Are You Ready to Dive Below the Surface?
Good Morning Friends,
Knowing God through experiences is priceless. It is so different from having a theological background. Indeed an ounce of spiritual sense is worth a pound of book learning. And so it is in the story of the woman in the home of Simon the Pharisee as told in today’s scripture from Luke. Today we look at the nature, context and actions we call worship to discover that we can be doing worship type things like singing hymns and listening to sermons and giving at the offering and even taking communion but still not enter into the place of worshipping God. Friends, worship is not to be primarily directed at sinners who need to be converted or people in the pews that expect to be entertained. If we really want to gather together in worship to be met by the God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, the One who sustains and redeems our lives, we must move into a powerful inner experience. Are You Ready to Dive Below the Surface?
Scripture:
3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
John 17:3 (NRSV)
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26 (NIV)
One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him.” Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Oh? Tell me.” “Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.” “That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” Then he spoke to her: “I forgive your sins.” That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: “Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!” He ignored them and said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Luke 7:36-50 The Message (MSG)
Message: I am in what we call “worship” just about every Sunday morning. But what I am discovering is that the place of worship and the acts and order of worship, are not as important as our response to them. The essence of worship is ultimately a response of the heart…our heart crying out after the heart of God. Worship is not only knowing about God but hungering for God’s inspiration…pouring out our spirit in truth. In today’s scripture we see an example of worship that is a manifestation of God’s glory, for in it we see the presence, price and prize of worship that must be uncovered. When we look a little deeper we begin to understand that seeing it in scripture and having it manifested in our lives can be two separate events. It is here I think we are to discover that worship is not confined to a place with particular actions ordered in a way to make them pleasing to God but the process of revealed truth in the presence of love, humility, repentance and reverence below the surface.
I have heard more than my fair share of sermons and I would have to say that the key to a good one is found in the lessons from the Bible about having a heart… for knowing who people are not just what they have done. Heads do not save. Genius, brains, brilliancy, strength, natural gifts do not save. Relationships save. Knowing each other and knowing God makes all the difference. You see the gospel flows through hearts connected to the Holy Spirit. All the mightiest forces are heart forces. All the sweetest and loveliest graces are heart graces. Great hearts make great characters; great hearts make divine characters. Friends, there is nothing greater than love, nothing greater than God. God is love. Hearts make heaven; heaven is love. There is nothing higher, nothing sweeter, than heaven. It is the heart and not the head which makes God’s great preachers. The heart counts much every way in religion. The heart must speak from the pulpit. The heart must hear in the pew. In fact, we serve God with our hearts. Head homage does not pass current in heaven. Those who go forth weeping tell the story from the heart and that makes all the difference for here the fire of the Holy Spirit is connected to our hearts in worship and in a beauty that is not skin deep.
Pray that God brings into our daily experience Biblical truths. Pray we perceiver until we fully experience the promises of God. Pray we worship in spirit and truth. Pray we have the right attitude. Pray we have a broken and contrite heart that longs for God’s presence. Pray we understand the price and the prize. Pray we are more interested in the debtor than the debt. Pray we are not only interested in outward appearances but inward ones as well. Pray we honor God by worshipping at the feet of Jesus washing his and others feet. Pray that we are more interested in the giver than the gift. Pray that in our worship we are a blessing to Jesus. Pray we worship in the faith, joy and power of knowing that Christ, our Redeemer, lives. Pray that the more forgiveness we experience the more we want to love Jesus and all His sheep. Pray that we look beyond the outward appearance of both place and people to discover the purpose of worship in growing our love for Christ and others.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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