Lesson 23

Worship, Mission, and Ministry of the Church

Worship is an act of acknowledging and acclaiming the majestic greatness of God in ways that he prescribes.

The mission and ministry of the church consist of its purposes and concrete services focused on the gospel as the center.

Worship

Faith and Obedience with the goal of glorifying God.

the all of life - Romans 12:1–2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Corporate acts of worship - 1 Corinthians 14:26 “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” Vertical encounter with God as a gathered body

Worship Service:

Worship is the place where the church is gathered by God, the place where God’s word is encountered communally and where the church is confronted by its divine vocation. When gathering for worship the church is reminded of their heavenly nature in a dark world, and the commission by God to live their lives worthy of the gospel.

Agreed Time and Place

Scripture reading, prayer, singing, etc. with other believers, who have been called out by God. (Dialogical)

A response to God who called them out. (Active Participants)

Worship is a dialogical encounter in which God and humanity are active participants through Christ and in which transformation occurs. Therefore, worship must be gospel shaped, because only the gospel has the power to save and sanctify sinners.

Worship is initiated by God. We, humans, respond to God in the gospel and one of the primary ways that we respond to God is in worship. The nature of God’s initiation and man’s response is characterized by the revelation of God’s holy perfection and realization of man’s sinfu. need, which brings the necessity of the central figure of Christ into view through the gospel.

“Worship involves a rhythm of revelation and response: God graciously reveals himself to us and we faithfully respond-all the elements must help worshipers participate in this rhythm.” Gary Parrett

Isaiah 6:1–11 (ESV)

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,

Ordered Structure of activities is called a liturgy.

God prescribes the proper way in which he is to be worshipped.

Leviticus 10:1–2 “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.”

Isaiah 1:10–15 “Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.”

Regulative Principles: states that only those elements that have biblical warrant—for example, reading Scripture, praying, singing praise—are permitted.

Normative Principles: states that the church is free to incorporate any element—such as liturgical dance and “special music” (singing by an individual rather than everyone)—unless Scripture prohibits them.

High Church Structure: the liturgy is tightly structured and follows a historical pattern.

Low Church Structure: More relaxed and even appear to be spontaneous

The key concept with worship is God is worthy of the glory ascribed to him. He must be worshipped in spirit and truth (John 4:21–24 “Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”)

Biblical Support

Altars (Noah, Abraham)

Genesis 8:20 “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”

Genesis 13:4 “to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.”

Tabernacle (Wandering People)

Temple (1 Kings 5-8)

Synagogues

Luke 4:16-30

Acts 13:13–15 “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.””)

Reading, Instruction, Prayer, Singing, Ceremonial rites

Church

Acts 2:41–47 (ESV) So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

1 Timothy 4:13 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”

(2 Cor. 8-9)

1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”

Ephesians 5:19 (ESV) addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,” Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Major Errors

The worship service is a misguided ritual in which people participate to appease God and/or to attempt to gain his favor.

The worship service is a Mass centered on the re-presentation of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Novel elements are incorporated into the worship service in an unprincipled way. Such considerations are abandoned in some contemporary churches as they introduce willy-nilly practices such as painting during preaching, fogging the auditorium to create a mysterious environment, handling venomous snakes, and slaying in the Spirit.

The so-called worship wars have divided the church. While the division is often over the style of music, the issue is to whom the worship service should be directed. Many contemporary churches have changed from directing their services toward God (with benefits also accruing to the people worshiping) to directing them to the audience. This view fails to note the proper purpose of worship.

Ministry and Missions

God has a church to accomplish his mission. So, the church does missions to accomplish God’s mission.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Accomplishment of Salvation

Appropriation of Salvation

Hear the good news of the accomplished salvation in Jesus, which instructs sinners to repent of their sinful nature and believe in Jesus to be born again.

Church’s ministry and mission consist of gospel centered purposes to glorify God, promote the spiritual growth of its members, and engage in the fulfillment of God’s mission. Any other activities that do not produce these outcomes are distractions from God’s mission.

Ephesians 3:21 ESV

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Therefore, all church activities should be grounded in these purposes.

Worship

Proclamation: Preaching and teaching the Word.

Evangelism

Discipleship: Fully devoted followers of Christ

caring for people

cultural engagement: For/against the world

Biblical Support

Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Exodus 19:5–6 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””

Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

Isaiah 49:6 “he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.””

Mark 1:14–15 “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””