WORSHIP NOTES Volume 20, No. 7 ( July 2025) Silence and Freedom It is an amazing fact that the New Testament is virtually silent on the matter of form for the church’s worship. D. A. Carson writes: “There is no single passage in the New Testament that establishes a paradigm for corporate worship.” (“Worship under the Word,” in Worship by the Book, 40) (Of course, this is in marked contrast […]
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 18, No. 9 (September 2023) Order now at 40% discount using coupon code CONF40at https://wipfandstock.com/9781666762778/let-us-draw-near/ (code good through December 31) Drawing upon his experience in teaching this material over the past twenty-five years in forty countries, Ron Man provides a rich and deep examination of biblical worship, drawing principles out of a rigorous study of the text of Scripture. He also writes as a practitioner, from the
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 17, No. 9 (September 2022) After his opening greeting, Paul launches into his Epistle to the Ephesians by praising God (“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”) because he “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (1:3). He then enumerates a number of these blessings which makes Him worthy of praise, namely: Election 1:4Love 1:4Adoption 1:5Grace 1:6,7Redemption 1:7Forgiveness 1:7Knowledge of his
“TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY”: God’s Purpose in Redemption (Ephesians 1:3-14) Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 17, No. 6 (June 2022) The Fall For although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (1:21-23) Our
“FROM GLORY TO GLORY”: The Glory of God in Romans Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 17, No. 2 (February 2022) Theology Paul’s explanation in Romans of the ramifications of the fall (1:18-32) and the ensuing blackness of sin that has engulfed the human race (3:9-18,23) makes the gospel shine all the more brightly as he expounds on it in the ensuing chapters. He shows how the gospel is indeed “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (1:16), for through
“TO HIM BE GLORY FOREVER”: Paul’s Doxology in Romans 11:33-36 Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 16, No. 10 (November 2021) Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, people (the crowds, the disciples, or individuals) would “marvel” or “wonder” at the things Jesus did and said; they were reacting to the evident power and authority and wisdom of God working in and through him. For instance: And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:27)
The Commendations of Jesus Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 16, No. 8 (September 2021) Scott W. Hahn, in his excellent article “Canon, Cult and Covenant:The Promise of Liturgical Hermeneutics” (in Canon andBiblical Interpretation, ed. Craig G. Bartholomew, Scott Hahn,Robin Parry, Christopher Seitz, Al Wolters [Zondervan, 2006]),has given a fascinating overview of the entire spectrum of biblicalrevelation as centered in and heading towards worship. In fact,he shows how each major movement in the scriptural recordculminates in worship. Last
The Worship Trajectory and Goal of the Entire Bible (Part 2: New Testament) Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 13, No. 3 (March 2018) Last Sunday our church had its special Palm Sunday services, this year focusing on great themes from Paul’s Letter to the Romans. You can see the program, and read about the Romans texts read and the music presented, HERE. And here is the video of the service:
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 11, No. 7 (July 2016) Trick question: Who was the first Apostle in the New Testament? Answer: The Lord Jesus. The writer of Hebrews in 3:1 calls Him “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.” With these two terms He summarizes the two-way mediation of Christ that He has dealt with in chapter 1 and 2: the Son’s revelatory ministry seen in chapter 1 (mediating
SENT: The Apostle of our Confession Read More »
WORSHIP NOTES Volume 9, No. 9 (September 2014) 19. SCENES OF WORSHIP IN REVELATION (Part 2) d. A Great Multitude (Revelation 7:9-12 ) After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud
Important New Testament Worship Passages (Part 15) (Conclusion) Read More »
