I. A Review of Aesthetics and Beauty. II. Corporate Worship at FBC: Why We Do What We Do. III. Making All of Life an Act of Worship

Transcription

1 Enriching Public and Private Worship I. A Review of Aesthetics and Beauty II. Corporate Worship at FBC: Why We Do What We Do III. Making All of Life an Act of Worship

2 2 Enriching Public and Private Worship I. A Review of Aesthetics and Beauty Are there universal patterns of aesthetic beauty built in to the human soul, or is beauty merely subjective In the eye of the beholder? What about other cultures and international music styles? Does God think that more things are beautiful than we do? If so, why do we disagree with God? What does this teach us about worship styles? Are there some forms of popular culture and musical expression which are intrinsically ugly and ungodly and can never be used for worship? Are there other forms of popular culture and musical expression which are intrinsically beautiful, and which can eventually be used for worship, but which are presently so associated with idolatry or worldliness or rebellion that they cannot be used right now? A. The Bible and Beauty 1. God Himself is beautiful: Psalm 27:4 2. God s heavenly dwelling place is beautiful: Psalm 48: God created the physical world good this includes beauty 4. The future of Christ s Church is to be beautiful in holiness: Ephesians 5:25-27, Rev. 21:2 B. Not Everything Is Equally Beautiful 1. God did not make everything equally appealing to the eye 2. Some things are more spectacular and attractive than others C. Sin and Evil Produce Truly Ugly Things in this World Everything Else Has Its Beauty Examples: Paintings [ Milkmaid : Vermeer, 1660; Lavender Mist : Pollock, 1950] So it is with music [Samples Florence Foster Jenkins, Schoenberg, John Cage, etc.] D. God Created Us to Recognize Physical Beauty: Genesis 2:7-9 E. God Redeemed Us to Recognize Spiritual Beauty

3 3 1. The repulsive picture of a crucified man becomes purest beauty to us Isaiah 53:2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Isaac Watts Surveyed the Cross and found beauty there: 2. Redeemed people can recognize all spiritual beauty and meditate upon it Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. F. We Must Grow In Recognizing More Beauty Than We Do

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5 5 G. We Must Also Guard Against Encroaching Ugliness and Worldliness H. Redeeming [Some] Musical Forms Rejecting Others 1. Some musical forms originate from non-christians and are appropriate for public worship but must be redeemed 2. Some musical forms originate from non-christians and can never be used in public worship Steps in Redemption of Some Musical Forms: 1) God creates the form beautiful and appropriate for worshiping Him 2) God inspires a musician to write the music form 3) The unbelieving person does not use the form for the glory of God, and does not thank or praise God with it 4) Form gets hijacked for idolatrous and sinful purposes and develops an unclean history 5) Believing people cannot immediately use the form because it is too closely tied to idolatry and to memories of past sins; use of it in public worship causes people to stumble 6) Form eventually (over time) loses that association and memory; it no longer causes people to stumble 7) Form can in the end be used for public worship Examples: Non-Christian classical composers, writing for non-worship reasons; later, Christians find their music and use them for hymns; few church attenders know the history, therefore they do not stumble and can gladly sing it in worship to God Beethoven s Ninth Symphony; Sibelius s Finlandia and Be Still My Soul "Man, help yourself!" (Beethoven wrote that under the words: "Fine, with the help of God," which Moscheles had written at the end of a pianoforte arrangement of a portion of "Fidelio.") His choice of Schiller s Ode to Joy for the closing chorale of his Ninth Symphony is highly suspect theologically: Freude, Scho"ner Go"tterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuer-trunken, Himmlische, dein Heiligtum! Joy, fair spark of the gods, Daughter of Elysium, Drunk with fiery rapture, Goddess, We approach thy shrine!

6 6 Later, Beethoven s Ninth gets set to Joyful, joyful we adore thee and Christians everywhere love it and use it! Jean Sibelius: "I love the mysterious sounds of the fields and forests, water and mountains. It pleases me greatly to be called a poet of nature, for nature has truly been the book of books for me." One music expert wrote: Sibelius s genius was in his gift of translating his love of his country -- forests and lakes as well as heroic elements of traditional literature -- into music. Although he does not use actual folk songs, his musical language is so permeated with the idioms of his country that the spirit of Finland is naturally sensed. II. Corporate Worship at FBC: Why We Do What We Do A. Goal in Worship: The Glory of God B. Style: The Manner of Our Worship 1. Spiritual Philippians 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh 2. Reverential Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." 3. Joyful Psalm 95:1-3 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4. Humble Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. 5. Unified 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.

7 7 6. Participatory Acts 4:31-32 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. C. Elements and Content of Worship: How Worship Is Planned III. Making All of Life an Act of Worship A. A Lifestyle of Daily Worship: Living Sacrifices Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. 1. Old Covenant Sacrifices: Physical Yes, But Really Spiritual a. animal sacrifices required Exodus 20:24 Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. b. animal sacrifices denigrated Psalm 50:7-15 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. 8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." c. true sacrifice: spiritual, heart issue d. once that was in tune, then Old Covenant could be followed and accepted Psalm 51:16-19 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar. 2. The Essence of Sacrifice: Something Costly, Given Gladly

8 8 a. two old testament examples of sacrificial giving 1 Chronicles 29:6-9 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. 2 Samuel 24:22-24 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you." 24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. Not costly: b. an example of non-sacrificial giving Malachi 1:6-8 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?' 7 "You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. Not given gladly: Malachi 1:11-13 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty. "When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. c. two new testament examples of sacrificial giving John 12:3-5 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages."

9 Luke 21:1-4 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." 3. New Covenant: Animal Sacrifice s Symbolic Role Fulfilled Hebrews 10:1-4 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-- not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 1) All sin deserves the death penalty 2) The death penalty can be paid by a substitute 3) The substitute cannot be an animal 4. New Covenant: The Principle of Daily Sacrifice Remains a. central sacrifice of worship: your body fully submitted to God Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. b. secondary acts of sacrifice: worship to God and service to others Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. c. Kingdom work and sacrificial language Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. Romans 15:15-16 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. d. money as sacrifice 9

10 Philippians 4:18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 5. Morning and Evening: Personal Quiet Times as Fragrant Offerings 6. Practical Examples of Daily Sacrifice 7. Family Altar 8. Exhortation: The More Costly and Difficult, the More Valuable a. putting sin to death not a sacrifice but a warfare b. self-control in amoral pleasures: sacrifice for a greater joy c. giving possessions, time, talents in service to Christ B. Spirit-Led Daily Worship 1. Spirit-Filled Lifestyle = Daily Worship 2. Seeing & Savoring God s Glory in Creation & Redemption 3. Doing Everything for the Glory of God 4. Consecration: Preparing Your Heart (and Family) for Corporate Worship John Piper, Desring God: Three Stages of Worship 1) "This is the final stage where we feel an unencumbered joy in the manifold perfections of God - the joy of gratitude, wonder, hope, admiration." Psalm 63:5. 2) "In a prior stage that we often taste, we do not feel fullness, but rather longing and desire... for now our hearts are not very fervent." Here he quotes Psalm 42:5. This stage, he argues, is still honoring to God, just as we 'honor' the water from a mountain spring not only by the satisfaction felt after a long drink from it but also by the unquenched longing to be satisfied by it as we climb towards it. In fact, he says, all satisfaction in this life is shot through with longing, as we await the perfection of the age to come. 3) "The lowest stage of worship - where all genuine worship starts, and where it often returns for a dark season - is the barrenness of soul that scarcely feels any longing, and yet is granted the grace of repentant sorrow for having so little love." Psalm 73:22. 10