As we await the airing of our first show, I thought I would muse upon the theme of our first list and get a conversation started (is that even possible on a blog?) based on the first list. Please note: this is my first blog post ever and I am very nervous about my poor grammar, bad spelling, and over use of commas being exposed to the world. Have mercy upon me, dear reader, according to your love for blogs.
Our first list (without revealing the list itself) will be “The Top Three Things You Should Hear at Church.” So maybe in the comments below we could start discussing the following questions: What did you hear last Sunday? What was the content of the message? Was it from the Bible? Did it talk about Jesus? If so, what did the message say about Jesus? Was the service (that is, the songs, liturgy, prayers) based on Jesus’ work or your works? As we prepare to worship on Sunday mornings these are some questions we should be asking.
One thing I have been thinking about lately is the role of the Bible in our churches. I think (I mean, I hope and pray) we can all agree that if the Scriptures are not guiding our worship services, then whatever has taken their place is an idol. The Scriptures are the very Word of God recorded for us and therefore ought to guide and inform the entire worship service (not to mention the entire Christian life). Let’s assume we can all agree on that much. The thing I have been mulling over in my head is not IF we should be using the Scriptures in our services, but HOW are the Scriptures used?
Let me give you an example. I have recently heard (and I can’t recall where) that the Bible is a roadmap for living. It is a guide for us to teach us how to live according to God’s will. This kind of talk almost always reduces itself to some kind of moralism. Basically, when this is the way we view the Bible we are going to read it as if it were all about us and how we are to live. And, when the church uses it this way in worship services, our worship services become focused on us and not on Jesus. To be sure, since the Bible is open, we hear about what Jesus has done for us, but even then the story of salvation becomes a means to an end, the end being guidance on living a good, Christian (read: moral) life. It all becomes about the betterment of “me.” “Me” becomes the idol in the temple of the Lord!
The Bible certainly teaches morals and shows us how we are to live. But this is not the main focus of the Bible, not even close! I mean, if we are using the Bible simply to learn how to be better people, we are at best misunderstanding the intention of the Scriptures and at worst blaspheming the Holy Spirit. If in our worship services we only hear de-contextualized verses that are telling us what to do and how to act, and if every story we hear is somehow given a moral (You know, if you want to walk on water you have to get out of the boat!) then we are no longer faithfully reading the scriptures, but instead, using them to encourage our own moralistic narcissism, a very dangerous religion indeed!
Wow, this is quite a rant for my first blog (see, even I am caught up in moralistic narcissism, I just make mine sound pious!)! So, what are we to do? Hearing the Bible in worship is not enough. How should we be hearing the Scriptures? These are the Scriptures that make us wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15)! And, salvation is found in Christ alone. Therefore, when we hear the Scriptures, we need to hear them, and read them, in such a way that they point us to Christ and His gracious, saving work on our behalf. They are not about us fixing our moral foibles. They are not even about us becoming better people. They are frankly not about us at all. They are about Jesus dying for our morality (sin) and rising to reign for our salvation. They are the story of Christ’s saving work for you and all of creation. They are the account of the triune God’s merciful activity towards rebellious, moral narcissists, or as Jesus calls us, white-washed tombs. They are the story of Jesus leaving all kinds of tombs behind (of both the white-washed and garden variety) and starting a whole new creation, a tombless resurrection life! AH! This Bible is so good precisely because it is about Jesus and not us! Be gone with these boring, moralistic readings! Hear the great promises given to you from the apostles and prophets! It is not enough to just hear the Bible read on Sundays. What should you hear should not be about you, it should be about Jesus for you! This is what should be heard every Sunday!
Well, enough of this blog/rant/sermon. As we begin our radio show (which will air soon, I hope) my prayer (and Paul’s as well, I’m sure) is that our show would focus on Jesus. If you consider listening, please pray that we don’t detour into moralism, but that we are saturated in the marvelous light of Christ’s gospel!
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