Naomi's Notes - 10/28/07
During worship recently it occurred to me that some worshippers might not understand the symbolism of our standing and singing the Doxology as the ushers return the offering plates to the altar. I'm not certain everyone even understands offering as a sacred act of worship, not merely a means of paying the church's bills.
Offering and invitation are the pinnacle, the climax of corporate worship. They are similar in that they are our response to God in worship and an indication of our level of commitment.
For some reason Baptists nearly always like having the offering just before the sermon. [A few years ago, we moved the offering to the end of the service; as a response to all of God's revelation during worship, that seemed to be an appropriate place for it. But there was such confusion and outcry from the congregation, we finally moved it back--pretty quickly, as I remember!]
Psalm 96 tells us to "bring an offering and come into [God's] courts" (v.8). The Apostle Paul goes further than monetary gifts and sacrificial lambs as offering. He "describes the essence of ‘spiritual worship' in terms of making an offering - ‘present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God' (Rom.12:1). An offering, a costly gift, is a prerequisite to praise-worthy worship, the fundamental act of God-honoring worship" (Welton Gaddy, The Gift of Worship).
Years ago I participated in an outdoor youth camp worship service. The leaders passed out slips of paper and invited us to write one thing we pledged to offer God during the coming week - a good attitude, a forgiving heart, a commitment to pray daily, acts of kindness, etc. Then as the offering plates were passed we were invited to place money and/or our slip of paper in them as our act of worship. The lesson was that a worthy offering is not only our money, but our service.
Perhaps you've noticed there is a flow to the offering section of our corporate worship. After our Offertory Prayer thanking God and inviting worshippers to give freely in response to what God has given us, the ushers pass the plates to each person, and the offertory begins.
The offertory itself, usually instrumental music, is also the musician's musical offering of his/her gifts to God, and a time for meditation. It's not just music to fill in as ushers walk; not taking a break before the sermon; not a cover for whispered conversation. Then, "as the collected gifts are placed upon the offering table at the front of the sanctuary, the congregation dedicates the offering through the singing of..the Doxology." (Deborah Moore Clark, O Come, Let Us Bow Down & Worship).
The Doxology text begins, "Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow…" Each time we stand and sing as the ushers process with plates filled with our tangible offerings, I hope that you and I will dedicate ourselves as "sacrifices of praise" to God who has SO bountifully blessed us.
See you in worship this Sunday -
Naomi