From The Pastors Desk August 11, 2013 "Playing People Out" There’s a delightful story that is told about George Frideric Handel, the great German composer who...well, you know!...the Messiah! I guess that sums him up pretty well. If you don’t know, you’d better get busy! I’m sure that you don’t want to end your days never having developed an appreciation for Handel’s Messiah, no matter what your musical taste might be! I’ll never forget the lonely, homesick Christmas seasons we spent in that faraway Hakka Village—the only home for miles around that even celebrated Christmas!—and coming in from those noisy Chinese streets to be met with the heavenly scent of Sharilyn’s Christmas fudge on the kitchen stove, and the mighty dominion of Handel’s Messiah thundering away on the living-room stereo! But to get back to my point: the story I read was about Handel’s astonishing ability at the keyboard. He was a powerful virtuoso; and one Sunday, on a journey away from home, Handel attended worship at a little country church. Recognizing him immediately, the pastor imploringly asked Handel if, at the end of the service, he might ‘play the people out’, which in those days was their expression for ‘playing nice music while the congregation disperses’. And so, when the service was over, after the benediction, the church’s regular organist—rather grudgingly, by the way—relinquished his place. Handel sat down and began to play with such power and mastery that, immediately, those who had already risen and were heading for the door turned back to listen and just stood there transfixed, while the others, who had not yet risen, just stayed in their seats, spellbound by what they were hearing. For several minutes this ‘concert’ continued, and that’s when the old organist began to complain. Turning to the great composer, he told Handel how obvious it was that he did not know the first thing about playing the people out, and advised him to give up the attempt and let him finish the job. Handel, very graciously gave up his playing. The mediocre musician then very proudly sat down and, within just a few short bars, completely emptied the church! Oh yes! He did know how to play the people out! And that’s one thing I don’t ever want to be good at; what about you? What I would love to see happening here in our church is what happened to Handel that day—at least for those few brief minutes anyway: people unwilling to leave; transfixed by what they have found here; spellbound by their brief encounter with the mighty Word and the mighty Worship of our God! That’s my hope for Sunday mornings! How do you feel about it? Do you think that could happen here? It will if certain things happen first; indispensable things that every church must have. Do you mind if I list them? I see three things at least... 1. People devoted to prayer. Every Wednesday evening I am meeting with people to pray! I pray for our church; I pray for God’s presence to be upon His people; I pray for our Sunday morning experience to set people’s hearts on fire—my heart most of all. Would you come join me in this if you can? It starts at 7 pm! 2. People who care about others. Did you know that the number one reason why visitors return to a church has nothing to do with the preacher and his message? He may be reason number three or four, but he’s not number one! That place belongs to you, dear ones! Research has shown that most visitors return to a church when they feel they have been among people who care! When they’ve felt accepted and welcomed. That tells me that our greeting time is huge, don’t you agree? Keep a keen eye out for new ones dear Christian!—many times they are ‘lost’ ones! We can’t afford to overlook them! Don’t sit with your friends; sit with them! Don’t just greet your friends; greet them! Make them your friends! Don’t leave any ‘islands’ in our church! ‘Islands’ are sad. And they sadden the heart of God. 3. People with receptive, expectant hearts. When we come together on Sunday morning, our hearts should be filled with expectation for an encounter with the Living God. Come with a heart prepared and receptive to the things God has to tell you each week. Bring your Bible, by the way. God has given you this precious book as a personal gift to you. It’s rude to just leave it behind every Sunday, don’t you think? Show Him you’re thankful for it by bringing it with you. And don’t come out of habit; don’t make it your ‘custom’! Come with the eager expectation that God will meet you in this place! Prepare your heart that way from the moment you get up. That’s not always easy to do—things (and kids!) will conspire!—but you can do it! You will be so greatly blessed if you do, and you’ll be such a blessing to others; they won’t want to leave! They’ll linger...Transfixed! Like I said, the last thing I want to be good at is ‘playing the people out’. I’m sure you agree. See you Sunday, RAS
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 16:55:16 +0000
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