Imagine going to a big wedding in a fancy, large church building — complete with the bride wearing a fabulous wedding gown and flowers everywhere — and then there are NO bridesmaids or groomsmen or even a maid of honor and best man.
I’m sure the absences of the above would be quite a conversation topic at the reception.
Big weddings and big bridal parties just go together.
And so it is to be with the spiritual “pre-wedding” celebration we experience each Sunday we’re in corporate worship. When we gather, it’s important that we don’t leave out key components of the worship experience.
We aren’t just to sing passionately and then put our brains on “sleep” until the sermon, Lord’s Supper, offering collection and prayers are over.
Or we aren’t to tolerate the singing until we start enjoying the spiritual “meat and potatoes” are served in the sermon.
Oh yeah, let’s not forget the importance of sacrifice and repentance that were central to faithful worship in Bible days.
If we don’t anticipate and participate sincerely in each of the above components of worship each Sunday, then haven’t we become like the bride who plans a big wedding and forgets to include bridesmaids and groomsmen?
Why this topic today?
In today’s One-Year Bible reading, Ezra 8:15-20 described how a large group of Jews — led by the priest Ezra — were preparing for a return to Jerusalem after decades of forced exile in Babylon. The purpose of the trip, financed by King Artaxerxes, was to re-establish godly worship at the Temple.
Yet, just before the remnant of faith left on a four-month journey to the Holy Land, Ezra’s check of the roster found that no Levites were included.
Why none of them had volunteered or had otherwise been brought into the trip planning is not explained. At that point, it didn’t matter. What counted was that Levites had to be in the procession if the temple worship was to be done according to God’s Word.
And so, the procession didn’t leave until the need for Levites was met.
It was THAT important to worship as God has ordained.
Ezra didn’t want to have the “big wedding” without bridesmaids. And neither should we.
Please embrace every aspect of worship at your congregation. Sing with emotion. Learn with devotion. Pray humbly. Sacrifice dearly. Repent sincerely.
That way, your “pre-wedding” worship to God will be pleasing to Him and nurturing to you until the Ultimate Wedding occurs at Jesus’ return.
As always, I love you
Martin
