Confessing Evangelical

The Ruminating Lutheran cleric has just posted an interesting-looking item about worship and liturgy:

This order of service is not unique to Lutherans. We did not invent it. It is the ancient form of worship that has been developed among Christians the world over from the very beginning of the New Testament era. It is based exclusively on scripture and is focused completely on Jesus Christ and His saving grace on the Cross of Calvary.

Because of our sin, we cannot come to God, but God must come to us. This is what takes place in the Divine Service. Through the Word and Sacraments God speaks to His people. He reminds us of our sinfulness and failure to love completely and He then forgives us and assures us of the grace we have in Jesus Christ.

This grace is central to our lives as Christians and we must treat it with all reverence and respect. It was not of our doing and it is not ours with which to tamper. Therefore WORSHIP IS NOT A MATTER OF NOVELTY OR ENTERTAINMENT, MUCH LESS A MATTER OF ATTEMPTING TO PLEASE THE MASSES.

Because of our sin, we cannot come to God, but God must come to us. This is what takes place in the Divine Service: I'm sure that's the dividing line between traditional, liturgical worship and the informal praise-a-thons of today: whose is the main actor in our worship? Is it us, seeking to ascend to God and achieve a spiritual "high" through our singing of songs (which is almost inevitably the message sent out by a lot of "contemporary praise and worship")? Or is it God, drawing near to us in Word and Sacrament, to forgive us our sins?

(Thanks to Josh for pointing this one out).