We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

FROM NICO SWENSON

Some times I think we need cheerleads in the church. Ya know? 

People dressed in spunky outfits hoping around and shouting 

"We've got spirit yes we do...!"

And then I think

well...

that's what we've got children in the church for.

Little people that we dress up in  embarrassing costumes.

and then 

we make them sing happy songs about 

love

and 

joy

and

stuff in there hearts. 

but the rest of us 

no 

we're not fooled 

we know that the heart is just a cardiovascular muscle behind our rib cage... 

a whole lot more gruesome than the baboon-butt shaped, red thing we used to make out of construction paper. 

We come because we're supposed to 

we say the call to worship

because it's written on the page

we say the lords prayer 

because otherwise we don't get communion. 

But where are our souls? 

It seems to me like we've

We've lost the faith of a child.

That sense of enthusiasm and wonder for God

and for the world around us.  

and most of us are only college aged! 

We're too young to loose that sense of vivaciousness. 

in fact, 

A human is always too young to loose that sense of vivid living. 

To loose that child-like spunk. 

That passion. 

We need to reawaken 

That invigorated state of being that some people call praise. 

The comedian Eddie Izzard has a small skit I always think about when I think about the state of our church 

Though his is about the church of england

John Wesley is only one step away 

and it seems to be applicable to a number of today's faith's and denominations. 

Anywho

In Eddie Izzard's skit 

he makes parody of the way we sing 

Dropping his jaw low and giving a droop to his eyes

he sings "Hallelujah" 

in such a dismal apathetic fashion 

you'd think his cat just got run over by a snowmobile 

and the best and most frightening part of this video 

is that every time I see it all I can do is say 

it's so... 

true! 

So as funny as it is...

What do we do about it?

Let's look into our scripture for some insight 

Psalm 100 gives us some pretty thrilling statements 

The whole Earth giving Praise?!

Singing Joyfully?! 

Forever Loving?! 

Can we really embrace these ideas?

...and still sing Hallelujah

without any meaning?! 

Joyful Joyful we adore thee doesn't sound the same 

without the joyful joyful 

can we really sing about an 

Amazing Grace?! 

That sounds fantastic right?! 

Right?!
but if the answer's no

Well then we might as well 

pack up right now

shut off the lights

and never open the church again. 

But we don't do that. 

We don't because there's something there

something in the beauty of this world 

some truth in compassion 

some small flame in our heart begging to burst forth.

I know some of you are thinking 

Yes, but I can sing well

or I can't sing loud 

et cetera et cetera 

but a while back my youth director Leslie Hobson told me something 

very important

she said

its not how you sing that God cares about

but why you sing. 

However,

maybe you're thinking 

well,

i don't even like to sing

Or 

What spark?

I don't feel any spark! 

But then too, the scripture of the soul still speaks to us.

Roman's 12

11-12

Tells asks us to always be fervent and sincere 

it is not about 

always being happy

we won't always be perky cheerleaders 

and God doesn't expect us to. 

God simply asks us not to be apathetic

but to let open our hearts 

To express that we are beings with souls

with emotions

with needs and desires

hopes and fears

yes, 

be joyous soulfully

but if you are mourning then mourn soulfully

That's the story behind the song it is well with my soul

The author Hartio Spafford 

Had his financial life ruined because of the chicago fire

and then shortly after, had his four daughters died in a boat crash

crossing the atlantic ocean. 

on his way across the ocean to meet his wife who had survived

passing across the spot where his daughters has passed away. 

He wrote that song

He opened his heart 

and expressed a strong, 

strong hope 

and a torrent of passion

a strength of the soul 

that he let pour out of him

And when we sing a song like that

we have to do it justice!

and when we are here together 

we hearts and souls

joys and concerns 

we have to do each other justice 

and really be here.

that is why we are called together into a community

To open our hearts to each other

so that we may express how our spirit is doing

to be here for each other

to reinvigorate each other  

That's how God is working through you

here 

and in all your other communities 

giving out 

a

true

tangible person

to share in struggles 

and blessings

and be there for each other with zeal and sincerity! and Spirit! 

to be each others rock and foundation 

so that God can be our rock and foundation 

Let's be each other's cheer leaders and really cheer each other on

I've got spirit yes I do 

I've got spirit how 'bout you? 

'Cause you're here to give it to God. 

So let it out

And if not here 

then 

somewhere

You all know what get's you going

whether it's the violin

or algorithms 

or the smell of wet asphalt

God has put plenty here for us to start getting excited about

We owe it to God to not take these things for granted 

but to express our thanks and our love for God

through our vivid interactions with the things and activities and people

that really get us going

if not here

then where in your life are you praising God?

letting it go?

Showing of your soul?

bursting forth like a flame onto this earth

with passion

and might

and fervent energy?

It's something we've gotta do.  

and it's part of being human.    

It's part of rejoicing the way God made us. 

One last note on this 

because it is the season of advent 

and we have yet to address the call to worship 

which I would like to do. 

Today is the Advent day for preparation 

the day we light the Bethlehem candle 

and this, is a candle that I think we easily 

arrive at with a sense of apathy

but we shouldn't

this if anything

is calling us to action

calling us to be awake

and aware

as Cody preached about last Sunday 

Now is the time to dust of the shelves in your hearts

and decorate them with ornate poetry 

to life up banisters in our selves that welcome the work

to light the candles behind our eyes 

and to let the warmth of our internal being's 

flow out through our mouths 

and into the hand our neighbors and companions 

We've got spirits 

yes we do 

and now is the perfect time to start showing it.