“Tell me a story, Aunt Dinelle,” are words I heard repeatedly from the time my oldest nephew could talk. Passed down to his brother and sisters, the hunger for stories continued throughout their childhood and was almost certainly a part of any visit to their home. These stories, generally made up on the spur of the moment, were neither literary masterpieces nor particularly clever. They were usually quite fanciful, however, and always include the escapades of my nieces and nephews. Even when we grow up, we never seem to lose the desire to hear a good story.
A Biblical study reveals that worship involves, at its roots and heart, a story. This story begins with creation and winds its way through God’s redemptive plan and the incredible gift of forgiveness. At the center stands Jesus Christ, the One and Only. This story is still being written, and will not culminate until we stand before the throne “lost in wonder, love & praise.” Our part of the story includes praise and remembering, offering and thanksgiving, confession and repentance, belonging and serving, all prompted by the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament describes the worship of Israel as being centered upon a story - the work of God to redeem his chosen people. It was not just part of the distant past, but was valued and claimed for both the present and the future.
The earliest Christians reimagined their corporate gatherings around this story that had been theirs for generations. Worship, as they knew it, was centered upon the God who had brought them out of slavery. The grand and miraculous redemptive plan of the Exodus was replaced by the work of Jesus Christ.
Today our primary corporate response is still to remember, retell, and re-enact the Gospel story. When we do, we are moved to grow in Christ, to spread the gospel, to love one another, and to be responsible Christians in a complicated world. Together, we find strength through common ground and common practice.
While the purpose of the gathered community is clear, the New Testament does not prescribe any particular formula for its activities. What is important is that the acts that occur during our Sunday gatherings represent our unselfish offerings to God. We gladly pray, sing, listen, give, and serve, deferring to one another, believing that the Holy Spirit gifts us in whatever way He sees fit.
All of these actions miraculously form our hearts, souls, and minds. We are fed by the Word to learn greater truths about God. We are empowered by singing to praise God every day in our ordinary lives. We are encouraged by one another to live worthy of our calling. We mutually approach God’s throne and are promised that He will hear us. We partake in the Lord’s Supper, and know that the once-and-for-all work of Christ has bought our salvation. We are reminded that we have the power of the Holy Spirit to light our darkened paths and strengthen our weary hearts. We can hardly wait to leave, to be light in the world, yet we can hardly wait to come back and experience the Gospel story all over again.
