The Gathering - Part Sixteen

As we prepare to gather and to celebrate Christ's incarnation, let's remember . . .  

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. - John 1:14-18

When we gather, we are called to give attention to God's Word. We do that through singing God's Word, reading God's Word and listening to God's Word being taught. But let never forget that Jesus Christ is the Word of the Father now in flesh appearing! He has come and dwelt among us in order to show us the glory of the Father. We do well at this time of the year (and any time of the year) to give attention to Him. He should be the central focus of our gatherings. He should be the One we praise!

"Father, we thank You for sending Your son, Jesus to dwell among us and to speak to us about who You are. May we be strengthened by Your Holy Spirit to give Jesus our undivided attention in the midst such a busy time of the year that is full of so many distractions. May You be the center of our gatherings! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Joy to the World
     by Isaac Watts 

Angels We Have Heard on High

     Traditional Carol

O Come All Ye Faithful

     by J. F. Wade

My Soul Magnifies
     by Chris Tomlin | Daniel Carson

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
     by Charles Wesley

Good Good Father
     by Patt Barrett | Anthony Brown

What Child is This
     by William C. Dix

Jesus, Son of God
     by Chris Tomlin | Matt Maher | Jason Ingram

Glory in the Highest
     by Chris Tomlin | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves

The Gathering - Part Fifteen

We are told in Colossians 3:16-17 to  . . . 

"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."

We stated last time that one very important reason that we gather each week is to give attention to God's Word. Paul tells us in this Colossians passage to let the Word richly dwell in us and to teach and admonish one another with singing. When we gather we are not only called to speak the Word to one another, but to sing it. So what songs should we be singing? Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs! There is much speculation on what Paul meant by these three categories. Are we to be singing from the book of Psalms or is this just a category of songs? Which hymns? What is a spiritual song? We don't have space to take this discussion up in detail here. But let me make one point. The songs we sing ought to be sung not only to God, but to one another in a way that teaches and encourages. They must therefore either contain the Word or help illuminate the Word. The lyrics that we sing are very significant. We take that responsibility at our FBC worship gatherings very seriously. In one sense, our songs are our "sung theology." If there were never any time spent teaching God's Word through a sermon and all we had was singing, what would we know about God? What would we know about our salvation? Hopefully, our songs are a good compliment to the time we do have studying His Word. And let me encourage you that when we do gather and sing to allow your mind, emotions and will be engaged in the process. Allow the words to dwell in you richly and allow God to sing through you to those nearby.

"Father, we thank You for music. Thank you for those you have given the ability to craft songs that teach us about You in ways that are creative and memorable. May we gather together with the purpose to glorify You and to encourage one another! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Angels From The Realms of Glory 
     by James Montgomery 

The First Noel

     Traditional English Carol

My Soul Magnifies the Lord

     by Chris Tomlin | Daniel Carson

Glorious Day
     by Michael Bleecker | Mark Hall

Christ is Come
     by Mike Weaver

Who Would Have Dreamed
     by Bob Kauflin | Jason Hansen

The Gathering - Part Fourteen

     One very important reason that we gather each week is to give attention to God's Word. This becomes extremely significant when we understand the context of the Gathering. We are God's called out ones who He exhorts to gather together regularly and to not forsake that gathering (Heb. 10:25). It is therefore not our idea to hold church services, but God's. He calls us together and the common element we have amongst so many different people is Christ. He is the One who makes a relationship with the Father possible. Our gatherings each week are an opportunity for His people to meet with Him and with one another. And during these times He desires to speak with us. 
     We see in scripture that when God's people gather together, God's Word is always central. When God gathered the Israelites to Himself at Mt. Sinai, the giving of the Ten Commandments was the focus (Ex. 19-20). When the Israelites returned from captivity and sought to restore the Temple worship they read from God's Word (Neh. 8:1-8). The early church devoted itself to the teaching of God's Word through the apostles (Acts 2:42). Paul urged Timothy to make sure that he gave attention to the public reading of God's Word (1 Tim. 4:13). When we gather, we are to do the same. Over the next few weeks we want to consider what this looks like for us in our gatherings today.

"Father, we thank You for Your Word. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. May we as Your Church continue to hold Your Word in high regard and give attention to it every time we gather. When Your Word is read, sung and taught may we recognize that it is You speaking to us, Your body, and may we be faithful to respond in worship to all that You speak to us. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

O Come All Ye Faithful

     by J. F. Wade

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

     by Edward Hodges | Henry Van Dyke | Ludwig van Beethoven | add. lyrics M. Lukens

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

     by Charles Wesley

God With Us
     by Jason Ingram | Leslie Jordan

Good, Good Father
     by Patt Barrett | Anthony Brown

The Gathering - Part Thirteen

Last week we started a three week series from the Psalms entitled "Greatly To Be Praised." This title comes from Psalm 96:4 which declares, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!" We have been talking about why we gather together each week and in the last few posts have been focusing in on the aspect of celebrating the communion that is possible with God. Celebrate! I think I know how to celebrate. When my team scores a touchdown, when someone I love has a birthday, when the hero of the story comes in and saves the day. But is my best celebration given to God? Most often not. I hold back. I am sorry to say, I at times just go through the motions. Why is that? Mark Carey quoted C.S. Lewis last week.

“We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”

Mark also shared from Psalm 117 a pattern that shows up in many of the Psalms - there is a "call to praise" and a "cause for praise." I think we often understand that we have been called to worship. I think that's why we show up. However, the cause for praise is often what we forget. Praise for our sports team or a good meal just comes natural to us because we have enjoyed watching or eating and as Lewis stated this praise completes our enjoyment. I think the reason that our greatest praise is not given to God is because we have not come to know Him like we ought. If we really knew Him we could not help but to praise. It would be our obsession, as I believe it will be in Heaven. So how do we get to know Him? We give attention to His Word. This becomes part of the third reason why we gather. To soak in God's Word so that we know Him more fully. We will take a look at this next time.

"Father, may You be to One who receives our greatest praise and may that praise be great, for You alone are great! As we gather this week, may our focus be given over to You, the object of our praise. May we take great joy in the expression of our delight in You. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Psalm 100

     by Chris Tomlin | Jason Ingram

O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing

     by Charles Wesley

One Thing Remains 

     by Brian Johnson | Christa Black Gifford | and Jeremy Riddle

Greatly To Be Praised
     by Brian Eichelberger | Zach Bolen

The Gathering - Part Twelve

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the purpose for why we gather together each week. The quick answer would be "we gather to worship." What we are seeking to do here is to unpack what that means for us in the context of the corporate gathering. We want to come better prepared for worship and be able to fully participate in this gathering. Last time we looked at the second part of our purpose, "to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God."

I have never been to the Grand Canyon, but it is on my list of things to do. Consider how ridiculous it would be to travel all the way to Arizona, walk within feet of the rim of this spectacular marvel and yet only look at a picture of the canyon. You could talk all you want about how breathtaking it was, but until you actually gaze over the edge and take it all in, I don't think you are really celebrating it. The same is true in our worship. We can extol the wonders of who God is and what He has done, but until we have actually gazed upon Him and drawn near into His presence, we have not truly celebrated Him. 

The writer of Hebrews proclaims in 10:19-22a, 

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . . . "

At any moment, we can by faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our high priest, draw near to God! Think about that! We don't have to build up to a climactic moment in our worship services where we are finally able to come into God's presence. It is not our work that gets us there. It is Christ's finished work. So when we gather together let us draw near. Don't hold back thinking you are not worthy to come. Christ makes us worthy! Don't let doubt hold you back, thinking that you just can't feel God's presence. Faith allows us to see that we are there! Let us come before God's throne and in doing so we are celebrating Him.

"Father, may we truly celebrate the communion that is now possible with You through the blood of Jesus. May we recognize the truth that we don't ever have to work our way there. May we come together already in Your presence and may we leave our gathering time closer to one another because we have been before Your throne together! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

You Are Holy 

     by Marc Imboden | Tammy Rhoton

Majestic

     by Lincoln Brewster

Rejoice 

     by Dustin Kensrue

My Lighthouse
     by Rend Collective

The Gathering - Part Eleven

We want to take a break this week from walking through our Worship Gathering Purpose Statement and focus in on some lyrics that we will be singing when we gather this weekend. The songs that we sing each week help carry out our purpose and the one we want to focus on really demonstrates this.

Rock of Ages by Augustus M. Toplady

Verse 1:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood from Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure

Verse 2:
Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow
These for sin could not atone; Thou must save and Thou alone

Verse 3:
Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling
Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless, look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die


I can think of no better way to . . .  "remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God" than to sing these words. Let me try to summarize the themes of this great hymn that was written almost 300 years ago.

Verse 1 - Jesus is our Rock of Refuge whose blood was shed on Calvary. His sacrifice (water and blood is a reference to His brutal torture and death by crucifixion) brings about two remedies - it satisfies the wrath of God against our sin and it purifies us from our sin.

Verse 2 - No matter how zealous we might be to obey God's laws or how sorrowful and broken we are for our sin, these cannot bring about our salvation. We must completely trust in God to save us.

Verse 3 - Again, we are helpless, naked, foul. Our only hope is that God would wash us by the blood of Christ, that He would cloth us in Christ's righteousness and that He would continue to pour out His grace upon us.

What great truths to remember, proclaim, celebrate and to live by!

"Father, we acknowledge that we are unable to add anything to our salvation. You have done it all. It is all a gift of grace and yet of great cost to You. As we gather this weekend to sing these songs may Your glories become greater and greater in our sight, may we sing with understanding and may Your Spirit produce fruit in our lives this week because of our time together. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Let God Arise

     by Chris Tomlin | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves

Our Song From Age to Age

     by Joel Sczebel

Rock of Ages

     by Augustus M. Toplady

Now Why This Fear
     by Augustus Toplady | Doug Plank

I Will Praise Him Still
     by Fernando Ortega

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
     by by Jonas Myrin | Matt Redman

The Gathering - Part Ten

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines communion as, "a close relationship with someone or something." The second aspect of our purpose as we gather together is to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God. 

When we have remembered Christ's atoning sacrifice it leads us to celebration. What we are celebrating is communion with God. Again, this should give us pause for awe and wonder. The sovereign creator of the universe and the One who is holy and righteous is the One that we have rebelled against. Our sin has caused death and more specifically a separation from Him. Yet He desires and has made a way for us to draw near, to commune with Him. Bob Kauflin writes in Worship Matters, 

"For centuries prior to the coming of Christ, the high priest represented God's people once a year as he entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for their sins. The holiest man from the holiest tribe offered the holiest sacrifice in the holiest place for the holiest people on earth. To attempt to draw near to God in any other way or by any other means would result in certain death (Leviticus 16:2). Now Jesus has entered a holier place, the heavenly sanctuary, having atoned for our sins and having torn down the veil separating us from God."

It is only through Christ's perfect sacrifice that we are able to commune with God but the good news is that we are able to draw near. What a blessed hope!

"Father, may we never lose the wonder of the ability that we have through Christ to have communion with You. May our time together this week be a true celebration of our relationship with You and may we recognize how vital this communion with You is to our worship and our lives. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Rejoice

     by Dustin Kensrue | Stuart Townend

Awesome is the Lord Most High

     by Chris Tomlin

Jesus Son of God

     by Chris Tomlin | Matt Maher | Jason Ingram

The Greatness of Our God
     by Stuart Garrard | Jason Ingram | Rueben Morgan

Even So Come
     by Chris Tomlin | Jess Cates | Jason Ingram

The Gathering - Part Nine

Last week as we prepared to gather we spent time considering the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and what that meant. When we consider Christ's sacrifice, the unimaginable cost to God the Father to offer up His Son and the horrific pain and agony endured by Jesus physically, mentally and spiritually, it should stop us in our tracks! What this sacrifice is telling us is how despicable our sin is before a holy God. He didn't just do a few hours of community service on our behalf - He died! And He died the most horrific of deaths, one reserved for criminals and rebels. This sobering view of our sin should lead us to confession. Part of remembering Christ's death is confessing our great need, humbling ourselves before God and recognizing our complete inability to restore a right relationship with Him through anything we bring, do or say. We come falling on His mercy and His grace. And as we come to that place there is power in the Gospel. Our greatest need has been met by an even greater God! We have been set free from the curse of sin and death and can enjoy the blessing of a right relationship with Him.  

As we prepare to gather spend some time reflecting of this passage:

With what shall I come to the LordAnd bow myself before the God on high?Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,With yearling calves?Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,In ten thousand rivers of oil?Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?He has told you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of youBut to do justice, to love kindness,And to walk humbly with your God?

~ Micah 6:6-8

"Father, as we prepare to gather with our brothers and sisters in order to magnify Your greatness may we have a moment to consider the cross. Please reveal to us how dreadful it was and yet how necessary. May it humble us and cause us to run to You for mercy and grace. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Holy, Holy, Holy 

     by Reginald Heber | John B. Dykes

Jesus Messiah

     by Chris Tomlin

Let it Be Jesus

     by Chris Tomlin | Jonas Myrin | Matt Redman

By Faith
     by Keith and Kristyn Getty | Stuart Townend

The Gathering - Part Eight

Here again is the purpose statement for our gatherings:

To remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God, to give attention to His word and to recommit to living within the grace of this covenantal relationship with God and each other.

This week as we prepare to gather let's consider what we mean by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In order to understand this great doctrine of the Atonement we must first grasp two truths. First, God is altogether holy and righteous. In Him is no evil, no sin. In fact, He is so opposed to sin that when He sees it, His holy wrath is aroused against it! The second truth we must understand is that all of mankind is sinful. We are sinners by nature, by birth into Adam's race. We also sin. We live out our fallen nature. When we understand these two truths we can understand the atonement. 

When we remember the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ we are talking about His death on the cross that makes amends for our sin and brings us back into a right relationship with God. The Bible Scholar and Pastor Lehman Strauss wrote these words on the subject,

Because of two great facts, the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, Atonement is made an absolute necessity if sinners are to be pardoned and brought to God. When we have the true conception of the holiness of God, we will have the true conception of sin, and when we have the correct view of sin, we will have an adequate view of the Atonement. The only reason that men are offended at the preaching of the Cross is because they have no adequate sense of sin and the holiness of our Lord. When a man refuses to face sin, he will find it easy to dispense with what the Bible teaches about the Atoning Death of Christ. The love and mercy of God are infinite and matchless, still the penalty for sin must be paid. Thus it was, in the eternal past, before the foundation of the world, that God determined and planned that atonement should be provided for His fallen creatures who would be deceived by Satan. If no plan of atonement had been proposed and perpetuated by the Godhead, all would be hopeless for mankind. And so, in the counsels of the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it was decreed that One should come and offer Himself as a Divine Substitute in the sinner’s place. This necessitated the Substitute taking upon Himself a human body. The eternal Son of God was that Substitute. And so “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).   (To read more of this article by Strauss click here.)

As we gather this weekend, may we keep in the front of our thoughts that Christ's atonement for sin is the only way that we are able to have a relationship with God, to engage with God, to worship Him.


"Father, make us keenly aware of Your holiness and Your hatred toward sin. Let us feel the weight of our sinfulness and then be able to rejoice in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. May we remember that He is our only hope. May we worship You in spirit and in truth today! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Praise to the Lord, The Almighty

     by Joachim Neander

O Worship the King

     by Robert Grant

Open the Eyes of My Heart

     by Paul Baloche

Your Glory 

     by Leslie Jordan

Worthy, Worthy
     by Jacob Sooter and Mia Fieldes

The Gathering - Part Seven

     Here at FBC our practice is to celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month.  Although the New Testament has very few instructions on what the specifics of our worship gatherings should look like, one thing is very clear – we are directed by Christ Himself to regularly remember His death until He returns and to do this through partaking together of the communion elements. The bread and the cup are specific symbols that are to remind us of what Christ has done for us and in our place.  It is no coincidence that Jesus instituted this ordinance of communion during the Passover celebration.  This festival was to be a reminder to the Israelites of God’s provision of a means to avoid the final plague of judgment upon Egypt, the death of the firstborn sons. Because of the death of a lamb and its sprinkled blood on the doorposts, the angel of death would pass over the household who followed God’s provision.  The Passover festival was to be a regular reminder of this salvation. 
     Christ is the fulfillment of the Passover festival through His death and sprinkled blood for us who by faith receive God’s mercy in “passing over” our sin.  We need a regular reminder that we have received a death penalty for our sin.  We need to be reminded that Jesus is the Lamb who died in our place.  We need to be reminded that His shed blood brings about our peace with God.  As we gather this weekend, the first Saturday and Sunday of the month, let’s take some time to prepare to celebrate communion together.  Let us reflect on these words that we will sing together:

There is love that came for us, humbled to a sinner’s crossYou broke my shame and sinfulness; You rose again victorious.

Faithfulness none can deny, through the storm and through the fireThere is truth that sets me free:  Jesus Christ who lives in me.

No beginning and no end, You’re my hope and my defenseYou came to seek and save the lost; You paid it all upon the cross.

You are stronger!  You are stronger!Sin is broken; You have saved me!It is written Christ is risen!Jesus, You are Lord of all!

"Father, we deserve a death penalty for our sin. There is nothing we can do to escape this judgment. Thank you that Your Son took our place on the cross. He is the Lamb of God slain for us who takes away the sin of the world. As we gather this week and remember His death, burial and resurrection, may we be humbled with hearts of thanksgiving for all You have done for us! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

     by Martin Luther

Strong to Save

     by Eddie Hoagland and Tyler Miller

More Than Conquerors

     by Rend Collective

Stronger

     by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan

The Gathering - Part Six

     We want to take the next few weeks and dig into an important part of our purpose for gathering each weekend. We gather to remember that God has brought us into a relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This sacrifice of Christ is no less that a brutal execution on a Roman cross. Even more than that was what Christ suffered beyond just the physical torture of crucifixion. As God, He took on human flesh (John 1:1,14). As Savior, He took upon Himself the sins of the world (1 Pet. 2:24). As the propitiation for our sins, He bore the wrath of God against sin (Rom. 3:25-26). 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

     John Piper puts it this way, "If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die."
   
     When we gather to remember what God has done, let us not forget the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we consider the depth of how awful and awesome this sacrifice was it tells us so much about God and about ourselves and our desperate need for a Savior. 


"Father, may we remember Your Son's sacrifice. Allow us to see the terror of falling into the hands of a wrathful, righteous God. Help us to remember that He took our place so that we could draw near to You. May these thoughts shape our view of You and in turn shape our view of our circumstances! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Everlasting God

     by Brenton Brown

How Great Thou Art 

     by Stuart K. Hine

Come Lord Jesus (Even So Come)

     by Chris Tomlin | Jess Cates | Jason Ingram

The Greatness of Our God

     by Stuart Garrard, Jason Ingram, and Reuben Morgan

Behold Our God
     by Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge 

The Gathering - Part Five

     Over the last few weeks we have been looking at what the worship gathering is all about. We gave this purpose statement for our gatherings:

To remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God, to give attention to His word and to recommit to living within the grace of this covenantal relationship with God and each other.

     Last week we pointed out that our first priority is to remember. We stated that the Gospel is what God has done through Jesus Christ; His death, burial and resurrection which is the only way to bring us eternal life. God has provided this free gift so that we can be brought into a relationship with Him. All throughout the Scriptures we see God's desire to draw near to those He created and loves. He wants to include us in a relationship that He has always had within the Trinity! This is only possible through His provision. We are not able to approach a holy God on our own. He brings us in! 
     One other truth that we need to see is that when God brings us into relationship with Himself, He also brings us into relationship with one another. When we enter into relationship with God we are entering into a family, a body! So as we gather let's remember that we are gathering before God and with one another. Our activities in the gathering are to be worship to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and they are to be opportunities to encourage each other in the faith. What a great privilege we have!


"Father, thank you for drawing us to Yourself. May we marvel in the wonder of the creation being in relationship with the Creator. Help us not forget that You make this possible. And may our times together this weekend be a joyful reunion with one another that foreshadows what You will one day bring about when you call us home to Glory! Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Glory to God Forever

     by Steve Fee

In Christ Alone

     by Stuart Townend | Keith Getty

Great Are You Lord

     by David Leonard | Jason Ingram | Leslie Jordan

The Revelation Song

     by Jenni Lee Riddle

Come Lord Jesus (Even So Come)

     by Chris Tomlin | Jess Cates | Jason Ingram

The Gathering - Part Four

     A few weeks back we started a discussion on the worship gathering in order to consider, from a biblical perspective, why we meet and what we are to be about when we gather. We started with this calling: 

To remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God, to give attention to His word and to recommit to living within the grace of this covenantal relationship with God and each other.

     If remembering God's plan and action to bring us back to Himself, we call this the Gospel, is to be the focal point of our gatherings, let's make clear what the Gospel is. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 gives the most succinct statement of the Gospel when Paul states,

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 

     This good news must be remembered each time we gather as believers for worship because it is our only hope for being able to worship. We remember that we have a holy and righteous God who has created us and who desires to commune with us. Our sin separates us from this relationship and a righteous God must punish this sin. In order to bring about reconciliation, God poured out the penalty for sin upon His Son Jesus Christ. He died upon a cross and was buried in a tomb. Because God's righteous wrath was satisfied by Jesus' sacrifice, God raised Him from the dead. That is the Gospel that we have received and which we remember when we gather to worship.

"Father, thank you for the Gospel. It is Your power for salvation to all who believe. May we believe in truth and clarity! May we never mix your Gospel with our own efforts and think that we can add anything that brings about our reconciliation with You. May this Gospel be central as we gather together to worship You. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Our God (Is Greater

     by Matt Redman | Chris Tomlin | Jesse Reeves | Jonas Myrin

Before the Throne of God Above

     by Charitie Less Bancroft

I Stand Amazed in the Presence

     by Charles H. Gabriel

Your Glory

     by Leslie Jordan | Robert Lowery

How Great is Your Faithfulness

     by Jonas Myrin | Matt Redman

The Gathering - Part Three

     Last time we stated that the purpose of corporate worship is . . .

"to remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God, to give attention to His word and to recommit to living within the grace of this covenantal relationship with God and each other."

     Our first priority is to remember. 

     In his book Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin states, “Biblical worship involves proclamation and leads to proclaiming God’s truth with our lives. We’re doing more than emoting or having a ‘worship experience.’ We’re declaring why God is so great, what He has accomplished, and all that He has promised. We all need to be reminded, and proclamation helps us remember." We are a people who quickly forget things. We have a tendency to live in the moment and forget what has brought us to a particular time and place. 
     All throughout the Scriptures there are calls to remember. The feasts of the Old Testament were meant to be memorials that would enable the nation of Israel to remember and pass on to future generations what God had done to make them into a people of His own possession. They were designed to recall how He had continued to graciously provide for them. The monuments were another tool used for remembering. There were many times that memorial stones were erected in order that the coming generations would see and ask what transpired in a particular place. This would give opportunity to once again recount the mercies of God to individuals and the nation. 
     In the Gospels, when Jesus inaugurates the New Covenant at the Passover celebration on the night He was betrayed, He told His disciples, and those who would come after them, to partake in remembrance of Him. Peter desires the same thing when he writes, "Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder" (2 Peter 1:12-13). Our worship gatherings must have a component of remembrance, and what we are to remember is the Gospel. We should never think that the Gospel is only for unbelievers and that we ought to move on to deeper and more profound topics in our worship gatherings. There is nothing more central to our faith and to our gatherings than the Gospel.

"Father, as we gather together, may there be an element of remembrance. May You stir our hearts and minds to recall what You have done for us at the cross and how you have brought us to Yourself. As we proclaim and celebrate the Gospel may the next generation hear the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. Amen."

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

God is Able (F1/F2/F3) 

     by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan

My Lighthouse (FSat) 

     by Rend Collective

Glorious Day

     by Michael Bleecker | Mark Hall

Great Are You Lord

     by David Leonard | Jason Ingram | Leslie Jordan

Ancient Words

     by Lynn DeShazo

The Gathering - Part Two

Why do we gather each week? 

This question may appear to have an easy answer.  We may quickly conclude that we gather to worship. While this is true, we want to be able to understand what that means and what that looks like. Certainly we are told in scripture that all of life is to be lived as an act of worship. Paul says in Romans 12:1 to, “present your bodies (all of who you are) as living sacrifices.” He describes this as an act of worship. So if all of life is worship, then why do we gather each week? 

I believe that the purpose of corporate worship is . . . 

"to remember what God has done to bring us into relationship with Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to celebrate the communion that is now possible with God, to give attention to His word and to recommit to living within the grace of this covenantal relationship with God and each other."

In other words, we gather to reorient our lives around the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the next several weeks we want to unpack this purpose statement for our gatherings. We want to see how the Bible speaks one unified message of God’s desire to gather to Himself a people who will serve Him as a kingdom of worshipers. There truly is no greater call in life than this!

“Father, we pray that You will allow us to understand Your purposes for the church gathered and as we grow in our understanding may we have a deeper desire to be joined together regularly with Your people to declare Your praise. Amen.”

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Strong to Save (F1/F2) 
     by Eddie Hoagland | Tyler Miller

Let God Arise (FSat/F3) 
     by Chris Tomlin | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves

Grace Alone

     by Dustin Kensrue

Your Glory
     by Leslie Jordan

Man of Sorrows
     by Matt Crocker | Brooke Ligertwood

The Gathering - Part One

" . . . and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."   

Over the next several months we want to consider the worship gathering or the "assembling together" as the writer of Hebrews calls it. Why do we gather? What are we to be about as we gather? What informs these answers? We will be looking at what the Bible says as a whole about worship and how it applies to us today in our gatherings. It is our prayer that these posts will truly "spur us on to love and good deeds."

There is one important point that I would like to begin with as we consider this discussion of corporate worship. The true nature of worship is responsive and not initiative. In other words, worship does not bring about any ability to provide for or secure a relationship with God. Worship starts with God and His initiative and we respond. Worship will never and should never replace the Gospel. There is no power in worship to bring us into the presence of God. That's right! Our act of responding to God's revelation of Himself does not bring us any closer to the throne of God's grace.  The Gospel alone brings us into God's presence and our worship should acknowledge this truth. This should bring great peace to the worshiper knowing that there is no pressure to perform in worship in order to bring about good favor with God. Christ alone brings us good favor with God. We are solely responding to who He is and what He has provided so graciously for us through the Gospel.

This response should also be based on objective truth which is revealed by God in His word. The motivation for worship is not first a subjective, feelings based approach, as if to say, "I'm not feeling this so I wonder if it is true." The proper order is faith placed in God's truth which will lead to right feelings.  We must not get these out of order. 

So as we gather together this week to respond to our God who calls us into worship we should not first ask the question, "How do I feel about what I am singing, hearing, experiencing?" We must first ask the question, "Do I believe these things to be true?" When the answer is "yes" then our minds, hearts and lives become reoriented around the Gospel! We move away from the idols of our lives and allow Christ to become the center!

"Father may You show us what is true.  We believe so many lies.  You are the Truth.  As we gather before You this week, please allow us to grasp that You have provided access into Your presence through Christ. May we come with no other hope! Amen.”

For further study on this topic see Hebrews 10:19-25; John 4:7-26

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

Let God Arise (F1/F2) 
     by Chris Tomlin | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves

Strong to Save (FSat/F3) 
     by Eddie Hoagland | Tyler Miller

Hear Our Praises 
     by Reuben Morgan

You Alone Can Rescue 
     by Matt Redman | Jonas Myrin

Rejoice 
     by Dustin Kensrue | Stuart Townend

The Rock Won't Move 
     by Jacob Sooter |Kyle Fredricks | Landon MacDonald |Tyler Miller