Poem: The Storm in the Calm

I've been through an incredibly difficult time recently. I wrote a poem about it today. It helps me process the situation better. I won't go into details, but this poem might be relevant to many people in the trials they face. It is called The Storm in the Calm.

Heartless, pointless, void of substance,

this is how I remember everything.

It was easy to think we had it all,

that our lives were only just beginning,

that our hearts had settled and run into the sunset.

Jaded, tarnished, set in your ways,

you thought you gave me something better;

so did I.

Yet I neglected to consider the torment you came from,

the bitterness and the tears that had prior been shed.

I failed to notice the whirlwind that had long overtaken your heart and your mind.

I gave; you received.

Not in any perfection but in a heart full of love did I ever perceive.

What was true for one could have been true for two,

but maybe it was only me.

Calm and smooth, this was the sea of glory we sailed.

Then the storm came;

then came the torrent of unexpected lies and fate.

Why? Why would you jump amid a storm?

So fast and without abandon, your heart still completely torn,

no time to settle, no time to find your way, no anchor to hold onto,

just you trying to swim.

But it wasn’t over.

Then came the thunder of hatred, the lightning of lies,

the rain of gossip, and the waves of ambiguity in a bizarre twist of love.

It did not take long; it was over quite quickly.

The calm, the sun, the birds again singing.

Yet even in the calm, I still sense the tumult;

I still feel the wind.

Never returning to that glorious sea,

even in the calm, you have left me still in the storm.

The Vertical and Horizontal Nature of Worship

The Vertical and Horizontal Nature of Worship

            Among worship leaders, often the topic of vertical worship arises. In other words, there is the belief that worship is only vertical in that it focuses only on God. Nonetheless, while God certainly is both the subject and the object of worship, there is also a horizontal aspect to worship. This is evident in the fact that the bride of Christ, the church, is a single body comprised of many parts (or people). Worship gatherings are corporate, and even our daily individual lives are part of the joint offering to the Lord as a sacrifice of worship. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. The singular and plural aspect to this command point to both vertical and horizontal worship. Unity is worship; fellowship is worship; and communion is worship. We are each individually worshiping the same God, but we are also corporately presenting our worship to him in fellowship with him and with each other. Worship then is not only vertical; it is also horizontal. I would like to examine what each of these two aspects imply and mean for us as God’s children and how it should affect the way we live our lives.

Vertical

            I would like to focus on both aspects of worship. It is certainly both vertical and horizontal. In other words, it is directed toward God and in response to who he is, but it is also horizontal in that it is communal and corporate as the body of Christ. The most evident way worship is vertical is through the individual response of each believer. Matthew 15:8 reads, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” No believe can reject the truth of this scripture. Corporate worship should be a sincere reflection of a group of individuals’ personal worship. The key here is response. A proper response of worship to God is obedience. To simply honor God with words but live a drastically different life is not the proper response.

            The vertical nature of worship then is found in the response. We respond to God. This is the second half of the dialogue. God initiates, and we respond. In this dialogue of life called worship then, we, his people, are required to obey; that is our proper response, and it is in that manner that our worship to him is vertical.

This is seen very obviously in a personal sense, but it is also revealed in a corporate sense. In many contexts, the Lord’s Supper is referred to as the Eucharist. This is derived from the Greek word meaning thanksgiving. Therefore, when we commune with Christ at the table, our response is thanksgiving. This is no small thing, for we must understand that our response to undeserved communion with the Lord must always be thanksgiving. It is not thanksgiving to each other or to anyone else other than Christ himself.

Our lives must be lives of continual and active response. God has not only initiated and we responded, but he continues to initiate and we continue to respond with our proper response being continued repentance and obedience. Initiation and response is vertical. It looks to and from the Lord alone.

Application in Ministry Context

            How is this applied in ministry contexts? How do we model vertical worship? To help answer this question, I would like to submit my personal philosophy of ministry. It is as follows:

All ministry, work which delivers the gospel, exists for the glory of God, namely worship, through the three-fold function of his bride, the church: upreach, the glorification of God through the praises of his people and the acknowledgement of his sovereignty; inreach, the edification of the saints through fellowship in the local church, study and effect of God’s word, and prayer with a sovereign God; and outreach, the spreading of the fame and glory of God to those who have not yet been changed by the power and message of the gospel.

            While ministry is threefold in its approach, it is singular in its focus, which is worship or the glory of God alone. We must not confuse approach with focus. Lost people are not the focus of the church; the glory of God is. The sick, hurting, and poor are not the focus of the church; the glory of God is. And indeed morality is not the focus of the church; the glory of God is. These other very crucial aspects of ministry stem from the glory of God; his glory is where it begins though. Even in the sacred dialogue, the reason he has initiated a relationship with his people is for his own glory and purposes. To elevate mankind over God’s glory is idolatry. The proper response to his glory certainly is ministry, which is carried out in these various ways, but the purpose of our acts of ministry is first and foremost the glory of God. All worship looks to and from and points to and from the glory of God. This is the vertical nature of worship.

Horizontal

            Worship is also horizontal in nature. One might think that by horizontal, I mean that worship is the collective response of the people of God. That is only a small part of it though. The church is at its best when she is unified. We, as the bride of Christ, are many members but part of one body. 1 John 1:7 reads, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” The Apostle Paul tells us in Philemon 1:6, “…I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” The implication of sharing is togetherness. Some translations have fellowship rather than sharing. There is a corporate aspect to worship, and scripture is clear as to the importance of it. Christ’s desire is that his bride is unified, and the only way that can happen is through and in him. Our commonality in all situations is Christ, for he has redeemed us and unified us. He is central to our work and ministry, and he must be our purpose for existence.

            This fellowship we have as the church is not only in the context of corporate worship; it is for all of life. Just as each part of a body must do play its vital role, each member of the church must function in accordance with the will of the Lord. This is not to say that there are not disagreements. God’s church is made of many members with many varying backgrounds, points of view, and beliefs. The secondary issues should not divide us though. They are secondary because they are not salvation issues. It is the primary issues we must agree on. If the world knows we are Christians by our love for one another, perfect worship is evident in how we act toward each other. This is for all believers of all traditions and denominations. We focus on the Lord, but we act in fellowship with him and with each other. In this sense, worship is horizontal.

How to Live within the Dialogue Both Vertically and Horizontally

            We must live lives that first and foremost glorify God, but we must also live in unity with each other. Certainly this is evident to be applied in our personal lives, but we must also apply it in the corporate worship gatherings of God’s people. Do our sacred actions in worship focus on God but have a broad approach to view the bride of Christ through the lens of love and mercy? It can be easy to neglect one or the other. Often either we focus on people and minimize the glory of God, or we focus on only the glory of God with no thought of Christ’s bride, the church. The hymns and songs we sing, the scriptures we read, the prayers we pray, the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and any other action we practice in worship must focus on the Lord with a broad view of his bride. I have heard some say that they love Jesus but hate the church; this is an impossibility. No one can love Jesus and hate the very body that he gave his life for. We are God’s people. Our lives must be lived in response to him, who he is, and what he has done. He has sent Jesus Christ as the propitiation for the sins of the world, and it is through the communion of the Saints that God is glorified. We worship him, but we worship him with each other as many individuals part of one body. This is how we live lives of vertical and horizontal response in this sacred dialogue.

New Hymn for Christmas

As a worship leader, I like to plan in advance. I realize it is October, but for any worship leaders out there looking for a new song/hymn for Christmas, here is one you are welcome to use.

What Is the Difference in Right and Privilege as It Pertains to the US Constitution

What Is the Difference in Right and Privilege as It Pertains to the US Constitution?

            The topic of rights and specifically constitutional rights has reached most everyone in the United States lately with the recent flag and national anthem protests by prominent athletes. Often the question is not, “Does one have these rights,” but it is, in fact, “Should one have these rights?” The topic of rights is incredibly confusing though. There are many opinions on rights and on which rights someone possesses. The problem with that though is that rights are not a matter of opinion. Defining a right is where we must start, and if something is not a right, then it likely is a privilege. The rights I am referring to here pertain only to the US Constitution. I would like to flesh out the difference between right and privilege as it pertains to the Constitution.

What Is a Right?

            Let me be clear: rights, true rights, are not given by any man or form of government. Rights comes from God alone. Rights are the benefits that all human beings possess simply for the fact that they are human. These do not belong to animals, only to humans, and the list of rights we have is much simpler than people make it. Our Declaration of Independence mentions the primary rights we have. They are referred to as some of the unalienable rights that humans have for the mere fact that we were all created equal. They are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Note that we are not given the right to happiness but only the pursuit of it. The other two are life and liberty. Government did not give us these; God did. Even for someone who is not a Christian, these rights exist for the mere fact that we are human beings and for no other reason.

            Having said that, in the United States, we have what are known are constitutional rights. There is a Bill of Rights in our United States Constitution, and these rights stem from these overarching God-given rights I have already mentioned (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). I do not believe in theocracies, and even though separation of church and state is nowhere in our Constitution, the fifty state Constitutions, or the Declaration of Independence, the concept exists far and wide and for good reason. As a Christian, I believe that faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ is proposed, not imposed. Government cannot legislate morality. Therefore, laws should only exist to protect people’s rights and well-being, not to create a better society. Society is exactly what the word means; it is a group or groups of social beings, in our case human beings who live together in a common area. For us, this is the United States. For society to be good then, it is ultimately up to the people in it, not the government. There are things that are clearly wrong both morally and legally such as murder and rape. These things infringe on others’ rights and well-being. However, laws such as seatbelt laws and zoning laws in cities do not help with this cause. They really exist to give more power to the government whether it is federal, state, or local. The constitutional rights we have exist because of a firm belief that all humans have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Bill of Rights then is designed to help people experience the benefits of those rights.

What Is a Privilege?

            Many people confuse right and privilege. A privilege is a benefit that is not automatically applied for being a human being. In other words, privileges may come in many forms, but if they are not directly linked to our constitutional or God-given rights without a stretch, we are not afforded them automatically. Marriage is one of these. Marriage is not a right for anyone. During the debate on September 26, Lester Holt asked Donald Trump if the American people have the right to know what is on his tax returns. The clear answer is a resounding, No!” This is nowhere in the Constitution. In fact, neither candidate had to even appear for the debate. These are privileges. Many have used the argument that churches having a tax exempt status is a privilege. This is certainly true, but in the same way, it is also a privilege for schools, government entities, and hospitals. Certainly we, as Americans, know what privilege is, but we must never get so used to them that we begin to think they are rights. A right and a privilege are two distinctly different things. At times, our courts have to determine whether or not a particular action is constitutional or unconstitutional. Their job is to interpret the laws. The problem here though is that most of our laws are written not based on rights but on morality. In other words, the law often does not reflect the simplicity of the Constitution. This is the root of the problem often. Laws should only exist to protect people’s rights and well-being. If it does not do this, it should not be a law.

            We must also consider business practice in this discussion. If an entity or corporation is privately owned, it is the same as if it was someone’s property. The government has no stake in it whatsoever. Therefore, it should be treated as such. Government’s regulations on businesses typically do not help the economy, nor do they allow Constitutional rights of the individual business owners to be exercised. There are many cities that have non-smoking policies for businesses, for example. Because many of these businesses are privately owned, however, this is the exact same as telling someone they may not smoke in their own home. If an organization is a government entity, this might be different, but even then, of all places to be able to exercise your Constitutional rights, it should be government organizations. This is one reason I firmly disagree with free speech areas on college campuses. The entire campus should be free speech. In fact, the only places that perhaps should not be free speech are private properties. We seem to have it backwards though. Government organizations are funded by tax dollars, yet these are often the places where Constitutional rights may be exercised the least.

            We also have to be careful not to see privilege and right as the same thing. Under God, our rights are carefully spelled out for us in the Constitution. These rights should never be taken from us. While certain privileges (like marriage) are derived from these rights, however, we must be careful not to think they are one in the same. Our rights are quite simple actually. As far as privileges, I respect those who fight for them and who desire to see more of them, but do not think of them as rights. Even if our government says these are rights, by definition, they are not.

Is Anyone Ever Disqualified from Any Rights?

            We could bypass a lot of issues to get to the main question here. Do felons have rights? There might be many others to ask that question about too, but we usually want to know if convicted felons have rights. In short, the answer is yes. Again rights exist simply for the fact that you are a human being. It is true that some felonies at least temporarily (if not permanently) exclude people from rights. The question should not be if someone is disqualified from some rights but should they be. If the concept is that all humans, endowed by their creator, have certain unalienable rights and the Constitution clarifies what these rights are, then should not all humans possess these rights including felons? The would be the logical stance. The problem is that we devalue humans based on their mistakes. Certainly someone should face the consequences for mistakes, but once the price is paid, should that person not be allowed to be an active and normal part of society, meaning that his or her rights are restored? I suggest that everyone should have the same rights afforded them, including felons who have paid their debt to society.

            What about those who might be different? Should homosexuals have the right to marry their partner? Again keep in mind the difference between right and privilege. Marriage is not a right. It is not in the Constitution as part of the Bill of Rights. We must stop confusing right and privilege. However, this is not to say that we should legislate based on morality. As a Christian, I believe homosexuality is clearly a sin. Should it be illegal though? In my opinion, it should not; nor should homosexual marriage. This is not something that infringes on someone else’s rights and well-being. Since I believe marriage is a union between a man and woman only, even if the government issues marriage licenses to gay couples, it is not marriage in my opinion. They may hold a certificate and may even call it marriage, but it is not. Who am I to stop it though? We cannot stop the current of society. We can take a stand as Christians, but ultimately it will do whatever it wants to do, and we have to live in this society and love all people.

Homosexual people should absolutely have the same rights as anyone else, but let’s not confuse marriage as a right; it is a privilege. The point here is that these are some things that might disqualify people from exercising certain rights for a period of time, but it should not be permanently except in the case that they permanently took someone else’s rights, as is in the case of murder. All humans, mistakes or not, are eligible and worthy to exercise their God-given and Constitutional rights.

Should Any Constitutional Rights Be Applied Differently than Others?

            A right is a right is a right. Therefore, we should not treat any constitutional rights differently than the others. In other words, if we indeed possess these rights, they should be applied equally. There cannot be stipulations on rights, or we really do not have them in practice. One right that comes to mind is the 2^nd Amendment. The 2^nd Amendment affords each individual the right to keep and to bear arms. This does not mean that everyone has the right to buy or sell arms or even that the government cannot charge a $6,000 tax for the purchase of firearms. It simply means what it says, that people may keep and bear arms, and this is a good thing because it protects citizens from the chance of a corrupt government. Why is it often applied differently though? If everyone has this right, why are there so many stipulations. We don’t have stipulations on the 1^st Amendment, or we shouldn’t at least. Most people would argue either that the 2^nd Amendment was not written with the future in mind with all of our advancements in guns and weaponry. Some might also argue that the 2^nd Amendment deals directly with people’s lives. The truth is that if someone wants a gun to kill another human being, they will get one with or without laws against it. I believe we either need to amend the Constitution, which we certainly can do under the right circumstances or there should be no stipulations on any amendment. They should all be applied equally; otherwise, the concept of rights is useless to us. We either have them or we don’t.

Should We Fight for Rights or Privileges or Both?

            Since there is an apparent difference between right and privilege, which are we to fight for, or should we fight for both? What is our responsibility as Americans? I think the answer for one is obvious. We should all fight for rights. There is a sense in which we all possess the same rights as human beings. The problem, however, lies in the fact that these rights are sometimes squelched and diminished by corrupt government, which we cannot deny exists even in the United States. Because all humans are equal and these rights given by God and explained in the Constitution are unalienable, we must fight for the free exercising of all human rights.

Should we then fight also for privilege? The short answer is yes. However, we must be careful and wise on where to plant our flag. One person simply cannot take legislative action against the will of the people to get what he or she wants. We must work together. There are certain privileges that are more important than others depending on the individual, and many of these privileges hit very close to home. People are passionate about them. We should not diminish their passion either simply because we might disagree. In fact, we should encourage all people to exercise their rights and fight for their privileges. If a government or people is hindering rights from freely being exercises, certainly everyone should fight against that entity. Privilege is different though in that we have room for disagreement. There is no such thing as a perfect society, and we must be OK with that. We work toward a more perfect union, but we will never achieve it. Until then though, we fight tightly to uphold rights and fight loosely for the privileges we are passionate about while still respecting others we disagree with. If we did this, there would certainly be less division among us. However, this is not the direction of the tide in our society. The trend is to think that we are right and everyone else is wrong. If it is not a right issue, leave it alone and let people fight for what they are passionate about. Right are crucial in our society. Privilege is essential to a thriving society, but let us not confuse the two. They are not one in the same.

Why Christianity and Politics Cannot Marry

Why Christianity and Politics Cannot Marry

            I grew up believing that as a Christian, I had to take a certain political stance. This was what was engrained in me from an early age. However, as I grew older and particularly in my late 20s, I began to rethink the way I thought about politics. My argument had always been that my faith in Christ should be at the forefront of every aspect of my life including politics. While this is certainly true, the manner in which this is carried out is now vastly different for me, and in many ways, because my faith is central to my life, I separate politics from religion. I now argue that orthodox Christianity and politics cannot marry each other. They are indeed separate, and I would like to give four reasons why.

When We Christianize Politics, We Compromise the Gospel

            First of all, marrying politics to the Christian faith compromises the gospel. Immediately I can hear people arguing that this is the easy way out. In other words, taking this stance removes our responsibility to be involved in the God-ordained political system of the land we live in. Do not hear what I am not saying, however. Christians certainly have a responsibility to take a stand for truth and justice and to be involved in the political process as much as possible. There is no cookie cutter political stance or party for the believer though, as many might try to argue. It is likely that you have heard Jesus was neither a Republican or a Democrat. While this is true though, many still seem to link him to a political party. What does this do? It compromises the gospel of Christ. The Galatians had problems with telling new Christians that in order to honor God in their salvation, they had to add things. It was Jesus plus something else. The gospel though is Jesus plus nothing. He is enough; he is sufficient period. Therefore, to proclaim that honoring God means Jesus plus a political party or stance is to add onto the gospel, which, in essence, is no gospel at all. The gospel is all about Jesus, not about our personal points of view. Marrying politics and Christianity compromises the gospel.

No One Can Legislate Morality or Faith

            Secondly, it is impossible to legislate morality or faith. I firmly believe that the United States was founded on Christian principles. We can’t take it further than that though. It was not founded as a Christian nation but rather upon Christian principles. What does this mean? It means that we are not a theocracy. Our founding fathers knew that no government can legislate morality of faith because even if they try, for many citizens, it would not be genuine. Humans are radically depraved and evil by nature, despite the popular opinion that people are good by nature. Any good that comes from people, even those who do not know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, is directly from God. God is the standard for good. Even our most basic instincts that tell us that murder is wrong comes from God. My belief is that government should be small and legislate as little as possible. In fact, I believe laws should only be created to stop infringement on people’s rights and well-being. This means that many laws should not even be in the books because they benefit no one but the government. Many laws are written based on morality. This should not be though. Morality is an individual choice, and good morals come only from God. Therefore, unless an action infringes on someone else’s rights and well-being, it should not be illegal. We often see elections as a way to determine the direction of a country. In reality though, the truth is that elections point to the direction the country is already heading. This is not something any law can change. Only the power of the Holy Spirit and his work in a nation can cause an entire people to turn to God; nothing else. Legislating morality is a feeble attempt at changing people’s hearts. It can’t happen. It has never happened. Our government’s job is to protect, not to legislate morality and faith.

As Christians, We Are to Become all Things to all People

            In 1 Corinthians 9:22, the Apostle Paul says that he has become all things to all people. His point is that as Christians, we must be flexible in our approach to engaging relationships. If an action does not contradict our biblical beliefs, we should not plant our flag of war on the issue. This, in no way, implies that we will not disagree with people. We must be wise in how we approach issues though. Major on the major issues, and minor on the minors. There are certainly things we must take a stand upon, and in the process, yes, we will disagree with people including our own brothers and sisters in Christ. We must still love them though and treat them with dignity and respect. We must pray for our leaders and respect them. This includes the President of the United States who is often hated by half of our country. There are particular black and white issues that deserve no argument. For example, abortion is murder. There is no argument. Scripture points to this, as does science. Does this mean though that we hate people who believe abortion is OK? Absolutely not! We love the, and it might even benefit us to hear their perspective. By all means, if you believe something is wrong, stand against it, but do so in a loving way. Becoming all things to all people has to do more with attitude than actually doing what they do. Reason out what is primary and what is secondary, and act accordingly. So often we plant our flags on the secondary issues when the primary issues are what we need to focus on. Scripture says that they will know we are Christians by our love, not by our knowledge or ability to argue. Pray and love. That is it.

We Cannot Effectively Minister to Everyone While Tied up in Politics

            This is true especially for ordained ministers. It is incredibly difficult to minister to everyone if we are tied up in politics. This is a reason I have a serious problem with pastors who run for office. They are severely limiting their ministry base of people. We should never exclude anyone from the gospel message of Christ. Christ died for all walks of life. Our ministry, therefore, should reflect that. Every believer has a responsibility to reach everyone. We must be careful then not to exclude those different from us. Again take a stand for what is right, but do not associate justice, truth, and mercy with a particular political party. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, etc. do not have a corner on the godly market. It is possible to be a Christian and be either one or none of those parties. Vote your conviction, but leave it at that. Life is about glorifying God, not a political system or government. We, his people, are the bride of Christ, and we cannot be married to politics. It is impossible to be the bride of Christ and the bride of politics at the same time. Let Jesus be at the center of life for all of his people, not politics.

New Article: Going against the Grain Congregational "Unfriendly" Keys for Music in Worship

Here is a new article I had published recently. Read and enjoy!

Triune God: The Object of Christian Worship

Triune God: The Object of Christian Worship

I normally do not post my worship articles on this particular blog, but I felt compelled to do so for this one. It is posted other places too, but you may read it here if you wish.

We are commanded in Exodus 34:14 not to have any gods before the one true God, for he is jealous. This does not imply, however, that he is jealous of someone else but rather that he is jealous for something, namely the worship of his people. It is common to speak of God as both the object and the subject of Christian worship, a unique aspect to our faith indeed, for in other religions, people act as the subject while their gods serve as the object. In our applied theology of the triune God, however, we realize that God is both object and subject. In other words, although we worship him, our worship is a response to who he is, what he has done, and what he is doing even in our midst as we worship. He is not then the object of our worship because he is the subject, but he is the subject because he is the object. During the worship experience, we are not the ones acting, but God is; yet while he is actively moving and working in our midst, our response is to make him the object, the one which we worship. The difficulty in grasping this though is found in discovering a proper understanding of the triune God that we worship.

One of the most unique aspects of Christianity is a God that is three but also one, no bipolarity but one God with three equal persons, yet in a submissive order (not to be confused with a hierarchy). As Christians, learning how to recognize this and allow it to affect how we worship is significant. Triune God is the very object of our worship, but it is also through his triune nature that he manifests himself as also the subject. It is we then that must recognize him as the object and worship accordingly.

The Godhead Aspect: Christian Worship Is Triune in Nature

            Christian worship is triune in nature. The very essence of worship is the dialogue between God’s people and the Father through the Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. The issue at hand is how God’s people are to worship him as the object of our affections manifested in three persons. We must realize and trust the mystery of the three-person Godhead. He is three yet one God.

            Part of the mystery at hand is the fact that there is not a hierarchy, yet there is a distinct order. The Son submits to the Father and the Spirit submits to the Son, for the Father sent the Son and the Son sent the Spirit. This is why we speak in terms of the first person of the Godhead, the second person of the Godhead, and the third person of the Godhead. This, in no way, is meant to imply that there is some sort of hierarchy but rather that the function of each person in the triune Godhead is different; it is one God, nevertheless. It is because of this mystery that Christian worship is triune in nature. We worship a triune God who is both object and subject and who is at the very center of worship; therefore, the nature of Christian worship is triune. Every part of our corporate worship experience must reflect the triune aspect of the worship of God. This mystery is not for us to necessarily understand but the marvel in. We worship one triune God manifested in three different persons.

God Is Creating a People for Himself

            At the base of worship is the story of God. The story of God and his work in the lives of his people is central to worship. It is, therefore, our goal, as we worship him, to tell and proclaim the full counsel of God. God’s redemptive work throughout history is central to not only his people but also his glory. The entire purpose of redemption is the glory of God. In salvation then, God is creating a people for himself. Having called Abraham, God began a work of creating a people for himself, a people that would forever be his and glorify him all their days. The beauty of that significant aspect of the people of God is that the Old Covenant was replaced with the New Covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ so that now some Gentiles have been grafted into the people of God. There is no longer a separation among God’s people. We are all his children and his people, the bride of Christ.

            This is relevant to worship in that God is still creating a people for himself. His work on the cross has been accomplished to bring glory to the Father, and now the Holy Spirit works in our lives and the lives of those who will come to know him as Lord and Savior. Through this mechanism, the triune God creates a people for himself and will continue to do so until the day of completion when we are one with him as heirs to his throne. Again we see the subjective nature of God where he is actively working, but we also see the objective nature of God where through his work, he is receiving glory. His work in creating a people for himself is entirely for the purpose of his own glory. 1) God creates; 2) God’s people respond; 3) God receives glory; and all three persons of the Godhead are involved in that magnificent display of his story.

All Things Are to Him

            We must understand that in this work of active sanctification and in our participation in the Spirit as the body and bride of Christ, all things are ordained by God and all things are from him, through him, and to him (Rom. 11:36). Certainly we can acknowledge the truth of all things being from him and through him, but to grasp onto the fact that all things are eternally to him is to effectively make him the center of everything. Jesus Christ is preeminent as Paul proclaims in Colossians 1.

            Triune God works in this as well. The reason I have mentioned the Godhead order is so that we can clearly see that all glory goes ultimately to God, but this happens in that glory is given to the Father through the Son and in the power of the Spirit. Even in our prayers, we see in Romans 8:34 that we have no ability or authority whatsoever for God to hear us except that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. Without him there, our prayers mean absolutely nothing. Jesus, perhaps confusing many in his time, actually clarifies things for us by saying, in John 8:54, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘he is our God.’” This is a bold statement that Jesus Christ makes in which he reveals his intention to glorify the Father, yet the Father, in return, glorifies him. Does this happen to us as well? Yes! Romans 8:17 tells us that as we suffer with Christ, we are also glorified with him as fellow heirs with him. The glorification then is not for us but for him, yet it is through us that he is glorified. We are catalysts to his glory; we reflect his glory; and indeed through our glorification, he is the one who is ultimately glorified. This is only possible through Christ’s shed blood. Without Christ as the High Priest and mediator in the New Covenant, our prayers, our response to the Father, and our feeble attempts to worship him are meaningless. It is only that the Father looks on us and sees his Son that we live our lives in such a manner that all things are not only from him and through him but also to him.

The Primary Reason We Worship: For Who God Is, Not Merely What He Has Done

            Many Christians make the mistake of only worshiping God for what he has done. The primary reason we worship God though is for who he is. We respond first and foremost to who he is, not merely what he has done, for if he had never done anything for us at all, he would still be God and still be worthy and demanding of our worship. Gratitude is a very good thing and we should live in an attitude of gratitude, but it should never be the primary source of our worship. Our worship should spring from a heart of reflection on who he is. Then and only then will he become the object of our worship.

How do we know when that is happening then? Worship in spirit and truth only happens when we are satisfied in Christ. Surely no one can say that they are purely satisfied in Christ, but in our sanctification process, our satisfaction in him grows. “The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace,” as the hymn says. Our worship is directly related to our satisfaction. The more we are satisfied in him, the more we worship rightly to the point that living a godly life is no longer an issue. It stops becoming work and becomes an overflow out of the abundance of worship we have to offer. It is natural. When we realize that Jesus is better than anything period, he will then become the one and only true object of our worship. He is at the center because only he can satisfy.

How is this reconciled with triune worship then? How is Christ at the center of worship of a triune God? This mystery is carefully explained in the fact that he is the mediator of the New Covenant. He is literally the middle-man, if you will, between humans and God the Father. Our worship happens in order that the Father might be glorified and it happens in the power of the Holy Spirit, but it only happens through Jesus Christ. Anything that we do to the glory of the Father first passes through the Son. He is, therefore, at the very center of our worship of triune God. We worship one God manifested in three persons, equally divine and equally glorified, for it is triune God who is the object of Christian worship.

Conclusion

            In personal and corporate worship, Christ intercedes on our behalf. Certainly we worship God, and I would dare say that we worship all three persons of the Godhead. Our worship is dependent on our satisfaction in Christ though and his mediation. Without the Holy Spirit’s leadership, without Christ’s mediation, and without the Father’s glorification of himself and all three persons of the Godhead, triune God is not worshiped by his people. As he is creating a people for himself, so we are a part of his grand work in redemptive history. Now and through endless ages, he is the object of our worship.

Limping along between Two Wings: A Sure Defeat

1 Kings 18:17-40: Limping along between Two Wings: A Sure Defeat

            We stand here on this Memorial Day weekend, a weekend when we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for liberty in our nation. It is not national barbeque day as some would consider it; tomorrow rather is a day of reflection and remembrance, and it comes at such a crucial time. We live in a day when the culture dishonors God to such an extreme degree that I see no possible way we will not be judged. We are in the midst of an election. Of course, I suppose we’re always in the midst of an election. It amazes me how many believers put so much on this upcoming presidential election and Christianize or dechristianize politicians. We are not electing a Lord and Savior. An election does not determine the course of a country; that has already been determined. In fact, an election is the result of the direction of a country. We will elect the person that most accurately reflect where we are as a society, and that could be God justice and his judgment on us. In scripture, God’s judgment was not a small thing. When God judged his people, it lasted sometimes for hundreds of years. We, as a generation, have not only disobeyed God but have blatantly run from his ways as far as possible. We can blame it on those who are not Christians all we want, but the truth is that the church has grown complacent. We have lived lavish lives with no regard for honoring God; we have been OK with allowing evil to creep into our personal lives; and we have not stood for what is right.

In 1 Kings 18:17-40, we find a familiar story, a story of the prophet, Elijah, and his triumph over the prophets of Baal. Like our society, Israel had abandoned the commandments of God and followed after their own selfish hearts and desires. In many ways, they claimed to honor the one true God, but they continued to worship other gods. Don’t we do the same though? Don’t we claim to follow Christ but then grow complacent and OK with simply coming to our worship gatherings, sitting in our pews, talking about the good old days, and then leave as the exact same people? At least Israel was more deliberate about it. We try to hide our complacency under the mask of doing church instead of being the church. We go through the motions and profess a savior that saves and try to live by a particular code of conduct but then disallow any change to come from the Holy Spirit. This is not the life God has called us to. We either give everything or nothing at all. Elijah poses the question in this passage, “How long will you go limping between two wings,” or “opinions” in some translations. Let us examine this scripture and ask ourselves the question, “How long will we go limping between two wings?” I am taking a different perspective here. Rather than speaking of a sure victory, I would like to share with you, from this text, how to assure a defeat, something that we must never desire, yet we contribute to our lives on a consistent basis in so many ways whether we realize it or not. You will see from this text that Elijah was assured a victory for his faith in God, but Israel, because of their actions and decisions, gained a sure defeat, particularly the prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 18:17-40 (ESV)

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” ¹⁸ And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. ¹⁹ Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”

The Prophets of Baal Defeated

²⁰ So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. ²² Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. ²³ Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. ²⁴ And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” ²⁵ Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” ²⁶ And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. ²⁷ And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” ²⁸ And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹ And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” ³² and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs^[a] of seed. ³³ And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” ³⁴ And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. ³⁵ And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

³⁶ And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. ³⁷ Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” ⁴⁰ And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

A sure defeat…there are four imperatives I would like to submit to you that if you contribute to, you will be assured a defeat.

Blame Your Problems on Someone or Something Else (vv. 17-18)

            Elijah is simply doing the task God set out for him. It is certainly a difficult task to tell a people that their ways are wrong, but this is what God called him to do so he obeyed. It is interesting that we are assured victory in difficult obedience yet assured defeat in difficult disobedience. My prayer is that I would always be OK with obeying God in doing something that does not make sense than to disobey him in doing something that does. Elijah is simply proclaiming the message of God, and King Ahab calls him the “troubler of Israel.”[1] He was blaming Elijah for something that was, in many ways, his own fault. It was easier to do than to admit his wrong. Blame is so easy to do. We think it takes the responsibility off of us, but it really does not. It is still there; we are simply avoiding it. We make feeble attempts at giving excuses for our sin and disobedience so as to make it appear that we are not responsible. A repentant heart does not do that though. Part of repentance is seeing ourselves for who we really are, namely wretched sinners. This causes us to confess that we are weak and wrong. That is contrary to culture though. Don’t ever apologize; don’t ever admit your mistakes because it reveals weakness. Blame goes back to the Garden though. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Our natural desire is to avoid any responsibility by blaming problems on others. When we blame our problems on others, we lose site of the fact that God is working in and through our circumstances to change us. Yes, we have made mistakes, but how do you allow God to use those mistakes in your life? We can spend a lot of time blaming others, or we can get back on track and live in the grace and mercy of Christ.

Commit Halfheartedly (vv. 19-29)

            Another way to ensure defeat is to commit halfheartedly. The prophet poses the question, “How long will you go limping between two opinions” (wings in some translations)? This meant that Israel was fickle and halfhearted in their commitment to the Lord. They had not totally rejected the Lord, but they sought to combine his worship with the worship of Baal. We do that too but perhaps in a more insidious way. We do this by conforming our lives to a code of conduct rather than the gospel. In other words, we think that checking off a list is good enough. The reality is that most people who profess to be Christians are simply moralistic deists. It is professing Christ, abiding in a “good enough” manner by a particular moral code, yet not being conformed by Christ form the inside out. Sadly, this is where most Christians are. It is not the gospel, but it is, in fact, contrary to it. It is not about perfection, but it is about sanctification. The question that Elijah asks here should be a striking question to our generation, and I am not speaking primarily of those who are not Christians but of the church. How long will you go on limping between two wings, professing Christ but then living a life contrary to the gospel or even worse, having a mediocre faith? How long will you grieve the Holy Spirit by claiming his change in your life but denying his power? In Revelation 3:16, God indicts the church and says, “Because you were lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” We can conclude that God absolutely despises a halfhearted commitment.

            If we’re honest, living a godly life is difficult. It is easy to live a halfhearted life because that is what everyone else does. The danger in that though is that we allow our own code of conduct to overtake the authority of the gospel. We begin conforming to our own ideas of what righteousness is rather than God’s. Israel thought it was perfectly acceptable to worship multiple gods. Halfhearted commitment to God is no commitment. I firmly believe there will be many who will be surprised when we stand before the Lord to give an account of what we made of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Ironically one of the most misused verses in all of the Bible is found at the beginning of that chapter. Matthew 7:1 reads, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” That verse is not an excuse to live however you wish, as many might think. In fact, the fierce judgment of God is far worse than the judgment of any human. There are many people in our churches who truly believe they are Christians because they compare themselves to other Christians who compare themselves to other Christians. The Christian life is not about how someone else lives except how Christ lives in and through us. Many people believe they are Christians because they are doing OK and simply live like other people in the church. This is the wrong approach. We should not merely compare our lives to others, but rather our live should be continuously changed by Christ in us.

            Elijah was so confident that the one true God would bring victory that he began to mock the prophets of Baal. When there was no response in their crying out, Elijah said, “Perhaps he is relieving himself.” This is comical, but it surely is the kind of assurance we can have when we trust God for our provisions and our victories. No victory happens apart from Christ, and no one committed to Christ serves halfheartedly. We are called to commit wholeheartedly. Elijah did; Israel did not at this time. If you commit halfheartedly, you will assure yourself a defeat.

            Committing means not wavering no matter the cost. Forget about the concept of a town hall meeting to decide public policy. How about this instead? In Ancient Greece, to prevent idiotic statesmen from passing idiotic laws upon the people, lawmakers--legend has it--were asked to introduce all new laws while standing on a platform with a rope around their neck. If the law passed, the rope was removed. If it failed, the platform was removed.

Sit on the Side (vv. 30-38)

            We will also be assured defeat if we sit on the side, if we are not in the game. No athlete wants to sit on the side; they want to be in the game because that is where the action is and where the good things happen. Elijah might have seemed to be the only righteous person in all of Israel, and in fact, in the next chapter, he thinks he is. He was not though. Nevertheless, there were many people simply sitting on the side. They were watching God’s power right before their very eyes but were not a part of it. It is wrong for us to sit in our pews each week and leave not having been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. We sit on the side in many ways. One common way is through complacency. We are so concerned with our comfort that we miss the point of the gospel. How many of us could give up all comfort to serve and honor God? It would be very difficult for many. I wonder sometimes if the comforts we have in the American church have hindered us. What would happen if churches lost their tax exempt status? What would happen if preaching the truth that homosexuality is a sin becomes a hate crime? Perhaps our comforts have caused us to simply sit on the side rather than play in the game. Elijah took twelve stones, which signified the twelve tribes of Israel since this “contest” actually had significance for both Judah and Israel, and he built an altar. Perhaps to first step to getting off the bench and getting in the game is to spend time in fervent prayer. The strength of the church is not found in buildings, money, the education of the staff, or the size of the children’s ministry. The strength of the church is found in the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. We must be careful that we are not content with simply attending church, but we must continuously pray for God to constantly change us. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” says James 5:16. It is time we get off the side and get into the game.

            A young man called his mother and excitedly announced that he had just met the woman of his dreams. His mother asked, “Why don’t you send her flowers and invite her to your apartment for a home-cooked meal?” So he did just that. The day after the big date, his mother called to see how things had gone. “Mom, the evening was a complete disaster,” he replied. “It was horrible!” “Why, didn’t she come over?” his mother asked. “Yes, she came over, but she refused to cook!” He had the wrong idea of what it meant to be in the game. He was content with sitting on the side rather than putting in the effort required. We should not be OK with sitting on the side; God desires to use us for his glory.

There Is Hope: Repentance Wins (vv. 39-40)

            Ultimately Israel repented. They listened to the message of God’s prophet, repented, and changed their ways. No one is too far gone for God’s forgiveness. He loves to forgive. It seemed to be an impossibility that the offering would burn, especially with fire all around it, but the fire even consumed the water in the trenches. Perhaps you feel at the bottom of a trench as if it is hopeless. God’s grace and mercy reaches even there. It is not hopeless. The only way to stop limping between two wings and to stop committing halfheartedly is to allow the Holy Spirit to change you. We must be changed from the inside out, not the outside in. Pay attention the following quote:

I will tell you the secret: God has had all that there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, even with greater opportunities, but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with me and them, on that day I made up my mind that God should have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army, it is because God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life. – William Booth –

To honor God and to truly worship him with our very lives, we must be fully committed, wholly his. God can do more in a few days with a life wholly committed to him than he can with the smartest and strongest person in the world halfheartedly committed. Let us not be people who limp between two wings; let us be people wholly committed to the glory of the Father, through Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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[1] 18:17.

Jesus Is Our Only Hope: We Say It, Yet Our Lives Say Otherwise

Jesus Is Our Only Hope: We Say It, Yet Our Lives Say Otherwise

            Last week I saw the third movie of the Divergent series titled Allegiant. It has struck me before that many of these anti-government and utopian society movies strike a chord and resonate with people because they are relevant and perhaps becoming more and more relevant. Little by little people are waking up to the fact that the United States’ government at large is growing massively. When nearly half of the people in our country are employed by some form of government, we know there is a larger issue of control. Chances are that people will not vote themselves out of a job, and as long as that is our attitude, we will be controlled by government. Don’t hear what I am not saying. Government is good and ordained by God. However, an oppressive government is clearly wrong, even according to the words of scripture. Oppression, however, can be disguised as something that is good. Oppression is any control of government that reaches far beyond the limits of individual liberty. When that is compromised, you have government corruption. Certainly some governments are more corrupt than others, but to deny that we, in the United States, have any form of government corruption is to continue to willingly live in blindness. It is not an issue of Republican or Democrat. In fact, both parties equally contribute to corrupting our government, and to think that we are not just as corrupt as any other government in our world or at least have the overwhelming potential to soon be is a lie. How do we, as Christians, handle the Son of God in our society? We are called to know him and to make him known. Is it to be forced though? Should we make attempts at legislation that honors God? As Christians, it is common to say that Jesus is our only hope because surely he is. Our hope is not found in who is elected President or who is in the legislature or on the Supreme Court. It is only in Christ. Therefore, I would like to refer to two ways we, at large, do not honor when we proclaim that Jesus is our only hope.

We Say Otherwise as a Society

There is at least an entertaining election cycle happening before our eyes, which is, in fact, a reflection of our society. Many will say that who we elect makes a difference in the direction of our country, but I would argue that who we elect is a reflection of the trajectory of our country. This is not to say that the direction can’t be changed. It is a reality though and one that we must come to grips with. While the United States is not a theocracy, our founders were mostly Christians and based their beliefs of government on biblical principles. Principles, however, do not imply moral law, for it is impossible to legislate morality. Still many in our country will profess Jesus Christ, although their lives and decisions will point to something else. In other words, it is mere lip-service. A large number of people in our country profess Jesus Christ in word only. This is also true in the subculture of the church. People say one thing yet live out another. Our society is wrapped up in so many things other than Jesus Christ, and this is true particularly in the church. We are wrapped up in things that are important but are not enough such as social justice, health, good leaders, education, and defense. These things, although crucial to the well-being of a nation, are not enough. Only Jesus is enough. Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Then we are also wrapped up in things that aren’t even important such as money, power, and fame. In one of the most prosperous nations to ever exist, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that nothing can satisfy but Jesus and he is better than all else. As a society and especially as the church, we may say that Jesus is our hope, but our decisions and actions point to something else.

We Say Otherwise as Individuals

            We also do this as individuals. The most obvious way we do this is by worrying. We worry about jobs, money, retirement, education, who will be elected, etc. If Jesus is truly our only hope, why do we worry about such things? We say that our hope is not in who we elect, yet we worry about the direction of our country if a particular person or party is elected. This should not be. This speaks volumes to where our actual hope is or where we at least think it is. Again who we elect is a reflection of where we already are. We can only do so much, and our job is not to legislate morality but to pray for and live it. This will actually have a far greater effect on our society. People should see individual believers whose lives reveal an unwavering hope in Jesus Christ and not in anything other than that.

Conclusion

            Everything but Jesus Christ will fail us. For that reason, we must not only say that our only hope is in him, but we must also live it. Our actions, our security, and our decisions must reflect this truth, for he truly is our only hope.

Incorporating Liturgy in a Modern Context

Here is an article I recently had published on Experiencing Worship about incorporating liturgy in a modern context.