Why Worship?
God our Creator and Christ as our Savior are worthy of praise.
Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for pleasure {will} they are and were created.”
Revelation 5:9 & 12, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ” and “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
How do I Worship?
According to God’s pattern. We see that from the beginning of the Bible, God has desired that man would worship Him. It is evident that the created would not know how to express worship or reverence for the Creator unless the Creator revealed the expressions of suitable praise, love, and honor. God seeks those that worship Him in spirit and truth.
John 4:23, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
God has revealed a pattern throughout his word of how to express our worship to Him when we gather together. In the Old Testament God did not leave man to his own devices or ingenuity to decide how to express praise, love, or honor to Him.
Hebrews 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
The same is true of the New Testament where the Apostle Paul reminds us to follow the precepts of God when expressing praise, love and honor to Him.
I Corinthians 11:2, “Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you”.
I Corinthians 14:37, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”.
It is a true saying that the expressions of worship in the Old Testament and New Testament are not the same, but all expressions of worship under any covenant must be ordained by God. Otherwise, how could it be said that our worship is by faith?
Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh”.
The heart of the worshipper must be the same regardless of the covenant they are under. Worship is an expression of praise, love, and honor to God and must be conducted according to His pattern.
The Pattern for Worship
The Church of Christ meeting at 3295 Shaddick Road in Waterford endeavors to worship God according to His revealed will and His will alone.
When do we worship?
The congregation meets on the first day of the week as we see the early church did in Acts 20:7.
Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight”.
What are the expressions of worship?
- Prayer
We reverence God through prayer as commonly found within the New Testament.
Acts 2:42, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
- A Cappella Singing
The congregation together lifts their voices in praise to God as found within the New Testament.
Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”.
- Teaching and Edification
The bringing of men to the faith and the building of faith in the child of God can only be done by the hearing of the word of God.
Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
I Thessalonians 2:13, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually work also in you that believe.”
The edification of the assembled Christians is of constant focus throughout the teachings of the New Testament.
Ephesians 4:15-16, “But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
- The Lord’s Supper
When we gather each first day of the week we remember our Lord’s death by partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
I Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he break it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood,: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
- The Contribution
The assembled members of the congregation contribute financially for the work of the church, at this gathering only, motivated by cheerful gratitude for the abundant hand of the Lord and not by solicitation.
I Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
II Corinthians 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
We welcome you to gather with us, as we seek to give honor to Him whom honor is due, and to proclaim Heaven’s truth on earth in love.
