Have you ever wondered why we call a church service, a "service"? I've had conversations with individuals over the years who don't know how to respond to that. There have been some deer-in-headlights looks. You might even be scratching your
head thinking of a response at this moment. Who is being served? What's being served?
Typically a response would be "those on the platform are serving those on the floor". Yes. That is true. But if that is the extent of out understanding, we have a long way to go.
Check out this passage: Hebrews 12:28-29. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
The word "worship" here does not mean what we typically think of in so many other places in scripture. One example is John 4:24. The passage here in Hebrews refers to refers to worship as "serving" if you look into the Greek. Like a waited serving a meal to a customer. We come before God to serve him.
Do you think about worship this way? That it serves God?
There's another way "service" can be used. I know this is radical, but here it goes: God serves us. Consider this passage: Zephaniah 3:17. The Lord your God is with you... he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Do you have a child? Did you ever hold them close to you to calm their crying? Did you ever sing over them to help the be at peace and fall asleep? Did you ever serve your child this way? God does the same with us. He rejoices over us and sings over us as he draws us to himself. He serves us a a great father serves his child.
Now picture this: a bridge and groom together at a wedding reception. This is a picture of our worship service. The bride (us) serves the groom (God). The groom (God) serves the bride (us). It is a beautiful dance which will be made complete in full in heaven as Christ takes the church as a bride for eternity. That day is here. We are his bride.
Our worship service is a dnace. It is a dance of love between the King and the King's bride. We serve each other thru this dance. The crazy part? The King doesn't need the dance. He doesn't need our service. Be he desires it!
worship Him 24/7...
scott
head thinking of a response at this moment. Who is being served? What's being served?
Typically a response would be "those on the platform are serving those on the floor". Yes. That is true. But if that is the extent of out understanding, we have a long way to go.
Check out this passage: Hebrews 12:28-29. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
The word "worship" here does not mean what we typically think of in so many other places in scripture. One example is John 4:24. The passage here in Hebrews refers to refers to worship as "serving" if you look into the Greek. Like a waited serving a meal to a customer. We come before God to serve him.
Do you think about worship this way? That it serves God?
There's another way "service" can be used. I know this is radical, but here it goes: God serves us. Consider this passage: Zephaniah 3:17. The Lord your God is with you... he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Do you have a child? Did you ever hold them close to you to calm their crying? Did you ever sing over them to help the be at peace and fall asleep? Did you ever serve your child this way? God does the same with us. He rejoices over us and sings over us as he draws us to himself. He serves us a a great father serves his child.
Now picture this: a bridge and groom together at a wedding reception. This is a picture of our worship service. The bride (us) serves the groom (God). The groom (God) serves the bride (us). It is a beautiful dance which will be made complete in full in heaven as Christ takes the church as a bride for eternity. That day is here. We are his bride.
Our worship service is a dnace. It is a dance of love between the King and the King's bride. We serve each other thru this dance. The crazy part? The King doesn't need the dance. He doesn't need our service. Be he desires it!
worship Him 24/7...
scott