Wake Up, Neo

I recently mentioned the name “Neo” to a room full of worship leaders, and they knew.

In 1999, a work of art was released into the world. Its message was that we are all dreaming. And while it’s a happy, typical dream, we desperately need to wake up to really live.

Some of us respond to waking up with “ignorance is bliss.”

Sometimes, waking up in the real world, where we are called to fulfill our dangerous destiny, makes us want to get plugged back into our dream world.

But we must wake up.

Of course, I’m referring to the movie The Matrix.

Hear me out. Every time I lead worship, part of my role is to call people once again to wake up. We lead roomfuls of Mr. Andersons who need to wake up to their Neo callings.

The scriptures say it this way:

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)

“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. (Judges 5:12)

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! (Psalm 57:8)

And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. (Mark 13:37)

Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15)

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

You get the point. We are in the business of awakening His Body, of activating the Church, of advancing the Kingdom. Far too often, we just go through the motions, follow our planned scripts, and wish for more.

But that feeling that you have that something is off with the world? Let it drive you to press in for MORE. Come awake and awaken your congregation every time you lead.

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

It’s a perfect time to press into this as we prepare to lead our congregations on Resurrection Sunday!

-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)

Wake Up, Neo (Nº 428)