THE GATHERING (4 OF 5)
Scripture: Acts 2:46, Exodus 15:1-27
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The Gathering (4 of 5)
Series: The Way
Patrick Edwards
Acts 2:46a; Exodus 15
Introduction
Two of the best concerts I ever went to: One was U2. It was in a football stadium with a massive set, a 360-degree design, lights, pyro and, of course, an incredible songbook. The other was Eric Clapton and almost the exact opposite. No glitz or glamour. Clapton just walked out on stage at the beginning, in an untucked pink button up, picked up his guitar center stage, and just started riffing. But both shows were incredible that transported you from the ordinary routines of life into something almost transcendental. That’s often the effect concerts have on us, which is why we love them so much. But I worry that what we often try to make our corporate worship services into: a Coldplay concert with TED talk stuck in there somewhere.
Regardless of traditional or contemporary styles, I think it is a fair critique of the American church that ‘worship’ is something you often come to, rather than do. Be honest with yourself, even here, how often do you ‘evaluate’ our Sunday morning gatherings? How often do you find yourself saying, ‘Oh, I really liked those songs today,’ or ‘That was one of Patrick’s better sermons,’? How many Sundays do we ask each other, ‘How was worship today,’? My point is that, at best, we subconsciously hold a consumeristic view of the gathering and worship of the people of God. We do not have a right outlook on this engagement.
And it all stems from the reality that since Genesis 3 human beings inherently worship only themselves. Jonathan Gibson argues, ‘‘We are born worshiping the creature, not the Creator; we live our lives seeking salvation and satisfaction in pseudo-redeemers, not the Redeemer. We are a restless race, wandering ‘‘east,’’ away from the divine sanctuary,’’ (Jonathan Gibson). Even after being redeemed, after being made new in Jesus, we still fight the inclination toward self-worship. And it occurs for the same reason as be ...
Series: The Way
Patrick Edwards
Acts 2:46a; Exodus 15
Introduction
Two of the best concerts I ever went to: One was U2. It was in a football stadium with a massive set, a 360-degree design, lights, pyro and, of course, an incredible songbook. The other was Eric Clapton and almost the exact opposite. No glitz or glamour. Clapton just walked out on stage at the beginning, in an untucked pink button up, picked up his guitar center stage, and just started riffing. But both shows were incredible that transported you from the ordinary routines of life into something almost transcendental. That’s often the effect concerts have on us, which is why we love them so much. But I worry that what we often try to make our corporate worship services into: a Coldplay concert with TED talk stuck in there somewhere.
Regardless of traditional or contemporary styles, I think it is a fair critique of the American church that ‘worship’ is something you often come to, rather than do. Be honest with yourself, even here, how often do you ‘evaluate’ our Sunday morning gatherings? How often do you find yourself saying, ‘Oh, I really liked those songs today,’ or ‘That was one of Patrick’s better sermons,’? How many Sundays do we ask each other, ‘How was worship today,’? My point is that, at best, we subconsciously hold a consumeristic view of the gathering and worship of the people of God. We do not have a right outlook on this engagement.
And it all stems from the reality that since Genesis 3 human beings inherently worship only themselves. Jonathan Gibson argues, ‘‘We are born worshiping the creature, not the Creator; we live our lives seeking salvation and satisfaction in pseudo-redeemers, not the Redeemer. We are a restless race, wandering ‘‘east,’’ away from the divine sanctuary,’’ (Jonathan Gibson). Even after being redeemed, after being made new in Jesus, we still fight the inclination toward self-worship. And it occurs for the same reason as be ...
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