What Is Happening Below the Surface In Our Worship of God?
Good Morning Friends,
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 worshiping 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. Today we look at an act of worship in the life of Lazarus’ sister Mary and ask a question that prompts us to go deeper: What Is Happening Below the Surface In Our Worship of God?
Scripture: Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
John 12: 1-8 (NRSV)
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
2 Corinthians 2:15 (NRSV)
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’
John 8:7-11 (NRSV)
He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
Matthew 13:31-32 (NRSV)
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:24 (NRSV)
Message: So, how do you worship? Is it something that happens only on Sunday mornings? Do you link it in your mind with an emotional experience or thought or a series of rituals? 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. And there is a tacit knowledge just below the surface of our consciousness to help us. 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. Today we see an example of worshiping at the feet of Jesus. It is almost time for the Passover and the people are going to Jerusalem to prepare for the feast. The drama concerning Jesus is building. The crowds are interested and the authorities are antagonistic. Then Jesus returns to Bethany again and a party is thrown in his honor. Lazarus is an honored guest and Martha is helping with the serving. People have not forgotten what happened to Lazarus and the life giving power of Jesus. Here Mary, the devoted disciple ignores the taboos of her society and sits at the feet of Jesus. Even more scandalous is her anointing of Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and wiping them with her hair. Both aspects of her action–the extravagance and the method–were disturbing. Things are getting out of hand in several ways, but her worship cut through all the distractions to paint a picture of the kind of worship that we should offer our Savior today. We are to worship Jesus for who he is and for what he has done and will do. We are to work for the Lord and witness for the Lord and walk with the Lord as a way to worship the Lord. We are to be passionate and hopeful and emotional and moved to abundant giving. We are to love because we have been loved and forgiven. We are to pour out our life to be an aroma pleasing to God. We are to see and live in that deeper spiritual dimension called the Kingdom of God. Life is good my friends, but life with God is even better when we really worship.
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 realize that there is a seed growing below the surface…there is a harvest of fish in the deep waters. Pray we are not only interested in outward appearances but inward ones as well. Pray we honor God by worshiping at the feet of Jesus. 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. 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. Pray we face up to the challenge of worship. Pray we understand and embrace the connection of worship and service. Pray we have our priorities right. Pray we submit our nature to God. Pray our conscience be quickened by the Holy Spirit. Pray our mind be nourished with the truth. Pray our imagination be purified by God’s holiness. Pray our heart open to God’s love and surrender to God’s purpose. Pray we not get caught up so much in the form of worship as the heart of worship. Pray we are gathered up in adoration. Pray in the presence of Jesus, at his feet, that we realize that worship occurs each and every day for the believer and it is not something we go to but something that abides in our very heart. Pray our worship breaks us open and pours us out for the glory of God. Pray we praise God but worship in a way that permeates our life as a witness to the world. Pray we never hinder people in getting closer to God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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