Worship 001

Worship  001 

-OK, deal me in.

Just a few things to consider.  God is a God of order and if I may use the terms, propiety and proprietary.  Worship is all about Him not about us.  Worship is something you give not something you get - or something out of which you "get."  It is 100% to, for and about Him.

There are four "boundaries/expecatations" with which we must deal if we are to worship well.  
Acts 2:42 NASB
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

That's the "box."  It is to filled with:
Philippians 4:8-9 NASB
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

It is NOT entertaiment.  It is NOT a once a week innoculation.  It is NOT a party, circus or rodeo.  It certianly is not intended to "get" us something - it is intended to "give" Him everything.

Now, a word about "culture."  Culture is NOT the problem.  Purple hair, electric guitars and clapping (as we have here) is not more an issue than neck rings, bare breasts and body piecings are in Africa.  Worship IS NOT confined to the values of the West any more than it is cinfined to the traditional forms we find in Hebrais or Messianic worship.

OK - bare-breast may be debatable but not every "culure" has a "thing" about that.  for some cultures it is not a sexual thing - it's just their thing.

My point is that "culture" is not a bad thing.  Culture is parrt of who we are , where we are and how we are.  The line in drawn at sin not culture.  If you've ever had the experience of worshipping with another "cultural group" it can be a real "Wow!"

Yes, there is a place where "how" we worship, "what" we do and even "what we don't do has to be examined.  But the guiding idea - admonition, imperative (???) is
1 Corinthians 14:40 NASB
But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

That means we do things that are "seemly" and we do them with dignity and in a "fixed succession of rank or character.  Now that certainly excludes a rodeo, circus or even concert atmosphere.
But - I fear we are shooting at the wrong targete.  It's NOT about culture!!!!!  It IS and always HAS BEEN about the worshipper being more focused on themsleves than on the worshipped.  We are to worship "HE" not "ME."  It's about giving to Him as much as we can of that which He is so very derserving.

Now that's all about the gathering of the saints on the Lord's Day for corporate worship.  Let me just say that worship limits us - worshipful expands us.  Applying the criteria for "worship" to include all we are and do is "worshipful."  

Chew in this:
John 4:23-24 NASB
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. [24] "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

One definition of the word worship above is,, "to kiss the hand."  I like that - we, in submission and honor, kiss that hand of God.  Mmmmmmmm  gotta chew on that one for sure!