Hey guys. I listened to a sermon a couple of days ago that was really good. At the end, the preacher, John Piper, gave a 7 min application for Christian worship.
The sermon was given on December 8, 1996. It is covering the verses in Hebrews from 7:26-8:5. He has just been preaching on how Jesus is the fulfillment and replacement of the old worship system that the writer of Hebrews calls "copies and shadows." I highly recommend taking 7 minutes to listed to this.
MP3 File
3 comments:
John 4:21-24 - Worship in spirit and in truth. Great application - he said something to the effect that as we search the NT we find no authoriztion of buildings, candles, liturgy, etc. He also said it is not forbidden. However - how far do we go with that freedom? Are icons OK? What about crucifixes? How about having the Lord's supper with coke and peanut butter crackers?
Also, What if the orthopraxy of the church meeting was intended to transcend cultures and was done by the model of the apostles. Phil 4:9 - seen in me. What have we lost by the model of the Church Fathers as our example rather than the apostles? I love what he said about the NT transcending cultures. However, most cultures other than ours that I have worshipped with look a lot like us because they learned by watching us and being told, "This is how you do it!"
Love you guys and thanks for the mp3 link - it makes me think!
Rody
@ Rody:
I had the same thought when I heard him say that nothing was forbidden.
You know, the Protestants always slam the Catholics and Orthodox Church for their icons, but is this really an honest application of the second commandment?
Surely if we actually worship the images and small figurines, we have become guilty of idol worship. (And surely some of what goes on in these traditions comes close to or actually is idol worship.)
But does the medium of an icon or a crucifix that helps us connect to the living God fall under the second commandment? I honestly don't know and I am up for thoughts.
i read your comments jcourt and i think that you make a really good point about protestant-baptist upbringing and the slander that often marks such religious traditions. It is sad that Christians would react like this when Jesus told us to love our enemies and Paul said to pray for those who persecute us. As Protestants we should love in a way that shows the gospel in action, even for those who are not christians. But we must be clear, when we ask the question, how wide is the divide between RC/Orthodoxy and Protestantism, the answer is undoubtedly: very wide indeed. It would be foolhardy to overlook the fact that although RC's are not actively killing Protestants in the streets as in the past, their official statement on Christians outside the RC communion has not changed in any significant manner. I am familiar with the Vatican II document, but the changes that it brings are vague and very broad indeed. In fact it extends the promises to anyone who "seeks God," which goes even beyond those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior. I cannot see this as a step toward reconciliation but rather a step toward making the gospel meaningless, and making Christ of no value. Other than that, the RC position on penance, baptism, prayers, etc. as our addition to salvation is exactly the same as 500 years ago. I'm not saying that no one who attends a church with the words Roman Catholic over the door can't be saved, but why would they stay in such a God-dishonoring place? Isn't it our place as Christians to lovingly call them out of such religious functions? I believe it would be wrong to imply acceptance of their official RC system by calling them brothers and sisters and I find it even more wrong to actively support their practices by co-opting them. I don't want to fight with you, but I honestly cannot see how meditating in front of a statue is fulfilling Jesus words to "worship in spirit and truth." What truth can be found in your own mind by meditating in front of anything? Rather Jesus specifically pointed out that "[God's] word is truth" and that He will sanctify us by it (John 17:17). Knowing Jesus can't come from our own thoughts, but from reading about him in the teachings that God gave us. I believe that Jesus Christ is worthy of meditating upon, but not empty-minded in front of an icon, but rather full of the triumphant message about him, as told in the Bible.
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