Worship - Fall 2024 Mini-Series

11A Worship: The Heart We Bring

September 22, 2024 • Curt McFarland • Micah 6:6–8, Hebrews 4:14–16, Matthew 13:44–46

Once or twice a year Kathaleen and I make our way to Safeco Field (yes, a different name now) to watch our beloved, sometimes beleaguered, Mariners. Memories of Edgar, Ichiro, Jaime, Randy, Felix, Freddy, Dan, Jay, still grace the field. This year’s Mariners started strong, had a serious slump, but still have a shot, a distant shot, at post-season play. Through it all, ups and downs, I’ve remained a fan. My love for the Mariners is rooted in my days playing little league summer ball, and growing up near, and attending games of, the Oakland A’s (World Champs 1972-1974). I went from playing regularly, to playing occasionally, to spectating. Now I watch from comfortable seats, eat my snacks, wander the beautiful stadium. Choo-choo! That shift may work for baseball, but I am convinced it does not work for the worship of God. I’m tempted to drift from engaging God regularly in worship, to occasional worship, to sitting back, eating snacks, observing, critiquing, cheering when things go as I want, leaving the park early when things don’t. Worshiping God is not a hobby, a passion, a spectator event. Worship is the main occupation of our life (whether we acknowledge that or not). God save me from casual, occasional, worship. Keep me alive to You. Get me up out of my seat, ignite my heart, and … even if I don’t get on base may I get up to the plate and swing away. Skill and success are not as important as our growing desire to love and worship You

9A Worship: The Heart We Bring

September 22, 2024 • Curt McFarland • Micah 6:6–8, Hebrews 4:14–16, Matthew 13:44–46

Once or twice a year Kathaleen and I make our way to Safeco Field (yes, a different name now) to watch our beloved, sometimes beleaguered, Mariners. Memories of Edgar, Ichiro, Jaime, Randy, Felix, Freddy, Dan, Jay, still grace the field. This year’s Mariners started strong, had a serious slump, but still have a shot, a distant shot, at post-season play. Through it all, ups and downs, I’ve remained a fan. My love for the Mariners is rooted in my days playing little league summer ball, and growing up near, and attending games of, the Oakland A’s (World Champs 1972-1974). I went from playing regularly, to playing occasionally, to spectating. Now I watch from comfortable seats, eat my snacks, wander the beautiful stadium. Choo-choo! That shift may work for baseball, but I am convinced it does not work for the worship of God. I’m tempted to drift from engaging God regularly in worship, to occasional worship, to sitting back, eating snacks, observing, critiquing, cheering when things go as I want, leaving the park early when things don’t. Worshiping God is not a hobby, a passion, a spectator event. Worship is the main occupation of our life (whether we acknowledge that or not). God save me from casual, occasional, worship. Keep me alive to You. Get me up out of my seat, ignite my heart, and … even if I don’t get on base may I get up to the plate and swing away. Skill and success are not as important as our growing desire to love and worship You

11A Worship: Closeness of God

September 15, 2024 • Curt McFarland • 1 Kings 19:9–13, Matthew 1:18–25

Do you believe in miracles?  A young hospital patient bandaged up from a horrific accident. Despite all treatments, medications, procedures, his arm has withered and died, the only option is removal. Moments before the amputation he begs the doctor to check his arm again. Without any hope, simply to appease him, the doctor removes the bandage and checks again. The arm has been fully restored.  Do you believe in miracles? Most surveys of religious life in America affirm that around 80% believe in miracles. A miracle is not simply an odds-defying, highly improbable, event. A miracle literally breaks the rules of nature. I believe in miracles. Even as a skeptic (which I admit I am publicly on a regular basis) I’ve heard too much, seen too much, to chalk up what I’ve seen and heard to coincidence or fate. I believe in miracles. A belief in miracles is an absolute requirement of Christian faith. Without the miraculous, Christianity would not exist. Without the miraculous, Christianity would simply be the most noble (I believe) of all the admirable and competing life philosophies and ethics. Do you believe in miracles? Christian faith begins with a massive miracle and the miracles keep coming … 

9A Worship: Closeness of God

September 15, 2024 • Curt McFarland • 1 Kings 19:9–13, Matthew 1:18–25

Do you believe in miracles?  A young hospital patient bandaged up from a horrific accident. Despite all treatments, medications, procedures, his arm has withered and died, the only option is removal. Moments before the amputation he begs the doctor to check his arm again. Without any hope, simply to appease him, the doctor removes the bandage and checks again. The arm has been fully restored.  Do you believe in miracles? Most surveys of religious life in America affirm that around 80% believe in miracles. A miracle is not simply an odds-defying, highly improbable, event. A miracle literally breaks the rules of nature. I believe in miracles. Even as a skeptic (which I admit I am publicly on a regular basis) I’ve heard too much, seen too much, to chalk up what I’ve seen and heard to coincidence or fate. I believe in miracles. A belief in miracles is an absolute requirement of Christian faith. Without the miraculous, Christianity would not exist. Without the miraculous, Christianity would simply be the most noble (I believe) of all the admirable and competing life philosophies and ethics. Do you believe in miracles? Christian faith begins with a massive miracle and the miracles keep coming … 

11A Worship: Holiness In Worship - The Otherness of God

September 8, 2024 • Curt McFarland

9A Worship: Holiness In Worship - The Otherness of God

September 8, 2024 • Curt McFarland • Exodus 33:17–23, Revelation 4:8, Revelation 5:14

If I received a phone call and the person on the other end of the line said, “This is the President of the United States, can you come over for dinner?” I would not believe it. “Is this Tom Oliva?” The President, honestly Tom Oliva too, has much more important things to do. The President’s dinner list is full of “A-list” celebrities, athletes, heads of state, elected officials, donors … out of a population of 340 million Americans I’m close to, or at, the bottom. In reality, the President is just another person, full of flaws, but by vote given incredible power. His position and title put him “out of my reach.” Christians have as their authority One who is so far beyond the powers of the U.S. President. The comparison is ridiculous. He created the world, the universe, us, simply by speaking. Do we understand the power-differential? Do we tremble in His presence? How do we, how can we, approach ALMIGHTY GOD? If I am unworthy of a dinner invitation from the President … how can I believe I am worthy and able to approach the One True Living God? Do we know who He is? What right do we have to be in His presence?