WHY WORSHIP?

So far we have detected two critical components to being a disciple.  The first is a comprehension of repentance and second, how important it is to trust in the providence of God along our spiritual journey.

The third component to our discipleship journey is worship.  The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 122:1 "When they said, "Let us go to the house of God," my heart leaped with joy. 


Christians can find all kinds of excuses not to go to church, but a disciple seizes the opportunity. Why?

The first reason is that we all need structure in our lives.  Sunday worship should give us a framework for leaving the humdrum and distractions of life so that we can focus on what is really important. Unless we set aside that time our relationship with God can become fragmented and meaningless.

The second reason we need to worship God is that it fulfills a command for us to bring praise to Him.  Augustine wrote, " A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot".  Even though we may not feel like worshiping God it is something we need to do to keep our relationship with Him a priority.   We need to learn more about acting our way into better feelings. One writer puts it this way, "Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in a act of worship". 

The third reason we need to worship is that we will hear a word from God.  We can certainly do that alone, but there is something special about large corporate worship when the whole family gathers together.  We can control what we take in from God when we are alone but when we are together there are multiple mechanisms that kick in.  There is a spontaneity that flows from corporate worship.  When we come to corporate worship there should be an expectation to hear from God.

So as a pastor/ leader let these truths resonate with those who you lead.  Statistics tell us that there are still more people worshipping on Sunday than all the people who go to football games, hunting, fishing, taking walks and playing golf combined.

God's PROVIDENCE

One thing we have learned is that discipleship is a journey.  As Eugene Peterson states, "It is a long obedience in the same direction."  The first step in that obedience, is truly owning the concept of repentance.

As we move on in our journey we must also understand the message of God's providence in our lives.

It has been described pretty well in Psalm 121.  The Psalmist says that his strength doesn't come from the mountains, or anything natural, but from God.  Essentially he is saying that nothing in life will sustain us in those difficult times other than God.

The Psalmist goes on to say that we have a guardian God who will never fall asleep on the job.  In other words nothing falls through the cracks of life without God's watchful care, as his child.  The Hebrew writer tells us that he will never leave us forsake us.

It is absolutely critical for us as disciples to comprehend these truths about our God.  We must understand that no matter what circumstances we are in, God still cares and is ultimately in control.

These truths can only be comprehended through the ups and downs of living our lives and experiencing his providence through 20/20 hindsight.  The more we see in the mirror of our lives the greater this truth becomes a reality.

How to Measure a True Disciple

I have heard discussed over and over again in the local church the definition of a true disciple.  Most discussions end with the concept of student, learner, or follower of Jesus Christ.  While these are good definitions, we also know it doesn't define the aspects of being a disciple more specifically.

I have been reading a book by Eugene Peterson called " A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" with the subtitle Discipleship in and Instant Society.   Peterson walks through Psalm 120-134 gleaning the qualities that must be present in a true follower of Jesus Christ.  For the next several blogs I will try to summarize the qualities that may help shed some light on what we need to be modeling and teaching as we attempt to disciple others.

The first concept we need to understand is "repentance".  We do not become a true follower of Jesus until we come to a point of turning from our sin and intentionally turning toward a whole new lifestyle of following Christ.   I truly believe that one cannot become a disciple until there is true repentance.

Unfortunately too many people want to come to Christ with an emotional decision that does not come with the mindful disgust of the world around us and a deep desire to live out something totally different.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 120  I'm in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: "Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth." Do you know what's next, can you see what's coming, all you barefaced liars?  Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward.  I'm doomed to live in Meshech cursed with a home in Kedar.  My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors.  I'm all for peace, but the minute I tell them, they go to war!


Repentance sees with disgust the world we live in and is convinced to live life differently.

Mencius said,  "Before a man can do things there must be things he will not do.