DISCIPLESHIP: INSIDE OUT (part 5)

WORSHIP

True or False:  "No disciple is ever commanded to assemble to worship in the New Testament"?

WORSHIP IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE WORD MOST COMMONLY USED IS "SHACHAH". 

It appears more than 200 times in the Old Testament.  Shachah involved two things:

1) the presence of God (or an idol)
2) the act of praise or obeisance

For example, when Daniel was in Babylon, the word shachah was not used of his devotion to God.  Instead, segid was used.  Why?  Daniel was away from the Temple where the presence of God dwelt.

WORSHIP IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

In the Greek Old Testament (LXX), proskuneo is used to translate the Hebrew shachah.  What is interesting, from Acts through Jude, proskuneo appears 7 times, but it is never used of Christians.

• Acts 7:43                         Idol worship
• Acts 8:27                         Eunuch going to Jerusalem to worship
• Acts 10:25                       Cornelius' attempt to worship Peter
• Acts 24:11                       Jewish temple worship
• 1 Corinthians 14:25         What a non-Christian does when he realizes God among Christians
• Hebrews 1:6                    Angel worship of Jesus
• Hebrews 11:21                Jacob's worship

The word commonly used of Christian worship is Latreuo, which appears 19 times (4 times as a noun and 15 times as a verb) from Acts through Jude.  It is translated "worship" or "serve".

• Romans 1:9                      "I serve with my whole heart in the preaching of the gospel"
• Romans 12:1                    "offer your bodies as living sacrifices  this is your spiritual act of  worship"
• Philippians 3:3                  "we who worship by the Spirit of God"
• Hebrews 12:28                 "be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe"

The reason no Christian is commanded to assemble to worship is that we cannot come into His presence - we already live in His presence.  Worship is commanded and explained, but we are not commanded to assemble to do it.  God never calls "assembly" worship for Christians.

WHAT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT PURPOSE OF THE ASSEMBLY?

"What then shall we say, brothers?  When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  All of these must be done for the strengthening
of the church."                                                                       
1 CORINTHIANS 14:26 NIV

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."         HEBREWS 10:25  NIV


WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE ASSEMBLY? 
            EQUIPPING AND EDIFICATION.


YOU ASSEMBLE TO BE EQUIPPED.


YOU DEPART TO WORSHIP (SERVE).