Liturgy: “Strive To Honestly Live In Them”

What is the King’s Liturgy? King’s Liturgy defines our experience together as a Christian community. It outlines the rhythms we celebrate with the Church at large: Scripture readings, Sabbath habits, and celebration of Holy Days and historical events.

This Week’s Lectionary Readings

Joshua 3:7-17
Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Matthew 23:1-12

This week’s liturgy is contributed by Prof. Lynda Kong, instructor of English and writing:

Let’s say reading someone’s words goes something like this: You sound them out, aloud or in your interior monologue, and you strive to honestly live in them, to weigh them, at the moment of their sounding.

Let’s then imagine reading Paul’s exhortations to the Thessalonian believers in three ways.

First, as children—learning, developing, listening, watching, and registering. Trying to reconcile the words with our actual lived experiences. “[W]hen [we] received the word of God, [we] accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in [us] believers.” Is God’s promise to forgive our sins and to show us compassion truly at work in us? How does his forgiveness change me? When I am selfish, lustful, or grumpy, do I turn to God with a humble heart, grateful for His forgiveness? Am I walking in freedom when I receive His promise of cleansing me (a sign that I am turning to Him), or am I stumbling into self-condemnation and blame-shifting (a sign that I am turning merely inward)?

Or, second, imagine reading Paul’s words as mature Christians, who we will be in the future, ministering to younger believers—teaching, encouraging, praying, admonishing, and role modeling. Will we be “righteous” and “blameless,” able to make others see practical ways in which we are “walk[ing] in a manner worthy of God”?

As a mother, I try to pray with my children, to read the Bible with them, to talk about God in ordinary conversation throughout the day. Most days, I am not standing on my own blameless behavior, nor am I speaking with a pure heart (um, not even close!). They sense my grumpy tone when something goes wrong and they see my selfishness when I’d choose to do something for myself and not spend time with them. And yet, I strive to confess my grumpiness and selfishness and to ask for forgiveness from my children, and thereby demonstrate the only way I know how to walk in a manner worthy of God. I show them: This is what it means to turn to Jesus, who loves us. I make mistakes and I sin as a mother.  But that’s why I’m turning you to Him.

Or, finally, imagine Jesus Himself in these words, as both the child receiving instruction from His Father God, and the Redeemer dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus as “the word of God,” Himself walking in a manner worthy of God, perfectly, every time. Jesus who is “at work in [us] believers,” redeeming us, instructing us, caring for us. He is at work in us, delighting in us when we turn to Him with our sins and our triumphs.