Friday: Further Thought ~ Worship in Education
Further Thought:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Professors of religion are not willing to closely examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith, and it is a fearful fact that many are leaning on a false hope. Some lean upon an old experience they had years ago; but when brought down to this heart-searching time, when all should have a daily experience, they have nothing to relate.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
They seem to think a profession of the truth will save them. When those sins which God hates are subdued, Jesus will come in and sup with you and you with him. You will then draw divine strength from Jesus, and you will grow up in him, and be able with holy triumph to say, Blessed be God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It would be more pleasing to the Lord if lukewarm professors of religion had never named his name. They are a continual weight to those who would be faithful followers of Jesus. They are a stumbling-block to unbelievers, and evil angels exult over them, and taunt the angels of God with their crooked course. Such are a curse to the cause at home or abroad. They draw nigh to God with their lips, while their heart is far from him.” — Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, p. 227.
Discussion Questions:
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One of the fundamentals of education is that you are learning something new. It might be new information, new skills, or new experiences. In writing a course outline for a unit of work, an educator typically outlines a series of goals that "At the completion of this course a student should be able to …". Otherwise, what is the point of education? When I am maths tutoring my grandsons, they often tell me that they cannot do a problem because they do not know how to do it. I typically respond by telling them that is good because now they are going to learn something that you did not know already!
Perhaps the covert aim of this week’s lesson on Worship in Education is asking the question; what are we learning from worship? Or, is worship a learning experience for you?
As many of you already know, I do a lot of bird photography. The real challenge of bird photography is not taking just another photograph of the same old birds but to photograph something of their behaviour that adds to our information about the birds. I have been taking photographs of birds for over ten years now, and every time I go out, I learn something new. Their repertoire of calls, their preferred foods, their flight patterns, their enemies, their strategies for evading raptors and so on.
In our worship experience, what have we added to our understanding, our experience, our love, our perception of God’s love, and our relationship to others? Or do we still think of worship as liturgy rather than learning?
It was said of Jesus:
Can it be said that our worship leads towards those educational goals in our lives?
When I read Revelation 13-14 I see the critical issue is whom do I worship! So I need to understand exactly what the Word of the LORD means by Worship.
This week for the first time I really delved into the Bible and its concept of worship. It crystalized into the principle and the expression.
The principle is acknowledging the LORD as the Creator and thus the Owner and Ruler of my life!
The expression is to come into His presence and praise Him in song, prayers and offering.
In other words - Bow down and proclaim Hallelujah!
Ma Shirley De Beer, I strongly believe this is the scope of this weeks lesson.
"The principle is acknowledging the LORD as the Creator and thus the Owner and Ruler of my life!
The expression is to come into His presence and praise Him in song, prayers and offering."
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23.
Worship in Education- the author mentioned above,
'Some lean upon an old experience they had years ago; but when brought down to this heart-searching time, when all should have a daily experience, they have nothing to relate.'
It is so sad to hear many Christians follow this path. Worship is a living experience day by day, a lifestyle. Then if it is a lifestyle, how then they only speak of long gone experiences and not the daily walk and challenges to help others in their walk and struggles. Is Christianity a secret? is our day to day struggles a secret? So secret that we cant share?
My soul rejoice in the Lord today. He is a Great Genius.
When the woman met him at the well, the conversation began with water-the physical water, then to the spiritual water. She did not perceived he was a prophet but just another Jewish man. The conversation then moved from a friendly water conversation to a deeper heart searching one- Adultery. She had wanted to experience the spiritual water while still living in sin. The Great Genius needed to teach her it cant happen while she is living in adultery. He asked her to go get her husband. Adultery is a sin from within. At that time she perceived he was a prophet. He was getting too close for comfort in her mind. She wanted to keep him out of her business and personal life.
She was now changing the conversation from adultery to worship- from the spiritual back to the physical. The Great Genius was softening her heart to where he wants her to recognize who she was and bring her to a place she didn't even expect to go.
The issues and controversy behind worship were not what the Jews nor the Samaritans were struggling with- a physical place/outside, but a spiritual place/inside. The Great Genius said- God is a Spirit and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. He had capture her mind/heart about true worship. Acknowledging that she was a sinner and needed the cleansing of Jesus, she realized he was more than a prophet during the conversation. No man had spoken to her in such a manner. She then left her water pot and raced to the village to call others to see the long waited for redeemer.
Out personal witness cant have no impact on anyone until we get it like this woman. Its a change from the heart. Then we will tell all who we come in contact to come see this Man.
Interesting, many believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony (John 4:39) but many more believed in Jesus because of His word (John 4:41-42).
What does this say about our role in leading others to their Savior?
Looking back over the lesson of worship in education, I came away with thinking that the core disposition of a person who worships is humbleness and greatfulness before his maker, no matter what his position is - student or teacher; obviously, this includes all who follow the Way of Truth and Light by Faith.
It was interesting to read everyone’s take on worship and it showed me that interpretation of probably any topic is entirely personal and therefore not necessarily the same. Whatever the insights, though, it appears that we all have gained a deeper appreciation for the importance and need for Christians to wholeheartely worship, teach it to our children and to find ourselves better prepared to engage in it more often for some, or all the time for others.
Over the years, I have noticed that many Christians do not necessarily see a need for worship and therefore, probably the most difficult issue related to worship is to learn to fully appreciate that worship is an integral part of our walk by Faith. I am surprised to find so many different understandings of “worshiping God in spirit and in truth” – John 4:24KJV.
To be totally honest, for me personally, the participation in church worship service is often not uplifting. Song, Praise and testimony is given a 10-minute time slot, cocooned inside the framework of what appears to be an ‘agenda-driven’ business meeting including the collection of offerings, announcements and, at the very end, a sermon. It appears to me that we meet to attend to the ‘business-side’ of God’s religion, and I ask myself: 'how can this facilitate a meeting with God through praise and worship'?
I think the time is now for the Spirit of Worship of and by our God on His Day to come into its own, fully acknowledge its source and develop its purpose; this means to shed its, after a business-meeting structured, cocoon. All the efforts by God are focused on reuniting man with Himself; to do so, man is offered to receive a new ‘heart’. I do not believe that worship gets our heart in the right place with God, it is rather the other way around – the grateful heart worships God!
After days of living the Walk by Faith, we, His vessels, are filled to overflowing with thanksgiving in our heart and bring this fruit of His Spirit to Him on Sabbath in Worship through Praise and Adoration, expressing our gratitude and love for our heavenly Father and His Son Christ Jesus for the wonderful things They have done.
Brigette- you made some powerful points. Brigette it's hard, very difficult for one to live anyhow six days of the week and suddenly at sunset Friday afternoon to emerge into someone/something else. Sabbath is a spill off from the six. For years people come into the Sabbath with the crumbs from the six days. Some are so tired from the six days that they see 10mins here and 10mins there as sufficient. Everything should be done within the 3hrs because they are ready to go home to sleep or to be with their families, or else!!!
Many do not realized Sabbath is a special time for God. Six days we have special time to be with out families.
I realized for me, my spirituality with Jesus comes first. Everyday I try having my personal devotion morning and evening. On sabbath mornings I first meet with Jesus at my personal devotion before I go to church. I like to be overflowing. I have my own melt down at home about the greatness of Jesus and how he kept me during the week. I have a talking conversation with Jesus, also in prayer and singing. During my work days or while speaking to friends I gave my testimonies so when I go to church and its testimonies time I am not worried.
There is a female speaker on 3ABN always speak about pressing into the presence of God. When one starts pressing into the presence of God its a special time, one forgets about time in worship. Time goes and you cant record it- A grateful heart worships God 24/7.
# 487 In the Garden. Meeting Jesus personally before anyone is a beautiful experience.
When I said some congregation does not say Amen, Praise the Lord, or clap, I meant it. After a while worship becomes a business-meeting. When a Pastor is preaching, he should not be asking the congregation to say Amen. Amen is written in the bible several places. Saying Amen is conforming what the preacher is saying is true. If a congregation only has elderly members their is a problem, its a dying congregation.
I pray that the spirit of revival will revive you once again and you will behold Jesus outside of the business-meeting style church. Press into his presence day by day until you behold him for yourself.
Many in the bible bypass the Jewish leaders and beheld Jesus for themselves. It is by beholding we become change into his image. Many of us needs to see Christ from Calvary to the Cross once again.
Hello Lyn - yes, maybe our corporate worship on Sabbath is shallow because we do not maintain our spiritual relationship with the Savior during the week. Would it not be wonderful if all of us could come together on Sabbath with a heart full of thanksgiving and worship Him in Song and Praise from this fullness of our heart!?
Brigitte, worship cannot be faked. One cannot worship self all week then expect to worship God on "His" day, as Lyn already mentioned. Yes, the worship service as you describe it is too often the case it seems. We cannot fix what needs to be fixed personally and individually, so it can often be very perplexing to attend worship services at many of our churches.
Even the effort of Jesus to cleanse the temple(twice) did little to change hearts, but He knew that, and was only giving a lesson for the church to follow personally in their own lives. Wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, but each can be an influence for any who are open to it, who are searching for themselves for truth and righteousness. It is rare, but it happens, one soul at a time. Jesus ended His lifework on earth in apparent failure, but those who are redeemed at last will worship Him forever with joy and perfect peace. Today, just before probation ends, our churches are mission fields, as well as the world.
The question is how to take part in the services today when we recognize a departure from God's purposes? This requires the patience of the saints(Eph 4:2,3). In some locations I've had to withdraw(quietly) from taking part in the services after SS, which some will notice and most will misunderstand. Some will be led to inquire and our reply may lead them to search for themselves if we do not sound judgmental or accusing.
God's people must pray for His leading in such perplexing times and circumstances.
Hello Robert - Yes, I think that to a great extend we do not realize/understand that our Lord works in the 'little' things occuring in our everyday lives. If one has the awareness that everything good is of the Lord, we need to also learn to see it manifested in our daily interactions with others - James 1:17KJV. These are not 'packaged' gifts, but the accumulation of 24 hours of the work of the Fruit of the Spirit.
Every temptation overcome, every kind word given, every smile shared in the presence of a frown, all attention paid to matters that benefit others, willing, supportive engagement in all our interactions with others is the Spirit of God's Love at work.
If we recognize this, we maintain throughout the hours of our days this disposition of spiritual, grateful appreciation no matter where we are and will take it with us when we corporally meet on Sabbath to combine our Praises to Worship in God's Spirit of Love and Truth with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Always feel blessed as I read though the daily study guide the comments.am glad I always learn a new thing.
Should the education of our students focus primarily on the worship of our Sovereign Creator and Redeemer "in spirit and in truth? Should it highlight the "beauty of holiness" in every lesson taught? Will anything less than this suffice when scripture teaches us that one deviation can open the door to folly and ruin? Life is worship, everyone worships, and every choice made reveals the object of our worship.
How do we instill that vital principle of following the Lamb "withersoever He goeth"? And yet, whatever we might desire from our schools, the influence in the home is greater, for good or evil.
Ellen White got rightly personal when she wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Professors of religion are not willing to closely examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith, and it is a fearful fact that many are leaning on a false hope". Mk 7:21-23 may or may not apply to everyone else, but whether it does or not doesn't really matter if it DOES apply to Lynrol and I don't know it! Her reference to "false hope" is the same brain product Jesus listed as "DECEIT" (Mk 7:22) among its many other products. Unfortunately, due to the nature of deceit, the brain's owner will be unaware that he/she is the primary victim of this deadly brain product. He/she will then go on to either unknowingly or knowingly infect others by speech or living.
I'm reminded, by her quotation of Jer 17:9, of my former misunderstanding of that text as warning of the wickedness of the brain, when in fact it is warning of its extreme capability to deceive. Perhaps the brain's wickedness lies in its high ability to deceive! Until we are "educated" with the truth about ourselves, we remain powerless to do anything about the lies our brains produce and that we often idolatrously chose over God's truth (Mt 26:33-35; 2 Thes 2:9-10; Mt 16:22-23). Peter is not alone. He is me and all other individuals--yes, even really sincere ones--but there is hope! (Lk 22:31-32; 1 Jn 2:1-2)
She continued by writing, "When those sins which God hates are subdued, Jesus will come in and sup with you and you with him". What are "those sins which God hates"? I have no doubt that Jesus was correct in His statement that the "FIRST and GREAT commandment" is to "LOVE the Lord your God WITH ALL your heart, WITH ALL your soul, and WITH ALL your mind". Could it be possible that we, individually, stand guilty of violating God's #1 law (Mt 22:37-38)...and maybe even His #2 (Mt 22:39) because we're ALL natally flawed (Ps 51:5; 58:3) and don't understand its effects? Who would go in and "sup" or consume a meal prepared by someone we're aware does not love or have one's best interest at heart? While God is never deceived regarding our individual truth, we should thank Him for His judgment towards all the Peters of the present! (Jn 21:15-17)