Worship Matters
I recently had cause to think deeply about why we worship as we do. I've been to seminary and reflected on my education and so I know the answers, but to be able to defend our practices was not a thing I had prepared to do. Maybe you have wondered why we do what we do too. Allow me to put my thoughts and training in black and white for you.
The pattern of Lutheran liturgical worship is as ancient as the Christian movement. The earliest scripture that refers to a pattern of worship comes from Acts 2:42 where Luke wrote of the early Christians:
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
However, since the earliest Christians were converts from Judaism, we should not be surprised that our pattern of worship also contains nuances of Jewish synagogue worship.
The earliest writings that refer to a teaching on worship that survive from the post-apostolic period (after 100 CE (Common Era)) are the writings of a man known as Justin Martyr. In his writing, known as the "Didache," he mentions the following pattern, my additional notes are in italics:
What we can learn from this brief history lesson is that we Lutherans, and mainline Christians for that matter, do not take the pattern of worship casually. It was passed on to us by those earliest Christians who walked with Jesus and established what they considered to be appropriate patterns of worship that are not boring and repetitious as some have said, but historic and appropriate; tried and true.
I cannot imagine not getting the opportunity to weekly confess my short-comings in Confession and hearing those words of grace in the Forgiveness; confessing my faith - sometimes in the midst of what seems like chaos in the world, by reciting the Creed; or taking part in the Lord's Supper where I with my Christian brothers and sisters hear those words of grace "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sin."
The traditional church seems to be falling out of fashion and what is hip and cool now is 20 minutes of professional-grade band-led praise choruses followed by the casual preacher in jeans and untucked shirt wandering around a stage in a black cube of a sanctuary while sipping his Starbucks coffee for 40 minutes. One person who experienced that worship style exclaimed, "They really know how to worship!" My response is, "They do?"
The pattern of Lutheran liturgical worship is as ancient as the Christian movement. The earliest scripture that refers to a pattern of worship comes from Acts 2:42 where Luke wrote of the early Christians:
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
However, since the earliest Christians were converts from Judaism, we should not be surprised that our pattern of worship also contains nuances of Jewish synagogue worship.
The earliest writings that refer to a teaching on worship that survive from the post-apostolic period (after 100 CE (Common Era)) are the writings of a man known as Justin Martyr. In his writing, known as the "Didache," he mentions the following pattern, my additional notes are in italics:
- Held on Sunday
- Started with reading of the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets for a period as long as time permits (the Readings from Scripture)
- An exhortation or homily on the reading given by the president (sermon by pastor)
- Congregation stands for prayer (Prayers of Intercession)
- Kiss of peace (Passing of the Peace)
- Celebration of Lord’s supper- elements dedicated by bishop with thanksgiving and prayers (the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion or the Eucharist)
- People respond with Amen (Congregational interaction and responses)
- Collection for aid to widows etc. (Offering)
- Meeting dismissed (Benediction and Dismissal)
What we can learn from this brief history lesson is that we Lutherans, and mainline Christians for that matter, do not take the pattern of worship casually. It was passed on to us by those earliest Christians who walked with Jesus and established what they considered to be appropriate patterns of worship that are not boring and repetitious as some have said, but historic and appropriate; tried and true.
I cannot imagine not getting the opportunity to weekly confess my short-comings in Confession and hearing those words of grace in the Forgiveness; confessing my faith - sometimes in the midst of what seems like chaos in the world, by reciting the Creed; or taking part in the Lord's Supper where I with my Christian brothers and sisters hear those words of grace "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sin."
The traditional church seems to be falling out of fashion and what is hip and cool now is 20 minutes of professional-grade band-led praise choruses followed by the casual preacher in jeans and untucked shirt wandering around a stage in a black cube of a sanctuary while sipping his Starbucks coffee for 40 minutes. One person who experienced that worship style exclaimed, "They really know how to worship!" My response is, "They do?"
- No standing in reverence for the words of Jesus.
- No confession and forgiveness.
- No ancient creeds to cling to when things get wonky in the world.
- No obedience to the command of Jesus to celebrate the Lord's Supper "in remembrance of me".
