THE GOSPEL LESSON "Water into Wine" John 2:1-11, Adapted
SERMON "Why We Worship? Duty, Desire, and Delight"
Worship Notes
Today we start our five week series on worship in the life of the congregation that will culminate on World Communion Sunday. This series springs out of the recent worship survey of the congregation and how all things we do as Westminster grows from our corporate worship. We focus today on the question of why we worship at all. Does God need to be worshipped? Is worship about us? Why would it be important to come together to worship as the body of Christ?
The central text this morning is the story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. At the heart of this miracle is an affirmation of how God creates joy in the simple everyday things of life. The opening sentences of scripture are taken from Paul's letter to the church in Corinth where he reminds the Christians of the new creation they have become and their responsibility in embodying reconciliation in their daily lives. Our youth ministry (SPirituality, Arts, and Mission) gives us an interpretation of the water into wine story during the children's message.
It is appropriate we take communion this morning as we celebrate in ordinary things the presence of God. In the Presbyterian Church we understand communion to be an open table where all are welcome no matter their denomination to share in God's joyful fellowship. The form of the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving we say today has its historic roots in the fourth century. It is also fitting we end with the resounding words of our final hymn -
"Together met, together bound, We'll go our different ways, And as His people in the world, We'll live and speak His praise, We'll live and speak His praise."
