Before Christ every knee shall bend…
That’s a good reference,
Rom 14
9 For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So [then] each of us shall give an account of himself [to God].
But here it seem Paul was talking about worshiping the Father.
Either way, I don’t know where Jesus Himself was ever recorded as telling us to worship him, and in this reference I’m not so sure we can get there. Paul says all will worship “God” but at this time did we understand the Trinity? Was Paul really referring to Jesus?
In fact, when they tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy, claiming to be God when He was only a man, He seemed to indicate that “we are all gods” to whom the Word was given.
John 10
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,[m] and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
31 The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.
So here, Jesus claimed to be a “God” simply by being among those in the world to whom the world was given. It seems instead of elevating Himself above others to keep them from stoning Him, he was showing them that if they would only read their scripture right, they could all be like Him.
To me, that’s the Real Good News. Not that Jesus was as great as He was, but that He opened it up for, and taught us how to discover, our own divine greatness.
Not once did Jesus ever ask someone to get down on their knees before them. If they did, He had mercy on them but even those that angered Him the most – the lawyers, the Pharisees, etc, he never told them that.
The only time He seemed to react when someone tried to “respect his dignity” was when Peter tried to say He should be “treated with more respect” than to be killed, let’s say, and Jesus called him a “satan” for suggesting so. I wonder if Peter was confused at that time thinking, "wow if we’re not supposed to show special protection for our Lord, how are we supposed to relate to Him, and we still haven’t seemed to figure it out.
John 15
11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. **15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. **16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: love one another.
I would think that “friends” rather than “slaves” would want to celebrate the awesomeness of our friend, but “worshiping” Him is something He never, ever told us to do. He apparently is find with our walking by His side, and not groveling.
This is a comedy sketch, but I think it’s really kind of interesting because of the way that God is all powerful, doesn’t like groveling, but also doesn’t like being talked to like He’s an idiot – telling God it’s a “good idea” as if to judge God’s ideas.
I’m posting it in part to break it up a little; not as “proof” of anything.
Monty Python- The Quest for the Holy Grail – God scene
