worship

Give Yourself

“From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take my offering” Exodus 25:2

From time to time we hear someone say that the church is only after our money. There are religious organisations and even some churches that seem to have this mindset but it is not God’s way.

Some church leaders manipulate people to give by appealing to their need or greed. People in extreme poverty may respond to the false doctrine that says that if you give materially to God He will give materially more back. I have witnessed church leaders who are financially well off fleecing their poverty stricken flock with this lie. Greedy people may also be taken in by this false teaching.

The context of the above verse is Israel’s recent deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God demanded nothing of Israel for their deliverance. God initiated it and He performed all the miracles without any requirement from Israel. At the time of departure the Lord put it in the hearts of the Egyptians to give of their possessions to Israel. So the slaves who had very little became materially rich by God’s gracious gift.

When it came time to create a place where God could dwell among His people as a place of worship He asked the people to be involved. Several points need to be clear:

  1. No offering was asked for Israel’s salvation. The blood of the Lamb pictured Christ offering Himself to redeem Israel.
  2. This offering was only to provide a place of worship and communion not for salvation.
  3. The offering came from the resources that God had given Israel through the Egyptians.
  4. The offering was to come only from those with a willing heart. No pressure was to be applied and no promise attached to the giving other than a place to commune with God.

Only those who give out of a willing heart are able to worship Him. When we give our offerings thinking it is our duty or that God needs them, there is the potential for pride to arise in the heart (cf. Luke 18:9-14). That might make us feel good but it does not please God.

The churches in Macedonia exemplified this attitude to giving and Paul records it in 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. Out of their poverty these Christians gave beyond what they could afford out of free will. They were already saved from sin and death by God’s free gift in Christ Jesus. As an act of worship they freely gave all they could muster. Paul summed this up when he wrote, “They first gave themselves to the Lord” (v 5). God wants our hearts.

Salvation is free to us because Jesus paid the ransom price to redeem us. However, when we give ourselves to the Lord part of our worship will be by giving to Him. Not out of necessity but out of a willing heart that worships the Lord. Giving of ourselves, skills and our possessions is our response when we have received God’s gracious Gift, namely Jesus Christ. Part of our worship is our freewill offering. If it is not freewill it has not been offered to God and it is therefore not worship.

Divine Appointments

“At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the (other) prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25

Paul and Silas were in a most unusual circumstance even for them. They had been “beaten with rods” and thrown into the most secure part of the prison without medical help for their wounds and cuts. Though humanly speaking they had a bleak outlook they were not in the least down cast. They saw their situation as a divine appointment, a gift from God, so instead of griping and complaining they worshipped the Lord.

They couldn’t know what the outcome of their imprisonment would be but they knew the One who was able to keep them in prison or deliver them as He chose, when He chose and in the way He chose. Paul and Silas believed what the Lord had said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That is why they didn’t complain. They knew this was the Lord’s appointment for them whatever the outcome.

Their singing and praying out loud gave the Lord the opportunity to draw a whole household to Himself and possibly some prisoners as well. In John 17:7 Jesus says that if anyone wants to know the truth about Him, He takes responsibility to ensure they hear that truth. On this occasion he sent Paul and Silas by having them arrested, beaten and placed securely in prison. That is how Jesus brought the Gospel to a prison warden and his family.

Instead of complaining about the situation in which the Lord had placed them Paul and Silas worshipped Him.

We are inclined to grumble and complain and this prevents the Holy Spirit taking advantage of our divine appointments. In every situation we have a choice. We can either complain to God or worship God.

Complaining about God’s appointments for you will turn people away from the Lord by hindering the Holy Spirit’s ministry whereas worshipping the Lord will draw people to Him. Our choice will determine the outcome not only for ourselves but also for those who are witnesses to our circumstances.

It was only in hindsight that Paul and Silas would see what the Lord had been doing – and so it will be in our lives. Let us replace whining and complaining with prayer and singing and see what the Lord will accomplish through us.

Generation Gap

“… the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people.” Ezra 3:13

Cyrus king of Persia made a proclamation that began the return of Israel after a 70 year absence to the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. Zerubbabel led the first group having the responsibility of rebuilding the temple and re-establishing worship of the Lord.

Upon the laying of the foundations for the temple there was a mixed response. The younger people “shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord” (v 11) but the older generation who had seen Solomon’s temple “wept with a loud voice” (v 12).

The younger generation rejoiced because they had not had a place to worship the Lord before. The older generation lamented the loss of the grandeur of Solomon’s temple compared to this comparatively insignificant building. This was not a return to the days when the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Being a “baby boomer” this writer has observed a similar change over three or four generations. (Please overlook the generalisations that produce individual inaccuracies and consider the main point and application of what follows.)

The generation that produced the “baby boomers” approached worship of the Lord with solemnity clothed in quietness with a reverent fear. In the 1960’s and 70’s they lamented the less solemn approach of the “baby boomers”. Worship of the Lord for this generation had become more casual at the heart level although the outward trappings were generally retained. They still dressed in their “Sunday best” and the worship services were inclined to start in a quiet and reflective environment. Appearance for the older generation’s sake was required.

Successive generations have done away with pretence. The quietness in approach to worship has been replaced with the discussion of the current sporting or political activities or TV programmes. The reflective quiet approach to worship has been replaced by a casual and celebrative atmosphere. The worship mood is contrived by those on the platform without the necessity of inner worship led by the Holy Spirit. He has been replaced by the “Worship Leader”.

The older generation weep over what has been lost and the younger generation rejoice over what they have but the glory of the Lord is departing. Earlier generations were in awe of the witness of the Holy Spirit but today we are in awe of the technological innovations of men. The artificial has replaced the genuine and those who knew the genuine weep while the younger generation rejoice in the artificial.