The Church (7)
What shall I render to the LORD
For all his benefits to me?
I will take up the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the LORD
I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all his people. Psalm 116.12-14
A festive people
Trying to hold a festival by yourself is about as rousing as the sound of one hand clapping.
God calls His Church to be a festive people, a community of members who celebrate with joy and solemn vows the high calling and great privilege of being the Body of Christ in the world.
The Church is a party, and seasons of celebrating together before the Lord are integral to our existence and mission. The Lord Jesus Christ is even now preparing an eternal feast of glory and blessing, to enjoy forever with His Body and Bride. Our celebrations—our worship together—serve a twofold purpose.
First, they renew us in our relationship with the Lord and the mission He has appointed to us, individually and as His Body. And, second, they create in us anticipation of the coming Day of celebration in which we will rejoice forever together with the Lord in glory.
Let’s take a closer look.
Drink it down!
One of my favorite images of the Church at worship is contained in the verses that begin this segment of our study: “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” The image here is that of offering a toast. The celebrant raises his glass to acknowledge and honor one in their midst. As he does, he calls others to join him in this gesture of homage and commitment. Together they raise their glasses, each with its own contents and amount, to honor their host and extol his goodness and generosity. All join together, by raising their glasses, in acknowledging the good gifts and graciousness of the one who has brought them together. He, their esteemed host, is the focus of honor and attention, not they.
Then, having invoked blessing on their host, they drink the fruit of his generosity all the way down, becoming dizzy with the generosity of their host and inebriated with his kindness and largesse.
Finally, they renew loyalty to their honored host, declaring themselves his friends and rededicating themselves together to his service.
How like a service of worship this is! God calls His people to come together so that they might enjoy His Presence and blessings, celebrate His greatness and kindness, and be renewed in their relationship with and commitments to Him. In worship we hoist our glasses, as it were, filled with praise and thanksgiving for God and His many benefits, as we sing and pray and raise our hands to acknowledge the greatness and goodness of the Lord. The exuberance of every worshiper, celebrating together, increases the devotion and enriches the experience of all.
Then one, speaking for the whole assembly, declares the excellencies of the Lord in a message derived from His Word, to which all declare the “Amen!” as a token of their determination to renew their vows and commitments to Him. They drink down the message of salvation and press closer into the Presence of their Host in the sacrament of His Supper.
Thus, filled with the Spirit and exhilarated with the Presence of God and His salvation, the assembly departs and is disbursed to carry out its commitments in the power and Presence of their Lord.
We need to celebrate
Celebration is essential to the wellbeing of the Body of Christ. We cannot fulfill our calling to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth apart from regular seasons of glorious worship of God. The Church should strive to maintain corporate worship at all four levels of expression, from the house churches to the Church universal. Such worship is not only a personal obligation, but it is part and parcel of the life of the believing community. Such worship, “combined” by one means our another, points our minds forward to the ultimate gathering of God’s people at the marriage table of the Lamb.
We need the Church because, while we can and must worship God individually, we can enjoy richer seasons of celebration by lifting our glasses of praise and thanks together with the other members of the Body of Christ. We need the Church to bring us in worship into the very Presence of God, to exercise our souls to anticipate the joy of His return and our eternal celebration before His throne.
We are the Body of Christ, and each of us is a member thereof. We deceive ourselves, deny our true identity, and hamper our mission in the world if we think we can get by in the Christian life without, or with only minimal involvement in, the Church in one or more of its levels.
Jesus is building His Church, and He intends to do that through each one of us. If we love Jesus, we will love His Church.
For reflection or discussion
1. In what ways should a service of worship be a time of community celebration? Why? How?
2. How does worship at your church draw you into the Presence of Jesus? Point you to His imminent return?
3. What have you learned from these studies about why we need the Church? How has this affected your own participation in your church?
Next steps—Preparation: Take some time in prayer to think through the role of the Church in your own life, and what you should be contributing to it for the benefit of the Body of Christ. Listen as the Lord leads.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter continues our series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. In Scriptorium we are working through the gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
