Sermon2

"The Maintenance of Divine Worship:

Where’s That Lady Jesus?"

John 4:1-26

By Rev. Hanna Peterson

Presented at the Presbytery Meeting, April 2, 2005

Rev. Hanna Peterson

A few weeks ago both David [Rodriguez, Hollister head pastor] and I were away on a Sunday morning. One of our families told me about their grandson’s confusion at having us both gone. He looked over to the left of the chancel area where David usually sits and whispered, “Grandma, where’s Jesus?” as he pointed to David’s chair.

Grandma answered, “You mean, Pastor David?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, he’s not here today and he will be gone for a couple of weeks. But he’s coming back.”

A few moments later, he whispered again, as he looked at the right side of the chancel area where I usually sit, “Grandma, where’s that lady Jesus?”

“You mean Pastor Hanna?” Grandma asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, she’s gone today, too. But she’ll be back next week.”

I’m not Jesus. The four-year-olds in our church may be slightly confused about who the pastors are, but they know exactly who we work for. I’m not Jesus but my job is to reveal Jesus. In leading people in worship we can bring them to the throne of grace. We can show them Jesus.

Our Presbytery worship services this year are focusing on the Great Ends of the Church and the one for today is “The Maintenance of Divine Worship.” We have enjoyed an incredible worship service this morning through music, prayer, and reading of Scripture; and now through preaching.

What is worship? Worship can be everything we do, but our corporate worship usually includes prayer, preaching, music, and sacraments. We learn from our brothers and sisters around the world how to worship. When I studied at Fuller Seminary we had students from all over the globe. I lived in student housing and my neighbors were from Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and even Canada.

I learned from my Korean neighbors how to pray. You haven’t really experienced a prayer meeting until you have prayed with Koreans. They get started and everybody is yelling at the same time to God. They figure God hears everyone’s prayers all at once and this way we can get it all out together. It was incredible! You can really feel the Holy Spirit move at a Korean prayer meeting.

I returned last night at 10 pm from our mission trip to Mexico with 28 high-school students and adults. I have been to Mexico a few times and to Costa Rica on mission trips. And I have come to appreciate preaching from my Latin American brothers and sisters. We celebrated Easter Sunday in Tepic, Mexico. The students were surprised to find that not only did the minister preach, but the daughter of the founding pastor preached, too! They were passionate. They were Scriptural. They were long. The service was over 2 hours long and all our students told me afterwards how much they love our church and our one-hour service. (They also appreciated that they understand everything because it is in English!) The Body of Christ in Latin America reminds us that God feels deeply. Their preaching connects us to the heart of God.

I have been to Africa twice, and the most prominent parts of worship services I noticed there were the music and movement. Africans know how to sing and dance for God. Sometimes the songs are lamentations. Sometimes they are celebrations. But they are always Scripture-inspired. In cultures where written language is limited, they teach the Scriptures through song. It is amazing to hear entire Psalms sung in Maasai through harmony and dancing. They don’t need instruments to make a joyful noise to the Lord.

What do we have to offer the world in our worship? We have the gift of Sacrament and Sacrifice. Our offerings can change the church throughout the world. Our participation in the sacrament of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper can transform people’s lives. In Mexico last week, I got very sick. We had a terrible flu epidemic and on the way to take one of our students to the ER in California at 11 at night, I got sick myself. So I checked her in and checked myself in, too. It was terrible! We spent the night in the ER, getting re-hydrated and medication to stop the flu symptoms, and we missed the communion service at the camp the next morning. It is always a powerful time of re-commitment to Christ and a bonding experience in the group. But our youth elders stood up and took care of their sisters and brothers. I was so proud of them. We are leaving a great legacy in the future leaders of our church.

What does our worship have in common? Throughout the world, the Holy Spirit is working and enabling us to worship in Spirit and in truth. All of these diverse ways of worship point to Jesus. Worship is not about US! Even if the four-year-olds in our church may be confused about who Jesus is, the worship is about God.

God loves diversity and creativity in our worship. Look at creation. The creator of the universe has an incredible imagination and loves our creativity. God loves all kinds of music and prayer and preaching. This morning we have given you an example of a contemporary worship style. The songs may be new to you. The lighting might be different from what you are accustomed to. But they are all tools we can use to reach a new group of people. Some of the members of our congregation don’t like all the repetition in the newer songs. They think it is brainwashing repetition and not meaningful. We sang a song a few months ago in which we sang the words, “Holy, holy, holy” many times. I could see some of the older members start to yawn and then I looked at a little baby of 18 months who was singing, “Holy, holy, holy”. It reminded me that even when some people don’t get it, others might. And even if that baby can’t begin to grasp what it means to say that God is holy, he will someday. I can’t grasp what it means to say God is holy! But I say it with all my heart and he did that day, too. I hope people accuse me of brainwashing babies with the message that God loves them and cares for them. That the creator of the universe died to save them and that God is holy.

That is our job as shepherds of God’s people: leading people to worship. Everything we do all day long should be an act of worship. We can offer our lives in spirit and in truth to God as worship. Let others see Jesus through your life. I’m not Jesus. I’m probably more like the Samaritan woman at the well than I am like Jesus! Except for that five-husbands thing. One would be nice!

The Samaritan woman asked Jesus where they must worship. His answer was to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. It didn’t matter where. She went to the village and showed the people Jesus. And they in turn believed because Jesus had been revealed to them. That is our job as ministers, to lead the people to Jesus through our worship.

Amen.