Lessons Learned Standing Outside the Church

Last Sunday evening during worship my 9-month-old son started getting fussy.  I took him out into the foyer and eventually had to step outside because the Lord’s Supper was being held in the foyer on this particular Sunday.  As I stood outside, I realized that I had never been outside of the building when worship was taking place.  It was a very unique experience.

First, I was able to hear beautiful singing.  Even though I wasn’t inside, I could hear voices harmonizing together and the wonderful melody pouring out of the open windows.  I was even able to pick out certain voices because of the conversations and fellowship I’ve had with these individuals.

Second, I noticed several distractions outside.  The street was busy with passing cars and people traveling to one destination or another.  My son (who loves cars) watched every vehicle until it was out of sight.  Every time a car passed by, the singing was drowned out by the road noise.  These distractions quickly cut off any connection I had with the worship inside.

Third, I saw the faces of the people in the cars.  Even though worship was taking place and there was beautiful singing to be heard, not one person looked over at the building or heard the praises being sung.  Car after car simply drove on by.  The faces I saw described people who were focused on their lives, their plans, their destinations, and people who were uninterested in worship.  These people were locked away in their cars, blocked out from God, and likely engulfed by the world.  It was sad to see people so near to a place of worship and yet so far from God.  While it’s possible not all the people I saw were lost souls, their actions and attitudes certainly pointed in that direction.

Seeing all of this outside brought me to this conclusion: It is a tremendous blessing to be able to worship with the saints.  We have no fear of persecution or punishment for our actions.  We can open the windows and let our singing be heard by all.  There are tremendous bonds and connections with those we worship with.  When we worship, we can shut ourselves out from the world and surround ourselves in worship (Romans 12:2).  While worshipping, we can put all distractions aside and focus on the Lord (Luke 10:38-42).

Worshipping the Lord is so wonderful!  This is why it’s so disheartening to see people pass by who don’t know about this blessing.  This is also why it is so horrifying to think of those who know of this privilege yet choose to skip out anyway.

Hebrews 10 summarizes this thought incredibly well: “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (19, 22-25).

When the next appointed worship time comes, let’s make sure we are there and invite others to come share in this privilege.

SINGING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING: Ivory Palaces

Neal Pollard

A little less than a century ago, Henry Barraclough wrote one of the most unique, lyrically-rich songs in our songbook.  The musical arrangement is soothing in a way that matches the meaning of the words.  However, its poetry has caused some problems.

The first verse begins, "My Lord has garments so wondrous fine, and myrrh their texture fills; Its fragrance reached to this heart of mine, with joy my being thrills."  This and the following verses must be understood in light of the chorus, which essentially tells us that Jesus left the perfect splendor of heaven to come to this sinful earth because of His unmatched love.  With that background, we understand Barraclough's meaning to be figurative.  Jesus did not wear the clothes of a king while on earth.  Thus, the writer seems to speak of the qualities of Jesus' character, the power and influence of it.  Myrrh  is a perfume, a theme the writer uses through the various stanzas of the song.  So, this first verse speaks of the attractiveness of Jesus' character.

The second verse talks about the sorrow and pain He allowed Himself to endure.  While we think of aloe as a healing plant, the writer speaks of it in the sense of its bitter root (see the footnote at the bottom of the song in Praise For The Lord). While Jesus was a king, He was also the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (cf. Isa. 53:3).

The third verse shifts the focus to Jesus as the Great Physician.  He's an attractive king, He's a suffering Savior, but He's also the able healer.  The word "cassia," as once again a footnote supplies, is a "medicinal herb."  The idea is that He rescues us from our sin problem.

The final verse refers to Jesus' second coming.  He will bring the faithful Christian to heaven.  Taken together, we see Jesus in the "garb" (clothes) of King, Savior, Physician, and Judge.  Driving it all is "only His great eternal love."  Understanding the underlying theme of the songwriter helps us to better worship and better appreciate the perfect Son of God. 

WE ACTUALLY SPOKE TO EACH OTHER!

Neal Pollard

Everyone who attended last night's devotional at Bear Valley seems to share the sentiment that it was tremendously uplifting.  The theme was timely, the songs, scriptures, and prayer reinforced it, and the men who led, to the man, did so with apparent passion and skill.  Each moment was "savory" and satisfying.  Everyone surely felt closer and closer to the throne of God with each successive moment.  Yet, there was one moment I want to isolate which I particularly appreciate.  Bob Turner led us in "I Want To Be A Soul-Winner" and encouraged us to do something "interactive."  He asked us to stand and face the section across from us (we cordoned off the "north side" so that we all were seated in the center and south section of pews).  Then, he told us to look at each other and sing to one another, especially since this song was a profession of intent written to be spoken to one another.

No doubt for expediency and orderliness, churches more than a century ago adopted pews for a seating arrangement.  Perhaps it facilitates an optimal arrangement for seeing the preacher as he delivers the sermon.  Yet, it has created a few circumstances in our singing that could be deemed unfortunate.  It has isolated us in our singing.  We are typically tunnel-visioned, almost as if with blinders on our faces.  Perhaps we are staring at the back of the heads in front of us and maybe looking at the song leader, but we are not in a position to see one another.  Also, we have buried our faces in the "pages."  I say that because whether a congregation uses a songbook or projects songs on a screen, we have become conditioned to fixing our gaze on that rather than each other.  That means burying our heads in a book or riveting our focus on the paperless hymnal.  Hasn't it made us uncomfortable, in many cases, with actually looking into the faces of our brothers and sisters while teaching, admonishing, and encouraging through song? 

I am grateful that Bob had this idea.  It is hard to describe the joy and encouragement felt when looking into sincere, smiling faces of fellow Christians in the midst of worshipping our God and also speaking to one another in song. I encourage God's people to consider incorporating opportunities like this into the worship, to facilitate the command of "speaking to one another" (Eph. 5:19) and "teaching and admonishing one another" (Col. 3:16) "with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs."  The effect may pleasantly surprise you!

P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L SINGING

Neal Pollard

P-articipate.  Don’t just sit there, sing!  Omitting a command is as wrong as adding to one.  Remember that being able to bring praise to the throne of God is a high honor and deserves our full participation.

O-pen your mind.  Think about what you are saying in song.  Avoid “remote control” singing.  May we never, in this “exercise,” be using our lips with hearts far from God.

W-orship.  Realize that the deliberate exercise of worship in song is as much an activity of worship as prayer, preaching, or observing the Lord’s Supper.  The Hebrews’ writer draws on the imagery of Old Testament worship, offering sacrifices, to show how singing is worship.  He exhorts, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise ot God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).   

E-xpect results.  Worshipping God in song softens our spirits, sobers our mind, and fills our heart.  Singing teaches, reminds, admonishes, challenges, and comforts us.  It can produce peace, joy, hope, love, introspection, warning, and brotherly affection.  If we will invest, we will be rewarded.

R-aise your voice.  This is a lesson we often try to stress with our boys.  Mumbling, “lipping,” or whispering the words to songs will not teach or admonish or fulfill the command to “speak to one another” (cf. Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).  Don’t think you have a pretty voice?  I say this in love, but “so what?”  Fortunately for many of us, that’s not what’s commanded.  Don’t scream, but let your voice be heard.

F-eel what you sing.  It seems that singing, by design, strikes a chord in the human spirit (see “expect results”).  That requires deliberate investment in the activity.  If we are audibilizing “Sing And Be Happy,” “There’s Sunshine In My Soul Today,” or “I’m Happy Today,” make sure to wipe off the scowl for at least those few verses.  If the song is an admonition, be taught.  If it is praise to God, pour out your heart to Him.  If it is about appreciating God’s love or the cross, let there be a commensurate emotional response.

U-nite.  While songs of praise are directed vertically, so many of our songs also have the added, horizontal dimension to them.  Singing is a God-given way we unite in fellowship during worship.  It is perhaps the most demonstrable way and certainly the most audible. 

L-ove to sing.  Surely, some must love it better than others.  Not everyone has a burning desire to go over to friends’ homes to sing or to come early to services for “singing practice.”  Some even stay home on nights when the congregation plans a “worship in song” service.  May it be suggested that loving to worship in song may well be an insulation against apostasy and a safeguard against sin.  David was the sweet singer of Israel.  Look at Deborah.  Consider Paul and Silas at midnight over at the jail.  Moses had his song.  The more you put your heart and mind into it, overcoming any self-consciousness or insecurity, the more you will love it, too.

Yes, how P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L is worshipping God in song.  He asks for it.  He pays attention to it.  He is honored and praised by it.  He blesses us through it.  So, then, as the song leaders say, “Let us sing.”

“I’m Not Getting Anything Out of Worship”

President James Madison experienced many health problems in the later part of his life.  A friend of his sent him a box of vegetable pills he had made and asked James to inform him if they helped at all.  After some time, the man received a letter from President Madison which said, “My dear friend, I thank you very much for the box of pills.  I have taken them all; and while I cannot say I am better since taking them, it is quite possible that I might have been worse if I had not taken them."

Today, many walk away from religious activities because they felt like they “didn’t get anything out of it.”  I don’t remember many of the meals I have eaten in my life, but one look at my waistline will tell you that I haven’t missed many.  Even though I don’t remember what I ate, my body has still grown and gained strength because of them.  If I’m honest, I don’t remember the vast majority of lessons I have heard in my life, but this doesn’t mean I haven’t benefited from them.  I know I have grown spiritually because of the godly influences that have been in my life.  In fact, like Madison, there is no telling how much worse I would be without them.  It scares me to think about where I would spend my time if not at church and other spiritual activities.  I would most likely be filling my mind with worldly influences from TV, video games, non-Christian friends, etc.  Surely many sins would not be far behind such influences (1 Corinthians 15:33).

It doesn’t always feel like we get something out of worship, but we do.  Just the simple fact of being present at worship brings us away from the world and around positive Christian examples.  Not to mention, the class or lesson might have something, even if it is little, to help us walk closer to the Lord.

Next time you feel like you aren’t getting anything out of worship, it’s time to take a good long hard look at yourself and ask some tough questions: (1) Can you honestly say you have NEVER benefited from worship in the past, and WILL NEVER benefit from it in the future? (2) Are you being selfish? (3) Why do you want to skip out on spiritual activities and being around other Christians so badly?  (4) What will you spend your time doing if not with Christians in the assembly?

The old saying is so true, “You get what you put into it.”  When we put selfishness, arrogance, and worldly thoughts into worship, it’s no surprise that we walk away feeling “empty.”  After all, there was no room for anything else other than our own selfishness (Philippians 2:3-4)!  However, when we put humility, an open heart, and a focused mind into worship, there is no limit to the benefits we will reap (James 4:10; Luke 14:11).

Whether we believe it or not, there is nothing better we could do with our time than being around other Christians and worshipping God (Luke 10:27).  If we feel otherwise then it is time to check our priorities.