Christianity: Formal Worship Service

 

When I was a youngster attending an Anglican boarding school. We followed a liturgy in a common book of prayer. There were several that we recited in a wrote manner. The priest would say his part and we in the place of congregation said our part in response. Although there was a sense of peace in following a format of that kind. 

Even as a youngster I felt that there was something that what not quite right about just reading the liturgy aloud. It didn’t seem to come from the heart. It didn’t involve the mind because this was someone else’s thoughts. You were just reading them aloud. I found it concerning that you could follow that style of church service and never open the Holy Bible. It was a type of tradition based on repetitive recitation.

I guess what I’m saying is that as a believer from a more congregational background I don’t really subscribe to a service format which disconnects the mind from the worship, praise and direct communion between the Lord our God and the congregation gathered before him. I view liturgical communication as being dead and disconnected from God. Pure traditions of men.

In a similar vein, I don’t hold the reading and recital of creeds as being particularly different from reciting a liturgy. There are elements in many of the creeds that simply don’t align with the scriptures. In my opinion at least. The Nicene Creed is a case in point. I ask myself what does the phrase “the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages,” actually mean? To me Christ Jesus was always one with God and never became the Son of Man until he took on flesh. At that point he was begotten. I don’t feel particularly comfortable reciting the Nicene Creed or even listening to it because I don’t believe the people who drew it up got it entirely right.

So, what could we conclude from all of this? Well, if religious tradition makes you feel all mushy inside then I guess it’s your thing. We have religious freedom so as some people say “Go for gold!” But personally, I would feel more comfortable if we were sure that what we recite in a wrote manner is accurate when compared to scripture. I would contend that it is important for a congregation to make a connection with the Father, Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In all of their worship, praise and preaching. That they acknowledge that as the scripture says “For where two or three are assembled in My name, there I am in their midst.” I suppose it’s a question of whether you prefer church tradition or a live connection in church through the Holy Spirit of God.

The Healing of the Man Born Blind

 The Healing of the Man Born Blind

John 10 verses 1-2

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But it happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

I find this passage immensely interesting. There’s a question asked here that has troubled believers since time immemorial. We are so prone as humans to jump to conclusions and to be all narrow minded, pious and sanctimonious. Heaping judgement on others for perceived sins they must have committed to have had bad things happen to them. Here Jesus scotches the idea of God’s wrath falling on people for the things they have done and says that in the case of this blind man he has this infirmity so that Jesus can heal him.

John 10 verses 6-7

6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva. He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So, he went away and washed, and returned seeing.

Jesus performs the miraculous healing of the blind man and guess what the Pharisee’s reaction is?

13 They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

So, it doesn’t matter that a blind man sees. It only matters that he was healed on the Sabbath Day and this is wrong in the eyes of the priests. It really causes me to wonder at the motivations of the Pharisee’s in their interactions with Jesus. Did they really believe him to be false prophet or did they know that he was much more than that? At the very least a prophet and in all likely hood the Messiah. Were they foolish and deceived men or were they actually as Christ had indicated disciples of the Devil?

I love what the blind man has to say to them.

John 9 verse 17

17 Then they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

And again. Look at this exchange. What courage this man showed.

John 9 verses 27-33

27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they insulted him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. As for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered, “Well, here is an amazing thing! You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. But if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began, it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

Boy did he stick it to the Pharisees and I bet it smarted as well. But the most wonderful part of this story is at its end.

John 9 verses 35-38

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.

What a beautiful end to a miraculous tale. A man healed his testimony proclaimed before the elders of the nation and his salvation found at feet of the Saviour and the Messiah himself. Christ Jesus. Merry Christmas folks. God Bless and keep you in the precious name of Jesus.