Leading Us Into the Throne Room ?!? by Mike Cosper

As a pastor of worship, I feel a responsibility to admit, on my own behalf and that of my colleagues, that we often get our ideas about worship confused. This leads us to all kinds of off-the-cuff remarks that are at best strange, and at worst, just plain stupid.

This comes to mind as we read the book of Leviticus, a book that outlines (amongst other things) the responsibility of the priests to act on behalf of God towards the people, and on behalf of the people to God. For these uniquely called men, it was their duty to enter God’s presence on the people’s behalf, offering their sacrifices, confessing their sins, and interceding. Likewise, they would speak on behalf of God to the people, telling them to take comfort in the fact that their sins had been atoned for, that their boil was indeed infected, or that they were about to be stoned for sleeping with their father’s wife. The whole work of speaking God’s judgment, His mercy, and His will was on their shoulders.

This dynamic changes radically when Christ becomes our high priest. We no longer need a mediator (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15), and anyone who claims to be one should be treated with suspicion. Hebrews 10 gives us a clear picture of this new reality:

Hebrews 10:19-22 (New International Version)

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

I remember, during the construction at our building on Mary Street, being rebuked regularly by Scott Daniel for the former mistake. I would call our large room the sanctuary (mostly because it was the term used by the architect and construction workers – I did know better), and Scott would interrupt with a sarcastic tone, “Is Jesus in there?” His point is an important gospel point: Jesus is no more and no less present there than He is when we gather at home, or gather with our families. By His spirit, He inhabits our hearts and brings us into God’s presence, praying for us and blessing us, wherever we may be.

This mistake abounds in conversations about worship. We say that the worship band “leads us into God’s presence”, or “leads us into the throne room,” two things that no sinner could ever accomplish. Worship is a beautiful thing, and indeed, we experience the presence and nearness of God when we gather in a way that is uniquely blessed, but this is not the work of the worship team. It’s the work of Jesus Christ, who has made a new and living way for us. If we are truly experiencing the blessing of God’s presence and nearness, it is because the worship team is helping us to turn our minds and hearts together to His glory. Excellence in worship means that performances are not distracting, that songs convey text and music with a unity that provides an opportunity for the body to sing songs to God and one another, the word dwelling richly amongst them all (Colossians 3:16).

Excellent music can stir hearts and affections, and is a good thing when it stands in unity with and as a servant to the texts of song and scripture. But none of it leads us into God’s presence. It can make us thankful for His gifts. It can make us joyful to be in community with our church family. It can stir our hearts powerfully in celebration of the gospel. But it can’t lead us into God’s presence. (And that’s not even mentioning all the ways that music can stir us in the wrong directions. In that way, music can actually be a priest for idols.)

Let’s reserve the role of priesthood for Jesus alone. Let’s make sure we remember that music, as wonderful as it is, is only a created thing, a gift, and that worship leaders are at best prophets who point, not priests that mediate God’s presence. Most of all, let’s remember the gospel: the good news that Jesus is our sacrifice, our priest, and makes a way for us to not only enter into the presence of God, but to dwell and rest there, living life in community with God our Father.

visit sojournmusic.com Wednesdays to see Pastor Mike in a series of short video conversations on worship with author Harold Best (Unceasing Worship) and Professor Chip Stam, founder of the Institute for Christian Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.