June 23, 2002
Scripture Text:
Isaiah 6:1-8
Speaker:
Jeff Williams
Audio Version
Cultivating a Lifestyle of Worship
Good morning!› My mother-in-law has told me for years, ìWords are spirit.î› By this she means that words have a life of their own.› They can bless or curse, encourage or embitter, heal or destroy.› Because of the emotion attached to certain words they become packed with more than just their original meaning.› This week marks the thirtieth anniversary of one of the low points for our government and the office of the president.› The events that transpired that week so long ago are now simply known by one word, the name of an office building ‚ ìWatergate.î› Or take the Hebrew word for the ìburnt offeringî used by Job in last weekís sermon.› Translated into English the word is ìholocaust.î› These two words will illicit a wide of array of emotional responses, from sadness, to anger, to disgust.
I would like to begin this morningís message with another such word.› This word has been responsible for more church splits in the last twenty years than any other word in the English language. ›When I say it each of you will have a different response.› If you are pregnant, have heart troubles, or high blood pressure you may want to step out of the auditorium for a few minutes. This could get ugly! ›Are you ready to hear the word? ›Close your eyes. ›The word isÖ ìWorship.î
Keep your eyes closed.› Some of you were swept away by the boom of a majestic pipe organ sounding out a profound hymn of faith.› Some of you were on the hill at Conerstone Music Festival, with your hands lifted high, singing a modern day praise song to God under the stars. A few civilized souls were lost in a symphony of grace as an orchestra performed Handelís ìMessiah.î ›Personally, I thought back to Friday of our camping and canoe trip worshipping around the campfire under the stars with our students.›
Some pictured pianos and organs, others guitars and drums.› Some had fond memories of being lead in praise by George Beverly Shea and Bill and Gloria Gaither.› Others are still humming the Third Day song you heard on the radio on the way to church.› Some of you just took a nap!
In the last quarter century, many churches have imploded due to disagreements over what kind of music they use to worship God.› The sadness I feel over this situation can not compare to the pain God must feel as His children quarrel and bicker over the use of a certain type of musical style.› People are desperate for hope and many churches are too busy trying to win the worship wars to worry and winning souls.››››
Why is it that when the word ìworshipî is used, most of our thoughts turn to musical styles?› I love being a part of a church family that has recognized that we have different worship languages.› Not better or worse, just different.› But it is vitally important to remember that the musical part of our service is actually a small part of worship. ›Everything that happens, from the time you walk in the door to the time you leave, has the potential to become a worship experience.››››
Human beings were created to worship. The Westminster Confession of faith asks the question, ìWhat is the chief end of man?î› The answer: ìTo glorify God and enjoy Him forever.î› But God knows our restless hearts and our temptation to place our affections elsewhere.› Thatís why He gave such strong admonitions in Scripture,
ìDo not worship any god but meî (Exodus 20:3)
and
ìRespect the Lord and serve only Him, and make promises in his name alone. Offer your praises to Him, because you have seen him work such terrifying miracles for you (Deuteronomy 10:20-21).›
America is a worshipping nation, although not necessarily a Christian nation anymore.› ›We worship money, pleasure, fame, work, sex, and a thousand other cheap imitations of Godís glory.› Gordon Dahl states of our country, ìMost middle class American tend to worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.î›
Worship means ìTo honor, to revere, to adore, and to give devotion.î› If we do not give our praise to God, we end up like the Israelites dancing around the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai (see Exodus 32).› I once met a group of girls who worshipped Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the nineties grunge band Nirvana who committed suicide in 1994. ›I saw an advertisement for the ìChurch of Elvisî in Las Vegas, where you can be married by an Impersonator of the ìking.î ››People worship animals, trees, stars, and even themselves.› Unfortunately, even in the Christian community, we worship our superstars who are on T.V. or the radio, write books, and hobnob with celebrities and politicians.›
While at the Willow Creek Student Ministry Conference, I attended a seminar led by Pastor Scott Keel, the head of Youth Ministries and Ministry Development at Good Shepherd Community Church in Gresham, Oregon.› He recently collaborated with Jason Perry, the lead singer of the Christian boy band ìPlus-1î, on a book for teens called ìYou are Not You Own: Living Loud for God.î ››Pastor Keel related the story of attending the Plus-1 concert when they came to Oregon. ›During the concert Jason had shared his testimony and explained the plan of salvation.› The night was about Jesus, not about ìPlus-1.î› Pastor Keel rode with Jason back to the hotel.› While stopped at a red light, a car full of teenage girls pulled up beside them and recognized Jason.› They began screaming and crying and desperately tried to get into the car to touch him.› Pastor Keel said it was both frightening and sad.› Jasonís prayer had been for these girls to hear the Message of the Gospel; instead they chose to worship the messenger.
May I ask you a personal question?› Why did you come to church this morning? I heard a story of a wife who was trying to get her husband out of bed for church.› He begged her to just let him stay home one day.› She took the pillow out from under his head and began hitting him with it and said, ìYou canít stay in bed, youíre the pastor!› Now get up!› By the way, that was just a joke and not an autobiographical account of my morning.› Perhaps you come out of habit.› Or it could be that you have a drug problem.› Your parents, or spouse, or children drug you here this morning.› Maybe you come because you think it earns you brownie points with God.›› Others have told me that they come to church because it is a great place to network professionally.› There is a huge difference between attending church and coming to worship.›
If worship should be directed to God alone, is not just music, and involves more than just sitting in a pew on Sunday morning, then what is and how can we know if we are getting it right? ›How can we cultivate a lifestyle of worship? ››In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, he has a worship experience.› He had no power point, no microphones, no printed bulletins, and no Barefoot Worship Band. ››Letís see what we can learn from this event as we seek to worship God in ìspirit and in truthî› (John 4:23). ››Turn with me to Isaiah 6:1-8.
Background
Before we begin, a little background would be helpful. ›Uzziah became king of Judah at the age of sixteen and reigned for fifty-two years.› As a young man his heart beat for the things of God and he turned the people back to the Lord. Scriptures says, ìAs long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.î (2 Chronicles 26:5). ›As he grew older, his fame spread and he became very powerful.› And, as is often the case, his pride led to his downfall.› He became so arrogant that he attempted to burn incense in the temple.› The temple priests confronted him and reminded him that this was a duty of a priest and not a king.› Scripture says that he became angry and ìwhile he was raging at the priestsÖleprosy broke out on his foreheadî (2 Chronicles 26:19).› King Uzziah, the powerful, prideful, potentate lived in isolation, as a leper, ›the rest of his life and his son, Jotham, inherited the crown.›
Enter Isaiah.› Isaiah had been ministering as a prophet for nearly eighteen years when Uzziah died in 739 B.C. The people had not experienced prosperity and power like this since the days of Solomon.› If truth be known, many placed their trust in Uzziah rather than God.› The year that Uzziah died something happened to Isaiah.› He had a vision of God. What he saw, what he heard, what he felt, and what he did forever changed his life.
› ››
Worship is Seeing God for Who He Really Is
King Uzziah had experienced the judgment of God and had died in disgrace.› The people of Israel were in another time of transition.› Jotham, Uzziahís son, walked with God and grew powerful but he could not sway the peopleís hearts, ìThe people, however, continued their corrupt practicesî (2 Chronicles 26:3).› The Assyrians were becoming strong and posed a viable threat to their safety and security.› It is in this environment of uncertainty that Isaiah has a vision.
ìIn the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple.› Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings:› With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.› And they were calling to one another: ë Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.í› At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke
First of all, what did Isaiah see?
* ìI saw the LordÖî› In the Gospel of John, we are told that Isaiah actually saw Jesus.› After quoting several prophesies concerning the unbelief of the people in regards to Jesus and His miracles, John writes,
ìIsaiah said this because he saw Jesusí glory and spoke about Himî (John 12:41).›››
›Isaiah was given access to the throne room of heaven and entered into the presence of the second Person of the Trinity, Christ the Lord. When we worship, we must recognize the Lordship of Christ.› Romans 10:9 states: ›
ìIf you confess with your mouth, ëJesus is Lord,í and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.î
We can not worship God on any other basis than the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross.›
ìFor there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all menÖî (I Timothy 5:6-7).
* ìseated on a throneÖî - When we worship, we must recognize that God is the ruler and king over not just the earth, or the entire cosmos, but King over us as well. ›With King Uzziahís death, some may have been feeling uncertain about their future.› God wanted to assure Isaiah that he was still on the throne.› Psalm 45:6 affirms this truth:
ìYour throne, O God, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdomî (Psalm 45:6).
* ìhigh and exaltedî ‚ When we worship, we must recognize that God is worthy of worship.› ›In one of the first ancient hymns of the faith, Paul states that because of Jesusí obedience to death His Lordship should be evident to all:
ìTherefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.î› (Philippians 2:9-11)
* ìÖand the train of His robe filled the temple.î› When we worship, we must acknowledge his majesty.› Isaiah saw only the hem of Godís royal garment, but it filled the heavenly temple.› Paul ends his letter to Timothy with this description of God:
ìÖGod, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal, and who lives in unapproachable lightÖî (I Timothy 6:15).›
What should be our response? ›I believe that we should take our cue from the seraphs. These six-winged ìblazing onesî, as the Hebrew puts it, were angelic beings mentioned only in this passage. Their reaction to God is a model for our worship.
*First, they covered their face with their wings. In worship, we must approach God in reverence.› The covering of the face signified respect and that their eyes were not equipped to gaze at Godís blazing holiness.› David said,
ìBut I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence I will bow down toward your holy templeî (Psalm 5:7).
Reverence is giving God the respect He deserves.› It is more than the way we sing or the way we dress.› Reverence is a heart issue.› While reverence does imply seriousness, it must also be remembered that ìreverence does not equal rigor-mortis.î› There is a joy that is present when revering God.›››››››
* They are also said to cover their feet.› Actually, they covered their entire lower body, which was a sign of humility in Isaiahís culture.› In worship, we must approach God with humility.› Dr. Luke tells quotes Jesus:
ìFor everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.î› (Luke 18:14)
Joel Engel, one of my favorite praise and worship artist, writes, ìStrip away all that remains/for Your power and Your name/till thereís nothing left of me/Burn the kingdoms I have made/that You will shine and I will fade/till thereís nothing left of me.î›
I once took a group of un-churched students to an outdoor Christian concert.› One of the boys, after watching the crowd for a while, lifted his hands and began to dance.› He looked over at me several times and then finally shouted, ìLook at me, Mr. Williams, Iím worshipping!î› I explained to him that he was not worshiping, but performing for me and the people around us.› F. B. Meyer wrote, ìThe only hope of a decreasing self is an increasing Christ.î››››
* The seraphs were calling out to each other: ìHoly, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.› The whole earth is full of His glory.î› In worship, we must recognize and proclaim Godís holiness.› R.C. Sproul writes, ìGodís holiness is His divine perfection, that which makes him unique and separate from anyone and anything else.î ›This is the only time in Scripture that one of Godís attributes is repeated three times.› Godís holiness defines who He is.› He is completely other.› The Psalmist gives us these words, ìAscribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.› Ascribe to the Lord, the glory due His name, worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.î
His holiness, his glory, his love, his justice fills the whole earth.› Jacob Bohme proclaims, ìOpen your eyes and the whole world is full of God.î› The blazing truth of His righteousness drove the seraphs to praise and worship. The throne was surrounded by angelic beings shouting and singing Godís praises. The doorpost and the threshold shook and the temple was filled with smoke representing Godís power and presence. ›I was reminded of this verse when I was at a Promise Keepers Conference in Memphis a couple of years ago.› Fifty thousand men were waiting for the conference to begin and someone began a chant, ìWe love Jesus yes we do, we love Jesus how ëbout you.î› The other side of the stadium erupted with the same chant back, only louder.› This went on for several minutes until the entire Liberty Bowl was filled with the sounds of praise and honor to Jesus.›
God deserves our worship:
ìThe Lord is great and deserves our greatest praise.› He is the only God worthy of our worshipî (I Chronicles 16:25). ›››
We are called to worship. We are commanded to worship.› We are constrained to worship.› But what does it look like? Remember, while singing is the most recognizable form of worship, it is not the only form of praise. Scripture states that worship takes on many forms.› Kneeling (Psalm 95:6), music (I Chronicles 13:8; Psalm150:3-5), clapping
( Psalm 47:1), singing (Exodus 15:1; Colossians 3:16), shouting (Ezra 3:11; Psalm 66:1), lifting of hands (I Timothy 2:8), silence (Psalm 62:1, Psalm 46:10), confession (Psalm 32:5), tithes and offerings (Exodus 35:29), and celebrating communion ( I Corinthians 10:14-17; 11: 17-33).›
›Last month we had an outreach ìby the students, for the students.î› It was amazing!› Several students shared their testimony, sang solos, or preformed hilarious dramas.› For me, the highlight of the night came when Emily Sledgister did ballet to the song ìI Can Only Imagine.î› Many of the students had never seen dance used in worship ( see 2 Samuel 6:14; Psalm 149:3),› and the sanctuary watched in stunned silence as Emily twisted and turned and bowed and leaped to the music.› She led us in worship.› She used her gifting to lead us to the throne of God
Worship is Seeing Ourselves for Who We Really Are
Woe to me!í I cried.› ëI am ruined!› For I am a man with unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.í
When I was a junior in high school, I wanted to try out for the jazz band.› I fancied myself a good guitarist and coveted attention I would receive if I got the gig.› A friend of mine was also going to try out and began asking me if I like the Pentonic scale as much as the Ionic. He also asked me if I had trouble with jazz chords like a Dmin7susp add 4th.› I had never even heard of these chords.› He got out his guitar and began to play.› I was stunned. ›I cried ìWoe is me!î› Needless to say, I did not try out for the jazz band, and I thanked Mike for saving me from certain embarrassment.› When I compared my skills against his, I was aware of my obvious shortcomings.
Standing in the presence of God, Isaiah became painfully aware of his own sinfulness. What did Isaiah feel?› Failure!› He felt complete and utter failure. Basking in the light of Godís glory was too much for him. It drove him to despair.› How did Isaiah respond?
* ìWoe is me!î ‚ The prophet who had been pronouncing woe on everyone else now is faced with the hopelessness of his own desperation.› Seeing the purity, the holiness, the majesty of God overwhelmed him and he actually pronounces a curse upon himself. ›He is doomed.›
* ìI am ruined.î› The word ruined can mean ìcut off, perish, or bring to silence.î› Gideon (Judges 6:22), Sampsonís father Manoah (Judges 13:22), Job (Job 42:4-5), and John (Revelation 1:17) all had the same reaction in the presence of God.› Luke tells us that after fishing all night Jesus asked Peter to try it one more time.› Peter humors the Master, puts out into deep water, and lets down the net.› They had such a tremendous catch that the boat started to sink. But Peter was not concerned about the boat.› Scripture says,
ìWhen Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus feet and said, ëGo away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.î (Luke 5:8).›
I once asked a group of high school students what they would do if Jesus walked into our meeting.› One brave soul raised his hand and said that he would give him a ìhigh five.î› Let me make this clear.› If the Lord Jesus Christ were to appear visibly in this auditorium right now, not one of would be left standing.› We would all be flat on our faces.› Many would worship. Others will tremble with fear. Either way, each of us would be painfully aware of our sins and moral failures.› The writer of Hebrews quoted Moses,
ì For the Lord your God is a consuming fireÖî› (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29)
* ìFor I am a man of unclean lipsÖî Interestingly, Isaiah sense of conviction centers on his mouth.› As a prophet, his mouth was his ministry.› Out of his mouth came the pronouncements of God.› ›He recognizes the awesome responsibility he has to proclaim Godís words and how unworthy he was to do such a holy thing.› There is little difference between Isaiah and me. Many Sundays, including this one, I am overwhelmed with my unclean lips.› Satan, who knows Scripture better than I do, whispers in my ears, ìNot many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you k now that we who teach will be judged more strictlyî (James 3:1). ››Warren Wiersbe knows this feeling well.› He has said, ìLord, I know You forgive my sins, but can you ever forgive my sermons?î›››››››
* ìÖand I dwell among people of unclean lipsÖî› Isaiah was counting himself in with the rebellious people of Israel.› He was no better than they are.› Uzziah had bailed spiritually at the end of his life and the country had followed his lead.› Jotham was attempting to lead with spiritual integrity but no one was interested.› In Isaiah 29, he describes the people with these unflattering terms,›
ìThese people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.î (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8) ›››››
Isaiah counted himself as part of a people, or better yet, as part of a race, that reeked with the smell of sin.› ›
* ìÖand my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.î› Seeing God for who He really is always leads to us seeing ourselves for who we really are.› Isaiah knew that he was doomed.› He was standing in the blazing heat of God righteousness and every sinful thought and motive was laid bare for all the heavens to see.› He had seen Godís glory and he knew that meant certain death for ìno one can see God and liveî (Exodus 33:20).››› ›››››››››››››››››
True worship will clarify our position before God.› Romans 3:10-12 states it plainly,
ìThere is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.› All have turned away, they have together have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even oneî
Romans 3:20 sums it up,
ìAll have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.î››
and Isaiah, perhaps remembering his encounter with Godís holiness wrote,
ìBut your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that He will not hear.î› (Isaiah 59:2).
I hate to trample on your self-esteem but you are not OK and I am not OK.› Because of our sin, we are separated from God and do have the power to get to God on our own.› When I hear people say that there is no way God would accept them because they are ìtoo badî, I smile. They are half way to heaven.› In fact, they are a lot closer than many ìchurchedî people who think that they are good enough based on their church attendance.› Worship will always drive you to your knees in despair due to your sin and lead you to cry out for the one thing we desperately need ‚ mercy.››
Worship Involves Experiencing the Mercy of God
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.› With it he touched my mouth and said, ëSee, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for.í
Just when Isaiah thought God would destroy him, his eyes focus in on one of the seraphís hovering towards him.› In his hand a red-hot coal taken from the altar.› This was the altar of sacrifice. The altar symbolized the perfect sacrifice of the spotless lamb who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).› The angel is sent on a mission of mercy.› Isaiah had been feeling like a failure, now he will experience freedom and forgiveness. ››
* ìSee, this has touched your lips.î ‚ Although not in the original Hebrew, here is my guess as to what Isaiah said following the angel touching his lips with the coal ‚ OUCH!› Have you even eaten something too hot and burned your mouth? Imagine a red-hot coal pressed to your lips. The cauterization process provided cleansing where Isaiah sensed his deepest need.› This process would have left his lips swollen and blistered.› ›Someone has said, ìPain plants the flag of reality in the fortress of a rebel heart.î››
* ìYour guilt is taken awayî - Isaiahís sense of condemnation was relieved and his conscience is appeased.› This is Godís mercy.› Paul writes,
ìFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.î› (Romans 6:23)
I like the Chuck Swindoll paraphrase of this verse:
ìJesus Christ came to our wall, Jesus Christ died for our fall; So regardless of death and in spite of our sin, through grace, He might put us together again.î››
God did not ignore Isaiahís sin, or cover over it, and thatís where grace comes in.
* ìÖyour sin is atoned for.î› Isaiah received Godís grace.› Not only had his guilt been taken away but his sin had been taken care of as well.› It was not because of anything Isaiah did or said but this cleansing was solely based on the atoning work of Christ that would take place in the future.› Isaiahís guilt was real and he deserved destruction, but God in His mercy and grace chose to cleanse him of his sin.› Paul proclaimed our innocence based on Jesus Christís atoning work,
ìTherefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.î› (Romans 8:1)
Did you hear that? No condemnation!› None!› Are you guilty?› As sin!› Do you deserve destruction because of your sin?› You bet your bippy!› Did God annihilate you?› Nope!› He sent His Son to be annihilated in your place.››››› ››››
ìFor God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.î (John 3:16)›››
True worship always leads to the experience of Godís forgiveness, mercy and grace.
Worship Draws Into Ministry
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ëWhom shall I send?› And who will go for us?í› And I said, ëHere am I.› Send me.íî
Isaiah is basking in Godís presence and has now experienced God in a fresh and new way.› He has seen God for who He really is which lead to the despair of seeing himself for who he really was.› He then experienced Godís mercy in a way that totally rearranged his view of his relationship with God.› God is now ready to use Isaiah.› He has undone him to reshape his heart.›
In a haunting call, God seeks a faithful messenger.
* ìWhom shall I send?› And who will go for us?î› Notice the plural of us.› The Trinity is seen in this passage as Isaiah sees God in the entirety of His essence.› God issues a holy ìhelp wantedî advertisement for messengers on mission to proclaim His truth to a wandering nation.››
* ìHere am I.› Send me.î ‚ Isaiah is a new prophet with a new appreciation of the God he serves.› Notice he does not say, ìHere I am.î› He gives God his availability, not his location.› He submits his will to Godís will.
God then says ìgo!î God commissions him into service. Real worship always leads to service. We have been drawn into the presence of a perfect God and realize that we have no right to stand before Him.› We have felt the forgiving touch of Godís hand and expressed our thankfulness.› The next step is seeking to serve!››
How do we begin?› Do we have to be members of the church before we can serve?› Maybe if we have to know our spiritual gifts before we can serve?› Maybe you should go to seminary first, just to be sure.
I have only one action point for you this morning:
Romans 12:1:› ìTherefore, I urge you brothers, in view of Godís mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God ‚ this is your spiritual act of worship.î
Paul says in order to serve you must surrender.› In response to Godís incredible mercy that He has lavished on us, surrender all you are to Him.› You notice that He just asked for a volunteer.› God is not looking for super-talented people.› He is simply asking ìwho will go for us?î› He will equip you for the task ahead, he just asks for your life.›
Your sacrifice is acceptable worship to Him and leads to acts of service for Him. Let me allow Paul to summarize:
For we are Godís workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.î› (Ephesians 2:4-5; 8-10)› We are not saved by good works, but for worshiping God with our good works.
What is God asking you to do?› You do not have to be able to play an instrument in order to worship through service.›
ìAnd whatever you do, whether in word in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.î› (Colossians 3:17).
Ushering is an act of worship. Being a greeter is worship. ›Working the nursery is worship.› Leading junior high boys is sacrificial worship.› Cleaning the church is worship. The check you put in the offering is worship.› Doing sound and running power point is worship. Fixing the water fountain so our children can use it is a wonderful act of worship.› I appreciate the artistic worship of Marti Sullen and her flower beds in the front of the church and Barb Stell with her flower arrangements for our platform each week. The studying together of Godís Word is worship.› And, of course, singing together is worship.› ›
A few months ago, Mike Carlsonís sister, Linda, spoke to our high school group.› She is currently participating in mission year.› This is a program that takes young people and gives them opportunity to minister in the urban centers of our nation.› She is currently in California.› Her boyfriend came along for the ride.› He is the drummer for a Christian punk band named ìThe Remnants.î› His Mohawk was combed to one side and he did not have all his piercing in but he still attracted considerable attention, especially from our junior high girls.› He turned out to be a great guy who loves the Lord.› We were discussing punk music and the way it has evolved through the years and he said something that I thought was pretty profound, ìPunk is not music, it is a way of life.î›
The same can be said of worship.› It is not just organs and guitars, choirs and praise teams.› It is a lifestyle. We must live a lifestyle that will point a lost a dying world to the God who is worthy of our worship.› Steven Curtis Chapman writes, ìSkeptics are watching to see who will fall/while those disillusioned search for the truth in it all/May today weíll cross their path unaware/when they stop and look at us/what will be there?/Will they see God for who He really is/in what they see in you and me/Can they see God for who He really is/for who He really is/is all they really need to see.î
There is a group of students that are living out loud this summer. Sacrificing your summer to be missionaries to precious little children is worship.› At a time when they could be sleeping late and hanging at the pool, these nine students have become ìliving sacrificesî in order to win children to Christ through the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship.›› ›
Back to Top
Back to Main Archive
