Back To “The Way” Through Bible Authority VII
Carlos Aguilar

The NT Church Description: Worship

The first one on our list is prayer. Prayer has always been a vital part of the lives of those God’s people. It is a time man can communicate to God. God speaks to us through His word, we in turn communicate to Him through prayer. Paul tells Timothy in 1Tim 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” In the first letter to the Corinthian brethren Paul corrects their conduct during the worship hour. He writes, “Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified” 1 Cor 14:16-17. The church engaged in prayer during the worship period. We must therefore emulate them. Passages throughout the NT admonish brethren to engage in prayer. In Eph 6:18 Paul writes, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” He also writes in Col 4:2, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”

New Testament worship also included partaking of the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 20:7 we read, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” Breaking bread is synonymous with the Lord’s Supper. In 1Cor 11:11-32 Paul quotes out of the gospels when our Lord instituted the supper and he goes on to detail what our conduct ought to be during the time individuals in the church partake of it. It is a critical time for the child of God. Notice verses 27-29 where Paul writes, “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.” The Lord’s Supper is made up of fruit of the vine (grape juice) and unleavened bread.

The Christians of the NT also used their voices to praise God during worship by singing. Paul wrote in Eph 5:19, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” He also writes in Col 3:16, “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.” Both verses instruct the church how it ought to sing to God. As Christians we must imitate the pattern set in place by the New Testament Christians. We too, are to sing and make melody in our hearts. From these verses we also learn that the singing must teach and admonish the brethren with our own participation.

Earlier we read in Acts 20:7 about breaking bread, it also says that Paul, ”…ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” Preaching the Word of God on the first day of the week was also a part of the worship.

The final element but not least is giving. Each element is essential. Contributing to the Lord is to be done by each Christian on the first day of the week. We are give according to Biblical principles. Paul writes in 2 Cor 9:6-7, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Looking at these commands in chart form we find that there is a generic aspect to the command, a specific aspect and also that, which is expediency. The generic command in the Lord’s Supper is to EAT and DRINK. While with music it is to MAKE MELODY. Specifically we are to eat BREAD and drink FRUIT OF THE VINE. The specific way we are to make melody is by singing and singing alone. God expects us to carry out these commands in an expedient fashion and allows man certain options. In the realm of the Lord’s Supper expediencies would include, a plate, cups, trays, or our hands. While in the music realm some expediency would be a pitch pipe or even a songbook. We will continue with the subject of church membership next week. 

"The Piano Lesson"

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took he small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.
That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.

Received from JDJ - Author Unknown