WORSHIP IN EARLY CHURCH

Lesson 12 for September 17, 2011

 Jesus is the Rock where the church is founded on (1 Corinthians, 3: 11). The bases
that Jesus wanted to set up His church on are written in the first chapter of Acts.
THE
EVIDENC THE
FAITH HOLY HOPE
E MISSION
SPIRIT
He explained
When Jesus
them that
He gave was hidden
there are no Jesus set a
Jesus gave them the from their
proofs for mission for
them Holy Spirit as sight, the
everything. the church:
“infallible motor and angels
The things Preaching
proofs” that guidance for remembered
we cannot the Gospel to
He was the the growth that He
understand the whole
Messiah. of the would come
must be world.
(Acts, 1: 3) church. again to the
accepted by (Acts, 1:8)
(Acts, 1: 8) disciples.
faith.
(Acts, 1: 11)
(Acts, 1: 7)

Since the age of the apostles, the church has been built on these foundations;
and it still is, until we see Jesus reappearing in the sky.
 WORSHIP AND PREACHING
Since the Ezra’s time (Nehemiah, 8: 4-8), preaching
the Word of God has been an important part of
the worship of the people of God.

Jesus followed that custom by reading the

Scriptures and explaining it in the synagogue
on Sabbath (Luke, 4: 16-21).

The disciples followed that example (Acts, 18:4)

Like Jesus, the primitive church didn’t limit to preaching
the Word in church meetings or in the synagogue, but
they preached the Word every moment God gave them
the chance to do it.
 PREACHING IN JERUSALEM
We can see one of the main bases of preaching in Peter’s
preaching in Pentecost. Our preaching must be based on
the Scriptures.

Peter used three references to the Scriptures in his short

preaching: Joel, 2: 28-32; Psalm, 16: 8-11; Psalm, 110: 1.
The result of that preaching was: “Then those who gladly
received his word were baptized; and that day about three
thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts, 2: 41)
Nowadays, in addition to the Old Testament the apostles used
in their preaching, we have the New Testament. We must
base our preaching on them.
 PREACHING IN ATHENS
When Paul was preaching in the Areopagus, he
used a different kind of preaching he used to.
Before the Athenian audience who was ignorant
of the Scriptures, Paul used reason to carry them
to know God, quoting two Greek poets:
Epimenides of Crete (VI BC) and Aratus (270 BC).

Paul led them from creation to the uselessness of idols and the need of
repentance before the divine judgment by using reason. When he began to talk
about Jesus resurrecting from the dead (something they could not reason), they
stopped listening to him.
Although that preaching method was much less effective than Peter’s preaching,
it also gave fruits.
“However, some men joined him and believed,
among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman
named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts, 17: 34)
 PREACHING IN CORINTH

After Paul’s
experience in Athens,
he put his mind to use
a specific method.
“For I determined
not to know anything
among you except
Jesus Christ and
Him crucified”
(1 Corinthians, 2: 2)

The heart of every Central to worship is the idea

preaching must be of the Lord as our Creator and
JESUS CHRIST. our Redeemer. Everything
about worship should flow
from this fundamental and
sacred truth.
“Lift up Jesus, you that teach the people, lift Him up in
sermon, in song, in prayer. Let all your powers be directed to
pointing souls, confused, bewildered, lost, to “the Lamb of
God.” Lift Him up, the risen Saviour, and say to all who hear,
Come to Him who “hath loved us, and hath given Himself for
us.” Let the science of salvation be the burden of every sermon,
the theme of every song. Let it be poured forth in every
supplication. Bring nothing into your preaching to supplement
Christ, the wisdom and power of God. Hold forth the word of
life, presenting Jesus as the hope of the penitent and the
stronghold of every believer. Reveal the way of peace to the
troubled and the despondent, and show forth the grace and
completeness of the Saviour”

E.G.W. (Evangelism, cp. 7, “Christ the center of the message”, pg. 185)
 MOTIVATION: LOVE
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not
love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I
have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all
my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians, 13: 1-3)

During his stay in Corinth, Paul faced many

problems in that church: Immorality,
idolatry, dissension, improper use of
spiritual gifts …

Paul suggested that no profession we make, no

mighty miracles, no charismatic gifts, and no piety
or zeal will profit us unless there is a heart filled
with love for God, confirmed by love for one
another.
 WORSHIP AND PREACHING
We have studied four main foundations related to preaching
as a main part of worship.

1. The Bible must be used profusely in

our preaching and in our worship.
2. Anecdotes, examples, reasoning and
non-biblical quotes must be used to
a certain extent, preventing them to
become the heart of the preaching.
3. Christ and the message of salvation
must always be the heart of our
preaching and worship.
4. The motivation of our worship
(including preaching) must be love
for God and for our brothers and
sisters.