Praise God who will be lifted high
Praise Him whose presence will be nigh
Praise Him who will teach us His way
Who brings the latter, peaceful day
Come let us walk in the Lord’s light
Rest in his presence in the night
Put first the Lord, His Word obey
Walk in his peace and hope today
– From a sermon on Isaiah 2:1-5
Praise God who smelt away our dross
To Him who poured his grace on me
Praise Him who died upon the cross
To save, redeem, to set us free
– From a sermon on Isaiah 1:21-31
Here is a great song celebrating our great Redeemer!
Matt Boswell and D.A. Carson have written a new hymn for Christmas entitled “Exult in the Savior’s Birth.” You can download the music, chords, and lead sheet here for free. This would be a great song for pastors and worship leaders to introduce to their congregations during the upcoming Advent season. Also makes a good song to add to your Christmas rotation on your MP3 player.
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory…. But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish…. Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak….
– John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad
Here are some helpful posts on worship for pastors and worship leaders:
What Is Worship? – Matt Mason (TGC Worship)
Some helpful summaries…
Scripture in Worship – Joe Thorn
Because God’s word is what revives the soul, makes us wise, enlightens the eyes, and is the means by which God sanctifies us (Ps. 19; Jn. 17:17), we should be eager to give it a prominent place in our worship. While it is common to read the Scripture with the sermon and before the Lord’s Supper, I want to suggest 5 more places in worship where the word of God can be lifted up.
Truth We Believe and Songs We Sing – Matt Smethurst (Gospel Coalition)
Sound theology should shape everything we do in corporate worship. But what does that mean for music in particular? Don Carson recently sat down with worship leaders Keith Getty and Matt Boswell to discuss the relationship between the truth we believe and the songs we sing.
In his commentary on Acts, R. Kent Hughes shares this excellent quote on the definition of worship. To worship is:
Missions is about the worship of Jesus. The goal of missions is the global worship of Jesus by his redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The outcome of missions is all peoples delighting to praise Jesus. And the motivation for missions is the enjoyment that his people have in him. Missions aims at, brings about, and is fueled by the worship of Jesus.
– David Mathis in A Holy Ambition
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
My Measly Opinion – Marva Dawn (via Trevin Wax) – There is truth that transcends opinion.
Location, Location, Location – Paul Tripp (via Gospel Coalition) – A helpful summary of the daily battle of life – it is all about location.
A Catechism of the Heart – Sinclair Ferguson (via Justin Taylor) – What is the heart, and how do you keep your heart for God?
Like A Bag of Sand – Jared Wilson – How NOT to overcome an idol.
Worship: The Fuel, Fire, Furnace, and Heat – John Piper (via Justin Taylor) – A helpful summary of worship as you prepare for corporate worship tomorrow.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshipping our great God!
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading – all on the topic of worship and idolatry:
Why I John Ends With A Command – John’s last line properly leaves us with that most basic question which God continually poses to each human heart: Has something or someone besides Jesus the Christ taken title to your heart’s trust, preoccupation, loyalty, service, fear and delight?
The Idolatry of Spiritual Laziness – Laziness is idolatry. It is closely related to its opposite—workaholism. Both the sins of laziness and workaholism are sins of self-worship. The behavior looks different, but the root idolatry is the same.
Worship Distorted – The root of idolatry is pride…. Pride is seen as detestable to God precisely because it steals from God’s glory and his preeminence. Pride is rebellion, but it is much more than rebellion against God’s authority. Pride is self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness. A proud heart sees itself as central and God as the one who must find his place of orbit in the proud heart’s universe.
Why Do You Worship – Worship is not first an outward act; it is an inner spiritual treasuring of the character and the ways of God in Christ. It is a cherishing of Christ, a being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ. When these things are missing, there is no worship, no matter what forms or expressions are present.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshipping our great God with your local church!
Brian J. Mikul 