Dcn. Chris spoke about our church’s value of “Table” this past week. By “Table” we refer to the way in which we place an emphasis on worship —and not just on “going to church” but rather on the joyous, delightful, gospel-centered, table-oriented, praise-filled worship of the Triune God both at church and throughout the week in our lives. Biblical worship always occurs around tables —both the Lord’s Table at church, and the tables of our hearts.
Here’s a couple of notes on that theme:
Worship is a response to what God has given us. When the Psalmist sings, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” he asks already knowing the answer: “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord” (Ps. 116:12-13). The worship of God begins with the prior goodness of God.
But, at the same time, as C.S. Lewis suggests in his Reflections on the Psalms, praise is not only a response. It is, also, the consummation of our reception of the goodness of the Lord. Worship is not a mere “thank you” given to a divine grocery clerk, nor is it merely a compliment (“that sweater looks lovely”) given to an applause-hungry deity. It completes the experience of delight. When I see a beautiful sunset, I want to rejoice and share it with others. I want to give thanks. When I hear a great new joke, I want others to share it with. When I taste something delicious, I desire others to fellowship with me in the jubilation. Praise completes things. It makes my joy complete.
Psalm 116 also fills-out the quality of Christian worship. The worship of the Psalmist takes a particular form: he worships the Lord by sharing in table-fellowship with God. He takes-up the cup, that is, he shares a meal which includes as a central element wine. God is the bread-breaker and wine-giver, and the worship of Him reflects who He is.
Psalm 116 is also instructive for another element of gospel-worship: “I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (v.13). Biblical worship is not a strictly private encounter, there is a corporate and public element to it as well. We gather around the Lord of the Table along with his people.
One can think of worship as a flowing back-and-forth between one’s private devotions and corporate worship. They are mutually sustaining, and never without the other. Even when I worship with others I still worship as an individual, there is still deep internal encounter with the Lord which is personal. And yet also, even when I am alone, praying in the secret place of devotion I am, by virtue of the Spirit, caught-up into a worshiping life with all of God’s people.
Biblical worship is glorious because it praises the One who is truly glorious. Christians need not shy away from worshiping “in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2, 96:9, 110:3), for God is beautiful and God is holy.
Biblical worship is also lowly. “For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’” (Is. 57:15). Not only do we worship the One who is high and exalted, but, also, the One who is the Servant of All. Glorious worship, therefore, also reflects the ways in which God makes his home among prodigals.
Biblical worship is, finally, missional. Long has the western church languished under a false notion that one must either focus on “mission” or on “worship.” Not only is this not theologically sound, it is also historically inaccurate. True worship always leads us out on mission. And mission always gathers us into worship. What do the works of Jesus, the missional acts of God Himself, do but produce praise? “And they went away giving thanks” (Lk. 2:20). And how does Jesus often encounter those to whom he brings mission? He calls them to worship (e.g. Jn. 4:21-24).
Like the shepherds referenced above, we are those who have witnessed the goodness of God. We know both the brightness of the angelic heralds and the darkness and humility of the manger. God has come to dwell with us, God has come to be worshiped by us; laid in a food-box God has come to be our Bread, born under a Star he has come to be our King; O come let us adore Him.