Rev. Reed Lee Pedersen's
During morning worship on July 22nd I preached a sermon on finding rest in Jesus and thus finding rest in worship.[i] In the hassle of everyday life worship can seem like an annoyance. It can seem like another thing on the To-Do list that keeps us from enjoying life and rest. It can seem like a boring hour (or so) that could be better spent. I understand that not everyone feels this way. I also understand that there are certain things such as work and other commitments that get in the way of attending worship on a weekly basis. I also should mention those who are physically unable to go to a place for worship. Worship is important for many reasons, but I find one of its main purposes is to find rest in each other and God. When God commanded us to remember the Sabbath day it does not have to mean that God was giving us another strenuous thing to do. It could mean that God is trying to save God’s people from their own over-functioning and give them an opportunity to rest. Worship is wrapped around God’s Word. We hear it read from the Bible and hear it spoken from the pulpit. We taste it in the body given for you and the blood shed for you. All these are acts centered on acknowledging the forgiveness and eternal life we receive from God’s Son, Jesus, who conquered death for us. I find it helpful looking through the lens of Jesus when thinking of worship. Jesus invites. Jesus invites us to salvation which he has already given, invites us to the waters of baptism to be washed anew, and invites us to feast on him so as to receive forgiveness and renewal of faith. Jesus invites. It’s not easy being a casual or sparse church goer when you can feel the judgment from the regular members or the jabs about not seeing you in a while. Even hearing the words, “It’s good to see you,” can be received as a dig at the randomness of your church attendance. As a pastor I would always love to see your faces more, but I do understand the concept of business, readiness, questioning of faith, and guilt. It is also not easy being a regular worship goer and watching the number of empty seats increase on a weekly basis. It can allow fear to creep in about the church’s future and the worship experience. This fear can certainly lead towards disdain of those who are less active. This article is meant to encourage people to come find rest in Jesus through worship more often. If you cannot make it to a Sunday service, this is why we at Augustana Lutheran Church try to post each week’s sermon along with the text. It is why online churches like https://www.slateproject.org/ exist so that people can have church on their terms. This encouragement is not meant to be condemning for those who have not been to church in a while or for those who feel unready to be a part of a worshiping community. To do so would be to go against the loving, welcoming, and inviting nature of Jesus. This is an invitation to relax, refuel, and recharge yourself while gathered among God’s people. Church can feel boring for some and uplifting for others. If you do not find services at to be restful and reinvigorating I believe any church would really appreciate input on what an uplifting worship service looks like to you. By grounding ourselves in Jesus, the one who will always love you and never leave you, AND in each other we can hopefully have worship be a full place which provides rest. More importantly, we can hopefully have worship be a place of full rest in God. In Jesus you will find peace. In worship, when done in light of Christ, you will find peace. My prayer for everyone reading this is that the peace of Christ, which surpasses our thoughts and imaginations, guards each and every one of you and gives you rest. Points to Ponder:
[i] Here is the sermon from July 22, 2018
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AuthorPastor Reed is a first call pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover, Illinois. Archives
July 2019
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