Lesson Five - WORSHIP OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
Introduction to the Lesson
It is very interesting to note how people worship, where they worship, when they worship, what they do in worship, etc. Of course we know today there are many churches and most of them have different ways of worship. Why the difference? Should there be any difference? How can we know whether we are worshipping the Lord as he would have us to? One of the best ways to find out is to go to the scriptures and see how the early Christians worshipped.
After the church had been established on the day of Pentecost, the record says, Acts 2:42 (KJV) 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles* doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. These disciples or Christians continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine or teachings. What did they do? Although all of the acts of worship are not listed, three are. They consist of fellowship or giving, breaking of bread or the Lord's Supper, and prayers.
Later on we have Paul on a trip, and passing through Troas, he stopped off long enough to worship with the local Christians. We read the following report: Acts 20:7 (KJV) 7And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. We will notice here that the day of worship was the first day of the week. Evidently Paul had arrived on monday, but to have the opportunity to worship with them then he stayed on through the week, and even bypassing Saturday, in order that the first day of the week might come around and he could worship with the Lord's people on the day that the Lord had appointed. Furthermore, it says that this was the day on which the disciples or Christians come together to break bread or to partake of the Lord's Supper. Finally, Paul used this occasion to preach to them and afterward went on his way.
In 1 Corinthians chapters 10 and 11, we have Paul writing to his Corinthian brethren about the importance of the Lord's Supper. Let us note, 1 Corinthians 11:23 - 30 (KJV) 23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord*s death till he come. 27Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord*s body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Now let us list some of the main points made here:
1. Paul received this of the Lord.
2. He speaks of the bread representing the body of Christ and the cup representing his blood.
3. That it was to be partaken of in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ.
4. In so doing, they would show forth the Lord's death till he *come.
5. Those eating and drinking of it unworthily, not being faithful to the Lord, would eat and drink damnation to themselves.
6. Before partaking of it then they should examine themselves to see what their spiritual condition was. Of course the idea *was that if they weren't prepared to partake of the Lord's Supper, because of sin in their lives, then they should make matters right with God and then go ahead and partake of the Lord's Supper. It might be pointed out that although one should not partake of the Supper if he is not living as he should, neither can he live as he should and not participate in the Lord's Supper. Therefore, whatever is in one's life that should not be there, then it should be removed and then the individual is in position to partake of the Supper as a faithful Christian.
7. The Lord's people are not to engage in closed communion inasmuch as Paul says that each one should examine himself before partaking of it. God can look on the heart, but we as members of the church cannot. Therefore, we have no right to judge a person, but it is the duty of an individual to consider his own case in light of what the Bible teaches.
Also in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul condemns the Corinthians for making a feast out of the Lord's Supper, and thereby making a mockery of it. He points out to them that they have their own houses to eat and to drink in and that when they come together for worship it should not be for the purpose of eating and drinking to be filled physically. The same would be true today. Christians are to meet in all seriousness to worship. They are to partake of the bread and the cup only to remember the body and the blood of Christ, and nothing more.
Then on turning over to 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 we have the same writer dealing with the subject of giving. He writes, 1 Corinthians 16:1 - 2 (NKJV) 1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Again, he writes, 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 7 (NKJV) 6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. So according to these the Lord's people were definitely expected to give. We also learn these things:
1. They were to do it on the first day of the week.
2. All Christians were to give.
3. They were to give according to what they had to give.
4. Their giving was to be according to the way they had prospered. No where does the New Testament teach tithing and no where is the amount that is to be given set as being so much.
5. They were to give as they had purposed or determined in their hearts beforehand.
6. They were not to give grudgingly or of necessity, feeling that they were being forced to do so.
7. Rather they were to give cheerfully inasmuch as God loves a cheerful giver or one that wants to give and is happy to give.
There are several references made to singing in the New Testament, and there is one of where Paul and Silas sang praises to God while in prison (Acts 16:25), but there is no example of where a congregation of the Lord's people gathered on the first day of the week to sing. Nevertheless, the inspired writers commanded Christians to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), and so that is another act of worship that Christians of the first century engaged in.
Now putting all of this together, we find that the Lord's people gathered each first day of the week to pray, study, sing, partake of the Lord's Supper, and to give their planned offering. We do not read of anything else. In ther various secular writings that have been preserved from this period of time, they tell the same story. So we know what Christians did in that age to worship the Lord. Should we not do the same?
Now go through the study questions beginning below and try to answer as many as you can.
Study Questions
1. Do most churches worship alike?
2. How can we know if we are worshipping the Lord as he would have us to?
3. What happened after the church was established on the day of Pentecost?
4. Have each person in the study quote Acts 2:42.
5. What did the disciples continue in?
6. Are all acts of worship listed here?
7. Why did Paul stop over in Troas for a few days?
8. What does Acts 20:7 say?
9. On what day of the week did the Christians meet?
10. Mention some of the things they did.
11. Who were the Corinthians?
12. What had Paul received of the Lord?
13. Why were they to partake of the bread and the cup?
14. What did this show?
15. How may on partake of it unworthily?
16. Explain, "Let a man examine himself, and let him eat."
17. Can one eat and drink damnation to himself?
18. Is it possible to be a faithful Christian and not partake of the Lord's Supper?
19. Are the Lord's people to engage in closed communion? If not, why not?
20. Why did Paul condemn the Corinthians for the way they were partaking of the Lord's Supper?
21. Read aloud 1st Corinthians 16:1,2.
22. On what day were the Christians to lay by in store?
23. How many were to give?
24. What were they to give?
25. State the amount they were to give.
26. Quote 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7.
27. What kind of giver does the Lord love?
28. List the five acts of worship.