Worship and the Church

INTRODUCTION

§ We come once again to the third and final part of our little mini-series on worship

§ At the start of last week's message, I posed a question to you:

What is the heart of God? What does God desire most?

§ And we saw from John 4:24 the answer to that question:

God is seeking worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and truth

§ And we dived into that text and saw the reality of the shift that took place as Christ brought the Mosaic Covenant to the end and instituted the New Covenant and all the good things that the OT system pointed to.

§ So as we close out this series, I have yet another question for you:

Why do we come to church?

§ Or, to put it more personally...so I can start stepping on toes from the start!

Why do YOU come to church?

§ It's an intriguing question...and one that seems to have a very simple and obvious answer:

We come to church to worship!

§ That's at least the traditional answer.

§ But as we've seen over the past two weeks, worship goes way beyond singing songs and listening to sermons.

§ As transformed people redeemed and set free through Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, worship is a life-consuming enterprise.

§ As on writer put it:

The New Testament knows no holy persons who substitutionally perform the service of God for the whole people of God, nor holy places and seasons or holy acts, which create a distance between the cultus and the life of everyday and every place. All members of the church have access to God (Rom 5:2) and a share in the Holy Spirit; all of life is service to God; there is no 'profane' area.

§ So if Christians...

Ø have been saved by God through the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

Ø have been buried and raised with him in new life

Ø have been freed from slavery to sin

Ø have been empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit

§ And if Christians...

Ø are supposed to present their bodies a living sacrifice

Ø are supposed to worship God in every sphere of life

Ø are supposed to worship God in every place of life

§ Then it follows that when Christians gather together in a building, on a Sunday morning, it CAN'T be WORSHIP per se that brings them together!

§ We can't say, "I go to church on Sunday because that's where and when I worship"

Ø We worship everywhere! So we aren't going to church "to worship"!

§ On the other hand, because we worship in every sphere of life, we it would be equally invalid to suggest that worship DOESN'T happen when the church gathers!

§ WHAT, THEN IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR GATHERING?

§ HOW DOES THE CHURCH "ENGAGE WITH GOD" (WORSHIP) IN A CORPORATE SENSE?

§ HOW IS WORSHIP UNIQUELY EXPRESSED IN THE CORPORATEGATHER ING OF THE CHURCH THAT SETS IT APART FROM WORSHIP AT THE LEVEL OF THE INDIVIDUAL?

§ ANSWER: The church gathers...

Ø to encourage each other

Ø to edify each other

And as we do those things, we engage with God in a unique, corporate sense

1. TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER

1 CORINTHIANS 3

Context

§ Addressing immaturity in Corinthian assembly

Ø They were fleshly (3a)

Ø There was internal discord (3b)

Ø There was spiritual rivalry (4)

§ AGRICULTURAL METAPHOR

Ø Worker's identification isn't important (5)

Ø Each worker has a role (6)

Ø But God is the one causing the growth (6b-7)

Ø He calls the church God's FIELD (9)

§ CONSTRUCTION METAPHOR

Ø Church is God's BUILDING

Ø Paul is "master builder" laying foundation (10a)

Ø Other workers are building on foundation (10b)

Ø Warning:careful how you build on foundation (10c)

Ø Christ is the only foundation (11)

Ø Quality work will survive God's test (12-14)

Ø Poor work will not survive (15)

§ TEMPLE METAPHOR

Ø "Do you not know" - Corinthians understood this fact

Ø "that you are God's temple" - ENTIRE CHURCH

Ø "and that God's Spirit dwells in you"

Ø God dwells among them--they are HIS TEMPLE

Ø "if anyone destroys God's temple" - unbelievers

Ø "God will destroy him" - judgment

Ø WHY? "For God's temple is holy" - no defilement

Ø God is concerned that His temple remains undefiled

Ø The church's infighting and divisions were DEFILING God's temple--the church

2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:1 - same line of thinking

Context

§ Paul defending his apostolic ministry

§ 6:1-10 - outlines credentials for true gospel ministry (contrasts with false apostles)

§ 6:11-13 - appeal to reorient affections to him

§ Corinthians needed to completely sever ties w/ world

"Do not be bound together with unbelievers" (14a)

§ "Be bound together" - to be mismatched

§ Principle flows from the OT law

§ Deuteronomy 22:9-11 - 3 prohibitions

Ø Don't sow with different kinds of seed

Ø Don't plow with different kinds of animals

Ø Don't sew garments with different kinds of materials

Ø All involve mixing two different items

Ø WHY? It was a real-life object lesson

Ø This section of Moses' sermon corresponded to the 7th commandment: NO ADULTERY

Ø Two people who don't belong together!

§ Paul draws on this concept to capture the principle idea: two unlike things should not go together: believers & unbelievers

§ How are believers & unbelievers different?

§ 5 rhetorical questions:

Ø righteousness vs. lawlessness - partnership?

Ø Light vs. darkness - fellowship?

Ø Christ vs. Belial - harmony?

Ø Believer vs. unbeliever - common?

Ø Temple of God vs. idols - agreement?

"For we are the temple of the Living God"

§ This is the spiritual issue

§ The church is corporately God's dwelling place

§ Old Covenant temple was God's dwelling place w/ his people (Lev 26:12)

§ New Covenant temple - the people are the temple

CONSEQUENTLY: separation f/ world required

§ Quotes Isaiah 52:11 - command to priests in exile to separate from pagans and keep undefiled

§ Paraphrases Ezekiel 20:41 - God will accept you then

§ This is applied ethically to those who are spiritual workers in God's temple

2 Cor 7:1 - Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse oureslves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

§ "Fear of God" - OT expression of worship

§ Reverence for God expressed in walking obediently

POINT: AS GOD'S TEMPLE CORPORATELY, WE GATHER TOGETHER TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO LIVE OUT EVERYDAY LIFE IN HOLINESS

EPHESIANS 2 - Temple metaphor continued

Context

§ 2:1-10- expounds believer's old position individually

§ 2:11-13- transitions to corporate position of church

§ 2:11-12- past disunion - separate f/Christ and unprivileged

§ 2:13- Present union - brought near through Christ

§ 2:14- There is peace through disengagement of Mosaic Law that separated Gentiles from Jews

§ 2:15- He has created "one new man" by reconciling Jews and Gentiles together

§ 2:19- Jews and Gentiles no fellow citizens (NATIONAL METAPHOR) and members of God's household (FAMILY METAPHOR)

§ 2:20- HOW? Because we have been "built" on the foundation:

Ø Apostles & prophets

Ø Christ as cornerstone holding building together

§ 2:21- But this building isn't finished yet

Ø Being fitted together and growing

Ø INTO HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD

§ 2:22- the church is being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit

IMPLICATION: The ongoing union of Jew & Gentile into one temple is an earthly expression of a heavenly, future reality.

§ When the church meets together, it pictures a far-greater reality...the future hope of a united people with God dwelling among them forever.

§ Revelation 21-22 describes this reality...the new heavens and new earth, with the New Jerusalem.

POINT: AS THE EARTHLY EXPRESSION OF A FUTURE HEAVENLY TEMPLE, WE MEET TOGETHER TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO KEEP LOOKING FORWARD AND KEEP LOOKING UPWARD

§ Colossians 3:1-4 - "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."

§ Philippians 3:20 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..."

§ Psalm 122:2 - Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem

§ We can appropriate that verse for us - "Our feet are standing within your gates, O New Jerusalem!"

§ Believers can become distracted so quickly by so many temporal things - the cares of the world

§ So we gather together to get a picture again and again not only of what we are--God's temple--but what we will be and what we long to be--God's completely temple.

2. TO EDITY EACH OTHER

EPHESIANS 4

Context

§ Begins ethical section of epistle

§ Chs 1-3 lay theological foundation for Christian walk

§ Chs 4-6 lays ethical principles for Christian walk

§ Ephesians 4 - Paul hijacks construction language and applies it to new metaphor: the body

§ 4:1- walk worthily of calling outlined in chs. 1-3

§ 4:2- With tolerance & love for each other

§ 4:3- Preserving unity of Spirit in bonds of peace (Ch. 2)

§ 4:4-6- Description of unity

Ø One body

Ø One Spirit

Ø One hope of calling

Ø One Lord

Ø One faith

Ø One baptism

Ø One God and Father over all and in all

§ 4:7- Nevertheless there is diversity in unity...Christ delivered gifts

§ 4:11- Identity of gifts

Ø Apostles

Ø Prophets

Ø Evangelists

Ø Pastors and teachers

§ Commonality in these gifts: speaking gifts/WORD MINISTRY

§ Differences in these gifts:

Ø Revelatory vs. non-revelatory

Ø Global focus vs. local focus

Ø Growth by size vs. growth by strength

Ø Temporary vs. permanent

§ Christ gave these gifts to the church: WHY?

§ 4:12- PURPOSE: equip saints

Ø Equip for work of service

Ø Equip for building up body of Christ

§ Matthew 16:18 - Christ said he would build church

§ HOW? Through the gifted people he provides

§ 4:13- ULTIMATE GOAL: maturity

Ø Unity of faith

Ø Unity of knowledge of Christ

Ø Become a mature man

Ø Measure up to Christ's fullness

NOTE: UNITY IS THE THEME!

§ The point isn't about you being matured and built up

§ The point is about the whole church maturing and being build up

§ Christ wants a fully functioning church with all of its parts operating correctly

§ So he gave gifted teachers to help the church mature and grow

§ Result is the unity of the church around doctrine (unity of faith) and devotion (unity of knowledge of Christ)

ILLUSTRATION: Body is perfect metaphor for now/not yet tension of the maturing church.

§ My sons have whole bodies...nothing missing

§ Yet they're still growing and maturing

POINT: THIS IS WHY WE GATHER TOGETHER

§ We engage with God corporately as we study the Bible together and are instructed by gifted teachers

§ We engage with God corporately as we sing together

Ø Speaking to each other in songs... (Eph 5:19)

Ø Teaching and admonishing each other... (Col 3:16)

§ THIS IS THE MEANS BY WHICH CHRIST EQUIPS THE CHURCH TO GROW THROUGH MUTUAL SERVICE

1 CORINTHIANS 14

Context

§ Paul's concern: believers need to minister effectively to one another

§ Ch 12 - outlines need for spiritual gifts in the body and relative importance of each

§ Ch 13 - specifies love as unifying factor in exercising gifts

§ Ch 14 - explains how gifts should be employed

§ 14:1- Pursue love - highest priority

Ø But in the corporate gathering have your aim to be edification

Ø Thus prophecy over tongues

Ø WHY?

§ 14:2- In corporate gathering, tongues doesn't benefit the body, only the individual

§ 14:3- Prophesy edifies the whole

§ 14:4- Tongues edifies the individual

§ PRIORITY IS INTELLIGIBILITY

§ Why? Because only that edifies

§ 14:7-8- even music must have this priority

§ 14:2- SUMMARY: seek to abound for the edification of the church

QUESTION: So does this mean that only speaking gifts should be employed when the church gathers?

§ Of course not!

§ Paul is applying this principle directly to the problems in the Corinthian congregation

§ THE PRINCIPLE REMAINS THE SAME: Everyone serving in the church must aim to edify the BODY not themselves

APPLICATION

§ This is a direct confrontation of so much contemporary attitudes regarding why we come to church!

§ We tend to think of the church service as set up to facilitate our own private communion with God

§ That's why so often we become disgruntled when the church doesn't seem to satisfy what we're looking in the service

§ We think of the sermon as a message directly to you

§ We think of the music as a time to shut out everything around us and engage privately with God

§ NO!

§ The sermon is for the body to grow

§ The music is for each of you to sing to God and TO EACH OTHER!

§ So when we sing, don't shut off everything around you.

§ Look around! Sing to EACH OTHER! ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER! ADMONISH EACH OTHER!

§ OUR TIME TOGETHER AS A BODY IS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE HORIZONTAL DIMENSION AS IT IS ABOUT THE VERTICAL

§ IN FACT, IT'S EVEN MORE ABOUT THE HORIZONTAL BECAUSE THE VERTICAL YOU SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT HERE

§ The gathering of the body is about benefiting each other and be benefited by each other

§ It's about drawing on Christ's resources for spiritual growth

§ It's about giving and receiving Spirit-energized ministries

§ AS THE CHURCH DOES THIS, IT ENGAGES WITH THE LIVING CHRIST IN WORSHIP BECAUSE EACH PART OF THE BODY IS DRAWING FROM CHRIST TO SERVE THE BODY SO THAT IT CAN DROW INTO CHRIST.

CONCLUSION

§ So why do we come together on Sunday mornings?

§ Do we come because this is when and where we worship?

§ Do we come because this is where we can have our own little private worship service surrounded by hundreds of other private worship services?

§ We come to encourage each other to pursue holiness in a sin-cursed world and to keep looking up and forward

§ We come to be equipped by Spirit-gifted teacher so we in turn can build the body up in service to each other.