Things that repeat in church services:
- Reading Bible passages
- What we sing
- Offering
- Holy communion
- Sermon topics
- etc…
There are many aspects of church life that repeat. The list above is about church worship. Repetitive is one reason some people decide against church, or church services, because we re-do something, we go away, and then we re-do that re-do again the next week, and so on.
Repetitive could also be reason for some of us to repetitively return as it gives us stability. But that stability, sureness, or assurance, is not something restricted to human senses; it is coming into the presence of God, what’s more together with others. A community, meeting with God.
Leviticus 6:29 is one idea that has been said several times, perhaps in one “sitting” of the people to whom Moses was speaking. We find this repetitive. The context does not escape the fact that most people were unable to read. Further, very little or no religious and healthy instructions existed then, the first for spiritual satisfaction of the soul, the second physical satisfaction of the body and mind.
Often, an important instruction is repeated not so much because the receiver needs to hear it, again; in fact, sometimes it is the seriousness of the instruction the speaker put upon that leads them to repeat it.
- Remember to save the document.
- Check windows are closed when you leave.
- Tune the instruments before worship begins.
As receiver of such instructions or messages that we realise are repeated, it is the reason for the repeating that should focus our mind.
Checking the windows is to prevent burglary- To tune the instruments ensures we don’t start the worship with some of us out-tuning others, which will be chaotic!
- To regularly save the document prevents losing important changes.
What passages in the New Testament that repeat?
What themes do they speak about?
What are the important things these repeating passages want us to grasp?
