December 9, 2023

Luke 15: 3-7 Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine . . . and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? . . . Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that . . . there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (NIV)

Almost everything we do has a self-centered element. We potentially gain glory from it.*

A scholarly friend started a little firestorm with a Facebook post about worship. His premise was that we needed fewer songs with I and me, and more with we and us. The music people among his friends list had much to say in response, and any controversial comments were expressed respectfully. I didn’t disagree with anything anyone said – but this parable kept going through my mind so I took off on my own train of thought.

Through this parable, Jesus tells us something about the Shepherd and his love for the individual sheep - the I and me. Corporate worship should be about us worshipping God, and better songs might help that along. But here’s the thing: No matter how prepared I am on Sunday morning to make my worship about HIM, and no matter how profound the song service or the sermon, I get blessed. God still turns my efforts around and makes it about ME. In fact, I think God is opposed to allowing me to give him more than he gives me.

When one sheep repents, the Shepherd rejoices as if it is his only sheep. When I worship him along with my church family, he accepts my praise as if mine is the only voice he hears. But don’t worry – he feels the same way about you. Let us praise him together and increase the blessings – for him and for each other.

A powerful dynamic occurs in the spirit realm when we worship God together that can’t happen any other way.*