Participate by listening

Every once in a while I see visitors in church who simply stand and sit at the appropriate times during worship. They don’t follow along in the bulletin or sing with the hymns or participate in the prayers. They are simply “there.”

Do you ever find yourself simply “going through the motions” in worship?

What is the point of the liturgy? The liturgy literally means “the work of the people.” The work of the people is often described as speaking and singing. But the first and most important work of the liturgy is listening.

Listening seems to be a forgotten virtue in worship today. We prefer being entertained (like going to a movie or a play). Being entertained and listening are two very different things. Listening is the first and primary way that we participate in worship. 

Though the liturgy is often described as being the work of the people, it is really the work of God. For the liturgy is really nothing more than sung and spoken Scripture. In fact, much of the liturgy is word for word from the Bible. When we are “working” by speaking or singing the liturgy, it is not for the benefit of God. He does not need to be reminded of what He has said.

We sing and speak His words because it is in that speaking and singing that we are hearing His Word – with our ears, then our minds and then with our hearts of faith.

The apostle Paul reminds us that faith comes from hearing – hearing what? – the Word of God (Rom 10:16). Listening (that is hearing with faith prompted by the Holy Spirit) is the highest form of worship.

We listen – not to hear words – but to hear the Word.

We listen – not to say we have been there and done that – but so that the Word made flesh might dwell within the manger of our hearts and minds.

We listen – not because we are working – but because God is working through the Words we are singing, speaking, praying; because God is working in the Words of absolution, the Words of the Scripture lessons and the Words of the sermon; because God is working in the visible Words connected to the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

We are blessed to be able to have so many different liturgies to use in our weekly worship services – the Divine Service, Service of Word and Sacrament, Morning Praise, etc. There is both variety and familiarity as we rotate these services week by week. We are able to listen and learn through all of these great and historic liturgies of the past.

This fall we have some wonderful opportunities to listen to the liturgy in creative and unique ways:

On August 25, at the installation of our WLS 1^st and 2^nd grade teachers in the 10:30 am service, we will be able to sing hymns to the Lord of the Church while accompanied by our wonderful brass players.

On September 8, at our Epiphany church picnic at 10:30 am at Pritchard Park, we will experience a very unique Celtic worship service with Joey Schumann and the Lutheran Ceili Orchestra.

On October 6, Branches Band will lead us in worship as they present the liturgy and hymns with their modern style.

On November 3, we will go back in time by using Martin Luther’s Deutsche Messe (German Mass) as we celebrate the Lutheran Reformation.

Throughout this Fall, we will also be led in worship by our Epiphany Ensemble, Choir, soloists, musicians, etc. 

What a blessing to worship our God, not so much by doing, but by listening – listening that leads to faith, which is what makes our worship acceptable to God. It is by listening that God is working in us.