CONNECTED WORSHIP

The more I read the “red letters” in the gospels, the more I wish I could have sat amongst the multitudes and listened to Jesus teach the people. I love and admire his compassion for the crowds and how He desired to teach them not just Christian things but lessons needed for everyday life. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 is just one teaching I think is so crucial to understanding how people receive God’s Word; not just Christians but non-Christians as well.

This parable, I believe, deals with how people respond to God’s Word. But, I believe it goes beyond that. If we look at the parable beginning in verse 19, we see that people can hear God’s Word and not understand it, or even receive it without a firm foundation. This speaks to the responsibility we as church leaders and teachers have for those who are part of our congregation or even our visitors. Are we giving people the truth with a firm foundation? Let me talk in view of worship.

Worship is one of the most important aspects of our christian walk. As worship leaders, we need to teach our congregations and help them along in understanding what worship is and how we do it in a way that’s pleasing to God. We need to be responsible with His Word because it is powerful and life changing. In the old testament of the Bible, Hebrew people did not even speak or write the name of God because of their reverence and understanding of the power inherent in the words. The idea is people’s hearts, like soil, need cultivated and prepared for the seed or God’s Word. God can use us to help fertilize and cultivate the soil of people’s hearts through building relationships, being relevant and being real.

I can see this in areas of my life not even specifically related to the Bible. I sometimes consult with clients when they have questions about video or equipment purchases. Many times I take a very long and tiresome journey to find the truth concerning a particular need my client has. Imagine if, after hours of research and investigation, I went before my client with complicated model numbers, spec sheets and plopped down a 300 page manual and said “This is what you should do.” I  would imagine there would be some blank stares and wonderment at my recommendation. I am sure there would be questions and possibly doubt about if the solution I am recommending is the right course of action. Imagine a different scenario now. I approached my client with a genuine, personal dialogue to show that I cared. Then I used illustrations, examples and data that is tailored to their current level of familiarity. I didn’t use long words and technical jargon only understood by the nerds who designed the product, but rather spoke in a language and tone that is easily understood by the audience I am trying to reach. I also pointed out the benefits yet truthfully explained the costs. By taking the clients on a journey like that, they most likely would come out on the other end with great understanding and confidence. The same is true when delaing with God’s Word.

Cultivating fertile soil is key to reaping a bountiful harvest. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 13  shows that people need help along the journey, they need a ”tour guide” (to borrow a phrase). We can do this by building genuine and meaningful relationships with others, relating to them at their level as well as by being honest with people by sharing our own faults and failures.