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Worship
Jan 27, 2017 9:44:31 GMT -6
Post by Todd on Jan 27, 2017 9:44:31 GMT -6
I would like to try to discover the basic nature of some things we may take for granted. We think we know these things, and maybe we do. But how do we know that we know? How much of what we "know" could actually bear a little closer examination? The first subject is worship. What are your ideas about "worship?" What is it? Stripped to its very essence, what might we say about it without fear of contradiction? On what basis may we make such claims?
Todd
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Post by Todd on Feb 4, 2017 9:27:58 GMT -6
Worship, it seems to me, must be defined, if not verbally, at least with examples, from the Bible. As such, it is easy to see that worship has nothing to do with where it takes place, such as at church, and it is not praise. Looking at the examples we have of worship in the Old Testament, what are the common features? It seems that worship is the deliberate self abasement and humbling (some would say "groveling") in the presence of one's superior in order to admit one's inferior (and dependent) status. This is seen in the posture (kneeling, bowing) and in the words offered. It seems to be the outward display of inward humility of a suppliant (whether genuine or not).
Now a question. Where do we look, today, for such worship? It is certainly not in most of the Churches here in Lawrence, Kansas with which I am familiar. But it does seem to be visible in the Muslims at their hours of prayer. So perhaps the first thing we need to discover, is how to worship as Christians, particularly in the "worship" service. That alone would put an end to the contemporary ("how I feel") music, and other practices prescribed by Madison Avenue and routinely adopted by churches (since the 70s) that think "church growth" is reflected in growing numbers, rather than in increasing depth of Christian character.
Help? Clarification? disagreement?
Todd
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wally
New Member
Posts: 11 
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Worship
Feb 7, 2017 10:24:17 GMT -6
Post by wally on Feb 7, 2017 10:24:17 GMT -6
Worship, at its core is service. Service that is borne from the awareness of the greatness of God who creates us and owns us. I think worship is composed of corporate worship (what we traditionally think of) and individual worship. I think it is both together. And, I believe that one without the other is incomplete. It is a symbiosis of the two that is necessary.
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Worship
Feb 7, 2017 23:16:44 GMT -6
Post by Todd on Feb 7, 2017 23:16:44 GMT -6
I agree that worship is both corporate and personal. But I remember times, particularly when I was younger, when the body would be worshiping, and I would be outwardly still, but my heart was not in worship, but in flights of fantasy, miles away. I think this helps get to the root of the problem for me. I think of the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said "you have heard it said, . . . but I say to you," and then internalized what was being talked about. Thus, the outward, verbal aspect of murder might not occur, but the real murder was the anger lodged deep within the heart. Or in cases where "actual" adultery had not occurred, but deep within the heart was the lust that, given the right opportunity and provocation would spill forth into reality. What might Jesus have said about worship, as it existed deep in the heart? I am interested in Biblical examples, particularly Old Testament examples, where we might gain "real" examples from which to distill Heart worship. It seems to me, from my most recent reading of the O.T. that worship was frequently paired with "bowing," "bowing down," or "kneeling." I don't know if this makes sense or not, but I have a feeling that the subject of worship needs to be revisited in a big way. We have given up so many words by expanded definition that I wonder if we have not done the same thing with Worship. (If you are interested, I can give, off the top of my head, no fewer than five examples of words that today are pretty much meaningless, though we cannot get through a day without hearing them or seeing them in print. Hint: They are among the most talked about topics.) Todd
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