How can we ensure our worship aligns with biblical principles today? Setting the Scene: A Tale of Two Altars 2 Kings 16:17: “King Ahaz cut off the side panels of the stands and removed the basins from them; he also removed the Sea from the bronze oxen that supported it and set it on a stone pavement.” Ahaz dismantled God-given furnishings to accommodate a pagan design he admired in Damascus (vv.10–16). His creative remodeling felt progressive, yet it violated God’s revealed pattern (Exodus 25:40; 1 Chronicles 28:19). The result was compromised worship and national decline. Lessons Drawn from 2 Kings 16:17 • Worship redesigned by human taste drifts from God’s truth. • Small “adjustments” (cutting panels, moving the Sea) signal bigger heart shifts. • When leaders imitate the world’s forms, the congregation soon imitates the world’s gods (2 Kings 16:3–4). Principles for Worship That Pleases God Today 1. Scripture Sets the Blueprint • “All Scripture is God-breathed…so that the man of God may be complete” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Songs, sermons, ordinances, prayers—everything flows from the Word, not trends. 2. Christ Remains the Center • “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). • The gospel storyline—creation, fall, redemption, consummation—frames every gathering (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 3. Truth Governs Emotion • “God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). • Feelings are welcome; they just ride in the passenger seat, not the driver’s seat. 4. Reverence and Joy Walk Together • “Let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). • Celebration without holiness becomes entertainment; reverence without joy becomes ritualism. 5. Holiness Marks the Participants • “Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness” (1 Chronicles 16:29). • Personal repentance and corporate accountability guard against Ahaz-style drift. 6. Ordained Ordinances Stay Intact • Baptism (Matthew 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) remain as instituted—no additions, no subtractions. Practices to Guard the Purity of Corporate Gathering • Vet lyrics and liturgy through scriptural lenses; ask, “Where is that in the Bible?” • Preach expositional sermons that let the text set the agenda. • Train worship teams to prioritize theology over artistry. • Schedule regular readings of creeds or statements rooted in Scripture (e.g., Philippians 2:6-11). • Encourage congregational singing—worship is participation, not performance (Ephesians 5:19). • Budget for ministry needs before production upgrades; stewardship signals priorities. Personal Heart Checks • Examine motives: am I seeking God’s glory or my preference? (Psalm 139:23-24) • Cultivate daily worship privately so corporate worship isn’t my only spiritual meal (Psalm 63:1-5). • Submit to church eldership that submits to Scripture (Hebrews 13:17). Encouragement to Continue in Faithful Worship Hold fast to the pattern God supplies. Unlike Ahaz’s altar, it never needs renovation. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). Pure, Scripture-shaped worship not only honors the Lord; it also guards His people in truth until the King returns. |
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