The Heart of Worship

A few years ago, a war broke out.

I know what you're thinking. Wars break out all the time.

No, it wasn't that kind of war. It wasn't like the war that broke out on September

11, 2001 in New York City.

It wasn't in Afghanistan or Iraq or Ukraine or Palestine or Bosnia.

Of all places, this war broke out in England.

You probably never read about it in the newspapers because, well,

thankfully, no one was killed, at least not physically.

But this war was a war of hatred nonetheless.

Animosity. No, none of those involved would ever admit that they harbored hatred

or animosity, but they still did.

As with all wars, this war was fought because of selfish desires to possess and control.

You see, this war was a holy war of sorts.

At least the participants professed to be holy, professed to be doing the will

of God, yet if the truth be known, they were each seeking their own way.

Of all things, this war was over the style of worship.

And now you've probably known the rest of the story.

When I call this a war, you know what I'm talking about.

It was a war of worship, particularly a war over music.

And still, this war was not isolated to the church in England.

It spilled out over into many churches here in America and throughout the rest

of the world. It became a war between the races.

It became a war between the classes of people. It became a war between the generations.

It became a war between the denominations. It became a war between the church leadership.

This was not a war over correct doctrinal interpretation of scriptures.

It was not a war over adherence to articles of faith. It was not a war over

anything that was heresy. Of all things, this was a war over music.

That doesn't make sense, but it happened.

Still, finally, the style, tempo, and instruments used in worship was what the war was all about.

Sides were taken. Battle lines were drawn in this church in England.

Christians stood against Christian toe-to-toe and face-to-face. You know the arguments.

Those young kids are so immature and shallow, they're destroying the strong

traditions of the faith in our hymns.

Those choruses, they're so shallow, no meaning at all, and all they do is repeat

over and over and over ad nausea.

The hymns, that's what we want to sing.

You can't possibly learn the hidden mysteries of God if you don't sing the hymns.

And after all, the job of the church is to teach worshipers to sing in four-part harmony.

Besides, I like the hymns. They make me feel good. They make me feel good.

I refuse to sing anything else. If we don't sing the hymns, then I won't sing at all.

I don't know those new songs, so how am I going to learn them now?

Never mind the fact that the hymns that we learned, we had to learn it sometime.

And drums in the church, that's pagan.

That beat is straight out of Satan and out of the jungle. Of course,

the other side wasn't silent either.

Those old fogies, they don't know how to worship.

Those songs were written hundreds of years ago, and no one really even understands

the words of them anymore. They just repeat them over and over and over ad nausea.

Our songs, they're written to God, not about God.

And they're practically straight from the Bible, especially the songs,

when I worship, I want to feel it in my bones.

If I have to sing those old dead funeral dirges of hymns, then I won't sing at all.

Besides, those old people really aren't interested in inviting us into the presence of God.

They just want to feel their traditions and do what they want to do.

Can you believe those arguments?

That never happened, right? It's just something that was made up.

Never mind that Old Testament worship,

involves singing and chanting praises to God, and never mind that there was

all sorts of instruments involved, including drums.

There were lyres and trumpets and flutes and timbrels, and yes,

there were drums, and heaven forbid, King David even danced in worship.

But what occurred next in the Church of England was practically totally, total disintegration.

Child fought against parent, brother fought against brother, friend against friend.

What must this have done to the heart of God?

What must God have been thinking when people on both sides of the war were threatened

the pastor that they would leave the church if they didn't get their way?

What must God have been thinking when people on both sides of the war slandered

their brothers and sisters publicly, questioning their faith,

somehow thinking that if they could take the other side out,

they'd get their own way?

We'd have our church back. I've heard that.

What must God have been thinking when people on both sides of the war decided

to withhold their tie thinking they would punish the pastor and somehow get their way.

What must God have been thinking when people on both sides of the war demanded

that they be allowed to sing special music because so-and-so wanted to hear

them sing and they wanted to see their grandchild up on stayed.

By the way, in one of my churches, I think it was like maybe the first one I was full-time pastor,

we stopped having special music for that very reason, because people said they

wanted to hear their grandson up on stage and wanted to see him standing up

there performing in worship.

Sorry, special music is not performance. It's worship.

So anyway, what must God have been thinking when people on both sides argued

about who was going to control the music and lead it?

Praying for the wisdom of Solomon, the pastoral team acted.

If there could be no unity of worship over music in worship,

then there simply would be no music.

You see, these pastors realized that the purpose for the congregation coming

together on Sunday morning was to worship God, not men or methods or styles or performances.

It's not about us. It's about God.

Longing for God to break through and bring about his desires in worship. All music was ended.

There was no prelude. There was not a single note played in service at that church in England.

Not a note was sung, not a special, not a choir, not a band, not an instrument.

The Sunday worship services were simply silent except for the reading of Scripture,

prayers, and the sermon.

Isn't this the way it is with many churches these days, and it's not just over music.

Battles are waged over the smallest of things, including the color of a carpet.

Heaven forbid. And all of them centered on what each one wants the most.

Maybe it's not the music. Maybe it's the order of worship. Maybe it's about

which Bible translation is used.

Maybe it's about who gets to serve communion.

Maybe it's about the way we take the offering or don't take the offering.

Maybe it's about whose name is listed first on the prayer list.

Maybe it's about how the money is being spent.

Maybe it's because those young

people are changing things and we've never done them that way before.

Just a thought. But when worship is about blessing us and praising ourselves,

who is really being worshiped?

Oh but isn't the

heart of the father grieved after several months

with no music in that church in england matt redmond

felt his heart strangely touched agonizing over what worship was all about he

was inspired to pen some words and on one sunday morning matt redmond walked

up on the stage at the beginning of the service,

with simply a guitar in his hand and a microphone.

And he's saying the words that

I will read the words now. When the music fades, all is stripped away.

And I simply come, longing just to bring something that's of worth that will bless your heart.

I'll bring you more than a song, for a song as itself is not what you've required.

You search much deeper within through the way things appear.

You're looking into my heart.

One Sunday morning, that church was changed.

You see, worship is not about what we want. Worship is not about music.

Worship is not about style. Quite frankly, worship is not at all about us.

Worship is all about God. Get over yourself.

You know, I tell people I do not have the gift of mercy, and I think I've told you that before.

That is not one of the high gifts of mine.

If people screw up their life and are paying the consequences, consequences.

It's like, get a life. You did it to yourself. Get over yourself.

So we're going to read from Philippians chapter 2, verses 1 through 11.

Philippians 2:1–11

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,

if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,

if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded,

having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own

interests, but each other, each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus,

who being the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something

to be used to his own advantage.

Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.

Being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven on earth and under.

The earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

So it's interesting that we read this passage, and we've read it many times,

and as you know, we're going to be moving through the book of Philippians.

This is one of the letters that Paul has written to the church at Philippi,

and let me give you some background for this scripture because in a lot of, in this passage,

because a lot of things that Paul was dealing with was dealing with conflict

and problems within the churches.

In the letters that he sent to the churches, he was the one to try to set things straight.

He was dealing with a lot of things. In Philippians 1, verses 15 and 16,

Philippians 1:15

he was speaking out about those who were promoting themselves, self-promotion.

In chapter 3, verses 1 through 11, he talks about the Judaizers who were coming

into the Christian faith and trying to make everybody become Jewish by circumcising everybody.

As if that was going to make them better Christians. They were promoting tradition over love and grace.

Romans chapter 1, even though we don't know Paul wrote this or not, we don't know if he did.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

We believe, well, he did write Romans. We don't know if he wrote Hebrews, but wrote Romans.

In chapter 7, he talks about the struggling that we have with sin of self.

It says, I want to do what's right, but I can't in my own strength.

He struggles against the sin of self. In 1 Corinthians 3, verses 1 through 9,

1 Corinthians 3:1–9

he talks about the divisions in the church in Corinth, especially those who

are saying, my teacher's better than your teacher.

Oh my goodness, what must this do to the heart of the Father?

1 Corinthians 5, verses 1-5 talks about selfish immorality, seeking pleasure.

1 Corinthians 5:1–5

Chapter 11, verses 17-34, selfishness in worship.

This was when they were going ahead of each other to take the Lord's Supper,

pushing people out of the way to eat first.

Chapter 12, jealousy over the spiritual gifts. My gifts better than your gift.

Oh my goodness, what must this do to the heart of the Father?

Chapter 16, he was grieving about those who were withholding their tithe,

for use for themselves because apparently they thought they could use the money better than God could.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The root of all sin is self.

So I submit to you this morning that what the Apostle Paul was driving at is

that the heart of the worship, the center of what it means to worship,

is to have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.

Let me read those words again. If you have any encouragement from being united

with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit,

if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete.

Remember in chapter 1, he said, I pray with joy about you guys.

And now he says, make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same

love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider

others better than yourselves.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Do you want to know

what the heart of worship is?

It's to have the same attitude of Christ, to give everything up for him.

So what is the heart of worship?

The first thing is this, is worship is forgetting self.

The root of all sin is self. Paul said, look to the interest of the Father,

and in so doing, look also to the interest of others.

Consider others better than yourselves. In verses 6 and 7 of our passage,

we see that even though he was God, Jesus didn't promote himself but glorified

the Father by lifting others up.

Go into a world that desperately needs Jesus. Serve a world.

That's what Jesus did. He became servant for us.

Jesus did not consider equality something

to be grasped, something to be obtained, something to hold on to.

He didn't need to have equality. he was already God.

And he refused to take every right that he could have had as God.

He could have been self-promoting, but he wasn't.

But John chapter 1 says that even though he made the world, Jesus didn't promote

John 1 · chapter mention

himself, but instead God became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one of a kind glory,

like father, like son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

We see this in the temptation of Christ. It is recorded in Matthew chapter 4.

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

Jesus never promoted himself. In fact, one of the first temptations that Satan

said, if you are the son of God, command these stones to become bread,

because he had been in the wilderness 40 days without food or water.

Jesus, how did Jesus answer him? It is written, man does not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. In other words.

Hungry, but that's myself, and I don't need that.

Then he tempted him, if you're the Son of God, throw yourself down from this

height, and the angels will come and pick you up.

Jesus said, it is written, do not put the Lord your God to a test.

Then he finally said, if you are the Son of God, bow down and worship me,

and I will give you everything you see.

And Jesus said, it is written, Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.

Never promoted himself, always promoted others and his father.

What must it do to the heart of the father when his children fight over who's more important?

What must it do to the heart of the father when his children seek to be seen and heard by others?

What must it do to the heart of the father when his children seek to have their own way?

What must it do to the heart of the Father when his children seek the seat of honor?

Second thing we see is worship is surrendering to the will of the Father.

In verses 6 through 8, it says Jesus made himself nothing.

He humbled himself to the will of the Father and became obedient.

Even as early as his baptism, we see that Jesus submitted and surrendered to the will of God.

When challenged by John about there being no need for Jesus to be baptized,

Jesus responded, let it be so now. It's proper.

We do this to fulfill all righteousness.

And praying in the garden before his betrayal and before his crucifixion,

Jesus prayed, Father, take this cup of suffering away from me,

but nevertheless, let your will be done.

I'll do whatever you want me to do, Father. It's yours.

Jesus understood that God is on a mission to redeem a lost world to himself,

so he surrendered himself to the task of redemption.

And if Jesus can surrender himself to the task of redemption as the Son of God

and God, how much more so should we?

Oh, what must it do to the heart of the Father when his children refuse to surrender

every portion of their lives to him?

Worship is also about servanthood for the sake of Christ and others.

Jesus took on the very nature of a servant and became a man.

What's the nature of a servant?

One, it's self-abasing, putting others first, keeping yourself humble,

and knowing that you are only a child.

You're only a human. You're not God.

It's also giving up everything for the service of others.

And it takes joy in pleasing his master.

In the garden, Jesus prayed and took joy for revealing the Father to his disciples.

If you want to read the great priestly prayer, high priestly prayer,

read it in John chapter 17.

John 17 · chapter mention

Paul took joy that he was in chains for Christ, for me to live as Christ, to die as gain.

Oh, what it must do to the heart of the Father when his children seek salvation

and the church for their own glory and their own handouts instead of servanthood.

And worship is then also the sacrifice for the cause of the cross.

In verse 8, it says, For Jesus' sacrifice meant that he became obedient to the

Father, even if that meant dying on the cross.

And he told us that we are to die to self daily.

We are to give ourselves up and bear the cross. There's no limit to how much

Jesus would surrender for the sake of cross.

He did everything for us.

Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

And I have called you friend, Jesus said. He said that if we would have any

part of him, we had to take up our own cross and follow him.

Paul knew this. He said, whatever was to my prophet, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness

of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and his suffering, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, garbage, trash, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of

sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to

obtain to the resurrection from the dead.

Oh, what it must do to the heart of

the Father when his children refuse to sacrifice at the foot of the cross.

What it must do to the heart of the Father when his children profess salvation for themselves,

but refuse to sacrifice themselves and take that message to the cross,

or to the lost, just like Adam was talking about in inviting others and talking

to others and sharing that with them.

Oh, what it must do to the heart of the Father when his children profess salvation,

but seek selfish gain and position.

Oh, what it must do to the father when his children hold back on their giving for control.

To pay for some selfish desire when people are in need of Jesus.

Oh, what it must do to the heart of the Father when his children spend more

for their cars and toys than they do for the cause of Christ.

Oh, what it must do to the heart of the Father when his children,

when God asks whom he is to send, and no one steps up.

You know, I've been an interim here, supposed to be one or two years,

and it's now three, and it's going to be four, and who knows.

But do you know, we aren't finding people that are entering the ministry?

Just a thought. Well, what's happening in this world when we refuse to surrender to God and his will?

I believe that God's calling us back to the heart of worship.

I wonder if you would join me in this as we put aside all of our own selfish

desires and surrender ourselves to the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

As I read this last passage from this scripture, I'm going to invite you to

worship and to listen to the words,

as Liz sings them, but this is what was written in Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 through 11.

Philippians 2:9–11

And therefore God exalted him, meaning Jesus,

to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

The heart of worship is not a song.

It's not the sacrifice of bulls. It's ourselves in surrender Let's listen.

Music.

That's not what God can do for you. That's what you can do for God.

Let's pray. Father, help us to have the same nature of Christ,

surrendering, serving, giving all to you, and ridding ourselves of self.

Father, help us to serve a world that desperately leads Jesus and do it in such

a way that Jesus would be pleased in our worship service and service worship.

In Jesus' name, amen.