The stories of many Olympic participants are rooted in failure. However, these individuals did not allow this failure to turn them in victims. Rather, these stories became a reference point. Turning failure into a launching pad for greatness is not everyone’s story, though such stories encourage us to endure. It reminds us that what has happened to us does not have to define us.
The Bible tells us that while we were still the enemies of God, God reached out to us through Christ. Through Christ we become part of the story of God’s reconciling act. Christ coming to dwell in us becomes our defining moment. We who were once dead come alive in Christ. Now we are part of the ministry of reconciliation, a ministry that God has given all who have been reconciled to God through Christ. We who were once lost in our failure have found more than momentary glory, we have found eternal life. We who were once the victims of sin’s destruction have become the new creation of God. Now our reference point is real life in the real world which is found only in God’s graceful gift to us all. God looked beyond our fault and saw our need, a need that is met abundantly in Christ.
Christian worship is the retelling of the story of what seemed to be the tragedy of defeat and how it was turned into the joy of victory. It is the story of the Christ who lived victoriously, died gracefully, and was raised miraculously. This can be our story, too. It is the story of no matter what. No matter what has happened to us, in Christ we can find a new beginning. We are no longer victims of sin and death, unless we refuse the hope and life offered to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thanks be to God.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Reasonable Worship Hype
This is Super Bowl hype week. I’ve been thinking about that. Some of this has a sort of uneasy but real connection with how we think about worship.
What is hype anyway? Hype is mostly about style. It is an overt attempt to promote, and maybe it does so at the expense of truth. So and so’s team is gonna do such and such. In reality, maybe they will; maybe they won’t. The Super Bowl game itself has a way of countering all the hype. At some point, a team has to produce. If it doesn’t, it loses, no matter what the hype said. Hype without substance is empty and meaningless. Style without substance is like hearing about an earthquake without experiencing one. You hear a lot about power, about damage, about the fear an earthquake causes. But until you actually experience one, simply hearing about an earthquake is nothing but words.
However, hype says something about style, and there is something to be said for style. Style can be an attractive, if it is not overworked. Substance without style can be uninteresting, even boring. It seems that there is a necessary connection between style and substance, but the horse and cart need to be in the right relationship if the energy of style is going to get to the substance of meaning.
Great worship is energetic, joyful, and intensely interesting. It builds up everyone who shares it, because it is substantial. After all, the Creator of the universe joins in great worship. Creating great worship is a joint venture between God who calls and people who respond. Its style is free, joyful, and satisfying. Its substance is rich, meaningful, and challenging. Great worship has both style and substance, and the source for it all is God who calls for worship, God who is worshipped, God who showers grace upon worshippers who in turn respond with praise and thanks, with worship.
Great worship has substance and provides meaning, motivation, and memorable moments. Great worship is all about style and substance. Great worship is something to get excited about – to get hyped about –to tell others about and to experience wholeheartedly. Great worship makes a Sunday worship gathering super. And that is no hype.
What is hype anyway? Hype is mostly about style. It is an overt attempt to promote, and maybe it does so at the expense of truth. So and so’s team is gonna do such and such. In reality, maybe they will; maybe they won’t. The Super Bowl game itself has a way of countering all the hype. At some point, a team has to produce. If it doesn’t, it loses, no matter what the hype said. Hype without substance is empty and meaningless. Style without substance is like hearing about an earthquake without experiencing one. You hear a lot about power, about damage, about the fear an earthquake causes. But until you actually experience one, simply hearing about an earthquake is nothing but words.
However, hype says something about style, and there is something to be said for style. Style can be an attractive, if it is not overworked. Substance without style can be uninteresting, even boring. It seems that there is a necessary connection between style and substance, but the horse and cart need to be in the right relationship if the energy of style is going to get to the substance of meaning.
Great worship is energetic, joyful, and intensely interesting. It builds up everyone who shares it, because it is substantial. After all, the Creator of the universe joins in great worship. Creating great worship is a joint venture between God who calls and people who respond. Its style is free, joyful, and satisfying. Its substance is rich, meaningful, and challenging. Great worship has both style and substance, and the source for it all is God who calls for worship, God who is worshipped, God who showers grace upon worshippers who in turn respond with praise and thanks, with worship.
Great worship has substance and provides meaning, motivation, and memorable moments. Great worship is all about style and substance. Great worship is something to get excited about – to get hyped about –to tell others about and to experience wholeheartedly. Great worship makes a Sunday worship gathering super. And that is no hype.
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