Sometimes I write from the perspective of a preacher at the pulpit; on other occasions I see myself as more of a storyteller. But today—well, today is a little different.
Picture this: I’m sitting in your living room as we enjoy our favorite warm beverage. You invited me over because we’re friends; and I accepted because I need to get some things off my chest.
So I apologize in advance if I ramble, go off on a tangent, or fidget a little too much. Sitting here on the edge of your brown leather couch, I’m just going to tell you what’s on my mind and hope that in some small way you’ll be able to relate.
I have the privilege of leading the young adult Sabbath school at Hillcrest Adventist Church here in Bakersfield, California. Honestly, there are few things I enjoy more. From putting the lesson together each week to leading out on Sabbath, it’s something I’m privileged to be a part of, and hope to continue for a long time.
One of the reasons I love leading the class is the impact it’s had on my own life. Last quarter’s lessons, which focused on worship, were no exception. Each week, using the quarterly, David Asscherick’s commentary, and a host of other great resources, I prepared the lesson. Through it all I gained a better understanding of what it really means to worship God.
The Life I Live
Toward the end of the quarter I was preparing for Sabbath when I stumbled across a passage in Jeremiah 7:9, 10 that profoundly impacted me, perhaps because God Himself was addressing His chosen children:
“Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name?”
I immediately began thinking about these words in the context of my own life.
I do a lot of “good” things: I go to church, lead Sabbath school, and listen to Bible Answers Live in my car. But what occurred to me while reading Jeremiah 7 is that going to church and singing praise songs (or hymns) is not worship. It is merely an act of worship that means nothing unless it is reflected by my everyday life.
I’ve discovered that, simply put, true worship is found in how I treat my coworkers, what I do when no one is watching, and how I follow the convictions that God puts on my heart.
Worship is not one act; it’s reflected in all my actions. Worship is how I live my life.
Nobody is more aware of this than the enemy. For as long as Satan has been attacking God’s people, he’s been deceiving us into thinking that the acts of worship matter more than the reasons for worship.
Think about it in the context of our country: Although the United States has lost sight of its moral foundation, there’s still a strong current of commercialized Christianity running through our purple mountains’ majesty. Megachurches grow at a record pace, citywide prayer breakfasts routinely sell out, and radio-friendly Christian music has never been so popular.
Don’t miss the point: I’m not saying that any of these things are bad, only that they are too often viewed as an end, rather than the means to an end.
The origin of true worship is not found in a church or a catchy chorus. Jesus said it Himself in Matthew 22:37: Worship—love for God—does not begin outside us, but within us; in each heart, soul, and mind.
As earth’s history draws to a close, worship will be at the center of the great controversy. The devil will do everything he can to divide our hearts. But Jesus has chosen us; He wants the entire thing.
It’s your move. The battle begins within.
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Jimmy Phillips ([email protected]) writes from Bakersfield, California, where he is electronic media coordinator for San Joaquin Community Hospital. Visit his web site at www.introducingthewhy.com. This article was published November 10, 2011.
