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Third Sunday, July 15, 2001:
"Some Assembly Required"
A. A Reprise about Sacrifice
What does Romans 12:1-5 say about "living sacrifice"?
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
(NIV) (Bold-face emphasis added.)
What is a usual understanding of that passage?
A usual understanding spiritualizes what Paul wrote, so that it has no concrete context; and individualizes what Paul wrote, so that it has no common implementation, in spite of the emphasis of the subsequent verses.
Was Romans 12:1 intended to be actualized in Holy Communion?
Two meanings
It's correct that Paul is advocating holiness, and individual holiness at that. It's also quite clear, though, that Paul was advocating not only internal holiness but also a giving of our bodies to God in worship, so that we might become and be the Body of Christ.
Actualized in Communion, as seen in the Didache, from the first and second centuries
"On the Lord's own day, assemble in common to break bread and offer thanks; but first confess your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure." James A. Kleist, ed., The Didache (Vol. 6 of Ancient Christian Writers: The Works of the Fathers in Translation (Paulist Press, New York, Johannes Quasten and Joseph C. Plumpe, ed., 1948, at p. 23). (Emphasis added.)
The view of the Church Fathers
"For the Fathers, the Eucharist was the Christian sacrifice. This is a term which . . . from the second century onwards is commonly used to refer to the principal act of worship of the Christian Church. Though clearly [the offering of sacrifice] can be seen in patristic literature to refer to the offering of material gifts, to the offering of thanks and praise and to the Christian's willing surrender of himself in heart and mind, the act which most properly provides the Eucharist with the name of sacrifice is the sacrifice of Christ himself of which solemn memorial is made at each eucharistic celebration. . . . [T]here is no question of a repeated sacrifice [of or by Christ] or a sacrifice to which something may be added. This 'cosmic' language about the Eucharist simply seems to stress the perpetual availability of the sacrifice of Christ (understood as his whole redeeming work) at any time and at any place; and the rite whereby Christians both perceive and receive redemption in Christ is thus suitably described as sacrifice, which the Church can be said to offer or to make memorial of-for Chrysostom the terms are synonymous-always remembering that 'in that which she offers, she herself is offered'." The Study of Liturgy (Oxford University Press, New York, 1978, Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright and Edward Yarnold, ed., at pp. 205-206) (Emphasis added.)
[Remember, as John Wesley and The Book of Common Prayer emphasized, salvation does not come automatically by participation in Holy Communion; it comes by the grace of God that enables our repentance and our believing faith in Christ. John Wesley said, though, that Communion is ordinarily the occasion when the person receives that grace, becomes repentant, and enters believing faith in Christ.]
Relationship to our bodily resurrection
See Wesley's wording for the elder or minister to use when the bread and wine are served (identical, also, to that in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, andl to Rite I in the 1979 edition):
The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.
The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for thee, and be thankful. (Ibid., at p. 140) (Emphasis added.)
B. Old Testament Vocabulary of Worship, from Webber, Robert E., The Biblical Foundations of Christian Worship, Vol. 1, The Complete Library of Christian Worship (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA, 1993)
General Expressions for Worship
to bow down
expression of loyalty to the covenant
confess Yahweh as Lord and King
know the Lord, that he is God
trust in God and in his covenant love
fear the Lord
be in awe of him
tremble before him
summoned to serve the Lord in worship
seek the Lord and his presence
seek him eagerly
call upon the Lord
appear before the Lord
come before his presence
behold the Lord's presence
lift one's eyes or soul to him
wait for the Lord in the holy place
dwell in his house or in his shelter
come near to the Lord to dwell
take refuge in the shadow of his wings
implore the Lord's favor
supplication
intercede with the Lord
be penitent
Words for Assemblies or Festivals
the congregation
the assembly
the congregation of God
the congregation of Israel
assembly of Yahweh
gather them, or be gathered
appointed times
holy convocation
Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Feast of Weeks
Feast of Harvest observance of the Bread of the Firstfruits
Day of Atonement
Feast of Shelters or Booths
Feast of Ingathering
keep festival
observe
celebrate
keep
commemorate
make joy ("Thus, Israelite worship centered in the pilgrimage feast.") (page 4)
Terms of Movement and Gesture
to bend down
to prostrate oneself
kneel
bend the knee
bow low (then may rise and stand)
lift up the hands to the name of the Lord
go to his altar
procession into the sanctuary (as symbol of the King of Glory "coming in" to his sanctuary, or of ascending his throne in Zion)
lift up the hands to the name of the Lord
lift the hand in the oath of covenant loyalty
rejoice in dance
go up or ascend to the sanctuary of Yahweh
enter his gates
wear special adornment or vesture
repose
silence in Zion
be still
hush into silence
("Biblical worship is active worship, involving movements of the body as well as of the lips, to express both submission to the covenant God and exultation in his presence.") (page 4)
Words for Expressions of Praise and Acclamation
praise
boast about
Hallelujah, or praise the Lord
make one's boast in the Lord
confess allegiance to the Lord
give thanks
thanksgiving
bless the Lord
make high the Lord
extol the Lord
exalt the Lord
high praises
magnify him
give or ascribe greatness and glory to God
raise a shout
make a ringing cry
break out into joyful celebration
be glad
exult before him
Terms of Declaration and Meditation
testimony to his great deeds
show forth the Lord's covenant love, faithfulness and gracious deeds
bring out, reveal
tell or recount the praise, glory, righteousness, and mighty deeds of Yahweh
speak of the Lord's faithfulness and salvation
utter his praise
make known his faithfulness
cause his praise to be heard
bear good news of his salvation
make an oath to the Lord with celebration and music
declare covenant loyalty
recite the covenant commandments
take up the covenant onto one's lips
inquire or meditate concerning the Lord
think of his covenant love
Musical Terms in Worship
cry joyfully
sing for joy
make melody
sing praise
pronounce with a loud voice
lift up sound with voices and instruments
sing a new song
lift up a song
lift up the horn
play the flute
play a stringed instrument
Words for Offering and Sacrifice
draw near to the altar to sacrifice
bring an offering of sacrifice
bring a sin offering
bring a peace offering
a burnt offering: an offering "going up"
a wave offering
a drink offering
voluntary offering
a votive offering, to pay or fulfill a vow
an offering or gift is a "holy thing"
a dedicated thing
sacrifice thanksgiving
sacrifice with shouts of joy
Terms for the Place of Worship
the holy place
the sanctuary
the holy
a thing set apart from common use
house of Yahweh
house of the Lord
house of God
house of our God
the tabernacle or dwelling
the dwelling of the testimony (because the ark was there)
the tent of meeting
the tent of appointment
the test of the testimony
the Lord's tent
his secret place
Zion, the hill of the Lord his holy hill the courts or gates of the Lord the Holy of Holies Most Holy Place innermost room throne room the ark, the throne or footstool of Yahweh the ark of the covenant the ark of the testimony the ark of Yahweh the ark of the Lord Yahweh the ark of God the ark of the covenant of God the mercy seat of the ark
("Yahweh's worshipers were acutely aware of the sacredness of the place where they would meet with God.") (page 8)
C. What is the need to "be responsive in worship"?
Whose concern is it? For whom is the response? How is it evidenced?
Should evidenced response in worship be pursued? Avoided?
Should worship be spiritually formative and transformative? How?
Consider Isaiah 6:1-7:
6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." (NKJV)
D. Of the following, which is the best model for worship?
| Pastor | People | God | |
| Model #1: | Actor | Audience | Prompter |
| Model #2: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Model #3: | |||
| Acts of Entrance: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Service of Word: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Service of Table: | Representer | Actor | Actor |
| Acts of Dismissal: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Model #4: | |||
| Acts of Entrance: | |||
| Call to Worship: | Representer | Audience | Actor |
| Praise: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Service of Word: | |||
| Praise: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Other: | Representer | Audience | Actor |
| Great Thanksgiving: | |||
| The Prayers: | Prompter | Actor | Christ as Actor and Leader, the Father as Audience |
| The Table: | Representer | Recipient, Actor | Christ as Offeror and Leader, the Father as Audience |
| Acts of Dismissal: | |||
| Praise: | Prompter | Actor | Audience |
| Blessing: | Representer | Recipient | Actor |
E. Questions to ponder or discuss, now or later
1. Which came first: liturgy (the people's pattern of worship) or theology?
2. What can prayer in public worship do, which private prayer cannot?
3. How important is intercessory prayer in a worship service?
4. Why are the "Prayers of the People" part of the Service of the Table rather than being part of the Service of the Word?
5. If a service does not contain an invocation of the Triune God at the outset, is anything important lost?
6. What is the most intensive and extensive form of praise and thanksgiving in the Christian tradition?
7. Where do we find a church's primary theology?
8. Are active participation and self-expression worship?
9. What is transubstantiation in reverse?
[Responses: Making the holy into something mundane, such as by failing to appreciate the holy, failing to receive Communion, and failing to give worth to the body and blood of Christ]
10. Who leads our worship? Who should do so?
11. What about our worship serves as a school against forgetfulness?
12. What about our worship serves as a school against ingratitude?
13. Is there a distinction between loving God with all our heart, and worshiping God with all our heart?
14. Can prayer be visual instead of verbal?
15. Which religious gestures are holier than others?
16. Which religious symbols are holier than others?
17. Which carries more meaning: a statement of religious or theological fact or truth, or a symbol of the same?
18. Which of the five senses should be omitted from worship?
19. Should the human imagination be omitted from worship?
20. Is participation in religious ritual: a. Participation, by attention, in the rites? b. Participation in an act of the church? c. Participation in the rule and reign of God?
21. Does our worship regularly reveal the difference between who God is and who we are?
22. Is there such a thing as physically embodied theology?
23. What role, if any, does bodily memory play in worship?
24. Is silence important in worship?
25. How does following the Christian calendar illuminate the scripture?
26. What is the role of confession of sin, in a worship service?
27. Is a benediction important in a worship service?
28. Was John Wesley right or wrong, in his contention that one should receive Communion as often as possible?
29. What's a "collect"?
30. What is the role of lamentation in a worship service?
31. Is the Eucharist inexhaustibly relevant to every human context of suffering? Why, or why not?
32. Is worship really worship, if it fails to engage the people with the mystery of God?
33. Is worship really worship, if it fails to engage the people with human suffering?
34. How important is the reading or singing of scripture, in a worship service?
35. Does it make any difference where the pulpit is placed? Where the Communion altar is placed?
36. Can doctrines be reduced to cognitive human systems? What keeps doctrine from becoming dogmatic and negative?
37. Is it the purpose of worship to make an impact on the culture?
38. Does God prefer unplanned worship?
39. Through symbol, parable and metaphor, can worship take us beyond what our senses can otherwise disclose of God?
40. Can Christians mark time by remembering forward and backward?
41. What is missing, when Word is without sacrament, or when sacrament is without Word?
F. Next Sunday: Sessions 7 and 8 of Robert E. Webber's Learning to Worship with All Your Heart
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