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The following is an excerpt from Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today.
The celebration of Christ’s birth commences on December 25, signifying the incarnation of Christ to humanity, and culminates with the arrival of the Magi on January 6, known as the Feast of Epiphany. Scholars, utilizing the History of Religions approach, have postulated that Epiphany’s origins, like that of Christmas, stem from the intentional Christianization of a pagan festival. Alternatively, some posit that January 6 was chosen through a series of calculations, rooted in the possibility of April 6 being the date of Christ’s crucifixion.
Nevertheless, the general topic of Epiphany and the season that follows is Jesus’ manifestation of himself as God.Epiphany means “manifestation” or “appearance” and is primarily observed in many churches to commemorate the arrival of the Magi. In Eastern churches however, Epiphany has come to be celebrated as the baptism of Jesus and his first miracle at Cana.
On the Feast of Epiphany (January 6), which falls under Extraordinary Time, and during the season after Epiphany (from January 6 to the beginning of Lent), observed as Ordinary Time, the church has traditionally celebrated the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world. During this time of the year, Bible readings and sermons deal with Jesus’ identity. The purpose of the Christian year is to relive the major events in Jesus’ life in real time. So, during this season after Epiphany, we remember Christ’s life from his birth, as he grows and begins his public ministry.
The Magi
The Magi were esteemed members of the religious hierarchy in ancient Persia and Media (the region corresponding to modern Iran), known for their expertise in astrology, divination, and dream interpretation. This made them be referred to as “wise men.” In Babylonia, they likely interacted with exiled Jewish priests, who shared with them the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of Christ, including the mysterious “messianic star” passage in Numbers 24:17. This explains why the astral phenomenon described in Matthew 2:1–12 captivated the wise men in the gospel narrative.
As the Magi informed King Herod of their mission to find Jesus, the new King, they were making Jesus known publicly.
The Presentation of the Lord
To fulfill the requirements of Leviticus 12:2–8, Mary had to present Jesus at the temple and offer a sacrifice. If Jesus was born on December 25, then this would have occurred on February 2. Therefore, February 2 is known in the historic church as “The Presentation” or “The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.”
In the temple, a priest named Simeon publicly declared who Jesus was. He had received a divine promise that he wouldn’t die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon joyfully embraced him, lifted him up, and proclaimed with great conviction, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29–32 Following Simeon’s declaration, the prophetess Anna also spoke about Jesus to all those present in the temple.
The Baptism of Jesus
Prior to commencing his ministry, Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptizer, had been proclaiming to the people across Jerusalem and Judea to get ready for the arrival of the Messiah. He urged them to repent, turn away from their sins, and receive baptism as a symbol of their readiness. John served as a guide, pointing the way to Jesus. While baptizing people in the Jordan river, Jesus approached John to be baptized. Although John hesitated, Jesus insisted, stating that it was necessary to fulfill righteousness. Consequently, John baptized Jesus.
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, while he was praying, the skies (heavens) opened, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended and alighted upon him. Simultaneously, a resonant voice from heaven proclaimed, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). This passage also beautifully illustrates the Trinity: God the Father speaking from heaven, God the Son being baptized, and God the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus.
The Miracle at Cana
What captivates me the most about this biblical story is how it portrays the humanity of Jesus. He proves to be just like us—enjoying time with friends, cherishing special occasions, and honoring his parents even when it’s inconvenient. Bobby Gross expands upon this when he writes, “If nothing else [this miracle] reveals Christ’s humanity—he revels with friends at a wedding—and underscores the earthy goodness of creation—wine to gladden the heart! . . . This extravagant, gracious gesture foreshadows a greater glory—a messianic abundance—yet to be revealed . . . Jesus reveals his glory—his authority and power and love—in the place of worship, yes, but also inside a home, out in a front yard, down by the riverside and in the midst of a wedding. It’s in these everyday contexts that he invites belief. . . .”[1]
There’s one aspect of this story that leaves me perplexed—the last sentence (John 2:11): “And his disciples believed in him.” I find myself questioning which disciples the Scripture refers to. Were they the ones who witnessed the miracle and instantly chose to follow Jesus? Or were they the ones who had already left their jobs, livelihoods, and families to become his followers? Did this moment mark their newfound belief? They are called disciples, indicating they were already following Jesus, yet their belief seems to solidify at this particular moment. Perhaps this moment, like our own spiritual growth, is another step in a series of events that strengthened their faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Regardless, this manifestation served as another opportunity for people to witness who Jesus truly was—the Son of the Most High—which led them to believe.
The Transfiguration
The Transfiguration acknowledges Jesus’ radical change of appearance while in the presence of Peter, James, and John, on a mountain. Matthew records that Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (Matt 17:2). At this moment Moses and Elijah appeared, and they were talking with Jesus. Peter, misunderstanding the meaning of this manifestation, offered to make three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. A bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud stated, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matt 17:5b). The disciples fell on their faces in awe, but Jesus encouraged them to rise and to not be afraid. When they did, they saw only Jesus standing there. This event is alluded to in 2 Peter 1:16–18, which records that “we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” and “we were with him on the holy mountain.” The Transfiguration showcased Christ’s glory before the crucifixion, foreshadowing his resurrection and ascension. It likely offered strength and solace to his disciples during the challenging times that followed.
Just as the word itself means a manifestation of Jesus as the Christ, we find a spiritual emphasis for our own lives during Epiphany. Because God’s glory has been manifested in Jesus Christ, we, as his disciples, have been called to manifest Christ’s glory, not only through our words and actions, but through our lives as we reach out to be the epiphany to those with whom we come in contact.
©2024 Steven D. Brooks, Wipf and Stock Publishers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author.
If you would like to read more about Epiphany and the Christian year, and it’s spiritual impact upon the lives of worshipers, you can find more in Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today by Dr. Steven D. Brooks.
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The following is an excerpt from Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today.
The season of Christmas is a festive and joyous season, providing a time to celebrate Jesus, the Light of the world, who came to dispel darkness. The Christmas season begins on Christmas Day, December 25, and lasts until January 5, the day before Epiphany. Unfortunately, this season of the church year has been widely misunderstood and the commercialization of Christmas has created a distorted view of the season. Today, Christmas is popularly believed to end, not begin, on December 25, taking away the impact and importance of not only Advent, but also the feast of Epiphany following Christmas. The truth is, the Christmas season commences on December 25 and extends for twelve days.
The focus of a season of Christmas beginning on December 25 rather than ending on that day would be a challenge in our churches. Today, the commercialization of Christmas commences as early as September, with merchants displaying Christmas decorations and holiday promotions. This manipulation leads our congregations to feel like it’s already Christmas before it actually is. Yet the church is supposed to stand against the prevailing culture. By following the Christian year, the church could eliminate some of the hectic busyness that we all feel and use the four Sundays before Christmas (Advent) as a time of preparation and the twelve days of Christmas as a time of celebration. Christmas parties and pageants could be planned to occur from December 25–January 5. Christmas carols could continue to be sung over the two Sundays following Christmas, long after radio stations and stores have forgotten about them. Maybe then we would hear less comments like, “isn’t it sad that we’re so busy at Christmas to realize what it’s really all about?”
The primary meaning of Christmas is that we not only celebrate Jesus born in Bethlehem, but Christ crucified, risen, and returning—and Christ born in us. This perspective invites Christmas to be an important time in our spiritual lives. The fact that God became man—the Word became flesh—provides us an opportunity to be united with God. Because Jesus was united to God, we, through our union with Jesus in faith are united with God. Our spiritual lives are formed, and we experience unity with the triune God. Observing the Christmas season then, I maintain, has great spiritual value in strengthening spiritual formation.
The following poem, “A Hymn on the Nativity of My Saviour” was written by the sixteenth century English playwright and poet Benjamin Jonson. Jonson is generally regarded as the second most important English dramatist, after William Shakespeare. Starting as an announcement of Christ’s birth, it ends with a question directed at each of us: what will we do with this information? Will we overlook it, or will we do something about it?
“I sing the birth was born tonight,
The Author both of life and light;
The angels so did sound it,
And like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light, and were afraid,
Yet searched, and true they found it.The Son of God, the eternal King,
That did us all salvation bring,
And freed the soul from danger;
He whom the whole world could not take,
The Word, which heaven and earth did make,
Was now laid in a manger.The Father’s wisdom willed it so,
The Son’s obedience knew no “No,”
Both wills were in one stature;
And as that wisdom had decreed,
The Word was now made Flesh indeed,
And took on Him our nature.What comfort by Him do we win?
Who made Himself the Prince of sin,
To make us heirs of glory?
To see this Babe, all innocence,
A Martyr born in our defense,
Can man forget this story?
”
— Benjamin Jonson ©2024 Steven D. Brooks, Wipf and Stock Publishers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author.
If you would like to read more about Christmas and the Christian year, and it’s spiritual impact upon the lives of worshipers, you can find more in Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today by Dr. Steven D. Brooks.
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This song has faced its fair share of negative feedback over the years. Comments like, “I disliked that song the first time I heard it, and I've avoided it ever since.” Or, “Horrible song! Mary KNEW right from the start.” [These are real comments taken from Facebook]
Many people have claimed that Luke 1:26-35 tells us that Mary knew exactly who Jesus was and all that he would accomplish. I’d like to take a moment to reconsider that idea.
It’s obvious this song employs the literary device known as the rhetorical question—questions that are asked without expecting an answer. The questions within this song are asked not to receive answers, but to encourage deeper reflection from the hearer.
But even if we were going to literally answer these rhetorical questions, then we must admit that Mary most likely did not know some, if not most, of these things :: Scripture does not tell us that Mary knew Jesus would walk on water. Nowhere are we told that Mary knew Jesus would calm a storm. She may not have known that Jesus would heal a man’s blindness or raise the dead with just a few words. She could assume great things were in store based on the angel’s announcement to her in Luke 1:26-35, but the angel does not mention any specific details. So, based on Luke 1, no, Mary did not know of the incredible actions mentioned throughout the song.
The beauty of “Mary, Did You Know?” is that it is filled with a great variety of faithful biblical imagery that many other less contentious Christmas songs do not contain.
How can you not be moved to worship when you hear:
“The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb”
— Mark Lowry Now, if you feel the song is overplayed or that there are better songs out there, that’s another story. But let’s not despise the song just because it’s the popular thing to do. And let’s not jump to the false assumption that Mary understood everything there was to know about Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. Sure, she knew that Jesus was special—that he was the Son of God. But, did she really know that he was going to walk on water? I mean, come on, who saw THAT coming?
Based on Luke 1:26-35, there were potentially a lot of unanswered questions left swirling around in Mary’s mind. But praise be to God for her response: “I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (1:38); “My soul magnifies the Lord” (1:46).
May our response to God be the same.
—Steven Brooks
Devotional Exercise:
A good devotional exercise would be to take each question and write down the scripture reference in which it is inferring. For instance:
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? = Matthew 14:22–33
The following is an excerpt from Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today.
The Christian year begins with the season of Advent, which starts four Sundays before Christmas Day.
The term advent means “coming” or “arrival.” In Advent, God provides us with the story of his coming. Because of its placement in the Christian year, immediately preceding Christmas, it has often been misunderstood to be an exclusive focus on the coming of the baby in Bethlehem. The primary focus of Advent, however, has been on what is popularly called “the second coming.” For it is in the anticipation of Christ’s return, or advent, that worshipers today participate in the waiting. Followers of old anticipated the coming of Jesus as Messiah. Today we anticipate the coming of Jesus as well. This time, not as Messiah, for Messiah has already come. During our advent we anticipate Christ’s coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. In Advent, we find the promise that God will bring an end to all the wickedness and evil that we know and bring judgment and ultimately peace to all who trust in him. It is a time to prepare hearts, minds, and lives for the arrival of the King. A time to look within and work toward being ready to meet Christ when he comes again.
Advent must be looked at in light of Isaiah’s message to Israel. Isaiah prepared the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah—not only his birth, but also his eschatological reign at the end of history.
First Sunday of Advent
Traditionally, the first Sunday of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas Day, focuses on Jesus’ eschatological teachings. His teachings are clear, yet elusive. God has a plan, but he employs surprises, for no one knows the day or the hour of his coming (see Matt 24:36). This elusiveness is true not only of his “second coming,” but also for his arrival in Bethlehem. Messiah was born in a way that most people did not expect. If not for the angels’ declaration to lowly shepherds, the birth of Jesus may have gone mostly unnoticed. Even still, we find the lowly acknowledged his birth while the elite sleep. Within this facet we discover a good lesson for the church today; keep watch and be aware otherwise we may be lying in the dark, asleep when the bridegroom returns and carries away his bride.
Second Sunday of Advent
The second Sunday of Advent introduces John the Baptizer as he declares the message of promise, strength, and hope. His cry is constant and uninhibited. The Baptizer speaks of justice and righteousness, preparing the way for the Christ.
Third Sunday of Advent
The third Sunday of Advent continues with John the Baptizer. The texts vary each year and sometimes find John in prison while other times he is in the desert. Regardless of location, the Baptizer faithfully points ahead to the One who is to come. This Sunday is sometimes called “Gaudete Sunday” (Gaudete is a Latin imperative verb meaning “rejoice”). The focus of looking ahead for the coming of the King encourages the church to rejoice, thus the name and spirit of this Sunday. The break away from the penitential feeling of Advent to rejoicing is enhanced by the epistle reading of Year C (Phil 4:4), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
Fourth Sunday of Advent
It is not until the fourth Sunday of Advent, which may occur as late as December 24, that we begin the focus on the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. For the first time in Advent, we hear that the promises declared on previous Sundays will find its way to the womb of Mary. The waiting that has been forced upon us over the past three Sundays is brought to fruition . . . or has it? For even on this fourth Sunday, we are reminded to anticipate Christ’s return and God’s future reign. The God who is now with us, Emmanuel, in our midst, waits just as we do. We join with him, in his presence, waiting for his future reign. In the meantime, the church prays:
“Come, thou long–expected Jesus
born to set thy people free
from our fears and sins release us
let us find our rest in thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
hope of all the earth thou art
dear desire of every nation
joy of every longing heart”
— Charles Wesley, 1744 This prayer directs us to both the birth of Jesus and the return of Christ at the end of time.
The Hebrew people longed for the coming of Messiah. They placed their hope in one day seeing the Anointed One. Waiting for the Messiah gave meaning to their existence. The Christian church today continues that hope. As we worship during Advent, our lives are shaped and our hearts are formed by the Advent hope that Christ has come and will come again.
©2024 Steven D. Brooks, Wipf and Stock Publishers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author.
If you would like to read more about Advent and the Christian year, and it’s spiritual impact upon the lives of worshipers, you can find more in Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today by Dr. Steven D. Brooks.
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The following is an excerpt from Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Todayby Dr. Steven D. Brooks.
Worship is our response to who God is, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, holds the transformative power to shape our inner beings spiritually. Therefore, intentional planning and effective leadership play a crucial role in creating worship services that facilitate spiritual transformation within the lives of worshipers. By crafting worship experiences that prompt individuals to become more Christ–like, we can foster a genuine connection with God and facilitate profound spiritual growth and transformation in the lives of worshipers:
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:18 To experience worship renewal, worshipers must actively seek opportunities that facilitate this type of transformative encounter with God. Embracing the telling of God’s story is crucial to offer worship that truly honors and acknowledges his actions throughout history. The historical sacred calendar assists in rehearsing God’s story and plays a central role within Christianity, influencing much of Christian worship, often without us realizing it. The significance of time in Christian worship tells us a great deal about following Christ and about the way in which we worship.
The Christian year provides a meaningful way for Christ followers to mark time. Over the years, I have sensed that many within the Protestant free church movement desire a deeper form of worship than what the typical local church provides. In countless churches across the globe, the spiritual discipline of worship is highly misunderstood. When people think of worship, most often, they think of music. Worship has regularly been perceived as synonymous with music. This misunderstanding of worship has led to people attending worship services unsure of the proper way to engage with God.
If worship includes, as I believe, a retelling of the Christ story, then keeping sacred time would enable the church to recall the story on a consistent basis throughout the year. The observance of the Christian year holds a significant place in the history of the Christian faith, representing the life of Christ and his ultimate purpose. By purposefully observing the seasons of the church year, we create a meaningful vehicle for spiritual growth and vitality within our congregation. By helping our congregations understand and embrace the Christian year, we may initiate a renewal of worship in both their personal and communal lives. Engaging in worship through the seasons of the Christian year deepens our grasp of theology (who is God?) and worship (our response to who God is) and allows us to embrace God’s powerful acts of salvation with renewed enthusiasm and fresh perspectives.
Tomorrow begins a new year within the Christian calendar – the season of Advent, a season to anticipate the coming of King Jesus. Journey with us as we post throughout the extraordinary times of the Christian year.
If you would like to read more about the Christian year and it’s spiritual impact upon the lives of worshipers, you can find more in Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today.
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In our Worship Quest Academy Zoom session today with students in our 2024–25 Ukrainian cohort, we heard teaching from Dr. Brooks about the responsibility that Worship Pastors have to their congregations. We are called not simply to be “lead worshipers,” as appealing as many have found that phrase, but actually to be consciously attentive to our congregation in-the-moment. Are they following and responding to our leadership? This is the mindset of “worship leading” over against simply standing up front having a private worship experience as “lead worshiper” irrespective of the congregation’s participation.
The question arose: “Yes, it is clear we have this responsibility to the congregation, as you say. But what responsibility does the congregation have? Don’t they have a responsibility to pay attention and to follow our leadership?”
In response to this, there was presented an analogy about hosting a holiday meal. Perhaps your dear friend is a professional chef. She would love to prepare a delicious Christmas Day dinner, however, her own small apartment is not suitable to host an event like this. She makes the request of you, “Your home is so lovely, and your dining table can seat twelve comfortably. Could not the dinner for these guests be held in your own home? I will handle cooking all the food in the kitchen. All I ask is that you do the work of a hostess. Prepare the table and make it nice. And help with the plating and serving. Set out the food for the guests at the right time, and in a way that makes it all visually appealing and welcoming.”
This analogy applies to our worship leading because it speaks to our job of making a setting that is inviting, and in which our guests are ready to receive the delicious meal.
As always, the Lord himself is the chef. In all our worship to the Lord God, all we offer to him is only what He already has given to us. “We give Thee but thine own,” as the 19th century English hymn famously put it. We sing back to God only what he has already initiated, prepared, and accomplished entirely on his own. We sing of God’s mighty acts of salvation, of his glory revealed, of his beauty, and of his wondrous deeds among us and in us. God is always the subject and object of our worship, as Marva Dawn so powerfully highlighted for us. Our worship to the Lord God is both TO him and ABOUT him. So what we give to God in worship isn’t ultimately from us. It’s all by him, from him, through him, and to him.
So in our analogy, the nutrients the chef prepares for the guests are always delicious and perfect.
In worship leadership, however, our role—“hostess” in our analogy”—is to prepare the table, and to lay out each dish in the way that we know will be most inviting for the particular guests invited to this feast.
The way we would lay out the food for children is not the same as the way we would arrange it for teenagers, or for middle-aged adults, or for senior adults. There is a craft or skill to laying out the delicious food items in a way that will appear most appetizing to the various dinner guests. And to a real degree, each one’s willingness to partake in each delicious food might hinge in some way on our execution of the task of laying it out appetizingly.
Did we take a big glob of the food and slop it across a not-very-clean plate, dripping and sliding off the edge? Did we bring out a dish with an odd-colored plastic lid over it, plop it down in front of a guest, and not bother even to take the lid off? Did we bring everyone an enormous helping of dessert right at the beginning, so that they’re too full after for the rest of the meal? Did we sit down with the food ourselves, ravenously start shoveling it in, and vaguely nod in the direction of where the diners can grab their own?
Or did we bring out each course of the meal in the right way and the right time? Are lighted candles surrounding a rich floral centerpiece? Did we put in care to make it inviting?
Notice – nothing changed with the nutrients in the meal. The chef’s delicious cooking still is what it is, in either case. The question is whether we facilitated our guests’ enjoyment of the meal by hosting the dinner in a way that displays the wonderful food appropriately. To make it inviting to our specific guests is to do justice to the work of the chef’s meal preparation. And yes, this is a very pastoral task.
So let us lead God’s people with care and thoughtfulness in congregational worship. Take freely of all the delicious nutrients our Master Chef has prepared for us, and be intentional to think through how the various unique members of our own congregation can best comprehend, receive, and interact with them. Through skillful preparation, let us design congregational worship that will be both robustly accessible and profoundly meaningful to all members of our congregation—to the end that they will see the Lord more clearly, be captured afresh by Christ’s glorious salvation, and respond with heartfelt adoration in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of our Eternal Father.
— Andrew Braine
In the midst of life’s joys and triumphs, we often find ourselves seeking happiness and celebration. We yearn for moments of laughter, success, and unbridled joy. However, in the profound wisdom of the Bible, we are reminded that there is a blessedness in mourning, a sacred space where we encounter divine comfort.
“Blessed are those who mourn,for they shall be comforted.”(Matthew 5:4)These words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount resonate with a profound truth: mourning is an essential part of the human experience. We mourn the loss of loved ones, the end of seasons in our lives, and the brokenness of the world around us. In our grief, we may feel isolated and overwhelmed, yet Jesus promises comfort to those who mourn.
Mourning is a testament to our capacity to love deeply. It reveals the depths of our compassion and empathy. It reminds us of our shared humanity and the fragility of life. When we mourn, we stand on common ground with people from all walks of life, and it is in this vulnerability that we can find solace in the embrace of a loving God.
God’s comfort doesn’t erase our pain but provides a refuge within it. It’s a gentle presence that whispers, “You are not alone; I am with you.” It’s the assurance that our grief is not in vain, that it can transform us, making us more compassionate, more understanding, and more aware of the beauty of life’s fleeting moments.
As we journey through seasons of mourning, may we find hope in the promise of comfort. Let us draw near to God, who holds our tears and understands our pain. And may we, in our brokenness, become beacons of comfort to others, sharing the love and compassion we have received from our Heavenly Father. Remember, in mourning, there is a blessedness that leads to a deeper connection with God and the potential for profound transformation in our lives.
We must be careful when considering a change to certain terms in the Bible. Some adjustments may be okay, like when the Apostle Paul is addressing the church and we change the word “brethren” to “brothers and sisters.” However, we must be careful when considering the phrase “sons of God” in Scripture. Although contemporary society demands we change the phrase to “sons and daughters of God,” doing so may change the theological intent.
In the Bible, the term "sons of God" is used to describe both men and women in a spiritual sense, emphasizing their relationship with God and their potential to share in his divine nature. This concept is found in both the Old and New Testaments and reflects the biblical understanding of humanity’s special connection with the Creator.
- Creation in the Image of God: In the book of Genesis, it is stated that God created humanity in his own image (Genesis 1:26-27). This means that both men and women were fashioned with a spiritual dimension that sets them apart from the rest of creation. This divine image is not limited to one gender but applies to all human beings.
- Spiritual Adoption: The New Testament builds upon this concept, emphasizing that through faith in Jesus Christ, individuals become children of God. In John 1:12-13, it is written that “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This adoption into God’s family is not gender-specific; it applies equally to men and women.
- Equality in Christ: The apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:28, underscores the equality of men and women in Christ, stating, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In Christ, both genders share the same status as children of God.
- Sons as Heirs: In the cultural context of biblical times, sons were often regarded as heirs and received an inheritance. In the Bible, this idea is extended to both men and women, emphasizing that all believers are heirs of God’s promises and the inheritance of eternal life (Romans 8:16-17).
In summary, the term “sons of God” in the Bible reflects the spiritual equality and divine identity of both men and women. It highlights the shared privilege of being part of God’s family, irrespective of gender, through creation in his image and faith in Christ. This biblical concept underscores the inherent worth and value of all individuals in the eyes of God.
Women of faith, if the men of your church have to be the Bride of Christ, then you can be sons of God. :-)
Andrew Braine, Musician/Bassist at St. John's Anglican Church, Franklin, TN, presents this worship song devotional based on the Christmas hymn "Angels From the Realms of Glory".
Tyler Greek, Worship Arts Director, Chino Valley Community Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the Christmas song "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing".
Michael Kisaka, Lead Outreach Pastor, One & All Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the worship song, "What Child Is This?."
Holland Davis, Pastor / Worship Leader, Calvary Chapel San Clemente, presents this devotional on the worship song "Who Is Like the Lord."
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "I Will Wait For You (Psalm 130)".
Isaac Bwire, Director of Alpha Worship Connection in Uganda, Africa, presents this worship song devotional based on the worship song "Way Maker".
Kevin Ferstl, Director of Worship and Ministry at Church Forward, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Stand In Your Love".
Rod Ellis, Worship Pastor at Woodburn Baptist Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Living Hope".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the CityAlight song "On That Day".
Danish Iqbal, Pakistani Church Musician and Choir Leader from Gujranwala, Pakistan, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Who You Say I Am".
Jonathan Lim, Worship Leader, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "I Surrender All".
Bria Blessing, Singer/Songwriter/Worship Leader in Ukraine & United States, presents this worship song devotional based on the Matt Redman song "Blessed Be Your Name".
Chris Mbugua, Sunday School Teacher, Lifeline Community Fellowship, presents this worship song devotional based on the Elevation Worship and Maverick City song "Shall Not Want".
David Manner, Executive Director, Kansas-Nebraska Baptist Convention, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "He Will Hold Me Fast".
Justin Francis, Worship Pastor, Granada Heights Friends Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Psalm 13".
Maryna Yarmolenko, Worship Leader and Professor of Music in Kyiv, Ukraine, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "Graves Into Gardens".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "How Firm A Foundation".
Jonathan Powers, Assistant Professor of Worship Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done?".
Wilma Arant, Worship Pastor, Road Home Fellowship, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Jesus Is Coming Back".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "This Is My Father’s World".
Dwayne Moore, Director of Next Level Worship International, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "My Faith Looks Up To Thee".
Michael Kisaka, Lead Outreach Pastor, One & All Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Hope Has A Name."
Robert Hampshire, Worship Pastor, Cheraw First Baptist Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn, "I'd Rather Have Jesus."
Dawn Gilmore, Author and retired Professor, and Glenn Gilmore, retired Pastor, present this worship song devotional based on the songs "Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me" and "Goodness Of God".
Jonathan Powers, Assistant Professor of Worship Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary, presents this worship song devotional based on "Before The Throne Of God Above".
Marc Brown, Assistant Professor of Church Music and Worship, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Christ Our Hope In Life and Death".
Trinity Sunday falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, and with good reason. At Pentecost Jesus is proclaimed as both Messiah and Lord, and it is the day God the Father sends the Holy Spirit.
Trinity Sunday is an important day to remember. Modern day Christians need to fully acknowledge and appreciate the Trinitarian nature of God, especially in today’s culture where New Age and Islamic beliefs are prevalent. It is imperative for the Christian community to have knowledge of the Three in One God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
Over the years, you may have heard various analogies used to explain the Trinity:
- The Trinity is like the three different states of water: liquid, ice, and vapor
- The Trinity is like a three-leaf clover
- The Trinity is like the different parts of an egg: shell, egg white, and yolk
What many people don’t realize is that most of these analogies (if not all) are akin to the ancient heresies that the early church had dismissed centuries ago.
But if none of these analogies are appropriate to describe God, then what is? Enter the Athanasian Creed.
The Athanasian Creed was not written by Athanasius, an early Christian who combatted heresies about the Trinity. Although its precise origins are unknown, it has long been recognized as a standard of Christian orthodoxy. It is by far the longest and most comprehensive of the ancient creeds, and it can be pretty overwhelming at first glance.
Although it may be long, the substance of the Athanasian Creed can be summed up in one main idea: “The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. BUT the Father is NOT the Son, the Son is NOT the Spirit, and the Spirit is NOT the Father.” Every line of the Creed’s first half spells this principle out in great detail.
The creeds give us the language to speak about God accurately, and in doing so, they allow us to know him more intimately.
An important note: the Athanasian Creed does not try to explain the Trinity (like so many of our analogies do). It simply aims to describe the Trinity by giving us the proper vocabulary to use. It merely tells us what we can or cannot say when talking about God. Try picturing the shield of the Trinity (image above) as a platform that you are walking on: Anything outside of it is out of bounds, and if you step off, you will fall into the dangerous pit of heresy.
The early church was not trying to be novel. They weren’t trying to be more creative than Scripture. They described what they recognized in Scripture as truth, and were content to leave it at that. We would be wise to follow in their footsteps. So the next time you or someone else wants to give an analogy for the Trinity, consider using the language that the church has used for centuries.
The following is the text of the Athanasian Creed:
Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.
Now this is the catholic* faith:
That we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity,
neither blending their persons
nor dividing their essence.
For the Person of the Father is a distinct person,
the Person of the Son is another,
and that of the Holy Spirit still another.
But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,
their glory equal, their majesty co-eternal.
What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.
The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, the Holy Spirit is uncreated.
The Father is immeasurable, the Son is immeasurable, the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.
The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal.
And yet there are not three eternal beings; there is but one eternal being.
So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;
there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.
Similarly, the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty, the Holy Spirit is almighty.
Yet there are not three almighty beings; there is but one almighty being.
Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God.
Yet there are not three gods; there is but one God.|
Thus the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord.
Yet there are not three lords; there is but one Lord.
Just as Christian truth compels us to confess each Person individually as both God and Lord,
so catholic religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or lords.
The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.
the Son was neither made nor created;
he was begotten from the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten; he proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Accordingly there is one Father, not three fathers;
there is one Son, not three sons;
there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.
Nothing in this Trinity is before or after,
nothing is greater or smaller;
in their entirety the three persons
are co-eternal and coequal with each other.
So in everything, as was said earlier,
we must worship their Trinity in their unity
and their unity in their Trinity.
Anyone then who desires to be saved
should think thus about the Trinity.
it is necessary for eternal salvation
that one also believe in the incarnation
of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.
Now this is the true faith:
That we believe and confess
that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
is both God and human, equally.
He is God from the essence of the Father,
begotten before time;
and he is human from the essence of his mother,
born in time;
completely God, completely human,
with a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father as regards divinity,
less than the Father as regards humanity.
Although he is God and human,
yet Christ is not two, but one.
He is one, however,
not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
but by God’s taking humanity to himself.
He is one,
certainly not by the blending of his essence,
but by the unity of his Person.
For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh,
so too the one Christ is both God and human.
He suffered for our salvation;
he descended to hell;
he arose from the dead;
he ascended to heaven;
he is seated at the Father’s right hand;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
At his coming all people will arise bodily
and give an accounting of their own deeds.
Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.
This is the catholic faith:
one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.
* “Catholic” here means “universal,” not “Roman Catholic”
Andrey Zaitsev, Worship Leader, Church of the Nazarene in Kyiv, Ukraine, presents this worship song devotional based on the Stuart Townend song, "How Deep The Father's Love For Us".
The day of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the calling of the church by the Spirit of the Risen One.
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed . . .”
Acts 2:1–12a
If you go back to the Old Testament, you will discover that Pentecost was one of the Jewish feast days. They didn't call it Pentecost, that's the Greek name. They called it Shavout or the Feast of Weeks (or Harvest). It’s mentioned five places in the first five books of the Bible — Exodus 23 and 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16.
This feast was a great celebration of God bringing about the harvest to provide for his people. Eventually, this celebration turned into a pilgrimage festival with the Jewish people traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate. This was a grand celebration. The streets of Jerusalem would have been filled with thousands of pilgrims who had come from all over the land to celebrate the goodness of God and the bringing in of the wheat harvest. This is why there were a variety of languages being spoken when the Holy Spirit descended upon the people—because the people gathered together were from various locations outside of Jerusalem. They were in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavout/Pentecost.
The miracle that occurs here is that people, because of the power of the Holy Spirit, could understand the various languages!
Pentecost is still important for us today because it represents the beginning of the Christian Church. It reminds us that Jesus' promise that God would send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. And just as God brought the harvest of wheat as a provision for his people, he will bring about the harvest of his people to be the Church.
Lester Ruth, Author/Research Professor of Christian Worship at Duke Divinity School, presents this worship song devotional based on the Charles Wesley song "Thou Hidden Source of Calm Repose".
The ascension of Jesus occurs 40 days after his resurrection. It marks the departure of Jesus from this world and his entrance into the realm of God. Jesus has been given ultimate authority and supreme reign and is interceding on behalf of those who call him Savior and Lord.
Luke shares about this significant event in two separate accounts. First in the gospel named after him:
And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. Luke 24:50–53
And then in the book of Acts:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6–11
So what does the ascension mean for us today? First, it means we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. It also means we are able to accept the gift of the Holy Spirit (see “What Is Pentecost?”), a Helper (John 14:16; 16:7) for Christ’s people, to give us power from on high and to be with us forever. And it means that human flesh sits on a throne in the heavenly realms. God has granted all power and authority to a man (Matt 28:19; Eph 1:21–22). Jesus Christ is faithfully exercising the dominion that humans were made to have from the beginning (Gen 1:28). “The ruin of the first Adam is being undone by the reign of the second.”
The ascended Christ is our perfect high priest, who ever lives to intercede for us. He is our king who defends and conquers all of his and our enemies. Because of his ascension, Christ has given the Holy Spirit to his church. His ascension is a guarantee that one day he will come again and then we will live with God (John 14).
This is why it is important for Christians to reflect upon the ascension of Jesus Christ, just as we do with his incarnation, death, resurrection, and second coming. Christ’s ascension matters too in our Christian life and worship.
Evangeline Nguyen, Worker in Central Asia, presents this worship song devotional based on the Maverick City Music song "Isaiah Song".
Rob Still, Worship Leader/Songwriter/Music Minister, Nashville, TN, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!"
Letitia Ugwueke, Singer/Worship Leader, Cornerstone Church Nashville, presents this worship song devotional based on the worship song "See A Victory".
Sarah Sattler, Worship Leader at Cornerstone Bible Church in Glendora, California, presents this worship song devotional based on the worship song "Yes I Will" by Vertical Worship.
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the Hillsong song "Another In The Fire".
This week on Live Talk Dwayne welcomes Steven Brooks to the show. Steven is the Director of Worship Quest Ministries and is the author of the book “The Week That Changed the World: Daily Reflections on Holy Week.” Steven walks us through the events of Holy Week in detail from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday!
Holland Davis, Pastor / Worship Leader, Calvary Chapel San Clemente, presents this worship song devotional from Jerusalem on the worship song “Let It Rise”.
Before I learned of the Christian Year, I celebrated EASTER as a one–day celebration. This one day was very special. In fact, it was the most special of all the Sundays of the church.
In the Christian Year, however, Easter is an event—the event of the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead—that goes beyond just one day. It is a season of 50 days that begins on Easter Sunday and lasts until Pentecost.
There is biblical precedent for Easter as a season. After his resurrection Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days, teaching them the truths of the kingdom (Acts 1:3). On the fortieth day he ascended into heaven. Ten days later the Holy Spirit descended upon them (Acts 2:1-47). Following the history of the post-resurrection period, Easter developed into a seven–week celebration that included the ascension and ended with the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
The season of Easter is referred to as “the Great Fifty Days,” comprised of eight Sundays. It is no mistake that this season consists of fifty days as it is based on the Jewish festival of fifty days that began the harvest season two days after the start of Passover and extended until what came to be called the Day of Pentecost.
To summarize, Easter Sunday is the most important Sunday. The Sunday of all Sundays. It is the day of the new beginning of the entire cosmos. The day of resurrection.
But it doesn’t end with Easter Sunday. In our worship, we must be careful not to reduce our message to Easter Sunday only. The Easter fact must include the message that God makes all things new. It must also include the message that we have been raised with Christ. Calling all God’s people to die to sin and rise to new life is central not only to Easter day but to the entire Easter season.
HOLY SATURDAY, also known as the Easter Vigil or Paschal Vigil, is the day of remembrance for Jesus’ life. Much like a vigil, or wake, provides people with an opportunity to grieve and mourn the loss of a loved one, this day invites Christians to spend time processing Jesus’ sacrifice for each of us.
Today, Holy Saturday, is that in–between day, the “already but not yet,” where Christ lay in the tomb. This is a day when the cross seems all too real and the resurrection is only a rumor of things yet to be.
Not much is said in Scripture regarding the day after Jesus’s death. Matthew (27:62–66) is the only one of the four Gospels who tells us something about this day.
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
One temptation on this day is to jump right to Easter and the resurrection—to celebrate our risen Savior. But this day before Easter Sunday is critically important to our spiritual growth. It is a day of waiting. As Christians, we need to learn better how to wait. Although there are times it may seem as though God is silent, he is actively at work behind the scenes. Don’t you think Jesus could have been raised from the dead on Saturday; or within hours after his crucifixion? Yes, of course he could have. But God waited. And he made the disciples wait. And sometimes he makes us wait. Oftentimes the waiting period is a time to see if we truly trust in the sovereignty of God.
For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections For Holy Week.
GOOD FRIDAY occurs the Friday before Easter Sunday and reflects upon the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. It can be called as such because God was in control at Calvary and what he accomplished for us is good. Yes, God was in control on the cross. He designed for the crucifixion events to take place steering the course from the beginning.
This “good” day is filled with horrendous events that are anything but good. We may be told this day is called good because of what was accomplished for believers by Jesus on the cross. Though this is true, the more accurate meaning of the day’s name comes from the meaning of the Old English word “good,” which means “holy” or “righteous.” This day is a holy day. Friday of Holy Week.
Amidst the tragedy of the events of this day we perceive that Good Friday is fundamentally a story of grace and of God’s love for us. The Father sent his Son into our world. The Son showed us perfect love—a love so great that he freely paid the price for our sins and the sins of the whole world. The gift of that grace and love is offered to all. As John 3:16 poignantly reminds us:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus Christ is the sacrifice given once for all (Heb 7:27; 10:10). The Paschal Lamb (1 Cor 5:6–8), who was slain to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; Eph 1:5–7; Heb 9:12–14). Our sins were eliminated by the sacrifice of our Savior, covered by the blood of the Lamb.
For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections for Holy Week.
MAUNDY THURSDAY occurs the Thursday before Easter Sunday and remembers the time Jesus spent with his disciples in the upper room before His arrest and crucifixion. Maundy Thursday marks three key events in Jesus’ last week:
- washing of the disciples’ feet
- institution of the Lord’s Supper
- command to love one another
In the midst of washing the disciples feet, Jesus gave the ultimate example of servanthood: Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him (John 13:3-5).
This act of service exemplifies the meaning of the new commandment (novum mandatum) which Jesus gives to his disciples:
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another. John 13:34
The command to love one another is not a new one (Leviticus 19:18), however, Jesus gives them a model for acting it out—through complete obedience (John 13:15). This mandatum is where Maundy Thursday gets its name.
To conclude their time in the upper room, Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn together. From there they crossed the Kidron Valley and entered a garden called Gethsemane to pray.
For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections for Holy Week.
Holland Davis, Pastor / Worship Leader, Calvary Chapel San Clemente, presents this worship song devotional from Jerusalem on the Psalms of Ascent.
The first Sunday of Holy Week is commonly called Palm or Passion Sunday.
PALM SUNDAY: a focus on Christ’s entry to Jerusalem amid shouts of the people, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13), the waving of palm branches and the lying down of cloaks.
PASSION SUNDAY: a focus on the fact that Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem marked the beginning of the last week of His life culminating in His suffering and death.
There is much irony on this first day of Holy Week. This is the day in which Jesus entered the city in triumph, yet this event was part of His journey to the cross. He entered Jerusalem to the praises of the people. Yet those very same cries of hosanna would turn to cries of “crucify Him” just a few days later; as the people unknowingly send Jesus to fulfill the actions it would take to do what they earlier asked of Him.
Luke 19:28–44:
And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
This day was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’s earthly work. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, he neared the culmination of a long journey toward the cross. Now was the time, beginning in this place, to secure that salvation. It is within the events of this day that we see the “passion” (suffering) and the “palm” (praise).
For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections for Holy Week.
HOLY WEEK is the last full week of Lent and begins with Palm or Passion Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, and concludes on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.
Jesus' ministry began just as the prophet Isaiah had written many years before:
"Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming! Clear the road for him!'" Mark 1:1-3
One week before his crucifixion and glorious resurrection, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, once again fulfilling prophecy (Zech 9:9), to the shouts of the people,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Matt 21:1-11
When the time for Passover came, Jesus sent two of his disciples, Peter and John, to make preparations for the meal. That night as He ate with the disciples, the One whose body would be broken for them, whose blood would be poured out to cover their sins, offered them the bread and wine. Though He knew He would die for them the next day, Jesus celebrated because the Father had provided deliverance and salvation the way He always does.
And then the cross—it is arguably the most recognized symbol in history. Before Jesus died, its very mention brought to mind images of punishment and torture and death. But ever since that day, the cross has said one thing: God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Him, will have eternal life.
When Jesus was crucified on the cross, it all seemed to be over. Hope had died. At least that's what everyone thought. But God had something else in mind . . . Sunday dawned. The women coming to the tomb found the stone rolled away. They were confronted by two men in dazzling clothes who said, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen!"
The entire life of Jesus was a prelude to the events and teachings during his final week. All that Jesus did during his life led to this moment. One half of all four Gospel accounts focus on the final week of Jesus’s ministry. If this week was so important to the Gospel writers, should we not consider its importance for our own lives today? By reflecting upon the events of Holy Week, we gain a greater understanding of the mission of Jesus.
Certain days within Holy Week have specific names, while others simply include the prefix “holy” to signify that it is the individual day that falls during Holy Week.
- Palm/Passion Sunday—Jesus entered Jerusalem accompanied by the praise of the crowd.
- Holy Monday—Jesus cleared the temple.
- Holy Tuesday—Jesus’s authority was questioned.
- Holy Wednesday—Jesus continued to teach in the temple and Judas agreed to betray Jesus.
- Maundy Thursday—Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples.
- Good Friday—Jesus was put to death.
- Holy Saturday—The body of Jesus laid in the grave; and the disciples hid in fear.
Holy Week leads us to the beginning of the Easter season when we celebrate Christ risen . . . He is risen indeed!
For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections For Holy Week.
Robert Hampshire, Worship Pastor, Cheraw First Baptist Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the Fanny Crosby hymn, "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross."
Michael Kisaka, Lead Outreach Pastor at ONE&ALL Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the song, "We Praise You".
Lester Ruth, Author/Research Professor of Christian Worship at Duke Divinity School, presents this worship song devotional based on the Charles Wesley song "Arise, My Soul, Arise".
Chris Hay, Director of Zarephath Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the song "Great I Am".
Morgan Howlett, Pastor of Youth and Worship, presents this worship song devotional based on the Jordan Frye song "Song Of My Father".
Within the Christian church, there is a special way of marking time called The Christian Year. It is within this sacred pattern of time that followers of Jesus are encouraged to rehearse the story of God in their personal and corporate worship.
LENT is from the Anglo–Saxon word meaning “springtime.” This Lenten season lasts for forty days concluding on Easter Sunday. In fact, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, forty–six days before Easter, but since Sundays are considered “resurrection days,” in which observers celebrate and do not fast, they are not counted as part of the forty days of fasting, praying, and almsgiving.
Have you ever heard the term “spring cleaning”? Each year in the spring we look around our homes and say, “I should really get rid of a bunch of this stuff. It's time for some spring cleaning!” (Well, maybe not those words exactly). But we all go through the cycle of cleaning out the clutter in our homes, bedrooms, or dorm rooms. This is what Lent is about. It is a “spring cleaning” for our souls. We search within to find all the stuff that really doesn't need to be there, or shouldn't be there, and we empty them from our lives, inviting Christ to dwell in their place.
Lent is a season for both personal and corporate spiritual renewal. During this season, the Christ follower is to look within and ask, “Am I living my life as though it were worthy of someone to die?” The history of Lent unveils traditions rich with meaning including times of intense study of God’s Word, meditation, prayer, and self–examination.
The placement of the season of Lent, immediately preceding the Easter season, encourages the Christian to prepare well for the celebration of new life through resurrection. We die to ourselves, crucified with Christ, and find new life in Jesus. Therefore, the Lenten season is for all who call themselves Christians. For all who desire to become more like Jesus. It is not a Catholic thing, nor a Protestant thing. It is a follower of Jesus Christ thing.
An authentic journey through Lent leads to repentance—to turn away from sin and to turn to God. Our lives are shaped internally through external disciplines as we spiritually prepare to experience the power of the resurrection in our own lives. Lent provides an opportunity to be spiritually formed through the external disciplines of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.
The tradition of giving something up during Lent (i.e., chocolate, soda, Facebook, etc.) comes from the historical precedent of fasting. Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and many others in the Bible fasted. Jesus himself fasted for forty days (which is why Lent lasts for forty days) in order to focus his attention on his mission and journey to the cross. Fasting helps us to focus on what is important. The pangs we feel during our fast remind us that our faith requires sacrifice. It helps build discipline and character. As we have seen, fasting is not only about giving something up, but also about taking something (or someone) on. We give up something in order to take on more of the likeness of Christ and grow deeper in our relationship with God.
This is what Lent is about. It is a time to search within ourselves, and even more, allow God to search within us and take away anything that does not give Him glory. Will you pray this prayer today as we begin the season of Lent?
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23–24
Have you ever had the experience of being lost on a road and frantically looking for a sign to give you direction? Whether it is a road sign, warning sign, or a different kind of sign, signs are important.
The church has always had signs. The most important sign of the church is the cross. Another important sign, or symbol, for the church are ashes. Ashes symbolize repentance (we’ll look at this more in just a bit). These two, cross and ashes, mark the beginning of Lent and signal a time of intense spiritual reflection and renewal.
For most people coming from a Protestant background, an Ash Wednesday service and the season of Lent are quite foreign and somewhat threatening. The Advent and Christmas cycles are much less threatening because Christmas themes are so prevalent in our culture. Also because the secularization of Christmas is so apparent, most Christians are attracted to the possibility of rising above the materialism of the Christmas culture. Consequently, many Protestant churches now practice Advent. But Lent is another matter. Lent appears to be dark and foreboding. It reminds Protestants of the Roman Catholic practices—ritualism, works, fasting, vigils, and the like. Haven’t we been saved from all of that? Didn’t the Reformers free us from having to do works and pilgrimages and such things?
But maybe we should ask: Does something lie behind the symbol of ashes on a forehead that has the potential to make our journey into Easter more meaningful? After all, what do we do in order to prepare for Easter? Most Protestants don’t make any spiritual preparation for the annual celebration of the death and resurrection. Think of it this way: if you are married, how long did you take to prepare for your wedding? Months . . . years? You had to book a venue, book the florist, book the photographer. You had to find the perfect wedding dress and tuxedo. You had to book the honeymoon and a thousand and two other details. Now, think about how long you normally take to prepare for the celebration of Easter, which is the greatest event of all time—yes, even greater than your wedding.
Ash Wednesday serves as the starting point for the season of Lent, the season designed to prepare us for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.
To be clear, the Scriptures do not prescribe the keeping of Ash Wednesday as a specific holy day. But there are signs in Scripture that are used on Ash Wednesday.
The first is the sign of the CROSS. The origin of the sign of the cross goes back to the early church and expresses the self-denial that is associated with Jesus. In the early church the sign of the cross accompanied sacred actions, such as baptism. Baptism, like the cross, is the way of death. What is brought to death is the old life, the old way, the influence of the powers of evil. So the sign of the cross, used in the Ash Wednesday service symbolizes a willingness to put to death a life lives after the flesh and a willingness to follow Jesus, even to death.
The second sign of Ash Wednesday is ASHES. We’ve seen ashes placed on foreheads (configured into the sign of the cross). In Scripture, ashes are a sign of repentance. When Daniel discovered the impending desolation of Jerusalem, he “turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” (Dan 9:3; see also 2 Sam 13:19; Job 42:6; Esth 4:1).
The ashes used in the imposition traditionally come from the burning of the palm branches from the year before. Ashes are applied to the forehead of Christians in the sign of the cross (throughout the Middle Ages ashes were sprinkled on the head) as a symbol of humility and repentance. The ashes are a reminder that we are . . .
"dust and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19
Thus, they are a reminder of our mortality cursed as it is by sin. Moreover, the ashes remind us of our limits, of what we are, and how greatly we need God's mercy in Christ.
We don’t wear ashes to proclaim our holiness but to acknowledge that we sin and are in need of repentance and renewal. When we come forward to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, we are saying that we are sorry for our sins, and that we want to use the season of Lent to correct our faults, purify our hearts, control our desires and grow in holiness so we will be prepared to celebrate Easter with great joy.
With this focus on our own mortality and sinfulness, Christians can enter into the Lent season solemnly, while also looking forward in greater anticipation and joy of the message of Easter and Christ’s ultimate victory over sin and death.
Shrove Tuesday is the day immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. It is a day of preparation for the fasting and penitence practiced throughout the season of Lent.
The name Shrove Tuesday comes from the word “shrive”, which means to confess and receive absolution. The concept behind this practice is found in 1 Corinthians 9:27, where the Apostle Paul states: “I discipline my body and keep it under control . . . ” Ironically, Shrove Tuesday has devolved into a day of indulgence when some people take part in as much pleasure and self-gratification as they can before Lent and the fasting both begin.
For centuries many foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods were not eaten as part of the fasting tradition. The need to eat up the fats gave rise to the French name Mardi Gras (‘Fat Tuesday’). Groups of people would gather together and join their supplies to use up all the foods that would spoil during the Lenten season. In essence, they were being good stewards of the provisions God had provided.
Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats, and milk in the house simply by adding flour.
There is a fun tale that says pancake races began in the year 1445. A woman had lost track of the time on Shrove Tuesday, and was busy cooking pancakes in her kitchen. Suddenly she heard the church bell ringing to call people to church for confession. The woman raced out of her house and ran all the way to church, still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron.
Today there are still pancake races! Perhaps the most famous races are held at Olney (home of John Newton, author of the hymn Amazing Grace) in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom over a 415 yard course. The rules are strict; contestants have to toss their pancake from the start to the finish line. Plus they must wear an apron and a scarf. A church service follows the race.
Because of this tradition, churches all over have pancake suppers to kick off the season of Lent.
Looking beyond fun traditions, the primary focus of Shrive Tuesday is to prepare our homes and hearts for the fasting and penitence in which we will participate during the season of Lent. We follow the Apostle Peter’s advice to:
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19
This video from just a few days ago, is of UETS seminary students (some of them my worship ministry students) worshiping with lights out as the battle for Kyiv is happening not many miles away.
Interesting note: this is being sung in Russian, not Ukrainian. It's important to understand that not everyone who speaks the Russian language is Russian. Most Ukrainians are functionally bilingual and this song happens to be sung in Russian.
The English lyrics are:
Savior, he can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of Salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
Rob Nash, Outreach Pastor at Calvary Vista Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the Hillsong song "As It Is (In Heaven)".
Ethan Dupree, Minister of LOGOS Worship, First Baptist Church San Antonio, presents this worship song devotional based on the CityALight song "Only A Holy God".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn "The Love Of God".
Sarah Sattler, Worship Leader at Cornerstone Bible Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the Elevation Worship song "Gone".
On February 2, we observe the Feast of THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD, honoring Jesus’ presentation in the Temple when he was a baby.
Jesus’ presentation in the Temple reflects how he fulfills the Old Covenant. According to Old Testament law, a sacrifice had to be offered in the Temple when a child was consecrated to the Lord. Mary and Joseph honored this tradition, as Luke 2:22–24 describes:
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Following a forty day purification, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple to be consecrated. Incidentally, when we compare Leviticus 12:2–8 with Luke 2:22–24, we find that Mary and Joseph were poor since they brought only two birds with them and no lamb . . . or did they? Although Mary and Joseph were poor, they brought a lamb, no, THE LAMB, who will one day take away the sins of the world.
Simeon, a devout and upright man, had been told by the Lord he would meet the Messiah before his death. When Jesus comes to the Temple, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. Simeon and the prophetess Anna recognize Jesus’ Lordship as Messiah in this culmination of their watchful waiting. When Simeon receives Jesus, he blesses him, and prophesies Jesus’ future as Savior, proclaiming him to be the Light of the world:
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” Luke 2:28–32
J. Louis Cronin, Pastor/Author, presents this worship song devotional based on the CityALight song, "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me".
Steven Brooks, Director of Worship Quest Ministries, presents this worship song devotional based on the Matt Boswell and Matt Papa song, "His Mercy Is More".
Dawn Gilmore, Author/Professor (retired), presents this worship song devotional based on the Pat Barrett song, "Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly".
Bria Blessing, Singer/Songwriter/Worship Leader in Ukraine & United States, presents this worship song devotional based on the hymn, "How Great Thou Art".
Epiphany is January 6. The general topic of this day and the season that follows is Jesus’ manifestation of himself as God. Epiphany means “manifestation” or “appearance” and in many churches, primarily remembers the arrival of the Magi. In many Eastern churches however, Epiphany has come to be celebrated as the baptism of Jesus and his first miracle at Cana.
On the Feast of Epiphany (January 6) and the season after Epiphany (the period after January 6 to the beginning of Lent), the church has traditionally celebrated the making known of Jesus Christ to the world. During this time of the year, Bible readings and sermons deal with Jesus’ identity. Since the purpose of the Christian Year is to relive the major events in Jesus’ life in real time, during this season after Epiphany, we remember Christ’s life from his birth, as he grows and begins his public ministry.
Several events have been thought of as special instances of the making known of our Lord:
- The Visit of the Magi – Matthew 2:1–12
- The Presentation of the Lord – Luke 2:22–38
- The Baptism of the Lord – Luke 3:15–17, 21–22
- Jesus’ First Miracle in Cana – John 2:1–11
- The Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1–3; Mark 9:2–9; Luke 9:28–36
In each of these instances, Jesus is made known publicly through a declaration or act: the Magi announcing to King Herod that they are searching for the new King; Simeon declaring that his eyes are seeing the glory of the Lord as he holds baby Jesus in his arms; God the Father’s voice speaking from heaven informing those at Jesus’ baptism that this is his “beloved Son”; the disciples believing in Jesus when they see his miracle at the wedding reception in Cana; and again, the voice of the Father at the Mount of Transfiguration speaking about Jesus.
Just as the word itself means a manifestation of Jesus as the Christ, we find a spiritual emphasis for our own lives during Epiphany. Because God’s glory has been manifested in Jesus Christ, we, as his disciples, have been called to manifest Christ’s glory through not only our words and actions, but through our lives as we reach out to be the epiphany to those with whom we come in contact.
Michael Kisaka, Lead Outreach Pastor at ONE&ALL Church, presents this worship song devotional based on the Elevation Worship and Maverick City song, "Jireh".
Within the Christian church, there is a special way of marking time called The Christian Year. It is within this sacred pattern of time that followers of Jesus are encouraged to rehearse the story of God in their personal and corporate worship.
The Christian Year begins with the season of Advent. A season to anticipate the coming of Jesus. Not just remembering his coming in Bethlehem, but drawing our attention to his second coming as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Advent leads us to the season of Christmas. Christmas is a festive and joyous season. It’s a time to celebrate the Light of the world coming to dispel the darkness. The Christmas season begins on Christmas day, December 25, and lasts until January 5, the day before Epiphany. Unfortunately, this season of the church year has been widely misunderstood and the commercialization of Christmas has created a distorted view of this season. Today, Christmas is popularly believed to end, not begin, on December 25, taking away the impact and importance of not only Advent, but also the feast of Epiphany following Christmas. The fact of the matter is that the season of Christmas begins on December 25 and lasts for twelve days—“on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .” This is not simply an entertaining song to sing, but a historical understanding of the Christmas season and evidence that at some point in time Christmas truly was celebrated as twelve days, not just one.
The primary meaning of Christmas is that we not only celebrate Jesus born in Bethlehem, but Christ crucified, risen, and returning—and Christ born in us. This perspective invites Christmas to be a very important time in our spiritual lives. The fact that God became man—the Word became flesh (John 1:14)—gives us an opportunity to be united with God. Because Jesus was united to God, we, through our union with Jesus in faith are united with God. Our spiritual lives are formed, and we experience unity with the Triune God.
Observing the Christmas season then, has great spiritual value in strengthening spiritual formation.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Within the Christian church, there is a special way of marking time called The Christian Year. It is within this sacred pattern of time that followers of Jesus are encouraged to rehearse the story of God in their personal and corporate worship.
The Christian Year begins with the season of ADVENT. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas day, December 25. The term advent means “coming” or “arrival.” In Advent, God provides us with the story of his coming. Because of its placement in the Christian Year, immediately preceding Christmas, it has often been misunderstood to be an exclusive focus on the coming of the baby in Bethlehem. The primary focus of Advent, however, has been on what is popularly called “the second coming.” For it is in the anticipation of Christ’s return, or advent, that worshipers today participate in the waiting. Followers of old anticipated the coming of Jesus as Messiah. Today we anticipate the coming of Jesus as well. This time, not as Messiah, for Messiah has already come. During our advent we anticipate Christ’s coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. In Advent, we find the promise that God will bring an end to all the wickedness and evil that we know and bring judgment and ultimately peace to all who trust in him. It is a time to prepare hearts, minds, and lives for the arrival of the King. A time to look within and work toward being ready to meet Christ when he comes again. This is a much different focus from the Christmas season, which is yet to come.
The season of Advent is about both joy and longing, celebration and expectation, gratitude and petition. As we worship during Advent, we focus on the gift of hope, peace, joy, and love that we have because of Christ Jesus.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer states,
A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.
In Advent, the church stands between two proclamations: “God Has Come” and “Come, Lord Jesus.” The first grounds our confidence that the second will be answered. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus shape our hope in the return, reign, and renewal to come (G. Packiam).
The Foundations of Worship series concludes with the question, “How should we worship?”
Dr. Steven Brooks continues the Foundations of Worship series with the question, “Who is welcome to worship?”
Dr. Steven Brooks continues the Foundations of Worship series with the question, “Where should we worship?”
Dr. Steven Brooks discusses whom Christians should worship as part of the Foundations of Worship series.
Dr. Steven Brooks answers the question "Why Worship?" as part of the Foundations of Worship series.
Dr. Steven Brooks presents "What is Worship?" as part of the Foundations of Worship series.
After reading Part One of this article (see previous post) you may be thinking, “Okay, I agree that multicultural worship is important and beneficial to my congregation, but HOW DO I LEAD IT?”
For leaders of congregational worship, it is important to consider how best to plan and implement multicultural worship services that faithfully respect cultures and honor Jesus.
It is impossible to cover every option for leading multicultural worship in this short article, but here are a few ideas:
Before you begin planning or leading multicultural worship, PRAY. Ask God for clear guidance on how to proceed. Next, BE A LEARNER. Spend time with people in your church that are from a different culture than your own. Listen to their stories. Learn about their cultural traditions, songs, and worship practices. Don’t just listen to gain ideas for worship planning. Listen in order to really get to know them and develop a relationship with them.
Next, speak to your church’s leadership (senior pastor, elder board, etc.) to discuss your vision and conviction. Once you’ve communicated your vision and have the support of your church leadership, begin to slowly incorporate multicultural elements into the worship service. Cultural changes/shifts take time so DON’T RUSH.
Let’s discuss three areas of worship to consider:
MUSICBegin singing songs from cultures other than your congregation’s primary demographic, written by songwriters from those cultures. What if you don’t know any of those songs or songwriters? This is why I have encouraged you to spend time with those in your congregation from other cultures. Ask questions. I have also provided a resource list at the bottom of this article. And if you don’t have anyone who can lead musically that is from a culture other than the primary culture within the congregation, it’s okay. You can still lead multicultural worship.
Did you know the popular worship song Way Maker was written by a female Nigerian worship leader? Does your congregation know that? Does your congregation know A Mighty Fortress Is Our God was written by a 16th century German pastor? Unless your congregation is a German reformed congregation, A Mighty Fortress is a multicultural song for you. Before singing one of these songs, tell your congregation the background story of the song. Share with them about how singing songs from other cultures reminds us that we are part of the global Christian community.
You can also sing songs in different languages. Is there a large Hispanic population within the surrounding community of your church? You can incorporate Spanish into your songs. Again, start slowly. When you first introduce this idea, select a chorus of a song that has simple Spanish lyrics. For instance, you can sing Open the Eyes of My Heart by Paul Baloche. The chorus is “Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. I want to see you.” The Spanish lyrics for that chorus are pretty simple, even for those who might not know Spanish: “Santo, santo, santo. Santo, santo, santo. Santo, santo, santo. Yo quiero verte.” After a couple of instances singing a simple chorus in another language, you can then add a verse. You can even place two languages side by side on the screen or in the bulletin so your congregation can sing both languages at the same time. For instance, those whose heart language is Spanish could sing the Spanish lyrics, while others will sing the primary language of the congregation. This is a wonderful way to remind the congregation that we are practicing for worship in heaven as multiple languages sing together, at the same time, united in Christ.
PRAYERInvite someone in your congregation who speaks a language other than the primary language of the congregation to pray. A great way to implement this is by offering two prayers–one in the primary language of the congregation and a second in another language. These could even be the same prayer. Since this is congregational worship we should be encouraging the congregation to participate in worship, and this allows the congregation to know what is being prayed and to agree with the prayer.
SCRIPTUREDesign Scripture readings that incorporate various languages. You can see some ideas on our Worship Quest Resource page on this website. For instance, take a look at these examples: Revelation 19:1–9 or Psalm 103.
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Again, a key aspect of beginning to incorporate multicultural worship is to begin slowly, but purposefully. If multicultural worship is a new practice for your congregation, begin on Pentecost Sunday or on the National Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. These are natural times for the congregation to hear multiple languages within the worship service and have their attention drawn to multicultural expressions of worship. You can then incorporate multicultural worship throughout the rest of the year and soon it will become a natural expression of worship for your congregation.
In conclusion, multicultural worship is an important aspect of our response of worship to God as a community of believers. When we join together with people who might not look like us, speak like us, or seem to have much in common with us at all, we are blessed and encouraged to realize that it is within our diversity that we find unity – in Jesus Christ.
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RESOURCESArts Release is a wonderful ministry encouraging congregations to think about multicultural worship. You can invite the band to hold workshops or lead worship at your church or local gathering.
The Global Consultation of Arts and Music in Mission will be offering their popular GCAMM conference in Dallas this year July 12–15, 2021
WEBSITESGlobal Ethnodoxology Network
Multicultural Worship Leaders Network
Multicultural Hymns of Praise
Nairobi Statement on Worship and Culture
Inspiro Arts Alliance
BOOKSJosh Davis and Nikki Lerner, Worship Together in Your Church as in Heaven, 2015
Charles E. Farhadian, Christian Worship Worldwide, 2007
Michael C. Hawn, Gather Into One: Praying and Singing Globally, 2003
Michael C. Hawn, One Bread, One Body, 2003
Roberta King, Global Arts and Christian Witness: Exegeting Culture, Translating the Message, and Communicating Christ, 2019
James R. Krabill, Frank Fortunato, Robin Harris and Brian Schrag, Worship and Mission for the Global Church: An Ethnodoxology Handbook, 2013.
WHY SHOULD WE CONSIDER offering multicultural worship in our churches?With Worship Quest Ministries, I (Steven) have the opportunity to travel around the world teaching, training, and mentoring the church in Christian worship and formation. As I write this, I am currently in Ukraine to speak at a worship conference. While I’ve been here, I’ve had the opportunity to visit a few churches, preaching and leading midweek Bible study groups—worshiping with brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Each time I visit a culture that is not my own, I am amazed by God and blessed by the global Body of Christ.
These opportunities to worship alongside Christ’s Body in different parts of the world captures my imagination for multicultural worship within our own congregations back home. Yet the question of culture and how closely worship content should align with local customs, vernacular language, and cultural practices has been a question of the ages. Not all Christians in all times and places have agreed over the degree to which worship content should or shouldn’t be couched in the language and customs of a certain local people group. There are questions of intelligibility, of meaning, and even of power. Language usage in the corporate worship context is just one facet of that larger discussion. And, yes, it was a triumph of the early Protestant reformers to reclaim the local vernacular for worship content—so much so that most of us today might not realize there’s even a question to be asked.
But there is an important opportunity for pastoral shepherding, and Christian growth for our congregations, if we revisit the question with fresh eyes for today. Our view of the grandeur of God’s Kingdom is worth the effort required to consider questions of multicultural worship anew. We may even find ourselves with renewed wonder at the inscrutable wisdom of God’s gospel plan.
Sticking with worship practices and spoken language that is completely familiar to the majority culture you are ministering within has this crucial advantage: complete intelligibility. The Reformers recognized that and argued for it strenuously. Rightly so! Using musical forms, prayer forms, and spoken language that most people in your congregation will know and be comfortable with seems to be a no-brainer.
But there’s an opportunity to expand our vision by going beyond. The Lord God Almighty, the eternal, unchanging, triune God is the King of the universe, the Lord of every nation, the one whose gospel is going forward to all the ends of the earth, and who is calling forth a kingdom of priests, a royal priesthood, a people for his own possession from out of every tribe and nation and tongue.
Psalm 86:9: All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
That’s easy to forget. Or perhaps it’s not really that we forget, but that it can too easily fall into “out of sight, out of mind.” But give the congregation a picture every once in a while, call it back to the forefront of our minds, and it can turbo charge our responses of worship. (After all, isn’t worship responding to God’s revelation of himself?) Show us more . . . and we’ll have more to respond to.
Enter multicultural worship practices: or, more specifically, cross-cultural worship practices. Being reminded of the faithfulness of Christ followers in nations and cultures we are less familiar with, or who we wouldn’t regularly interact with, expands our vision of the greatness of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit’s active and miraculous work in nations and lands we may never see is going forward day after day, to the end that, indeed, Jesus shall reign as Lord of every nation and people.
Revelation 7:9–10: Behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb . . . crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Multicultural worship is essential for the life of the church. The Scriptures explicitly mandate multicultural worship as seen with Abraham in Genesis 12:3; Moses in Exodus 9:16; Joshua (4:24) and the Psalter (2:8; 22:27; 67:2-3) unfolds God’s heart for all ethnes: “all nations,” “all peoples,” “all mankind,” “all creation,” “every creature,” “every knee,” “every tongue,” “every language,” and “the world.” Additionally, the Antioch model of the church in Acts 11–12 demonstrates that multicultural missional congregations survive the test of time and tribulations. Finally, the eschatological glimpse of the worship community (Revelation 14:6; 15:4) portrays the heavenly throne room filled with multicultural praise and worship.
To sing and pray—to worship in forms and styles that are borrowed/shared from other cultures gives God’s people a powerful way to announce and to proclaim, prophetically and boldly, that God is the king of ALL the earth, and that the kingdoms of this world certainly are going to become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. We should announce it now! And perhaps the unease of stepping into a song or tongue that’s unfamiliar can increase the intensity of what might otherwise have downshifted into just another Sunday on autopilot.
[Part Two will include ways to incorporate multicultural worship into the local church context.]
Dr. Steven Brooks
Dr. Eric Sarwar
Andrew Braine
This article is co-written by:
Dr. Steven Brooks – Pastor and Professor of Worship and Founder and Director of Worship Quest Ministries. Steven holds a Doctorate in Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies.
Dr. Eric Sarwar – Lead Pastor at Artesia City Church and President of Tehillim School of Church Music and Worship in Pakistan. Eric holds a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Andrew Braine – President of Worship Resource Media. Andrew holds a M.Div. from Talbot School of Theology.
Our Founder & Director Steven Brooks will be traveling to Kyiv, Ukraine on April 30, participating in ministry there until May 17. He will be teaching at the Music in Worship Conference and at Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS).
The theme for the conference this year is . . . When the Music Fades.
After more than a year of global upheaval due to Covid-19, regulations have loosened a bit to allow this conference to happen. Over the past month, a great team in Ukraine and the U.S. have been pulling things together, which would normally take 6 months to do. The conference will be offered in-person and online. And in this season, as you know, things do change regularly, so we still have to be ready to shift at a moment's notice.
The theme of the conference comes from worship leader Matt Redman’s song, “The Heart of Worship.” The first few lines are:
"When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come."
Many have experienced this first hand, especially over the past year, when public meetings were not able to take place. When our routine of corporate worship is forced to change, and we are unable to meet in person like we normally do, where does that leave our worship? When there is so much hurt and uneasiness in our world, how do push through and still worship the Lord?
These are the kind of questions we will address at the conference, as well as continue to teach skill and practical issues.
Our mission statement at Worship Quest Ministries of training worship leaders and helping the church move toward worship renewal and spiritual formation does not change even in hard times. In fact, it may be enhanced during such times as this and so we are anticipating great things from God.
Please be praying for the conference, the teaching at the seminaries that we will be participating in over the course of the trip, health, and safety. Thank you.
Music in Worship 2021
Dr. Steven Brooks will be teaching the following sessions at the Music in Worship 2021 conference:
“Press On: Persistent Faith”
“God’s Dramatic Word: Presenting Scripture in Worship”
There is a statement that has been repeated over the years and is being echoed through social media during this current time of COVID-19 (2020): The church is not the building, it is the people.
Yes, of course, we know this to be true. However, the sentiment behind this statement can be dangerous, and neglects a healthy understanding of the church and of liturgical theology.
Friends of Worship Quest Ministries present Acts 2:1-20 & John 3:16 for Pentecost 2020.
Click on the image above to watch on Youtube.
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Jesus spoke seven times while dying on the cross; his seven expressions are called the Seven Last Words.
The Thursday before Easter. Maundy Thursday. Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover in the Upper Room. The Last Supper.
The religious leaders question Jesus because of his cleansing of the temple the day before.
In this episode, we consider the events in Jesus’ life on this day in history - one week before his resurrection from the dead.
Call to Worship – from Psalm 130
LEADER: Out of the depths we cry to you, Lord;
ALL: Lord, hear our voices.
LEADER: Let your ears be attentive
ALL: to our cries for mercy.
LEADER: If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
ALL: But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
LEADER: I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord
ALL: more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
LEADER: Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. ALL: He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Prayer
O Lord, we join with the psalmist and cry out to you. We recognize your forgiveness, trusting in you, waiting on you, and recognizing your kindness and mercy. There is a lot going on in this world. This Psalm is a song asking for your pardon and mercy as we recognize your goodness. Father, we place our trust in you, today and always. Amen.
Response – I Will Wait For You (Psalm 130) (Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker, Keith Getty, and Stuart Townend, 2018)
Lord, from the depths I call to You
Lord, hear me from on high
And give attention to my voice
When I for mercy cry
Out of the depths I cry to You
In darkest places I will call
Incline Your ear to me anew
And hear my cry for mercy, Lord
Were You to count my sinful ways
How could I come before Your throne
Yet full forgiveness meets my gaze
I stand redeemed by grace alone
I will wait for You, I will wait for You
On Your word, I will rely
I will wait for You, surely wait for You
Till my soul is satisfied
So put your hope in God alone
Take courage in His power to save
Completely and forever won
By Christ emerging from the grave
Now He has come to make a way
And God Himself has paid the price
That all who trust in Him today
Find healing in His sacrifice
I will wait for You, I will wait for You
Through the storm and through the night
I will wait for You, surely wait for You
For Your love is my delight
I pray my soul waits for the Lord
My hope is in His word
More than the watchman waits for dawn
My soul waits for the Lord
Prayer of Confession
Father, we come before you, with hope, trusting in you to forgive our sins. For we have done wrong, and continue to do so. We have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to you. But we know that you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you. And so we pray, have mercy on us. Forgive us. Wash us clean. Allow us to be in right relationship with you again, for we know that you are faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Amen.
Chalcedonian Creed (circa 451 A.D.)
This creed was adopted at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, held at Chalcedon, located in what is now Turkey, in 451, as a response to certain heretical views concerning the nature of Christ. It established the orthodox view that Christ has two natures (human and divine) that are unified in one person.
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God–bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only–begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only–begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
Gospel Reading
Read John 7:25-53
Prayer for Others
O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, bless all thy people, and all thy flock. Give thy peace, thy help, thy love unto us thy servants, the sheep of thy fold, that we may be united in the bond of peace and love, one body and one spirit, in one hope of our calling, in thy divine and boundless love. (Liturgy of St Mark, 2nd century)
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Response – Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor (Matt Boswell, 2014)
Christ the sure and steady anchor
In the fury of the storm
When the winds of doubt blow through me
When my sails have all been torn
In the suffering, in the sorrow
When my sinking hopes are few
I will hold fast to the anchor
It will never be removed
Christ the sure and steady anchor
While the tempest rages on
When temptation claims the battle
And it seems the night has won
Deeper still then goes the anchor
Though I justly stand accused
I will hold fast to the anchor
It shall never be removed
Christ the sure and steady anchor
Through the floods of unbelief
Hopeless somehow, o my soul
Now, lift your eyes to Calvary
This my ballast of assurance
See His love forever proved
I will hold fast to the anchor
It will never be removed
Christ the sure and steady anchor
As we face the wave of death
When these trials give way to glory
As we draw our final breath
We will cross that great horizon
Clouds behind and life secure
And the calm will be the better
For the storms that we endure
Christ the shore of our salvation
Ever faithful ever true
Benediction
Let us use the lyrics from that song as our benediction: Christ the sure and steady anchor in the fury of the storm When the winds of doubt blow through me, when my sails have all been torn In the suffering, in the sorrow, when my sinking hopes are few I will hold fast to the anchor it will never be removed Hold fast to Jesus, the anchor for our souls, for Jesus is steadfast, immovable, the shore of our salvation, ever faithful and ever true. Amen.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
Call to Worship – from Psalm 23
Come, walk in green pastures and follow the Shepherd. Come, lie down in green pastures and trust the Shepherd. Come, dine at the table of abundance and be fed by the Shepherd. Come, dwell in God’s house and live in the Shepherd’s care.
Prayer
Father God, our Good Shepherd, you know our names; you care for us. When we face darkness and death, walk beside us. When we hunger for your love, fill us with your presence. When we are fearful, feed us at your table. May we dwell in the house of goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Amen.
Response – Psalm 23 (I Am Not Alone) (Joshua Sherman, Laurel Taylor, Steven Musso, 2018)
The Lord is my Shepherd
He goes before me
Defender behind me
I won’t fear
I’m filled with anointing
My cup’s overflowing
No weapon can harm me
I won’t fear
Hallelujah I am not alone
He's my comfort, always holds me close
He always guides me
Through mountains & valleys
His joy is refreshing
Restores my soul
Mercy and Goodness
Gives me assurance
That I'll see Your Glory
Face to face
Your Spirit lives within me
So I will walk in Your Peace
Your Spirit lives within me
My Victory (My Victory)
Prayer of Confession
Good Shepherd, we take your care for granted. In the midst of your many blessings, we complain of not having enough. In the presence of danger, we fail to trust your abiding love. When you set a table before us, we turn from you. Call us back to your care and help us trust your caring presence, that our actions may proclaim your truth. Amen.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. God forgives our failures and calls us back into the flock.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer for Others
Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need Your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel Your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses. Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them.
Almighty God, we know that everything is in Your sovereign control. We ask that You keep this new coronavirus from continuing to spread. Give government officials the ability to safely handle people arriving from other countries. Help people decide to stay home instead of traveling or going out needlessly. Holy Spirit, remind people to wash their hands properly. And while it may be heartbreaking, comfort families as they decide to keep their distance from elderly or other high-risk family members.
(by Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie of World Vision)
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Response – The Lord’s My Shepherd (Stuart Townend, 2006)
The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want
He makes me lie in pastures green
He leads me by the still still waters
His goodness restores my soul
And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home
He guides my ways in righteousness
And He anoints my head with oil
And my cup it overflows with joy
I feast on His pure delights
And though I walk the darkest path
I will not fear the evil one
For You are with me
And Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know
Benediction
Nourished by the Shepherd’s abundant love, go forth to walk in the paths of righteousness.
Love one another in truth and action. May God’s abundant blessings abide in you forever.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
In these days of uncertainty, let’s remember that God is still in control and will care for us no matter the circumstance.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
For those who might not be able to make it to church this Sunday because of COVID-19, or other reasons, we created this worship opportunity for you and your family to be able to worship together in your homes. We are praying for you - for health and safety - but most of all, we are praying for the church of God to share His love with all who may be fearful and in distress during this time. God bless you as you keep your eyes focused on Jesus!
Call to Worship – Psalm 29:1–2
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Prayer
Lord, be with us this day, Within us to purify us; Above us to draw us up; Beneath us to sustain us; Before us to lead us; Behind us to restrain us; Around us to protect us. Amen. (Patrick, c.389-461)
Response – Way Maker (Osinachi Okoro, 2016)
You are here, moving in our midst I worship you, I worship you
You are here, working in this place I worship you, I worship you
Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, Light in the darkness
My God, that is who you are
Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, Light in the darkness
My God, that is who you are
Even when I don’t see it You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, you love us, but we do not love you fully. You call, but we do not always listen. We often walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you move toward us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Gospel Reading
Read John 4:1–42
Prayer for Others
Almighty and all–loving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we thank you for leading us in worship and furthermore, seeking out those who worship in spirit and truth. We pray that this world will turn to you and seek your face. We pray for those who suffer from sickness and hurt. Especially during this time, we pray your healing hand upon those who are sick, that you give wisdom to policymakers, skill to healthcare professionals and researchers, comfort to everyone in distress, and a sense of calm to all of us in these days of uncertainty. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord who showed compassion to the outcast, acceptance to the rejected, and love to those to whom no love was shown.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Response – His Mercy Is More (M. Boswell / M. Papa, 2016)
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord — His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Benediction
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
Please pray for Steven as he travels to Ukraine to teach on worship and spiritual formation. This two week trip will include teaching at the Music in Worship Conference (May 9-11) hosted by Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) and teaching at a couple of seminaries.
About the Host SeminaryUETS was founded in 1992, and is the only non-denominational seminary (undergraduate and graduate) in Ukraine. It also is the only residential seminary, with 70+ students on-campus, with 400+ pastors and Christian workers who come four times a year to study part-time.
Their mission? Strengthening the church and transforming society.
UETS is involved in so many areas with their music ministry, theology, and psychology undergraduate degrees, and graduate programs in counseling, leadership, and urban mission. Students come from both Eastern Europe and Central Asia to study and be equipped to lead the Church.
About the Music in Worship ConferenceSince 2013, my friend Fred has been able to come alongside and help UETS raise their standards musically and spiritually through adding courses on worship essentials and worship theology and attracting new students through the Music in Worship conferences.
Fred invited me to join a team to teach at this year’s conference – a team composed of people from Ukraine, United Kingdom, Germany, and the U.S. We are expecting over 300 people (leaders and teams) to attend the conference.
Please PrayWe do ask for prayer:
• effective preparation for my teaching sessions
• more registrants from Ukraine as they make their decision to come with their worship teams
• peace and efficiency for the staff in Kyiv as they prepare
• insight and discernment for the international and national teachers/clinicians as we prepare
• safety and health for all involved
• provision of the $2900 more needed for the trip
• no drama!
Thank you for praying.
Blessings!
Please consider investing in what God is doing in Ukraine and through Worship Quest Ministries. These funds go toward Steven’s travel, supplies, miscellaneous trip needs, and a portion will be given as a donation to UETS to further God’s work of building leaders for the Church. Thank you. (donations are tax deductible)
Invest Now
It is a great honor to be invited to be a special guest speaker at the Sharjah Worship and Music Conference in the United Arab Emirates. Please be in prayer for those attending the conference as well as those of us who will be teaching.
Five reasons our corporate worship gatherings should include worshipers of all ages:
1) It’s Biblical: We see throughout Scripture that people of all ages gathered together to worship God. All ages were together listening as Joshua renewed the covenant with God (Joshua 8:35). Jesus gathered children near to him and they (and the adults surrounding him) listened to his words (Matthew 19:13–15). Pentecost turned out just as Joel had foretold: sons and daughters prophesying and old men dreaming dreams (Joel 2:28–29; Acts 2:14–41). In the Bible, God’s people have always included all ages in worship.
2) It’s Universal: When we join in multi-generational worship, we offer worship that transcends time. For the younger generation, we join our voices with those who have been singing the song of the redeemed longer than we’ve been alive. For the older generation, we join with voices that will carry the song long after we are called from this earth. What an honor to be part of a tradition of glorifying God that has stood the test of time.
It is good for us to remember God’s actions throughout history. There is a danger in not remembering all God has done for us and throughout all of history. I was watching a television show recently about the shapes of the states of the United States of America. The historian told the host that a specific state has “historical amnesia.” The people have forgotten the history of the state and it has affected the way they currently live. That statement got me thinking. I believe the church may have a similar problem. The church has historical amnesia.
There is a danger in not remembering all God has done for us as well as throughout all of history. Nehemiah 9:16–17a states, “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff–necked, and they did not obey your commands. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff–necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.” We must understand that worship past is connected to worship present. God is faithful and his grace abounds, but our worship is most powerful when we remember God’s mighty acts.
A contemporary praise song written by worship leader Tommy Walker entitled “We Will Remember” challenges worshipers to remember the acts of Christ in our lives and to praise him accordingly. Lyrics such as, “We will remember the works of Your hands; We will stop and give you praise, for great is Thy faithfulness” and “I still remember the day You saved me, the day I heard You call out my name; You said You loved me and would never leave me, and I’ve never been the same” bring to our attention the importance of remembering God’s saving deeds, both historically and personally. The lyric of the bridge portion of the song, “Hallelujah, hallelujah, to the one from whom all blessings flow; Hallelujah, hallelujah, to the one whose glory has been shown” reiterates that our remembrance of all God has done leads to praise.
3) It’s Educational: Multi–generational worship offers worshipers the opportunity to learn from one another. We learn songs of praise that have been passed down from one generation to the next. We also have the opportunity to learn new forms of worship from new generations of worshipers. The songs we sing, the prayers we pray, the words spoken over us in a sermon, all teach us about God and his calling on our lives, no matter our age.
4) It’s Authentic: When we worship with those who are in a different age group than we are, we get a more accurate picture of the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul calls believers the body of Christ—a body made up of older and younger members. Each member of the body is equally important. When we worship together, we worship as a healthy body.
The Apostle Paul also calls the church the family of God and families include people of varying ages. Unless churches make a point of planning inclusive worship services, people at both ends of the age spectrum have the tendency to feel left out.
5) It’s Applicable: Truth is not relative and does not change with the times. God’s Word is timeless and applicable to all ages. It is no truer today than it was one thousand years ago and remains the same for ages to come. We see throughout Scripture that when the people of God forgot all that God had done for them, they began to get into serious trouble (just take a look through the prophetic books of the Old Testament to see examples; Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, just to name a few). The fact that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life will never change and we must not only remember, but pass that truth on to future generations: “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4).
Multi–generational worship offers us an opportunity to worship in a way pleasing to God. My desire is that we see the Church as God sees her and gather all ages, ethnicities and cultures together to give him the glory due his name.
(Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership, pp. 95-97)
A number of years ago I was in Russia worshiping at a church in a city just outside of Moscow. The pews were packed with worshipers excited to worship God. Following the sermon, the congregation began to sing a hymn. Although I was unfamiliar with the words they sang, I recognized the hymn tune. The song was “How Great Thou Art.” My team and I began singing the hymn in English as they sang in Russian. We raised our voices together, singing the same song at the same time, but in different languages. At that moment I thought to myself, this is what it will be like when we get to heaven.
Heaven is going to be a wonderful gathering of redeemed worshipers from every tribe, nation and tongue joining together to worship God (see Revelation 7:9). I’m not sure if we will all be singing different languages or if there will be one heavenly language, but I do believe that no matter the language, we will understand each other and we will worship together in unity. If this is what we have to look forward to, and yes I am looking forward to that day, than we might as well get used to it here on earth. That is why I am a firm believer in multi–ethnic worship.
Multi–ethnic worship ultimately encourages unity in the body of Christ as we utilize a variety of styles from various people groups. It is in our differences that we find our unity because what we have in common, redemption through the blood of Christ, is greater than all of our differences.
(Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership, pg. 93)
“God can not act in a way contrary to his character. To say God loves recklessly is to say there is an aspect of God’s character that is reckless. This is untrue and to say so is reckless at best, and blasphemous at worst.”
— Steven Brooks
There is much debate over a recent worship song that, unless you're living under a rock, you've probably heard in your church, on the radio, in your Christian school's chapel, or countless other places. The song, titled "Reckless Love", states that God loves us in an overwhelming and reckless manner.
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
One thing I lament about our society today is the devaluing of words. Words used to mean something. There was an old saying, “My word is my bond.” There was a time when you didn’t need a 26 page contract to buy or sell an item to one another. A word and a handshake was all it took. Today, words are practically meaningless. But as Christians, we should be better than that. And in worship, our words MUST mean something. The words we use in worship form us spiritually and project an image of God, not only to us, but to those who hear those words. And we all know what God thinks about his image - he is jealous about how he is portrayed (Exodus 20:4-5).
We can not attribute a word to God that goes against his character and nature. And we can not change the meaning of the word (from current usage and Scriptural usage) just because we feel like it would be appropriate, or we want to be creative.
A simple search of the word “reckless” makes the meaning of the word clear. Just look at the dictionary definition.
reckless (adj.): without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.
Synonyms include “rash, careless, thoughtless, heedless, unheeding, hasty, and impetuous.”
Can we really say this is who God is? Of course not. God knows all things: past, present, and future (theologians call this omniscience). God knew (and knows) precisely the consequences of his actions. He never acts rashly, carelessly, or thoughtlessly. Rather, he acts with complete understanding and purposeful forethought of all that has been and ever will be.
Again, the words we use matter, especially in our worship of Almighty God. And no matter how much we would like to, we cannot change the fact that the word "reckless" is never used as a positive description of one’s actions.
In common everyday terms, we use the word reckless only in negative ways:
We call those who drive drunk reckless drivers.
We say that those who blew through their inheritance, spent their money recklessly.
We consider North Korea reckless in their pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Biblical use of the word “reckless” carries the same negative connotation. In Judges 9:4, “Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men.” In Psalm 141:4, David prays that God would “not let [his] heart turn to any evil thing or wickedly perform reckless acts with men who commit sin.” In Ephesians 5:18, Paul admonishes the church at Ephesus to not “get drunk with wine, which [leads to] reckless actions.” (This is just 3 examples of many - each of which has a negative connotation).
In searching Google and Scripture, I can’t find any occasions where the word “reckless” is used in a positive way. Each time, it is used as a disparaging remark.
Even the biblical allusions/parables the songwriter uses to defend his use of the word are not a legitimate defense. Utilizing the parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4-7) suggests that the shepherd is reckless in the sense that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep “open to wolf attacks, wandering bears, and robbers.” This is incorrect. As New Testament scholar Craig Keener observes of this parable, “A shepherd could leave his own flock with the other shepherds with whom he worked, who would be watching over their own flocks.” In doing so, the shepherd is free to search out the one that is lost. There is no carelessness here.
In addition, in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:13), it is the son whom Scripture calls reckless, not the father.
When society uses the word reckless, it has negative connotations. When Scripture uses the word reckless, it has negative connotations. A contemporary worship songwriter using the word incorrectly, doesn’t change 4,000 years of meaning.
God’s love is purposeful. It is persistent. It is even relentless. But, it is not reckless.
Singing praises to the Lord is a command repeated throughout Scripture (Ps. 68:4; 96:1-2; 105:2; 149:1; 1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; for starters). But how do we encourage our congregations to fulfill this important biblical command? How can we lead our churches in singing out? Here are a few suggestions:
Sing Songs That Are Familiar
Singing familiar songs means we must teach new songs less frequently. I recommend teaching no more than one to two new songs per month. When a new song is taught, make every effort to sing it again within the next two weeks. Generally, when I teach a new song, I sing it again the very next week, then take the third week off, and sing it again on the fourth week. This allows the congregation to become familiar with the song in order to fully participate in the worship service.
Sing Songs More Frequently
Songs should make their way into the rotation more often. Singing songs more frequently allows the congregation to become familiar with them, which in turn encourages them to sing out.
I suggest creating a song database for your church. This is different from the church’s song catalogue, which includes every song ever done at the church. I limit my database to 100 songs per year. For my church, the database is based on the Scripture or theme our church is focusing on for the year. At the start of each new year, I update the database, adding new or returning songs (from previous years) and eliminating songs we won’t use during that year. I also create three song lists from the 100-song database. The first list is what I call the Top 40. These are the 40 songs that we will do most often as a church. I want the congregation to learn these songs well. Next is the Bottom 60 list consisting of the rest of the songs in the database. I call the third list the Classics list, which includes songs that have become favorites of our congregation. These are songs that you know the congregation will sing out because they have become part of the culture of the church. For my church, these included “Shout to the Lord,” “How Great Is Our God,” and “Mighty to Save,” just to name a few.
The rule for our worship leaders was that they had to select half of the songs in the music set from the Top 40. This led to the congregation singing the songs from this list more frequently. The remaining songs could come from the other lists. Hymns were highly encouraged and filled the slot of one song from any list. These guidelines led to the congregation knowing the songs sung in the service and encouraged active worship.
Sing Songs That Are Sing-able
When considering whether or not a song is appropriate for congregational use, think about the melody of the song and whether it is sing-able for the average church go-er (think middle schooler just starting out in band and grandma who has grown up singing from a hymnal). Is the melody crafted in a way that flows well? If you hum the chorus, is it beautiful? Is the song in a key that is easily accessible to the congregation?
A common occurrence in modern worship songs is the octave melody jump. Jumping the octave sounds great on a recording and in performance venues, but the average congregation member will not be able to follow along. If our goal in congregational worship is full participation, doing something they cannot do does not help in accomplishing our goal.
Sing A Cappella
There is a school of thought that says if you want people to sing louder, turn up the music. That philosophy may work well in a festival-style event, where the band cranks up the amps and the people practically scream in order to be heard. When it comes to congregational singing, however, the voice of the congregation should be of utmost importance. This means we should turn down the volume and encourage the congregation to sing out.
The leading of congregational song should never overshadow the song of the people. The voice of the congregation should be primary for it is the main instrument in congregational song. Christians have inherited the musical tradition of the synagogue in which the gathered assembly is led by one voice, the cantor – in modern terms, the worship leader. Early Christians battled over the inclusion of instruments in the liturgy. Organ began accompanying hymns as late as the last half of the sixteenth century. Before that, it would introduce the hymn and play in alternation with the unison, unaccompanied congregation. The term “a cappella” literally means as “in the chapel” and originally referred to congregational singing.
At least once in the worship service, cut out the band, back away from the microphone and encourage the congregation to sing a cappella. This allows the congregation the chance to hear themselves and be encouraged by their own voices. I think you’ll be surprised by what you hear.
Worship Leaders: As you plan musical worship for your church, consider the voice of the congregation as utmost importance. Do your best to give them the best chance to fulfill the biblical command of singing their praises to the Lord.
"The songs we choose for our congregation will help them live well or conversely, not live well. A student in one of my worship ministry classes shared that his mentor would encourage the worship leaders at his church to sing songs that people could die to. In other words, sing songs that help us live, and die, well. Songs filled with good and accurate theology; songs that draw us closer to God rather than farther away; songs that we can sing on our death beds and feel the presence of God drawing near." pg. 124
There is a struggle between worship and evangelism within our churches. Over the past few decades, there has been a movement in the United States to convert the Sunday worship service into an evangelistic gathering. Historically, however, Christians gathered for worship and scattered for evangelism. The worship service has never been intended to be an evangelistic event. This makes sense as only those who believe in God can worship God. It may sound obvious, but those who do not know God cannot worship the God they do not know. In fact, Scripture calls those who do not know God, enemies of God (see Rom 5:10; Col 1:21; Jas 4:4). The worship of God is the priority and ultimate culmination of his redemptive work. Though important, evangelism is not the primary purpose of the gathering (see 1 Cor 14).
It seems that Christians today have turned evangelism into inviting people to church rather than sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Marva Dawn states:
"Worship is the language of love and growth between believers and God; evangelism is the language of introduction between those who believe and those who don’t. To confuse the two and put on worship the burden of evangelism robs the people of God of their responsibility to care about the neighbor, defrauds the believers of transforming depth, and steals from God the profound praise of which he is worthy."
Nowhere in Scripture do we find, “Worship the Lord to win over unbelievers.” Instead, we find countless passages that encourage us to worship God because he is worthy of our worship. I agree with James McDonald when he states, "The problem in the church today is that we treat God's glory as a by–product and the missional activities of the church as the primary thing when the opposite is what Scripture demands."
Historically, Sunday worship expresses three truths: It remembers the story of God and his saving action in history; it experiences the renewing presence of God; and it anticipates the completion of God’s work in the new heavens and the new earth. The worship of God is a supernatural experience as mortals commune with the Immortal. Pastor Matt Chandler states:
"Worship gatherings are not always spectacular, but they are always supernatural. And if a church looks for or works for the spectacular, she may miss the supernatural. If a person enters a gathering to be wowed with something impressive, with a style that fits him just right, with an order of service and song selection designed just the right way, that person may miss the supernatural presence of God. Worship is supernatural whenever people come hungry to respond, react, and receive from God for who He is and what He has done. A church worshipping as a Creature of the Word doesn't show up to perform or be entertained; she comes desperate and needy, thirsty for grace, receiving from the Lord and the body of Christ, and then gratefully receiving what she needs as she offers her praise—the only proper response to the God who saves us."
Our worship services must be a place where we expect something supernatural to occur as we meet with, magnify, and exalt Almighty God. Oftentimes, however, we have turned our worship services into evangelistic meetings with the intent to wow unbelievers into the kingdom.
There are some concerned that evangelism will somehow get lost if the Church focuses primarily on worship. Dawn would counter that,
"In a culture just as pagan and anti-Christian as ours (both Romans/Greeks and Jews were opposed to this “Jesus movement”), the early Christians did not try to figure out how to attract their neighbors. They did not try to control the process. Instead, they simply practiced Churchbeing, so that the Lord could do his work of adding new believers."
Now don’t get me wrong; I am not minimizing the church’s responsibility of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a firm believer in evangelism. There are people all around us—family, friends, co–workers—that are on their way to an eternity without Christ because they have not yet heard of, or have rejected, God’s grace. This should break our hearts and compel us toward evangelism. But we must not confuse the purpose of our worship gatherings as times for evangelism. As John Piper states at the beginning of his book “Let the Nations Be Glad,”
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporal necessity. But worship abides forever."
This is not to say that we must wait on loving others until we have figured out how to love God properly. Returning to Jesus’ Great Commandment found in Mark 12, following the two commands does not encourage the neglect of one command over the other. Our primary calling in life is to worship God. As we worship we are compelled to love others and share God’s love with them. It is clear, therefore, that as we obey the first command we become better at obeying the second. By obeying the second command we are compelled to further obedience of the first command. We must realize that there is an important connection between worship and evangelism:
"Of course the distinction is not total, for if believers worship with gladness and passion, anyone not yet a part of the community certainly will be attracted to the One who is the object of their worship. But to focus the worship on evangelistic introduction deprives believers of deeper nurturing toward Churchbeing and deprives God of the intimate and involved worship due him from the Church."
A.W. Tozer states that “practically every great deed done in the church of Christ all the way back to the apostle Paul was done by people blazing with the radiant worship of their God.” This would include sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. It is through our worship that we are set ablaze to shine the light of Christ in a darkened world. As Dawn states,
"To be the sort of people who will gladly fulfill our responsibility for witness and mentoring and nurturing care we need meaty worship—worship that engages us deeply in an encounter with the God whose splendor is illimitably beyond our understanding, worship that shakes us out of our narcissism and consumerism, worship that disciplines us and thereby equips us for the work of the kingdom in witness and vocation and suffering."
Reformer John Calvin believed that “Christian worship both testifies to the goodness of God before the world and is an act of separation, signaling a clear delineation between the world and the worshiping community.”
One other item to consider, before moving on, is the neglect of the corporate worship gathering in lieu of other activities, often for the sake of evangelism. I have heard of churches doing “Gone Serving” Sundays where they send their congregation out into the community to pick up litter or paint park benches, i.e. community service, in lieu of gathering together for a worship service. This is admirable, but potentially a dangerous misuse of the Sunday morning meeting time. As spiritual leaders, our desire should be that our congregation would be spiritually formed during the worship service so much so that their lives reflect Christ in ways that manifest itself in community service and care. Instead, we try to manipulate our congregations into serving and attempt to make it as convenient as possible for them to serve others.
What about sacrifice? Christ makes it very clear that following him and serving others in his name will not be an easy task:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)
The cross is not fun. It is a tool of torture and excruciating pain.
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matt 10:16)
Following Jesus and serving others in his name should cost something of us. It will not always be easy, convenient, or fun.
Christians often have the tendency of focusing attention on reaching out to the world for God that they neglect getting to know God deeply themselves. Robert Mulholland states, “They were so busy being in the world for God that they failed to be in God for the world.” I have known families who claim that doing sports on Sunday mornings is a form of evangelism. This may be the case, but what about their time of corporately worshiping with the body of Christ? How is the family receiving spiritual nourishment and guidance? Moreover, this may be evangelism for the parents (although I would argue that for many, what they call evangelism is not really evangelism), but what about the kids who are on the field playing the game? When do they get their corporate worship time? You cannot homeschool Christianity. The family component is vitally important in the discipleship journey, but the Christian life is one of community that requires the body of Christ, in all of it’s beauty, and sometimes ugliness, to fulfill God’s desire to make us more into the likeness of His Son. You must have consistency in your spiritual life in order to build relationships with people at church and to grow as a disciple of Christ. This is especially true of children as they are developing into the human beings God intends them to be.
I understand that sometimes parents feel they have no choice. Maybe their kid is in a sport they love and Sunday mornings are the only opportunity for them to play at this particular level. Maybe there is a certain obligation to the team because it is a tournament situation and either all play or nobody plays. Regardless, there is a long–term effect to missing church. Our society is set up to undermine the discipleship of our children and missing the gathering with the body of Christ on a regular basis is exactly what society is pushing us toward. I have personally seen the effects that choosing something other than church has had on families; even when they chose the other for good, possibly even spiritual, reasons. There are always deep regrets. The good has been chosen over the great. I’m not saying that church attendance is the goal, but church is a primary way in which God has provided us an opportunity to grow spiritually.
There is a reason Chick–fil–A restaurants are closed on Sundays. Can you imagine the criticism they’ve endured for that decision? How much money is that business losing by choosing to be closed on Sunday? And yet, Chick–fil–A’s founder Truett Cathy, a devout Christian, saw the importance of the gathered body of Christ and established early on in his company’s history that his employees would be given the opportunity to actually take a Sabbath and go to church to worship with others.
The writer of the book of Hebrews pleads with the church to not neglect the corporate worship gathering:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Heb 10:24–25)
Scripture is clear that the gathering of worship is vitally important to our spiritual development.
As we learn to worship better, every other aspect of our lives will become better. You see, corporate worship fuels evangelism. Service, including evangelism, is the natural byproduct of worship. As we worship, we are being drawn to the very being of God by reflecting the nature and being of his Son, Jesus. Jesus cared for the least of these and proclaimed the gospel. Our worship, therefore, leads us to care for the least of these and proclaim the gospel.
Though there is no specific place in which worship is more acceptable than another, places are beneficial to our patterns of worship. I like this quote attributed to Theodore Roosevelt: “You may worship God anywhere, at any time, but the chances are that you will not do so unless you have first learned to worship Him somewhere in some particular place, at some particular time.” God has established certain locations as special meeting places. Today those meeting places include church facilities as well as other places of worship. But God does not intend for our worship to only be contained within those spaces. God desires for us to worship him in all places and at all times.
We had another wonderful trip to Pakistan to train and equip church leadership in the areas of worship and spiritual formation.CLICK HERE to read about the trip.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ – A Bright FlavorMentoring Pakistani Christians to be SALT and LIGHT in PakistanMy journey to Pakistan began on a beautiful sunny afternoon in Pasadena, California. I was meeting a friend for lunch at Fuller Theological Seminary. It was during our time together that he asked permission to translate my book, Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership, into Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, as a resource for Pakistani church leaders. Honored by the request, I said “Yes,” and my friend quickly seized the opportunity to ask if I would be willing to travel to Pakistan to be the keynote speaker at the Worship Symposiums where the translated Worship Quest would be launched. The Symposiums would be sponsored by Tehillim School of Church Music and Worship, a training ground for Christians to use their musical and artistic gifts for the church, started by my friend in 2002. And the rest, as they say, is history. But not just history, the future as well, because the ministry that began in October 2016 with my first trip to Pakistan, will continue this Spring (2018). But before we get there, let me briefly share about my trip in 2016.
Pakistan is a Muslim country. Christianity is legal, but only 1.6% of the country are Christians, and a large percentage of those claim Christianity as more of a heritage (parents and grandparents are Christian, therefore I am Christian) rather than as an active relationship with Jesus. This made discipleship such an extremely important element of our ministry. Because persecution of Christians in Pakistan is common, or they are at least looked down upon because of their faith in Jesus Christ, it is important for Pakistani Christians to truly understand their faith and put their complete trust in Jesus Christ.
I can’t tell you how many people questioned my decision to go to Pakistan to train and mentor worship leaders and pastors. “It’s such a dangerous place,” they would say. “Aren’t you frightened about teaching about Jesus Christ there?” they would ask. I did not go into this lightly or with disregard for my safety. Yet I knew God was calling me to minister in Pakistan, and his will for my life would be done, regardless of whether I was in Pakistan or home in Los Angeles. So, with faith in God, I journeyed to Karachi and Lahore. And wonderful ministry occurred!
I took a small team of 4 musicians with me. I taught at the two Worship Symposiums and preached in local churches. They led the musical worship and taught workshops on music and leadership. We had incredible opportunities available to us, including: teaching and performing at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) – the premier music and arts school in the entire country of Pakistan. We were also invited to teach and perform on International Television. Our hour–long episode was televised in over 12 countries. And we developed relationships with numerous people through the Worship Symposiums and church services we helped lead. The Christians we interacted with are absolutely wonderful people. And most of the Muslims we interacted with were kind and gracious as well. One Muslim gentlemen, after spending time together, said to me, “I like you. I can see that you have goodness and love in you.” I responded, “that is because of Jesus Christ.” That was it. We continued our conversation and moved on. But it was a seed planted and I continue to pray for him.
It is with great honor that we have been invited to return to Pakistan to participate in additional training and mentoring opportunities. The relationships that were founded during our last trip will be built upon this time. We have been invited to return to NAPA. We will also continue training worship leaders and pastors to disciple their people and build into the lives of those in their local congregations as they offer encouragement, discipleship, theological understanding, and Christian care.
Tehillim School of Church Music and Worship does a wonderful job sponsoring the training events. However, the school is a non-profit organization and funds are extremely limited. Therefore, I would like to ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with me in the work that God has placed on the hearts of the school and the faculty. All financial donations will help cover my expenses to and from, and while in Pakistan, and more importantly, help Pakistani Christians attend the conferences and training events, as many simply do not have the funds to attend events like these.
Donations may be given through YouCaring.org:
https://www.youcaring.com/stevenbrooks-906893
DONATE NOW
Or if you would prefer, through my home church, Calvary Baptist Church:
Online:
https://cbchb.churchcenteronline.com/giving
(Select Pakistan Team 2018–Steven Brooks)
Mail:
Calvary Baptist Church (put “Pakistan” on check memo line)
8281 Garfield Avenue Huntington Beach, CA 92646
All donations are tax deductible.
If you would like further confirmation or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at worshipquest@gmail.com. I thank God for the partnership of his body and look forward to all God will do when we return to Pakistan in the Spring.
Blessings,
Steven D. Brooks, DWS
Pastor of Music & Arts - Calvary Baptist Church
Adjunct Professor of Worship - Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, Life Pacific College, and Gateway Seminary
Author - Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership
Preaching at Naulakha Church, Lahore
Conversations with pastors
Gujranwala Theological Seminary
DONATE NOW
For a limited time, Wipf and Stock Publishers is offering Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership for 50% off.
Click Here for more Info.
Click here to Buy Now.
Check out my article on how the songs we sing in worship shape who we are as followers of Christ.
Songs of Belief(click above to read article)
I'll be teaching a couple different workshops at the National Worship Leader Conference in Texas September 30 - October 2.
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How to Gain (and Keep) the Full Commitment of Your Worship Team Volunteers
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Helping Your Congregation SING!
You can receive a special 10% discount by putting in the promo code SPKR10.
If you're there, be sure to stop by either one of my workshops or the conference bookstore (my book Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership will be on sale in the bookstore) and say hi.
"...we must understand that we worship a triune God. This trinitarian aspect of God is one of the great mysteries of our faith. Our God is one God in three Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit...If God is triune, it is proper for us to worship him thusly. Oftentimes we are very good at acknowledging one or two Persons of the Trinity, at the expense of the other(s). To ignore any one Person of the Trinity is to neglect worshiping God to the fullest."
Steven D. Brooks, Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015), 25-26.
"Worship is a dialogue between God and his people. God reveals himself and humans respond accordingly. God initiates the conversation by revealing himself for Who he is and humans respond by acknowledging and reflecting the attributes of God back to him—in other words, worship."
Steven D. Brooks, Worship Quest: An Exploration in Worship Leadership (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015), 23.
From the great London preacher C. H. Spurgeon on the best news ever.
"I do not know whether I can convey my own thought to you. What strikes me very forcibly is this—no mere man going to his grave could say, “I have power to take my life again.” The departure of life leaves the man necessarily powerless—he cannot restore himself to life."
"Behold the sacred Body of Jesus embalmed in spices and wrapped about with linen. It is laid within the sealed and guarded tomb—how can it come back to life? Yet Jesus said, “I have power to take My life again.” And He proved it."
"Behold the dead and buried One makes Himself alive again! Herein is a marvelous thing. He was master over death, even when death seemed to have mastered Him—He entered the grave as a captive but left it as a conqueror. He was compassed by the bonds of death but He could not be held by them. Even in His burial garments He came to life—from those wrappings He unbound Himself—from the sealed tomb He stepped into liberty."
"If, in the extremity of His weakness He had the power to rise out of the sepulcher and come forth in newness of life, what can He not accomplish now?"
[this was originally published in Worship Leader Magazine, March 2014]
Oh sing to the Lord a new song;sing to the Lord, all the earth!Sing to the Lord, bless his name;tell of his salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:1-2
We have a problem in our churches I like to call the American Idol Syndrome. Because of our culture’s obsession with American Idol, The Voice, and other “reality” singing competitions, our congregations oftentimes come to worship services with two preconceived ideas: 1) they expect the worship team singers to sound like the latest competitors on television; and 2) they feel minimized because they don’t sound like the competitors on television.
Have you ever heard someone in your church tell you they can’t sing? Over my years in ministry I have heard many Christians say they can’t sing. And they believe it. Either they were told so at a young age or they just don’t feel confident when they sing. My response is always the same: “That is a lie from the pit of hell.” I believe this is one of the greatest lies the evil one has convinced us of. Satan knows the power of singing God’s praises, so he has convinced us that we can’t, or shouldn’t sing. We must stop believing that lie! When we buy into the lie, Satan is victorious.
Our congregations must be instructed and encouraged to use their voices, no matter how they sound, for the glory of God. Singing is an important part of offering our worship to God.
Singing Is A Scriptural Command
Scripture commands us to sing to the Lord. This is not an option, nor a recommendation. It is a command that everyone has the ability to fulfill. It doesn’t matter how old you are or if you have any formal musical training. There are no prerequisites. The song of the church is to be sung by everyone.
In the Old Testament, singing was an important mandated element of worship in the temple. The Levites were instructed to sing and to lead the people in song; and the people were expected to join in the singing. There are numerous psalms that command the worshiper to sing (68:4; 96:1-2; 105:2; 149:1; to name a few). The Apostle Paul encouraged the New Testament church to sing (1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Christianity is a singing faith. From the Old and New Testaments to today, the church of God has always and will always be a singing faith. Worshipers have no option but to sing. As Constance Cherry states in her book The Worship Architect, “The crucial question is not, ‘Do you have a voice?’ but ‘Do you have a song?’” (p.154).
Singing Allows Us to Rehearse God’s Story
Congregational song is the heart and soul of all worship music. As we gather for worship, the songs we sing remind us of God’s story. We remember all God has done for us in the past, recall the blessings he has permitted for us in the present, and anticipate all God has promised to accomplish in the future. Singing the story of God joins us with the saints of old and the heavenly hosts.
I will sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me,
How he left his home in glory for the cross of Calvary.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea.
(Francis H. Rowley, public domain)
Singing Forms Us Spiritually
The songs we sing in church embed themselves into our minds as truth. I have had conversations with people about faith and they begin, without realizing, to quote song lyrics as a defense for what they believe. The words of hymns and worship songs sung over the years have become an important part of their belief system.
Plato once said, “Let me write the songs of a nation, and I care not who writes its laws.” He understood the power of songs to shape the beliefs and lives of people.
Singing Has the Power to Unite
Singing is an important aspect of communal worship as it has the power to unite groups of people. Even within secular settings, singing has the powerful affect of uniting people: strangers sing together as they gather to remember someone at a memorial service or fans sing “Sweet Caroline” at a Red Sox game. Within the Church, singing together is the quickest way to unite a gathering of individuals, no matter how large or small, into one corporate worshiping body: the body of Christ.
When it comes to the musical worship of the church, instruments are great tools to enhance our worship, but it is the voice by which the congregation can offer their praises to God. Singing provides the church with the chance to fulfill Scriptural commands, rehearse the story of God, allow the Holy Spirit to form our lives, and unite with others in worship and praise.
St. Augustine once stated, “He who sings prays twice.” Let us lift our voices in prayer and praise.
I was honored to have been asked to write a devotional for the Biola University's Lent Project this year.
You can read the devotional here:
http://ccca.biola.edu/lent/2015/#day-mar-28
John Wesley’s adaptation of “Covenant Prayer for the New Year.”
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives within me." Galatians 2:20
Lent is a season for personal and corporate spiritual renewal. During this season, the Christ follower is to look within and ask, “Am I living my life as though it were worthy of someone to die?” The history of Lent unveils traditions rich with meaning including times of intense study of God’s Word, meditation, prayer and self-examination.
Lent is a time to die to self and to the power that sin has over our lives. The desire during this season is that God would create in us clean, broken and contrite hearts. Theologian Robert Webber states,
While it is God who creates that new heart in us through grace, we are called on to receive God’s grace in repentance, a turning from our sin, and in faith, a turning toward God. We are assisted in this journey of turning through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving – external disciplines that order and organize the internal experience of our continuing conversion. (Webber, Ancient-Future Time, 120-21)
An authentic journey through Lent leads to repentance – to turn away from sin and to turn to God. Our lives are shaped internally through external disciplines as we spiritually prepare to experience the power of the resurrection in our own lives. Lent provides an opportunity to be spiritually formed through the external disciplines of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.
The tradition of giving something up during Lent (i.e. chocolate, soda, Facebook, etc.) comes from the historical precedent of fasting. Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and many others in the Bible fasted. Jesus himself fasted for forty days (which is why Lent lasts for forty days) in order to focus his attention on his mission and journey to the cross. Fasting helps us to focus on what is important. The pangs we feel during our fast remind us that our faith requires sacrifice. It helps build discipline and character. Yet, fasting is not only about giving something up, it is about taking something (or someone) on. We give up something in order to take on more of the likeness of Christ and grow deeper in our relationship with God.
So, what can you give up during this season of Lent in order to help you focus on Christ?
Soda? Facebook? Gossip?
And, what will you take on to help you focus on Christ?
Set daily prayers; Regular devotions; Feeding the homeless.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matthew 16:24-26
Today begins the season of Lent. This day, called Ash Wednesday, allows us the opportunity to think about our mortality and how Jesus has brought us from death to life (Romans 2:1-10).
Ashes are a symbol of death and decay, but also allude to new life. Think about a forest fire, once the ashes have settled into the ground, they help new life to spring up from that ground. Where there was only death, there is now life. This is why ashes are used to begin the season of Lent (derived from the Middle English "lente" - meaning "Springtime").
As the ashes are placed on the forehead in the shape of a cross, it is a reminder that although we are broken and messy, God makes beautiful things spring from our messy, broken world. No one is too far from the wholeness and life offered by Christ. Thanks be to God!
The Sunday before the beginning of Lent focuses on Jesus and his disciples on the mount of Transfiguration.
Matthew 17:1-9
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
About the Art:
"Transfiguration" by Armando Alemdar Ara, 2004.
About the Song:
Lord, Let Your Glory Fall
by Matt Redman
Lord, let Your glory fall
As on that ancient day
Songs of enduring love
And then Your glory came
And as a sign to You
That we would love the same
Our hearts will sing that song
God, let Your glory come
You are good, You are good
and Your love endures
You are good, You are good
and Your love endures
Today
Voices in unison
Giving You thanks and praise
Joined by the instruments
and then Your glory came
Your presence like a cloud
Upon that ancient day
The priests were overwhelmed
Because Your glory came
I've been at the Calvin Worship Symposium for the past few days. The symposium, hosted by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship has been an annual event at Calvin College since 1987.
The 2014 event has been a great time of Worship...
Opening Worship Service
Education...
Anne Zaki, John Witvliet, Eric Sarwar, and Mark Charles - Global Intercessory Prayer
And fellowship.
With my good friend Andrew.
About the Art:"Flight to Egypt" by Sadao Watanabe is a hand colored stencil print that is part of the "Beauty Given By Grace" series.
About the Song:I first heard this arrangement of the Aaronic blessing at a Jazz Vespers service on the second day of the conference. Written by Tom Jennings for his home church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York.
The Lord Bless You and Keep You lyrics:The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And give you peace, and give you peace
The Lord be gracious to you and give you peace
Amen, amen
The Lord be gracious to you and give you peace
In a sermon preached on September 13, 1857, Charles Spurgeon said,
"If I had a tale to tell you this day, of some king, who, out of love to a fair maiden, left his kingdom and became a peasant like herself, you would stand and wonder, and would listen to the charming tale; but when I tell of God concealing his dignity to become our Savior, our hearts are scarcely touched.
We know the tale so well, we have heard it so often. And unfortunately, some of us tell it so badly that we cannot expect that you would be as interested in it as the subject demands. But surely, as it is said of some great works of architecture, that though they are seen every morning, there is always something fresh to wonder at; so we may say of Christ, that though we saw him every day, we should always see fresh reason to love, and wonder, and adore.”
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.2 Corinthians 8:9About the Art:"The Calling of the Apostles" by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1481This fresco is from the cycle of the life of Christ in the Sistine Chapel. On the left are scenes from the life of Moses and on the right are scenes from the life of Christ. This cycle of frescoes became one of the major artistic achievements of the Italian Quattrocentro.About the Song:Recorded by Integrity Music while Ross Parsley was the Worship Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado, "Amazed," written by Jared Anderson, is one of many great songs on the "I Am Free" cd.
Amazed lyrics:You dance over me while I am unaware
You sing all around
But I never hear the sound
*Lord, I'm amazed by You
Lord, I'm amazed by You
Lord, I'm amazed by You
How You love me
You paint the morning sky with miracles In mind
My hope will always stand
You hold me in Your hand*
How wide, how deep
How great is Your love for me
How wide, how deep
How great is Your love for me
In a sermon on January 6, 387, Chrysostom said, “But why is it not the day on which He was born, but the day on which He was baptized, that is called Epiphany? For this is the day on which He was baptized, and sanctified the nature of the waters…Why then is this day called Epiphany? – because it was not when He was born that He became manifest to all, but when He was baptized; for up to this day He was unknown to the majority.”
About the Art:"Baptism of Christ" by David Zelenka, 2005.
David Zelenka began developing interactive media in 1993 under the company name Interactive Earth. Since that time he has created web sites, educational curriculum, graphic design and fine art which reflect the great creativity evident in both human endeavor and the natural world.
About the Song:As the writer of such favorites as "10,000 Reasons," "Blessed Be Your Name," and "The Heart of Worship," Redman offers another congregational gem based on the familiar words of the Aaronic blessing.
Benediction lyrics:
*May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord smile on you,
shine His light upon you.
May the Lord lift you,
turn His face towards you.
Give you His peace,
give you His peace.
May the Lord bless us and keep us.
May the Lord smile on us,
shine His light upon us.
May the Lord lift us,
turn His face towards us.
Give us His peace,
give us His peace.
Blessed we came to this place today
and blessed now we will go.
In the name of the Father,
the Spirit and the Son.
Blessed we came to this place today
and blessed now we will go.
In the name of the Father,
the Spirit and the Son.
Blessed we came to this place today
and blessed now we will go.
In the name of the Father,
the Spirit and the Son.
May the Lord bless us and keep us.
May the Lord smile on us,
shine His light upon us.
May the Lord lift us,
turn His face towards us.
Give us His peace,
give us His peace.
Go now in peace,
go now in peace.
Go now in peace.
And the blessing of our God,
and the blessing of our God.
Go now in peace
and the blessing of our God.*
"Epiphany" is a word of Greek origin related to the English word “manifestation.” It means an appearance, a making clear or public or obvious. On this day, Christians have traditionally celebrated the making known of Jesus Christ to the world.
Several events have been thought of as special instances of the making known of Jesus, such as: the coming of the Magi; His presentation in the temple; His baptism; and his first miracle at Cana. Current majority usage, at least in the West, celebrates his birth on December 25th, the coming of the Magi on January 6th, and his baptism on the next Sunday. On the following Sundays up to the beginning of Lent, we remember the Lord's public preaching of the kingdom, particularly the earlier stages of that preaching before strong opposition had begun. On the last Sunday after Epiphany (the Sunday before Lent), we commemorate the Transfiguration, the climax of this first phase of our Lord's public ministry.
About the Art:"Epiphany" by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1774
Jean-Baptiste Greuze was one of the Europe's first celebrity painters. He built a reputation on instructive paintings that covered the edifying themes of the education of children, the virtues of a simple, provincial family life, and the heroism of everyday activities.
"Epiphany" depicts a peasant family participating in the annual celebration of the festival on January 6th. During this festival children would search for a bean hidden in the king's cake, the finder of which would be "king for the day." Just as the philosophers Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were asking the country's bourgeoisie to rid themselves of the distractions and trappings of civilization - to return to nature and a moral, family life - Greuze's "Epiphany" makes clear the simple (if completely illusory) pleasures of the honest, peasant family, uncorrupted by the temptations of modern, bourgeois life.
About the Song:"Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)" by Casting Crowns
Based on the hymn "One Day," this reinvention gives new life to, in my opinion, one of the greatest story hymns of the twentieth century. The hymn takes us on a journey from Christ's incarnation to his return to reign.
Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) lyrics:
*One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine
Oh, glorious day*
Today, January 5th, the eve of Epiphany, I would like to conclude the season of Christmas by remembering the visit of the Magi. The Magi were members of the religious hierarchy of ancient Persia and Media (the region corresponding to modern Iran). They were scholars and practitioners of astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams. Their expertise in these arcane subjects is the reason they were often referred to as "wise men." The Magi of Babylonia undoubtedly came into contact with exiled Jewish priests living among them. Through these acquaintances the Magi learned of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of Christ, including the cryptic "messianic star" passage of Numbers 24:17. This explains why the astral phenomenon described in Matthew 2:1-12 so fascinated the wise men of the gospel narrative.
Many legends about the wise men have arisen over the centuries. These include the traditions that there were three Magi who visited Jesus, that their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, and that they were kings.
Regardless of details, it is fitting and right for us to join with the Magi in worshiping Christ. As the Christmas season (December 25-January 5) nears it's end, we join together in prayer:
O star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light.
About the Art:"Adoration of the Magi" tapestry by Edward Burne-Jones was originally commissioned in 1886 for the Gothic revival chapel of Exeter College in Oxford. The overall composition and the figures were designed by Burne-Jones, who completed the 26x38 inch design in watercolor heightened with gold in 1887.
There are really only two New Year's Resolutions* every Christian needs to make today:
1) Love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength
2) Love others the way you want to be loved
Make these two resolutions and everything else will fall into place.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
*Mark 12:30-31
Although the world is done with Christmas, the Church has traditionally celebrated the season of Christmas through January 5th. The Sunday following the birth of Jesus (December 29, 2013) is celebrated as a day to remember that Jesus was born into an earthly family - Mary his mother and Joseph his step-father.
Scripture tells us practically nothing about the early years of Jesus' life. All we know is that their was a journey to Egypt, an eventual return to Nazareth, and an incident of a twelve-year old boy in the temple in Jerusalem. Although not much is revealed in Scripture of these boyhood years, it can be assumed that Jesus had a loving and supportive family. After all, God chose these people to raise his only begotten Son.
In today's age of questionable morality, a focus on the "holy family" may not be a bad idea. Unlike most interpretations of family we find on TV today, the holy family is a wonderful example for us. This is a family that dealt with frustration, financial struggles, and even a "lost" child. This was an ordinary family, just like most of ours. And yet, this was a most unordinary family. I mean, come on, Jesus was part of their family, so how ordinary could it have been? Nevertheless, Mary and Joseph exemplified what it means to trust in God and keep eyes focused on him. May more families today be like this ordinary, normal, "holy" family.
About the Art:This stained glass window can be found in St. Edward's Church in Seattle, Washington. This depiction shows Jesus, his mother Mary and her husband Joseph on their flight to Egypt.
About the Song:Still Her Little Child takes the listener on a journey through Christ's life, from the perspective of Mary. Every parent can relate to the fact that no matter what their child goes through or how others perceive them, they are still their little boy or girl. The same had to be true for Mary.
Still Her Little Child lyrics:
*When she laid him in a manger
He was still her little child
In a city filled with strangers
He was still her little child
Though the inn was full
And the night was cold
She held Him close and smiled
When she laid Him in a manger
He was still her little child
When the angels called Him Savior
He was still her little child
When the wise men gave Him treasures
He was still her little child
When the shepherds bowed before Him
A star shone all the while
When the angels called Him Savior
He was still her little child
When He grew in strength and wisdom
He was still her little child
When He spoke the people listened
He was still her little child
When He healed the lame and dying
They would follow Him for miles
And when he grew
In strength and wisdom
He was still her little child
When the people turned against Him
He was still her little child
When they shouted crucify Him
He was still her little child
And when they nailed Him
To a wooden cross
Then we were reconciled
When she held His broken body
He was still her little child
He was still her little child*
Words and Music by Ray Boltz and Steve Millikan
Christmas is a festive and joyous season. It is a time to celebrate the light of the world coming to dispel the darkness. The Season of Christmas begins on December 25 and lasts until Epiphany on January 6.
The Christmas "Season," unfortunately, has been widely misunderstood. The commercialization of Christmas has created a distorted view of this season. Today, Christmas is popularly believed to end, not begin, on December 25, taking away the impact and importance of not only Advent, but also the feast following Christmas, Epiphany. In fact, the Season of Christmas traditionally begins on December 25 and lasts for twelve days. “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.”[1] It’s more than an entertaining song to sing. It is a historical understanding of the Christmas season and evidence that at some point in time Christmas truly was celebrated as twelve days, not just one.[2]
The primary meaning of Christmas is not only that we celebrate Christ born in Bethlehem, but Christ crucified, risen and returning...and Christ born in us. This perspective invites Christmas to be a very important time in our spiritual lives. The fact that God became man – the Word became Flesh – gives us an opportunity to be united with God. Because Jesus was united to God, we, through our union with Jesus in faith are united with God. Our spiritual lives are formed and we experience unity with the Triune God.
About the Art:"Nativity" by Pietro Perugino (1450-1523)
Italian Renaissance artist Perugino helped to develop some of the qualities that find classical expression in High Renaissance. Renaissance painter Raphael was his most famous pupil. Perugino's take on the nativity is now located in the Art Institute of Chicago.
[1] The Twelve Days of Christmas (c)1909 by Novello and Company Limited.
[2] The origin for the twelve days of Christmas lies in the early church. The early Christians of the East celebrated the birth of Christ on January 6. In the West, Christians began to celebrate Christmas on December 25. Eventually these two dates came to bookend the Christmas season with the celebration of the birth of Jesus on December 25 representing the beginning of the festival and the celebration of the manifestation of Christ to the world through the visit of the magi on January 6 (Epiphany) representing the end of the Christmas festival.
The birth of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem is near. We can sense it in the air. Something, or in this case, someone, is coming. This is what we have been waiting for during this season of Advent. There's excitement all around us and within us. We prepare for his arrival. We ready our hearts to worship the King. We don't want to miss him. We want to be like the shepherds and run to find Jesus; not like the innkeeper with no room for him. We don't want to pass up the opportunity to be in the presence of Almighty God. And so, we ready ourselves.
During Advent we have heard the words of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Lord. We have reminded ourselves that although Messiah came in the form of a baby in Bethlehem, we continue to wait for him to come again, this time as King. We hear that the promises declared on previous Sundays of Advent will find its way to the womb of Mary. The waiting that has been forced upon us over the past three Sundays is brought to fruition…or has it? For even on this fourth Sunday we are reminded to anticipate Christ’s return and God’s future reign. The God who is now with us, Immanuel, in our midst, waits just as we do. We join with him, in his presence, waiting for his future reign.
In the meantime the Church prays:
Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
[Charles Wesley]
This prayer directs us to both the birth of Jesus and the return of Christ at the end of time. O Come, o come Emmanuel.
About the Art:"The Adoration of the Shepherds" by Mattia Preti (1613-1699)
Although Mattia Preti spent much of his life elsewhere, he is traditionally associated with the city of Naples. Together with Luca Giordano, Preti extended the reputation of Neapolitan painting throughout Italy and internationally. He is forever remembered as a great artist of the Baroque movement. His works adorn most of the interior of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Malta. His contribution to St. John's is so immense, in fact, that he is buried at the church.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord.” Luke 2:10
Ah, Christmas is in the air. It really is one of the most wonderful times of year. The lights, the trees, the presents. Of course, Christmas means so much more than all that. During this season there seems to be a little more joy being spread around. Then again, sometimes we try to force joy upon ourselves and others.
The Christian life is full of ordinary things that together work for the extraordinary purpose of glorifying God. We rejoice in the promises of God and yet at times our hearts are sad. Even David, the great king of Israel, struggled at times.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Psalm 42:1-4
Despite the problems we face in this world, we are called to be a people of rejoicing. The Scriptures call us to “rejoice in the Lord always.”
Why so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God! Psalm 42:5
This Sunday of Advent reminds us that although the world can offer us happiness, and at that, only on occasion, it is only Jesus Christ who can offer us true joy.
About the Art:Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds by Govert Flinck, 1639.
Govert Flinck was a Dutch painter born January 25, 1615 and died February 2, 1660. He was a Baroque painter of portraits and one of Rembrandt's most accomplished followers.
by R.C. Sproul
The X in Christmas is used like the R in R.C. My given name at birth was Robert Charles, although before I was even taken home from the hospital my parents called me by my initials, R.C., and nobody seems to be too scandalized by that.
X can mean so many things. For example, when we want to denote an unknown quantity, we use the symbol X. It can refer to an obscene level of films, something that is X-rated. People seem to express chagrin about seeing Christ’s name dropped and replaced by this symbol for an unknown quantity X. Every year you see the signs and the bumper stickers saying, “Put Christ back into Christmas” as a response to this substitution of the letter X for the name of Christ.
There’s no X in Christmas
First of all, you have to understand that it is not the letter X that is put into Christmas. We see the English letter X there, but actually what it involves is the first letter of the Greek name for Christ. Christos is the New Testament Greek for Christ. The first letter of the Greek word Christos is transliterated into our alphabet as an X. That X has come through church history to be a shorthand symbol for the name of Christ.
THERE’S A LONG AND SACRED HISTORY OF THE USE OF X TO SYMBOLIZE THE NAME OF CHRIST, AND FROM ITS ORIGIN, IT HAS MEANT NO DISRESPECT
We don’t see people protesting the use of the Greek letter theta, which is an O with a line across the middle. We use that as a shorthand abbreviation for God because it is the first letter of the word Theos, the Greek word for God.
X has a long and sacred history
The idea of X as an abbreviation for the name of Christ came into use in our culture with no intent to show any disrespect for Jesus. The church has used the symbol of the fish historically because it is an acronym. Fish in Greek (ichthus) involved the use of the first letters for the Greek phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” So the early Christians would take the first letter of those words and put those letters together to spell the Greek word for fish. That’s how the symbol of the fish became the universal symbol of Christendom. There’s a long and sacred history of the use of X to symbolize the name of Christ, and from its origin, it has meant no disrespect.
Adapted from Now, That’s a Good Question! ©1996 by R.C. Sproul.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
Luke 1:57-66
Nine months before the birth of John, his father Zechariah, a priest, let some words of doubt slip regarding his wife bearing a child. Because of this, he was not allowed to speak for the duration of Elizabeth's pregnancy (Elizabeth received two blessings on this day - the news that she would bear a son and the gift of a husband that would not be able to speak for nine months) :-)
This baby, whom we know as John the Baptist, would serve an important purpose - to prepare the way for the Messiah. The Baptizer declares the message of promise, strength and hope. His cry is constant and uninhibited. He speaks of justice and righteousness, preparing the way for the Messiah. Indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
About the Art:
St. John the Baptist is believed to be Leonardo da Vinci's final piece created some time between 1513-1516. One notices that St. John is looking at the observer impressively, declaring his identity by means of gestures and gazes. Many people are critical of this work, finding it a disturbing representation of a character normally portrayed as gaunt and fiery, living in a desert and surviving on a diet of locusts and honey.
In this painting we see a figure emerging from encircling darkness holding a reed cross and wearing animal skin. An examination of this painting reveals the obvious lack of background. One suggestion for why da Vinci chose to approach the subject in this way is because he wanted to focus on the spiritual side of the topic and the presentation was designed to emphasis the saint's isolation.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-3, 14
To be a follower of Christ, one must be okay with paradox. The Incarnation is a perfect example. It is here that we find Jesus Christ as 100% God and 100% man. Jesus is fully divine and fully human at the same time. It is during the season of Advent that we begin to glimpse the fullness of God's plan as he sends his Son, full of grace and truth, Sovereign over all, to be the redemption of the world. The prophets foretold, the people waited, the way for Messiah was being prepared. The Sovereignty of Christ was ready to be on display.
About the Art:Christ Pantocrator is one of the oldest surviving icons of Christ, dating from the early 6th century. It is found in the treasure house of St. Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt. In the icon, Christ is robed in a purple tunic, a color signifying royalty. He is holding a copy of the Gospels in his left hand while his right hand is raised in blessing. The icon depicts Christ as both Ruler of all (our Judge) and Savior of the world (our Salvation). The right side of his face (from the viewer's perspective), shows Christ as the Judge who sees all, while the left side depicts him as the Savior who looks upon us in mercy.
We are currently beginning another year. No, I'm not talking about January 1st, I'm talking about the Christian Year.* During the Christian Year, we have made our way through the extraordinary events of Jesus' life:
Birth :: Advent and Christmas
Life :: Epiphany and Lent
Death :: Holy Week
Resurrection :: Easter
Ascension & Pentecost
This is the Story of Jesus.
But the Christian Year does not stop there. We are also taken through a journey of the birth and growth of the church:
Ordinary Time :: The Season After Pentecost
This is our story - the Story of the Church.
I invite you to join with me as we journey through the Christian Year - with devotion, art and music. Each week of the 2013/2014 Christian Year, I will be posting blogvotions that follow the journey we are on as we walk through the Christian Year. I hope you will join me.
- to learn more about the Christian Year, read my Introduction to the Christian Year article here.
*to purchase a Christian Year calendar that follows the seasons of the Christian Year instead of the typical month system (and includes beautiful artwork for each season), visit the Salt of the Earth website, http://thechristiancalendar.com/
In a current culture of demon and occult focus on Halloween, All Saints’ Day is a great celebration alternative as it commemorates the life and witness of God’s people who model a relationship with God for us. Celebrated on the day after Halloween, November 1st, All Saints' Day remembers those who have lived lives of faith and set an example for us to follow. We see an example of this in Scripture where Paul recalls those who have gone before (Hebrews 11:1-40).
Think about the person who told you about Jesus and his love for you. Now, think about the person that told them. And on...and on...and on. We should be eternally grateful for those who have gone before and passed down the truth of God's word and love. Recalling the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) helps to encourage our own faith journey today. This is what All Saints' Day is about.
Modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty offer a wonderful example of remembering the saints:
By faith we see the hand of God
In the light of creation's grand design
In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness
Who walk by faith and not by sight
By faith our fathers roamed the earth
With the power of His promise in their hearts
Of a holy city built by God's own hand
A place where peace and justice reign
We will stand as children of the promise
We will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward
Till the race is finished and the work is done
We'll walk by faith and not by sight
By faith the prophets saw a day
When the longed-for Messiah would appear
With the power to break the chains of sin and death
And rise triumphant from the grave
By faith the church was called to go
In the power of the Spirit to the lost
To deliver captives and to preach good news
In every corner of the earth
By faith this mountain shall be moved
And the power of the gospel shall prevail
For we know in Christ all things are possible
For all who call upon His name
"By Faith"
Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend
Most say, "Happy Halloween." Some could say, "Happy Reformation day!" It is on this day, 496 years ago, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the church in Whittenberg and began a renewal of worship within the Church.
Here is a contemporary song with the same theme as Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" [click on the picture below to begin the video]:
Our God is, a consuming fire,
A burning holy Flame, with glory and freedom
Our God is, the only righteous judge,
Ruling over us with kindness and wisdom
We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You
A mighty fortress is our God
A sacred refuge is Your Name
Your Kingdom is unshakable
With You forever we will reign
Our God is, jealous for His own
None could comprehend, His love and His mercy
Our God is exalted on His throne
High above the heavens
Forever He’s worthy...
We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You
So we can set our hearts on You
Lord we will set our hearts on You!
Written by Nathan and Christy Nockels
© 2009 worshiptogether.com Songs / sixsteps Music (ASCAP)
[click below to begin video]
But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. Psalm 94:22
The Church celebrates the Protestant Reformation on the last Sunday of October. It was 496 years ago, on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg. This action set in motion a wave of reform within the Church challenging certain practices and ideas.
Luther, a monk and seminary professor, was threatened with excommunication and asked to retract his writings - to recant. After much prayer, this was his response:
"Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen!"
It is said that Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was the marching hymn of the Reformation. Here is a version that I recorded with the APU University Choir and Orchestra in the mid 90's:
Just as Luther called for reform within the Church in his day, may we seek reform today - Reformation of anything within the church that does not focus on Jesus Christ and his story of salvation.
Blessings upon you!
Join me at the National Worship Leader Conference in San Juan Capistrano, October 7-9. I'd love to see you there and connect with you.
If you haven't registered yet, be sure to use this special registration code to receive a 10% discount: SPKR10
Hope to see you there!
This year for Father's Day, my wife bought me two books. One is an autobiography written by my favorite gospel song writer, Fanny Crosby, entitled, "Fanny Crosby's Life Story". The other is a book edited by worship educator Donald Hustad. It is a collection of 120 unpublished manuscripts by Fanny Crosby.
Though Fanny Crosby lived over 100 years ago, we sing many of her songs in our churches today. Songs like "To God Be the Glory," "Blessed Assurance," and "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior" Yet with all of the songs that we do sing by Crosby, we only sing a fraction of the songs she wrote. You see, Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 songs in her lifetime.
Here is Fanny Crosby's first published song, circa 1864, entitled "Our Bright Home Above":
We are going, we are going
To a home beyond the skies
Where the fileds are robed in beauty
And the sunlight never dies
Where the fount of joy is flowing
In the valley green and fair
We shall dwell in love together
There will be no parting there
We are going, we are going
And the music we have heard
Like the echo of the woodland
Or the carol of a bird
With the rosy light of morning
On the calm and fragrant air
Still it murmurs, softly murmurs
There will be no parting there
We are going, we are going
Where the day of life is o'er
To that pure and happy region
Where our friends have gone before
They are singing with the angels
In that land so bright and fair
We shall dwell with them forever
There will be no parting there
Historically, the period of fifty days between Easter and Pentecost was celebrated as one continuous festival known as the Easter Season. It was a time of joyous celebration with frequent alleluias and no fasting or kneeling. The duration of Jewish feasts teaches that significant events require significant time, if they are to be rightly celebrated. Theologian Laurence Stookey emphasizes that the explosive nature of the resurrection was “too vast to be contained within a celebration of one day.”
Today is the 40th day after Easter. It is the day of Jesus' ascension back to his Father.
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:6-11)
It is said that Jesus had to ascend to heaven in order for the Holy Spirit to descend 10 days later on what is called Pentecost. Jesus returned to heaven and sits at his Father's right hand interceding for us. He is continually letting his Father know that his blood from his sacrifice on the cross, has covered our failures. Thank you, Jesus!
And now, we live in the final days between Jesus’ ascension and his returning - when he comes to take us with him. And what a glorious day that will be.
Art: “The Ascension” by Jesus Mafa (North Cameroun Africa)
If you have been following along, you know that I have been writing daily reflections throughout Holy Week. Easter Sunday begins a new season of the Christian Year and is not part of Holy Week, but I just couldn't stop my reflections on Saturday with Jesus lying in the tomb.
HE IS RISEN!
Today is the greatest day in the history of the church – the Resurrection day! For centuries this day has also been called "The Great Day." The event of Jesus’ resurrection was so important for followers of Christ, that the day of meeting was changed from Saturday to Sunday to commemorate his resurrection.
The Apostle Paul knew of the importance of the resurrection. He constantly preached Christ and his resurrection:
"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised...But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor 15:12-13; 20-22)
HE IS RISEN INDEED!
In addition to calling Easter Sunday, "The Great Sunday," the Church has called every other Sunday of the year "little resurrection days." This is a good reminder to not stop the celebration of our Risen Lord with today. Every time we gather together to worship, let us celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ has risen, conquering death and the grave, and has offered us new life in him!
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!
Not much is said in Scripture regarding the day after Jesus’ death/the day before His resurrection. Matthew is the only one of the four gospels that tells us something about this day.
"The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’ ‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” (Matt 27:62-66)
There are many theological speculations concerning what Jesus did on this day...mainly because Scripture does not tell us. Now, you may be asking, what do you mean, "what Jesus did on this day"? Wasn't he dead? Well yes...and no.
If you are a Christian, you must become accustom to paradox. Throughout Scripture, we are told not to fear and to fear the Lord. We are told to be bold and to be humble. And then there's Jesus...another paradox. Jesus was 100% man and 100% Divine. So, the 100% God-man was dead, but the 100% God-Divine was very much still alive. And I do not believe that Jesus, the Divine, just sat in the tomb twiddling his thumbs, waiting for Sunday.
Here is what we do know about this day:
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Jesus, the man, is dead and his body lay in the grave.
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His disciples are hiding out behind locked doors and windows in fear for their lives. This day is the Sabbath, a day of worship. And not just any Sabbath, but the Sabbath of Passover, a "special Sabbath." And yet the disciples are hiding away, full of fear and grief, instead of participating in celebratory worship.
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The women, identified as Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James in Mark 16:1, but most likely others as well, are waiting for Sunday so they can go buy spices and ointments to prepare Jesus' body. In the rush of the events of Friday, they believed Jesus' body was not properly prepared for burial. Once the Sabbath is over, the women could purchase the oils for (delayed) embalming of the corpse.
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Per the Matthew passage above, guards are placed at the tomb to deter Jesus' disciples from stealing his body and claiming he rose from the dead.
One temptation on this day is to jump right to Easter and the resurrection - to celebrate our Risen Savior. But this day before Easter Sunday is critically important to our spiritual growth. It is a day of waiting. As Christians, we need to better learn how to wait. Although it may seem like God is silent, he is actively at work behind the scenes. Don't you think Jesus could have raised from the dead on Saturday? Or within a couple hours after his crucifixion? Yes, of course he could have. But he waited...and he made his disciples wait...and sometimes, he makes us wait. Oftentimes, the waiting period is a time to see if we truly trust in God and his Sovereignty. This day is a also a day of grieving. Early Christians, and some still today, call this day the "Paschal Vigil." It is a day to mourn the loss of a loved one and to keep vigil at their graveside. We must allow ourselves to grieve the death of Jesus, but to do so with hope and anticipation of what is to come. Do not pass this day by.
Jesus has been crucified. His body lay in a tomb. The Lamb has been slain. Hope seems to be lost. But we remember something Jesus said about raising from the dead in three days...?...
And so we wait...
Art: Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb, Vicente Manansala
There is nothing about the events of this day that can be considered good.
Betrayal. Judas. Kiss. Soldiers. Chief Priests. Pharisees. Lanterns. Torches. Weapons. "I Am He." Overwhelmed. Sword. Ear. Healing. Arrest. High Priest. Annas. Courtyard. Peter. Denial. Denial. Denial. Rooster. Mocking. Beating. Caiaphas. Pilate. "Are you the King of the Jews?" Herod. Contempt. Pilate. Not guilty. Barabbas. Released. Jesus. Flogging. Crown of thorns. Purple robe. Beating. "Crucify him!" "Crucify him!" Cross. Simon of Cyrene. Golgotha. Two criminals. "Remember me." "Today...Paradise." Sign. "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." "Father, forgive them." Garments. Casting lots. Mary. Son. John. Mother. "I thirst." Sponge. Sour wine. Darkness. "It is finished." "I commit my spirit." Death. Curtain. Torn. Earthquake. Spear. Side. Blood. Water. Burial.
This is a day filled with horrendous events. And yet this day is called good. Many believe it is called good because of what was accomplished. Jesus Christ, the Paschal Lamb, was slain to take away the sins of the world. Our sins eliminated by the sacrifice of our Savior, covered by the blood of the Lamb. And yes, that is good.
Others believe the name is derived from the phrase "God's Friday."
However, the most accurate explanation, at least according to linguists and historical evidence, and supported by the Orthodox English Dictionary, is found in the original meaning of the word "good." The etymology of the word "good" means "holy." This is Holy Friday, part of Holy Week. And if you consider the other names for Good Friday—“Sacred Friday” in the Romance languages (Viernes Santo, e.g.), “Passion Friday” in Russian—this makes sense. The Orthodox English Dictionary also notes that there was once Good Wednesday, the Wednesday before Easter, which these days is more commonly known as Holy Wednesday.
So, on this Good Friday, may we reflect upon the sacrifice of Jesus, our Savior, and recognize that this day is truly holy.
(Illustration: The Crucifixion by the master of Dreux Budé, Flemish, 15th century).
Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos"A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you."
Those words, spoken by Jesus, is how we got the name of this day. Maundy means "mandate" or "command;" (mandatum novum = new mandate). It is on this day that Jesus gives the command to love one another. Now this command was not a new one for the disciples. They had heard this command their entire lives. After all, the original command is found in the Law (Leviticus 19:18). The difference this time was that Jesus modeled how to love others by his act of servanthood of washing the disciples feet. He made the connection of loving others with serving others.
Preparations for the Passover were made Thursday afternoon. Jesus and his disciples ate the Passover meal after sundown on Thursday, with Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper later that evening.
There are significant events that occurred in the Upper Room as they gathered for Passover:
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Jesus and his disciples celebrated Passover. This annual feast was very significant to the Jewish people as they remembered their deliverance out of Egypt. (Mark 14:12-16)
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Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper (Matt 26:26-29)
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Jesus washed his disciples feet (John 13:1-20)
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Jesus revealed his betrayer (Matt 26:20-25)
Following the events in the Upper Room, Jesus and his disciples crossed the Kidron Valley and entered a garden called Gethsemane to pray. Gethsemane was familiar to them as they often spent time there while visiting Jerusalem (cf. Luke 22:39).
Jesus spends time in the garden praying - asking God if there is any other way, other than the cross (Mark 14:35-36). He also gives an account of his earthly mission to the Father who sent him (Jn 17:1-5); he prays for his disciples (Jn 17:6-19); and he prays for you and me, concerned for our unity and love (Jn 17:20-26).
As Jesus prays, his disciples sleep. It is hard for them to stay awake. When I think about this situation, it could be easy for me to judge the disciples for falling asleep at such a critical time. But it is hard for us to stay awake, too, isn't it? I'm not talking about a physical awake - I'm talking a spiritual awake. Jesus' prayers were so intense that he needed an angel to come and strengthen him (Luke 22:43). And yet the disciples slept. The powers of this world continue to battle against Jesus and his Truth, and yet many of us sleep. We easily get drawn into the culture and temptations of our world. Our spirits want to do what is right, but our flesh is weak (Mark 14:38). We can easily fail to fulfill our calling as Christ followers merely by giving into various physical needs or desires. And so Jesus must awaken his disciples and lovingly rebuke them...and he does the same for us.
Oh Lord, may we be ever watchful. May we keep our eyes focused on you, Jesus. And when you return, may you find us "awake." May we live our lives in such a way that at the end of our time, we hear, "Well done!"
(Illustration: The Last Supper: Judas Dipping his Hand in the Dish, James Jacques Tissot (1836-1902),
Three days after his triumphal entry, Jesus can be found back in Jerusalem teaching in the temple. His teachings can be summed up by his words in Luke 21:36:
"But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Jesus desires for us to escape the judgment he warns about in his teaching and be able to stand before God and hear the words, "Well done" (Luke 19:17).
When Jesus had finished his teaching, he turned his attention to the disciples and predicted his arrest and crucifixion. The plot against Jesus had begun as the chief priests gathered together in the private residence of Caiaphas to scheme against Jesus. Their verdict against Jesus had already been decided, the only issue now was how to get rid of him.
Mark 14:10-11:
"Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him."
A plan had been set in motion. Now, Judas simply needed to wait for the right time and place.
We know the rest of Judas' story, don't we. On Friday, he betrays Jesus with a kiss, revealing Jesus to the soldiers so they can arrest him (Matt 26:47-50). When Judas realizes what he has done and that Jesus has been condemned to death, Judas is seized with remorse. He returns the money, goes out and kills himself (Matthew 27:1-10).
His response seems quite extreme, but I wonder how often you and I may have felt like doing the same thing. Guilt is a powerful force. Not handled properly, it can certainly lead to acts we will regret.
The disciples did not understand that Jesus would rise from the dead. I suspect that Judas had no idea that he could have had an opportunity to ask for forgiveness from Jesus himself if he had only waited two days; just as Peter did. Peter betrayed Jesus as well. By the time the cock crowed, Peter had denied Jesus, not once, not twice, but three times. The difference, however, is Peter endured long enough to be able to reconcile with Jesus face to face. If only Judas would have been able to do the same.
What are you holding on to that you need to repent from? Something small or huge? Maybe you feel that no one could forgive you for what you’ve done. Maybe there’s a part of you that doesn’t even want to be forgiven. You may have become numb and accustomed to living with guilt.
Make today the turning point in your life. Figuratively, take the noose off of your neck. As you repent, accept the fact that Jesus willingly hung on a tree and died so that you don’t have to.
(Illustration: Chief Priests Take Counsel Together by James Tissot, 1836-1902)
Excerpts taken from "The Awakening Worship Experience" written by Dawn Hay
On the Tuesday after Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples return to Jerusalem from Bethany. On the walk, the disciples see the fig tree that Jesus cursed the day before. Peter points it out and Jesus now uses it as a teaching opportunity.
Mark 11:20-26:
"As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Jesus encourages the disciples by telling them that with faith, they can do anything, even that which seems impossible. We must have faith that God will remove anything that hinders us from bearing fruit for him. In Matthew's account of this event, he portrays Jesus' words of judgment upon those whose lives are not fully devoted to Christ. Just as the tree was hypocritical - looking one way (fully bloomed), but in reality was another - so there is judgment for those who should be bearing fruit but do not. And just as the fig tree withered (as a symbol of judgment upon Israel), so God will remove any aspect of us that does not bear fruit.
Jesus and his disciples continue toward Jerusalem. When they arrive at the temple, the chief priests and scribes begin questioning Jesus' authority. Faced with their hostility, Jesus refuses to answer. Instead he asks them a question (which they could, or would, not answer) and then begins speaking to them in parables (mostly about judgment on the leaders for their refusal to encourage the people to accept God's kingdom invitation). It is also during this discourse that Jesus gives the Great Command to love God and love others.
The thing that strikes me most about this exchange is the leaders audacity to question Jesus. Think about this from Jesus' perspective: he knows that in three days he will be beaten and crucified and here are these snot nosed religious leaders questioning his authority? What an utter waste of time! There had to be more important things to do in order to get ready for Friday...and Sunday! And yet, Jesus takes the time to address them. In a round about way, he tells them that his authority is an out of this world authority that they will never understand. He returns their volley with a question of his own. When they can't answer, Jesus implies that because his authority is greater than any other authority, not only on earth, but in all of the cosmos, he will not give them a direct answer to their question. And Jesus moves on, continuing to teach and do what he can to prepare the people for what is to come.
At the close of day, just as he has done the past few days, Jesus returns to Bethany; one day closer to becoming our Redeemer.
(Illustration: Jesus Among the Doctors in the Temple, Paolo Veronese, 1558.)
Yesterday was an exciting day for Jesus and his disciples. It was a day filled with shouts of praises directed toward Jesus. Jesus was finally receiving the praise due him. Or was he? You see, the people were praising the king they thought he would be. The king they wanted him to be. Not the King he actually was (is).
On the evening of Palm Sunday, Jesus returned to Bethany, the city where he was anointed by Mary the day before his grand entrance into Jerusalem. Now, on Monday morning, he returns once again to Jerusalem as he continues the journey toward the cross.
Here are the events of the Monday of Holy Week:
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On the walk from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples pass by a fig tree. Jesus is hungry so he walks over to the tree to grab a bite to eat, but the tree is barren. The fact that the fig tree had leaves on it should have meant that there would be figs on it as well (as the fruit generally appeared at the same time, if not shortly after the leaves). So what does Jesus do? Does he command the tree to blossom; to produce fruit for him to eat? No, he curses the tree and uses it as a teaching opportunity for the disciples (we will look at that in tomorrow's reflection). Just as the tree was hypocritical - looking one way (fully bloomed), but in reality, was something different - so there is judgment for those who are hypocritical in word and deed and for those who should be bearing fruit but do not. Just as the fig tree withered, so God will remove any aspect within us that does not bear fruit.
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Once Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he goes to the temple. Matthew (21:12-13), Mark (11:15-17) and Luke (19:45-46) tell us that Jesus clears the temple of the "money-changers." Here we see righteous anger from Jesus as he sees that these peddlers have turned God's house of prayer into a profit seeking business. Please understand, Jesus wasn't upset simply because people were selling items. The temple and marketplace had been connected for many years. This was the cultural center of the city. Jesus knew and understood this. The reason for this outburst at this particular time was due to the salesmen taking advantage of the worshipers (especially those worshipers who traveled to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover and needed to purchase animals for sacrifice). Not only that, Jesus looked around and saw that the marketplace was taking away from the worship within the temple. There were too many distractions. And God is zealous about his worship.
This action of clearing the temple is especially appropriate in light of the day Jesus had the day before - Palm Sunday. Yesterday, the crowds were shouting his praises and waving palms of victory, and now people are being distracted away from worship. He wouldn't let the Pharisee's quiet the crowd on Palm Sunday and he is not going to let the money-changers distract the people from worship today.
- At the end of an eventful day, Jesus and his disciples return to Bethany to rest for the evening (Mark 11:19).
When I consider the events of this day in Jesus' life, I come to the conclusion that the theme for the day is cleansing. On this day of cleansing, will you join me in searching within to see if there are any areas in our lives that are not bearing fruit the way they should? Or are there any actions or attitudes that are preventing me from worshiping God to the fullest? Will you join me in praying Psalm 139:23-24?
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Cleanse me, Lord, today. Amen. So be it!
(Illustration: Christ Cleansing the Temple by Luca Giordano b. 1632 d. 1705)
Many know this day as Palm Sunday. Others call it Passion Sunday. I like to consider both the palm and passion aspects of the day together.
On the Sunday before Easter, we remember and celebrate the day Jesus rode in to Jerusalem on a donkey. This action fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah (9:9). Many of the people in Jerusalem laid their coats down in front of Jesus. Others grabbed palm branches and began waving them (a Jewish national symbol conveying the notion of victory over one's enemies) as they hailed Jesus as king. Most in the crowd that day shouted praises toward Jesus, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matt 21:9; echoing the words of the psalmist; Ps 118:25-26).
This is a celebration! Shouts of praise...symbols of victory...a kingly entrance (except for that donkey, what's that about???) Well...it's about a plan that goes beyond earthly reasoning and understanding.
We mustn't stop at the waving of palm branches. We must read on a little further. And Luke shares with us the event immediately after Jesus' entrance to Jerusalem. The people are shouting praises, the Pharisees are upset, Jesus tells them that he won't silence the crowd because if he does, then the rocks will begin to shout praises, and then he looks over the city of Jerusalem and weeps. This is not a good cry. This is a grieving cry. You see, Jesus knows the path that is set before him. The path that he has begun with this entrance. He knows that by the end of the week, the shouts of praise will turn to cries for his death. He sees the sin in the people's hearts and their refusal to let him cleanse them. He knows that their shouts of "Hosanna," meaning "Lord, save us" are just words. They don't really mean it...at least not in the sense that really matters - spiritually. In fact, their cries of "Hosanna" are directing him to the moment and place where he can fulfill their request - the cross. And so, Jesus weeps. And each step Jesus takes from this point forward takes him one step closer to the cross.
This is the passion (suffering). This is the palm (praise). This is the journey of Holy Week.
(Illustration: Jean-Hippolyte Flanderin, Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem, 1842)
**This is a bonus reflection for Holy Week.
On this day, the Saturday before Palm/Passion Sunday (John 12:12), Jesus is in Bethany (approximately 2 miles outside of Jerusalem; John 11:18) visiting with his friend Lazarus (you know, the one he raised from the dead?; John 12:9) and Lazarus' two sisters, Mary and Martha.
"Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” John 12:1–8
A few points I'd like to make after reading this passage:
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This gathering may have been a special feast rather than a regular meal because Lazarus and Jesus were reclining at the table. This position was the common practice for banquets, rather than an everyday meal.
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A pound is a large quantity of oil/perfume and would have cost the equivalent of about one year's wages.
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Anointing Jesus' feet showed that Mary was humble and devoted to Jesus as she took the form of a servant. It is the servant's job to wash the guest's feet. Later in John, we see Jesus modeling servanthood as he washes the disciples feet (John 13). (Side note: Matthew and Mark, when relating this same story, say that Mary anointed Jesus' head with the oil. Given the large amount of oil, and the facts of the two stories, it is appropriate to consider that Mary anointed both Jesus' head and feet).
Although each of those are great points to consider, it is Jesus' response to Judas that grabs my attention. His response tells me that our responsibility is to worship Jesus. It is important to note that Jesus is not discouraging helping the poor. We know from Jesus' life and ministry that caring for the least of these is a very important function of Christ followers. The ministry of care, however, should never come before our worship of the One who calls us to that ministry in the first place.
Judas is "concerned" for the poor by pointing out that the perfume could have been sold and that the money (remember, it was one year's worth of wages) could have been given to the poor. That's a lot of food and clothing. It's a lot of help with rent. This money could have been put in the benevolence fund. Now, Jesus knew that Judah actually wanted to steal the money, but that is not what Jesus calls him out for. Instead, Jesus makes the point that now is the time to worship.
I firmly believe the lesson to be learned is that we must worship God first and then take care of others second. Or, as Jesus states in Mark 12:29-31, love God, then love others. As we worship God, we will increasingly become more like Him, meaning we will treat others the way Jesus treated them. It is vitally important that we become more like Christ...and we do so by worshiping Him.
Today, spend time pouring out your love on Jesus.
(Illustration by Paula Nash Giltner)
This Sunday begins the last week of Lent, called Holy Week, and the final stretch toward Easter. In history, Holy Week begins with Jesus riding into Jerusalem being praised as king and ends with his earthly body lying in a grave. How do we go from unrestrained praise, to death and mourning, in such a short period of time? This is a peculiar week. This is a heart-wrenching week. This is a week we should never forget. It is a week that leads to the most important event in the history of the world - the resurrection of Jesus, our Redeemer and King!
During this next week, beginning on Palm Sunday, I will be posting daily reflections following the journey of Jesus as he walks through this last week of his pre-resurrected earthly life. Theologians have debated the chronological order of the events of Monday - Wednesday, with differences of opinion on which day certain events occurred. I will simply follow the most widely accepted order for the steps that Jesus took between the triumphal entrance into Jerusalem and his burial in the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea.
Here is a brief preview of what is to come:
Palm/Passion Sunday: Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd.
Monday: Jesus clears the temple; returns to Bethany.
Tuesday: Jesus returns to Jerusalem where his authority is questioned.
Wednesday: Jesus continues to teach in the temple; Judas sells out.
Maundy Thursday: Jesus celebrates Passover with his disciples.
Good Friday: Jesus is put to death.
Easter Saturday: Jesus' earthly body lays in the grave; the disciples are hiding in fear.
**Easter Sunday: begins the Easter season as we rejoice with exceeding great joy - Christ has risen!!!
Follow along with me, if you will. Let's journey together as Jesus leads us from death to new life.
February 13, 2013, begins the season of Lent. During Lent we journey toward Easter by looking within ourselves to see how we as individuals and a society fall short of God's vision for us. This is a time set aside for letting God work within us as we go through the process of self-examination; casting off those habits and practices which lead us away from God, and taking on those habits and practices that contribute to our spiritual vitality, restoration and renewal.
The word "Lent" comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word lengten, which means "springtime," named so for the time of the year in which it occurs. A time for renewal.
You’ve heard the term "Spring Cleaning," right? Sure you have. Each year we sense the urge to look around our homes and get rid of a bunch of stuff. We go through the cycle of cleaning out the clutter in our homes, bedrooms, or dorm rooms.
This is what Lent is about. It’s a "spring cleaning" for our souls. We search within to find all of the stuff that really doesn't need to be there, or shouldn't be there, and we empty those things from our lives, inviting Christ to dwell in their place.
Lent is as much about taking on as it is about giving up. During this season, let us practice 'engaging' spiritual habits: such as prayer, service and meditation; as well as 'abstaining' spiritual habits: such as fasting and silence.
I saw this church sign the other day (the name of the church has been blacked out to protect the innocent)...
I believe that in their attempt to be inclusive, this church has actually become very exclusive. I understand the intention, but really? ... A church where people who don't go to church love to attend? What about those that like church? What if someone has just moved into the area and is looking for a new home church? Apparently, this is not the church for these.
I love the church. It is the Body of Christ. Jesus goes so far as to call the church his Bride. What if I'd like to visit this church? The sign, unfortunately, tells me that because I love the church, and love to attend church, I would not love this church...possibly not even be welcome in this church.
Not to mention that the statement itself makes absolutely no sense. How can someone who does not attend church love to attend this church? If they "love to attend" this church, then they are not "people who don't go to church."
Now, let's address the banner above the sign: Loud band, high octane coffee and no dress code. That doesn't really sound like the Body of Christ to me. It sounds like a church that is targeting a very specific audience that excludes anybody who does not fit in that group. Let's break down the statements: 1) Loud band - any good musician knows that playing loud (and I assume they also mean fast) all the time does not make good music. A large aspect of "good" music is the dynamics of a song (and a song set). Soft and slow can be just as powerful as loud and fast, if not more so; 2) high octane coffee - what does that even mean? I don't know about you, but I really hate drinking gasoline with my doughnut; 3) no dress code - finally one that I can wrap my head around. This is a common phenomenon in churches to have the "come as you are" mentality. I understand and agree. However, God is never satisfied with leaving us where we are. I believe this "come as you are" mentality has led to sloppy, thoughtless appearance. We are, after all, entering into the presence of Almighty God when we gather for worship. It is more common to dress up for work (for our boss) than to dress up for church (for God). Maybe we should be more thoughtful as to how we dress when we go to church. (Side note: this church may say there's no dress code, but there has to be some kind of dress code. Would they really be okay with someone showing up in nothing but their underwear?)
The slogans and phrases on these signs may sound hip and clever, but they are excluding a vast number of people in this particular community - people that God loves and desires to hear about his gift of salvation. Church leaders must put on their critical thinking caps and consider what they are communicating. This church may be communicating exactly what they want to communicate. In that case, the church needs a refresher course on biblical worship and how God views the Body of Christ. I really don't think the "If you like church, go somewhere else," or "If you don't like church, than this is the place for you" mentality can be found supported by Scripture. My guess is that this church is bucking against some sort of fundamentalist mentality regarding church music and dress code. I believe, unfortunately, they have swung the pendulum to the extreme opposite side. We must find a middle balance. For that is where spirit and truth worship can be found.
There is a focus in Evangelicalism today concerned with the ordering of the words Worship Leader versus Lead Worshiper. A lead worshiper does not actively lead, but rather, behaves as one of the congregation who just happens to be worshiping in front of others, hoping they will join in. Though I understand the humility of this concept and it is an admirable thought, the concept itself is neither biblical nor leadership, and may lead to unengaged worship experiences for many congregations.
As those called to lead others in the actions of worship, worship leaders are held to a higher standard and therefore, must consider our leadership role as highly important and eternally significant. We cannot simply stand in front of people hoping they will join in somewhere along the way. That is poor leadership and wasteful spending of what God has entrusted to us. Our calling as worship leaders is to guide, usher, and encourage the congregation toward a response to God's many revelations of himself. God reveals himself to us and we respond with acts of worship (music, prayer, meditation on Scripture, baptism, communion, etc.)
Throughout the Bible we see that leading corporately requires, well, leading. Leading by example can be a powerful action, but when leading corporately, verbal instruction is important to engage the congregation in meaningful worship experiences. Moses did not simply model worship, he instructed the people of Israel. David did not simply worship and hope that others would follow his lead, he appointed worship leaders to lead the people. Jesus himself did not simply model worship, but taught his disciples how to pray and led them in worship.
Let's take a moment and compare the worship leader role to a tour guide. Imagine hiring a tour guide to take you to see the Grand Canyon. You arrive at the ranger station, the tour guide says, "Welcome," and then just starts walking. You're not sure if you should follow, but you do. Each step you take is one of hesitation because you're still not really sure if you should in fact be following or if you should have stayed behind. As you hesitantly walk, you observe many beautiful plants and a few animals scurrying about, but you don't know their names, or even if they are safe or poisonous. The tour guide looks back a couple of times to "check in on you," but again, says nothing. Pretty soon, you arrive at your destination. The tour guide is standing between you and the Grand Canyon with their back to you. They aren't saying anything. They are just standing there admiring the view...in your way, obstructing you from a full view of this majestic place.
I would guess that you would say that the tour guide was not a very good one. They did not adequately fulfill their responsibilities as a guide/leader. The same is true of worship leaders. It is not enough to stand in front of a congregation and worship, checking in on them occasionally to see if they are doing okay. Leading corporate worship is a time for us to be a true leader, helping the congregation ultimately arrive at the destination, all the while understanding what they are seeing and hearing along the way.
As worship leaders, the congregation's experience of worship is our primary responsibility. We are not "successful" in our job if the congregation does not worship (I'm talking big picture here. There will always be times when individuals in the congregation struggle to worship due to circumstances beyond our control. We must simply provide the best opportunities for them to worship and pray that they experience God in a fresh, new way). Of course, the goal is to get to the point where we can join the congregation in worship, even as we are leading them. Just like the tour guide, even though we are doing a job and helping others experience the journey, we also get to enjoy the beauty and majesty along the way.
I encourage you as you lead others in worship. Don't forget that there is a congregation out there and that it is your responsibility to lead them in experiencing God. Leading worship is not about you and how good you or the band sound. It is about the congregation's experience as they come before God. Join them on the journey, as part of the Body of Christ, just don't get lost in your worship and leave them behind. If that happens, then you have not fulfilled your responsibility to lead worship.
God bless you as you serve him...Worship Leader!
A recent article addressed the narcissistic tendencies of today's culture. It claims that we are raising a generation of narcissists. The author of the article states there is "a study showing that the tendency toward narcissism in students is up 30 percent in the last thirty-odd years." This is a secular organization publishing this.
You can read the full article here: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/08/are-raising-generation-deluded-narcissists/#ixzz2HYOhgIB3
I have said for many years that this 21st Century narcissistic attitude has crept into our worship. I wrote on the topic in my doctoral dissertation. Here is an excerpt:
"The main culprit in the development of worship issues within the church is the narcissistic tendencies of many 21st century Christians. In such cases, worship is no longer primarily about God and what he has done. There is a disregard of the incredible salvific act of the One true and Holy God and a denial of the fullness of God’s story. Instead, worship has been manipulated into being about us – what we like; what we want; what we feel we deserve. We have pushed Almighty, Sovereign God off the throne and have placed our own meager selves in his place. Our worship services reflect this narcissistic attitude when we do not remember the fullness of God’s story, either by choice or by training, and plan services with less than God's grand story as the foundation."
God's story is Creation - Incarnation - Recreation. God created all that we see, and even that which we do not see; He became flesh and dwelt among us; and he has promised to return again at the end of time. This is the story of God. This, and only this, should be the foundation of our worship. It's not about us or our preferences. It is about God!
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— Romans 5:1
Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. It is a day for us to open our hands, and our hearts, and accept the peace that God offers us. Yes, that is what he does for us, he offers peace. I know sometimes it doesn’t feel like we have peace. Maybe you feel like your world is spinning out of control, or maybe, because of your circumstances, you feel as though God is far away. But God is drawing near during this season of Advent and as we await his coming, he offers us peace. No matter what the circumstances; no matter what we're going through; this is a time when we are encouraged to pause, take a breath, and remember that Christ himself is our peace.
During this season of Advent we remember that Christ is coming. Christ, the Prince of Peace has already come. Christ the King has promised to come again. Let us still our hearts and know that he is with us.
Today's Scripture - Ephesians 2:14 & Luke 2:14
"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility"
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
— Philippians 4:4
This third Sunday of Advent is sometimes called “Gaudete Sunday” (“Gaudete” is a Latin imperative verb meaning “Rejoice!”) The focus of looking ahead for the coming of the King encourages the Church to rejoice, thus the name and spirit of this Sunday.
And yet, during these dark times - especially coming off a week that included the massacre of innocent children in Connecticut - how can we even begin to think about joy, let alone experience it? With so much darkness in our world, it may seem difficult to find joy. And yet, it is within the darkness that God, very Light himself, has entered in. We find joy in the fact that Christ has come and Christ will come again.
I believe the joy of Christ is exemplified in this Jester Hairston text:
Hark now, hear the angels sing;
a newborn King today!
and man will live forevermore
because of Christmas day.
And this text by Charles Wesley:
Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
— Colossians 3:14
Today is the second Sunday of Advent. The theme is love, which is so appropriate, for Love has come.
The birth of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem is near. We can sense it in the air. Something, or in this case, someone is coming. There’s excitement all around and within us.
We prepare for his arrival. We ready our hearts to worship the King. We don’t want to miss him. We want to be like the shepherds who ran to find Jesus, not like the innkeeper who had no room for him. We don’t want to pass up the opportunity to be in the presence of Almighty God. And so, we quiet ourselves…and worship the newborn King…born in a manger…born in our hearts.
Yes, Love has come!
“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
— Titus 2:13
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. It is a day when we declare that our hope is found in Christ alone. Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ is our hope as we live our lives in this world today, and he is our hope as we wait upon his return as King.
During this season leading up to Christmas the world seems to spin faster. It gets busier and sometimes it feels out of control. I encourage you to let go of all the things that so easily hinders. To breathe deep. Try that now: take a deep breath in…and let it out. Spend some time in quiet meditation. Meditation simply means to think upon. I want you to think upon the Lord…to turn your eyes upon Jesus…to focus on him and do as Psalm 46 tells us, to be still and know that he is God.
Today's Scripture passage - Isaiah 2:1-5:
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord.
Well, it's December 1st and that means Christmas music has taken over the air waves. I, for one, am elated. I love this time of year. As I dusted off my old Christmas albums (which in 2012 means pressing the Christmas playlist button on my iPod that hasn't been touched in a year) I began thinking about my favorite Christmas albums.To create a Top 10 Christmas albums list is, of course, very subjective. With that said, the following are my ten favorite Christmas albums. These are recent releases, relatively speaking ( I do not include the classics such as Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra, which I also love and are pretty much a given when it comes to Christmas music). You will not be disappointed with any of these in your collection.TOP 10:
The Christmas Collection
By Amy Grant
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Amy Grant's Christmas songs have nearly become synonymous with the Christmas season. This is a compilation of Amy's three Christmas albums spanning 29 years: "A Christmas Album," "Home For Christmas," and "A Christmas To Remember." They are all fantastic! If you are a fan of Christmas music, you'll want all three albums for your collection.
Highlights: Amy's version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" is one of my all-time favorites; not to mention her original compositions included on this "greatest hits" album: "Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song)," "Tennessee Christmas," "I Need A Silent Night," and "A Christmas To Remember."
My Christmas
By Andrea Bocelli
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Andrea Bocelli's unparalleled voice soars throughout this album capturing beautiful traditions of the season while being filled with surprising and unexpected moments, such as "Jingle Bells" sung with The Muppets.
Highlights: The power ballad "I Believe" accompanied by the Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins; as well as the playful "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," which makes me smile every time I hear it.
Christmas Songs
By Fernando Ortega
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Christmas Songs is not really a great title for this album. A more appropriate title would be Advent Songs. The songs found on this gem are simple and beautiful in typical Fernando Ortega fashion.
Highlights: I really like Fernando's take on "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and his rendition of the ancient Advent hymn "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," but the stand out song on the album is "Jesus King of Angels." It is a wonderful Advent reminder of Jesus as the Light of the world.
Joy To The World
By Faith Hill
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What can I say about this Faith Hill treasure? Her powerful vocals, accompanied throughout by horns, strings, woodwinds, percussion and chorales, definitely put the listener in the spirit of Christmas.
Highlights: The album begins with the powerful "Joy to the World" that rivals any other version; "A Baby Changes Everything" is a heart-tugging modern take on the Mary perspective; Faith's "O Holy Night" is one of the best I've heard.
Christmas
By Michael Bublé
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Stellar arrangements from a voice that hearkens back to the crooners of the past. What could be better at Christmas?
Highlight: Michael's interpretation of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is my favorite part of this album. He slows the song way down and turns it into a soulful love song in a way that only Michael Buble can. His festive original "Cold December Night" is a solid example of Michael Buble music.
Christmas Album
By Michael W Smith
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Michael W. Smith has three Christmas albums: "Christmas Album," "Christmastime," and "It's A Wonderful Christmas." Of the three, "Christmas Album" is by far my favorite; although there are musical gems on each recording.
Highlights: Press play on track 1, listen to the whole album, and there you have it, my highlights.
When My Heart Finds Christmas
By Harry Connick Jr.
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The smooth vocal stylings of Harry Connick Jr. lends itself well to Christmas songs. I think Harry knows this, which may be why he has recorded three Christmas albums. This album is my favorite of the three and does not disappoint.
Highlights: "Sleigh Ride" just feels like Christmas; "The Blessed Dawn Of Christmas Morn" is beautiful; and "Ave Maria" sets the bar for contemporary artists performing this masterful piece of art.
Joy
By Avalon
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From the opening "Joy (To the World)" to "Jesus Born On This Day" to "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" to "Good News," Avalon makes it clear that this is a Christmas album that will stand out from all others.
Highlights: This is a solid Avalon album taking many of the newer Christmas ballad standards such as "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day," "Jesus, Born On This Day," and "We Are The Reason" and puts the Avalon signature style on them. The original song "Good News" is beautiful, but the vocal arrangement of "Winter Wonderland" makes you want to press play and turn it up!
O Holy Night (CD/DVD)
By David Phelps
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This album was recorded live in David Phelp's barn. Phelp's tenor voice is amazing, as usual. His "One Wintry Night" album is the studio recorded version of this "O Holy Night" album.
Highlights: "One King" is a beautiful duet typical of David Phelps; his gospel version of the Hallelujah chorus rocks the house, or should I say barn; his "Hark the Herald!" gets you grooving; and the last note of "O Holy Night" makes the whole album worth it.
Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection
By Mannheim Steamroller
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Who doesn't like some Mannheim Steamroller during the Christmas season? This collection brings the best together.
Highlights: The Christmas season would almost seem incomplete without hearing a version of "The Sugarplum Fairies." Mannheim's version has become a standard, as well as their interpretations of "Joy to the World" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
By Vince Guaraldi Trio
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Just like the TV show, this album has become a holiday classic.
Highlights: "O Tannenbaum" and, of course, "Christmas Time Is Here"
Cee Lo's Magic Moment
By Cee Lo Green
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This Christmas album is just a eclectic as it's maker. Cee Lo claims this album to be a soulful take on a host of Christmas classics, and he does not disappoint. If you like Cee Lo Green as an artist, you'll love this.
HIghlights: Cee Lo surpirses with his rendition of "Silent Night." It's very traditional, beautifully sung with very little accompaniment. I almost didn't recognize that it was Cee Lo.
Christmas Melodies
DosRios Music
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You don't want to miss this collection of piano and sax arrangements of Christmas carols written and recorded by my wife, Brooke.
Highlights: These are beautiful arrangements of some of the most popular Christmas tunes. My favorites include "Hyfrydol" ("Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"), "Catique de Noel" ("O Holy Night") and "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night").
Emmanuel: A Musical Celebration of the Life of Christ
By Various Artists
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This musical collection does not include Christmas standards, but I do enjoy listening to it at Christmas time. The songs are a musical journey through the story of Christ, beginning with the prophecies and culminating in Redemption's sacrifice.
Highlights: This is reminiscent of a rock opera; the "Overture" is powerful and sets the tone for the rest of the album; the choral anthem "For Unto Us" offers a balanced diet of tension and hope - just as the prophecies of Christ do in the Old Testament.
Christmas Spirit
By Richard Marx
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Richard Marx spends most of his time singing Christmas standards well suited for his voice.
Highlights: His original "Christmas Spirit" is the liveliest track on the album; The opening track, "The Christmas Song," is a very well done interpretation of the classic; the most beautiful piece is the albums final track, "Alleluia."
Noel
By Josh Groban
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Josh Groban
Highlights: "I'll Be Home For Christmas" includes messages from the US military service men and women; and "The First Noel" duet with Faith Hill.
Advent is a season of expectation. A time for us to anticipate the birth of Jesus.
The prophets long waited in expectation for the coming of Messiah. Theirs was a deep longing as they desperately cried out to God, "How long, Lord?" Messiah had been promised and so they waited...and waited...and waited some more. They waited in the midst of turmoil, unrest and tragedy.
As Christians living in the 21st Century, we can understand their longing. We too are waiting. And we also wait in the midst of turmoil (our economy is yet to recover), unrest (Egypt; Israel; Syria) and tragedy (Hurricane Sandy). This time, we wait not for Messiah, for he has already come; instead we wait for Christ the King to return in all his glory to redeem the entire world in a re-creation of a new heaven and a new earth. This has been promised to us by Jesus himself. And so we wait in expectation and we ask, "How long, Lord?"
This is what we celebrate during Advent. It is an important season of the church and for our lives. Let's not miss this time of expectation and anticipation. Let's not rush to Christmas, but give ourselves the opportunity to say, "Come Lord Jesus, come."
To purchase Veni Emmanuel and other mp3's from the "Christmas Melodies" album, visit the amazon link below.
Christmas Melodies
DosRios Music
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Do you remember when you first heard about Jesus and his love for you? Do you remember the person who told you about Christ's sacrifice and influenced you toward accepting Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Now, imagine if that person had never told you about Christ. What a sad (and devastating) thing to think about.
There are many people who have set an example of godly Christian living for us to follow. Some we know; others we know of. Billy Graham is a wonderful example to follow, although many of us may never meet him in person. Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. are other great examples. The Bible talks about a cloud of witnesses that cheer us on in our faith. Throughout the history of the church, a day has been set aside to remember and honor those who have gone before us and set the example of how we should follow Christ. This day is called All Saints or All Souls Day and falls on November 1st. I believe this day is vitally important to our walk with Christ. It reminds us to be thankful for those who have gone before - those whom we personally know who told us about God and those who have told us through the pages of Scripture and other forms.
The Apostle Paul knew the importance of being an example for others to follow. In 1 Corinthians he says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Other Scripture passages that support the remembrance and honoring of those who have gone before include Mark 12:26-27; Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 12:1, and Revelation 5:8.
Initially the calendars of honoring saints and martyrs varied from location to location. Usually, local churches honored local saints. However, gradually feast days became more universal. The first reference to a general feast celebrating all saints occurs in St Ephrem the Syrian (d. AD 373). St. John Chrysostom (d. AD 407) assigned a day to the feast, the first Sunday after Pentecost, where in the Eastern Churches the feast is celebrated to this day. In the West, this date was probably originally used, and then the feast was moved to May 13th. The current observance (November 1) probably originates from the time of Pope Gregory III (d. AD 741), and was likely first observed on November 1st in Germany.
There is a 19th century hymn entitled "For All The Saints" that focuses on honoring the cloud of witnesses that have gone before and set an example for us today.
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
And Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
I'll conclude with an All Saints prayer found in the Book of Common Prayer (1979):
Almighty God,
who hast knit together thine elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of Your Son, Christ our Lord:
Give us grace so to follow Your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come
to those ineffable joys that thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Biblical worship is never about me and my worship. Instead, biblical worship is about God and remembering his saving deeds throughout history. One Old Testament passage that lays a foundation for remembrance in our worship is Deuteronomy 6. It is here where God instructs Moses on how to remember:
"In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?’ tell him: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.’" (Deuteronomy 6:20-25)
Later, Peter writes to Christians under persecution encouraging them in their worship and reminding them not to forget all God has done for them:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)
In these passages we see there is power for our worship in remembering. When we remember God’s saving deeds, we are inspired to worship him and grow in our spirituality.
The Greek word, anamnesis, literally meaning the drawing near of memory, encapsulates the idea of remembrance perfectly. Anamnesis is not just remembering an event that happened in the past, but drawing it near so as to experience it once again. Just as God is ever present, his past saving events are to be remembered as true for all time. Past, present and future events are always relevant in “God’s time.”
I was watching a television show recently about the shapes of the states of the United States of America. The historian told the host that a specific state has “historical amnesia.” They have forgotten the history of the state and it has affected the way they currently live. That statement got me thinking. I believe the church has the same problem. The church has historical amnesia.
There is a danger in not remembering all God has done for us as well as throughout all of history. Nehemiah 9:16-17a states, "But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands. They refused to listen and did not remember Your wonders You performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt."
We must understand that worship past is connected to worship present. God is faithful and his grace abounds, but our worship is most powerful when we remember God’s mighty acts.
A contemporary praise song written by renowned worship leader Tommy Walker entitled “We Will Remember” (c2005 Doulos Publishing) challenges Christ-followers to remember the acts of Christ in our lives and to praise him accordingly. Lyrics such as, “We will remember the works of Your hands; We will stop and give you praise, for great is Thy faithfulness” and “I still remember the day You saved me, the day I heard You call out my name; You said You loved me and would never leave me, and I’ve never been the same” bring to our attention the importance of remembering God’s saving deeds, both historically and personally. The lyrics of the bridge portion of the song, “Hallelujah, hallelujah, to the one from whom all blessings flow; Hallelujah, hallelujah, to the one whose glory has been shown” reiterates that our remembrance of all God has done leads to praise.
Diagnosis: many churches today suffer from historical amnesia.
Prescription: fill times of worship with the remembrance of God’s saving deeds throughout history. Utilize worship elements, patterns and traditions from throughout the history of the church, while encouraging contemporary relevance, in order to bring about authenticity in worship. Most important, utilize Scripture throughout worship. In doing so, we will continually be anchored to the main thing.
I ran across this quote today from Dr. Timothy Keller:
“Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong.”
Man, does that quote challenge me right now. God has been taking me (and my family) on a journey this year. It's a journey that has had its share of worry, anxiety, sleepless nights, anger, bitterness; peace, joy, humility . . . As you can see, it's been an emotional roller coaster for us. Needless to say, this quote hits hard and penetrates deep into my soul.
Over the past eight months I have struggled with worry about the future. Do I not trust God to get it right?
Over the past eight months I have struggled with bitterness and anger toward a situation where I, and my family, were wronged. Do I not trust that God has a plan and can heal?
The answer to both of these questions is - of course I trust God (that's where the peace and joy come in from the list above). I know God has a beautiful plan for me and my family. I know it is a perfect plan designed for us from the beginning of time. My responsibility right now is to stay focused on God.
I want to share with you a prayer that I have prayed every day for the past eight months. I hope it encourages you as it has me:
"Lord, I trust you; help me trust you today."
I will continue to pray that prayer as I continue on this journey God has me on. It makes me think of that late 19th century hymn: Trust and obey, for there's no other way; to be happy in Jesus; than to trust and obey.