(Continuation of meditation)
c-2.) Today we want to see how God's Spirit implemented God's plan for Christ's church in New Testament times:
• The gift of God’s Spirit to Christ’s church
In Old Testament times, God's prophets announced that the gift of His Spirit to His people would be the main characteristic of His promised new [Messianic] covenant (see Meditation 33).
These prophesies came to fulfilment at the start of the celebration of Pentecost after Christ's resurrection. Luke writes: "On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus's resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. ... Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:1 and 4)
In Peter's message to the onlookers that morning he draws the link between Jesus's enthronement and the gift of God's Spirit, just as Jesus had promised in John 14:16 and 15:26 : "Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today."
(Acts 2:33)
Peter ends his words with the appeal: "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
(Acts 2:38-39)
Peter added that the gift of God's Spirit was not a one-time historic event. On the contrary, everyone who would accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, would receive the promised Spirit of God: "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:39)
The Gospel-writer Luke tells in the book of Acts that God will give His promised Spirit not only Jewish believers in Jesus, but to everyone who would turn to Christ in faith and repentance.
That started with Peter’s Gospel preaching in the house of the Roman centurion Cornelius: “Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who had heard the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles [non-Jews], too." (Acts 10:44-45)
• The church as a Spirit-guided community
In our meditations so far we have seen that any local church stands or falls depending upon the presence and guidance of God’s Spirit. Luke gives an example of His care for the church in Acts 9:
“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” (Acts 9:31)
The apostle Paul speaks to the church in Rome about their need to be governed by God’s Spirit: “...but you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)” (Romans 8:9)
In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul writes about the transforming work of God’s Spirit in the Christian community: “...as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him [Christ] and reflect his glory even more.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
• The church as ‘the light of the world’ and ‘the salt of the earth’
In our last Meditation we saw that Jesus commanded His church to display Christlike love and compassion through the power of God’s Spirit. Luke shows us in two illustrations how the early Jerusalem church manifested itself as ‘the light of the world’ and 'the salt of the earth':
Illustration 1:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)
Illustration 2:
“... After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
All the believers were one in heart and mind.
No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 4:31-35)
This Spirit-given love and care which we just saw in the church of Jerusalem, is manifested again in the church in Antioch (Syria):
“... some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings to predict by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)
So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.
This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.” (Acts 11:27b-30)
It is in this God-loving church that the Holy Spirit ‘visibly’ rules. We find another example of it in Acts 13:
“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:1-3)
Later Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch in Syria and stay there for some time to teach and preach God’s Word again.
Notice Luke’s important sideline remark that God’s Spirit had raised up ‘many others’ in that church who taught and preached God’s Word: “... Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.”
(Acts 15:35)
Further on, Luke continues to mentions how God’s Spirit had worked in various churches without actually referring to Him: “... the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” (Acts 16:5) and “... In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” (Acts 19:20)
The love and compassion of God’s Spirit, which we saw at work in the early Jerusalem church and in the Syrian Antioch church, are again manifested in the Macedonian churches. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth about the exemplary way these churches send relief to the poor in Jerusalem:
“And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.
Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.”
(2 Corinthians 8:1-5)
One chapter later on, Paul praises the Corinthian church for their help to the famine-stricken church in Jerusalem: “I really don't need to write to you about this gift for the Christians in Jerusalem.
For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to our friends in Macedonia that you Christians in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago.
In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of them to begin helping.” (2 Corinthians 9:1-2)
And in 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 the apostle writes about the mutual love and care among the Christians in Jerusalem and Corinth:
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
There are many more fine examples in the New Testament about the ways God’s Spirit was at work in these first-century churches.
I want to mention one more account regarding the ‘prototype church’ in Thessalonica. Notice the way Paul links together the presence of God’s Spirit, their love for God, Father and Son, their obedience to God’s Word, their care for fellow Christians and their testimony to the world:
“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
You know how we lived among you for your sake.
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia --your faith in God has become known everywhere.
Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.
They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."
(1 Thessalonians 1:2-10)
In the last meditation we saw that God views Christ’s church as ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’. He sees it as a Spirit-guided community on pilgrimage. It is Christ’s Body that, empowered by God’s Spirit, should pursue purity, blamelessness and holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory.
We might wonder how God dealt with churches in New Testament times that did not obey God’s Spirit and God’s Word and did not live up to God’s view on Christ’s church. That will be the theme of the next meditation.
Acts 2:1 and 4, Acts 2:3, Acts 10:44-45, Acts 11:27b-30, Romans 8:9, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 9:1-2 are quotes from the New Living Translation. The other texts are quoted from the New International Version.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
76. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (n) : Pursuing Christlike holiness (1)
Today we want to look into a third characteristic of a church that loves our triune God wholeheartedly:
c.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ wholeheartedly as a church means to pursue Christlike holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory.
c-1.) First we want to look at God’s view on Christ’s church:
• The church as the salt of the earth
In Matthew 5:13 Jesus says to his followers: "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
In Jesus’ days salt was used to preserve and season food. So, in Jesus’ eyes the church [i.e., the community of Jesus’ disciples] is the agent which should uphold God’s standards in our godless society.
• The church as the light of the world
In Matthew 5:14 Jesus continues to affirm to his disciples: “You are the light of the world-- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” and He charges them: “Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
(Matthew 5:15-16)
Here Jesus commands His church to set forth Christlike love and compassion in any uncaring, merciless and inhumane situation.
The apostle Paul certainly refers to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 when he encourages the church in Ephesus: “Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).” (Ephesians 5:8a-9)
Also, the apostle Peter refers to the church as a beacon of God’s light and love in the midst of an often cruel and corrupt society: “...you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
• The church as a community on pilgrimage in this world
The apostle Peter describes the church as a ‘community on pilgrimage’ to God’s promised future. Therefore, it should live by God’s standards and distance itself from the wickedness of its sinful surroundings: “Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:11)
Earlier in chapter 1 Peter speaks already about the church as a community on pilgrimage: “And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as foreigners here on earth.” (1 Peter 1:17)
The apostle Paul reminds the church in Philippi of the reason for their earthly pilgrimage: “... that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior...” (Philippians 3:18b-20)
• The church as a pure, blameless and holy community
As the church is a sojourning community, on the way to God’s promised future (Christ’s return and God’s new creation), the apostles encourage the local churches to prepare themselves for these future happenings. The message of the apostles is surely based on Jesus’ prayer on the evening before He died.
That evening He prayed that His heavenly Father would transform His present and future disciples into pure and holy people, shaped by the truth of God’s Word: “Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth.” (John 17:17)
The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth about the divine vision on which all his church planting is based: “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2)
Speaking about Jesus’ intentions to purify the universal and local church from the filth of selfishness and sinfulness, Paul writes to the Ephesian church: “..... Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word [the Bible], and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)
The apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi: “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [i.e., when He returns].” (Philippians 1:9-10)
Furthermore, Paul emboldens the church in Philippi to develop a Christlike lifestyle: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...” (Philippians 2:14-16a)
The apostle Peter urges the churches to do the same: “Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God -- who chose you to be his children -- is holy. For he himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16)
In his second letter the apostle Peter continues to encourage the churches to train themselves in living Christlike lives: “In keeping with his [God’s] promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Peter 3:13-14)
Also, the apostle John writes to the churches about the importance of maintaining Christlike purity in preparation for Christ’s return: “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children.
Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)
• The church as a Spirit-guided community
The worldwide and the local church need the transforming work of God’s Spirit to be conscious of their identity as ‘the salt of the earth’, as ‘the light of the world’, and as 'a community on pilgrimage’, anticipating God’s messianic future. Without the work of God’s Spirit, the church would not grow in Christlike purity and holiness.
The apostle Paul speaks to the church in Roman about their need to be governed by God’s Spirit: “...but you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)” (Romans 8:9)
In his second letter to the church in Corinth Paul writes about the transforming work of God’s Spirit in the Christian community: “...as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him [Jesus Christ] and reflect his glory even more.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
To the Christians in Galatia (part of modern Turkey) Paul explains: “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul encourages the churches in Galatia to commit themselves to the guidance of God’s Spirit: “If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.”(Galatians 5:25) That is actually a picture of Jesus’ character!
Paul continues to pray for the church in Ephesus that God’s Spirit may work strongly in them so that they may know and love God even more: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17)
In his first letter, the apostle Peter explains that it is God’s Spirit who makes the local church holy (i.e. Christlike in love and purity): “God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood.” (1 Peter 1:2)
Summarising all these quotations, we see that God’s view on Christ’s church is accomplished by His Spirit, who wants to transform every true local church into a Christlike, pure, blameless and holy community. As such the local church grows into being ‘the salt of the earth’, as ‘the light of the world’ and as 'a community on pilgrimage’, anticipating God’s messianic future.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews urges us individually and as a church, to pursue Christlike holiness. That's the way to express our wholehearted love for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ: "Pursue ..... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord..." (Hebrews 12:14)
That raises the question: have local churches in New Testament times lived lives according to God’s view on Christ’s church?
That will be the theme of next week’s meditation.
Ephesians 1:17, Ephesians 5:8a-9, Ephesians 5:25-27, Philippians 1:9-10, Philippians 2:14-16a and 2 Peter 3:13-14 are quotes from the New International Version. Hebrews 12:14 is a quote from the New King James. All other texts are quoted from the New Living Translation.
c.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ wholeheartedly as a church means to pursue Christlike holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory.
c-1.) First we want to look at God’s view on Christ’s church:
• The church as the salt of the earth
In Matthew 5:13 Jesus says to his followers: "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
In Jesus’ days salt was used to preserve and season food. So, in Jesus’ eyes the church [i.e., the community of Jesus’ disciples] is the agent which should uphold God’s standards in our godless society.
• The church as the light of the world
In Matthew 5:14 Jesus continues to affirm to his disciples: “You are the light of the world-- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” and He charges them: “Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
(Matthew 5:15-16)
Here Jesus commands His church to set forth Christlike love and compassion in any uncaring, merciless and inhumane situation.
The apostle Paul certainly refers to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 when he encourages the church in Ephesus: “Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).” (Ephesians 5:8a-9)
Also, the apostle Peter refers to the church as a beacon of God’s light and love in the midst of an often cruel and corrupt society: “...you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
• The church as a community on pilgrimage in this world
The apostle Peter describes the church as a ‘community on pilgrimage’ to God’s promised future. Therefore, it should live by God’s standards and distance itself from the wickedness of its sinful surroundings: “Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:11)
Earlier in chapter 1 Peter speaks already about the church as a community on pilgrimage: “And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as foreigners here on earth.” (1 Peter 1:17)
The apostle Paul reminds the church in Philippi of the reason for their earthly pilgrimage: “... that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior...” (Philippians 3:18b-20)
• The church as a pure, blameless and holy community
As the church is a sojourning community, on the way to God’s promised future (Christ’s return and God’s new creation), the apostles encourage the local churches to prepare themselves for these future happenings. The message of the apostles is surely based on Jesus’ prayer on the evening before He died.
That evening He prayed that His heavenly Father would transform His present and future disciples into pure and holy people, shaped by the truth of God’s Word: “Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth.” (John 17:17)
The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth about the divine vision on which all his church planting is based: “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2)
Speaking about Jesus’ intentions to purify the universal and local church from the filth of selfishness and sinfulness, Paul writes to the Ephesian church: “..... Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word [the Bible], and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)
The apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi: “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [i.e., when He returns].” (Philippians 1:9-10)
Furthermore, Paul emboldens the church in Philippi to develop a Christlike lifestyle: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...” (Philippians 2:14-16a)
The apostle Peter urges the churches to do the same: “Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God -- who chose you to be his children -- is holy. For he himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16)
In his second letter the apostle Peter continues to encourage the churches to train themselves in living Christlike lives: “In keeping with his [God’s] promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Peter 3:13-14)
Also, the apostle John writes to the churches about the importance of maintaining Christlike purity in preparation for Christ’s return: “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children.
Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)
• The church as a Spirit-guided community
The worldwide and the local church need the transforming work of God’s Spirit to be conscious of their identity as ‘the salt of the earth’, as ‘the light of the world’, and as 'a community on pilgrimage’, anticipating God’s messianic future. Without the work of God’s Spirit, the church would not grow in Christlike purity and holiness.
The apostle Paul speaks to the church in Roman about their need to be governed by God’s Spirit: “...but you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)” (Romans 8:9)
In his second letter to the church in Corinth Paul writes about the transforming work of God’s Spirit in the Christian community: “...as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him [Jesus Christ] and reflect his glory even more.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
To the Christians in Galatia (part of modern Turkey) Paul explains: “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul encourages the churches in Galatia to commit themselves to the guidance of God’s Spirit: “If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.”(Galatians 5:25) That is actually a picture of Jesus’ character!
Paul continues to pray for the church in Ephesus that God’s Spirit may work strongly in them so that they may know and love God even more: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17)
In his first letter, the apostle Peter explains that it is God’s Spirit who makes the local church holy (i.e. Christlike in love and purity): “God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood.” (1 Peter 1:2)
Summarising all these quotations, we see that God’s view on Christ’s church is accomplished by His Spirit, who wants to transform every true local church into a Christlike, pure, blameless and holy community. As such the local church grows into being ‘the salt of the earth’, as ‘the light of the world’ and as 'a community on pilgrimage’, anticipating God’s messianic future.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews urges us individually and as a church, to pursue Christlike holiness. That's the way to express our wholehearted love for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ: "Pursue ..... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord..." (Hebrews 12:14)
That raises the question: have local churches in New Testament times lived lives according to God’s view on Christ’s church?
That will be the theme of next week’s meditation.
Ephesians 1:17, Ephesians 5:8a-9, Ephesians 5:25-27, Philippians 1:9-10, Philippians 2:14-16a and 2 Peter 3:13-14 are quotes from the New International Version. Hebrews 12:14 is a quote from the New King James. All other texts are quoted from the New Living Translation.
Friday, February 24, 2012
75. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (m) : Persistent devotion to the study of God’s Word
In Meditations 74 we saw that for a church to love our triune God wholeheartedly, means to obey His Word [the Bible] unconditionally.
The Gospel-writer Luke tells in his book of Acts about the first followers of Jesus. He writes about them that “they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...” (Acts 2:42). As we saw already in Meditation 66, the Greek word that Luke uses here for devotion indicates a single-minded, firm determination of the will.
Luke shows us that Jesus’ first followers gave a constant and unabated attention to the study of God’s Word. The apostles explained the Old Testament to them in the light of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
This persistent devotion to the apostles’ teaching allowed God's Spirit to work powerfully in their midst. This Spirit-driven zeal to study God’s Word was a response to Jesus’ declaration: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Furthermore, Luke writes three times about their commitment to be together when sharing God's Word:
-- “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”(Acts 2:46)
-- “All the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.” (Acts 5:12)
-- “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5:42)
Indeed, it was the Spirit of God who caused God’s people to fall in love with God and His Word.
Luke regards the Jews in Berea (Greece) highly for their adherence to biblical truth: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures [Old Testament] every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)
The apostle Paul praises the church in Corinth for their love for God’s Word: “I praise you for ... holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2)
Four chapters later, Paul cautions this church to continue building their community on the foundation of God’s Word: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
The apostle Paul reminds the church in Ephesus of the fact that any community of Jesus’ followers is based on the Holy Scriptures: “We are his [God’s] house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” (Ephesians 2:20)
Paul urges the Christian community in Philippi to keep close to God’s Word and to live according to it in the midst of an immoral society: “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly to the Word of life...” (Philippians 2:15b-16a)
Like all the other churches, Paul warns the church in Colosse to remain dedicated to God’s Word: “You must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” (Colossians 1:23)
Paul encourages the Christian community in Thessalonica to intensify their dedication to God’s Word: “Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2)
In Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica he warns them for all kinds of deceptions and urges them, saying: “With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on everything we taught you both in person and by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
The apostle Peter encourages the followers of Jesus in what is now Turkey to remain committed to God’s Word: “You must crave pure spiritual milk [the Bible] so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk...” (1 Peter 2:2)
We could endlessly continue to quote Bible verses from the Old and New Testament that testify to the need of any local church wherever to stay close to God’s Word. It is one of the deepest expressions of a church’s love for our triune God when it is devoted to studying and obeying His holy Word.
The apostle Paul writes to his co-worker Timothy about the effect God’s Word can have in individual lives as well as in the life of an entire church community: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The author of the “Epistle to the Hebrews” shows how God’s Spirit intends to use God’s Word for the transformation of our lives and our communities into the likeness of Jesus Christ: “The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.”
(Hebrews 4:12-13)
In the light of all we have seen in Meditation 74 and 75, we are more than astounded when we hear that so many individual Christians and entire churches worldwide hardly know God’s Word [the Bible].
Since the last Meditations have specially focussed on the church, we are left with some heart-searching questions:
-- How can a church say that it loves God without being devoted to studying and obeying His Word?
-- How can a church know what pleases God if it doesn’t know His Word?
-- How can a church serve God if it doesn’t know His Will, revealed in His Word?
-- How can God’s Spirit transform a church in the likeness of Christ if it doesn’t know and obey God’s Word?
-- How can a church be “the light of the world” in our modern society if it doesn’t live according to God’s Word?
Ephesians 2:20, Philippians 2:15b-16a, 2 Thessalonians 2:15,
1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 4:12-13 are quotes from the New Living Translation. All other texts are quoted from the New International Version.
The Gospel-writer Luke tells in his book of Acts about the first followers of Jesus. He writes about them that “they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...” (Acts 2:42). As we saw already in Meditation 66, the Greek word that Luke uses here for devotion indicates a single-minded, firm determination of the will.
Luke shows us that Jesus’ first followers gave a constant and unabated attention to the study of God’s Word. The apostles explained the Old Testament to them in the light of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
This persistent devotion to the apostles’ teaching allowed God's Spirit to work powerfully in their midst. This Spirit-driven zeal to study God’s Word was a response to Jesus’ declaration: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Furthermore, Luke writes three times about their commitment to be together when sharing God's Word:
-- “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”(Acts 2:46)
-- “All the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.” (Acts 5:12)
-- “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5:42)
Indeed, it was the Spirit of God who caused God’s people to fall in love with God and His Word.
Luke regards the Jews in Berea (Greece) highly for their adherence to biblical truth: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures [Old Testament] every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)
The apostle Paul praises the church in Corinth for their love for God’s Word: “I praise you for ... holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2)
Four chapters later, Paul cautions this church to continue building their community on the foundation of God’s Word: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
The apostle Paul reminds the church in Ephesus of the fact that any community of Jesus’ followers is based on the Holy Scriptures: “We are his [God’s] house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” (Ephesians 2:20)
Paul urges the Christian community in Philippi to keep close to God’s Word and to live according to it in the midst of an immoral society: “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly to the Word of life...” (Philippians 2:15b-16a)
Like all the other churches, Paul warns the church in Colosse to remain dedicated to God’s Word: “You must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” (Colossians 1:23)
Paul encourages the Christian community in Thessalonica to intensify their dedication to God’s Word: “Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2)
In Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica he warns them for all kinds of deceptions and urges them, saying: “With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on everything we taught you both in person and by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
The apostle Peter encourages the followers of Jesus in what is now Turkey to remain committed to God’s Word: “You must crave pure spiritual milk [the Bible] so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk...” (1 Peter 2:2)
We could endlessly continue to quote Bible verses from the Old and New Testament that testify to the need of any local church wherever to stay close to God’s Word. It is one of the deepest expressions of a church’s love for our triune God when it is devoted to studying and obeying His holy Word.
The apostle Paul writes to his co-worker Timothy about the effect God’s Word can have in individual lives as well as in the life of an entire church community: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The author of the “Epistle to the Hebrews” shows how God’s Spirit intends to use God’s Word for the transformation of our lives and our communities into the likeness of Jesus Christ: “The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.”
(Hebrews 4:12-13)
In the light of all we have seen in Meditation 74 and 75, we are more than astounded when we hear that so many individual Christians and entire churches worldwide hardly know God’s Word [the Bible].
Since the last Meditations have specially focussed on the church, we are left with some heart-searching questions:
-- How can a church say that it loves God without being devoted to studying and obeying His Word?
-- How can a church know what pleases God if it doesn’t know His Word?
-- How can a church serve God if it doesn’t know His Will, revealed in His Word?
-- How can God’s Spirit transform a church in the likeness of Christ if it doesn’t know and obey God’s Word?
-- How can a church be “the light of the world” in our modern society if it doesn’t live according to God’s Word?
Ephesians 2:20, Philippians 2:15b-16a, 2 Thessalonians 2:15,
1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 4:12-13 are quotes from the New Living Translation. All other texts are quoted from the New International Version.
Friday, January 27, 2012
74. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (l) : Loving God means obeying His Word
In Meditation 63 we started to reflect on the question: What characterises that Spirit-given sacrificial love of my church for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ which fulfills the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
(Matthew 22:37)
We mentioned as a first characteristic:
a.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to be unconditionally and persistently devoted to them in prayer.
(See Meditations 66-73)
Today we want to look into a second characteristic:
b.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to obey them unconditionally. (See Meditations 66-73)
In Jesus’ last discourse to his disciples on the evening before his suffering, He shows his friends the indestructible link among our love for God, the imperative of obeying God’s Word, and the work of God’s Spirit in us.
Jesus starts this passage by saying: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).
He finishes it with the words: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” (John 14:21a).
Then follows a promise: “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
(John 14:21b).
That promise is repeated in verse 23: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
Without doubt these words of Jesus show us another characteristic of a mature church: Its wholehearted love for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ which manifests itself in unconditional obedience to God’s Word [the Bible].
Jesus repeatedly promises that the triune God will reveal Himself to those Christians and those churches who love Him and obey Him. Yet, how could we love God wholeheartedly and obey His Word unconditionally if selfish pride and disobedience rules our hearts by nature? (see Meditation 19).
The answer to that question is found in the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. (see Meditations 27-34).
Sandwiched between Jesus’ two calls to love Him and obey his Word, he speaks about the empowering work of God’s Spirit: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you [from Pentecost onwards].” (John 14:16-17)
The apostle Paul rejoices about the fact that it is God’s Spirit who fills our hearts with God’s love: “...We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5)
And as we just read, the Lord Jesus shows that it is God’s Spirit who will be with us. He will give us the understanding of God’s Word and the strength to obey it: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever-- the Spirit of truth.” ( John 14:17a)
When we talk about the indestructible link between loving God and obeying God’s Word, I think that we touch on one of the greatest problems in the lives of many Christians as well as in the conduct of many local churches today.
We might know God’s Word, we might even preach it but still not put it into practice. Jesus says that this is the surest way to deceive ourselves and others:
“Not everyone who says to me,`Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,`Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly,`I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(Matthew 7:21-27)
Earlier in this Meditation we read that the Lord Jesus has promised that God – Father, Son and Spirit – will reveal himself to all those who love Him and obey His Word (John 14:21b and 23).
Therefore, it is most important that we pause for a moment and see how God’s Word secures the link between loving God and obeying His commands. I can only choose a small selection out of a nearly unlimited range of Biblical texts:
In the 14th century B.C., Israel’s leader Joshua urges on the tribal leaders of Ruben, Gad and Manasseh by saying: “Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5)
About 900 years later the statesman Daniel pleads with God and acknowledges the strong link between loving Him and obeying His Word: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and keep your commands.” (Daniel 9:4)
Nehemiah, the cupbearer of the Persian king, lived shortly after Daniel. He starts his rueful prayer with the same acknowledgment: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands...” (Nehemiah 1:5).
After one of his discourses, Jesus announces: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21)
Later on Jesus proclaims: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
In this Meditation we have already mentioned Jesus’ words: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). And again in verse 23 Jesus warns: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.”
That same evening before his death, Jesus explained to his disciples: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:10). Christlike love reveals itself in obeying the commands of Jesus and his heavenly Father!
Years later the apostle John reminds us of Jesus’ teaching: “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult.” (1 John 5:3).
In the context of Jesus’ teaching, John is right: If we have not capitulated to the authority of God’s Spirit and God’s Word in our lives and in our churches, then obeying His Word is impossible!
Yet, if God’s Spirit and His Word truly rule our lives and our churches, then obeying God’s Word is really not difficult!
These days many Christians and churches search after the experience of God’s presence and power. Yet, unconditional obedience to God’s Word [the Bible] is a problematic theme in many lives and churches with all the calamitous consequences that that brings about.
How about you and your church?
(to be continued)
Romans 5:5, Daniel 9:4, Nehemiah 1:5, Luke 8:21, 1 John 5:3 are quoted from the New Living Translation. All other quotes are from the New International Version.
(Matthew 22:37)
We mentioned as a first characteristic:
a.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to be unconditionally and persistently devoted to them in prayer.
(See Meditations 66-73)
Today we want to look into a second characteristic:
b.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to obey them unconditionally. (See Meditations 66-73)
In Jesus’ last discourse to his disciples on the evening before his suffering, He shows his friends the indestructible link among our love for God, the imperative of obeying God’s Word, and the work of God’s Spirit in us.
Jesus starts this passage by saying: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).
He finishes it with the words: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” (John 14:21a).
Then follows a promise: “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
(John 14:21b).
That promise is repeated in verse 23: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
Without doubt these words of Jesus show us another characteristic of a mature church: Its wholehearted love for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ which manifests itself in unconditional obedience to God’s Word [the Bible].
Jesus repeatedly promises that the triune God will reveal Himself to those Christians and those churches who love Him and obey Him. Yet, how could we love God wholeheartedly and obey His Word unconditionally if selfish pride and disobedience rules our hearts by nature? (see Meditation 19).
The answer to that question is found in the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. (see Meditations 27-34).
Sandwiched between Jesus’ two calls to love Him and obey his Word, he speaks about the empowering work of God’s Spirit: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you [from Pentecost onwards].” (John 14:16-17)
The apostle Paul rejoices about the fact that it is God’s Spirit who fills our hearts with God’s love: “...We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5)
And as we just read, the Lord Jesus shows that it is God’s Spirit who will be with us. He will give us the understanding of God’s Word and the strength to obey it: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever-- the Spirit of truth.” ( John 14:17a)
When we talk about the indestructible link between loving God and obeying God’s Word, I think that we touch on one of the greatest problems in the lives of many Christians as well as in the conduct of many local churches today.
We might know God’s Word, we might even preach it but still not put it into practice. Jesus says that this is the surest way to deceive ourselves and others:
“Not everyone who says to me,`Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,`Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly,`I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(Matthew 7:21-27)
Earlier in this Meditation we read that the Lord Jesus has promised that God – Father, Son and Spirit – will reveal himself to all those who love Him and obey His Word (John 14:21b and 23).
Therefore, it is most important that we pause for a moment and see how God’s Word secures the link between loving God and obeying His commands. I can only choose a small selection out of a nearly unlimited range of Biblical texts:
In the 14th century B.C., Israel’s leader Joshua urges on the tribal leaders of Ruben, Gad and Manasseh by saying: “Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5)
About 900 years later the statesman Daniel pleads with God and acknowledges the strong link between loving Him and obeying His Word: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and keep your commands.” (Daniel 9:4)
Nehemiah, the cupbearer of the Persian king, lived shortly after Daniel. He starts his rueful prayer with the same acknowledgment: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands...” (Nehemiah 1:5).
After one of his discourses, Jesus announces: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21)
Later on Jesus proclaims: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
In this Meditation we have already mentioned Jesus’ words: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). And again in verse 23 Jesus warns: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.”
That same evening before his death, Jesus explained to his disciples: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:10). Christlike love reveals itself in obeying the commands of Jesus and his heavenly Father!
Years later the apostle John reminds us of Jesus’ teaching: “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult.” (1 John 5:3).
In the context of Jesus’ teaching, John is right: If we have not capitulated to the authority of God’s Spirit and God’s Word in our lives and in our churches, then obeying His Word is impossible!
Yet, if God’s Spirit and His Word truly rule our lives and our churches, then obeying God’s Word is really not difficult!
These days many Christians and churches search after the experience of God’s presence and power. Yet, unconditional obedience to God’s Word [the Bible] is a problematic theme in many lives and churches with all the calamitous consequences that that brings about.
How about you and your church?
(to be continued)
Romans 5:5, Daniel 9:4, Nehemiah 1:5, Luke 8:21, 1 John 5:3 are quoted from the New Living Translation. All other quotes are from the New International Version.
Friday, January 20, 2012
73. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON ( k ) : A fictitious worship meeting.
In this meditation I would like to invite you to a fictitious church meeting, specially called together to express its love for God by offering sacrifices of praise to Him. In this worship meeting you will find components of which we spoke in Meditations 63 to 72.
Colin, one of the leaders of the church will lead this meeting. You are most welcome to take place in this gathering of God’s family as we prepare ourselves for worship:
Colin, the leader of this meeting: Dear heavenly Father, today we gather again before Your throne to bring our sacrifice of praise to You and to Your beloved Son, Jesus the Messiah.
This day we want to acknowledge You again as the God of creation and the God of history. We want to bless You especially as the God who birthed Your people and has guided it faithfully from its early beginnings until this very day.
Yet, we know that we are not worthy to come before You. Therefore, we want to begin this service with confessing our sins. Inspired by the words of Your servant Daniel, we want to say to You: O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps Your covenant of love with all who love You and obey Your commands, every day we sin and do wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled.
So often we have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to us. Lord, you are righteous, but today again we are covered with shame because of our unfaithfulness to You.
O Lord our God, who brought long ago Your people of old out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a Name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.
O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Your church. Our sins have often made us an object of scorn to all those around us.
Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servants. For Your sake, O Lord, look with favour on us. Give ear, O God, and hear.
We do not seek Your face because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, since we bear Your Name.
Mary: Holy Father, with great gratitude we remember the words of the apostle John. He comforts us by saying that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
David: Dear Lord Jesus, Your servant John, also wrote that if we sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defence. That is You! You are that Righteous One! You are the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We have no words to thank You for the wonderful gift of Your precious life and for the shedding of Your blood that purifies us from all sin.
Lesley with her flute and Nicholas with his guitar play a piece of music for the Lord.
Elizabeth: Dear Father, with Your servant Moses we want to acknowledge You as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It was Your Spirit hovering over the waters and Your living Word that brought light and life. And as You explained to us by the apostle John, Your beloved Son Jesus is that living Word through whom all things are made.
Frank: Lord Jesus, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. We are here to extol You as we recount the words of Your servant Paul:
Yes indeed, You are your Father's true image. You are the first-born over all creation. You made all the things we can see and all the things we can’t see – kings and presidents, kingdoms, empires and democracies, all rulers and authorities.
Everything has been created through You and for You. You existed before everything else began, and You hold everything in all creation together.
Carl: Yes, Lord Jesus, You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant the apostle Paul when You revealed that You are the head of the Body, Your church;
You are the beginning and the first-born from among the dead, so that You might have supremacy in everything.
Today we stand before You to honour You for all You are, for all You have done, for all You do, and for all You will do.
The congregation sings: “Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son...” (Mission Praise 689)
Colin, the leader of the meeting: Dear God, we are here today not only to confess that You are the God of all creation, we also want to praise You for the fact that You have birthed Your people as offspring from our father Abraham.
Evelyn: Yes Lord, we remember Paul’s words when he rejoiced and said: It is through faith that Abraham is the father of us all. You promised that You would make him not only the father of your ancient people Israel, but also the father of many nations.
The apostle Paul acclaims that You are the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
Without weakening in his faith, our father Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
Yet Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding Your promise, but he was strengthened in his faith and gave You glory. He was fully persuaded that You had the power to do what You had promised to him.
Nicholas: Dear heavenly Father, You promised that in Abraham's seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. And by Your Spirit, the apostle Paul explains to us that this seed would be Your beloved Son, Jesus the Messiah.
We know that all who believe in You, Lord Jesus, are the true children of Abraham. How could we ever praise You enough for such a great privilege.
Joyce plays on her harp to make music to the Lord.
Anthony: Lord Jesus, we know how You have become the seed of Abraham through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Your Spirit has revealed that to us by Your servant Paul:
You are in very nature God. Yet, You did not consider equality with Your heavenly Father something to be grasped. You made Yourself nothing.
You took the very nature of a servant. You became a man. You became one of us, but without sin.
Indeed, You were the seed of Abraham. Yet, in order to become the blessing for all the nations of the world, You had to humble Yourself even more.
You have revealed that to us by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant Paul. You humbled Yourself and became obedient to the point of death--even through death on the cross!
But because of Your obedience to death, the Father exalted You to the highest place.
He gave You the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and so that every tongue should confess that You are God the Son and Lord over everyone and everything.
The congregation sings: “Hail, Thou once despisèd Jesus...”
(Mission Praise 203)
Colin, the leader of the meeting: Dear Lord, today we don't only want to thank you for birthing Your people through Your faithful friend Abraham. We also stand in awe for the way You have guided Your people right from the beginning.
We thank You for Joseph and Moses. We thank You for Joshua and David and for all Your faithful prophets in Old Testament times.
How could we ever thank You enough for Mary and Joseph, for Peter and James, for John and Paul and all Your other loyal servants in New Testament times too.
We thank You for the multitude of men and women over the centuries who have faithfully served You all over the world until the present day.
We thank You for the myriad of people - throughout the history of Your church until this very day - who have denied themselves totally as they love You, taking up their cross and following You, even until death....
At this moment in the meeting many in the congregation start to thank God for men and women who have served God faithfully all over the world throughout human history. (It would go far beyond this meditation to mention all their prayers of praise and thanksgiving).
The congregation sings: “For all the saints who from their labour rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest. Alleluia!...” (Mission Praise 148)
Now follows a time of petitions and supplications for those in need. God is asked for wisdom and guidance in the daily life of the congregation.
This meeting expects God’s Spirit to speak. It waits for His direction in their church’s life and service.
Colin, the leader of this worship meeting closes with the words from Ephesians 3:20-21 : “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
* * *
Some final remarks:
-- This kind of worship meeting is not restricted to an hour or two. This fictitious congregation seeks the Lord’s presence through prayer and fasting and might forget any time limit.
-- From their sacrifice of praise it is clear that the members of this fictitious congregation know God’s Word [the Bible]. They use it as a source to bless God – Father and Son – under the guidance of His Spirit. In our next meditation we will reflect on the use of God’s Word as a source of worship.
-- This congregation has some knowledge of church- and mission history, so that they are able to bless God for His work in the church and in the world.
-- The children of this fictitious congregation are already introduced to the use of God’s Word for the sacrifice of praise.
To be able to bless God for His work throughout the history of church and mission, this congregation organises courses and seminars to motivate its members for taking part in the sacrifice of praise.
-- This specific worship meeting had as theme “God’s work in creation and in the history of His church”. The following worship meeting might have a different theme to bless God.
-- Although this congregation and this worship meeting are only existing in my dreams, this sacrifice of praise is inspired by a true experience in my life.
* * *
In Meditation 66 we started to reflect on the question: How could we describe that Spirit-given sacrificial love of my church for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ which fulfills the first commandment? (Matthew 22:37) The first indication we mentioned was:
To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to be unconditionally and persistently devoted to our triune God in prayer.
(See Meditations 66-73)
Another indication of my church’s wholehearted love for God has to do with the place of God’s Word in the life of my church. That will be the theme for our next meditations.
Colin, one of the leaders of the church will lead this meeting. You are most welcome to take place in this gathering of God’s family as we prepare ourselves for worship:
Colin, the leader of this meeting: Dear heavenly Father, today we gather again before Your throne to bring our sacrifice of praise to You and to Your beloved Son, Jesus the Messiah.
This day we want to acknowledge You again as the God of creation and the God of history. We want to bless You especially as the God who birthed Your people and has guided it faithfully from its early beginnings until this very day.
Yet, we know that we are not worthy to come before You. Therefore, we want to begin this service with confessing our sins. Inspired by the words of Your servant Daniel, we want to say to You: O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps Your covenant of love with all who love You and obey Your commands, every day we sin and do wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled.
So often we have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to us. Lord, you are righteous, but today again we are covered with shame because of our unfaithfulness to You.
O Lord our God, who brought long ago Your people of old out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a Name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.
O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Your church. Our sins have often made us an object of scorn to all those around us.
Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servants. For Your sake, O Lord, look with favour on us. Give ear, O God, and hear.
We do not seek Your face because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, since we bear Your Name.
Mary: Holy Father, with great gratitude we remember the words of the apostle John. He comforts us by saying that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
David: Dear Lord Jesus, Your servant John, also wrote that if we sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defence. That is You! You are that Righteous One! You are the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We have no words to thank You for the wonderful gift of Your precious life and for the shedding of Your blood that purifies us from all sin.
Lesley with her flute and Nicholas with his guitar play a piece of music for the Lord.
Elizabeth: Dear Father, with Your servant Moses we want to acknowledge You as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It was Your Spirit hovering over the waters and Your living Word that brought light and life. And as You explained to us by the apostle John, Your beloved Son Jesus is that living Word through whom all things are made.
Frank: Lord Jesus, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. We are here to extol You as we recount the words of Your servant Paul:
Yes indeed, You are your Father's true image. You are the first-born over all creation. You made all the things we can see and all the things we can’t see – kings and presidents, kingdoms, empires and democracies, all rulers and authorities.
Everything has been created through You and for You. You existed before everything else began, and You hold everything in all creation together.
Carl: Yes, Lord Jesus, You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant the apostle Paul when You revealed that You are the head of the Body, Your church;
You are the beginning and the first-born from among the dead, so that You might have supremacy in everything.
Today we stand before You to honour You for all You are, for all You have done, for all You do, and for all You will do.
The congregation sings: “Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son...” (Mission Praise 689)
Colin, the leader of the meeting: Dear God, we are here today not only to confess that You are the God of all creation, we also want to praise You for the fact that You have birthed Your people as offspring from our father Abraham.
Evelyn: Yes Lord, we remember Paul’s words when he rejoiced and said: It is through faith that Abraham is the father of us all. You promised that You would make him not only the father of your ancient people Israel, but also the father of many nations.
The apostle Paul acclaims that You are the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
Without weakening in his faith, our father Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
Yet Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding Your promise, but he was strengthened in his faith and gave You glory. He was fully persuaded that You had the power to do what You had promised to him.
Nicholas: Dear heavenly Father, You promised that in Abraham's seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. And by Your Spirit, the apostle Paul explains to us that this seed would be Your beloved Son, Jesus the Messiah.
We know that all who believe in You, Lord Jesus, are the true children of Abraham. How could we ever praise You enough for such a great privilege.
Joyce plays on her harp to make music to the Lord.
Anthony: Lord Jesus, we know how You have become the seed of Abraham through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Your Spirit has revealed that to us by Your servant Paul:
You are in very nature God. Yet, You did not consider equality with Your heavenly Father something to be grasped. You made Yourself nothing.
You took the very nature of a servant. You became a man. You became one of us, but without sin.
Indeed, You were the seed of Abraham. Yet, in order to become the blessing for all the nations of the world, You had to humble Yourself even more.
You have revealed that to us by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant Paul. You humbled Yourself and became obedient to the point of death--even through death on the cross!
But because of Your obedience to death, the Father exalted You to the highest place.
He gave You the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and so that every tongue should confess that You are God the Son and Lord over everyone and everything.
The congregation sings: “Hail, Thou once despisèd Jesus...”
(Mission Praise 203)
Colin, the leader of the meeting: Dear Lord, today we don't only want to thank you for birthing Your people through Your faithful friend Abraham. We also stand in awe for the way You have guided Your people right from the beginning.
We thank You for Joseph and Moses. We thank You for Joshua and David and for all Your faithful prophets in Old Testament times.
How could we ever thank You enough for Mary and Joseph, for Peter and James, for John and Paul and all Your other loyal servants in New Testament times too.
We thank You for the multitude of men and women over the centuries who have faithfully served You all over the world until the present day.
We thank You for the myriad of people - throughout the history of Your church until this very day - who have denied themselves totally as they love You, taking up their cross and following You, even until death....
At this moment in the meeting many in the congregation start to thank God for men and women who have served God faithfully all over the world throughout human history. (It would go far beyond this meditation to mention all their prayers of praise and thanksgiving).
The congregation sings: “For all the saints who from their labour rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest. Alleluia!...” (Mission Praise 148)
Now follows a time of petitions and supplications for those in need. God is asked for wisdom and guidance in the daily life of the congregation.
This meeting expects God’s Spirit to speak. It waits for His direction in their church’s life and service.
Colin, the leader of this worship meeting closes with the words from Ephesians 3:20-21 : “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
* * *
Some final remarks:
-- This kind of worship meeting is not restricted to an hour or two. This fictitious congregation seeks the Lord’s presence through prayer and fasting and might forget any time limit.
-- From their sacrifice of praise it is clear that the members of this fictitious congregation know God’s Word [the Bible]. They use it as a source to bless God – Father and Son – under the guidance of His Spirit. In our next meditation we will reflect on the use of God’s Word as a source of worship.
-- This congregation has some knowledge of church- and mission history, so that they are able to bless God for His work in the church and in the world.
-- The children of this fictitious congregation are already introduced to the use of God’s Word for the sacrifice of praise.
To be able to bless God for His work throughout the history of church and mission, this congregation organises courses and seminars to motivate its members for taking part in the sacrifice of praise.
-- This specific worship meeting had as theme “God’s work in creation and in the history of His church”. The following worship meeting might have a different theme to bless God.
-- Although this congregation and this worship meeting are only existing in my dreams, this sacrifice of praise is inspired by a true experience in my life.
* * *
In Meditation 66 we started to reflect on the question: How could we describe that Spirit-given sacrificial love of my church for God the Father and for His Son Jesus Christ which fulfills the first commandment? (Matthew 22:37) The first indication we mentioned was:
To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ whole-
heartedly as a church, means to be unconditionally and persistently devoted to our triune God in prayer.
(See Meditations 66-73)
Another indication of my church’s wholehearted love for God has to do with the place of God’s Word in the life of my church. That will be the theme for our next meditations.
Friday, January 13, 2012
72. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON ( j ) : Biblical components of Christlike worship (a summary).
In meditations 63 to 72 we saw that God’s Spirit wants to empower my church for mature, Christlike worship of God. We realised that the Holy Spirit wants to do that in such a way that my church fulfills God’s first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
Let’s summarise the biblical components which are essential for my church’s growth in corporate Christlike worship:
• A ‘corporate personality’
In God’s eyes my church is more than a gathering of individual believers. He desires that my church begins to see itself as a ‘corporate personality’. God looks at my church as the ‘Temple of His Holy Spirit’, as the ‘Body of His dear Son’, as ‘His precious People and His cherished Family’, as the ‘beloved Bride of His Messiah’. (see meditation 63)
• A shared vision of worship
We need to pray that God gives our churches a shared vision of Christlike worship of Himself. Naturally, such divine vision will be firmly based on the knowledge of God’s Word [i.e., the Bible].
(see meditation 64)
• Bearers of that vision
In meditation 65 we saw that God’s Spirit wants to appoint in my church people who bear that vision of Christlike worship. In all likelihood they will belong to the leadership of my church: the pastor, one or more elders, the worship leader, etc. However, it is also possible that God calls an ‘average church member’ to this ministry. In that case the church leadership needs the humility to acknowledge that calling.
• Sustained devotion to worship
My church needs to receive Christ’s desire for unconditional and persistent devotion to worship. Therefore, it needs Jesus’ teaching on persistent prayer and follow His example. Actually, I wonder how many of our churches in the West are profoundly lacking in the sacrificial ministry of Christlike worship. It might be that God’s Spirit truly needs to do a divine miracle in many churches. Are we open to Christ’s teaching on worship and to Christlike transforma-
tion by God’s Spirit? (see meditation 66)
• The essence of true worship
However important prayers of supplication and intercession may be, God seeks first of all true worshippers and true worshipping communities. God’s Spirit needs to show my church the overall importance of true worship from the heart. Such worship is empowered by God’s Spirit and based on the truth of God’s Word. (see meditation 67)
• My church, a community of priests
This priestly ministry of the entire church and its leadership aims at meeting with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. During such times of fellowship with God, the church offers to God Spirit-empowered sacrifices of praise. Such a sacrifice might contain humble confessions of sin. It certainly will overflow in gratitude for Christ’s redeeming love. Above all, such a sacrifice of praise will acknowledge God’s all-embracing love and compassion, His holiness and righteousness, His judgment and mercy, His saving grace, His awesome power in creation and final restoration, His control of world history, and the faithful guidance of His people throughout all the storms of life. (see meditations 68 to 71)
Finally, such times of corporate worship might include elements which I have not yet mentioned in earlier meditations.
The apostle Paul encourages the church in Colosse, saying: “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16) In general Bible scholars are not sure what the exact meaning of these different types of songs was.
• “Sing psalms...” might point to the singing of Old Testament psalms during Christian worship. We are not able any more to sing those psalms with their original melodies as they are unknown to us. Yet, reciting and praying parts of Old Testament psalms surely help us to enrich our worship.
In meditation 72, I also quoted other texts from the Bible in which God is addressed personally. Those kinds of Bible verses might widen our horizon as we seek ever new reasons for extolling the Lord in our worship.
• The actual Greek term for ‘psalm’ might also signify “the playing of a stringed instrument”. In Psalm 71:22 and many other psalms David worships God by playing a stringed instrument: “I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God...”
(Psalm 71:22). In our worship services we normally play instruments to accompany congregational singing or to play a piece of music for the congregation. God’s people in biblical times often played for God on their musical instruments. As God is in our midst, we might well learn anew to take the time to play for Him.
• “Sing ... hymns...” might refer to Christian songs written and sung or recited in the early churches. Also in our time songs directed to God the Father and to Jesus Christ are great ways to lift our hearts in worship. Here is one of the countless modern worship songs which address the Lord personally: “Lord, the light of Your love is shining...” And what about the rich storehouse of classical hymns like: “Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son...”
• “Sing ... spiritual songs” might mean “singing songs produced by God’s Spirit”. These Spirit-empowered songs seem not so much to be an indication that the early church publicly practised glossolalia [i.e. singing and speaking in tongues]. The apostle Paul does not encourage its use in public (see 1 Corinthians 14:2-25). The ‘spiritual songs’ of Colossians 3:16 are probably spontaneous songs of praise to God under direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Today we might find this kind of spontaneous worship more often in African churches than here in the West.
One thing is clear. Jesus said: “... the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23).
In our recent meditations we saw that the Holy Spirit wants to empower my church to worship God in such a way that it will fulfill His first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37). What is the sustained sacrifice of praise more than a unique expression of my church’s unconditional love for God? It lifts my church up to the worshipping congregation in heaven. It also teaches my church to focus on God instead of circling around its own needs and desires. Therefore, let our churches reconsider carefully if the continuous priestly sacrifice of praise is indeed our pre-eminent practice in meeting with God. And let us not forget David’s statement in Psalm 22:3 : “You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.”
Is the continuous sacrifice of praise to God indeed the pre-eminent ministry of my church?
Next time I would like to invite you to a fictitious church meeting, specially called together to offer sacrifices of praise to God.
Matthew 22:37 and Psalm 71:22 are quotes from the New International Version. John 4:23 and Psalm 22:3 are quoted from the New King James Version, Colossians 3:16 is a quote from the New Living Translation.
Let’s summarise the biblical components which are essential for my church’s growth in corporate Christlike worship:
• A ‘corporate personality’
In God’s eyes my church is more than a gathering of individual believers. He desires that my church begins to see itself as a ‘corporate personality’. God looks at my church as the ‘Temple of His Holy Spirit’, as the ‘Body of His dear Son’, as ‘His precious People and His cherished Family’, as the ‘beloved Bride of His Messiah’. (see meditation 63)
• A shared vision of worship
We need to pray that God gives our churches a shared vision of Christlike worship of Himself. Naturally, such divine vision will be firmly based on the knowledge of God’s Word [i.e., the Bible].
(see meditation 64)
• Bearers of that vision
In meditation 65 we saw that God’s Spirit wants to appoint in my church people who bear that vision of Christlike worship. In all likelihood they will belong to the leadership of my church: the pastor, one or more elders, the worship leader, etc. However, it is also possible that God calls an ‘average church member’ to this ministry. In that case the church leadership needs the humility to acknowledge that calling.
• Sustained devotion to worship
My church needs to receive Christ’s desire for unconditional and persistent devotion to worship. Therefore, it needs Jesus’ teaching on persistent prayer and follow His example. Actually, I wonder how many of our churches in the West are profoundly lacking in the sacrificial ministry of Christlike worship. It might be that God’s Spirit truly needs to do a divine miracle in many churches. Are we open to Christ’s teaching on worship and to Christlike transforma-
tion by God’s Spirit? (see meditation 66)
• The essence of true worship
However important prayers of supplication and intercession may be, God seeks first of all true worshippers and true worshipping communities. God’s Spirit needs to show my church the overall importance of true worship from the heart. Such worship is empowered by God’s Spirit and based on the truth of God’s Word. (see meditation 67)
• My church, a community of priests
This priestly ministry of the entire church and its leadership aims at meeting with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. During such times of fellowship with God, the church offers to God Spirit-empowered sacrifices of praise. Such a sacrifice might contain humble confessions of sin. It certainly will overflow in gratitude for Christ’s redeeming love. Above all, such a sacrifice of praise will acknowledge God’s all-embracing love and compassion, His holiness and righteousness, His judgment and mercy, His saving grace, His awesome power in creation and final restoration, His control of world history, and the faithful guidance of His people throughout all the storms of life. (see meditations 68 to 71)
Finally, such times of corporate worship might include elements which I have not yet mentioned in earlier meditations.
The apostle Paul encourages the church in Colosse, saying: “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16) In general Bible scholars are not sure what the exact meaning of these different types of songs was.
• “Sing psalms...” might point to the singing of Old Testament psalms during Christian worship. We are not able any more to sing those psalms with their original melodies as they are unknown to us. Yet, reciting and praying parts of Old Testament psalms surely help us to enrich our worship.
In meditation 72, I also quoted other texts from the Bible in which God is addressed personally. Those kinds of Bible verses might widen our horizon as we seek ever new reasons for extolling the Lord in our worship.
• The actual Greek term for ‘psalm’ might also signify “the playing of a stringed instrument”. In Psalm 71:22 and many other psalms David worships God by playing a stringed instrument: “I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God...”
(Psalm 71:22). In our worship services we normally play instruments to accompany congregational singing or to play a piece of music for the congregation. God’s people in biblical times often played for God on their musical instruments. As God is in our midst, we might well learn anew to take the time to play for Him.
• “Sing ... hymns...” might refer to Christian songs written and sung or recited in the early churches. Also in our time songs directed to God the Father and to Jesus Christ are great ways to lift our hearts in worship. Here is one of the countless modern worship songs which address the Lord personally: “Lord, the light of Your love is shining...” And what about the rich storehouse of classical hymns like: “Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son...”
• “Sing ... spiritual songs” might mean “singing songs produced by God’s Spirit”. These Spirit-empowered songs seem not so much to be an indication that the early church publicly practised glossolalia [i.e. singing and speaking in tongues]. The apostle Paul does not encourage its use in public (see 1 Corinthians 14:2-25). The ‘spiritual songs’ of Colossians 3:16 are probably spontaneous songs of praise to God under direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Today we might find this kind of spontaneous worship more often in African churches than here in the West.
One thing is clear. Jesus said: “... the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23).
In our recent meditations we saw that the Holy Spirit wants to empower my church to worship God in such a way that it will fulfill His first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37). What is the sustained sacrifice of praise more than a unique expression of my church’s unconditional love for God? It lifts my church up to the worshipping congregation in heaven. It also teaches my church to focus on God instead of circling around its own needs and desires. Therefore, let our churches reconsider carefully if the continuous priestly sacrifice of praise is indeed our pre-eminent practice in meeting with God. And let us not forget David’s statement in Psalm 22:3 : “You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.”
Is the continuous sacrifice of praise to God indeed the pre-eminent ministry of my church?
Next time I would like to invite you to a fictitious church meeting, specially called together to offer sacrifices of praise to God.
Matthew 22:37 and Psalm 71:22 are quotes from the New International Version. John 4:23 and Psalm 22:3 are quoted from the New King James Version, Colossians 3:16 is a quote from the New Living Translation.
Friday, December 16, 2011
71. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON ( i ) : The sacrifice of praise to acknowledge God’s greatness.
(continuation of meditation 70)
We saw in meditation 70 that the sacrifice of praise is not only about the confession of sins. It is also about the profession of God’s power and majesty, about His righteousness and holiness, His saving acts and council, His love and compassion. Let us see how God’s people in biblical times made such sacrifices of praise to Him.
The Old Testament, and specially the Book of the Psalms, is spilling over with examples of sacrifices of praise. Here are four of them:
Example 1 – David’s sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s omniscience:
In Psalm 139 David offers a sacrifice of prayer to praise God for His all-knowing presence: “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-- and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!” (Psalm 139:1-18)
Example 2 – A sacrifice of prayer to praise God for His eternal Word:
The unknown psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 expresses his love for God’s Word in the following sacrifice of praise: “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.” (Psalm 119:89-96)
Example 3 – David’s sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s creative power and care:
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
(Psalm 8:1-9)
Example 4 – Moses’ sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s saving acts in the history of God’s people (i.e., during the exodus from Egypt's bondage):
"Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy [i.e., Pharaoh’s army]. In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood firm like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy boasted, `I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.'
But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them.
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”
(Exodus 15:6-13)
Also the New Testament gives regular accounts of sacrifices of praise. Here are some examples:
Example 1 – Jesus teaches us to praise our heavenly Father:
The ‘prototype prayer’ Jesus taught us begins with a sacrifice of praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
Example 2 - Jesus praises His Father in heaven:
At the open grave of His friend Lazarus, Jesus offers a sacrifice of praise to His Father. The evangelist John reports: “Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)
Example 3 – Jesus' priestly sacrifice of praise to His Father:
On the eve before His death Jesus prayed the following priestly sacrifice of praise: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:1-5)
Example 4 – The Jerusalem church offers a sacrifice of praise to God:
After the report of Peter and John regarding their experience with the Sanhedrin (the highest Jewish tribunal in Jerusalem), the church offered a sacrifice of praise to God, saying: “Sovereign Lord ... you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.'
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles [non-Jews] and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30)
The following sacrifices of praise to God the Father and His Son are offered in heaven. The Lord graciously gave John the apostle a glimpse of worship in heaven. I think one of the reasons why He commanded John to write these prayers and songs of worship down is that we would know what present and future worship in heaven looks like.
Example 5 – Heaven offers sacrifices of praise to the Father and the Son:
The four living creatures around the throne offer day and night their sacrifices of praise to God, saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
(Revelation 4:8)
The twenty-four elders, seated on their thrones before God offer constant sacrifices of praise to Him: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great--and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:17-18)
The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders offer together their sacrifices of praise to the Lamb, singing: “You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)
Here is a sacrifice of praise to God, which in the future will be sung by those who will have been victorious over the beast and its power: “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4)
One of the angels of judgment offers this sacrifice of praise to God: “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” (Revelation 16:5-6)
Before I finish this meditation, I need to make some final remarks:
-- There are many other words in the Bible used to express people’s sacrifices of praise to God, like: ‘give thanks to Him’, ‘extol the Lord’, ‘glorify His Name’, ‘worship the King’, ‘proclaim His righteousness’, ‘invoke the God of Israel’. All these and other expressions are calls to offer a sacrifice of praise. In this meditation we have tried to focus on the content of such sacrifices.
-- It is interesting to notice that only God the Father and God the Son are addressed in the sacrifices of praise. The Bible does not mention an instance in which God the Spirit is worshipped. The apostle Paul teaches us that God’s Spirit, who lives in all reborn children of God, helps us to pray: “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18)
-- All the sacrifices of praise in this meditation address God, Father and Son personally. There are many more sacrifices of praise in the Bible and many of them address God in the 3rd person singular, proclaiming His glory to His people and to the world. I will explain in the next meditation the reason why I have chosen these specific prayers of praise.
(to be continued)
Psalm 139:1-18 and Ephesians 6:18 are quotes from the New Living Translation. All other texts are quoted from the New International Version.
We saw in meditation 70 that the sacrifice of praise is not only about the confession of sins. It is also about the profession of God’s power and majesty, about His righteousness and holiness, His saving acts and council, His love and compassion. Let us see how God’s people in biblical times made such sacrifices of praise to Him.
The Old Testament, and specially the Book of the Psalms, is spilling over with examples of sacrifices of praise. Here are four of them:
Example 1 – David’s sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s omniscience:
In Psalm 139 David offers a sacrifice of prayer to praise God for His all-knowing presence: “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-- and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!” (Psalm 139:1-18)
Example 2 – A sacrifice of prayer to praise God for His eternal Word:
The unknown psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 expresses his love for God’s Word in the following sacrifice of praise: “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.” (Psalm 119:89-96)
Example 3 – David’s sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s creative power and care:
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
(Psalm 8:1-9)
Example 4 – Moses’ sacrifice of prayer to praise God’s saving acts in the history of God’s people (i.e., during the exodus from Egypt's bondage):
"Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy [i.e., Pharaoh’s army]. In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood firm like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy boasted, `I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.'
But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them.
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”
(Exodus 15:6-13)
Also the New Testament gives regular accounts of sacrifices of praise. Here are some examples:
Example 1 – Jesus teaches us to praise our heavenly Father:
The ‘prototype prayer’ Jesus taught us begins with a sacrifice of praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
Example 2 - Jesus praises His Father in heaven:
At the open grave of His friend Lazarus, Jesus offers a sacrifice of praise to His Father. The evangelist John reports: “Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)
Example 3 – Jesus' priestly sacrifice of praise to His Father:
On the eve before His death Jesus prayed the following priestly sacrifice of praise: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:1-5)
Example 4 – The Jerusalem church offers a sacrifice of praise to God:
After the report of Peter and John regarding their experience with the Sanhedrin (the highest Jewish tribunal in Jerusalem), the church offered a sacrifice of praise to God, saying: “Sovereign Lord ... you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.'
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles [non-Jews] and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30)
The following sacrifices of praise to God the Father and His Son are offered in heaven. The Lord graciously gave John the apostle a glimpse of worship in heaven. I think one of the reasons why He commanded John to write these prayers and songs of worship down is that we would know what present and future worship in heaven looks like.
Example 5 – Heaven offers sacrifices of praise to the Father and the Son:
The four living creatures around the throne offer day and night their sacrifices of praise to God, saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
(Revelation 4:8)
The twenty-four elders, seated on their thrones before God offer constant sacrifices of praise to Him: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great--and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:17-18)
The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders offer together their sacrifices of praise to the Lamb, singing: “You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)
Here is a sacrifice of praise to God, which in the future will be sung by those who will have been victorious over the beast and its power: “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4)
One of the angels of judgment offers this sacrifice of praise to God: “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” (Revelation 16:5-6)
Before I finish this meditation, I need to make some final remarks:
-- There are many other words in the Bible used to express people’s sacrifices of praise to God, like: ‘give thanks to Him’, ‘extol the Lord’, ‘glorify His Name’, ‘worship the King’, ‘proclaim His righteousness’, ‘invoke the God of Israel’. All these and other expressions are calls to offer a sacrifice of praise. In this meditation we have tried to focus on the content of such sacrifices.
-- It is interesting to notice that only God the Father and God the Son are addressed in the sacrifices of praise. The Bible does not mention an instance in which God the Spirit is worshipped. The apostle Paul teaches us that God’s Spirit, who lives in all reborn children of God, helps us to pray: “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18)
-- All the sacrifices of praise in this meditation address God, Father and Son personally. There are many more sacrifices of praise in the Bible and many of them address God in the 3rd person singular, proclaiming His glory to His people and to the world. I will explain in the next meditation the reason why I have chosen these specific prayers of praise.
(to be continued)
Psalm 139:1-18 and Ephesians 6:18 are quotes from the New Living Translation. All other texts are quoted from the New International Version.
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