Can Learning Be Worship?
I love to learn.
So when I came across this quote in a book I am currently reading, it caught my eye and caused me to pause my reading:
“Learning can become an act of worship.” (Who is This Man? by John Ortberg.)
An Act of Worship? That’s something I’ve never considered before, the idea that learning can be an act of worship.
Therefore, I did some thinking and some reading about Jesus as teacher–as rabbi. I thought about what made His teaching different, that would help to explain why learning can become an act of worship. For one thing, Jesus taught in order to change the lives around Him. He taught with authority–all authority. Those that listened to his teaching were amazed by His authority. We see an example of this in Mark 1:21-28.
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue. On a Sabbath. And we see the crowds amazed reaction in verse 22:
I’m not sure what they meant when they said He taught “not as he scribes”, but it was obvious that this teaching was different. It was powerful. Astonished; what a wonderful word! When was the last time you were astonished in your learning? When was the last time you were astonished by something your teacher or professor or pastor taught you?
Jesus’ intentions in teaching was not just teaching for learning’s sake. No; instead, He set out to teach so that He could change lives. Because that is what His father’s will was for Him, as part of His ministry here on earth. Read the rest of the passage in Mark 1:21-28. Watch how Jesus responds when, in the midst of his teaching, a man with an unclean spirit enters. Jesus commands that spirit to come out. He completely changes the man’s life. And the crowd reacts again:
Switching gears for a moment, I was deeply saddened to hear that Dallas Willard, an important author in my life, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. When I heard the information, I pulled out his books and spent a few minutes perusing my highlights in his books.
In Willard’s book “Knowing Christ Today”, I was surprised to come across a paragraph that I had highlighted, that really intersects with this idea of Learning as an Act of worship. Willard does not mince words. It may be a bit difficult to swallow. But it is truth. Chew on it, think on it, learn on it. I’ll share it here:
God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you that you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you-brains and all…One reason why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education in itself.
Wow. We are called to Love God with all our Hearts, soul strength and Mind. We are called to love God with our mind. And Willard is saying here that Christianity is an education in itself. What does that mean?
I think that in part, it must mean that part of loving God with all of our mind, is to be constantly learning–learning about Christ, learning scripture, learning to love, learning to live out this Christian life. But I think it also means always pushing ourselves to learn about the world around us as well. God is a rational, orderly being, who has created a beautiful, rational world. Shouldn’t we seek to learn as much about it as possible?
Which brings me full round to the idea of learning as an act of worship. How does that happen? Oh, how I want my learning to be an act of worship! Of course, I have more to think about on this subject, but here are some preliminary ideas:
- Commit all my learning to God–asking Him to open my mind and show me what He would have me learn from any book or lecture or sermon or study session I am partaking of.
- Be proactively looking for ways to praise God in my learning–as I learn new fact about this amazing world and universe, as I learn more about scripture and God’s love for me, and as I learn more about the people God has put in my life.
- Commit to do my best in all my learning, both formal and informal. This includes my upcoming seminary class that starts in May, as well as my personal informal study sessions that I have in the morning or at other times.
I am so grateful that God has given us the gift of learning. That He encourages it, through His own teaching and through the teaching of others. I am grateful that a lot of our formal education venues today have their roots deep in the desire to follow this rabbi who was astonishing and taught with authority. Oxford. Harvard. William & Mary.
I want my learning to be an act of Worship to my God.
Who Knows?
I learned something profoundly fascinating this morning.
Our pastors, Michael Howard and Eric Spence, have been working through the book of Jonah. You can hear this morning’s message HERE.
Jonah is a story that many people are familiar with, believers and non-believers alike. I think because it just seems so incredulous that Jonah would be swallowed by a fish, than vomited up on shore after words. And this is after a terrible storm from God, in which Jonah had to be thrown overboard in order for God to halt the storm.
But beyond the “swallowed by a fish” scenario, do we really pay attention to the rest of the story? The part when Jonah finally relents to a relentless God who demanded Jonah go to the Ninevites and warn them that they had 40 days to repent, less they be destroyed in a manner along the ways of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jonah finally goes to Nineveh. He delivers the message:
40 days. This is the first thing we see. Our relentless God, is also a God of relentless mercy. He could have destroyed them without a warning. He could have demolished them immediately. Their sin was tremendous. Their sin was wickedness. Evil. But our gracious God sent Jonah to proclaim a 40 day opportunity to repent. To turn from their sin.
When word of Jonah’s message reached the king, the king did an astonishing thing. He listened. He heard the message. Not only did he hear the message–he acted upon it. He came off his thrown, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes, and proclaimed a fast. He demanded that the people of Nineveh repent and cease doing their evil sins. And the city responded, “calling out mightily to God” for mercy and forgiveness.
But here is what I want to share with you–what surprised me greatly. The king goes on to proclaim this:
9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
Please see with me what is so remarkable here:
- The term “relent” means to soften in feeling, temper, or determination; to become more mild, compassionate or forgiving. To be relentless is to be unyielding. God was relentless in his pursuit of Jonah and His determination that Jonah deliver a message to Nineveh. God was relentless in his amazing mercy by gifting the Ninevites with 40 days to repent and call out to Him. And here the king proclaims—Who knows? God may relent! He may turn from His anger! He may spare our lives. And what happens? God relents:10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. This God is relentless when it is for our good. He relents when it is for our good. He relents when we truly repent and turn from our sins. Our God is sovereign. Our God is sovereign.
- Verse 9 begins with the question “Who knows?” I’ve never seen that before this morning. And I love it! What a question! “Who knows?” The king, who could have ignored the warning, instead says “Who knows? God may relent–if we cease our sins, we may not perish. Listen carefully though: They didn’t know. They did not know. They did not know, if they repented, if God would save them. They did not know whether God would relent. They did not know if it was already too late for them. “Who knows?” But here’s the amazing thing. This was before Christ. This was still during the time of animal sacrifices for the substitute of sin. The ultimate sacrifice had not been given, in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Do you see? We now know the answer to “Who Knows?” The answer to “Who Knows?” is that when we truly repent and turn from our sins–God will forgive our sins. He will relent from the punishment we deserve. Because of God’s gift of His son as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, we can confidently say that there is no “Who Knows?” in Christ. Amazing.
“Who knows?” turns to a confident “I know” in Christ. I know that He forgives sins. I know that He paid the ultimate price for my sins. And as a result, I know that some day–when my numbered days are over, I will go home. Home to my Jesus.
Can you confidently say “I know” in Christ?
The Fate of the Sawi Tribe: God’s Faithfulness through Generations
What would you do, if you were a young married couple with a 7 month old child, and felt called by God to go to Papua to share Jesus with a cannibalistic headhunter tribe who was in constant warfare with other tribes?
And, after many, many years had passed, and now you are in your 70’s—what would you find when you returned to that tribe to visit? Would they still be followers of Christ? Watch this 15 minute amazing movie—this is “going to the nations”.