by no means a scholar, but i just love that God has given us an intellect. and i love when i hear something witty or read something clever. i have an appreciation for how people use their intellect creatively - a fascination i probably inherited from my parents, both of whom were smarter than i could ever hope to be.

it delights me to think i will get to share that love, that fascination, and get to use whatever intellect God has designed in me, with my parents and for all time, in worship of our holy LORD of glory!