Corporate Worship

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Corporate Worship

Last week we spoke about the importance of family worship.  This week we will look at the importance of corporate worship.

One of the more famous Abraham Lincoln stories is told about the time when he was keeping store in Salem, Illinois, and had a beautiful gun prominently displayed so all his customers would see it. The little plaque under it said that it was made from the finest Swedish steel, its stock from the best black walnut wood, all crafted by a world-famous gunsmith. It was beautiful, and its price was very reasonable. On the next rack was an old long barrel Kentucky squirrel rifle made from ordinary gun steel. It stock was just an ordinary wooden stock. Its gunsmith was competent but by no means famous. But its price was much higher. One day a farmer in the market for a new gun noticed the shiny new rifle on display. He asked Abe, "Why is that good gun so cheap and the other gun so high?" Honest Abe replied, "That gun won't shoot. The other one will." Then he picked up the squirrel rifle, sighted a squirrel-sized object a hundred yards away, and hit it dead center. The farmer bought the squirrel gun. Some time later a rich farmer was decorating a room in his new country estate. He needed a gun for show over the fireplace mantle just under the heads of three big game trophies. The fancy gun was perfect for the purpose. It couldn't shoot, but that was all right. It was just for show. Worship is a lot like those two guns. Some is for real, the rest for show. Sometimes our worship is a thing, an end in itself, a show, a religious event and observance and habit—worship as a noun. Sometimes worship is an action, a relationship—worship as a verb.

What do we know about worship

·         The word worship is used 107 times in 102 verses in the Bible

·         The first occurrence is in Genesis 22:5

·         The last occurrence is in Revelation 22:9

What is worship/How is it defined?

·         Worship is defined as to revere or adore someone or something, to prostrate oneself in homage, to be pious towards or respect.

·         Worship is bowing down or kneeling – Psalm 95:6; Phil. 2:10-11

·         Worship is synonomous with praise – Psalm 138:2

Other facts about worship

·         The devil himself understood the importance of worship – Matthew 4:9

·         Jesus also understood the importance and the singleness of worship – Matthew 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:13.

·         It can be done in vain (emptiness) Matthew 15:9

·         God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are to be worshipped – John 4:21-24

·         How we are to worship – John 4:24

Why Worship With the Church? (Question and Answers are taken directly from Don Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines Within The Church)

·         God reveals Himself more clearly in congregational worship than in nature

o       Creation is not the clearest revelation of God.  Jesus Christ and the Scriptures are the clearest and most complete revelation of who God is. (John 1:18; II Timothy 3:16-17).

·         God is glorified more in congregational worship than in private worship

o       The Lord is most glorified when His glory is most declared, not when it is hidden or private. ( II Thessalonians 1:10; Philippians 2:10-11)

·         Congregational Worship is more edifying than private worship

o       We receive from spiritual resources that are unavailable when alone

§         Preaching of the Word

§         Prayers of others

§         Congregational praise

§         Fellowship

o       Others are edified

§         Hebrews 10:24

§         “Where can I do the most good?”  (Phil. 2:3-4)

·         Jesus regularly participated in congregational worship – Luke 4:16

·         Congregational worship surpasses private worship but does not replace it.

o       Matthew Henry “Public worship will not excuse us from secret worship”

·         Congregational worship is ordained by God – Psalm 29:1-2

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