WORSHIP NOTES Volume 15, No. 1 (January 2020) Among (undoubtedly) others, the following are some of the key purposes of corporate worship: 1. Worship in the church honors the Father. This is the ultimate purpose of corporate worship, an end in itself. It serves no higher purpose than this; it is a means to no other end. (“Worship is the only Christian activity that is an end in itself,” John […]
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 14, No. 9 (September 2019) God’s Work, God’s (and Our) Rest God created over six days, and on the seventh day “He rested from all His work that He had done”(Genesis 2:2b), precisely because “He had finished His work that He had done”(2:2a) Bonhoeffer maintains, “In the Bible ‘rest’ really means more than ‘having a rest.’ It means rest after the work is accomplished, it means
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Volume 13, No. 10 (October 2018) ETERNAL PRAISE AND HUMAN HISTORY (Revelation 4 & 5) part 3 REDEEMER In Revelation 4, we saw Eternal Praise offered up to God as Creator. In Revelation 5, He is given Eternal Praise because He is also the Redeemer. Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 13, No. 10 (October 2018) ETERNAL PRAISE AND HUMAN HISTORY(Revelation 4 & 5) (part 3) REDEEMER In Revelation 4, we saw Eternal Praise offered up to God as Creator. In Revelation 5, He is given Eternal Praise because He is also the Redeemer. Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 13, No. 6 (June 2018) THE GOD OF OUR ETERNAL PRAISE(Revelation 1) continued REVELATION In verses 5-8 also, we see the revelation of this God whom we worship, the God of Eternal Praise: . . . and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 13, No. 4 (April 2018) We are approaching the celebration of Jesus’ Ascension (Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51) (40 days after Easter, this year May 10; churches will observe Ascension Sunday on May 13, followed by Pentecost Sunday on May 20). For more on the significance of the Ascension and how (and why) we should celebrate it in worship, see Worship Notes 2.5 and 9.5. This is an
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 11 (November 2017) Here are the books that over the years have most impacted my understanding of worship. THE CENTRALITY OF WORSHIP The first, and ultimately the most influential, is: About 25 years our missions pastor walked across the hall and showed me the first edition of this book. It was the first Piper book I ever read, and I would never be the same.
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 12, No. 5 (May 2017) Thursday, May 25 is Ascension Day ( and Sunday, May 28, therefore celebrated as Ascension Sunday), commemorating the physical ascent of the risen Christ to the Father’s right hand in heaven, 40 days after Easter. The cosmic significance of the Ascension is often overlooked, after the joyous celebration of the Resurrection dissipates in the weeks following Easter. But the Heidelberg Cathechism (Question 49) highlights some of its consequences
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 11, No. 10 (October 2016) We usually think of the Reformation of the 15th Century in terms of doctrinal renewal. The Reformers were not seeking to bring new or original truths to the Church; rather they were zealous to bring back to the Church the biblical/apostolic teaching concerning salvation, which had been largely lost to the Church. Hence their emphasis on justification by grace alone, through faith
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WORSHIP NOTES Volume 11, No. 9 (September 2016) Last month we looked at the importance of theology for worship (that is, a biblical understanding of worship). This month we want to look at it the other way around and consider the importance of worship for theology. In any of our biblical study as believers, whether it be in Bible school, in seminary, in Sunday School, or in our own private study, it
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