No Right to be Boring!

I had the joy of being in Easter worship services last weekend that radiated with the excitement of the Resurrection Day. Energy built even before the first song or before the acolyte (candle lighter) walked in with the symbol of the light of Jesus the risen. It wasn't about the preaching. It wasn't about the hospitality, the music, and the worship leadership, though all of those were stellar. It wasn't something that could be measured. It was more atmospheric. Obviously people bathed the worship in prayer. Many leaders and participants came with expectancy, passion, and hope. The experiences invited the presence of a risen Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you are a follower of Jesus, I hope that happened for you as well. And I hope it happens for you again at your next worship opportunity. For those of us who are committed to Jesus, every occasion we worship is an Easter. The facts that Jesus has died, that Jesus is risen, and that he is coming again should evoke a level of anticipation, excitement, and hopefulness each time we gather to worship in his name.

I once heard it said that Christians have no right to offer boring worship. I used to think that meant that we should make sure our worship is engaging and attractive to church people and new folks. Now I realize this mandate is not about people; it's about who and what Jesus is. If we show up for scheduled worship just to see the choir in robes doing their thing or to have the praise band give us that good, glowing feeling again, that's not worship at all. It means we're just touching familiar bases to make sure we maintain a comfort-zone sense for ourselves. It's not about worship styles. Whether pipe-organ driven or guitar-driven, if worship is just a checklist of the expected then it is untrue to the nature of the good news we proclaim. And, because of the nature of Jesus, whose name we claim, we have no right to let it be that way. God in Christ makes all things new. That means that every time we worship we must come wondering, "What is God going to do today?" When we do that, we come with expectancy, energy, and hope. If that happens, then every worship day is Easter!

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.