"I Love This Church!"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Psalm 84.

This past week as I was headed back home from church I finished listening to an audio book that Amber had checked out for me at the library. And, as the C.D. ended, I couldn’t help but think to myself, what will I listen to now? The audio book had consumed my time in the car. In fact, I hadn’t listened to my car radio for several weeks. And interestingly enough, the radio was set on 94.9 Star Country, as I ejected the final C.D., and playing was a song by Toby Keith entitled: “I Love this Bar.” Listen to the lyrics to the first verse, they read:

“We got winners, we got losers;
chain smokers and boozers.
And we got yuppies, we got bikers;
we got thirsty hitchhikers.
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars.
We got cowboys, we got truckers;
broken-hearted fools and suckers.
And we got hustlers, we got fighters;
early birds and all-nighters.
And all the veterans talk about their battle scars.
…I love this bar.
…It’s my kind of place.
Just walkin’ through the front door,
puts a big smile on my face;
it ain’t too far, come as you are;
…I love this bar.”

Whether you like this song or not, it certainly illustrates a deep-seated longing in every heart. And that longing is for a place to belong; a place that puts a big smile on our faces when we walk through the doors; a place where everyone knows our name – and makes us feel welcomed and loved. If you aren’t familiar with that song, maybe you remember the theme song from the popular television show “Cheers,” where we hear the words: “…Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” Indeed, who wouldn’t want to go to a place like that?
We all long for a place where we feel like we belong; a place where everybody knows our name and doesn’t judge us on who we are or what we look like, or what kind of job we have or don’t have. We yearn for such a place. This is a natural feeling within us, because God has created us this way. God has put within each of us a genetic dependency for “communion” and “community,” not only with God’s self, but also with God’s children! Now I’m not talking about a bar here – I’m not about the church! And the church is undoubtedly a place where communion and community can and should be lived out and experienced!
The make-up of the church – the people, the worship, the music, the preaching, the study, the fellowship and the church activities are meant to satisfy and meet this deep-seated yearning within all of us for a place to belong. Listen again to those lyrics:

"Just walkin’ through the front door,
puts a big smile on my face.
It ain’t too far, come as you are,
...I love this bar.”

“Sometimes you wanna go,
where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.”

Wouldn’t it be great if our church was like that? What if everybody who came into this church had a big smile on their face? Wouldn’t that be great?
If you’ve ever watched “Cheers” you may remember Norm and Frasier and Sam Malone and all the others, they were regulars. And certainly this should say something to us about our involvement and our participation in the church. Even the Psalmist yearned to be a regular – a regular in God’s house, but what about you? The excuses and attitudes of people are interesting to say the least. They never cease to amaze me! Church, for some is pure drudgery, a boring necessity that must be endured. For others, church attendance is an obligation much like paying the bills. Excuses vary like “the sermon is too long and the pastor is boring, the people aren’t friendly enough.” And let’s not forget the good old excuses of “I don’t like the songs, they are trying different things.” Perhaps the reason some have little desire for God’s House on Sunday is because they have had little desire for God throughout the week.
Yet, for many worshipping God is pure joy. It is a normal part of their lives. The practice of going to church and being in God’s presence is as familiar and natural as breathing. They come to church enthused about worshiping God and being with God’s people. These kinds of people don’t come because of the pastor, or the music, or the people. Their main motivation is to meet with and worship the living God. You know, I am convinced if we get in the right attitude and motivation we will enjoy coming to church.
In our Scripture Lesson this morning, David speaks to this issue. This Psalm was apparently written when David was forced to leave Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion, and David, in his distress about leaving God’s house, pens these words. In fact, in verse 2 we see that David longed for God’s presence - “my soul… my heart… my flesh…” – he is saying in essence, my entire being, longs to be in God’s presence, “As a deer pants for the living water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?”
What about you? Do you enjoy church? If not, what efforts are you engaged in, in order to experience God’s presence? What are you doing to make the worship experience meaningful? Do you participate in the worship and the singing? Our worship is geared so that you have a voice – so that you are actively involved and not just sitting there! When God’s word is read, does it go in one ear and out the other, or does it penetrate your heart? When you come to receive the gifts of bread and wine, do you come seeking to be fed and nourished by the life-giving bread and the saving cup – do you receive the Living Christ anew and afresh? When there is a part to do or a work that must be done, do you jump in and do it, or do you expect someone else to do it? Do you participate in the opportunities of worship and fellowship and study that afforded you through our church programs and activities?
Worship is not just a spiritual "warm and fuzzy" on Sunday morning. It is God’s people actively responding to God. Worship is not a spectator sport. Worship is not something done to us or for us but by us.
Time spent daily in worship with the Lord strengthens our spirits and our lives. When we worship God, our spirit is being repaired, restored and refreshed. Being in the presence of God revives, refreshes and renews our spirits. Thus, His presence enables us to encourage others; lifting them up.
The Psalmist mentions the valley of Baca, which represents weeping and difficulties. You see, the Psalmist knows that we are not immune to walking through this valley from time to time. We will experience hardships, difficulties, depression, problems, sickness, disease and obstacles of every kind. And oftentimes, we come to church carrying these burdens with us - the problems we’ve faced all week and find it hard to concentrate much less participate in worship. But God invites us to check those things which weigh us down and hold us back, at the door. We are called to empty ourselves that we might be filled with the glory of God’s presence and power.
For the psalmist the great desires of his life were fulfilled by being in the presence of God. In particular he loved being in the temple of God. In Hebrew theology the temple represented more than just the center of worship; it represented the very presence of God. Our very lives are the tabernacle – the dwelling place of God’s presence. God is with us! And as David reminds us, there is no satisfaction to compare with the satisfaction that comes from being in the presence of God. As David takes stock of his own life, he realized that it was brimming over with the joy he has discovered in the presence of God. Note that the psalmist reveled in his relationship with God. Do you revel in your relationship with God? He was humbled that the God of creation would allow him to serve in seemingly insignificant ways. Are you humbled by this very thought? The psalmist’s journey begins in the beauty of worship, and it ends in service. Sandwiched in between these two great moments is a testimony to God. A church I used to help out with in Vinton used to end their worship the same way every Sunday. The minister would say at the Benediction: “We have entered to worship” and the congregation would respond: “Now we depart to serve.”