Liturgically Sacramental

These extracts from an article by the Internet Monk explain the significance of liturgy within the sacramental view of the corporate assembly of God's covenant people. As the writer makes clear, it really is a matter of substance over style. Consider clicking on the site and reading the entire article.
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"Most battles over worship in evangelicalism are about personal preferences with regard to style. What kind of music? Can we dress casually? Is the building and “worship space” marked by Christian symbols? To what extent should we use media and technology? Can I sip my latte while attending the service?

Bottom line, however, the nature of the service has changed little in the fundamental approach to its purpose. There may be (a lot more) singing, a praise band instead of organ, piano, and songleader, inclusion of drama, PowerPoint or video clips, and a casually dressed pastor who doesn’t stand behind a pulpit, but the “big event” remains the sermon, the “worship set” continues to prepare people to listen to the preacher, and the message is still designed to prompt a response. Today’s culture has replaced yesterday’s, that’s all. And this has led to conflict that has mainly erupted along generational lines and/or between those who are more “traditional” in their preferences vs. those who want church to be more “relevant.”


At the same time, many people have left revivalist traditions to join liturgical traditions—Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and others whose worship is based on an entirely different foundation.

It’s not that liturgical churches have “forms” whereas non-liturgical churches don’t. It’s not that liturgical churches always use traditional music. It’s not that liturgical churches do exactly the same things week after week whereas free churches are “spontaneous” and change things up all the time. The non-liturgical churches are often just as repetitive in their own patterns. These are all “style” matters, and while there are some generalizations that might be made about stylistic differences between liturgical and non-liturgical churches, this is not the main distinction between the two worlds.

At root, the difference is between a sacramental understanding of how God works, and a non-sacramental view.

This is where I return when I feel unworthy, day after day. I return to the Lord’s supper. It is there that I am accepted. It is there that I am forgiven. It is there that I am declared worthy. It is there where the last will and testament is read, and lo and behold…I am included! It is there that I receive a full share of the inheritance.

We also receive these gifts in the preaching and teaching of His Word, and in the words of Christian encouragement spoken between the brethren.
But the sacraments are something tangible. Something that we can actually see, feel, touch, smell, and taste.

■The liturgical tradition calls the church together for a much different reason. It holds that God’s family needs to live in the Gospel through regular sacramental gatherings. In worship we actually, literally, objectively receive the benefits of Christ’s finished work through Word and Sacrament, are nourished for our ongoing journey, and strengthened to live in new obedience by the Spirit who fills us through the tangible means God has provided."

Liturgy is not a style. It is the way God comes to us in grace.

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/liturgy-is-not-a-style