Sermon - 2018-02-21
Sermon - 2018 - 02 - 21 - Wednesday Lent
On Sunday’s sermon, I ended with the question, “What are we as a church here for?” It is a question that truly no one person can answer. However, throughout the ages, the church has been known as a safe place to be in, a welcoming place, and a place to experience God. It is something for many of us, we perhaps do not even realize unless you are drawn to it, someone points it out or it is something that we think about but then get focused on other things in our lives.
Now the way a church is designed and laid out, says a lot without even a single word being mentioned. When we think of a church, many of us may think of an old European church. The old Gothic style that was made of stone. These buildings were huge in their construction and design so that as a person entered into the building. They would be able to feel the vastness of God and be reminded that they are entering the presence of something so much bigger than themselves. The front doors were often heavy and when you opened them, you had to struggle. This was also done intentionally so you knew of the struggle that it was to approach God. As you entered the great open sanctuary, you felt rather small and humbled as to who you were and your size. Keep in mind that these places had no seats and were comprised of stones. The stone also allowed voices to be carried so that you were in a sense in an echo chamber. No need for speakers. With no seats, you had to stand in the presence of God, to kneel in honor of Him, and yes even endure through the worship service.
If you walked around within the building, you would begin to see that the layout of the church was also intentional. The sanctuary or worship space was laid out like a cross. The altar was the center of the cross. The place where the head would be is a holy place. A place where people could walk around the altar for prayer and reflection upon God in their life. To the right of the altar was the place for the choir to be gathered together. When they would perform they would remain there and the acoustics would carry their voice. To the left of the altar was often a place of lesser nobility. Yet it was a place where some chairs or pews would be placed for a price. Directly in front of the altar would be your greater nobility that would have chairs and pews for the people to be able to sit in the presence of God during some parts of the service. However, just like today, they would stand up and sit down throughout the service. Yet the poor folk would have to stand throughout the whole.
For all of us, we know this place as a church. This is a place where we have watched our children grow up, where they have learned about Jesus, where they were baptized, married and even where we gather together. This is a place where friends have become more like family. For a person as soon as someone enters the front door, they immediately see the worship space. They know what our focus is, worship. They can easily see and hopefully feel that they can enter. Our space is fluid, it means that God moves in our lives, leading us and guiding us but also changing in a moment without us realizing it. We sit in comfortable chairs so that people feel that they are welcome here and that this is like a home. In this space, you can be with God who is right here with you.
Tonight within our Scripture reading, we hear of King David, looking over the kingdom that is now in his control. Yet when he looks at the great home that he has. He looks upon the tent that God resides and wants to give to God, something far greater, to pay homage and love for God. As David looks at the woods, stones, and wealth that is poured into his own home. He looks at God’s House and thinks, that’s too bad. God really does deserve more than that. It was thinking that got David thinking about building a House for God.
David is then confronted by God through the prophet Nathan. And lucky for you, you have a prophet Nathan among you. ;) God points out to David that it was not by David’s hands that his house was built but God himself built the house. However, because David wants to honor God in such a way that even God did not ask for. God gives a covenant to make David’s family a dynasty that shall rule forever.
If this is a place of worship, a place of God, and a place for others to gather here. A place to know and experience God’s Word, God’s love and service. How then shall we share this space? How shall this place, be a place of blessing God in the world?
May Christ always be at the center of this church. May Christ always be at the center of your life. And many others bear witness to this every day of our lives through us. Amen.
On Sunday’s sermon, I ended with the question, “What are we as a church here for?” It is a question that truly no one person can answer. However, throughout the ages, the church has been known as a safe place to be in, a welcoming place, and a place to experience God. It is something for many of us, we perhaps do not even realize unless you are drawn to it, someone points it out or it is something that we think about but then get focused on other things in our lives.
Now the way a church is designed and laid out, says a lot without even a single word being mentioned. When we think of a church, many of us may think of an old European church. The old Gothic style that was made of stone. These buildings were huge in their construction and design so that as a person entered into the building. They would be able to feel the vastness of God and be reminded that they are entering the presence of something so much bigger than themselves. The front doors were often heavy and when you opened them, you had to struggle. This was also done intentionally so you knew of the struggle that it was to approach God. As you entered the great open sanctuary, you felt rather small and humbled as to who you were and your size. Keep in mind that these places had no seats and were comprised of stones. The stone also allowed voices to be carried so that you were in a sense in an echo chamber. No need for speakers. With no seats, you had to stand in the presence of God, to kneel in honor of Him, and yes even endure through the worship service.
If you walked around within the building, you would begin to see that the layout of the church was also intentional. The sanctuary or worship space was laid out like a cross. The altar was the center of the cross. The place where the head would be is a holy place. A place where people could walk around the altar for prayer and reflection upon God in their life. To the right of the altar was the place for the choir to be gathered together. When they would perform they would remain there and the acoustics would carry their voice. To the left of the altar was often a place of lesser nobility. Yet it was a place where some chairs or pews would be placed for a price. Directly in front of the altar would be your greater nobility that would have chairs and pews for the people to be able to sit in the presence of God during some parts of the service. However, just like today, they would stand up and sit down throughout the service. Yet the poor folk would have to stand throughout the whole.
For all of us, we know this place as a church. This is a place where we have watched our children grow up, where they have learned about Jesus, where they were baptized, married and even where we gather together. This is a place where friends have become more like family. For a person as soon as someone enters the front door, they immediately see the worship space. They know what our focus is, worship. They can easily see and hopefully feel that they can enter. Our space is fluid, it means that God moves in our lives, leading us and guiding us but also changing in a moment without us realizing it. We sit in comfortable chairs so that people feel that they are welcome here and that this is like a home. In this space, you can be with God who is right here with you.
Tonight within our Scripture reading, we hear of King David, looking over the kingdom that is now in his control. Yet when he looks at the great home that he has. He looks upon the tent that God resides and wants to give to God, something far greater, to pay homage and love for God. As David looks at the woods, stones, and wealth that is poured into his own home. He looks at God’s House and thinks, that’s too bad. God really does deserve more than that. It was thinking that got David thinking about building a House for God.
David is then confronted by God through the prophet Nathan. And lucky for you, you have a prophet Nathan among you. ;) God points out to David that it was not by David’s hands that his house was built but God himself built the house. However, because David wants to honor God in such a way that even God did not ask for. God gives a covenant to make David’s family a dynasty that shall rule forever.
If this is a place of worship, a place of God, and a place for others to gather here. A place to know and experience God’s Word, God’s love and service. How then shall we share this space? How shall this place, be a place of blessing God in the world?
May Christ always be at the center of this church. May Christ always be at the center of your life. And many others bear witness to this every day of our lives through us. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment