We're taking a look at Worship as a lifestyle choice. Instead of trying to focus on Worship as a musical style or genre, we are endeavoring to make the idea of Worship into an "all day, every day, in every way" experience, just as God wants it to be. We were not only created to worship, we were created worshiping!
What single word describes worship to you?
Some answers are "a connection", "honoring God", "praise", "community", or "fellowship".
The real essence of worship is sacrifice. This concept is not new, as the Bible mentions this word well over 200 times. However, we choose not to explore it very often, because the word is a heavy and sometimes frightening concept.
The first example of sacrifice takes place in the garden of Eden, where God had to sacrifice an animal in order to use it's skin to cover Adam and Eve. Sin was covered, but sacrifice was the price.
Genesis 3:21 [NIV] - The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
That sacrifice set up a pattern that would repeat itself through the entire Old Testament. Sacrifices were made for sin to be covered by those who understood the price for faith in God. We see those who believed in God in the OT times making the trek to the temple once per year to sacrifice their animals, crops, and earnings in order to cover their sin from the eyes of God.
The New Testament looks at it a different way. Before Jesus came, the Law was king. After Jesus' death, burial, and ressurection, the age of Grace came about, allowing God's perfect sacrifice for us to cover our sins. Instead of sacrificing an animal, we were asked to sacrifice ourselves for His purpose.
Romans 12:1-2 [NIV] - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual (or reasonable) act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Sacrifice is still the basis for our worship, but in a much different way.
We sacrifice time to come together as believers and commune with God.
We sacrifice financially in order to give to the Lord out of our income, much in the same way the Israelites sacrificed animals and crops (two main sources of income) as an offering to the Lord.
We sacrifice our desires in order to be obedient to the Will of God.
We sacrifice pride to become humble and allow God to lead us.
All of these acts of sacrifice are based on the Grace that God showed us by sending Jesus to die in our place. Everything we are given comes from Him.
James 1:17 [NIV] says - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Romans 11:34-36 [NIV] puts it this way - Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
If we do not believe or accept that all good and perfect things come from God, then we have no reason for grace to abound in our lives. If we don't consider that god has no need of anything, but is the giver of everything, then grace doesn't have a reason to exist, and our worship is worthless.
Contrary to popular belief worship can be offered in the wrong way, and not accepted by God. Not coming to worship with the right attitude, wanting our own way, being distracted, etc... These are all ways that worship can be more about "going through the motions" than an actual worthy offering to God.
In Genesis 4:3-5 [MSG], we see the first written example of worship gone wrong.
Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.
What do we see here? Two offerings are given, but only one is accepted. The difference? Abel brought the best of the best for his sacrifice, knowing that his reliance on God's grace was the only reason that his flock prospered. Cain brough a sacrifice, but it was not in compliance with what God had apparently set earlier as an acceptable sacrifice. he brought "an offering", but it was not the firstfruits. It was not the best of the best. It was brought out of obedience, but not out of his thanks for God's grace.
Are there things that happen in our lives to make it so we come to church more like Cain than Abel? Of course there are. The problem is that those are the days where we lay ourselves on the altar of Tradition (we've always come to church/ i'm just doing this because i've always done it/ i'm here God... now bless me!/ hey, they should have had communion right after offering... what's going on here?) instead of on God's altar.
Questions to ponder for week 1:
What kind of sacrifice am I?
Do I lay on the altar of Tradition, or the altar of God as a living sacrifice?
Am I "an offering", or am I a "firstfruit"?
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