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|  FIRST WORD, by Pastor Steve Molin The second in a three part series on worship at Our Savior's
Have you ever pondered why you worship? There are likely to be a variety of responses to that rather personal question. Some come for the music, some come for the fellowship, some come for what they learn in the sermon, and still others come for quiet, intimate moments with God. All of these are viable reasons, and perhaps we would agree that each of these reasons are included in why we come to church. Without dismissing any of these reasons for worship, allow me to offer three core assumptions about worship.
Worship is commanded by God
In the Old Testament, Jews gathered regularly at the Temple for the reading of the Torah, and to praise God for his greatness, his faithfulness, and his love. In the New Testament, worship was more loosely defined; it might happen on a lakeshore, in a dining room, or on at a camp. Worship has continued to evolve, even until today, and various denominations practice worship differently. Our Roman Catholic friends are very formal in nearly every aspect of worship, from the time they enter the sanctuary to the time they leave. Evangelicals tend to be more informal and quite expressive in their worship, often raising their hands and voices in spontaneous praise. Lutheran are more reserved; the liturgy” (which means “the work of the people”) provides our outline for worship. But the common thread is that, in worship, we confess that God is God and we are not, and therefore, God is worthy of our praise.
Worship is done in community
Over my years of ministry, I have had numerous people confess to me that they don’t particularly like church, but they do believe in God, and find it more comfortable to worship him in the forest, or on the mountains; on the golf course or in a boat. I get it; there is something special about enjoying God while enjoying God’s creation, and I’ve told you before that I’ve never felt closer to God than some of the literal mountaintop experiences I’ve had. But the Bible would inform us that worship is traditionally done “when two or three gather.” The church has never been defined as “Jesus and me” but rather “Jesus and us.” This is not to say that our personal devotions – our “quiet time” if you will – are invalid. It is to say that God chooses not to only bind us to himself, but also to bind us to one another.
Consider the hymn that was our Lenten worship a few years ago:
Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together, Bind us together in Love
We are the family of God, We are the promise divine
We are God's chosen desire, We are the glorious new wine.
It is “we,” not “me.”
Worship renews us
In the busy pace of this world, we seldom slow down, detach from computers and cell phones, and give our bodies and minds a rest. And yet, this is exactly what God prescribes in worship; to commune with God and with one another. It is a time for gaining perspective, gaining strength, and gaining insight, and without it, our spiritual tanks run dry. In our spiritual journeys, worship ought to be the one staple, the one non-negotiable component of our week. Perhaps the smarmy adage is true: “Seven days without worship makes one weak.”
Coming in October… “We Preach what We Practice.”
See you in Church!
Pastor Steve
Current issue of The Lamp: September 2010
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