This weekend, my youth group put on
a wedding-themed back to school bash. We had dancing (maybe 20 students, but
still it totally counts…), music, a wedding cake prepared by a professional
decorator and a message on the wedding of Cana. We had asked our students to
dress up in their best clothes and come prepared for a party. This week we are
preparing for a last man standing dodgeball tournament and we have a pretty
great ‘party’ worship set planned.
This weekend, I also led worship
for my church. We planned a pretty freedom-based party set.
Now, I love my church.
I’ve attended my church since I was
two and have dreamed of working there forever. But as I was leading our
congregation…
I looked out to a church that doesn’t quite know how to party.
I looked out to a church that doesn’t quite know how to party.
I looked out to a congregation a
tad bit uncomfortable with celebration.
Granted, we live in different times
and what works in youth ministry won’t always or even sometimes work in what we
refer to as “the big church”, but there’s a sense in the Bible that Jesus knew
how to party.
In his first recorded miracle in
the book of John, He turns water into wine to keep the party going. In His
parables he speaks of fathers throwing Gatsby-esque parties when their sons
return from being lost. In other places he says that when even one sinner
repents, the angels sing songs in celebration.
Jesus knew not only how to party…
But WHY to party.
And frankly, we, as the church,
have the best reason to party.
God, the creator, loves us and
redeems us through His son Jesus, who died for our sins so we can live
eternally in communion with our father. If we truly believe that earth is a
training ground for heaven, we better start learning how to celebrate
salvation.
Here are a few tips, wherever this
article finds you on your celebration journey:
1.
Don’t be afraid to lift your hands. Especially
if you are the only one. Now once again, lifting your hands is not celebrating
exclusively, celebrating has much more to do with your heart. But lifting your
hands is not a bad start.
2.
Sing loud. For God’s sake. I don’t care if you
have a William Hung voice. Do it for Jesus, wholeheartedly.
3.
If you clap, clap with your hands high. I
remember a worship leader at a camp I went to saying, “You have been saved by
Jesus. So act like it and clap like it.”
4.
Be authentic. Celebrating only happens when you
are genuinely excited about what you are partying for. Don’t fake it, but don’t
make excuses for being timid.
When we worship, we worship in spirit in truth. When we
exalt God, we don’t move God higher, we begin to understand not only our
lowness, but how despite our lowness God loves the heck out of us. Worship God
in a spirit of joy and the truth that He chose you despite our unworthiness.
-Ben Langevin
