Worship is corporate.
Last week we talked about worship being individual. Everyone loves that idea. "It's just me and Jesus!"
Except it isn't.
Although my relationship with Christ is individual, it is expressed the community of the Church. This is expressed repeatedly and clearly throughout Scripture.
We are the body of Christ, not single cells.
We are the house of God, not just individual stones.
We are a holy nation, not just separate citizens.
Worship is corporate.
Would the walls of Jericho have fallen if just Joshua had marched around the walls worshipping Yahweh? No... it took the whole nation.
Would Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah have defeated Moab and Ammon if he had gone and worshipped God alone? No... it took them all.
Would our love for one another prove to the world we are His disciples if we're just off worshipping God alone? No... it only happens in community.
Worship is corporate.
I hear people say all the time, "I don't need to go to church to be a Christian." This sounds right but is completely wrong. Would it make sense for me to say, "I don't need to show up for training to be in the Army. I'll just put on a uniform at home alone." How about, "I don't need the team to play cricket. I can just do it by myself."
It reminds me of a story I heard long ago:
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination.
As the one lone ember’s flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.”
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.
Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”
Worship is corporate.
Let's do it together!
Songs for Sunday:
Nothing But The Blood
Reckless Love
Build My Life
Mighty to Save
Here Waiting
More and More of You
...and we are learning:
At Your Name
