We Will, Spoken Together

All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Exodus 24:7

Read Exodus 24. Focus on verses 3 through 11. Moses tells the people the Lord's words and judgments. He writes them down. An altar is built, sacrifices are offered, and the book of the covenant is read aloud. The people respond together. The covenant is then ratified with blood. This is not a collection of individuals quietly choosing whichever parts of a teaching appeal to them. A people is entering a binding relationship with God. The public reading gives substance to their response. Their “we will” refers to words that have actually been spoken and heard. The blood ceremony is unfamiliar and solemn. It belongs to Israel's covenant setting and declares the seriousness of the bond being established. We are not instructed to reproduce it. We are asked to recognize that belonging to God is more substantial than admiring a religious idea. Afterward, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascend. The description of seeing the God of Israel is restrained, concentrating on what is beneath His feet. They eat and drink in His presence. Covenant includes obligation, and it also includes fellowship graciously granted by the holy God. The combination helps correct two shallow pictures of faith. One reduces relationship with God to rules without communion. The other imagines communion without any commitment that reaches our conduct. Exodus 24 holds God's word, the people's response, and a shared meal within one account. We understand something of this when making a serious promise. At a wedding, the vows explain what the celebration is celebrating. Without them, a gathering might be beautiful but unclear about the life being undertaken. Hearing the actual words matters because delight and responsibility belong together. Within Christian worship, we also speak and hear shared commitments. We confess faith, make baptismal promises, and receive the Lord's Supper. Jesus' words about the blood of the covenant deliberately draw on this biblical setting. His self giving establishes the communion Christians receive, and participation calls for a life responsive to Him. That does not mean every person in a congregation has equal understanding or that saying the words makes someone incapable of failure. Israel's coming failures will be painfully clear. It does mean we should resist speaking solemn words with no attention to their meaning. Listen to what you say together in worship. There may be a promise hidden by familiarity, a confession you rush, or a truth you have never asked someone to explain. Let your voice join the congregation with understanding. Shared words can become a serious act of belonging when we know whom we are addressing and what we are saying. Put It into Practice Read one familiar creed, vow, confession, or Communion passage slowly. Ask a trusted church leader about a phrase you do not understand before repeating it again.

Which words do you regularly say in worship without giving their meaning much attention?

Covenant Lord, bring understanding to the words I speak in worship. Let commitment and communion grow together. Thank You for receiving a people into fellowship and for calling our shared life to reflect Your character. Amen.