Are You Worshipping the Servant or Worshipping the Master?
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Who we worship has been an issue in the church for a very long time. I know you are saying we only worship Jesus, but that might not be as true as you think. My old pastor used to say if you walk out of church talking more about him than about Jesus, then he failed. Even though we know worshipping God alone or worshipping Jesus alone is what we are supposed to do, that doesn’t always happen. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, we can sometimes move to worshipping the servant instead of worshipping the master.
When you do this, the picture becomes very clear. Those people may be important and even helpful to you. It is proper to praise God for them and their encouragement in your life. However, just remember they are not more important than Jesus and they don’t deserve the same place in your life as he does.
Scenario: You are in church, and you see the pastor approaching. When the pastor reaches you, he tells you the children’s ministry leader just left and asks you to take over. You know for a fact this is not something you can do, and you also know God did not call you to do this. However, because he is the pastor, you feel as if you can’t say no and you must do it, so you say yes.
If you have done this before, you might be worshipping the servant over the master. If you feel the pressure to say yes when you want to say no just because of who a person is or the title they hold, then you might be experiencing divided worship.
2. When You Go along with a Teaching even though You Know It’s Wrong
Scenario: You hear a sermon, and you know something in it does not agree with Scripture. However, you just brush it off because they are the man or woman of God.
If you feel you must stay in line and not question someone because of their position, this could be an indicator of worshipping the servant and not the master. Everyone can make a mistake doctrinally and otherwise. But the best leaders are the ones who are open to listen to those who bring it to their attention.
3. When You Go against Your Personal Conviction
Scenario: You have been sensing God is directing you to leave your church. You have fasted, prayed, and sought counsel about it, and you are certain it is the right decision. You go to tell your senior pastor and they try to convince you of something different. They even say if you leave the church, you will be cursed, and God’s blessing will no longer be on your life. Based on what they say, you decide to stay.
When you put the words of a person over what you know God has clearly spoken to you, then you are worshipping the servant over the master.
Life is all about perspective and we need to put things in the right one. But we also need to view people in the right way as well. Our mandate is to always keep our eyes on Jesus. The people he brings into our lives are there to help us draw closer to him and teach us how to depend on him more. They may be a resource, but God remains the source. As you go through life, thank him for those he brings in your life along the journey. Just remember to keep looking to Jesus first and this will help you avoid the trap of divided worship.
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Photo credit: Unsplash/Stephen Radford
