2017 Lent Day 5

  

John 2:13-25 Jesus clears the temple. This is a very familiar passage. Verses 15-16:

"So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get those out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!"

We don't have sacrifices to offer today - so we don't have money changers in our churches. But I keep thinking would Jesus want to make a whip at our churches today? I can't remember going to a church that just focused on worship - NOT ONE. We make announcements, we have bulletins full of announcements, we have special presentations, slide shows, video clips, etc. For me these can become distractions from worship. I'm not pointing fingers - I've made announcements, I've written announcements, I've used video clips and slide shows - I'm guilty.

They are GOOD things too - but they aren't worship.  We can get hung up on the number of hymns we must sing, what creed we say, how long the pastor talks, our rituals.  We find comfort in our rituals don't we - OK I know we are going to sing the doxology after the offering.  I'll be honest I like to know what the order of worship is going to be and I certainly want to follow it correctly.  It has been printed up and I've studied it.  Yes I notice if there is even the slightest deviation, and I begin an in-depth analysis to determine the root cause.  Look out the whip just passed down the aisle.

What if we started to concentrate on worship - allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts?  One where we didn't worry or rush.  What if we don't do announcements - don't print a bulletin?  We listen intentionally and open ourselves to be changed by the potter.  One of the sweetest worship services I remember is when all the power went off for a week because a tornado knocked down all the towers.  I don't remember how the word got out - but we showed up for one worship service.  We sang and I remember we shared our experiences with people during this unusual place we all found ourselves - unplugged.

I think I need to be more deliberate on my preparation before worship so I can stay focused on what is important - my Father in His house worthy of my praise, thanksgiving, and confession.