Christian Worship
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16
How to “do community” in the church is a challenge every local body faces. But with the foundation given here and in it’s surrounding verses, we have a good and exciting start. Two things of Christ we are specifically told to have within us: His peace (V. 15) and His word. His peace is one that is positional in that we are at peace with God, but due to the nature of the passage, we should understand it here to mean the peace that we should each have within ourselves which in turn binds us together in Christ. And then His word is to dwell in us with a filling, abundant richness. This word is to be the standard of truth that instructs our lives of worship together. It stands then that we must know Christ; we must be familiar with Him in such a way that intimacy with Him is built up, leading to connectedness to others who are doing the same. Because we are not meant to live independent Christian lives, we are to come to one another for mutual sharpening, accountability, and exaltation of the Savior. But again, all of this flows from the word of Christ dwelling in each of us and instructing every aspect of our lives. Only then is there teaching and correction that is of great value to offer for it will be rooted in Christian wisdom. When any member slacks on the personal input of Christ’s word, he/she does the entire body of Christ a disservice.
But no body of believers should ever make their final aim teaching, learning, and wisdom, for God is after our worship! Knowing Him individually and sharing Him corporately leads to praising Him joyfully, so very thankful for His salvation that we together enjoy. So much energy is often spent on structuring the forms (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs) that we miss out on the beginning and the end, namely, the knowing and the worship. All three parts must be held as essential and practiced in an ongoing manner for any of them to work properly. Is not our Mighty King and Lord worth the time spent to do them well? Know Him, show Him, and worship Him together in truth and gratitude.
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One Response to “Christian Worship”
Yes! First things first; to know Christ more, to want Him most. Then, enjoying the overflow of a closer walk with Him….and always looking back to be reminded again that the second thing cannot compete with the first thing.