Worship Wars: What Are We Fighting For?
Class#3- Immanence AND Trancendence
Call to Worship: Psalm 113:1, 4-5, 7-8, 9b
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
4The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
7He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
Praise the Lord!
Review:
Definitions of Worship:
“(Worship) is a family meeting with God, it is the covenant community engaging with God, gathering with his people to seek the face of God, to glorify and enjoy him, to hear his word, to revel in the glory of union and communion with him, to respond to his word, to render praise back to him, to give unto him the glory due his name.” -Lig Duncan
“What we say and what we do when we stand before God, realizing in high degree who He is and who we are, and what He has done for us.” –Robert Rayburn
Last week: Corporate and Personal…Another way to Say that is vertical and Horizontal.
This week’s Topic: We worship a God who is both Immanent and Transcendent
John Frame:
“God is, first of all the Lord, the Ruler and Creator of all things, who controls the entire course of nature and history (Eph 1:11). As such, he is transcendent, exalted over all his works, deserving the utmost adoration and Praise…At the same time, God is immanent, near to all his creatures. God’s immanence does not contradict his transcendence; rather his transcendence implies immanence. Since God perfectly knows and controls all things, he is intimately involved in everything that happens in creation. Nothing happens without his knowledge and power. Nobody can escape from him. He is everywhere.“
God is Transcendent
transcendent(trænˈsɛndənt)
-adj
1. exceeding or surpassing in degree or excellence
2a. (in the philosophy of Kant) beyond or before experience; a priori
2b. (of a concept) falling outside a given set of categories
2c. beyond consciousness or direct apprehension
3. theol(of God) having continuous existence outside the created world
4. free from the limitations inherent in matter
Verses Highlighting God’s Transcendence:
God declares his transcendence:
“For thus says the Lord,who created the heavens(he is God!),who formed the earth and made it(he established it;he did not create it empty,he formed it to be inhabited!):“I am the Lord, and there is no other.” -Isaiah 45:18
“who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”1- Timothy 6:16
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,29for our God is a consuming fire.” –Hebrews 12:28-29
Human Response to Divine Transcendence:
“And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” -Exodus 3:6
“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off.” –Exodus 20:18
“And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” -Isaiah 6:5
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,” –Rev 1:17
Q: What effect does emphasizing God’s transcendence in worship have?
Or what are the benefits of emphasizing God’s transcendence?
Why is it important?
Q: What aspects of worship can direct us to wonder and awe at God’s Majesty?
Architecture-Lofty ceilings designed to make you feel small.
Formal elements of liturgy- -Every word carefully chosen, devoutly said designed to point to majesty.
Worship Style
Certain hymns-Holy Holy Holy…A mighty fortress
Certain Instruments-Organ
Hymnals
Confession of Sin
God is Immanent
im·ma·nent (im-uh-nuhnt)
adjective
1.remaining within; indwelling; inherent.
2. Philosophy . (of a mental act) taking place within the mind of the subject and having no effect outside of it. Compare transeunt.
3. Theology . (of the Deity)indwelling the universe, time, etc. Compare transcendent( def. 3 ).
Verses Highlighting God’s Immanence:
God makes it clear that he is close to his people:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.“ -2 Cor 1:3-4
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:14
“Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Cor 3:16
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” –Matthew 1:23 (Quoting Isaiah 7:14)
We are invited into God’s presence:
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” –Hebrews 4:16
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” –Matthew 18:20
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” –Romans 8:15
Shepherd Theme-
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.3He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake.4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.” -Psalm 23:1-4
“But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:2-3
Q: What effect does emphasizing God’s immanence in worship have?
Or what are the benefits of emphasizing God’s immanence?
Q: What aspects of worship can direct us to revel in God’s immanence?
Architecture-warm, inviting.
Starbucks…very particular about their designs, because they want to communicaite something. Brining Europe to street corners every mile in America. An experience.
Worship style
Songs-Contemporary choruses. Psalms.
Mike Kruger: warning against jesus is my boyfriend songs.
Instruments
Overhead projectors
Liturgical Elements-Assurance of Pardon
Even Illustrations: Popular culture…Fully embraced or vehemently forbidden.
Seeking Balance, living with biblical tension:
Mike Kruger:
“When it comes to worship, we want to balance two key attributes of God: his transcendence (he his holy, mighty, awesome) and his immanence (he is present, personal, and accessible).”
It is possible for churches to OVER emphasize the Transcendence or the Immanence.
Q: What would the caricature of a church that only emphasized the Transcendence of God look like?
Q: What are the dangers of overemphasizing God’s transcendence at expense of his immanence?
Making God appear Distant, aloff, unfriendly, unloving, devoid of grace.
Q: What would the caricature of a church that only emphasized the Immanence of God look like?
Q: What are the dangers of overemphasizing God’s immanence at expense of his transcendence?
Losing sight of his majesty, purity, haterd of sin, and the sobering reality of the human coming into the presence of the
“Serve the Lord with fear,and rejoice with trembling.” -Psalm 2:11
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,and to revive the heart of the contrite.” -Isaiah 57:15
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” –Rev 21:3
Heaven-Now the dwelling of God is with man.
In his presence, falling down before him. Worshipping him
Best way to maintain the balance and keep the tension
“But the best way to maintain this tension is to continually meditate on the gospel. God’s transcendent holiness and justice required the sacrifice of the son of God to be satisfied. At Calvary we stand in awe of perfect righteousness, holy justice and unerring judgment.…Yet the gospel assures us that our sins have been completely atoned for. We are no longer God’s Enemies. We’re his adopted children.” -Bob Kauflin
Q: How does Uptown’s worship service emphasize the immanence and transcendence of God?
Architecture/environment
Songs
Bulletin
Culture:
Clothing
Community
preparation
Timeliness
Hymn: Confession of Sin Song (Cry to the sinner)
Pensive Doubting Fearful Heart –John Newton
Where in the Arc:
Call to worship song, Confession of Sin, Words to sinners Assurance of Grace), Theme, Sermon, Song of response.
2 questions we will answer:
How does this song fulfill the Cry to the sinner, assurance of Grace?
How do you see God’s immanence and Transcendence highlighted?
Have someone read
Pensive Doubting Fearful Heart
J. Newton | C. Wells
Pensive, doubting, fearful heart
Hear what Christ the Savior says
Every word should joy impart
Change thy mourning into praise
Yes, He speaks and speaks to thee
May He help thee to believe
Then thou presently will see
Thou has little cause to grieve
Fear thou not, nor be ashamed
All thy sorrows soon shall end
I, who heaven and earth have framed
Am thy Husband and thy Friend
I, the High and Holy One
Israel’s God, by all adored
As thy Savior will be known
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord
For a moment I withdrew
And thy heart was filled with pain
But my mercies I’ll renew
Thou shall soon rejoice again
Though I seem to hide my face
Very soon my wrath shall cease
‘Tis but for a moment’s space
Ending in eternal peace
Though afflicted, tempest tossed
Comfortless awhile thou art
Do not think thou can be lost
Thou art graven on my heart
All thy wastes I will repair
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew
And in thee it shall appear
What the God of love can do
CCLI Song No. 5948200
© 2005 Red Mountain
How does this song fulfill the Cry to the sinner, assurance of Grace?
How do you see God’s immanence and Transcendence highlighted?
Great Quote from Spurgeon:
“I can admire the solemn and stately language of worship that recognizes the greatness of God, but it will not warm my heart or express my soul until it has also blended terewith the joyful nearness of that perfect love that casts out fear and ventures to speak with our father in heaven as a child speaks with its father on earth.” -Charles Spurgeon