Acts 2:42 - Prayer In Worship

Acts 2:42 - They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Message: Prayer in Worship

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying: We have been studying Acts in our Sunday School class on Sunday morning. It has been good. The teacher is great and he has taught me things about studying scripture. Lately, reminding me to ask questions as I am reading and studying. For instance, just looking at this verse in Acts I see that the church body was all in. They had an eagerness to study and listen to the apostles teaching. They wanted to be together in fellowship. And they came together to break bread and to be in prayer. It mentions that they were continually devoting so it was obviously very important in their lives. I see this in our class. I think the teacher leads us in this excitement towards God's word and studying it and everyone in the class has the same excitement and fervor. Meaning it is catching on easily. 

Specifically, today's lesson is highlighting prayer. So as these folks were together they were together in prayer. 

Praying is a part of scripture. I Kings 8 is a great example of this when Solomon prays in the temple. That prayer sounds like a prayer that could be said in most churches today. The book of Psalms is a prayer book and these prayers can also become songs to sing to Him. Paul writes in Colossians 3:16 that we are to teach and admonish “one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God.”

Summary: Prayer is a private devotion, but it is also a public proclamation that we need to do in public settings. 

Promise: When we sing hymns or pray in unison, let us do so with our hearts and minds fully engaged.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of prayer, for uniting the body of Christ and my marriage and my friendships and even a family saying the blessing for food and thankfulness for provision of food. You bring us together in these prayers and remind us God that you are on the throne and you are to be praised and glorified. Thank you for always listening and showing me daily that you are there and know what I need. Keep us in our churches praying and trusting in You. 

I Timothy 4:13 - Exhortation and Teaching in Worship

I Timothy 4:13 - Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 

Message: Exhortation and Teaching in Worship

Time: Paul is writing to a young pastor in Timothy. He is writing to Timothy in about AD 63, who is serving the church in Ephesus. He is writing about church leadership and organizing the church. Paul gives practical and pastoral advice. 

What the Lord is Saying: This passage gives attention to three items -- reading, exhortation and teaching. The time of this writing is 66-67 AD and one wonders what scriptures were read. It is thought that perhaps the Gospel of John was already a part of scripture at this time. The main thought is readings were from the Law and Prophets. For the Jews, it had been the practice previously to read from the Law and Prophets. 

Exhortation implies feeling or the personal application of what is read. There is time to think and discuss how the words are then put into practice. 

And finally teaching. There is some sort of teaching of what the Word of God meant. Thus, understanding the context but also understanding present day application. 

As I think about this words, I think about the public reading - for me this takes place when the pastor gives his message on Sunday. At our current church, there isn't a separate time of reading scripture, but only when the pastor does the lesson, but he always does take the time to read the scripture text and not just launch into his message. And then he teaches, telling us what these words meant and as he does this he helps us to understand the context for that day and the application for the day. But, I have never been in a worship service in which discussion occurred. After this I go to Sunday School and it is still a larger group gathering and once again I think because of the area, it allows for a little more back and forth between teacher and those in the class, but it is mostly gaining the teacher's perspective from the lesson. 

Currently, I spend time during the week doing these lessons, but my frequency in doing them is not real consistent because my wake up times and sometimes my morning activities are not consistent. Right now, I am not spending much other time meeting with people. My weekly men's time is occasional, both with my long standing group but then also with a man I had met with to keep accountable. And I still to this day barrage myself with multiple lessons throughout the week, multiple points of emphasis. This has always affected me and made me wonder. How much is enough. 

Something else i notice from this passage are the word, Until I come. So does this mean that we are to practice this until Christ comes a 2nd time? And does this also mean or can we then infer that this means that once he comes we will no longer need to be in a setting of public reading, exhortation and teaching? 

Summary: Until Christ comes again, I need to be in a setting in which there is public reading of scripture, it is taught through and explained for application to my life. 

Promise: I play in part in this in supporting this time of leadership. 

Prayer: O God, thank you for placing me in good environments in which the Word of God is spoken and taught in an expository manner. Thank you for Tommy Nelson and his encouragement throughout these many years, but I also thank you for John Torrison, Norm Boshoff, Wayne Barber, Eric Christensen, Joshua Swanson, Chad Francis and now Lamar Morin and many others like Charles Swindoll and John MacArthur who have continued to help me understand your truths. Protect these people and continue to raise up new leaders like them to speak your truths. Help me to know when I need to be vocal. 

I Timothy 4:13 - Reading Scripture in Worship

I Timothy 4:13 - Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 

Message: Reading Scripture in Worship

Time: Paul is writing to a young pastor in Timothy. He is writing to Timothy in about AD 63, who is serving the church in Ephesus. He is writing about church leadership and organizing the church. Paul gives practical and pastoral advice. 

What the Lord is Saying: I think one of the things that is hard for me to reconcile sometimes is this idea that there is freedom in Christ and yet does that permit us to do anything that we believe to be glorifying to God or do we still have rules about how we are to worship. Galatians 5:1 says, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a joke of slavery." And yet that freedom is contrasted from slavery and the freedom is from the law. This is the context and yet I think we often take the word freedom and apply different definitions to it. As I think about worship services and even what we do in our churches, I wonder if we take time to seriously consider the words of Scripture. It is possible that we do. This text today mentions reading of Scripture. In some churches I've been to, there has been a separate reading time of Scripture from the preaching time, but the Pastor also is able to do this, as ours does currently when he gives his message. 

These words from I Timothy about reading scripture at the time would have meant the reading of Old Testament scripture since the New Testament had not yet been completed. And yet it is possible that early versions of the Gospel writings might have been read. This was a custom that was brought forth from the Jewish Synagogue (Deuteronomy 31:10-13; 2 Chronicles 17:9). In the few times I attended a Jewish Synagogue as a kid, I remember this occurring. 

It seems that reading from Scripture is important because it highlights to the congregants the emphasis on the Bible and it helps the congregation get more acquainted with the Word of God. It also seems clear that the Word of God is meant to be read aloud. It seems that for about the first 1500 to 1600 years of the church this was the only means someone had of hearing scripture. The printing press was not around yet or was just being developed so most people heard the word rather than read it themselves. That to me is an amazing idea given that today we take it for granted that the Scriptures are so readily available. I'll never forget talking to a couple in the mall who had the Bible in their home but never read from it for they believed that was the job of the priest in the church. It was amazing to me that even after 500 years of the printing press that people were still subscribing to this type of thinking. But it is also a good reminder that scripture is meant to be read in Public. 

As a note, I've also learned that pious Jews even in Old Testament times might have had a copy of the scripture to read in their homes. 

Summary: From the earliest history of God's people, we have gathered to hear God's word read aloud. 

Promise: God works through the reading of His Word. Let us take advantage of any opportunity we have to hear God's word read to us. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me understand the importance of reading your Word aloud, as we gather together with others. I appreciate that this has been something I have seen practiced throughout my life. Scripture was read to me even before I knew how to read and it has continued in public gatherings to help emphasize to me the importance of this book. Thank you for giving me this high view of Scripture. 

Hebrews 12:18-28 - Heavenly Worship

Hebrews 12:18-28 - 18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

Message: Heavenly Worship

Time: Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering. They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution. The opinions on the author of Hebrews has varied.

What the Lord is Saying: Last month I made some progress in studying scripture and completing these studies in Tabletalk. But, I had a little shift occur on July 31st at church, realizing that I had not been praying like I should and need to pray. So my morning time in the Word has been interrupted of late by spending more time praying. I do this by walking about 15-20 minutes in the morning. I suppose I get a little distracted by morning activities and often pulling weeds in the yard, a practice that continues year after year. But that prayer time has been good, though now I look at this passage of scripture to study and wonder how long it will take me to get through it. 

At first glace, I read this passage and scratch my head, wondering what it is saying. It is from that book of Hebrews which to me has often been a book that bridged or brought themes from the Old Testament more than any other book of the New Testament though they all do it. It is probably the book of the New Testament that has been preached the least. I took a moment and found my favorite preacher/teacher, Tommy Nelson having done a study through Hebrews during quarantine time in 2020: https://dentonbible.org/media/media-library/view-series/qbs-hebrews/ - I listened to a lesson from him on the way into work, but that lesson was more focused on the latter part of this text where it seems the first is what is speaking more of heaven. 

The idea from Tabletalk is when we worship on earth, we are also worshipping in heaven. That true worship, by the Spirit moves us into a realm that is not carnal, not earthly. While we are here on earth singing and being in worship, we are practicing something that will be foundational in heaven. Revelation is often viewed as the end times book or the book of heaven and in this book "worship" is mentioned 24 times. Revelation 7:9 leads us up to the throne of God and it is here where worship seems central. 

Hebrews 12 begins with the idea that the Christian will "run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus." Thus, our life is lived in such a way that we are worshipping Him as we live - our eyes fixed on Jesus. Is this not what praise should be about as we gather - giving praise to Jesus. Now the text goes on to mention discipline and its importance. And then it tells us to pursue peace with men which to me speaks of evangelism and bringing us all under the unity of Christ. But then verse 18 begins to speak more fully of coming into the presence of God. In verse 22, we come to Mount Zion, to to the city of the living God. Isaiah 8:18 says The Lord of Hosts who dwells on Mount Zion. Psalm 74:2 which says, Mount Zion, where Thou hast dwelt. 

And thus in verse 18 we read "For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched." The substance of man and God are different. We have this respect when we enter into the presence of God. And here we enter Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem...and to the spirit of righteous men made perfect. And then in verse 18, embracing Jesus, since Jesus is present (v. 24) we show gratitude, offering to God and acceptable service with reverence and awe.  

And thus our worship enters this heavenly realm, Mount Zion, where God, where Jesus resides. 

Summary: The city of the living God is mount Zion, in heaven and so when we worship God we enter into this heavenly city while we are also here on earth. 

Promise: Our worship should be worthy of heaven itself because we are actually worshipping in heaven every Lord's day. 

Prayer: O Lord, I appreciate this lesson so that I can remember that worship is heavenly, that as I enter into worship, I enter into the presence of God. It makes sense to me that worship is in a beautiful place like a stately church or the creation of God in the outdoors. These places beg us to worship because we enter them with a reverence for you as we enter where you reside, where you live. Help me Lord to realize that I can sing out to you in these places. Thank you that worship can be done anywhere. I marvel at how songs can sort of transport me to a heavenly place. I thank you for voices and instruments that played to you clearly glorify You. Thank you for prayer and the joy of praying and being with others in prayer and how this is worship. 

Revelation 1:10 - The Time of Worship

Revelation 1:10 - I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

Message: The Time of Worship

Time: John mentions himself 4 times as author. It was written around the year 95 on John's exile to the island of Patmos after preaching the gospel to Asia. Revelation comes from the Greek word for apocalypse and refers to an unveiling. The book is about the tribulation period with symbolic language, giving us the end of the story -- Jesus will once and for all heal the wounds of sin, reign for a thousand years on earth, then re-create the world into a place that represents God's original design.

What the Lord is Saying: The previous lesson talked about place of worship and helped me see that worship can take place beyond church walls and even beyond a city such as Jerusalem. Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman and the Samaritans believed that Mount Gerizim rather than Jerusalem was the place that God needs to be worshiped. But with Jesus words that we are to worship in spirit and truth is the lesson to us today that place is not the issue, but rather the Spirit of God and God's truth is what is key. Now it seems funny to say that church is therefore confined to a day of the week. It seems rather the lesson is to set aside one day, a Sabbath day for Him, as a day that is different from other days to corporately worship. 

And so today's lesson wonders if that day to either Saturday or Sunday or can it be any day. Once again, the words from the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) seem necessary to review. I really enjoy the summary of the WCF and what it says. Can't believe I've never really studied these words before. WCF 1.6 

6. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

What this says is there are specifics and there are concluding thoughts that can be seen from all of Scripture as it pertains to salvation, faith, life, worship and government of the Church. 

The Seventh-day Adventists believe that God instituted the Sabbath as the seventh day and this has never been changed in Scripture and so this is what should remain. There are a few instances in which Jesus mentions the Sabbath but it is in the context of speaking of the Law of Moses. Colossians 2:16 Paul mentions the Sabbath in reference to a teaching. Most every other church practices that since Christ's resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, we seem to have Apostolic precedent for changing the Sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st day. 

Acts 20:7 - And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.  

I Corinthians 16:2 - On the first day of the week let each of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 

And then also today's passage which speaks of the Lord's day, the only mention of the Lord's day in Scripture. In other words, there are some sort of references. And yet it seems that we focus on Sunday's more because of the resurrection and historically it seems there was a desire to shed the custom's of the Jews and be different and distinct. 

Summary: Christ's resurrection took place on the first day of the week and so there is ample warrant for setting aside Sunday as the time of obligatory Christian worship. 

Promise: Let us take our responsibility to worship and rest on the Lord's day seriously and make the most of our corporate gatherings every week. 

Prayer: Lord, you are good and desire us to worship and know you through our service at church. Lord, it is hard to deal with all of the differences between Christians even today. I pray we can celebrate these differences and be more focused not on who is right but that we are desiring to know You and worship You.