Micah Klutinoty Blog - Entries from September 2009The MEDIATION OF CHRIST IN OUR WORSHIP Hebrews 7:24-25: "But because Jesus lives forever, He has permanent priesthood. Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them."
I recently read an article out of Worship Leader Magazine called, "The Mediation of Christ." At the end of this post there is a link for you to read through it if you want. I would encourage you to take the time to read it, because it speaks of the important doctrine of Christ and all that He still is to us this day.
I don't know about you, but the verse above, brings a lot of relief to me when I think about going before a Holy God in worship. To know that Jesus Christ is the High Priest on my behalf who bridges the gap between me and God is a beautiful picture of how our worship is acceptable by God. Though, much of modern worship music and practices have gotten away from being Christ-centered, we are not alone in our worship. Naturally worship takes action on our part, but think how self-sufficient our worship would be if it were up to us alone!
This modern view of worship is described in the article as Unitarian worship, which does not include a role for Jesus Christ as the mediator of our relationship with God. The challenge is that we have gotten away from Jesus in our worship of God! We sing our hymns, and songs, and listen to sermons, offering all that we can to the God of this universe, who is so great that nothing we could ever offer could be accepted (apart from Christ.)
We need to get back to reverence regarding our Triune God. "Trinitarian worship speaks of our participation in worship through the Holy Spirit in the Son's communion with the Father." We are not alone in our worship! When we understand the Trinity, we understand that Christ is the infinite, perfect, and holy worshiper who takes our worship and offers it spotless to God! Not only was Jesus Christ beat, bruised, scorned, mocked, nailed to a cross, humiliated, and murdered in the place that was rightly ours, he worships God to this very hour on our behalf! And Jesus is the perfect worshiper! "The perfect worship of Jesus is the foundation for our worship; His worship on our behalf frees us to offer our own worship with confidence and honesty." I hope that excites you! It fills me with unspeakable joy (seriously I'm like fidgeting in my chair just thinking about it!!!)
You should understand that you are a filthy sinner who deserves only misery and destruction in hell, and who has nothing to offer the God of the Universe, yet because Christ is constantly and perfectly worshiping in spirit and in truth, you can offer what you can, knowing God will accept it through Jesus Christ! Christ's death pardoned us from the debt that we owed so that through Him we can be seen as the children of God! REJOICE!!!
I hope this causes you to think about your worship of God. Don't let how others around you worship sway how you do. Know that at anytime of any day you can join the ongoing worship of Christ, offering whatever you have, the best way you know how. From there, Christ takes your offering and offers it perfectly to God, giving Him all the glory. Praise God for Jesus Christ!
Click the link below to read the article!
http://www.worshipleader-digital.com/worshipleader/200909/?pg=22
New Song: Hallelujah, Our God ReignsSo God is great and greatly to be praised! I have been overwhelmed with His greatness the past week and can't get my hands on enough of His word and material regarding His word. Anyways, there is a lot on my mind lately about worship and the role of Christ in our worship, and the gospel being the center of all that we do.....Trust me there will be posts soon regarding these things.
This morning, I got up early and went to starbucks and read my Bible and just focused on God for a while. When I left I picked up my guitar and began to play the music to the song below and words began to flow...Three or four hours later, this is what I got. Give it a listen and let me know some suggestions or hear some feedback.
I fixed the comment section for those of you who have tried to comment and it wouldn't let you. You should be able to now and I would love to hear your feedback on posts.
Hallelujah, Our God Reigns
Music and Lyrics by M. Klutinoty
Verse 1:
In you name there’s hope
A love beyond compare
With each passing day
Your mercy finds a way.
Verse 2:
A King Beat and Bruised
Led to the Cross
Was nailed there to die
And He was crucified
Pre-chorus 1:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Our God Reigns
Verse 3:
The King placed in a grave
Sealed behind a stone
The ground began to shake
On the third day He rose (begins to build)
Pre-Chorus 2: (building)
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Chorus: (Band Big)
Our God reigns, forever He reigns
Power and strength, are found in his name
In Christ the Son, Victory is won
With angels we sing, the wonders of our King
Our God reigns….
Verse 4: (beginning riff driving)
By the cross I’m free
In your death there’s life
Through your blood I’m cleansed
And given life Again!!!
Hallelujah, Our God Reigns from Micah Klutinoty on Vimeo.
THE WORSHIPERS GOD SEEKSProbably an extremely common and popular thought and scripture regarding worship is John 4:23-24, and worshiping in spirit and in truth. The fact that the passage says, God is seeking those that will worship Him in spirit and in truth, should hopefully spark an interest in you. For me, I want to be the kind of worshiper that God seeks, and I want to do all I can to fulfill that call.
As I have thought about this lately, I have began to wonder if the kind of worshipers God seeks are extremely rare. In a world where "worship" has become centralized to ourselves, or where "worship" has been reduced to a time of singing on Sunday morning, I have been wondering if God looks at our "worship" and is saddened. Christ's call for worshipers of spirit and truth really does give us the absolute to our worship, but what does worshiping in spirit and truth mean to you? I have heard countless definitions of this in my studies on worship from the Bible.
Read through this outline below that I put together for our worship team here at Harvest Granger. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of our worship, so that you can be the kind of worshiper God seeks.
Spirit and Truth Worship
John 4:23-24:
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such people. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
*Spirit and Truth worship of God is not a desirable element and guideline, but that which is absolutely necessary!
1. Worship in spirit-
a. Worshiping in spirit speaks of the human spirit
b. “Jesus’ point here is that a person must worship not simply by external conformity to religious rituals and places (outwardly), but inwardly (“in spirit”) with the proper heart attitude.” J. Macarthur
c. Worshiping in spirit means meeting God on a soul level.
1. “The soul represents the deepest part of who we are. That’s the level on which God wants to relate to us, the point at which we meet him in worship.” R. Noland
2. True Christianity starts with surrender!
2. Worship in truth-
a. Worship of God consistent with the revealed scriptures
b. Centered on the “Word made flesh…”Jesus Christ...
1. To worship in truth we must have a proper view of who we are called to worship.
2. Scriptures often say, “Worship God through His Son Jesus Christ. We must understand the relationship between Jesus and his Father.
3. Jesus ultimately revealed who His Father was (Jn. 14:6)
c. Worshiping in truth means we worship God for who He truly is.
1. Becoming a worshiper isn’t about the pursuit of fitting in--but the pursuit of a person. Out of knowing God we make Him known, declaring his worth!
The worksheet above has been on my heart a great deal lately. There is a lot more to worship than the surface things seen on a Sunday morning. The true worshiper let's God deep down, rooting away the sin and filthy rags that are hidden, then is so filled with the joy of salvation, that it can't help but come out in song! To worship in spirit is to worship from the inside-out. I love what the Psalmist prays in Psalm 139:"Search me o God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way of everlasting." This is not an easy prayer when you think about it, but it is absolutely necessary to be the kind of worshiper God seeks. I have found myself seemingly going along living for God, and when I prayed those very words, God has revealed things that I have had to clear up and ask forgiveness for. But, out of that, I am led to know more of His mercy and grace and justice, and can't help but worship.
Then, to worship in truth is to continually find out new things about our matchless God! Be rooted in God's Word, holding fast to the doctrines of Christ and sin and salvation...etc. Let Christ be the aim of all your worship, that God may be given glory through Him. Strive with me to put these things into practice and be worshipers of spirit and truth.
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