This is weird. It's Monday morning, and I'm here instead of just getting home from work. I have to return to jury duty at 9 this morning. So I'm getting my Bible reading done this morning, since I have no clue what time I will be home this afternoon.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD!--Psalm 104:31-35
Day 139
Isaiah 61:1-3,10-11
The first section, verses 1-3, are the verses that Jesus read when he went into the synagogue and took the scroll and read it to the people.
What are the things that he was sent to do, according to these verses? To preach good news to the poor; heal the broken-hearted; announce freedom to the captives; pardon all prisoners; to announce the arrival of God's grace and the destruction of the enemies; to comfort all mourners, and care for their needs; to give messages of joy.
As a "brother of the Son," I believe that I am "tasked" to assist in these projects. I can preach good news to the poor (ok, maybe I can sing good news better than I can preach it...). I can't actually heal any broken hearts, but I can put soothing salve on them. I can announce freedom to the captives, because the freedom comes as a result of the message that we carry. I can certainly announce the arrival of God's grace and the ultimate destruction of our enemy. I can give comfort and support to those who are mourning. I can spread a message of joy, because that it what Christ has placed in my heart.
We get the message of joy confused with the message of doom, sometimes, I fear. The message is not so much that all unbelievers are facing eternity away from the presence of God in everlasting torment. While that is, according to Scripture, true, our message is the joyful message that God has provided a means of escaping that everlasting torment. So our preaching should not be "hellfire and damnation" but "heaven-light and salvation." People do need to know what they are being saved from, but that is not the primary message. God's grace is the primary message. That is the message of joy!
Doing all of the things above sounds like a lot! How do we keep from "burning out?" The answer is found in verse 10. "I will sing for joy in GOD, explode in praise from deep in my soul!" Worship, worship, worship.
My ongoing proclamation is that worship is the ultimate priority of the church. It is not evangelism. It is not social ministry. It is not fellowship. All of these things are definitely important. But worship is the most important thing that a child of God can do. When Jesus was asked what the most important command was, he quoted Deuteronomy 6:5. "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." He did not give the "Great Commission" at that point. Many churches are guilty of putting the "Great Commission" ahead of the "Greatest Commission." Here's the deal. If you are worshiping, truly worshiping, all of the other responsibilities of the church will happen naturally.
I don't believe this because I am a worship leader. I am a worship leader because I believe this with all my heart.
Grace and peace, friends!