REALLY??????  COME ON NOW.

I had a friend from twitter send me this subject for a blog… and after praying about it, I felt that I might be able to shed some light on the subject and so I began to write this.  The short of it is that this person had a friend say that she didn’t like church worship because it was “ALL FAKE”.  This is the best response I could drum up to that thought process…. hope you enjoy: 

Worship being fake is a weird statement.  Of course there are always people who have a talent for being more dramatic than the rest of us, but at the same time there is a truth that no man can know the intentions or heart of any other person… no one but God knows the true intentions of our hearts.  I do think that this raises a very good point.  Is worship real anymore or is all just an exercise?  Something that we just do.  I submit that worship is both.  Now before you die of a heart attack let me explain.

 

Would you say that a person who spends time in their bible even though they don’t really want to is a fake?  No, you would say that they are exercising discipline so that they may better know the God that they serve.  Likewise, what about a person who studies for an exam even though they don’t really enjoy the subject matter… so that they can get the degree that they want. Are they a fake or extremely wise in working through the difficulty to gain what they desire… a knowledge of the subject.  What about a person who hangs out with people that they are nothing like in an effort to know them and therefore share the gospel with them? 

I find it funny any time a person uses the idea of “hypocrites” as there thesis for their frustration with a group of likeminded people… especially when it comes to the church.  Ultimately when a person goes to the extreme of saying that ALL people are one thing or another, they are completely off base… it’s an impossibility for all of us to carry the same beliefs…. “They are all just hypocrites in there just fake worshipping Jesus.”  Then I have to ask… how is anyone in the room more hypocritical than you??  If you’re a believer trying to make sure that the hearts of all people in your church are pure, then you have already become one with a heart that isn’t pure…. after all the bible does specifically say not to judge lest you be judged.  That’s the thing… we can’t get around our fallen state.  We all know that we are all guilty of sin in our lives…. and when we start pointing the finger at worshippers because they are all in when it comes to worship time, but they are obviously sinners when it’s not worship time, we actually become the very thing that we hate.  We become the judge… we become the jury, and we become the modern day pharisees. When we judge people based on our opinions and our established laws then that is exactly who we are.

I get it “hypocrites” are everywhere and in our eyes there are always people who are more hypocritical than others, but truly I tell you… we are all guilty.  If we wanted to get God’s judgement of others to be in acted here on earth immediately so that we could weed out the problem… we would be weeded out as well.  That’s right God’s judgement will not be based on how bad a person is…. no, God cannot stand the sight of any sin.  He is perfect and without blemish, and as such all sin…. even the slightest cannot be in the presence of God.  If not for the blood of Jesus Christ we would all be banished from His presence forever.

One cannot say all Christians are fake when they worship… that’s simply not true.  Because worshipping when one doesn’t want to is even a part of the bible. Job worshipped the Lord even in his despair.

One cannot simply say all hypocrisy should be rooted out….. that’s impossible, because the person who spoke would have to be dissolved as well.  We are all hypocrites… yes ALL OF US.  Good thing that our faith is in a God who is pure, holy, and always consistent.

The truth is that worship is required, in good times and in bad times.  When we feel like it AND when we don’t because worship draws us into the presence of God, where He begins to mold us, shape us, and realign us to His will.  So, when a person says that all worship is fake, they are missing the point… worshipping even in the hard times is exactly what we must do to continue to be drawn into the presence of God who will lead us out of our despair. 

Finally, when a person is emotional in worship…. it may be the truest, least fake thing that they can be… after all when we consider the Gospel….  how God incarnate became a child born into the world in lowly Bethlehem in a manger… lived the perfect life…. was crucified for our sins and died… only to be raised 3 days later to conquer death in this world….  FOR YOU….. maybe we should be a bit emotional.

Here’s my best shot at illustrating what I’m saying:

If you won the lottery and they came to your door with millions of dollars just to say… this is yours… just accept it…. you would freak out wouldn’t you??  Our responses would all be different to that circumstance, but we would all go nuts in our own way.  A woman who’s been desperate to pay her bills might just fall on her knees crying and lift her hands to heaven.  A man might literally run around the block screaming.  Responses unique to that person, true…. but not fake… just pure unfiltered JOY.

Obedience requires that we worship the Lord.  Obedience also requires that we NOT judge others. 7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Obedience may be the truest form of worship.

There is no good EXCUSE for not worshipping the Lord…unless you don’t have a saving knowledge of the Lord.  His love for us requires worship…. which is why we do it… whether in sickness, health, love, or hurt…. in plenty, and in little… God’s sacrificial love has saved us and there is no other response but worship when we consider His goodness and mercy which endures forever. So there it is… we’ve all won the LOTTERY, all we have to do is accept it… so go ahead FREAK OUT… and don’t judge other people when they do the same thing.

 

What are your thoughts????  I’d love to hear them!!

Jroy