Focus On Motivation -- Remember It's Who Not How . . .

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:7-8 NKJ)

I grew up in a pastor's home, but at our church we never followed the traditional Christian calendar of Advent, Lent, Epiphany and so forth. I never heard these words until I became a pastor and pursued biblical studies for myself.

From Paul's teaching in Romans 14, I get the idea that the first century church had a problem worshipping according to a set pattern too. The challenge grew out of the clash between past theology and the apostolic understanding of Scripture in light of Christ. It was both a cultural and a theological challenge for them.

The challenge was cultural because both Jews and Gentiles were being saved and coming into the Church, with their respective cultural perspectives and training. The challenge was theological because it involved a scriptural understanding of sacred festivals.

Some folks observed all the Jewish sacred festivals and had difficulty letting go of past understanding and convictions. But, Paul argued, they should not be judged harshly concerning their sacred festivals, because they observed them as worship to the Lord.

Other folks did not observe any festival as sacred. They acknowledged that every day is sacred unto the Lord. They knew Christ's death, burial, and resurrection cancels all ceremonial festivals. And, Paul argued, they are not to be judged harshly concerning their non-observance, because their worship is also to the Lord.

Some folks get bent all out of shape over how other people worship. It seems as if their way of worship is the only true way to worship and everyone else is wrong. Yet Paul argues that Christ's disciples do not live or die unto themselves. Instead, we live and die unto the Lord, so we are the Lord's.

This got me to thinking that the manner of worship is not important. Whether its high church liturgy or low church liturgy or loud church pentecostal, when it is done to the Lord, it is acceptable worship. I discovered that my motivation in worship is the key. In addition, it begs the questions: who am I worshipping? To whom am I giving myself? To whom am I living and dying?

Here is the reason Christ died, was buried, and is risen again: "that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living" (v.9). And since I must give account to the Lord for me alone, I am resolved to not be contemptuous or judgmental of another person's worship.

Dear Father, thank you for the liberty we enjoy through Christ, our Lord and Savior. Empower me to truly worship you in spirit and in truth. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Live unto Christ today!