Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Sermon Hebrews 12:18-29
Introduction
Where are we right now? I know we have come to church and have assembled for worship, but what is this worship thing all about? Is worship anything more than just gathering together with friends on Sunday morning for prayer and singing some familiar hymns? Understanding what worship is and is not is the key to living a Christian life because as we live our lives in the midst of God’s creation; we are continually at worship. But before we take a look at worship will you pray with me?
Father in heaven I ask for permission for me and this congregation of those registered in heaven to approach your throne through Jesus Christ our mediator. Give me the gift of preaching that my words may somehow be your words and give the congregation the gift of hearing that they may hear what you have to say to them this day. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
I. Our idea of worship is too small
I have attended worship services for a long time. Not as long as some of you but for a long time nevertheless. For many years going to church was for me like eating cotton candy. I liked it and it reminded me of my childhood but it had no lasting benefit beyond an immediate rush. But after a while worship did have a profound affect on me. I began to see the world around me differently, and my responses to worship began to change. I remember one time after worship that a group of people asked me to go with them to feed the homeless. I had never done anything like that before. And I was dressed in my best suit, not exactly what you would wear to an event like this. But after worship it seemed like the right thing to do. God had taken hold of me and was beginning to change me in significant ways. I went down to the Church of the Pilgrims, a Presbyterian church in downtown DC. They served lunch to a group of 150 homeless men every Sunday after church. I consisted of hot soup and a bag lunch. My job was to ladle out the soup into paper bowls. I loved it and went back to this church once a month for the next three years. I thought that I had been attending a comfortable and familiar worship service. But in reality I was coming into the very presence of God. And coming into the presence of God is always a transformative act. So watch out for what might happen today.
For most white middle class Americans going to church today worship consists of meeting friends, and participating in a familiar and comfortable service. Although we accept some innovation we prefer songs and prayers that remind us of the worship services we grew up with. We want the service to not be too long or too short. We want the prayers to be just the right length and maybe drop a few verses from the hymns that are just too long. We want a predictable order so we are comfortable and know what comes next. We want the pastor to be dressed appropriately and say things that comfort us reminding us of God’s love but not challenging us to move out of that complacency that is a mark of the middle class American lifestyle.
Different tastes in worship styles often divide the church. Should the church use an organ or guitars? Should we sing hymns or the new praise songs, or jazz, or country or something else or everything else? Should we have written or spontaneous prayers? Should our hands hold a hymnal while singing or be free to clap? Should the pastor wear a robe, suit and tie, or maybe a tee shirt and flip flops? Endless committee time is spent in churches debating these and similar issues. Books are written from every perspective. Conferences are held promoting one way or the other as the path for church growth. New churches are formed because they believe that existing churches just can’t get it right. And whatever you do some people will leave the church because they don’t like whatever it is you are doing. Some churches refuse to make changes hoping not to alienate anyone in the congregation. Other churches adopt whatever change comes down the pike that promises to bring in new people.
When viewed from inside the church these issues look large. Adding or subtracting something from worship sometimes evokes a passionate response. We like what we like and are willing to fight to keep it. But from the outside these issues seem so small. What difference does it make if Christians sing three songs or four, or if they pray with their hand folded or waving in the air? To a world desperately in need of the hope, hope that only we can offer, these debates about worship must seem baffling. Our internal discussions about worship are vitally important to us, but to those outside the church they seem like very small issues. As indeed they are.
II. Worship is a dangerous act – Labberton[1]
Scripture teaches us that there is far more to worship than we could ever image on our own. Everything that is important is at stake because in worship we acknowledge that we are created in God image and called to reflect God’s character by living lives that seek righteousness and do justice. It is at once something big and small. Worship is as big as all creation and as small as how we use our money or care for our children. It includes both giving glory and honor to God and enacting His love, mercy and kindness in the world. Our encounter with God in worship is transformational because through it we take on the mind of Christ. Every bit of our self-centered nature is turned inside out as we become self-givers. We are freed from our own concerns to be concerned with the poor, downtrodden and oppressed. All of this makes worship what Mark Labberton calls a dangerous act. Whenever we worship we are in danger losing our own hearts and taking on the heart of God. Worship makes demands on us to live as Christ would have us live.
I have to admit that I am tempted in my preaching to avoid topics that may cause you discomfort. I would love just to tell you over and over that God loves you just as you are and makes no claim on your lives. I fear that if I try to guide you or push you toward a new way of thinking that you will resist by either getting rid of me or by leaving the church. I have been told that the way to help a church grow is by preaching comfortable sermons that assure everyone that a modern day middle class American self centered lifestyle is just what God created everyone to live. I believe that God loves us and has blessed us richly, but I would be shortchanging you if I did not also say that Christ is passionate about justice for the poor and the oppressed. I have to quote Micah who said “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)”. I have to tell you that these words were not meant just to be heard but to be lived. Whenever we worship I must remind you that loving God is our top priority. But along with loving God comes a second obligation loving our neighbor.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that the God we worship is big because too often we settle for a God who is too small. We often pray to God for our personal needs. Through these prayers we develop a personal relationship with Christ. But Christ is far more than just a personal friend. Sometime we have to remind ourselves that God is much bigger than that. One way to do this is by remembering that by the time we gather for worship here in
III. Biblical Worship
The author of Hebrews knew that worship was dangerous. In Moses’ day approaching God was a fearsome act. When an unseen God spoke to his people the words of his covenant, he spoke from
We could ignore what God is demanding of us just as the Hebrews ignored Moses’ teaching. We could go home after worship and pretend that nothing has happened, to pretend that God has not entered our lives and transformed our spirits. But if we do that do not be surprised if the ground shakes beneath you. I am not talking about the ground shaking along the faults under
Each time we gather for worship we are making this spiritual pilgrimage up
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