Audience or Participant?

Since football is on the minds of many right now I thought I might try to provoke some thoughts about the differences between those who are in the stands watching the game and those who are down on the field playing. Have you ever thought what it would be like if there were no fans in the stands to cheer the teams? That is called support. Think about what it would be like with any performance - sports or fine arts - if there were no audience. It
would be futile, wouldn’t it?

Another thought. What would it be like if those in the audience never reacted or responded in any way to what is being done on the playing field or stage, etc.? No cheering. No applause. No laughter. No show of emotion. No approval or disapproval. It would make for a somewhat empty meaning to the whole thing. Just performers going through the motions.

Compare this with a worship service. How often is it the case that those of us in the “audience” just sit passively doing what is expected at the appropriate times. Going through the motions. No emotion. Just motion.

Worship is not something to just “sit through” until the preacher and everyone else goes through their procedures. Worship is joint participation of Christians meeting together to praise God! We are not the audience - God is!

As the Psalmist says in Psalm 100, “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.”

On the other hand, worship is not just an emotional experience. Paul therefore encourages us with these words in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind (understanding) also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind (understanding) also.”

Bottom line - let us be joyful participants in the worship of our God, not just spectators.

See you when the saints meet, Lord willing.

Love, Tony