Lesson Seven - The Pattern for Worship
Introduction to the Lesson
In the religious world today there are many kinds of worship. The Catholics have their own unique way and of course the many Protestant churches have numerous patterns they follow. That means that you could spend weeks and weeks going to places where the different worship services vary. Why is this? Is this the way the Lord intended it to be?
The Bible teaches that there is but one church and it belongs to the Lord (Ephesians 4:4; Matthew 16:18). The pattern for the church is in the New Testament. This being true, and since it is the church of the Lord that is commanded to worship, then the pattern would be the same.
In order to find out how the Lord would have his people to worship today then we must go back to the New Testament. There is no other way to know. By going to it we may discover exactly what the Lord would have us to do in worship. It reveals the following things:
1. God is the one to be worshipped.
When being tempted by the devil, Christ said, Matthew 4:10 (NKJV) 10Then Jesus said to him, *Away with you, Satan! For it is written, *You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.**|
2. The day of worship is to be the first day of the week.
The disciples were commanded to meet on the first day of the week to lay by in store: | 1 Corinthians 16:2 (NKJV) 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.|
3. Christians are to worship the Lord.
We have examples of this: |Acts 2:42 (KJV) 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles* doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.| |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.|
4. We are told we must worship.
Christ said, |John 4:23 - 24 (KJV) 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.|
5. The five items of worship are clearly set forth.
These include Bible Study (2 Timothy 2:15); Prayer (Acts 2:42); Singing (Ephesians 5:19); the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-28); and Giving (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7). These are the only acts of worship that we read about in the New Testament. Therefore we must limit ourselves to these.
6. We are told that we must be faithful in attending the assemblies for worship.
The Hebrew writer said, |Hebrews 10:25 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
7. The way of worship is simple and to the point.
It is not difficult for anyone to engage in. Rather all are invited to participate.
8. The whole worship program is based on the teachings of the Lord's Word.
We speak only as the oracles of God. (1 Peter 4:11). Nothing is done without a thus saith the Lord.
The church of Christ is peculiar in that it follows the New Testament pattern of worship. Therefore we do not have certain things in worship that other groups have. For instance, we do not have these:
1. We do not have mechanical music. The New Testament clearly teaches that we are to sing praises to God. Paul says, |Ephesians 5:19 (KJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;| We'll have more about this in a latter lesson on singing.
2. We do not have closed communion. Rather, Paul wrote the Corinthians, |1 Corinthians 11:28 (KJV) 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.|
3. We do not practice tithing. Again, Paul wrote that Christians should give as they have prospered (1 Corinthians 16:2).
4. We do not have collection on days other than the Lord's day. Many groups have one collection or more every time they meet whether it is on the first day of the week or not. But Christians are commanded to give on the first day of the week. (1 Corinthians 16:2).
5. We do not have choirs and special singing groups to sing in worship. The scriptures teach that each individual Christian must sing and therefore we have congregational singing only. Paul said, |1 Corinthians 14:13 - 15 (KJV) 13Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.|
6. We do not have special days of worship like Easter, Christmas, etc. Paul warned his Galatian brethren, |Galatians 4:9 - 11 (KJV) 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. |
7. We do not have the Lord's Supper only once a month, every three months, or once a year. We have the Lord's Supper every Sunday or every first day of the week. We read of where the early Christians did this. (Acts 20:7). Which first day of the week? Who has been given the authority to say which one? There is a first day in every week and that is how often we are to gather to partake of it. We meet to partake of the Lord's Supper as often as we meet to give, to study, etc.
8. We do not go through any formalities, rituals, and traditions to worship the Lord. Peter said, |1 Peter 1:18 - 19 (KJV) 18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:| Paul adds, |Colossians 2:8 (KJV) 8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. |
9. We do not follow after the doctrines and commandments of men. The Apostle wrote, |Colossians 2:20 - 22 (KJV) 20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
10. We do not follow the Old Testament law in our worship. Many go to the law for such things as the sabbath, tithing, mechanical music, etc. but this is a misuse of that portion of scripture. The law is no longer binding (2 Corinthians 3; Hebrews 10:9; John 1:17).
Therefore, we are to follow the New Testament all the way without addition, subtraction, or substitution (Revelation 22:18,19; Galations 1:7-9). It completely furnishes man to every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). All things that pertain to life and godliness are contained within its pages. (2 Peter 1:13). If all people would return to this pattern for worship, as well as all other things that they say and do in the name of religion, then, we could have unity. Surely the Lord has not commanded me to worship one way and you another. Rather, he would have all of us to worship alike. We all will worship alike when we follow the one true pattern that he has given.
New Testament Worship
Questions for Lesson 7
"The Pattern of Worship"
1. Why is it that there are different ways of worship?
2. How many churches do we read about in the Bible?
3. Who does the church belong to?
4. Where do we find the pattern for the church?
5. What could be the pattern for worship?
6. Who is the one to be worshipped?
7. Give the day of worship.
8. Tell who is to worship the Lord?
9. How must we worship?
10. List the five items of worship.
11. Why do we not use mechanical music in worship?
12. What is closed communion?
13. How often should we take up a collection?
14. What is wrong with choirs and special singing groups in worship?
15. Why do we not have special days like Christmas and Easter?
16. How often do Christians partake of the Lord's Supper?
17. What are doctrines and commandments of men?
18. Do the Lord's people follow the Old Testament as a law?
19. How is the New Testament to be dealt with?
20. It is possible to have unity in religion? How?