DownloadJune 21 issue
Worship with God’s pueblo
By Isaac S. VillegasPage:
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DALLAS — The Bible study before the Sunday morning worship service of Iglesia Menonita Luz del Evangelio turns into a passionate sermon.
Villegas
A discussion of the story of Esther becomes a call to live as the pueblo de Dios — community of God — amid forces that seek to destroy the church.
Haman, the villain in Esther’s story, becomes a name for political leaders and immigration enforcement agents who sever the body of Christ by taking away los hermanos y hermanas del pueblo que no tienen papeles — brothers and sisters who are undocumented residents.
But, like the Jews in the story of Esther, tenemos que orar — we need to pray because some demons require prayer and fasting. Yet no matter what happens, the pueblo of God can have faith. Porque tenemos un abogado en el cielo, a la diestra del Padre — we trust in Jesus Christ, our heavenly immigration attorney, arguing on our behalf, defending our citizenship in the pueblo of God.
Among the various metaphors for describing the saving work of Jesus, we now have another: our Lord the immigration attorney, el Abogado en el cielo.
This good news from the Book of Esther echoes through the room, and the people can no longer remain in their seats. They rush to the front of the sanctuary. With hands reaching up into heaven, they pray aloud, a multitude of voices, prayers rising up into the throne room of God like the incense described in Revelation: worshipful prayers calling on God to set the world ablaze with lightening bolts of merciful justice.
Fuego, fuego, fuego, Pastor Juan Limones calls to heaven, el fuego del Espíritu Santo — the fire of the Holy Spirit. Santo, Santo, Santo, he prays from the stage with his head turned upward, llénanos con tu presencia — fill us with your presence.
The worship leader joins Limones on the stage and turns his prayer into an announcement of grace: El Señor quiere un pueblo liberado — the Lord desires a liberated pueblo.
She then prays for freedom through Christ: Libre, libre, libre en ti, Jesucristo. Aleluya! Libre en tu presencia.
In the midst of all the prayers and praises, the worship team takes the stage. The voices of the congregation unite to sing the words of the worship leader: Levanto mi corazón, levanto mi vida!
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