Category: Worship

Yesterday evening I had an opportunity to join in worship with the saints at the Elm Street congregation in El Reno, Oklahoma. This fine congregation met in the final night of our gospel meeting, singing beautiful songs of praise to God, offering up sincere petitions in prayer, and kindly listening to my final effort to share a message from God’s word as our week together concluded.

My final plea was based on the text of Philippians 2:

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vs. 9-11).

I noted that God has given all authority to Jesus Christ, and that at the judgment all will bow down before Him. I further pled with those present to ensure that they acknowledge His Lordship now, before it is too late.

Continue reading “A Criticism of Our Worship” →

Speaker: Brantley Gallman

John 4:24 tells us that worship must be done in spirit and in truth. Brantley supplies 5 practical suggestions to enable us to worship God properly “in spirit.”

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In John 4:24 Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The context reveals that the only acceptable worship is that offered in accord with God’s will. That is why Jesus endorsed the worship of the Jews (in Jerusalem), rather than the worship of the Samaritans.

The text also indicates that under the dispensation of Christ, the location of worship is of no consequence. The idea that God is limited to a particular place (Jerusalem, a mountain) is debunked by Jesus. This is because God is Spirit.

This truth requires that acceptable worship be offered in “spirit.” The worshipper must be engaged – it is an act of adoration to God, which comes from a sincere, reverent, and fully committed heart.

The worship of Israel was condemned by God during the time of Amos. They said, “When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat?” (8:5). They weren’t interested in worship, they were only going through the motions. Though the form of worship was in accord with God’s will, the proper spirit was not present.

We are right in demanding that worship to God follow the form revealed and regulated by His will. We must be equally adamant that those who worship Him be fully engaged, with devotion and love for their God.

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Psalm 111 states that God’s works are great, honorable, glorious, true, just, enduring and upright. He is truly worthy of praise, and those who are righteous will have pleasure in the works of God.

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This past week we had a wonderful opportunity to hear God’s word preached each evening. Those who took advantage of these opportunities were encouraged and edified. They also became tired!

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes wrote, “The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh” (12:11-12).

We were admonished and edified, both by the preaching, and by the songs and prayers that were offered up to God. Concerning the purpose of singing, Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

So, we are thankful for opportunities like these, to grow and to encourage each other.

Sermon 4 of 9 by Carl Allen.

This lesson examines what the Bible teaches about Christian worship, establishing three truths intimiated in John 4:24:

1. God is the sole object of worship.
2. Worship must be according to truth.
3. Our attitude or spirit must be acceptable.

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I have read, heard and even opined myself on the willingness of so many to attend a football game, or other sporting event or entertainment event, and willingly suffer from weather or other discomforts for the joy of the occasion.

People routinely get up in the wee hours of the morning, or stand in long lines, or suffer through extremes of heat, cold or other weather related trials to cheer on their teams, or play their games, or listen to their music. And, if the game or concert were to go into “overtime”, they consider it a positive development.

In contrast, they may view a 9:00 am Bible study to be too early, a bit warm or slightly cool auditorium not sufficiently comfortable, and a 45 minute lesson an inappropriate imposition upon their time and attention.

The issue is not the relative entertainment value. I know well that a nip and tuck football game is far more entertaining than a long winded preacher. The issue is the extent of your desire to be with God and His people!

So, how about it? Can you say with David, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord'” (Psalm 122:1)?

A few weeks ago I came across a website for a “Cowboy church” in the metroplex which trumpeted that they were “A church for people who don’t like church!” It is an interesting phrase. An internet search shows it to also be a popular one, being adopted by different groups who want to reach out to the lost by inappropriately accommodating their discomfort with the practice of religion.

Note this quote from VERVE, a non-denominational church in Las Vegas, NV:

“But the reality is that there are a lot of people who are looking for God and seeking a spiritual dimension to life, but just don’t want to go to church to find it.

And who can blame them? Most churches seem judgmental and holier than thou. They make you wear your Sunday best, play music from the 1800s, and are too into politics. And they seem to care more about people’s money than people.”

Continue reading “A church for people who don’t like church?” →

Sermon by Josh Cox

As a part of our worship to God, we sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. As with all worship, we must sing in “spirit and in truth” (cf. John 4:24).

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How would your life differ, if you:

* Could no longer read your Bible?
* Could no longer sing in worship?
* Could no longer pray?
* Could no longer assemble for worship?
* Could no longer tell others about Christ?

Hopefully, our lives would be much different. If not, changes are in order!

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2 Chronicles 11:14 reveals that the Levites left the northern Kingdom of Israel, under the rule of Jeroboam. The lesson explains why, and makes practical applications for us today.

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As our Lord spoke with the Samaritan woman in John 4, she made the statement, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship” (19-20).

Her statement is similar to those we hear today. People often compare different “styles” and “acts” of worship, and do so in a non-judgmental way. “We do this, and you do that”, as if the actual acts that are performed are equally acceptable to God.

However, consider that Jesus was critical of the worship of the Samaritans, judging it to be unacceptable. He stated that the worship of the Jews, in contrast, was acceptable. He said, “we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (22). A question: How did they know what they worshiped? How did they know that they were to worship in Jerusalem? Because God told them!

The Samaritans presumed to know God’s will, though He had not told them to worship Him on the mountain. Such presumption is foolish. We can’t know how to worship God unless He tells us how He wants to be worshiped! Jesus clearly condemned worship that had man as its authority rather than God, telling the Pharisees, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips,but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'” (Matthew 15:7-9).

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Fall 2014 Meeting
Speaker: Bryan Gary of Dumas, TX

In 2 Timothy 1:13, Paul wrote Timothy, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (NASB).

This third in a series of 9 lessons emphasizes what the Bible teaches about Christian worship, and examines some of the perversions of men on that aspect of God’s will.

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The worship of the Samaritans did not please God. This was because it was motivated by an imperfect fear of Jehovah, was characterized by form over substance, and constituted a compromise of God’s will for man. The applications to us are evident.

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Powerpoint Slides

The book of Ecclesiastes contains several miscellaneous words of wisdom in its pages that have beneficial applications to the Christian’s life.

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