RMCC Philosophy of Worship

Transcription

1 RMCC Philosophy of Worship The term worship has a broad range of meanings. One could advocate, according to Scripture, that all of life is worship. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 19, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. This is certainly language associated with worship. Similarly, the apostle Paul claims, So whether you eat, or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). It is true, therefore, to speak of all of life as worship. There is a danger involved in over-stating that all of life as worship, however. If all of life is worship, than nothing is worship - at least in part. In other words, it also holds true, from the foundations of creation, that God has set apart the corporate gathering of the saints one day a week as a unique and divinely ordained gathering of the saints for the purpose of worship. We see a one in seven pattern established in Genesis 1-2. Again, the Lord codifies this creation principle as an expression of his moral character in the fourth commandment - Honor the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 1 As a result, we at RMCC seek to give the Lord s day, which from the beginning of the world o the resurrection of the Christ was the last day of the week; and from, the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, the same significance that is placed on it in Scripture. It serves as the highlight of our week that re-orients us to our Triune God and encourages our entire Christian life. 2 1) Biblical: a. The Session of RMCC seeks to either explicitly sing the words of Scripture or sing songs, hymns and spiritual songs that are in line with the teaching and doctrine of God s holy word. (Ephesians 5:19; Col. 3:16) 2) The Regulative Principle: a. At RMCC, we seek to maintain and apply a confessional understanding of the truths of Scripture when it states, The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture. (WCF 21.1; Dt. 12:32; Mt. 15:9; Acts 17:23-25; Mt. 4:9-10; Dt.4:15-20; Ex. 20:4-6; John 4:23-24; Col. 2:18-23) 3) Conducive for Corporate Worship: a. In accord with scripture, and within the parameters of the regulative principle, the Session of RMCC believes the music in the worship service should inspire the congregation of all ages to sing the truths of God s word as one collective voice. b. While we are grateful for the myriad of excellent musical abilities, worship at RMCC does not seek to draw undue attention to any specific person s abilities, or musical skill-set, but rather seeks to apply those gifts in such a way that the entire corporate body is both blessed by and drawn in to worship the one true and living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 4) Covenant Renewal: a. The liturgy of RMCC will seek to maintain the covenantal dialogue of our Reformed liturgy. God s speaks, and we respond throughout the service according to God renewing his covenant of grace with us. 5) Ancient Faith for a Modern People: a. The music at RMCC should seek to reflect God s providential care for his church and that we come from an ancient heritage in the Christian faith, including a well 1 ESV Exodus 20:8-11; see also Ex. 16:22-26; 23:10-23; Dt. 5:12-15; Ezek. 20: WCF 21.7

2 established Reformed tradition. As Jaroslav Pelikan once said, our desire is to foster the living traditions of the dead, rather than the dead traditions of the living. 6) Eclectic Excellence: a. At RMCC we seek to find and incorporate the best music available, from a myriad of cultures, historical settings, and instrumental accompaniment. RMCC, from the time of it s establishment, has sought to include a Biblical breadth in the music selection that is incorporated in public worship. RMCC has included a breadth of musical selections ranging from negro spirituals to ancient Irish hymns. The common denominators established in the aforementioned parameters of this document, as well as a rich Christian tradition, inform the selection of music incorporated into the worship services of RMCC. EXALT: The Way We Seek to Worship A Community By Grace Loving The Lord Jesus And Making Him Known 1. God is at the center of our worship: God is at the center of our worship. In order for us to worship, the Father chose us, the Son died for us and the Spirit was sent to revive and indwell us. It is the Lord who seeks us out and calls us to worship him. Particularly, it is the Lord Jesus, as the God-man, our Representative who provides a sphere of grace wherein we can approach his throne boldly and without fear. It is the Lord who by his Spirit empowers and transforms us so that we may worship him in spirit and in truth, Jn ; Heb Therefore, the work of worship is first and foremost God's work of grace seeing that all things are from, through and to him. We enter into what He is already doing -- calling us, appointing Christ as our representative, indwelling us with his Spirit. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. Jn For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises. Heb We seek to worship God in Truth:

3 God directs our worship by his word. The pattern of RMCC worship is by means of covenant renewal: God speaks and we respond. Note the order of worship: Call to worship: (God speaks) Opening Prayer: (We respond) Songs of Praise: (We respond) Reading of Word: (God Speaks) Prayers and Praise: (We respond) Reading of God's Word: (God Speaks) Preaching of God's Word: (God Speaks) Closing Song: (We respond) Benediction: (God speaks/blesses) The Lord warns us not to worship him vainly. He encourages us to render to him the love, fear, and trust that is due him. His word is the means of his grace. By it we are sanctified. His word is truth, and that truth is nothing less than the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we desire to worship God according to his truth, our hearts anchored on and saturated with his word. We desire our welcoming, singing, praying, preaching, and blessing to be continually transformed by and in response to his living Word as it is centered on Jesus Christ. Ps ; Isa ; Ezk ; Rom ; 12.2; Col. 3.16; Jn God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. Jn Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Ps The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Isa My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. Ezk Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Col Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. Jn

4 3. We Seek To Worship God In Spirit. The Spirit leads our spirits to worship God in spirit, Jn Worship of God is one way we love God. We love God by making every thought, feeling and act a response of worship to God. We desire to worship God with our whole selves: body and soul, mind and emotions, with all earnestness, sincerity, and most intensely, Mt We seek to worship God with all sincerity of heart, not dissembling ourselves before him, Isa Therefore, we will seek to avoid trite, flippant, superficial, or a frivolous atmosphere in our worship of God. Rather, we will render him worship fitting to him: reverent, passionate, full of wonder. Ps. 29.2; 96.8; 1 Chron We will worship with great expectation in God moving in our midst, purifying our hearts, transforming our minds and will, making his presence known, 1 Cor ; Zec.8.23; Js. 4.8 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. Jn Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? Ex Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Mt The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Isa Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Ps For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, The LORD reigns. The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Ps David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets. 1 Chron This is what the LORD Almighty says: In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you. Zec But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, God is really among you! 1 Cor Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Jas. 4.8

5 4. We Worship God As A Community By Grace While Loving Others! God has called out for himself a people to praise him. Therefore, the Church consists of many members who in Christ are one. As love is the chief and summary command, love of God and neighbor, so too we will seek to worship in love as we look out for the interests of others: young and old, simple and mature, those who like fine culture and those folk culture (See attached document). Therefore, we will strive always to keep the unity of the faith in the bond of peace, Eph ; 1 Cor. 13., 4-7; Phil Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Eph If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.... Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phil We Will Seek To Worship God With Hidden Excellence God has appointed musicians and leaders to help the people worship him. He calls us to be skillful in our worship, Ps. 33.3; 1 Chron ; Therefore, worship is a craft that must be developed well by those who lead singing or perform on instruments. The aim in skillfully executing sermons and song, prayer and praise, the elements, sounds and circumstances of our worship is to display Christ most vividly, exalt God most clearly. We desire for our people to come away from worship thinking more of the object of worship (the Lord) than those leading worship. Hence, we strive a hidden excellence in our performance. True skill in performance never calls attention to itself, but to its object. True skill is unobtrusive and inconspicuous as a good frame for a picture, as a setting of gold for a diamond jewel. Scripture itself evidences such excellence in its Psalms (Ps. 119), parables (Mt. 13), stories (Gen ). Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. Ps Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it. 1 Chr Along with their relatives all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD they numbered Chr We will worship God drawing from the old and the new.

6 When Jesus spoke of the new covenant scribe, he envisioned that scribe drawing from both Old and New Testaments, Mt As the New Covenant cites the Old, and as the Old anticipates the New, so too, we will seek to enlarge the horizons of our worship by incorporating songs and sermon illustrations that draw on the riches God has given us in his church universal both past and present, Hebrews 4; This will not be done in a wooden fashion, artificially tallying how many are old and how many are new songs. He said to them, Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old. Mt Updated