Sunday Worship - I'm Lovin' It!

It was only two days away from Halloween and the local grocery store already had a display featuring a row of one of the Christmas time favorites – “Premium Fruit Cake!” Yes, this one was extra special and premium! Why is it that bakers feel like they must add additional adjectives to describe their holiday cakes?

Your Old Favorite! Not Mine!!

Let’s be more realistic and say, “Here it is again… your old favorite, making its annual trek around the world to your table!” There are a good many of us who believe that there is only one fruitcake that’s being passed around and re-gifted during Christmas season to unsuspecting fruit cake-loving folks!

I have a brother-in-law who will, like me, eat almost anything. He says, “I can even eat hominy, but I don’t prefer it!” That’s the way I am about fruitcake. I can eat it, but why?! I’d rather eat a pecan pie or some good creamy fudge or homemade pecan brittle during the holidays!

I recently attended a Bible retreat with some pastor friends. One of our number brought a “high-end” (he called it!) fruitcake made and distributed by a Missouri Ozarks’ monastery. I watched that cake being devoured by hungry guys lovin’ it! But they were surprised to find out later that this fruitcake was over a year old! Those teetotalers also discovered that it was laden with plenty of rum and burgundy to keep it moist! I’ve never seen such a happy group of church leaders! 😊

Last Sunday, November 2, was time-change Sunday and I was delighted to see such a good crowd coming to small group meetings and our three worship services! They were on time, happy, and eager to enter the house of God! Sunday was also our regularly scheduled first-of-the-month Communion Service. Many of us also give our monthly offering on that first Sunday!

It blessed me to see all ages eagerly approaching the serving stations where the elements were being dispensed. Each lay server offers this blessing over the bread and the cup, “The blood of Christ given for you. The body of Christ broken for you.” Some worshippers like to pause for prayer and personal thanks at the kneeling benches before returning to their seats.

I love the way our pastor during the liturgy enthusiastically offers this affirmation over the elements, “These are the gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!” And many of us can be heard to verbalize our agreement with a hardy, “Amen!” The Psalmist expresses what ought to be our heartfelt attitude during worship, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Ps. 122:1, NLT). I was delighted to witness that spirit of gladness throughout our worship center last Lord’s Day!

Jesus was upset by the atmosphere in the Temple with distractions by merchants noisily selling their animals for sacrifices and providing money exchanging to the shekel. He was so incensed by their irreverence for the house of God that he took a whip, overturned the tables, and drove these vendors from the Temple.

John’s Gospel records what Jesus said, “‘Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!’ Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: ‘Passion for God’s house will consume me.’” (John 2:16-17, NLT).

Since Jesus was consumed by His passion for the house of God, we too, must be reverent, enthused, and delighted as we come to church each Lord’s Day! Are you lovin’ it?

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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