Worship: The Danger of Empty Emotionalism

In the last blog post, I threw out the following phrase: "Worshiping and Serving Theologians". This phrase communicates the all-encompassing nature of the work of the gospel in the life of the Christian. The gospel empowers right thinking (the head), right affections (the heart), and right actions (the hands).

It's important to consider all three because the overemphasis of right thinking leads to intellectualism, the overemphasis of right affections leads to emotionalism, and the overemphasis of right actions leads to legalism. Thus, in all that we do as a church, we want to emphasize what it means to have a mind, heart, and will that are used to enjoy making much of God.

 

What We Don't Mean 

 

Last week we took a look at the value of "Theology". This week, we'll take a look at the value of "Worship". When we throw out the term worship, we don't mean the following: We are called to always be living for the next emotional experience, always looking for the next Christian high. Meanwhile, it doesn't matter whether or not those affections are actually rooted in truth. Nor, does it matter whether or not those affections lead us to serve God and others.

 

"The apex of glorifying God is enjoying him with the heart. But this is an empty emotionalism where that joy is not awakened and sustained by true views of God for who he really is. That is mainly what the mind is for." (John Piper)

 

Imagine if I were to dote on my wife, making the following statement to her in a moment of deep affection: "Honey, you're the most beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty on the face of the earth. I adore you." Now, for some of you, this may not appear to be problematic. But, for those of you who've met my wife, you understand why I would find myself sleeping on the couch, were I to make such a statement. You see, my wife has brown hair and brown eyes. So, no matter how much I'm caught up in a moment of deep affection, that affection is not rooted in a true view of who my wife really is. Thus, she is not honored and my affections are misinformed.

 

The same is true with God. It's not that most of us don't have an idea of who God is. But, for many of us, it's as if we're looking into a funhouse mirror. Our view of God is blurry and distorted at best. God is not honored when we dote on a distorted version of who he truly is. Thus, the "head" and the "heart" of Christianity are inextricably linked. As we grow in our understanding of God, our affections for him will find their roots in the truth of who he actually is, increasing our joy and bringing him great glory.

 

What We Do Mean

 

So, if the idea is not one of empty emotionalism, what do we mean when we throw out the term worship? Answer: Worship is the giving of oneself in making much of something or someone as one's ultimate treasure, and the Christian church's ultimate treasure and object of worship/affection is the triune God of the Bible.

 

Notice that, by definition, worship is more than lip service. In Matthew 15, Jesus responds to the Pharisees with the following words:

 

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" (Matthew 15:7-9)

 

It's not that the honoring of God with one's lips doesn't matter. Worship is not less than the honoring of God with one's lips. But, it is more than that. According to Jesus, it's a matter of the heart.

 

Everyone is a Worshiper

 

In Romans 1, Paul makes the argument that everyone is a worshiper, stating the following:

 

Claiming to be wise, [men] became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1: 22-25)

 

It may sound cliché (the perfect phrase for a coffee cup), but it's true. There's a God-shaped hole in all of us. If God doesn't fill it, something else will. We're all worshipers.

 

Diagnostic Questions

 

So, who or what are you worshiping? What are those things that compete with God for your affections?

 

a significant other

kids

family

work/career

the pursuit of the perfect home

power

comfort

technology (the next new gadget)

sports

image

health/fitness

money

possessions

 

What are those things that keep you up at night? What are those things that will devastate you if you're unable to obtain them? What do you often daydream about? What is it that, if you could have it, would make your life complete? These questions should help to reveal those things which compete with God for your affections. We call them idols.

 

"If anything becomes more fundamental than God to your happiness, meaning in life, and identity, then it is an idol." (Tim Keller)

 

None of the things on this list are in and of themselves bad things. In fact, an idol is usually a good thing that someone has made ultimate (making it a god thing). In doing so, it becomes a bad thing (an idol). My prayer for you is that God would reveal to you those things which are competing with him for your affections and that you would grow in your understanding of who God is, so that your affections would be set ablaze for him, rooted in the truth of who he really is.

 

A Word of Caution

 

As you consider these things, keep one thing in mind. You can have "God experiences" and not know and be known by God personally. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers these sobering words:

 

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matthew 7:21-23)

 

According to Jesus, it's possible to call him Lord and not love and worship him. If that's true, it's certainly possible to sing songs to him (honoring him with one's lips) but to have hearts that are far from him. There's no more epic "Christian experience" than being a part of an exorcism. Yet, according to Jesus, we can have that kind of experience and not be known personally and intimately by him. So, I'll leave you with the following questions: Are you worshiping Jesus? Are you stirred up in your affections for Jesus? Are those emotions being informed by truth?

 

Jamey Vizzini

Lead Pastor/Planter

CrossPointe Winter Springs