Mark 8:27-38
Today’s ministry spotlight focuses on Worship & Music. Worship is the thing that brings us all together. The word “liturgy” refers to the order of worship we follow, and the word literally means “the work of the people.” We work together—pastors, lectors, assisting minsters, ushers, altar guild, choir and musicians, and the congregation as a whole—to worship and praise God. It is our joy to do.
In our psalm this morning we hear this joy described. This beautiful ancient hymn begins by expressing how the natural world praises God. Then moves to how God is worthy of human worship and praise. The heavens declare the glory of God. The law of the LORD revives the soul and makes one wise. Holy Scripture is to be desired more than fine gold and is sweeter than honey. And the psalmist ends with the wonderful statement: “Let the word of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19 is a wonderful example of ancient worship and praise that is still just as a valid and meaningful to those worshipping God today.
The Gospel reading this morning also expresses why God is to be worshipped and praised. This passage contains the powerful scene of Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, that is the Messiah. And then in the very next scene, maybe the next day or maybe the very next minute, Jesus tells them about what is going to happen to him and how he will be rejected and killed. Peter tells Jesus that this must never happen to him and Jesus declares “Get behind me Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
At first glance I thought this was a challenging passage to relate to our Worship & Music ministry spotlight. But after some thought and prayer, I realized that what’s described here is the exact reason we worship and praise God. It is because of Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah that we worship. It is because of the cross, foretold here, that we worship. It is because of Jesus’ call to deny ourselves and follow him that we worship. It is because we choose to set our mind on divine things and not on human things that we worship.
Both the scripture readings we heard this morning express what it is that we are worshipping. The God of glory described in Psalm 19 and so many other psalms. And this same God, who is also the God of the cross, is described in Mark’s Gospel reading and is very worthy to be praised.
This Gospel passage is an excellent summary of why we worship Jesus Christ. It lays out the Christian call to discipleship clearly and concisely. It reminds us that what we do when we worship together is a divine thing. And it relates how we are called to deny ourselves and follow Jesus Christ. And one of the simplest ways we can deny ourselves and follow him is to attend worship and be involved in the life of a congregation.
It may not seem like much of a sacrifice to come to worship on Sunday. But in today’s day and age when so many things demand our time and attention, worshiping God on Sunday morning is indeed something we need to be intentional about. Something that takes commitment and discipline. Making it a commitment to worship may seem small but it is an important step in growing more fully on the path of discipleship. And being involved in worship, as a choir member, an assisting minster, a lector, an usher, an altar guild member, or a livestream tech—is also a way of following the call to discipleship. Taking on a worship leadership role like that may seem small, but it is also a way of deepening our commitment and serving the community of faith in our own way. It’s not just pastors and organists who serve the church, it is all of us. Perhaps you’ve wondered how you might get involved in one of these ministries. Hopefully today you’ll join our Adult Forum to learn more about deepening your involvement in this way. Or if you can’t make it, let me know and our ministry leaders will reach out to you.
As I shared earlier, the word “liturgy” means the work of the people. It is both a joy and a sacrifice to worship God. It’s a sacrifice because worship involves recognizing we are not the center of the universe, God is. It’s a sacrifice because worship involves serving and helping and doing things for God and for others. And it is a joy because celebrating the wonder of life, the majesty of the universe, the mystery of God—is what we were created for. Among other things, worship is essential to what it means to be a human being. Communal spirituality is something that seems hardwired into our DNA. Human beings coming together to wonder about the mysteries of life and admire the glory of the universe is something we’ve done since time immemorial. It’s part of human nature. Worship our Creator involves living into who we truly are.
Now we don’t worship because we think it’ll make God love us more or earn us reward or favor or grant us salvation. We know that nothing but God’s love and grace alone save us. But just like every other work, worship is something we do in response to God’s goodness and love. Worship can be a spontaneous response to the recognition of how awesome God is! And worship can be participating in an ancient tradition like we do here—a specific was of praising God together in community. Our practicing the liturgy, hearing the Word, and celebrating the Sacraments, all invite us into the mystery of Christ together. The act of worship connects with the divine and reminds us that we worship a God of glory (as expressed in today’s psalm) and the same God who is also the God of the cross (as expressed in today’s Gospel).
We come here to worship this awesome and loving God. We come here to grow in relationship with God and with each other. We come here, not to earn points with God, but to experience God, to honor Christ’s sacrifice for us, to learn and grow through the Holy Spirit, and to celebrate the new life we have in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastor Brian | September 15, 2024 | Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
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