A Tale of Two Dances

Pastor Luke gave this sermon off the cuff. Here is some of the text:

Some scholars point out that David’s dance could be as self-serving as Herodias’ daughter’s dance. The ark moving to Jerusalem lends him legitimacy as protector of Israel following King Saul’s death. Many critics of the church state that our worship can be as self-serving. How can we tell the difference between what worship is for God and what worship is for ourselves? I think the simplest way to tell is that if your worship results in someone’s head on a platter, it’s probably less for God and more for you. If our artistic expression results in someone’s dehumanization, then we’re doing it wrong.

Listen, if we can only worship through tearing down other people, that’s not of God. If we can only feel secure in God knowing that people of other denominations and faiths will burn eternally in hell, we’re doing it wrong. If we can only use masculine imagery for God and can’t stand hearing any feminine images which are just as Biblical; we’re not bringing glory to the full expression of God. Why wouldn’t we want to see women as full parts of the life of God? We are of a denomination that affirms and ordains women. If we can’t see Jesus in people of other races, creeds, political affiliations, gender expressions and sexual identities; then we are self-serving and deserve to have our worship die a quick death and this building sit empty.

Yet it is also my hope that we dance for God as shamelessly as David did. To bring good news to the poor, food to the hungry, hope to the hopeless. Hopeless people don’t dance. Hopelessness draws us in, head down, insular. Yet joy opens us up. Joy causes us to stand a little taller, open our arms wider, and welcome people into the dance.

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