PRACTICING OUR FAITH:
WORSHIP
Psalm 148; Psalm 24
January 17, 2010 – Rev. Jerry
Duggins
I would like to say a few things in simple and
straightforward fashion this morning on the topic of worship as a practice of
faith. But first, I feel a need to clarify two things I am not talking about. It
is rather easy to get side-tracked in these times of rapidly changing worship
styles. Tom Long did not underestimate the controversies in the church today
when he called his book from a few years ago, Worship Wars. Our own
transition to offering a variety of worship styles here has not been without its
trials, but a lengthy planning process of nearly two years, strong leadership
from the session and other engaged members, and the commitment that people have
to one another even in the face of differences have made that transition largely
successful. Sometimes I think the lingering hurt that some feel keep us from
realizing what a tremendous accomplishment this has been. But this is not what I
will be addressing today. Whether you prefer contemporary or traditional
worship, the principles behind worship as a practice of faith are the
same.
In addition to saying little about the form of
worship today, I will also not be talking about the elements of worship. The
various parts of a particular worship service are not really relevant to the
fundamental question I wish to address this morning. Whether one liked the hymns
selected, was disappointed in the lack of a prayer of confession or felt the
pastor used the pulpit as a soapbox yet again are irrelevant to the purpose for
which we gather each week in this sanctuary. It’s not that I don’t welcome
constructive criticism. It’s vitally important to me that we get the details
right most of the time, but mostly the complaints I hear about worship betray a
failure to understand what worship is about. I like how my colleague in Paw Paw
puts it when someone complains about a hymn the she or he didn’t like. He
gently, as he has a gift to do, says: “That’s okay. We weren’t her this morning
to worship you.”
So, I have no intention of debating the merits of
various worship styles nor am I interested in sweating the details. The question
I want us all to think about is: “Did I worship God this
morning?”
I will acknowledge that people attend worship for a
great variety of reasons. Some to find refreshment for the busy week to come;
some to learn more about their faith or the scripture; some to enjoy the
fellowship; and some for many other reason. But it seems almost too obvious to
say that the primary reason to come to worship is… well… to worship. And yet, I
wonder how often we leave the service without asking whether we did in fact
worship God.
So, let me say a few things about worship. First, worship begins with the recognition that
creation is permeated by the presence of God. The psalmist opens with the
statement: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” We open our services
with a hymn or series of songs that praise God, often acknowledging the work of
God in creation or speak of God as the source of life; something that makes a
connection between the world in which we live and the God we
serve.
Again, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in
it, the world and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas and
established it on the rivers.” The image of God as Creator is really common in
the Psalms as it is in many hymns and prayers. We should not see this as a
commentary on the evolution/creation debate, but as an affirmation of the
present connection between God and
the world.
Now there are plenty of times we feel like God is far
away, absent from our lives. Worship can be especially important for just such
times. In affirming our connection to God as we do in worship, we sometimes open
a path for God to enter those dark times in our lives. Or at the very least we
balance the feeling that weighs us down with a faith that points us in a new
direction that offers hope.
Second, as Anthony Robinson puts it, worship is needs to be an “experience of
God” rather than a “reflection about God” (Bass, p.176). It should go beyond
the learning experience and engage us in a relationship. As such, worship
involves the whole person: head, heart and hands. This is one reason worship
changes over time. Diana Butler Bass writes:
Heart religion is, however, very hard to maintain
across the centuries. The encounter with God is always set in the frames of
human culture. What proved meaningful, transcendent, and life-transforming to
one generation may leave the next generation cold. Although God may be the same,
human beings experience God differently through time, opening up styles of
worship and liturgy that vary wildly through the centuries,
(pp.176-7)
Given this engagement of the whole person, you can
see how two people might even experience the same service in different ways.
Sometimes one person will leave feeling really blessed while another will wonder
what just happened.
Along with this engagement of the whole person, worship requires integrity. When we are
dishonest or hide our true feelings, we build barriers between ourselves and
God. This is so easy to do because we have definite ideas about how we ought to
feel or what we’re supposed to believe in regard to our faith. But sometimes
that can get in the way of authentic worship. Worship is the very place we need
to be real. The congregation passionate about authentic worship will avoid the
pious posturing that sometimes occurs in churches today.
Listen again to the psalmist: “Who shall ascend the
hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean
hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do
not swear deceitfully.” This description is not about being perfect, but it is
about approaching God with integrity, with an open heart and
honesty.
Fourth,
worship is invitational. The psalmist goes on to say: “Lift up your heads…
that the king of glory may come in.” When we walk through those sanctuary doors,
our chief purpose is to welcome God. We ask ourselves often enough whether we
enjoyed the service, but how often do we consider whether God found it
interesting? Are we even trying to capture God’s attention most weeks? This is
what my friend Tom is getting at when he reminds his parishioners that they’re
not there to worship themselves.
It is of course difficult to assess what God finds
interesting. We have a tendency to project our interests on to God when
evaluating worship, but it’s still important to remember that it’s God’s
presence that we’re after. We’re here to encounter God. “Lift up your heads, O
gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come
in.
Fifth, for
Christians, this worship centers on Jesus. Diana Butler Bass puts it this
way: “At its core, worship is an experience that transforms the heart. But it is
not just any experience. For Christian pilgrims, worship celebrates the life,
teaching, and acts of Jesus.”
(p.177). Jesus taught us that God is present in the world, that God wants
to be in relationship with us, that God already is engaged. Jesus demonstrated
this truth in his life, and with his death and resurrection established the
constancy of God’s love and grace. Because of Jesus, we are here. We gather in
his name to offer praise to God to whom we belong.
Worship begins in the recognition that God is
present. It is fundamentally an experience that engages the whole person: head,
heart, and hands. Its authenticity hinges on our bringing to worship a sense of
integrity and honesty. We worship as a way of inviting God to enter more fully
into our lives; and as Christians, we acknowledge that Jesus has called us into
this practice.
As with testimony, which I talked about last week,
it’s difficult to imagine a faithful congregation that didn’t take worship
seriously. But what would a church look like that made the practice of worship
the focus for its life together.
We have it every week, but is it something that a few
“put on” for the rest of us? Or is it clear that each and every person brings
something of themselves into the activity? Is worship something we do? Or only
something we have? I hope you can see the difference. That’s what we’re after in
this sermon series on practices of faith. We want to get behind the question of
Resources:
Diana Butler Bass, Christianity
for the Rest of Us