There are those who say that we need to disguise ourselves and offer those who do not know Christ something they can relate to. In a way this is true, there are cultural changes that go on, and each congregation carries on those changes, whether they want to or not. But the biggest thing has nothing to do with culture. When we offer someone that is visiting the Church sights and sounds that they can find at a fair, or an auction, or a rock concert, what makes us different? Who are we serving, our own need to be accepted or God’s desire that all come to Him? We must continue in the faith. We must not seek or follow those that would not follow God, those that cause us to be unsure in our steps, those that we follow because they make us feel good or because we like them and are their friends. Revelation 3:1-7 warns me that I cannot be a Christian but be in the world. How many times have I compromised? How many times has the church done that? There were Christians in World War II that helped Nazis get away from paying the price for their evil deeds. Are these truly Christians? How many times do my words hurt others and I am just as bad as a murderer? How many times has the Church collectively followed the unwritten law that we don’t want their kind in our Church? How will Christ see us if we do that? How about if we try to tell others that their worship is keeping others from worshipping the way they want to worship? Did we forget Romans 14? Did we forget that it is not up to us how we worship but God? What does God want? The Jews knew. That was written in the Old Testament. Christians often want to add to God’s Word and do what makes them feel “spiritual”. Jesus is only interested in what allows His Church to walk and live in faith in Him, not that we have a gift from God (that is a given) and especially not that we can demonstrate it. (That is prideful). In Matthew 16:15-18, Jesus said he would build His Church on the Rock of Faith, not on how it brings in people, or how it appeals to the outsider, but how much faith in God is there. And that sometimes makes people alone. If we are concerned about pulling people in, appeal is not the way. Faith in God is the way, the LORD’s house, The LORD’s people will not thrive in a situation where it tries to bring in people by giving them what they want. They will know we are Christians by what we do that appeals? No, they will know we are Christians by our love. How do I love my neighbor? Does Christ live in me, such that I am willing to share who Christ is, and that it is because of Him that I am? If we continue to seek those by appealing to what they want to see in a service that should be an event that is for entering the Holiest of Holies and praising God, that is nothing more than asking them to join a club. That is not what Christ is all about. In worship, we serve God, not embellish Him and make Him prettier because otherwise He is just not attractive. If we do that we do not know God and have made Him into something we think we understand better, rather than reaching to really know Him better through studying and learning His Word. What are we stressing in our services? Dancing, musical instruments and loud noise? Shouting hallelulia? That has a time and a place. Our services have become not the reverence peaceful time, but have sometimes become a party and we want everyone in. Do you like parties? I do. I like to mingle, to enjoy others company, but how have I grown? Do I learn anything new? Probably not.
On the other side of the scale are those that bring the level of worship down by their hypocrisy. (Matt 23:1-33) Am I afraid to let down my personal walls in front of everyone? Or do I care they know all there is to know about me. How loving am I? How friendly? Do I seek to get to know people and find out what their needs are? Or am I interested in hearing what the preacher says, then getting to the lunch line as fast as I can? I am extremely vulnerable as a Christian because everyone is looking at me, especially other Christians. How do I live my life? How can I tell these people not to do this, if I myself will do it in 5 minutes, or maybe something worse? What did Jesus say about plucking the log out of my own eye before I remove a splinter from someone else’s eye? I, we, all of us, must watch who it is that we follow and remember that during our worship services and our daily lives.
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