In worship we see the glory and majesty of God --- in music, in scripture, and in spoken words. But we also perceive the power of God in a distinctly minor key: in brief silence, in minuscule snatches of fleeting words, in a still small voice which we recognize, often only in retrospect, as the voice of God Himself. God comes to us both in power and in weakness, and only the eyes of faith can recognize Him in both guises. Therefore let us, with all the faith and confidence we can muster, worship God!

A prophet from long ago and far away asks us who we are and whose we are. Do we know where we have been and where we are going? Americans are a people who live in both unity and diversity, seeking to live the ideals set forth by our founding fathers. Today we compare our times to those of the prophet Hosea, who lived in Israel in what outwardly seemed a period of prosperity and strength. Let us worship the God of Israel and the God of America, seeking His guidance and direction for our own times.

Every week all over the world, people gather in churches and synagogues, in mosques and temples, and they worship God, or what some consider “the gods.” They are consciously engaged in various forms of religion, many of which have existed for thousands of years. Each Sunday we too come together in a religious setting to participate in religious rituals. Does God need religion effectively to be our God? That is the question we are raising today. Therefore let us, with confidence, worship God.

The Book of Psalms is the Bible’s hymnal. Originally all of the Psalms were sung. They still are sung every day in every monastery and convent around the world. I chose Psalm 8 for today’s sermon theme specifically because it is a paean of praise to the human race. Presumably it was David who wrote it, or at least that’s what the superscription at the beginning says. In any case, this is the quintessential hymn to biblical humanism.

On a spring morning in Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago, the world changed in an instant, at least as far as a small group of followers of a man who had been crucified were concerned. From their conviction that Jesus had been raised from the dead the Church of Jesus Christ sprang into being. Today we gather as part of that long tradition of those who have been drawn into the presence of Almighty God by the Man from Nazareth. Therefore let us, with post-Easter confidence, worship God.

Seasons come and seasons go, winter turns to summer in less than a week, and we observe in nature an intricate, interconnected pattern by which we are all sustained. Each Sunday we come together to praise the God who created us, sustains us, and redeems us. He bids us to come, but it is up to us to accept the invitation. Let us therefore, with the confidence of Christians who know themselves to be numbered among all God’s people, worship God.

All of us have had individuals who have assisted us in our journey as Christians. Today we shall consider the patriarch Abraham, the first of the great historical figures to enter the pages of the Bible. In so doing, we shall briefly examine his influence on subsequent religious development throughout the western world. We praise God for His guidance of this great and good man. Let us, with grateful confidence in the God of Abraham, worship the God of Abraham.

The world is filled with uncertainties and anxieties, as we have observed in matters political and meteorological this past week. In the midst of it, we wonder where we are headed. Wherever it is, we trust that God goes with us on the journey. Therefore we gather to worship Him, to give Him thanks, and to praise Him for His care of us even when our care for one another seems limited or frazzled. Let us join together to praise God, who always is beside us, and never abandons us.

Endings and beginnings: An old year ends, and a new year begins. In the unfolding pages of our lives, God goes with us on our individual and collective journeys. We thank Him for His presence with us and His guidance for our passage. We experience His saving grace every day, and we are redeemed anew to start over when we have faltered or have fallen. We gather as people who know ourselves to be sons and daughters of God, called by His grace into His family. Let us, with confidence for the new year, worship God.

We gather in worship on the day before the day which brings the greatest joy and satisfaction to young children, the greatest stress to young parents, and the greatest nostalgia to old people. Christmas is upon us, and Advent is ending. We bow before the God who sent a helpless baby into a world which had prepared no room for him. We thank God for His gift, and praise Him for bringing us to Himself by means of that gift. Therefore, let us with Christmas confidence, worship God!

Who was Jesus? How do we see him? How did he see himself? There are only two biographical references to Jesus from his own time apart from the four Gospels. The Gospels were written decades after Jesus lived and died. Today we shall focus on how Jesus perceived himself from two different and even conflicting episodes from the Gospel of Mark. As we do so, let us examine how we ourselves conceptualize the man whose title we bear, simply because we are here together. Let us, with expectancy, worship God.

Today marks the first day in a new year in the church calendar. The four Sundays before Christmas encapsulate the season of Advent. During Advent Christians once again prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Today we shall celebrate the sacrament of holy communion. As we begin the ecclesiastical new year, let us prepare our hearts and minds to receive him who comes into the world as the light of the world. Let us worship the God who sent Jesus Christ to transform the world and everyone in it.

Today marks the first day in a new year in the church calendar. The four Sundays before Christmas encapsulate the season of Advent. During Advent Christians once again prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Today we shall celebrate the sacrament of holy communion. As we begin the ecclesiastical new year, let us prepare our hearts and minds to receive him who comes into the world as the light of the world. Let us worship the God who sent Jesus Christ to transform the world and everyone in it.

The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by a wise old man who had lived long and observed much. Today we shall be thinking about some of the themes raised by this outstanding biblical writer, especially about old age. Whether we think God is near to us or far away, He is always present, always caring, always loving. Therefore to Him we come in praise and worship, thanking Him for life, for its longevity, and for His blessings to us every step along the way. Let us, with the confidence of the aging, worship God.

The nineteenth century American poet James Russell Lowell wrote, “We are living, we are dwelling, in a grand and awful time.” It is grand, because many wonderful advances have been made in science, medicine, and technology; awful, because there are indications that our culture is tearing itself apart. This morning we shall look at some examples of how our culture may be declining, what is God’s response to that, and what we personally can do about it. Let us therefore, with chastened hearts and minds, worship God.

Many things in life beckon us to turn them into idols: our nation, its flag, its history, our spouse, our children, our homes, freedom, democracy, and good health. God alone is worthy of anyone’s worship, and the Bible tells us that all forms of idolatry represent false gods. Today we shall examine a longstanding idol from our nation’s past. As we do so, let us once again turn to the God who created us, who sustains us, and who redeems us. Let us, with Sabbath praise, worship God.

We gather in worship, thankful that we personally are not facing another hurricane. But we have become painfully aware of people in Mexico and the Caribbean and Puerto Rico whose lives have been devastated by natural disasters, and we cannot erase from our minds their suffering and hardships. God is a God of mercy, and we implore his loving kindness to be felt by people who desperately need His strength in their weakened state. Therefore let us turn to God in worship, trusting that despite all, this is still our Father’s world.

Another hurricane comes our way. This time most of us were entirely spared significant damage, but millions of others have suffered major and minor losses. By now it should be obvious that God does not control the weather, but it also may become obvious that humanity is affecting it far more than we would care to admit or even contemplate. In the meantime, we gather again for worship, listening to the appeal Jesus makes to sinners. Since all of us fit readily into that category, let us, with Christian confidence, worship God.

Life is a gift from God, and without God we would have no life at all. Our lives are rich and colorfully textured, and filled with many kinds of people. How do we assess everyone around us? Jesus gave us instructions about that. His words are clear but complex, simple but complicated. Today we shall contemplate what it means to be useful members of the human community, and how we are to relate to one another. In anticipation, let us join with one another as we worship God.

This past week, the heavens were telling, as never before, the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimed His handiwork in a sight never before seen by millions of Americans. We gather to worship a God so immense and mysterious that the word “God” cannot possibly do His existence justice. Greatly limited as we may be, our Creator bids us come to Him in worship, not for His sake, but for ours. Let us therefore, with the sun eclipsed, but our faith ever-expanding as a result of it, worship God.