December 2007-January 2008

VITAL SIGNS #5: Life-Giving Worship

The Christmas event is saturated with worship from the angelic announcement, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men…” (Luke 2:14), the shepherds “...glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen…” (2:20), to the wise men as they saw Jesus and “...bowed down and worshipped him…” (Matthew 2:11).  This worship motivated them to give their best gifts to God.

Reflect with me on a worship experience that was powerfully motivating, inspiring you to focus exclusively on Christ to express glory to God and God’s Spirit prompted you to give your best, your all to Him. Wow! That was live-giving!  Worship as it was meant to be is Alive, Dynamic, and Fruitful.  Worship preoccupies our thoughts focusing them on God, inspiring a reply of adoration to the creator, “Thanks for the creation of new life in Christ,” and compelling us to give unreservedly to God.

After writing eleven chapters of the letter to the Romans explaining God’s incredible grace to us, Paul urges us to fully surrender our lives to God in worship.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans
12:1) True worship—bringing God pleasure—happens when we give ourselves completely to God! Transforming worship is powerfully attractive to those on the fringes, drawing them toward a vital relationship with God. 

Our Brethren in Christ Vital Signs bookmark sums it up succinctly: “Worship within the context of a healthy church is life-giving, energetic, moves people to follow Christ, and nurtures faith with preaching that is biblically based and relevant to the times.”

What an opportunity for all of us this season, when more people participate in special services of worship than any other time of the year, to sensitively proclaim the life giving message of Jesus
in ways that are culturally relevant to our time and place.  The timeless truth for the first century and the twenty-first century is: worship is something you do, not something you watch!

Have a tremendous Christmas and the best New Year ever!

With joy in Christ,

Bishop John

 

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