The Real Focus

It boggles my mind to think that in some way we are truly the acting believers in God here on earth today; as the true representatives of Christianity here on the Planet. Sometimes we focus more on the modern church, the modern formalities and the modern traditions without any question, but yet when someone practices an old tradition its held in contempt usually, but this is not what this topic is about.

The topic at hand is this: if we truly live our lives out as the standard bearers for the Christ in the 21st Century we need to be willing to shine. This pertains to "soul winning" not in the fashion as some of us have been taught to, where we argue points into the ground or shout at the top of our lngs in a public square scaring people into Heaven from Hellfire. No- we need to simply shine and let His Spirit in us do the workings of his Glory. The greatest witness is our lives and how we spend it daily and not in how we dress, look or primp ourselves for a whole one and a half hours during some music filled service with a twenty minute sermon.

One of the reasons I left the Protestant Evangelical Churches/Non-Denominational Churches was due to the milquetoast sermons and the milk I felt I was being fed. I craved real food from God for my soul and not the conditioned sermons I received for a long time. When I look back to this I realize i left for foolish reasons but I was led on a journey which took me to the heart of Judaism and now into the kingdom of the Orthodox Christian Faith. What I realized was that I was ot meant to be in the services of the modern churches no longer. The Lord brought me to a place which i would have never understood as an Evangelical/Protestant which by no means is an insult to my brothers in Christ. I could no longer palate the modern service anymore, nor understand it. It, to me became a sensory and emotinal outpouring which in most cases in my life was more of a show than an experience with God. Jesus was a buddy moresos than a Savior of mankind who died and rose again- for what? To be my buddy and help me with selfish tasks set before me? No- Jesus dies on the cross to conquer Death so I may know eternal life in His Kingdom worshipping the Father for all eternity!

What I would never have understood unless I was able to experience was the Jewish nature of Liturgy. From the recitation of the Seven Prayers during Shul to the meaning behind the prayers themselves forged into me a practice of prayer beyond simplisitc open ended dialog. Some argue repitition is not of God; Let me ask this one question then: In the Book of Revelation what are the Four Living Creatures constantly singing to God at His Footstool? Is it ceasing? NO! Liturgy teaches us and shows us through a collection of prayers and traditions what we should be asking Him everyday, praising Him who created us. Let me ask this question to all of you: When was the last time you truly gave God glory in Prayer for his handiwork?

From that experience in the Conservative and Orthodox synagogues(also a Lubavitch Shul as well) to the Messianic synagogue in Agora Hills I was able to learn and appreciate something I did not have before- a practice of faith on a daily basis. Judaism showed me something I never experienced before: Liturgical Services.

I believe I was a Calvinist to an extent on the meaning behind the age old argument of "Once Saved, Always Saved" and an interpretation of St. Paul's teaching of salvation and grace. I was ridiculous to not have followed a strong regiment of prayer, even though I strived for His Hand and Love daily. My regiment was mostly primping myself for Sunday or Wednesdays. I would read some lessons my old Pastor qould give for us to read during the weekdays sometimes, but mostly it consisted of a simple prayer at meals, a little time givng Him requests during the week and now and then an act of charity to a friend consisted of my zealous walk of faith.

Now a Liturgical Service is usually considered by most non-liturgists as extremely boring and impersonal. Vain repitition abounds as the mighty drone-ish Catholic drum beat recitation of mundane words echo apathetic undertones which sound remotely like a "Alleluia"but not said like a "Hallelujah!" is supposed to be boldly shouted in a Gospel church. Mindless statements which sound pretty are uttered non-chalantly as we cry to God for the fogiveness of our sins and prayers are low-toned and low-keyed cries of praise to the Creator of the Universe. Sadly this is what i was told, taught and oddly experienced in a handful of Litugrical Services even today. But there is another facet to this Liturgical Worship-

When I first set foot into St. Constantine & Helena's Greek Orthodox Church I was in tears. This was not because of the beauty- heck, the place looked barren from what I always thought of Orthodox Churches, like an iconoclast ran through and took everything down and burned it all! No- the reason I was in tears was because I was home. I had no clue what home was, nor what it meant to be but I was in ahome and He is there. I always believed that the Holy Spirit rushed in and tongues was spoken; He gave you prophesies in every service and if you had no musicians in the front, how couldthe Holy Spirit move me? These things I always felt. but for the first time the Holy Spirit touched me in such a way that it was more than anything I cold have ever imagined, and tears flowed but it ws not some emotional outpouring frenzy. St. Seraphim of Sarov quoted a Church Father of whom I cannot recall, that the Holy Spirit falls upon us as the morning dew, soft, subtle and without and ouotpouring of emotion. I experienced this and this is why I softly cried.

I take the Liturgy as it is: a confession of Faith; a focus on Christ's promise to us; a reflection of His Minisrty on Earth; A promise of His return; A confirmation of His Death and Resurrection; a time for personal reflection on how I must live my life. These things and many more are a practice of the Divine Liturgy. Yes, some of the choir stinks and sometimes it sounds mundane, but ask yourself this question: am I here for the music and fellowship or am I here to serve my God to the best of our ability and do His work?

His work... And now I am coming full circle. What I was never able to do in my old churches is what i am able to see and do now- live a life for Christ. This is not to say others cannot do so because I could not at where I was. but what this is saying is that I have now realized that Sunday is not meant to be treated as devotion to God but as a time for us all to confirm what we believe and set forth a tradition of practice throughout the week. Divine Liturgy, as it is called in the Greek Orthodox Church, is one service. It is actually not a worship service at all but a Liturgical Rite for believers to confirm, reflect, observe and set ourselves into practice everyday. I worship at home and not during the Divine Liturgy. I say prayers with my family every morning. I have a standard of prayer not only recited but put to memory which help me throughout the day to observe and remember Christ and His great Gift of Eternal Life with Him. I have devotions which show me that I am not alone in this but I have a family here on Earth and in Heaven and these express a great history rich in others who loved God even unto the point of martyrdom. I sing songs with my family at night which express our love and worship of Him. As a family we honor God and give respect to Him and His followers past. I set up vigils to Him when the need arises for us to pray for others who are in need. All these things I do as a practice and as a tradition which I would have never devoted myself to in my old church.

And this is because I now see the differences between a Liturgical Practice and a Worship Service on a Sunday. Church, in both practices, is not supposed to be just on a Sunday; its everyday, every hour; every breath. And not only is it to be a witness but its to be alive in Him and living in Him, the One Who Is.

There is so much more I can ramble on, but its late.