| Cosplaying?
| I have a confession to make. I am a Trekkie. I am also a huge Star Wars fan. These two “universes” conflict, I know, but I love science fiction. As a kid, I grew up watching Star Trek reruns on television. I was so addicted to it when I was younger that I could name the episode and what would happen by watching a mere few seconds of an episode. Of course, my favorite character was James T. Kirk played by William Shatner. So I was shocked this past summer to learn that William Shatner was in Raleigh at an event called Galaxy Con. I considered going just to have the chance to see him in person. But I had other more important commitments, so I had to settle for the knowledge that I was within a few miles of William Shatner, the beloved Captain James Tiberius Kirk.
You are probably reading this and wondering, “What on earth is a ‘Galaxy Con’?” Galaxy Con is a huge convention which brings several different genres of fiction together along with some celebrities who played key roles in those stories. People come to these events because the stories that are represented at Galaxy Con have somehow impacted their lives. They go hoping to meet with their favorite character. They even “cosplay”, which means to dress up like a character from a book, movie, or video game. During Galaxy Con, they live in a fantasy world based on their favorite stories and characters. The people who attend are mostly average people with ordinary lives. After Galaxy Con is over, they go back to their real lives.
This made me wonder, do we do this when we worship? After all, we too gather for a story that has impacted our lives. We hope to meet our favorite character, God, and encounter His presence. We may not put on costumes, but we try to act like Jesus and be kind to everyone, smiling and greeting people. But what happens when worship is over? Do we just go back to our real lives as though the time we just spent was a fantasy?
In John 4:23, Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” In regard to “truth”, the Psalmist said in Psalm 15:1-2 “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart”. Jesus said that God’s Word is truth. He also stated that He is the Truth. Jesus is the embodiment and fulfillment of the Word of God. All truth about God is revealed in His Son and in His Word. So to worship in “truth” means to worship God out of an understanding of Jesus and the Word of God.
When we gather together for worship, are we being a true representative of who we are in our daily lives or are we simply “cosplaying”? If we are not careful, worship can become pretend where we dress up and play a role but go away to real lives that have nothing to do with the truth of Jesus Christ or His Word.
These are your Words for Wednesday.
Please help us spread the word about our Punt, Pass and Kick competition for boys and girls ages 6 years to 13 years old on Sunday afternoon at 3:45 at Ballentine. Parents can register their child at ilove-bc.org/calendar-events. We will also accept registrations at the event. If you are volunteering to help, please arrive at 3:00 pm. Have a great rest of your week!
In Christ,
Kevin | Kevin Darnell
iLove Baptist Church |
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