A Return to God’s Rule of Worship
Introduction:
1. Today in our society denominationalism is running ramped.
2. Everyone wants to worship God the way they want too.
3. Everyone has their own way in which they feel to serve God.
4. The problem of this unregulated way of serving can be easily solved if man would look to God for the way we ought to worship.
5. God has given us the bible and in it are the rules and regulations of worship.
6. Men today need to pattern their worship after the way it was done in the New Testament.
7. It is not reasonable to think that Jesus came into the world suffered and died establishing his church without leaving a pattern for worship.
8. Even in the old covenant God gave the children of Israel a pattern to follow.
9. God gave them specific orders about how to worship.
10. Quote Ex 25:40
11. God gave Moses a pattern and he was shown what to do in detail.
12. When the children of Israel worshiped in the wilderness they had a specific pattern for worship.
13. When speaking about us, God has directed us to do certain things.
14. When we meet on Sunday, we must follow the pattern given to us.
15. God has given us a specific pattern and that pattern is found in the New Testament.
I. The rule of worship
A. God has given us a rule or standard of worship.
B. Quote John 4:24
C. We do not have any choice in the matter.
D. We must worship him in spirit and in truth.
1. First God must be the object of our worship.
2. W e have no right to bow down to man.
3. When Peter came to house of Cornelius, Cornelius fell down at Peter’s feet.
4. Quote Acts10:26
E. God is the object of our worship and it must be offered in spirit.
F. This means to be done in the right manner.
G. That manner should characterize our worship.
H. It should be in such a manner as to show reverence and respect to Jesus who died for us.
I. In truth means-the law governs our worship.
J. What is truth? Quote John 17:17
K. For our worship to be acceptable to it must be offered to God, and it must be done according to the New Testament law.
L. If it is not, then it is not acceptable worship.
II. Worship
A. What do I mean when I say the word worship?
B. Sometimes people say “ I worshiped God in my heart”
C. And they day that worship is something that is solely done in the heart.
D. If worship was something solely done in the heart then the Lord’s Supper and giving could not be worship.
E. There is no such definition found anywhere in the world about worship, except in the writings of men.
F. What does worship mean?
G. Webster says “Worship is reverence paid”
H. Reverence paid not just reverence.
I. We might have reverence in our heart and not worship God.
J. Worship is reverence paid.
K. Thayer defines worship as an act.
L. Worship then is to perform acts.
M. No matter how you define the word, whether in English or Greek there is action involved.
N. Reverence in the heart must be expressed.
O. That expression is called worship.
P. The expression of the heart must be manifested by action.
Q. Worship is not a condition of the heart it is and action expressed of what is in the heart.
R. Christ did not leave us without any instructions on how to worship just as he did not do that with regards to becoming a Christian.
S. We can read word for word on how to become a Christian in the bible, and we can do the same when it comes to worship.
T. With regards to worship Jesus commanded certain acts, but these acts may be expedited.
U. Quote I Cor 10:23
V. Before something can be expedited it must be lawful.
W. We cannot expedite something that is not commanded.
X. Expedite means to accelerate or to speed up.
Y. We are told to go into the world and preach, but we are not told how.
Z. So how we go can be expedited.
III. The five acts of worship.
A. There are only five acts of worship commanded in the bible.
B. That is teaching, praying, giving, eating the Lord’s Supper, and singing.
C. These are the only five acts that can express the reverence in our hearts.
IV. Teaching.
A. We find the command of teaching Quote Matt 28:18-19.
B. We are told to teach the world and the church.
C. We are to teach them before they are baptized and after they are baptized.
D. The word teach is a command.
E. Now I may expedite a command.
F. Such as a chart.
G. What do I do with the chart? I teach.
H. God bound the teaching but he loosed the method.
I. I may write or speak, both are forms of teaching.
J. If I write I teach if I speak I teaching.
K. God bound the teaching not the method.
V. Praying.
A. Well God has command praying
B. Quote Acts 2:42
C. Some people want to pray on a mourner’s bench.
D. There is nothing wrong with praying on a bench.
E. There is no more harm in praying on a bench than it is to pray where you are sitting right now.
F. It all depends on what you pray for.
G. Some people try to pray around the great commission.
H. Jesus said Quote Mark 16:16.
I. Some people do not want to get baptized so they get on their knees and try to pray around it.
J. They can pray, pray, pray, pray, pray.
K. They can knell on a bench and pray.
L. They can sit beside the radio.
M. They can get all of the saints on earth, all the preachers, priest, and whoever else and you cannot pray around the great commission.
N. You can pray, pray, pray and pray.
O. And when you get through the praying the bible will still read Quote Mark 16:16.
P. Someone may say “oh it felt good” or “I am so happy”.
Q. The bible still says Quote Mark 16:16.
R. You cannot pray around the great commission.
S. God bound the act of praying, he did not bind the posture.
T. You cannot pray without a posture
VI. Giving.
A. God has commanded us to give.
B. Quote I Cor 16:1-2.
C. Some people want to put it in a box.
D. Some want to put it in a hat.
E. Some want to walk up and lay it on the table.
F. Some people do not want to give at all.
G. No matter how you take the collection, the way of taking it is an expedient.
H. God bound the act but he loosed how we are to do it.
I. To bind a certain way is to make a law were God has not made a law.
VII. Lord’s Supper
A. Quote I Cor 11:25-26?
B. Paul said to eat bread, but what did he say to put the bread in?
C. God bound the cup.
D. Yes I am a one cup brother.
E. I think it is wrong to use more than one cup in the communion service.
F. I believe only one cup is authorized.
G. God bound the cup, but he loosed the container.
H. What did God say to put the cup in?
I. What is the cup?
J. Matthew said Jesus took the cup and told them to drinkit.
K. They drank the fruit of the vine and Jesus says that is the cup.
L. Paul says as oft as ye drink it.
M. We are to drink the cup.
N. The cup is the fruit of the vine.
O. If you only have grape juice then you only have one cup.
P. If you have grape juice and lemon juice then you have more than one cup.
Q. You can have a thousand containers, and if you only have grape juice in them then you have only one cup.
R. To bind the container is to make a law where God has made a law.
1. You have to put it in something.
2. I would like to see someone drink the cup without putting it in something.
3. Just try it.
4. You have to put it in something.
5. God bound the cup but he loosed the container.
VIII. Singing.
A. God said sing.
B. Quote Col 3:16.
C. The command is to sing.
D. Well someone says you use a song book.
E. Paul said sing, the act is singing.
F. What do we do with the book? We sing.
G. Paul said to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
1. A spiritual song is a son expressing a truth that comes from God.
2. That is why we do not sing the Star Spangled Banner in worship service.
3. The reason why is because it is not a spiritual song.
H. Well what about a pitch pipe?
I. The command is to sing, the pitch is implied.
J. You cannot sing without a pitch.
K. How we get the pitch is an expedient.
L. God bound the pitch but he loosed how to get it.
M. Whether I sing bass, tenor or soprano it is all singing.
N. Now if you have a piano you are performing another act.
O. You cannot play without performing another act besides singing.
P. Where is the command for mechanical music?
Q. It cannot be found in the word of God.
IX. Why don’t you do all five items every time you meet?
A. Paul says we are to teach in every place (I Cor 2:14).
B. We are to pray without ceasing (I Thess 5:17).
C. James said if any man is merry let him sing songs.
D. Paul and Silas while they were in jail sang praises to God (Acts 16:25).
E. The apostles taught singing and praying at all times.
F. But the Lord’s Supper was limited to the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
G. And giving only on the first day of the week (I Cor 16:1-2).
Conclusion:
1. When it comes to worshiping God it must be an action expressing the things that are in the heart.
2. We cannot worship God any way we please.
3. God has given to us the scripture which contains the things that are prescribed as acceptable to God.
4. Those things are teaching, praying eating the Lord’s Supper, giving, and singing.
5. Anything other than those five things will be sinful.
6. There is no authorization for anything else in the scripture.
7. As Christians we should recognize when people are not worshiping God the right way.
8. And we are to take no part in it.
9. God has directed us how to worship Quote John 4:24.
10. Any other way will be sinful and not acceptable to God.