In Jesus’ conversation with a woman at a well, she talked about the location of worship but Jesus wanted her to understand that worship is not about a place. He said to her, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
For me, this instruction seems simple yet profound. The simple part is that God isn’t looking for fancy externals or concerned about modes of worship. He wants it to come from the heart. He also wants our thoughts and attitudes to be based on truth, not lies, false information or anything contrary to who He is.
My devotional book clarifies the profound side of Jesus’ words. It refers to the basic senses of the human spirit as we responds to God: intellectual, aesthetic, corporate, and moral. While I’ve never thought of my spirit in this way, his descriptions ring true.
Intellectually, I must understand the meaning of religious observances. If I follow the rituals without knowing how they connect to the realities of God’s character my relationship with Him, they become empty routine or even superstitious obsessions. By hearing good sermons or sound biblical teaching, I learn how to “relate the vision of glory to the reality of life.” Since my purpose for Bible study is making my faith practical, I consider this understanding vital.
Aesthetics are about the beauty of any symbolism, ritual and drama in worshiping God. Some denominations do this better than others. Years ago I saw a dancer move in harmony to music that accompanied a powerful reading about God creating the universe. It was incredible and I’ll never forget it. Plays and singing draw me to God, open up the meaning of what He has done and is doing, and impact my heart to serve Him.
Ross warns that aesthetics in genuine worship should draw the worshipers into participation. In other words, we are not doing this as observers. By being involved in worship services, but also baptisms, weddings, funerals, musicals, plays, the Lord’s supper, and other ‘rituals’, we ought to experience a heightened sense of God’s glory and more deeply worship Him.
Corporate worship is part of that idea of being joined together. My praise to the Lord is richer when it is given in the harmony of fellowship with others. Together, our love for God and our sense of being His children becomes much more powerful and real to us than when we are alone. Of course this means each of us must be walking with Him in truth, living our Christian lives with integrity. Fellowship is marred when even one member of the Body of Christ has unconfessed sin in her life. I can do little about the person next to me, but am responsible for keeping my own life clean and my sins confessed.
This leads to the moral sense that is developed through true worship. As my book says, worship must change lives. If not, “the intellectual sense will become arrogance, the aesthetic sense will be entertainment, and the corporate sense an unguided assembly.” Every aspect of the worship service must impart this moral sense. If the teaching is just giving out information, the rituals are rushed and unexplained, and the fellowship is thought of as socializing, people’s lives stagnate and the church has lost its way and its power.
How is this practical? God reminds me how often my husband comes home from golfing with interesting stories about the people he is partnered with. There are times when they are strangers with ‘colorful’ language, but after a few rounds with my husband who does not swear at all, they stop using offense words. Sometimes they even apologize to him. One person can change the way others behave.
The reverse is true too. I’ve been in a well-behaved group, that is until someone starts to gossip. Soon others slide into the same pit, and I’ve had to watch myself or I will fall down too. One person can change the way others behave.
These truths about worship are mostly for a congregation, not one person, but I can seek to develop a greater sense of understanding about what we do in church. I can encourage the aesthetic, and just be there—never “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” I can also openly and eagerly allow God to change my life. I am only one person, but the principle of being an example works in church as well as on the golf course.
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