Sunday, December 24, 2017 am
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH 2017
Worship and the Church (3)
Worshipping God in Truth
We
are continuing our study of the NT church.
We are in the midst of a study of its worship.
We have defined worship noting that it involves God as its
object, both a proper attitude as well as actions.
We noted it is a work of the church.
And last week we addressed worshipping God in spirit – that is,
with a proper attitude. We
noted that God demands purity of heart and proper motives in our
worship. We also noted that
each of the acts of worship included the heart.
Today, we continue our study by noting HOW we are to worship God
in truth.
In
this lesson we want to examine the 5 acts of worship we can engage in
when we assemble together and notice how each act is discussed in the
New Testament.
a.
God has always demanded
we worship properly.
He gives us a pattern.
This is manifested from the beginning.
Even in Genesis 4, the first sacrifice, it is implied there was a
pattern. Abel followed it
and Cain did not.
b.
The Bible condemns
corrupted and vain worship, etc.
Again, from the beginning, we see this.
Matthew 15:7-9, when we create and bind manmade traditions, it makes our
worship to God vain.
1 Corinthians 11:18-22 – what they were doing was NOT the Lord’s Supper.
They were condemned.
1 Corinthians 14 – their lack of orderliness and competitive attitudes
and actions were condemned by God.
Colossians 2:23 speaks of self-imposed religion and false humility, etc.
The KJV uses the expression, “will worship” meaning one who
worships according to his own will rather than God’s will.
c.
True worship includes:
Only following the New
Testament pattern – the Old Law was nailed to the cross.
Ephesians 2:14-15, Colossians 2:14, etc.
Even John 4:22-24 – the context, the hour is coming…
Following the pattern He has
given us – God’s instructions about HOW to worship Him is not an
accident. We must respect
the boundaries of scripture – 1 Corinthians 4:6
Colossians 3:17 tells us that whatever we do, it must be “in the name of
the Lord.
d.
As the church, let us
ensure that all is in place to worship truthfully. Facilitate our
singing together, leaders to orderly conduct the service, removal of
distractions, etc.
e.
Do not fellowship those
who are practicing or teaching error
– Ephesians 5:11, Romans 16:17-18, etc.
f.
There are 5 acts of worship recorded in the NT that Christians engaged in.
Study and preaching of the word,
prayer, singing, the Lord’s Supper and giving.
Some of these were done publicly, others could be done both
privately and publicly. But
in the assembly, when we worship God, there are guidelines we need to
follow. Consider each act of
worship.
a.
Prayer is a privilege
for Christians that is often taken for granted.
It is the prayers of the godly that God hears (answers).
This is true of all our prayers, including those offered when we
assemble together.
b.
A simple description of
prayer is: Speaking to God in a manner He prescribed for us to do so.
c.
Christians in the first
century also prayed when they assembled together – Acts 2:42, 1
Corinthians 14:14-15, Acts 12:5, 4:23-31, etc.
d.
In our worship services
we typically offer several prayers to God.
We begin our service with a prayer, we have a “main prayer”,
prayers for the Lord’s Supper and possibly giving, and a closing prayer.
Sometimes more are added to these as warranted (for brethren that
respond to the invitation).
e.
Public prayers involve:
i.
Praising God – Acts
2:47, Matt. 6:9 – as Jesus taught us how to pray He began with hallowing
God.
ii.
Thanksgiving –
Colossians 4:2, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it
with thanksgiving;” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 supplications, prayers,
intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men.
iii.
Praying for one another
– James 5:16
iv.
Making requests of God –
Matthew 6:11, 13 – our daily bread, lead us not into temptation, etc.
Opportunities to reach the lost, for our brethren who are wandering
away.
v.
Forgiveness of sins –
Matthew 6:12
vi.
In Jesus name – 1
Timothy 2:5, He is our Mediator; 1 John 2:1-2 – He is our advocate.
Colossians 3:17 says we give thanks to God the Father “through Him.”.
Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always for all things to God the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
f.
Thoughts on public
prayer
i.
We must be reverent –
while a particular position is not specified, a reverent heart is.
Typically, we show respect by closing our eyes and bowing our
heads.
ii.
It should be appropriate
–for the occasion – general prayers should be for all, specific prayers
consider their purpose (Lord’s Supper, giving, closing prayer,
intercessions for a struggling brother, etc.)
In the end, we should be able to say, “Amen” (1 Cor. 14:16).
iii.
Avoid vain repetitions
(Matt. 6:7) - Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees as loving to be
heard for their many words (Matt. 6:5, Matt. 23:14, etc.).
Prayer needs to be from the heart and not for the purpose of
letting others know how gifted you are in your prayers.
a.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
finds Paul addressing the Lord’s Supper in Corinth.
In this text he observes that it was something they WERE to be
doing, but he also notes that what they were doing was NOT the Lord’s
Supper (1 Cor. 11:20). Their
attitude was wrong, and their actions were equally wrong.
b.
The Lord’s Supper is to
be offered:
i.
On the first day of the week
– Acts 20:7. A study of the New Testament shows definitively
that saints assembled every Sunday to worship God.
While the word “every” is not used in Acts 20:7, we find
frequency which necessarily implies they did it weekly.
ii.
It was done when they assembled together
– Acts 20:7, the disciples came together.
1 Corinthians 11:17, 20ff.
The context lends to it being an act of the assembly.
Vs. 33-34 also imply this as Paul says, “Therefore, my brethren, when
you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry,
let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I
will set in order when I come.” (1 Corinthians 11:33–34)
iii.
It was not a full meal, but a memorial using (unleavened) bread and fruit
of the vine –
again 1 Corinthians 11:22 points out that they can eat in their homes.
THEN, Paul emphasizes the elements to be used and their purpose.
Furthermore, the account of the institution of this memorial by Jesus
shows that. While it was
during the Passover meal that the elements were introduced, we note they
were NOT a part of that meal but distinguished.
Luke 22:19-20 shows this as Jesus took the cup “after supper” and
gave it to them. (Note: Both
Matt. 26:26-27 and Mark 14:22-23 state that Jesus took bread “as they
were eating” – we can reconcile these statements by observing that Jesus
took elements that were part of the supper and set them aside and
instituted the Lord’s Supper afterward – cf. Luke 22:17).
iv.
With each element, there was giving of thanks
– keeping the memorial
solemn (i.e. not part of a festive meal) – Matthew 26:26, 27.
c.
The Lord’s Supper is a
memorial of the death of Jesus for our sins.
We must keep this in mind as we partake. 1 Corinthians 11:27-31
warns us of partaking of this in an unworthy manner, “not discerning the
Lord’s body.”
d.
While not mandated in
scripture, typically we offer a song and sometimes a scripture reading
or a short talk to help us focus on this important act of worship.
e.
In it, we proclaim the
Lord’s death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26)