This audio for the Sunday morning sermon:
Churches choose from any number of different identities for themselves. They can be the “reverent church;” the “traditional church;” or the “friendly church.” However, to please God, they must above all be known as “pattern churches.”
As we continue to explore the avenues of Christian worship, we come to the act of giving. Along with praying, the Lord’s Supper, reading and preaching the Word of God, and singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, giving is an act of worship. It is God’s will that Christians return a portion of that which He has given to each and every one of us as a free will offering. God has always asked His people to freely give of their means in the form of an offering:
Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. — Exodus 25:2 NAS
The responsibility of giving is still required of God’s people. Paul told the Christians at Corinth: » Continue reading “How Should The Church Raise Money?”
One of the first impressions obtained by a visitor to our services today is the fact that mechanical instruments are conspicuous by their absence. Being so commonly used in churches of today, the fact that we do not use mechanical instruments of music causes surprise and wonder on the part of many and not infrequently the question is raised, “Why do churches of Christ refuse the use of instruments of music in worship?”
Essential to a proper understanding of this matter are two very important questions: First, “What is the purpose of our worship anyway?” The Scriptures are crystal clear that our worship must be for the purpose of pleasing our Heavenly Father, inasmuch as that is the design and end of all of our worship. Jesus said, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and » Continue reading “Did The First Century Church Use Instrumental Music In Worship?”
From the time “the morning stars sang together” at creation, and “all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7), to the song of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 14:1-5), singing is given great emphasis in the Bible.
Christianity is the religion of song. Ours is a courageous, victorious, singing faith. The privilege of singing praise unto God is part of a wonderful heritage—one of the grand blessings God gave His people. Singing has been a powerful force through the centuries. Our singing probably expresses and reveals our faith as truly as anything we do.
The divine motivation of singing is expressed and enjoined in the Scriptures: » Continue reading “Why Do We Sing In Worship?”
As the church was established in Acts the second chapter we read of the Christians worshiping in harmony with God’s will. We read that, “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42 NAS). Among the acts of worship mentioned is “prayer.”
Unfortunately there are many in our modern world that refuse to believe that God hears and answers prayers. These skeptics consider prayer a delusion. Even among Christians there are many who do not make use of prayer as God intended. With them prayer is often infrequent and ineffective. While they say they believe in prayer, they act as if they do not. Perhaps this is because they have never been » Continue reading “Is Prayer An Essential Requirement In Worship?”
The Bible reveals the nature and will of God to man and one of the great themes is worship. Although the Word of God tells us whom to worship, it never commands us simply to worship. But, does it really matter how we worship God?
In speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus stated the principles of proper worship to God when He said: » Continue reading “Does It Really Matter How We Worship God?”
The church of the New Testament assembled on the first day of the week (Sunday) to worship as Luke records, “And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul {began} talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7 NAS). The Lord’s church met for worship on Sundays for some very special reasons.
First, churches met on Sunday because some very important events happened on that day: » Continue reading “Why Did New Testament Churches Worship On Sunday?”
When Jesus promised, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18), He intended to make very important changes in the way people worshiped God. He established a new temple in which a new priesthood served. The assemblies, ceremonies, and offerings of the Israelite heritage ceased. Even the age-long argument between Jews and Samaritans as to the proper place of worship became irrelevant because both were now wrong (John 4:20-24).
In the place of perpetual animal sacrifices, the Messiah offered His blood once for all time (Heb. 10:12). In this act of laying down His life for the sins of the world He laid the foundation for a new temple—a structure composed not of lifeless stones, as in the old Temple, but of living souls. » Continue reading “How Did The Church Of The New Testament Worship?”
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