"worship God acceptably" - Hebrews 12:28

It is amazing how much one word can change what you take from a verse.  If instead, Hebrews 12:28 read, "worship God with reverence and awe" it would certainly make a point worth noting.  God's mercy and love deserve reverence and his power inspires awe, as such the verse makes total sense.  However, when the word "acceptably" is added to the mix (same in NIV, NKJV, the NASB has "an acceptable service"), an added requirement is spelled out for the people of God.  If there is a way to worship God "acceptably" then there must be an unacceptable way to worship God.

Do you mean that I could direct my love and devotion to the right place (that is God) and still be short of what God wants from me?  That's exactly what the verse is saying.  We don't have to go far in Scripture to find examples of people who failed in their worship of God because they did it in the wrong way.  Cain springs to mind, whose sacrifice was inferior to that of his brother Abel.  King Saul learned the hard way that to offer a sacrifice to God that was unauthorized would cost him the right to rule Israel.  Throughout the prophets God warns his people that their hollow sacrifices would mean nothing without obedience.  As Jesus teaches the people he repeatedly demolishes the Pharisees for having the letter of the Law but being far from the Spirit of the Law; they may have perfected the form of worship, but are nowhere near the heart.

Is an acceptable form of worship the serious approach of many Catholics and Orthodox who treat the Mass with great solemnity?  Or does God prefer the utter exubrance of the Pentecostals who celebrate like no other?  The answer is not to be found in the form of worship (each end of the spectrum has something to offer, and many places in between as well), but the heart of the matter.  If we appreciate the seriousness of what Jesus has done for us and find the joy that being forgiven should bring, we're on the right path.  The question is not so much how you worship, as it is why.  If you feel connected to God through Latin chants, go right ahead.  If shouting out during the praise band's modern anthems brings you closer to God, knock yourself out.  Why do we worship?  To bring glory and praise to God.  In the end, it is your heart that determines if your worship is "acceptable" in the sight of God.

Sermon Video: "What I have I give you" - Acts 3:1-10

On his way to the temple to pray, Peter is stopped by a crippled man asking for money.  Rather than simply give what is expected (and needed, the man had to live too), Peter offers healing in the name of Jesus Christ.  Peter then helps him to his feet and moments later his is jumping for joy.  This episode illustrates for us the need to take action when we see suffering in our world and not simply turn a blind eye.  Moreover, we need to offer help in the name of Jesus because only the Gospel can take a glass of water and turn it into Living Water.  As Christians, we have no excuse for not being active (as individuals and as churches) in helping to alleviate and solve suffering.  Whatever you have, you can give.

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Sermon Video: "I will sing in the shadow of your wings"- Psalm 63

In this psalm David expresses his joy and confidence which come from the love and protection of the Lord.  Despite wandering around in the desert, David knew that God was with him in the no matter what.  If the doubts came in the night, God was there.  That absolute confidence in God's Word allowed David to proclaim his ability to sing out in the shadow of God's protective wings in defiance of his enemies.  We too, with the guarantee of the Holy Spirit can rejoice in our confidence in the promises of God.

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The Church in America

The history and character of the Church in America is a fascinating topic.  It is to be expected that the American culture and political system being so different from that of the Europe from which most of its early settlers came, would be reflected in the Church as well.  The Church in Europe has a tremendous amount of historical baggage to carry on its shoulders; from the massacres of the Thirty Year's War to the disillusionment of the WWI generation.  The rise and fall of nations and dynasties became so intertwined with the aspirations of Church movements that the two could hardly be distinguished.
Yet when immigrants stepped off the boats at one of America's colonies (and later at one of the United States' cities), everything was different.  At first, the American colonies were a mixture of toleration (Rhode Island, Pennsylvania), dissident churches (Massachusetts' Puritans and Quakers), and transplanted state churches (Maryland, Virginia).  These fledgling institutions, whether they intended to offer religious liberty or not (most did not), were soon overwhelmed by the flood of newcomers representing every imaginable variation of Christianity that existed in Europe.  Even those who hoped to make a particular colony, or later the United States itself, into a bastion of one church over and above all others could see that their cause was hopeless.
The religious liberty that we take for granted as a part of the American character was not the ideal that most early settlers embraced (the Puritans of MA helped Rhode Island get started by driving out dissenters; something they were used to being on the receiving end of back in England, but did anyway when they had the chance), with a few exceptions such as William Penn, but it was an inevitable outcome of such diverse immigration.  It seems that God was intent upon nudging our American ancestors into choosing to respect each other's religious liberty whether that wanted to or not.
The interesting postscript to the American Christian experience is the contrast between the nearly empty state sponsored/endorsed churches of Europe and the still vibrant independent American Church.  It is no coincidence that deprived of the power and money that government control brings that Church in America has been strengthened by the voluntary support of its members.  Today Europe stands in desperate need of revival and the balance of Church growth in the world has shifted to the Third World; the question that remains is will America recapture its history of revival and collectively renew the Church here, or will we follow in Europe's footsteps and turn our churches into museums too.

Sermon Video: Peter's Message, Part II - Acts 2:32-41

In the conclusion of his Pentecost message, Peter stresses the fact of the resurrection, the cooperation of the Trinity, and concludes by declaring that God has made Jesus "both Lord and Christ".  The response of the audience is dismay (rather than defiance) as they realize their guilt.  Peter tells them that they must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus, but that if they do, they too will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In the end, three thousand people choose to believe the Gospel.  This message has been passed down for two thousand years, but holds true to this day.  Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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