Gone with the Wind is a Coldness in Worship

Scripture: Acts 2:13

But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine."

Insights:  In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  I mention these verses because not everyone in the crowd on Pentecost day received eternal life.  Some actually mocked and accused the disciples of being drunk by 9 a.m.  Verse fourteen begins Peter’s sermon and in that sermon Peter basically said (in Scott’s vernacular), “Yes, we are drunk, but not on wine, but the Holy Spirit.”  Phil Hoskins said this idea this way, “The disciples drank from the spout where the glory comes out.”  Here is the point: if a church is going to duplicate Pentecostal power, they must also duplicate Pentecostal worship.  Ritualistic and lifeless churches have become the number one enemy to evangelism and church growth.  Again to quote Hoskins, “There are two kinds of churches: the frozen chosen and the happy clappies.”  People argue that if we get too excited we might lose control of the worship service and it will get out of hand.  The problem with logic of this kind is that it presupposes services were supposed to be within our hands to begin.  Our worship services were/are/and ought to be in the hands of the Holy Spirit and He ought to have the right to interrupt our services whenever and however He wishes.  Another concern people raise about “happy clappy” churches is that they are nothing more than a pep rally for Jesus.  It is my opinion that it is better to attend a pep rally for Jesus with the “happy clappies” than it is to attend a funeral for Jesus with the “frozen chosen.”  I am not advocating emotionalism just for the sake of emotionalism.  What I am trying to communicate is the idea that we have encountered the grace of Jesus and we have never gotten over it.  Our lives ought to display an exuberant joy as a result of being saved from hell.  We ought to say, “AMEN” when the Spirit resonates a truth within our hearts during a worship service.  We are a people who get excited about a lot of things – just watch college football some Saturday afternoon.  We display our passions externally about everything but Jesus.  Beloved, this statement ought not to be true of us.  Under the control of the Spirit, let us display our love for Jesus!

Questions:

1. Are you living fully under the control of the Holy Spirit?
2. Do you hold back anything in worship?                              

Prayer: Magnificent Lord, You alone are worthy of praise and adoration.  I lift up my voice and exalt You as the Holy One.  You are righteous and just.  May my worship to You be pleasing in Your sight.   Amen.