Worship is hard work. By the end of this hour you should feel the exhilaration of a runner, except magnified. Biblically, New Covenant worship is far simpler than Old Covenant Worship. Those detailed descriptions of worship in Leviticus are no longer applicable, except as important broad patterns. Why is this the case? Because the Bible is one great story, and patterns of worship in the Old are going to be found in the New, and the New is going to look to the Old.
The Protestant model of worship has made worship accessible to the people, which has always been the intention of the biblical text. Biblical worship is heavenly worship, and heaven is accessible to all believers. So in many ways our worship is heavenly friendly, because we want the heavens to be opened for you each Lord’s Day.
But do not let the simplicity of white robes, a loaf of bread, sweet wine, a modern Bible translation, and my Brazilian accent be an incentive to passive worship. Our worship may be simple in its outline, but it is going to demand a lot from you this morning. It is going to demand body and soul. For worship to be significant and effective, you need intentionality. The Spirit likes to push you to sing louder, to repent more often, to listen more attentively, to manifest more faith, and so on.
Worship is hard work, but hard work pays off. And the results are delicious to watch, whether it is a child that surprised you with her memorization of the Nicene Creed, or the teenage son who seeks biblical wisdom in his day to day duties.
Come this morning, and be refreshed by the God who calls us to find rest in our labor.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, you have given us a week of work, you have provided for us. Today cause us to find rest as we seek diligently to offer you our praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Reblogged this on Unapologetics | aint nothing sacred.