Part 5
When we come together in worship we should pray... obviously no one will argue with this…
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
James 5:16 Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Prayer is our way of communicating to God... because of God's love for us we should always be willing to communicate with Him and have a genuine communicating relationship with Him.
Preaching and teaching is also an important part of worship to God...
Romans 10:14-17 How, then, can people call on someone they have not believed? And how can they believe in someone they have not heard about? And how can they hear without someone preaching? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!" But not everyone has obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from listening, and listening comes through the word of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:2 What you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation.
God commands preaching...
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
We should not forsake the assembling of the saints. What exactly does this mean? It’s amazing how many people I have heard say, “You don’t have to go to worship service to go to heaven.” Whoa to them! They have not studied God’s Word and they are overlooking an important passage that speaks boldly about this. When Christians are gathered together for worship, we should also gather with them...
Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (KJV)
The author wrote "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is"... let's consider verse 25(a) is a few other translations...
Hebrews 10:25(a) not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some (NASB)
Hebrews 10:25(a) not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some (ISV)
The Hebrew author also made a clear statement in the very next verse...
Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
Forsaking and neglecting our worship with other Christians is to willfully sin... and if we continue to willfully sin after we are saved, "there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." Who is our "sacrifice"? Jesus!
We must worship with eagerness and willingness to glorify God in a manner that is worthy of Him. We may miss a worship service occasionally, but we cannot make it a "habit" of missing the assembling of the saints.
Notice again how those who were saved on the day of Pentecost worshipped...
Acts 2:41-42 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 persons were added to them. They continually devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.
They "continually devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer."
Our greatest example of worship is found in the Bible and this is one reason God gave us His Word... so that we can know how to live godly lives and how to walk by faith.
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.