Part III: Liturgy in worship
Corporate Christian worship is the most important event that brings a Church family together. As I wrote before it is the second most important thing, besides doctrine, in choosing a Church. So I decided to post a little series on worship, especially since it has become a renewed focal point in our Church.
After I posted a quick definition and the importance of the multi-generational aspect of worship, today I’m diving into the second aspect: Liturgy. Does our corporate worship benefit from a liturgical approach ?
But as always before we start the discussion, it’s nice to clarify what we’re talking about. So what does “Liturgy” really mean ? For many, it evokes rigid sequences of standing, sitting, kneeling while some priest is mumbling up front. For others… just one word.. boring. Granted.. anything that’s familiar and repetitive can come to be boring after a while. It’s the same thing over and over, which then makes it so easy to fall into an automated response and start thinking about where we want to go to lunch. Or about that job we need to finish next week. Or about how much laundry is left to do tomorrow. But a liturgical approach to worship doesn’t have to be boring.
According to Merriam-Webster, “Liturgy” can mean:
1. a eucharistic rite,
2. a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship,
3. a customary repertoire of ideas, phrases, or observances.
The word itself comes from the Greek word “leitourgia” meaning “public service”. Or more literally, “Work of the People”. I would summarize it as a “customary repertoire in which the people participate“.
So what would be a customary repertoire for a Christian worship service. What would one normally do while getting together with Christian brothers and sisters. Many Scripture references exist that speak of the initial gatherings of fellow believers. As we heard in the sermon three weeks ago, Act 2:42-44 is really the first passage in the New Testament to speak about the fellowship of believers. And there are many more. 1Cor 16:19 indicates they were meeting regularly in someone’s house. Eph. 5:19 teaches us they praised the Lord with hymns and music. Col 3:16 shows they were teaching each other. And many more. But perhaps the clearest summary of what the early Christian worship gatherings entailed can be found in the writings of Justin Martyr, early Church father:
And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.
First Apology of St. Justin Martyr, CHAPTER LXVII (Ca. 150 A.D.)
The portions that were customary from the beginning of Christianity were:
- reading of letters,
- teaching,
- corporate prayer,
- the Lord’s table and
- sharing of gifts to those less fortunate.
Together they made up the “customary repertoire” for the weekly Christian gathering almost 2,000 years ago. And the worship service at our weekly worship includes all those elements still today. Sure we change out prayers and hymns. And the teaching changes from week to week. And perhaps that is good since that eliminates the deadly “boring” trap. And as this mornings sermon testified, our services are far from boring.
Which makes me for one am glad I have the opportinity to worship where I do with the rest of my Christian family.
Next up: What does Scripture teach us about worship.