Part 3

If we want our worship to be acceptable to God the we must obey Him.

Paul spoke about ignorant worship in Acts...

Acts 17:22-21 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

When Paul talks about these people being very religious he is referring to the fact that they had altars, especially this one special altar. These people had an image for every god they could name but for this particular one they had it labeled “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD”. They were already worshipping the very God that Paul wanted to tell them about but they just didn’t know it because they were ignorant.
So we learn that neither “vain” nor “ignorant” worship is acceptable to God.

Now let's consider a few passages that explain to us how we worship in the right way and when we are supposed to worship.

While we consider these passages let's not forget the passages that we have already considered and how they proved to us that God designates specific instructions for worship.

God made it very clear that we are to worship no one other than Him...

Exodus 20:1-6 Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

Jesus tells us what true worship is...
John 4:23-24 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

True worship includes the right object... God! We learn from Exodus 20:1-6

True worship includes the right attitude... in spirit! We learn from John 4… let’s consider this a little closer. What exactly does worshipping “in spirit” mean?
It relates to the attitude of our heart and mind. It is sincerity, devotion, love, trust, and a true desire to please God.

True worship includes the right way... in truth! Again we learn this from John 4… but what does it mean to worship “in truth”?
Worshipping in truth limits the worship to what God desires through His word. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Acceptable worship is "true worship" and during a specified time...

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (KJV)

The first day of the week is Sunday. This is when the disciples/apostles came together and Paul preached to them. Let's consider this verse in another translation...

Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. (NASB)

Notice they "came together" (KJV) and "when we were gathered together" (NASB).

This is when they came together as a congregation to worship... on the "first day of each week".

Notice also that they came together "to break bread". They partook of the Lord's Supper every Sunday.

Why is it so important that we gather on the “first day of each week”?
Jesus was raised on the first day of the week…
Luke 24:1-3 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which
they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not
find the body of the Lord Jesus.
The church was established on the first day of the week…

After the first ever gospel message that was preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost, people were being added to the church daily and they worshipped in several ways...

Acts 2:41-47 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Let's consider the Lord's Supper a little closer...

Luke 22:19-20 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper...
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.

The Lord's Supper is Communion with Christ...

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless is a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ, isn't it? The bread that we break is a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ, isn't it? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us partake of the one loaf.

I cannot resist asking the question...

If Jesus, the One who suffered so horrendously for us, the One who paid the penalty for our sins, asked that we partake of the Lord's Supper "in remembrance" of Him, why would we not want to show our gratitude by REMEMBERING HIM EVERY WEEK when we come together on the first day of each week for worship service???

Consider what Luke wrote in Acts 20:7... On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread...

During the days of the early church the people gathered together on the first day of each week and broke bread. What has changed this pattern of worship over the years? Men have changed it to be more convenient and less time consuming... however, God has not authorized any changes to the pattern of worship. The apostles had the full measure of the Holy Spirit and they set the pattern for worship that we should follow. Remember what happened to those who did not follow God's way of worship in the Old Testament days. Our culture should not influence God’s instructions.

Remembering Jesus is not something we do only at Christmas time or every fifth Sunday or quarterly, semi-annually, or annually... it is something we should desire to do every day... and certainly by partaking of the Lord's Supper every Sunday worship service. No matter what size congregation you attend, the Lord's Supper can be conducted in 5-10 minutes (not that time should even be a factor). Is it asking too much to do something that God has demonstrated through the apostles that we should do on the first day of every week (Sunday)? We should follow the example of the early church because God has not authorized any changes. Just remember the very words of Jesus and let them dwell in your heart and on your mind for a few minutes… “DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME”. Now… how can you possibly resist partaking of the Lord’s Supper EVERY SINGLE LORD’S DAY from now until you go to be with the Lord? Are we so vain?

__________________
In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'