An invitation to worship...
Worship is a witness.
So we're not supposed to keep it a secret that we're followers of Jesus Christ.
While American culture does its best to insist that religious faith remain a private matter and not appropriate for public discourse, and while many Christians have assimilated that perspective and feel uncomfortable talking about their faith in any setting outside of church, the first century followers of Jesus were not so constrained. Those first disciples spoke of Jesus everywhere they went, and even when they were forbidden to, by the authorities.
It is what Jesus promised would happen when the Holy Spirit came upon them. He said to them, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) In other words, when they received the Holy Spirit of God, they would do what Jesus would have done, had He not ascended. They would be witnesses about Jesus, and they would be witnesses in His place. They would be very visible followers of Jesus Christ, speaking of Him and for Him to everyone.
Indeed, in the gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 10:16-34), Jesus went so far as to promise His disciples that if they publicly acknowledged Him, He would publicly acknowledge them, but He also warned them if they did not publicly acknowledge Him, He would not recognize them either!
Evidently, we're not supposed to keep it a secret that we're followers of Jesus Christ.
One of the easiest ways to publicly testify that we are followers of Jesus Christ is to faithfully attend a public worship service. Frankly, that is becoming a more and more powerful witness since fewer and fewer people (even some who consider themselves Christian) feel so obliged. But when others know that we faithfully participate in Sunday worship, they inevitably conclude that Jesus must be pretty important to us. Sunday worship is no little witness in 21st century America.
And it's not only a witness to those outside the community of faith; it is also a witness to those within. Everyone who knows us is inevitably impacted by the degree of our devotion to the Lord as expressed in weekly worship of our Lord on the day of His resurrection.
So, in addition to worshipping our Lord because our Lord is worthy to be worshipped, let's worship as a testimony to others of His Lordship in our lives. Let's be witness of our Lord by being faithful to corporate worship!
The scriptures that will guide the worship of our Lord on His day will be Psalm 86, Colossians 1:15-29, and Matthew 10:16-34.
See you Sunday, as we testify to our Lord and Savior by our very public worship! Our Lord will recognize us as we do.
Pastor Mark
While American culture does its best to insist that religious faith remain a private matter and not appropriate for public discourse, and while many Christians have assimilated that perspective and feel uncomfortable talking about their faith in any setting outside of church, the first century followers of Jesus were not so constrained. Those first disciples spoke of Jesus everywhere they went, and even when they were forbidden to, by the authorities.
It is what Jesus promised would happen when the Holy Spirit came upon them. He said to them, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) In other words, when they received the Holy Spirit of God, they would do what Jesus would have done, had He not ascended. They would be witnesses about Jesus, and they would be witnesses in His place. They would be very visible followers of Jesus Christ, speaking of Him and for Him to everyone.
Indeed, in the gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 10:16-34), Jesus went so far as to promise His disciples that if they publicly acknowledged Him, He would publicly acknowledge them, but He also warned them if they did not publicly acknowledge Him, He would not recognize them either!
Evidently, we're not supposed to keep it a secret that we're followers of Jesus Christ.
One of the easiest ways to publicly testify that we are followers of Jesus Christ is to faithfully attend a public worship service. Frankly, that is becoming a more and more powerful witness since fewer and fewer people (even some who consider themselves Christian) feel so obliged. But when others know that we faithfully participate in Sunday worship, they inevitably conclude that Jesus must be pretty important to us. Sunday worship is no little witness in 21st century America.
And it's not only a witness to those outside the community of faith; it is also a witness to those within. Everyone who knows us is inevitably impacted by the degree of our devotion to the Lord as expressed in weekly worship of our Lord on the day of His resurrection.
So, in addition to worshipping our Lord because our Lord is worthy to be worshipped, let's worship as a testimony to others of His Lordship in our lives. Let's be witness of our Lord by being faithful to corporate worship!
The scriptures that will guide the worship of our Lord on His day will be Psalm 86, Colossians 1:15-29, and Matthew 10:16-34.
See you Sunday, as we testify to our Lord and Savior by our very public worship! Our Lord will recognize us as we do.
Pastor Mark