Singing is part of worship

Firstly when we sing there is a vertical element – we speak to God through song.
Throughout the scriptures we find examples and encouragements to praise God. Many of the psalms are songs expressing praise to the great God we serve. Others like Moses, and Mary wrote songs of praise when God did mighty works in their lives. The Church in Colosse were ‘encouraged to sing Psalms Hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.’ Colossians 3v16. Throughout the history of the church song has been the means of expressing our heartfelt and thankful response to the God who has done everything for us. It is also the means of expressing sorrow and repentance. Again many of the psalms reflect this.

Secondly when we sing there is a horizontal element – we speak to each other through song.
Singing is a means by which we can remind each other of what God has done for us. The command to the church in Colosse starts with the premise ‘Let the word of God dwell in you richly as you sing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs.’ We sing the truth about God to each other. We build each other up as we remind one another of all that Jesus has done for us.
So song has a duel function; one it reminds us of what God has done in Christ and two, it is a way of expressing our response.
Song or praise then helps express our worship but while praise is part of our whole life of worship it is only one part of it.

Leading the ‘worship’ time

We must understand that Jesus is our worship leader. He alone leads us into the presence of God, once and for all.
So what is the role of the song leader?
First the leader should primarily point away from themselves to Jesus. We don’t want to be thinking what a great ‘Drum solo that was’ or ‘what a great guitarist they are’ we want to be thinking about Christ. The songs should speak to us about what Jesus has done, and the leaders role is to direct our focus and thinking to Christ.

Second we should be sensitive to those who are not yet of the faith. Our singing is not a time to sing our ‘top ten’ favourite and in a manner that we like but to introduce new people to the living Christ. Our language must be clear and what we do explained. People who are not yet Christians should be comfortable with what is going on and not feel coerced into something they don’t want to do. While we do not water down the gospel we do make every effort to be sensitive.

Third the leader should lead the congregation. In other words everyone knows what we are doing.
Leaders should direct. If we are going to sing three songs in a row – tell them. If there is a time of quiet reflection – tell them. If there is a time of response in prayer – ask for a response.

All life is worship

What about worship for us today?
Jesus‘ life was marked by obedience. ‘I have come to do your will’ Heb 10v9. Through his obedient death on the cross he makes access to God possible. In response we live a life of worship – obedience.
Romans 12v1 ‘I urge you brothers and sisters, 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.’
In response to God’s amazing mercy because of his obedient sacrifice for us we are to live obedient lives to God. This is true worship for us.
Consider this quote: ‘Because Jesus is the one true worshiper on our behalf, worship is not now to be seen as something belonging in a building, but rather the entire life of faith. The worship God wants is our whole life of faithful obedience, and as shocking as it may seem, it belongs more in the kitchen, the workshop and the street than in a church.’
Worship then is not singing, it is not music. Worship is based on what God has done for us in Christ. Worship has nothing at all to do with what we can do and everything to do what God has done. Therefore we live lives of worship that are a response.

Sunday worship

If all life is worship it blows away the concept of worship being confined to one day in seven – a Sunday or being marginalized to the praise time! So what is the place of worship on Sunday?
There is no single passage of scripture, which lays out a paradigm of what must be done when we meet together. Hebrews 10v25 reminds us that we should ‘not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another’. It is only when we read through the New Testament that we can begin to piece together what we should do.
Broadly speaking there are two aims:
Firstly we meet together, as the scriptures encourage us, to hear God’s voice to us. Primarily God speaks to us through his word that is how we meet him. As we hear his voice so we are reminded time and time again of what he has done for us. When we read his word we see what our position is in Christ and all the blessings we receive.
Paul’s instruction to Timothy ‘Until I come to you devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and teaching.’ 1 Timothy 4v13

Secondly, together we respond to what God has done for us. As we hear what he has done so we are encouraged to live obedient lives. The majority of this will be worked out individually in the nitty gritty of work and family life 24/7. However when we meet together we do so corporately. Part of our corporate worship is expressed through song. As we sing together we respond to God by expressing our trust in Him in songs like ‘In Christ alone’. Through the words of hymns we can express our desire to love and serve God, like ‘When I survey’. Through song we can also express our thanks to Jesus our True Worship Leader with songs like ‘Amazing Grace, my chains are gone’.
In this sense song plays a vital part when we meet together.

I realize this is a topic much discussed in blogs and and books and seems a bit out of date with current issues and trends in the church. However it seems that with every new generation we need to get back to what we mean when we talk about Worship. Over recent days I have heard the familiar comments ‘Did you enjoy the worship?‘ and ‘Who is leading worship this week?‘  Of course they were referring to the time of corporate singing on a Sunday morning or at any other another gathering of Christians. But what do we mean when we talk about the ‘worship time’ and ‘leading worship‘ ? Over the next few days I will post my thoughts on what worship in the church is all about. Perhaps as you read you will write your own comments and let me know if you ‘enjoyed the article on worship!’

Jesus the one true worshiper

First we understand that Jesus is our true worship leader.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us that ‘We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.’ and again ‘by one sacrifice he has made perfect those who are being made holy’. Heb 10:10,14.
Because we have been made right before God ‘we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus.’ Heb 10v19.
Access to God is now possible so we ‘draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith’ Heb 10v12.
Jesus as our worship leader has gone ahead of us and prepared the way so that we can meet God on a daily basis corporately or individually. He has opened up a new and living way once and for all.
So singing is not the way we gain access to God Jesus is. The ‘praise leader’ does not replace the priest, who mediates between God and the people. We have ‘one mediator between God and Man the man Christ Jesus’. We do not have to work or earn our way into God’s presence Christ has done that for us. Jesus is our true worshiper and it is all by grace.