Category Archives: worship

Name That Commandment

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Our confirmation students had a written test in which they wrote about the commandment that was most challenging to them.  Two commandments were frequently cited:  the second and tenth commandments.  Both are worthy of further reflection.   I will start with the second commandment and post on the tenth tomorrow.

The second commandment, “you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,” reflects the power of words.  What we say matters.   God has given us a tremendous gift in being able to call out to him in prayer, praise and thanksgiving at anytime and in any situation.  God is like a mother who walks through a crowded noisy mall, hears a child’s cry and knows the child is her daughter or son.  God knows and responds to the cry of our hearts when we sing with joy or shout in terror.  What a privilege to be able to call upon the creator of the universe!

With this privilege in mind, we see how disrespectful it is to use God’s name to curse others, to inflict harm upon others.  Yes, we are creatures with powerful emotions like anger and rage.  Yes, we can be provoked by the actions of others to say things we wish we hadn’t. Yes, cursing has become more pervasive, even acceptable in our culture. Still we are not ruled by our emotions nor by cultural norms, but have the capacity to choose how to respond to our emotional stirrings.  Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).  We need to pray for God’s help to keep his name holy.

One confirmation student did have a valid observation.  He observed people being very cavalier, or bored, in worship as they mumbled God’s praise.  Can our worship become so casual that we begin to take God’s name in vain?  Can we be disrespecting God because we are daydreaming instead of truly praising his Holy name?  I appreciate how confirmation student can sometimes help me see the God’s truth in a new light.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of your name.  Help me to cherish it always.

Acts 2:42 part 2

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Lord's Supper by Sadao Watanabe

The second chapter of Acts is a pivotal chapter in the history of God’s people.  The chapter begins with the explosion of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the Jesus’ disciples, continues with Peter’s first sermon which results in 3000 baptisms, and concludes with a summary statement on the life of the earliest disciples.  The 3000 new believers did not simple wander off into their old patterns of behavior. Rather they became devoted followers of Jesus.

They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42)

The breaking of bread was mostly likely the earliest version of the sacrament of Holy Communion.  The meal was one concrete way to stay connected to Jesus Christ.  Through the Lord’s Supper they remembered him (I Cor. 11:24).  The meal also meant that Jesus communed with the believers because it was his own body and blood that he gave with the bread and wine.  Jesus was truly present.  Also it proclaimed the Lord’s death until Jesus returned (I Cor 11:26).

Holy Communion continues to be a central part of our Christian faith and worship. We remember the past events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  We commune with him in the present moment as we share the meal of his body and blood. And we look forward to our future hope of Christ’s return in glory.

 The early disciples also devoted themselves to the prayers.  Prayer was not new to the church. The Jews had been praying for centuries.  Jesus had taught the disciples to pray using the words of the Lord’s Prayer.    With the coming of the Holy Spirit, their prayers became supercharged.  So can ours.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:27)  

The same Holy Spirit that powered the early church in its mission is the same Holy Spirit that works through our prayers.  Let us ask God to create within us a similar devotion to the Apostle’s teachings, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer.

To which practice is God calling you to be devoted?

Lord, create in me a heart of devotion.

Crowd Power

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Catalyst had Crowd Power

This morning’s Palm Sunday worship reminded me once again of the power of a crowd.  As American I don’t think we reflect on the dynamic power of mass audiences because we tend to think we are all independent individuals.  Yet we experience the power of a crowd when we go to a crowded athletic venue, and the spectators begin to chant, holler and scream as the score becomes close.  Or when we go to a music concert and the performer is very good at stirring up the audience during the performance.   We say that the performer feeds off the energy in the room.

This crowd power can be a positive influence.  Last fall I attended a large Christian Conference in Atlanta called the Catalyst Conference. This home-made video captures just a bit of the energy I experienced in that auditorium with 12,000 other Christians.  I strongly encourage people to experience a large gathering of fellow believers in worship, prayer and praise together.  The power of the Holy Spirit can be magnified in such settings.

As one reads the story of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, one has the feeling that there is incredible crowd power in that parade with palms and cloaks, shouts and songs.   The crowd truly believed the King was in their midst and they could not hold back.  Jesus does not chastise them but rather the religious officials who try to stop the celebration.  Jesus said to them, “If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40.

The problem with crowd power is not their enthusiasm but their fickle character.   In a sport’s arena, one play can suddenly change the game and the crowd becomes deflated, even hostile.   In politics, Hitler was able to utilize mass rallies to gather and solidify support for his totalitarian regime.  The crowd is not always right.

Friday morning we will read again the Gospel story of the crowd as it gathered outside Governor Pilate’s court.   Their cries will have turned from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him.”

How have you experience crowd power in a positive or negative way?

Does crowd power have a place in our contemporary life with Jesus?

Colorful Vegetables for the Spiritual Life

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Whats more colorful or spiritual than VeggieTales?

Every week I receive an e-mail from Mayo Clinic on how to live a healthier life.  Recently it recommended that my dinner plate become more “colorful” with a variety of vegetables and fruit.   Yesterday when I visited my mom, she and the other residents were served a plate bright with red pepper, yellow squash, green beans and orange carrots.  Mom was eating healthy.

Afterwards I made the connection to yesterday’s post and my disparaging comments about zucchini.  As I thought more, zucchini grows into what God created it to be: zucchini.    It adds color and nutrition,  if not taste, to many meals.   It can be part of a healthy diet.

So I want to stretch the vegetable analogy.  Perhaps, as Christians, we need variety in our spiritual disciplines to live healthy lives with God.  We need to add color or spice (even zucchini?) to the ways we open our lives to God.  

Certainly, if one has no discipline, no method of reading scripture, saying prayers, or attending worship, then the simple acts of reading Matthew or John, saying the Lord’s Prayer and participating in Sunday worship are a great beginning.  But if such a pattern is already established, then variety may be needed.  Here are just a few suggestions:

  • Instead of praying a list of prayers,  light a candle and sit in silence, listening for God
  • Instead of reading a Bible chapter, do research on a favorite word in the Bible: love, joy
  • Instead of praying at your desk or table, go for a walk outside and converse with God.
  • Instead of attending your normal church, worship in a church of a different tradition: charismatic, Quaker, Roman Catholic (this is very hard to write as a pastor, but I do it when I am on vacation, so why shouldn’t you?)

In other words, change your pattern of spiritual discipline, with the intention of opening your life in a new way to God’s presence.   You may discover that the old ways are still the best, but you may return with a fresh perspective.  Or you may discover a new spiritual practice that you can embrace fully.

Lent starts tomorrow; what new spiritual disciplines might you embrace for the journey?

Everything Glorious

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When I was in college, one of my Christian mentors was a German professor.  He provided rides each Sunday to his Episcopal church and breakfast afterwards.  The worship was quite liturgical and mysterious to my simple tastes.  I often felt overwhelmed by the ancient language, the various postures of prayer, and the classical music.  My mentor gave me one piece of advice to which I still cling.  He said, “Be open to one moment of clarity, of revelation, of God’s presence.  You can’t control when or how, just be open.”  Ever since I have tried to worship with that open, expectant attitude.  It does not happen every week, or even every month.  But, on occasion, the Holy Spirit hits me with  AWE.

This past Sunday I was surprised by awe.   It was just for a moment while our worship team lead us in singing “Everything Glorious” by David Crowder. (You can listen to it on YouTube here http://youtu.be/81dK2Vu1IUs )

The lyrics that struck me are:
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours,
So what does that make me?

Somehow the words broke through my insecurities and masks and I sensed the Holy Spirit being rather direct with me.  I am a participant in glory, not because of my role or behavior or morals or status or accomplishments.   I am a participant in glory simple because God made me so.   And it is the glory of God’s love, revealed in the cross.  It is the glory of God’s grace to makes me so.  

For a moment, as we sang, I FELT the power of that truth. It was surprising how through that simple song God gave me light, hope and joy.  I am thankful that the Holy Spirit, David Crowder and the Resurrection’s worship team gave me that moment of glory and AWE.

When or how has God’s glory touched your life?