powerful words - authentic worship
The same week that Ashland was preparing to celebrate Pentecost, the worship team and choir discussed the scheduled chapter of “Worship is a Verb,” in which Nehemiah 8 and Acts 2 are described. Coincidence??? The point that this chapter makes is that in both Nehemiah and Acts, powerful words are spoken to large groups of people, telling them of God’s action in redeeming his people. When those of Nehemiah’s time heard (perhaps for the first time,) of how God had brought their ancestors from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, and how he had made them his beloved people and given them his law, those who heard grieved for their sins and repented. During the celebration of Pentecost, many people learned the meaning of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection through powerful words spoken by Peter. Many repented; then sprung into action to spread the news throughout the Roman Empire.
Both of these events are characterized by God’s action in saving his people. At the retelling of these events, many people reacted in repentance and worship. Authentic worship is centered on our Lord as it was in these two events. This may lead us to wonder in what circumstances is worship not authentic. What may result?
