Your Voice

On the Order of Corporate Worship

In the Old Testament, God established a structural pattern for corporate worship assemblies that continues also into the New Testament.

God often calls these assemblies of worship “memorials,” meaning more than just a passive remembrance of something, but actually a reenactment of God’s works in history for His people such that the worshippers are shaped over and over again by what God has done. Beginning at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19–24), God instituted a particular order of what the OT frequently calls the “solemn assemblies” of Israel. This order reflects what I like to call a “theologic” in which in the assembly, God’s people, reenact — through the order of what they do — God’s atoning work on their behalf. In Old Testament worship,

• God reveals Himself and calls His people to worship.
• God’s people acknowledge and confess their need for forgiveness.
• God provides atonement.
• God speaks His word.
• God’s people respond with commitment.
• God hosts a celebratory feast.

While the particular rituals present in Hebrew worship pass away for the NT church, the book of Hebrews tells us that these OT rituals were “a copy and shadow of heavenly things” (8:5). Thus, while the shadows fade away, the theologic of corporate worship remains the same: we are reenacting God’s atoning work on our behalf when we gather for corporate worship.

Scott Aniol
Chair of the worship ministry department
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
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We are mercy junkies. If we truly take an honest assessment of our lives and how far short we fall from Christlikeness in word and deed, we recognize the massive truckload of mercy we need on a regular basis.

Friends, be very careful of the temptation not to grant mercy to others.

To withhold the very thing we depend on is like having an endless water supply in the desert and refusing to let others take a sip.

Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. He prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster.  And now, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:1–3).

Jonah was tripping friends. And sometimes we be tripping too.

Pastor Terrence Jones
Strong Tower at Washington Park
Montgomery, Ala.

Personality tests list the strengths and weaknesses of each personality and encourage those types to work on their weaknesses.

But it’s easy to see the weaknesses, laugh at yourself a bit when you realize how true they are and then continue to set boundaries for yourself because of them.

Don’t use personality tests as a way to excuse the sin in your life. Use the tests to help you identify areas of sin and then work on them. Christians must never become stale.

Hannah Munoz
theropetab.com
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You can’t cancel God’s love, His heart for humanity or the hope we have in Jesus.

Tim Tebow
Athlete and founder of Night to Shine prom event for those with special needs
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This morning’s flip calendar reminded me that “kindness is the ability to love people more than they deserve.” This sounds like the definition of grace — getting what you don’t deserve.

I searched the word “kindness” on the the internet and found this excerpt from Wikipedia: “Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return.”

This seems stoic as if no emotion is involved at all. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are the fruit of the Holy Spirit from Galatians 5:22. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13).  The greatest love is Agape!  Let the Holy Spirit lead you to express it.

Sharon Swartz Kirksey via Facebook

It is possible to prepare for the future without knowing what it will be. The primary way to prepare for the unknown is to attend to the quality of our relationships, to how well we know and trust one another.

Margaret Wheatley
“When Change Is Out of Control”

It would be a major misunderstanding of the Christian faith to conclude that Christian education is something that takes place in Bible colleges, seminaries, Sunday Schools and other settings designed to promote growth and development in the Bible and religious ministries — if those educative efforts are isolated from and/or are divorced from the clear call from Christ to evangelize.

For if and when such occurs, we may readily conclude that Christian education without evangelism only makes us well-informed, modern-day Pharisees.

The merger of education and evangelism into a harmonious whole is the challenge which every Christian faces and toward which Spirit-led efforts to emulate Christ must be directed.

Morris Murray, Jr.
Jasper, Ala.
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From the Twitterverse

@CSLewisDaily
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

@brocraigc
“Keep your eye fixed on Jesus. Pray much for his Spirit and likeness; and be ready for his coming.” — Robert Murray M’Cheyne

@BenMandrell
Many pastors are winding down from a hard week of faithful ministry — and perhaps reeling from draining circumstances in their personal lives. If this is you, pastor, you are seen. Remember that God has called you and holds you in the palm of His hand.

@timkellernyc
Jesus smashed two of the rich young ruler’s assumptions: Christianity is something you can ADD and something you can DO.

@BillyGraham
“Scripture makes it clear that our first love is always to be for our Lord.” #BillyGraham

@MattMason3
John Newton, letter to a friend: “May God give you wisdom, faithfulness and patience. Take care that you do not catch an angry spirit yourself while you aim to suppress it in others.”// A prayer that Christ would be formed in us! I’m stealing this prayer for personal use!

@jt_english
You are never stronger than when you pray in weakness.

@trillianewbell
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows …” (Isa. 53:4). I can’t seem to move past this line. He carries every grief and sorrow. All of it. He bears it. This is the Jesus that we proclaim. I hope you’ll run to Him with your sorrows today. He is available.

@joethorn
When Christians are infatuated with conspiracy theories, I tend to think they’ve grown bored with Jesus.

@griffingulledge
I just don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t have close friendships with people who disagree with me freely and often — many on major issues. When affection is limited by agreement, we are deprived of two of life’s greatest blessings: honesty and loving pushback.

@jobymartin
If you are not trying to kill your sin, your sin will kill you.