Praise : From : Plodders: Rejoice With Trembling

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Rejoice With Trembling

Psalm 2:11: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." We rejoice all the time. We rejoice when our car gets fixed after being inoperable providing a means of transportation. We rejoice when our favorite ball team wins the world series. We rejoice over the birth of a baby boy or girl, or when we watch that baby boy or girl graduate and move on to marry the person they love. The point is that life is filled with opportunity to rejoice. Rejoicing with trembling is unique. We rejoice in all these things without trembling, so what is the difference here? The difference is the object of our rejoicing. Romans 8:37 is proof positive that we have victory in Christ and are more than conquerors in Christ because He has chosen to place His love upon us by His grace. This reality of this phenomenal truth is the ultimate means to our joy being fulfilled, and we rejoice in the hope of this supernatural transaction of the gospel. The reality of Christ and all that he is, and all that he has done, and all that he has yet to do, is a "trembling" reality! Why a Holy God loves unholy people when we stop and consider just how holy He is, is a "trembling reality." Psalm 119:120 says, "My flesh trembles for fear of You, I am afraid of Your judgments." We ought to tremble at the very thought of God and all that we rightly deserve from His hand, that in any given moment he could destroy our soul for rebelling against His Word; BUT HE DIDN'T! Instead He chose to love us and make a way for forgiveness, the redemption of sin, and we rejoice in that understanding. Not flippantly but trembling at the love, mercy, withheld wrath, and grace of God displayed in the gospel! "Rejoice with trembling."

No comments:

Post a Comment

Our Desire

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly - teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16)

We take the Word of God extremely serious at CCR and recognize our spiritual call to worship in all areas of our lives ("Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship"-Romans 12:1) and here according to Col. 3:16 in the area of Music. It is our desire to see you the congregation create an atmosphere of worship that displays the greatness of our Holy God, making big of Him and little of ourselves through the obedience of attributing to God the Musical Worship that is due His Name.

What That Looks Like

“Worship songs should serve the church as take-home theology, reinforcing God glorifying doctrine and teaching through Christ-centered lyrics and memorable melodies.” – C.J. Mahaney

In order to cultivate that type of atmosphere there needs to be a clear understanding of the songs we sing and why we sing them. We need to come to grips with the reality of what is taking place during the "worship service." These are not just poetic lyrics with catchy melodies be they hymns or modern contemporary worship. Rather the songs we sing at CCR are an expression of our dire need for the salvific redemption provided through the Son of God at the hand of the Father, and an outpour of gratitude for the work that was done in our stead on the cross for the Glory of God primarily and the salvation of men!