What True Worship Isn't

In Matthew 5:20 Jesus says, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." We can easily understand that as believers, God has given us His righteousness (Romans 3:22) but those listening at the moment might have found this statement troubling. However Jesus quickly follows up with six illustrations to help all understand.
The first illustration is found in Matthew 5:21-26. Jesus teaches that the one that is angry is guilty of the same sin as murder and deserves the same punishment. However, what really speaks to me is the point Jesus makes in verses 23-26.
In verses 23-26 Jesus teaches that true worship cannot include disunity. When one remembers that his brother has something against him, he is to cease in his worship and find his brother and make all things right. Jesus does not point out who is at fault. It makes no difference if it is the brother or the one attempting to worship. However, Jesus does put the responsibility on the one who remembers to repair the relationship. Later using the idea of a debtor's prison, Jesus teaches that the healing of the relationship should take place immediately, before God begins to judge the situation.
All this teaches me that true worship is about unity in the body. At Wakefield we have an organ. For years it has been broken and cannot be used in worship. I, and many others, miss the organ. However, the presence of an organ will not truly enhance our worship. What will? Unity in the body. According to many, over the last 18 months Wakefield has come a long way in this area. However, I feel that this is something that we can always be working on (as well as every other church).
This week examine yourself. Ask God to show you if you harbor any anger in your heart. If God exposes such, then seek out the players in the situation and make things right. Then you can begin to experience true worship.

-Mark