Continuing our meditation on a real, enduring relationship with Jesus in contrast with things that “aren’t enough,” I must add this one:

Celebratory Worship Is Not Enough

This principle seems especially appropriate as many pastors and their members are wringing their hands over not being able to gather on Sundays during the coronavirus lockdowns. I’ve already offered some observations and suggestions on that issue, but today’s blog is serious. It’s the fact I opened this series with:

The same people who lined the streets and sang songs of praise to Jesus were no doubt among the crowd clamoring for his crucifixion a few days later. Remember, only 120 faithful followers were in the Upper Room in Acts 1. What happened to those enthusiastically singing praises on Palm Sunday?

As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19.36 – 38, NIV)

Praises one day…a riot soon after:

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested…The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted… They shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15.6 – 14, NIV, emphasis mine)

As important as gathering to worship is, including singing biblically-based songs, Palm Sunday’s crowd teaches us that that’s not enough.

I could have designed the blogs so that this one would come out on Palm Sunday, but I’m starting Holy Week a bit earlier this year to give us more time. We often seem to rush through the important, world-changing events of this week. So with most of us with more time on our hands, we’ll see what else we can learn from Holy Week events.

Not everyone who says to me, “LORD, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7.21, ESV)

Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. (Isaiah 1.13, 14, ESV)

Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening… (Isaiah 1.13 – 15, MSG)