A biblical framework for worship

Revelation 4 – 5 presents a Biblical framework for worship.

Revelation 4:5-8 – The created order minus human kind worships God.

There is an ongoing anthem of praise and worship going on around us in nature and in heaven. Nature and the created order are actively involved in declaring ‘Holy is the Lord’ – they do it by design. ‘Holy, holy holy’, is the chant of the penguins as they waddle across the ice, the voice of the waves as they lap up against the shore and cry of the wind as it blows across the land. We never ‘start a worship time’, we join in with what is going on already.

Revelation 4:9-11 – We decide to join in the anthem

The human race then joins in, not by design but because we choose to. We agree with the anthem of worship that is ongoing around us and decide to join in.

Revelation 5:9 – In the context of declaring the goodness of God we ask for His mercy

As we worship God, He meets us in our brokenness, in our pain and our joy.

As followers of Christ we don’t have an opt-out from worship. If we don’t worship ‘because we don’t feel like it’ we aren’t being honest to ourselves, we are being dishonest as we deny God His rightful place. Even in the hard times we need to agree with the chorus of praise that is ongoing and in the context of our worship bring our needs to God.

When we talk about leading worship – this is what we mean, the transition from Revelation 4:5-8 through to Revelation 5:9.

The worshipping community

In Leviticus we learn that there was a division of the priesthood whose job it was to sing and play instruments in the temple. There are several references to them, but Leviticus 25 is the main chapter. It lists the people in this role and states in verse 7 that they were trained and skilled in music for the Lord. There are two main points that come through:

1. This was a distinct group from within the community
2. They were trained in music for the Lord

We need a similar approach in TWV. First to develop a distinct group – this is anyone who has a heart for worship and anyone who wants to serve in this area; secondly to have something in place that will encourage, support, coach and train so we can increase our skill in music for the Lord. We need ‘heart training’ and ‘skill training’, worshippers who will:

Serve God: Develop worship as a lifestyle choice – personal worship times to God, technical and spiritual development, practice worshipping as a team
Serve the people: No prima donnas, everyone ‘mucks in’ with what needs to be done

Tim Farnhill, 19/12/2004