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How to worship

Norman Fehr

The ninth chapter of the Gospel of John tells the story of Jesus healing a blind man. In response, according to verse 38, “the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped Him.” That’s the way it should be – to believe and then worship.

But I am surprised that the religious leaders of the day didn’t say, “Wait! You must first put a little cap on your head, have long hair hanging down in a swirl in front of your ears and go to the Temple. Hey, man, you can’t worship like that!”

Similarly, perhaps some Christian people in our day would say: “Wait! We’ve got to get a leader, a guitarist, a piano player, a keyboard player, a brass instrument player, a drummer, a sound system with a lot of mikes and an overhead projector – and we have to have a practice first, and learn how to close our eyes and lift our arms and hands. Come on, you can’t worship without that!”

Jesus said to the woman at the well, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). The manner and place are left out. These things don’t matter, but Jesus’ requirements do. Let us recognize true worship even if it does not have all the trappings, and let us not call it worship if it is not in Spirit and in Truth.

Norman Fehr is a member of Willow Park Church, Kelowna, B.C.

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Last modified April 18, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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