I confess to being a little cheesed off...
Sunday past, church was - frankly - poor.
Imagine you turned up at the family home for Christmas hoping for hugs all round and a chance to celebrate being together to catch up on a year's worth of life around the table... to find that, rather than a feast of family and food... you were solemnly seated, but were then obliged to sit in silence (unless instructed to greet each other) at a table dripping with the most tastiest edibles, whilst notices were given, hymns were sung, prayers were said, sermons were delivered, more songs were sung, solemn moments were had... Then, just as you were allowed to finally tuck in and talk, the table was cleared and you were sent off to bed.
That's how I felt on Sunday.
I can't escape the thought that even though we were 'at Church' for about 2 hours, I barely 'churched' with anyone... We attended what was - to all intents and purposes - a multi-part performance and lecture, and then we had to leave to get Moo down for a nap.
I don't think it's an accident that Jesus spent so much time eating with people... and that the Kingdom of God is constantly likened to a feast... Think of the best feast you can... that's the image that God chose as a template to explain to us the Kingdom of God. For me, it's probably our wedding supper... a meal that allowed us to honour all those we love, that drew them together to celebrate our marriage, and that lasted for hours allowing us to go around and talk to everyone... a meal that dissolved into a party that we enjoyed for so long that we were the last ones to leave...
What does a feast like that tell me about Messiah...? It's tells me that he is enthroned at the centre of a thriving, celebrating community who come together because of love for him and who both thrill at his awesome and unmatchable, unobtainable glory, and are humbled in gratitude and love in his loosening his tie and flopping down next to them with no agenda, and no time pressure... to just catch up on life...
What did Sunday tell me about Messiah? That he stands at the front of the church, sends all the children out, requires us all to behave, and doesn't know how to use a microphone...
That's a funny way to feast...
We definitely need to meal together more...
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the closest thing that Jesus had to Westerners' Sunday church was synagogue.
ReplyDeleteAnd what does the bible say about that? "Jesus went to the synagogue, as was his custom."
Not "because he thought it was ace". Not "because it was his favourite part of the week."
"As was his custom"
To me that suggests that he wasn't overly enamoured but thought it was a good thing to do.
Maybe church is the same. Or maybe it isn't and I'm talking junk. :)
@ Pop... nah, I think you might be right... :) I can't imagine someone who's vista included the Kingdom of God in all its glory being over-impressed with some rote praying and a bit of Torah reading... On the other hand, perhaps the difference between then and now is that synagogue was a special time to focus quietly on God in the midst of a week lived within a thriving God-fearing community... whereas, for us, Church is more often about the only time we meet with like-souled individuals...
ReplyDelete@ Nick... where are you, and when do we eat together? (Pop... you up for it?)
@ Mome... You make an excellent point about the week being lived in a "thriving, God-fearing community", I am going to think about this more.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes - I'm up for it.
I'm Scarborough... but I visit Herefordshire for family a fair bit...
ReplyDeleteas for when... I'm down early Feb then after that I'm open to suggestions...
quite keen on visiting this place if you want to make a weekend of it!
http://www.ffald-y-brenin.org/
D'oh... Must get this sorted so that it tells me when I have comments to read...
ReplyDeleteFfald-y-Brenin looks great... We have family in Swansea so it's a possibility from there...
Let me run the idea of getting together past Jo and I'll get back to you.
Been meaning to read your blog for a bit. I wanted to read them in date order, altho I confess to wanting to read the other one first.
ReplyDeletereading this on a saturday morning whilst my guests are fast asleep has given me time to gaze out of the window wondering what I think. I think that sunday is not it, its never gonna be all, the whole package nicely wrapped into something everyone is pleased to open. Its made me think again! that I want to work out why I'd prefer often not to be there on a sunday. and why sometimes I love being there. sometimes God re-aligns me there. I'd like to go to a synagogue. I want to see us thrive. I believe in community. and I like the fact and am grateful that you are in it.
mmm think that was more of a ramble!!
Mome the chieftain, you can set your blogspot settings to email a certain email address every time someone comments.
ReplyDeleteThis is very handy because then if someone finds and comments one of your really early posts, it flags it for you and you can go check it OUT!