Robert L. Mille: How We Worship
2005 academic conference in the library of congress. His phone went off while he talked
Knowing about God and knowing him personally
Elder Holland to CES quoted- let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid: that may be one of the saviors commandments that is almost universally disobeyed yet it is most grievous to the lord’s heart. Most devastated if a child thought they could not come for me to help or think the father does not care. God can not help but bless us. He loves us and cares for us. Not a single loophole or curve in the path to walk on the path to god ( from book Trusting Jesus page 68)
How do we worship christ- do not always understand what worship means. Not just going to church
By these things we know that there is a god in heaven
17 By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;
18 And that he created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness, created he them;
19 And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship. (Doctrine and Covenants, Doctrine and Covenants, Section 20)
Must teach so plainly to not only be understood but not misunderstood.
28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law.
29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out. (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi, Chapter 25)
Worship was once rendered worthy ship
Rev 5- I beheld the voice of many angels . Infinite numbers. Saying worthy is the lamb that was slain
Worthy is the lamb! Tell what his arm has done.
We worship God as we acknowledge his majesty and greatness and as we confess our weakness and total dependence on him
Sing the song of redeeming love. Jacob in 2 Ne 9 is singing that song
Few have done it more powerfully than king Benjamin
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. (Book of Mormon, Mosiah, Chapter 2)
Jerry Lund- doctrine of divine indebtedness
The dust of the earth obeys- when god says move it moves.
He teaches the important doctrine of retaining our remission of sins
11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. (Book of Mormon, Mosiah, Chapter 4)
If we do this we shall ALWAYS rejoice! One of the ways we are able to retain a remission of sins is to live in a state of never ending gratitude
Few things upset god more than our ungreatfullness. He doesn’t need the praise but we need it. We need to regularly acknowledge his goodness.
I can certainly use this in my life! Live more fully in a state of gratitude. Thank more than we ask.
Another way to worship is through charitable service.
Brother of Jared: two problems: light and air. What would you have me do?
2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.
3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.
4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.
5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men. (Book of Mormon, Ether, Chapter 3)
This is the man we associate with consummate righteousness. The righteous live in a state of acknowledgement and repentance
The righteous live in a state of constant repentance. A true desire to improve refine grow and expand.
Alma’s council to shibblon
13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times. (Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 38)
Live in a state of acknowledgement and gratitude and confession of weakness. Ask God to loan us some of his power and wisdom
2 Ne 9:42- woe into those that are rich and learned
42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi, Chapter 9)
2) we worship Christ as we seek to emulate Christ
Paul- I would that you would be like me- imitate me
Charles Sheldon- in his steps
What would Jesus do?
Asking that question may at times cost us dramatically
We don’t want get too closely in the habit of comparing our lives to him. Don’t get down on ourselves.
But we want to use him as his model. We emulate the father by emulating the son. Be ye therefore perfect as our father in heaven is perfect
If we commit sin how can we possibly ever be perfect as he is. It will come in the life to come, but it’s also for right now. Perfect is often rendered whole mature complete etc. we become while my joining with Christ in covenant.
We are complete together with him. He is infinite I am so very finite, but together I am infinite. I am imperfect but he is perfect and together we can be perfect
( be perfect in Christ)
We can be “perfect” and not yet sinless. Perfect men are those that work with Christ and are spiritually mature!
When asked by bishop if we are keeping a commandment he is not asking if we are doing so 100%. Are we moving in the commandment keeping direction.
If sin means missing the mark then what is righteousness- it is target practice
Lord is concerned with our direction more than our geography
Think of positive implications. That same spirit which possesses your body will possess you in the next life. If I leave this life moving in the right direction I will continue moving in that direction even faster in the spirit world! Be ye perfect- but he won’t give up on us when we are not there yet
Little known man asked to stay behind in Kirtland. Oliver Granger d&c 117
His sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase
Parable of the talents- obviously about stewardship but what is not so clearly seen is this- why did the man bury his talent- he explains that he knew the strict side of the lord and was afraid. He misunderstood the lord. He wants us to have reverence not fear ( Hebrew word for fear means reverence). If that man had worked and had gotten nothing out of the talent I am persuaded he would have been blessed. God isn’t in the quantity business as much as the quality business
God loves you just the way you are but he loves you too much to leave you there. He wants to make you just like Jesus – just like Jesus mark lucado
3) allow god to change and transform us
Exaltation comes not just by education but transformation
There will be no righteous people in heaven only repentant ones
Begin to change or likes and love the things we once didn’t love
Paul in Romans- our body a living sacrifice. Submit to god
“Problem with living sacrifices is they can squirm off.”
Start with mind- what are things we need to change to truly be transformed.
Avoid the things that could rob us of the spirit.
Be changed from the inside out
Hymn worship. Allow the hymns to overpower us
Worship as we submit, confess, serve others and in the church and sing praise to our god
Bruce r mcckonkie We pay homage because of Christ’s sacrifice. He does not replace the father but he is worthy of receiving all the praise the we can render. True worship is always emulation.
D&c 76
We don’t do awe enough as latter day saints. Word awesome has almost lost its meaning, but I mean it when I say that our God is AWESOME
