Praise: Conspiracy Theory and Practice

March 27, 2022 • Third Sunday in Lent
Scripture Reading: John 20:19-22 (adapted from The Inclusive Bible)
Rev. Dr. Heather Murray Elkins, Guest Preacher

“And are we yet alive?” Hallelujah. A good Wesleyan way to begin. Deep breath in. Now, breathe out. Hallelujah. It’s a primitive, pentecostal, and powerful sound but it can’t function in isolation. It’s a plural imperative linked to God’s name. 

A little Greek & Latin (Alleluia) connected to a Hebrew root, hallelu yah (You! (plural: you’all) Praise God!). Hallelujah is a holy human sound that expresses awe, love, praise of the Holy One, Origin, Redeemer, Sustainer, paradoxically revealed in personal and accessible relationships.

Hallelujah is a single sound with a hundred tonal interpretations. I’ve just finished my tax forms. H! He’s home from the hospital. H! Christ is risen! H!

Not only does this plural imperative apply to the human species, it voices the sound of all breathing creatures who live, and move and have their being in the Holy One.

            Hallelujah is breath set to music, and music is the means of holy/human connection, the hinge between heaven and earth.  This particular sound was originally the affirmation of faith sung and shouted by the laos, the people.  It is an ancient sound of praise in the psalms and evidence of con-spiring which literally means: breathing together.

Praise. Imperative and plural. You. Me. We. You, as a congregation, are gifted with praise and worship leaders. Singing is our shared breath of the body of Christ every Sunday. Do we not experience the real presence of Christ in our con-spiring with the Spirit in praise and song?

All hearts are healed, all fears released,
we feel God’s holy presence as we sing.”

Your invitation to preach on Praise sent me on a search through a website titled “Let Us Worship”. I share a key quote:

“As we have seen, the power of God anointed song can bring salvation to the lost; break the chains of those who are imprisoned in the dungeon of sin and death. Song can be used as a weapon of warfare to thwart the plans of the enemy and bring victory to God’s people.”[i]

“Salvation to the lost; Breaking the chains of those who are imprisoned in the dungeon of sin and death. Do I hear a Hallelujah? But, what about “songs that can be used as weapons of warfare? Alarm bells begin to go off so I keep scanning. There’s a scripture that’s primary. Sounds Wesleyan. 1 Chronicles 28:12-19 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple… and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD…for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD…

This single text apparently establishes the authority for a Davidic order of worship, but not only an order and culture of worship. It is an order for establishing a kingdom, a rule that will last forever. This tabernacle of David forms the center of Jesus’ government now and in the age to come. There’s a coffee cup in our house that reads: I can do all things through a verse taken out of context. It helps me with this next claim.

“The restoration of David’s tabernacle is the restoration of kingdom worship and authority. As the church learns and flows in the proper order of kingdom worship and authority we will see the fall of Babylon (this world’s system). We will see the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ.“

Now the reason part of Wesleyan worldview kicks in. What are the tent poles, truth claims of this Tabernacle?

• Musicians are the ones called and appointed to prophesy to the people through their music. Amen, but where are all the other forms of ministry and praise?

• This Blog creed then claims “All government and business will be influenced by the open heaven created by continual worship. (And the claim is King David’s worship choirs worked 24/7) When government is on the shoulders of Jesus, His Kingly authority is released in our midst.”(Hold that thought.)

• Davidic worship often features the use of prophetic psalmists, singers, shofars, intercessors, banners, tambourines, and dance. (So what happened to sermons, sacraments, or corporate prayers? I did appreciate the dance, banners, and tambourines, though))

• David’s Tabernacle was a tent holding the ark of the covenant representing the Presence and Glory of God. (Don’t get me started on Raiders of the Lost Ark.)  Now the real presence and power of the Lord is available whenever real praise happens.

(Why do I keep hearing the voice of Amos like an earworm “Take away from me the noise of your song. I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”)

What kind of practice flows from this theology of a Tabernacle of an ancient king? What theory of conspiracy might be framed in the strains of a song?  Here’s a clue: “Awake America “Don’t Let Them silence you. Tell Them: Let us worship!”

So where are they pitching their tent? In large praise and worship services held in major cities across the US in spite of the Covid restrictions. These are praise protests against those who tried to silence true believers’ singing, and prevent the raising of the Tabernacle of David. Those in government who ordered masking or banned large unmasked gatherings are accused of blaspheming against the Spirit.

(Not sure who the targets will be now the bans are lifted. Maybe just people who wear masks.)

“Powerful politicians and social media giants have engaged in uncharted abuses of religious liberty, silencing the faithful, banning our voices, and outright attacking our God-given right to declare his goodness. You! Praise!

What kind of Hallelujah will this be? I watched the celebration of the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem in the spring of 2018. It marked the 70th Gregorian anniversary of the creation of the modern state of Israel. There was pomp and circumstance, political speeches and an impressive procession of flags. What startled me was the song featured in this political reconstruction of King David’s Tabernacle. A trio sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Why, I wondered? Didn’t they didn’t hear the prophetic irony of the song?

“And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
But listen love, love is not some kind of victory march, no
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.”

What kind of hallelujah we sing depends on who the subject of the imperative is. God? Which god is this? Is the imperative imperial? If all authority rests on the shoulder of Jesus, what kind of power rests on one who carries a cross? Who is this king?

Listen. Can you hear the wind of the Spirit stirring?

Scripture: Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 
Having said this, the Savior showed them the marks of crucifixion.

The disciples were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, who said to them again,
“Peace be with you. As Abba God sent me, so I’m sending you.”

After saying this, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
The Risen One stands in our midst. See, there are the marks of suffering love. (Hands)

And the Beloved breathes Peace on us. Think about that breath, that con-spiring. The Beloved breathes peace on those who betray, those who deny, those who remain silent, those who are afraid. Peace, the Spirit comes breathing forgiveness like pure oxygen into our collapsed lungs. Peace, the Spirit breathes, con-spiring with us, healing our broken Hallelujahs.

And so, in this time of not knowing what the future holds for us as a church, a nation, a world, we can join in the last song that John Wesley sang:

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath; and when my voice is lost in death,
praise shall employ my nobler powers. My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
while life, and thought, and being last, or immortality endures.
Hallelujah.

Copyright © 2022 by Heather Murray Elkins
All rights reserved.

[i] Quotes from twww.abernacleofdavid.org.au and https//justworship.com

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