Think back to those concert tickets you HAD to buy. Not being there wasn’t an option. You scraped, you schemed and you made it happen. Remember? Now ask yourself: why was it so important? No matter your answer, I think the nucleus of your why was the experience of it.
Sometimes I get asked the question about Sunday morning worship, “Well it’s not supposed to be a concert, is it?” And believe it or not, the question comes almost equally from those on the platform and those in the congregation. My gut response is always, “Well sure it is!” but I don’t usually let that come out of my mouth.
Here’s why I think Sunday morning is a concert:
1. It’s a shared experience
The people on the platform are there to communicate. They want to share what they are passionate about with people who want to receive what they are communicating about. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” Hebrews 11:23-25a. There’s give and take, communicating and responding.
2. It’s intentional
That concert or event you were remembering in the first paragraph, I guarantee the production crew knew exactly what was supposed to happen and when and how (notice I said “supposed to happen” ha!). You were intentional too. I guarantee you had to have your ticket with you or you couldn’t get in! You had to plan how to get there on time and get in your seat before the concert started or you missed out on part of the experience. We plan and prepare because we have a goal in mind.
When you come to Sunday morning worship, you have a goal in mind and so do we. We plan what is going to be shared in that room because the Gospel is the answer for our world collectively and individually. “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Phil 2:12b-13
3. It’s organic
What’s exciting about a concert is that alongside the planning, the whole thing is organic. It’s never the same experience twice. It changes and evolves as the giving and receiving evolves. (This is how you convince yourself to buy tickets for the next tour even though you’ve already seen them five times, right?) The experience unfolds and develops as content is presented and responded to.
Do you ever wake up on Sunday morning (or any morning) and ask, “God, what are you doing today?” We should. “Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.” Isaiah 55:3
So come to our weekly concert and “taste, and see that the Lord is good!” Psalm 34:8a