Worship and the life
Luke 18:9-14 Worship & the Life---a Reality Check
This story that Jesus tells has its point in verse 14, “ I tell you , this man went down to his justified , rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” If this is the case, then we should like to know more about the publican. We can do that too by looking at the Pharisee who is a study in contrast.
The Pharisee seemed to have the right language and he had the behavior to back it up. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get. (18:12) Apparently he was dressed as a Pharisee and observed the Law outwardly . These things in themselves are not bad, are they? Worship should be a place where we enter God’s presence in a formal way that is not just like any other day. We can certainly pray on our own as we should. When we come to the place where our forebears worshipped , spoke, and lived, we have a decided sense of awe. Yes, we can worship God out by the trees. Yes, we can go on the lake and look at the stars in the early evening and morning and feel that we are surrounded by infinite beauty. The sanctuary of the LORD is a place that is we have attached special reverence to. I feel that as well. If we had no church home , i.e. , building, then we would still worship----it may be in a school, or a meeting area. Jesus calls us together by His Word and Spirit anyway on the Lord’ s Day---the Day of Resurrection. It is important to speak the language of prayer in the prayers of the ages . We do not just make these things up when we pray. Good liturgy has its place in our lives. Extemporaneous prayer has its value as well.
What was Jesus pointing out that was wrong that the Pharisee did? He seemed to have lost the sense of God as he pointed out the faults of others in his prayer. “ I thank you that I am not like other men.” He points to his own accomplishments instead of remembering whose presence He is in. I is a familiar word in his prayers. It was not wrong to come to the Temple. It was not wrong to worship God with his dress and manner. It was not wrong to say formal prayers of the nation and faith. These things were not the problem.
The Publican was commended by Jesus . His language was addressed to God, “ God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” v. 13 This parable then is about one’s belief. The tax-collector had a right idea of who he was in the presence of God. I imagine his personal life was a reflection of his attitude about God and himself. He realized he did not merit any favor with God. He realized that when he opened his mouth he would often say the wrong thing. Instead of thinking of others and God, he would think of what would please others. He probably wondered how he had gotten so far from the commandments that told him about to not put anything in place or before God Himself. Then he reviewed his week and saw that he had spoken ill of others when he should have not. He would remember that his duty to love his fellow neighbor as he loved himself was largely unfulfilled.
The life we live should be a reflection of our worship. What we pray on Sunday is that we glorify God in all that we say and do. But our worship can be an assembly of words only, not power in the life. I have been helped as I thought of this lesson of others who have struggled with this . Martin Luther who we will remember chiefly on next Sunday, the Day of Reformation came to this point in his life. He had all the church could give him and he did all the spiritual exercise required of him, but somehow they became an empty display. He felt no peace .
“ Behold, Lord
An empty vessel that needs
to be filled.
My Lord, fill it
I am weak in the faith;
Strengthen me.
I am cold in love;
Warm me and make me fervent,
That my love may go out
to my neighbor...
O Lord, help me.
Strengthen my faith and
trust in you...
With me, there is an
abundance of sin;
In You is the fullness of
righteousness.
Therefore I will remain
with You,
O whom I can receive,
But to Whom I may not give.”
-Martin Luther (1483-1546)
As we do the work of the people, that is what the word liturgy means, I hope for you it is not an empty vain repetition. I pray that the fellowship of God’s people, His Church , may be a place and time when you can see His love and His concern for you. Unfortunately for too many people church is an exercise , but not necessarily something that comes from the heart. Our attitude about worship should permeate our lives into its darkest corners where there should be agreement. If that is not the case, the we should kneel in His presence to confess that we have erred and strayed from His Ways like lost sheep. He alone can give us absolution , forgiveness and pardon to live out our lives as best we can under His umbrella of protection and love.
This story that Jesus tells has its point in verse 14, “ I tell you , this man went down to his justified , rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” If this is the case, then we should like to know more about the publican. We can do that too by looking at the Pharisee who is a study in contrast.
The Pharisee seemed to have the right language and he had the behavior to back it up. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get. (18:12) Apparently he was dressed as a Pharisee and observed the Law outwardly . These things in themselves are not bad, are they? Worship should be a place where we enter God’s presence in a formal way that is not just like any other day. We can certainly pray on our own as we should. When we come to the place where our forebears worshipped , spoke, and lived, we have a decided sense of awe. Yes, we can worship God out by the trees. Yes, we can go on the lake and look at the stars in the early evening and morning and feel that we are surrounded by infinite beauty. The sanctuary of the LORD is a place that is we have attached special reverence to. I feel that as well. If we had no church home , i.e. , building, then we would still worship----it may be in a school, or a meeting area. Jesus calls us together by His Word and Spirit anyway on the Lord’ s Day---the Day of Resurrection. It is important to speak the language of prayer in the prayers of the ages . We do not just make these things up when we pray. Good liturgy has its place in our lives. Extemporaneous prayer has its value as well.
What was Jesus pointing out that was wrong that the Pharisee did? He seemed to have lost the sense of God as he pointed out the faults of others in his prayer. “ I thank you that I am not like other men.” He points to his own accomplishments instead of remembering whose presence He is in. I is a familiar word in his prayers. It was not wrong to come to the Temple. It was not wrong to worship God with his dress and manner. It was not wrong to say formal prayers of the nation and faith. These things were not the problem.
The Publican was commended by Jesus . His language was addressed to God, “ God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” v. 13 This parable then is about one’s belief. The tax-collector had a right idea of who he was in the presence of God. I imagine his personal life was a reflection of his attitude about God and himself. He realized he did not merit any favor with God. He realized that when he opened his mouth he would often say the wrong thing. Instead of thinking of others and God, he would think of what would please others. He probably wondered how he had gotten so far from the commandments that told him about to not put anything in place or before God Himself. Then he reviewed his week and saw that he had spoken ill of others when he should have not. He would remember that his duty to love his fellow neighbor as he loved himself was largely unfulfilled.
The life we live should be a reflection of our worship. What we pray on Sunday is that we glorify God in all that we say and do. But our worship can be an assembly of words only, not power in the life. I have been helped as I thought of this lesson of others who have struggled with this . Martin Luther who we will remember chiefly on next Sunday, the Day of Reformation came to this point in his life. He had all the church could give him and he did all the spiritual exercise required of him, but somehow they became an empty display. He felt no peace .
“ Behold, Lord
An empty vessel that needs
to be filled.
My Lord, fill it
I am weak in the faith;
Strengthen me.
I am cold in love;
Warm me and make me fervent,
That my love may go out
to my neighbor...
O Lord, help me.
Strengthen my faith and
trust in you...
With me, there is an
abundance of sin;
In You is the fullness of
righteousness.
Therefore I will remain
with You,
O whom I can receive,
But to Whom I may not give.”
-Martin Luther (1483-1546)
As we do the work of the people, that is what the word liturgy means, I hope for you it is not an empty vain repetition. I pray that the fellowship of God’s people, His Church , may be a place and time when you can see His love and His concern for you. Unfortunately for too many people church is an exercise , but not necessarily something that comes from the heart. Our attitude about worship should permeate our lives into its darkest corners where there should be agreement. If that is not the case, the we should kneel in His presence to confess that we have erred and strayed from His Ways like lost sheep. He alone can give us absolution , forgiveness and pardon to live out our lives as best we can under His umbrella of protection and love.
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