Expectations about Worship
Febuary 4, 1998
Exodus 19: 16-23
I often wonder why so many people, especially visitors, come to St. Philip’s on Christmas Eve. Long ago, we ceased to advertise in the papers. Some parishioners who were frustrated over seating cards have suggested that we should not put up the signs telling of the hours of the services.
This past Christmas Eve, I decided to get to the heart of the matter. I interviewed some of the visitors while they were waiting in line. The majority said things like, “We come here because St. Philip’s does it right.” “There is good worship here.”
I didn’t press them any further, but I began to speculate what would constitute “good worship.” I have an image of good worship, as I expect you have. And the more I thought about it, the more I found that I have some pretty definite opinions.
First, I think good worship ought to have good music.
Music and liturgy somehow ought to lift our hearts and make us feel as if we are at a heavenly banquet. I’m not concerned so much about the Choice between classical or contemporary music. The kind that I prefer is the music that lifts our spirits and heals our wounds. Very much like what we have, thanks to Bill Roberts and the Music Department.
One of my pet peeves about worship services is that they are just plain boring. Week after week, the same routine happens without any sense of freshness or challenge by the celebrant or }xeadher. Good worship, for me, has me leaving the church excited, thinking new thoughts, stretching ancient truths and practices and having a sense of aliveness. God save us from a preacher who in a stained glass, tired voice, says, “Let us turn to page 322 of the Prayer Book.”
And finally, for me, good worship contains a sense of mystery. I don’t need to comprehend it all. I don’t want my worship to be rational, easily understood. I want it to be a right brain experience, stretching my imagination.
Recently, I read an article by a clergyperson on worship- He spoke of worship as being an “exquisite” experience. Now, “exquisite” is a little too precious a word for me. But as I pondered what he had to say, I began to appreciate his use of “exquisite.” “Ex” means beyond the other side. And “quisite” has the same root as question. So exquisite worship stands for that which is beyond our questions. Good worship has an air of mystery- worship that is beyond our logical minds, that draws out our imagination.
Well, those are some random thoughts of mine. Possibly, by now you’re thinking, if you were doing the talking, you would have a different list. Your list might say, “Good worship is where a preacher speaks louder, doesn’t use notes, and refrains from cute remarks.”
This morning, as we begin a new year together, I want us to hear another voice. I want us to listen to what God has to say about “Good Worship.” Let’s turn to Scriptures for some clues as to God’s expectations.
In the book of Exodus, Moses goes to the Pharaoh. He asks for a few days off in order that the Hebrew slaves can go out in the desert to worship God.
“You can worship your God right here in Egypt,” replies the Pharaoh, not being very supportive about Ending the right space for good worship (also probably wanting to make sure that Moses didn’t try to insert any politics into the worship service).
Ten plagues later, the Pharaoh relents and says, “OK, Hebrews, get out of here.”
After a harrowing trip across the desert, at last they are free to meet God. But wait, nobody has ever worshipped this God. How do you go about it? What constitutes good worship? Where are the directions, the rubrics? Anybody got a hymnal?
While they are waiting for a minister to say, “Let us pray,” Moses leaves and goes up a mountain. He is then enveloped by a cloud (which stands for a sense of mystery). Then he hears a voice, which sounds something like Charlton Heston. The voice says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” (Remember what happened.) “Worship me.”
“Yes, yes, ” Moses replies. “But how are we supposed to do that? Do you like Gospel music or are you more into Taizé-like chants?” “Do you prefer the King James version or the more gender-free revised, revised standard version?”
“You know what I like, ” says God. “I like the kind of worship where you shall have no other Gods before me. Where you don’t kill, or steal, or don’t commit adultery. That’s my idea of a good time on Sunday.” The ethics linked to the liturgical, and the worshippers challenged to be new people.
And then we read that Moses came off the mountain, radiating the glory of God. The people down below were still worrying about whether you kneel or whether you cross yourself. “Not to worry, ” say Moses, “What God wants is for us to be transformed, a changed people. What matters is whether you’ve got God in your heart.”
Moses really gets disgusted when he sees that the Hebrews have settled for making a bunch of symbols out of gold, what they have done in the past, and thinking that should stand for good worship. Relying on the old ways – without being open to the new.
Thousands of years later ,we read in Scripture that Jesus gathered some friends around a table for a new kind of worship experience. First, he challenged them to be servants, responding to the needs of the world. And thur he took some bread and wine, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body, this is my blood. Do this in remembrance.” The church has been doing this ever since, as the source of good worship. Breaking bread, drinking wine, and challenging people to a servant ministry. And sometimes we come close to what God expects from our solemn assembly_ And sometimes, in our stammering, hesitant ways, we capture the essence of good worship.
Ten or eleven days ago, we had an experience of “good worship.” I had the feeling that people leaving the church recognized something more than a routine Christmas service .First, they were asked to remember. And then they were asked to stretch their imagination. They were invited to eat God. This is the mystery of our worship – where we take God and all of God’s glory into our bodies. Ten or eleven days ago, when people returned from the altar, they were radiant. God was in them and they were in God. Christmas Eve was an “exquisite” moment. And I felt as if God were saying, “Yes, yes, this is what it is all about. This is what I expect.”
And so, I guess we will continue to have crowds and packed churches, and problems over seating. And maybe that’s not too bad. As long as we have good worship . . .
Amen
* I am indebted to William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas and their book Preaching to Strangers, for several of the ideas in this