Worship in the city

The Trinity in worship PT1...Basic foundation

2012-02-15T19:41:00.001-08:00

We firstly need to keep in mind ourfallen nature, created reality, finite wisdom, and continual growth ofknowledge and wisdom. We will never understand the mystery of being 100% manlet alone being 100% God as well. We are fallen and need to continually repentwhen our philosophical thoughts and ideas feel that we can understand thefullness of God. There are obvious truths that are stated and are exposedthroughout the text and we can glean our understanding of the topic from these.

‘Echad’

This is the Hebrew word translatedas ‘one’, only, and alone. You will find this word 962 times and 903 of thetranslations is ‘one’, 5 times as the word ‘alone’ and 1 times as the word‘only’ (Keith G. Morehead). You will see this word used in Genesis 2:24, 11:1,11:6, 34:16, Exodus 24:3, Numbers 13:23, Ezra 2:63, and Jeremiah 32:38-39 toname a few, explaining the oneness of the situation.

‘Yachid’ or ‘ye-chi-di-cha’

This is the Hebrew word thatexpresses ‘oneness’. You can find this word used in Genesis 22:2, 22:12, Psalms22:20, 35:17, 68:6, Jeremiah 6:26, Zechariah 12:10 to name a few being wordsfor only & us. This concept is used in reference to ‘us’ when speakingabout what is being said in plurality: Gen 1:26, Let US make man in our image,Genesis 3:22, behold, the man has become like one of US, Isaiah 6:8, and whowill go for US.

Elohim

This is the Hebrew word for ‘God’and is referred to GOD and gods. Elohim is a masculine as well as plural and isused in ‘US’ passages all through OT (such as in Genesis). Exodus 20:2-3 says“I am the LORD (Yah-weh) your God (e-lo-hei-cha), who brought you out of theland of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods(e-lo-him) before you” Here you see the word used for God used in plurality.

Equality of Jesus and God &Hypostatic Union (100% man & 100% GOD)

(God the Father speaking to theSon) “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, thescepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; thereforeGod, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond yourcompanions. And you Lord, laid the foundations of the earth in the beginningand the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish but your remain”–Hebrews 1:8-10 The Greek word for ‘God’ used in this verse is ‘THEOS’ which isa name for God. In vs 1 it also says ‘long ago, at many times and in many waysGod spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spokento us by his son.” The Greek for son is ‘uio’ or ‘uios’ simply meaning ‘SON’with zero divine connotations, just meaning son as if someone gave birth to aboy. This shows the 100% man. Also, in verse one, through verse 8, the word forGod continues to be theos. So it would read, “but to the SON (uio), God (theos)says, your throne, o God (theos) is forever and ever” giving the son, 100%human son, the title of 100% God.

The hypostatic union can be seenwith John 5:19. So Jesus said to them “truly truly I say to you, the SON can donothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the father doing”. This wouldseemingly be an argument for Jesus not being equal to God because He can onlydo what the father is doing, but this shows two aspects of the trinity. ‘Echad’or ONENESS, in everything is displayed. There can’t be anything confused withthe two or done differently because of them being one. ALSO, the words for‘son’ is uios or uio, again being directly correlated with son without divineconnotation. So the 100% man could not do anything of his own accord (becauseof inability to disagree with the father), only functioning as 100% God tocontinue in his will. ’EVERYTIME THE WORD ‘SON’ IS USED, ITS UIO OR UIOS…wecan’t forget the union of 100% man and 100% God.

'The Lord's Supper' By T.Chin: Worship in Sacraments

2012-02-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

Worship in Sacraments By T.Chin

WHAT ISTHE LORD’S SUPPER AND WHERE IS IT IN THE BIBLE?

And when hehad given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘this is my body which is for you. Dothis in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper,saying, ‘this cup is the new covenant of my blood. Do this, as often as youdrink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drinkthe cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes

Tobegin this discussion of the Lord’s Supper, we look to the Old Testament model;the Passover Feast. Passover was a Jewish holiday that began at sunset on the14^th day of ‘Nisan’. It was a celebration and remembrance of the Jewishslavery and freedom from Pharaoh’s rule. During the time of Moses, whom Godraised up to free the Jewish people, there was a time of many plagues. Duringthe final plague, the first-born child of every Egyptian family was killed. Forthe Jewish households, they were to sacrifice a lamb, and wipe the blood of thelamb on the doorpost, indicating to the Death Angel to ‘pass over’ the home. Duringthe dinner of Passover, a lamb is to be slaughtered without breaking a bone in his body, and its blood dabbed on thedoorframes (or later to be sprinkled on the altar). The Lamb’s whole body wasto be roasted over a fire and eaten on the 14^th day of Nisan withunleavened bread and bitter herbs. Everyone in the house was to eat of the lamband whatever was left of the lamb was to be burned. It was to be eaten “withyour belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. Andyou shall eat it in haste (Exodus 12:11).” (Ex. 12:1-28, 43-49, 13:3-9, 23:15,Lev 23:5-14, Num 9:10-14, 28:16-25, Deut 16:1)

This meal was meant not only as a remembranceof liberation from Egypt, but in the New Testament it was seen as liberationfrom the bondage of sin. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, he associatedit directly with the Passover celebration. There is much debate about theconnection with Passover and the Lord’s Supper, as well as if Jesus institutedthe Lord’s Supper. In opposition, many theologians will argue that if we doubtthese things, then we also doubt Jesus self-conscious death and its salvificreality. The passages in the gospels with Jesus’s disciples confirm (Matt26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20) that the institution of the Lord’sSupper is closely tied to Passover. Paul discusses this as well (1 Cor 10:26;11:24-25). John’s gospel correlates the two by discussing the manner in whichJesus was crucified. “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was alreadydead, they did not break his legs…For these things took place that thescripture might be fulfilled: ‘not one of his bones will be broken’” (John19:33, 36). Paul also makes a blatant correlation “cleanse out the old leaventhat you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, ourPassover lamb has been sacrificed” (1 Cor 5:7). In this, we could allude to thelikelihood that Isaiah 53:7, “like a lamb that is led to be slaughtered”, couldbe describing the Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, being mirrored in the New Testamentpassages that describe Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1Peter 1:29; Revelations 5:6). The Passover Feast pointed to the Lord’s Supperwhich overall pointed to the Lamb of God, who would replace the lamb ofPassover, die for the sins of many (Matthew 26:28), who in turn findfulfillment in the death of Jesus Christ.

WHY DO WETAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER?

“The brokenbread and the wine symbolize the Lords broken body and shed blood; the physicaleating and drinking of these point to a spiritual appropriation of the fruitsof the sacrifice of Christ; and the whole sacrament is a constant reminder ofHis redemptive death” –Louis Berkoff

TheLords supper is a sign and a seal:

The Sign: The sign includes a few things; the actual bread andwine that are broken, the eating and drinking of them, how it represents theLord’s death, and the believer’s agreement and participation of the death ofJesus. This is why believers partake in communion. We stand in agreement and inproclamation at the Lord’s table (1 Cor 11:26), that Jesus died for sin, assin, while still remaining sinless, having his body broken and blood poured outso that we would be vigorously pulled out of the way of God’s wrath on sin. Weproclaim we were pulled away from eternal damnation and welcomed into eternalsecurity at the foot of the throne of God as we sing in unison in praise andthanksgiving to the Lord “Holy, Holy, Holy, the whole earth is filled with Yourglory! For you are good and your steadfast loves endures forever”.

The Seal: We leave the table assured and overjoyed by theoverwhelming love of Jesus that was shown to us as he surrendered his life,shamefully (Hebrews 12:12), that we might receive salvation. We leave with allof the promises of the covenant and all of the riches of the gospel (Matthew26:26-27; 1 Cor 10:16).

This is why we are intentional aboutself-examination. As we boldly proclaim the gospel, rejoice in its riches andrepose in its compassion, we should seek holiness and purity. In the Old Testament,Levitical Purity was required because God only came to the children of Israeland only dwelt in clean places (Exod. 20:24, 29:42-46, 33:7; Num 11:25; 12:5;17:4; Deut 31:15). The Lord’s Supper is a meal in which Jesus meets with hispeople, unites with them, and enjoys in celebration. Jesus did not simply givecommunion when he instituted the Lord’s Supper and not partake but enjoyed incelebration and unity with his disciples. In the New Testament we see that Paulcalls us to examine ourselves that we might not drink damnation to ourselves (1Cor 11:27-29). James Boice would add that when we take communion we come to“meet with Christ and have fellowship with him at his invitation. Theexamination takes place because it would be hypocrisy for us to pretend that weare in communion with the Holy One while actually cherishing known sin in ourhearts.”

UNION WITHCHRIST & THE MYSTERY IN THE LORDS SUPPER

The doctrines of imputed righteousness and union withChrist are incomprehensible mysteries. These mysteries are, however, exhibitedby the sacraments which are adapted to our small capacity…As union with Christdepends solely on the work of the Spirit, the sacraments, which are seals ofthis union, are efficacious only through the sovereign power of the Spirit–John Calvin

“Since the second part of the worship service, theLords Supper, was exclusively for baptized members, it gradually acquired amysterious character.” –Herman Bavinck

Wenow look at the union with Christ, the widely debated topic of the ‘mysterion’behind the Lord’s Supper:

The word “mysterion” is a word thatdescribes the mighty and marvelous acts of God; formerly concealed and now revealed.This word was translated in Latin as ‘sacramentum,’ which was used to describeany mighty act of God. This is where we got the word ‘sacrament’ and all‘sacred’ engagements. This word would be used for circumcision, marriage,celebration of Sabbath, consecration of priest, ect. This word well captivatesthe transaction and unity that we have with Christ during communion. There is amysterious nature and something that we cannot quite explain during the Lord’sSupper. Because we go so far to fight off the Roman Catholic view oftransubstantiation (which will later be discussed), we miss the mystery ofcommunion and turn it into solely a home going service. There are a few viewsof what happens during this service:

1. Roman Catholic-Transubstantiation-the bread and wine turn into the actual body and blood of Jesus; so much sothat they store it in a safe place that is honored.

2. Lutheran View-thebread and wine do not turn into anything, they remain bread and wine, but theperson of Christ body and blood is fully present IN the elements. They alsobelieve that whoever gets the communion receives the body, believer or not.

3. ZwinglianView-fully denied any presence of Jesus in communion because he was alreadyfully present in believers. Communion was just a symbolic remembrance of thedeath of Christ; merely a memorial.

4. Calvinistic view(reformed view/Our view)-Calvin taught the spiritual presence of Jesus duringthe Lord’s Supper. It was a deeper significance to communion; a sign and seal;a pledge and proclamation. There is something mysterious that we cannotcomprehend within communion and this must not be overlooked.

Westand on the side of Calvin with saying that there is truly a mysterion;something special where God meets with his people, feeding them spiritually andnourishing them, strengthening them and unifying with them.

WHERECOMMUNION POINTS TO AND THE ESCHATOLOGICAL REALITY

“Truly I sayto you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when Idrink it new in the kingdom of God.” –Jesus

THE LORD’S SUPPER POINTS DIRECTLY TO JESUS!

Jesus is our Lamb slain, nobones broken, for the sins of many. We take part in this supper in remembranceand recognition of what was done on the cross, in nourishment as being sufficientfor everything that we need, and in proud proclamation of his soon comingreturn when we will drink of the fruit of the vine with Jesus in the Kingdom ofGod (Matthew 26:29). Until then, we abide in him and drink of Him, the truevine (John 15:1), in remembering how our sins were not ‘passed over’ but injectedinto a sinless GodMan, nailed to a rugged cross, through the body of our LordJesus. We remember how we will one day be justified, made right, in the sightof His Father, so that we CAN then drink with him and partake of his body, fullof glory, fully exposed, when he comes to fulfill all things and make allthings new. He is fully renewing all things, fully restoring all things, wipingaway tears, ripping down, and building up. So we feast, together in community,proclaiming his goodness and salvation, until He comes again. Amen.

Trevor J. Chin

Epiphany Fellowship of Camden

Worshipand Creative arts Director

New Series "Worship in the City"

2012-01-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

Whats going on family! I pray that all is well with you and your new years! This post is to introduce my next series...it will be entitled 'WORSHIP IN THE CITY'. I will be tackling issues concerning worship in the city; culturally relevance, christ centered vs. man centered, what is reformed worship, importance of originality, and many others. Please join me for the next few weeks as we jump into these issues! Grace and Peace!

New Series Idea..."Rise and Fail/Fall"

2012-01-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey family! Again I appreciate you continuing to ready this blog and I pray that you are encouraged by it.

As I pray and think about the ideas for my next series, I think about things that I have personally been praying about and being frustrated about for the last few years...The culture of the African American musician in the African American church...

There is such a negative stereotype of the musicians in the black church and there is such a Calamitous truth about it. They are known as ungodly, promiscuous, non Christians that are playing music at their local churches for the check on Sundays. A lot of African American churches try to be attractional based on the music, so they pay their musicians quite well. The problem is that without strong, gospel centered, directional leadership, biblical ecclesiological structure, gospel centered preaching/teaching, and accountability, ANYONE PLAYS...I'm sorry,...everyone and anyone leads WORSHIP. This is and continues to becomes a problem...

Now...the gospel preaches REDEMPTION!!! I feel that the culture and stereotype of the black musician/worship leader/minister of music can be redeemed.

Please comment, email, and send in your thoughts and desires as I continue to pray about this topic...

By His Grace,
T.Chin

Suffering and Worship Wrap-up-SHOTGUN #POW

2012-01-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

Shotgun verses onSuffering and Worship…continuing with our walk through...

John15:18-20-Because of worship we suffer

We know that everyone whohas been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of Godprotects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are fromGod, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know thatthe Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know himwho is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is thetrue God and eternal life.

Acts 5:40-When weworship, we suffer

and when they had calledin the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name ofJesus, and let them go.

Romans 8:16-18-wemust suffer to be able to worship…but our future glory is so much worth thepresent suffering

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are childrenof God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthcomparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

1 Corinthians1:5-suffering is granted to us through worship

For just as the sufferings of Christ are ¹oursin abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

2 cor 1:5-7-let ussuffer together and worship because Christ has suffered for us

For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christwe share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for yourcomfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, whichyou experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings,you will also share in our comfort.

Are we getting the point that suffering is inevitable when we are in Christ? This is why worship is more than just 4 song selections on a sunday morning...Its a continual outpouring of all that we are...and if we are continuing to follow Christ...suffer is what we must do...So what does the rest of the NT have to say?

Suffering & Worship Wrap Up-LUKE

2012-01-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

Luke 6:22-23

“Blessed are you when people hate you and whenthey exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of theSon of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward isgreat in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets."

This is an excerpt from the “Sermon on the Mount”which Jesus spoke to the great multitude listening. This is just another aspectof suffering that we are called to while being called to Christ Jesus. NoticeJesus says “when people hate you and when they exclude you and spurn your nameas evil”

This is the promise to believers: that we will be excluded andreviled. But for the believer, the response should be to rejoice because greatis our reward in heaven (Luke 6:23)! I’m reminded of Acts 5:41 where theapostles rejoiced at being considered worthy to suffer for their witness toJesus’ name. So, let us also rejoice in the opportunity to suffer…let us leapfor joy for we have been promised such a great reward beyond this life! Great is our reward in heaven!

“You must submit to supremesuffering in order to discover the completion of joy”

-John Calvin

Suffering & Worship-Wrap Up- "MARK"

2012-01-03T15:26:00.001-08:00

Mark 8:34-36

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said tothem, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up hiscross and follow me. For whoever would save his life1 will loseit, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. Forwhat does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Jesus calls us to a few things here:

1. We must deny ourselves and lose our life-Sacrifice

a. Sacrificingourselves and understanding that our passions and desires must be rendered.This denial of self refers to our own desires, idolatry of self, and making usour God.

b. Losingour life for the sake of the gospel is promised to the believer, because we areassured its safety in Christ for an eternity…not a temporary satisfaction butan eternal, comprehensive salvific reality

2. We must take upour cross-Suffering

a. The crosssymbolizes pain, torment, struggle, agony, and hurt. We are called to deny ourself idolatry and suffer with Christ who suffered for us on the cross

3. We must followChrist-Followship

a. When Ithink about this idea of ‘followship’ I am reminded of the movie 300. Here youhave a bunch of men that enter into wars, following 1 man, sacrificing themselves,leaving their families, giving up their comfort of home, their friends,following direction from their leader, shutting up, and fighting thebattle…fellowship

Listen, we are called to loseourselves in the cross. This is difficult! I included this in this series forthat very reason. We so often want to “be us” and “do us”…for the believer, we “doChrist” and this is difficult. We live life, and one day will die. This is anobvious reality…but, then what? If we sacrifice our life, we are promised aneternity with Him!

Our sorrows are all, like ourselves, mortal. There are noimmortal sorrows for immortal souls. They come, but blessed be God, they alsogo. Like birds of the air, they fly over our heads. But they cannot make theirabode in our souls. We suffer today, but we shall rejoice tomorrow

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Sacrifice…Suffer…andFollow

Let us work and walk in this reality.

Suffering and Worship Wrap-up

2012-01-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

This week will be the final week for our 'Suffering & Worship" series. In light of that, I invite you to join me in a daily post describing suffering through worship and suffering because of worship.

I am calling this 'The Walk Through'...Ever day for the rest of the week I will be posting a verse on suffering from every book of the New Testament...The posts will be a verse or two with a quick explanation. Stay tuned and I pray you enjoy!

I will give you the first one tonight....

Matthew 10:34-35

Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Here, Jesus is talking and He informs us that some of us are going to worship Jesus, and our parents will hate us. He tells us that he did not come so we can have perfect relationships with everyone, for everyone to love us, for us to be this popular person that everyone loves to be around, but the opposite. We will suffer the loss of very close friendships and members of our own family/household. Here is a quote that I feel fit this passage:

"The Christian will be sure to make enemies. It will be one of his objects to make none. But if to do the right and to believe the true should cause him to lose every earthly friend, he will count it but a small loss, since his great friend in heaven will be yet more friendly and reveal himself to him even more graciously than ever...He who has the friendship of the world is an enemy to God. But if you are true and faithful to the most high, men will resent your unflinching fidelity, since it is a testimony against their iniquities."

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

#Suffering&WorshipWrapup

Happy New Year Post

2011-12-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

Whenyou were a kid, did your best friend ever get in a fight? Did you jump in? Hasyour significant other ever been in a rough situation in your life and yousupported them? Has your friend ever been kicked out of a party? Did you stayor did you leave?

Howmuch more should we do with Jesus?

Hebrews 13:12-13 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate inorder to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to himoutside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.

Thispassage refers to when they wouldn’t crucify him inside the city gates. Theytreated him like trash and crucified him outside of the city where they throwthe trash. This is where he was murdered; bloodshed. They did not want hisblood in their city, but this same blood sanctifies us, purchases oursalvation, frees us from Gods wrath, and allows us to become heirs with Christ!

If you are going to kick Jesusout of the city, then what do we as followers do? We go! Go outside of thecamp, be with our Jesus that has bore our sins, and we take the crap, the badmouthing, the disrespect, the beating, the hurt, the pain that he did!

But we take this with joy. Why?Because one day, all of heaven, free of sin and shame, completely drenched inthe pure glory of God, at his throne, while he sits with the staff ofrighteousness in his hand, with Jesus at His right hand high and lifted up,still showing the scars of that cross, and all singing holy holy holy is theLord of hosts! Singing “Total Praise” in 94948759 part harmony, full of joy andpeace, free from anxiety and anger, and being amazed by the grace that wasshown for us to be there.

THIS IS WHY WE ENDURE!

On this new years eve,remember the outcome past the suffering. Suffering is our way to the Kingdom ofGod. Peace be with you brothers and sisters. Happy New Year.

Suffering & Worship Part 2- Acts 14 -Suffer Well

2011-12-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, we sawthat worship is “the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do, and allthat I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god” We seethat our worship is based on our continuous outpouring of self. Today we look toa passage of scripture in which suffering was the underarching theme through worship.

Acts 14:1-7

1Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke insuch a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 Butthe unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds againstthe brothers.3 So theyremained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to theword of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some withthe apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, withtheir rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of itand fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surroundingcountry, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.

So,the background chain of events that bring us to this point is found in Acts 13.You see that people have been praying and in intense fasting. The Holy Spirit,through worship (Acts 13:2) sent out Paul and Barnabas. You see a few thingshere:

· Fasting and prayer untilthe Holy Spirit spoke

· Continued in prayer

· “Set apart for ME..” forthe work of the LORD (13:2)

o Showing God commissions for His glory

· Hands were laid on themand they were SENT

o Both had a church home

o Both were sent by the Holy Spirit via the local church

Sothis was their job

· Go city to city
· Hit the synagagues
· Preach the gospel
· Make disciples

o Some come to know Jesus

· Jew hate what they are doingand tried to kill them
· They roll out and hitanother city and do it all over

WHATA CALLING! DAING IT!

Sothese Jews would follow them from city to city and you see in chapter 14 thatthey finally get to Iconium and do what they were called to do; Hit synagogue,preach gospel, and some Jews and Greeks come to know Jesus. On the other handwere the Jews that didn’t believe and they started up commotion within theothers that didn’t believe.

(sidebar) I find it interesting that verse 3 says “So they stayed for a long time”.

Sothe Jews tried to get them stoned, they heard about it, so they rolled out, hitLystra, Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and continued to preach the gospel.

Conflict did not stoptheir mission of spreading the gospel! Folk hating them and wanting to killthem did not stop their sharing of Jesus.

Jumpingdown to verse 19

19 But Jews came fromAntioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul anddragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when thedisciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the nextday he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached thegospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and toIconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples,encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through manytribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they hadappointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting theycommitted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Yousee a few things in this passage

· The Jew start a riot
· People turned and stonedPaul
· Dragged him out of thecity
· Dispose of the body
· Disciples that were withPaul and Barnabas went over to Paul laid out
· Paul popped back up

Thepoint that stands out to me the most is that Paul gets back up and enters backinto the city. He went back to the place where they just tried to kill him.

SoPaul and Barn get out of the city, head to Derbe, Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra(VS 21) ALL PLACES THAT TRIED TO KILLHIM, to see these churches grow into spirutla maturity. He had such a desire tosee the souls of the disciples strengthened. It also added that he told them “through many tribulations we must enter thekingdom of God (vs 22).”

Sufferingis necessary to enter the kingdom of God!

· How do we respond to thispassage?
· What does our growth looklike?
· Do we call a scraped kneesuffering?
· Are we looking for aneasy way out?
· Are we continuing to worship in the midst of suffering?

Thisis how Paul described the success of his ministry “Five times I received at thehands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten withrods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I wasadrift at sea; on frequent journeys in danger from rivers, danger from robbers,danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger inthe wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil andhardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often withoutfood, in cold and exposure. AND APART FROM OTHER THINGS THERE IS THE DAILYPRESSURE ON ME OF MY ANXIETY FOR ALL THE CHURCHES (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).”

Pauldescribes his success as DANGER, HURT, BEAT DOWN, HUNGRY, COLD, and he does notstop even through all of the suffering.

Wheredo we stand? When we suffer why is it that we often think that the Lord is nolonger with us? Why do we think that suffering is proof of us “being out of ourblessing”? Truth is, suffering IS our blessing! Suffering IS apart of ourconfirmation of us being in Christ! Do we continue to worship? Do we continueto preach the gospel? Do we use suffering as an excuse to stop moving?

Sowhy do we worship through suffering?

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we arechildren of God and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs withChrist, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together(Rom 8:16-17)

We worship through suffering for our future hope in ChristJesus. We worship through suffering because “In the world you will havetribulation; but be a good cheer, I have overcome the world”

KEEP WORSHIPING SAINTS, KEEP WORSHIPING…STAY ON MISSION…KEEPPRESSING…Be encouraged through suffering, for you are not there alone! Christhas already been through all of the suffering you felt. Be of good cheer, Hehas overcome the world!

Suffering & Worship PT 1-"IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL"

2011-12-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

So often we can easily fly by hymns as boring, non-contextual, traditional pieces, used solely to fill up a church service. The reality is, there are so many heart felt emotion, scriptural references, and life experiences poured into these songs, just like songs written today, that tell the story of the hymn. Today, we look at ‘It is well with my soul’:

The Story Behind the Writer:

Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was a man with a seemingly ‘comfortable’ life. He was married to his wife, and together they had 1 son, 4 daughters, and a beautiful home. Spafford was also a Christian man and could be found searching the scriptures. He was a lawyer and had a thriving practice that was doing very well in Chicago at the time. Spafford was also good friends with multiple preachers of the time, including D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey.

From the year 1870 and moving forward, a great number of events started happening. Spafford's only son died at the age of 4 from scarlet fever. This was a great loss for their family. October 8, 1871, the great Chicago fire hit and tearing down Michigan, where a lot of Spaffords investment properties were. Because of all of the tragic things that were happening to his family, he decided they needed a vacation to relax and enjoy, so he planned a trip for England. At that time, D.L. Moody was in the middle of an evangelistic campaign and really needed Spaffords help, so he sent his wife and 4 daughters on the boat ahead of him, planning to catch another one later.

Nine days after the ship had sailed, Spafford received a telegram from his wife that said “saved alone”. Spafford found out that his 4 daughters were killed in the collision of two boats that they were on while headed to England. Spafford got on a boat to meet his wife. Here he, wrote the words of a hymn that is sung all over the world today.

This story and song reflects the story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4. This mother cared for her child and you see in verse 20 the child dies. She was asked by a mans servant, Gehazi, “Is everything okay with you? Is everything okay with you husband? Is everything okay with you child?” and she answered, “IT IS WELL”.

Reflection:

How often is this our response when things are not going as we desired?
When life takes a hold of us, what is our response to it?
How do we deal with suffering?
How do we deal with pain and loss?

This is how Spafford looked at his loss:

v When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

o Notice that the first verse is all about water, rivers, and the sea; the same thing that killed his 4 daughters

o Rivers are peaceful, and when the waves crash, it is hectic. Spafford says whether life is peaceful as a still ocean or crazy like seas waves crashing…

o ‘Whatever my lot’ means whatever large group of things in his life

o So even if life is peaceful, or life is hectic, no matter what’s going on with it, it is well with my soul

v Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed his own blood for my soul

o To ‘buffet’ means to strike repeatedly and violently

o In this verse Spafford says that when Satan continually beats me down, even though trials will remain to come, there is one thing that drives my mindset; THE GOSPEL…that he has shed his own blood for my soul.

o You see this also described in 1 peter 4:12-19. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed…”

v My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

o “My sin, not in part but a whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more”- There is one God that created heaven and earth, also creating us in his image. He made us to worship and we opted to sin against him, making ourselves our own god, saying what’s right and what’s wrong. Because of sin we are separated from God, dead in our trespasses (Rom 6:23, Eph 2:1-3). That God, came on this earth, ‘incarnated’ himself (came as flesh and dwelt among us), being fully God, and fully man, tempted in all the ways that we are tempted, and lived a sinless life. Jesus, fully God, fully man, free of sin, got on the cross, willingly, and took on all of our sins upon Himself (substitutionary atonement- us being guilty, and Jesus substituting or taking our place of wrath from God the Father). Jesus Christ died, in my place, for my sins, while I was still in my sin, being my sacrifice for my sin, paid my debt to God the Father, and purchased my salvation. This is what this stanza is about. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Cor 15:1-4, Eph 2:1-10, 1 Peter 2:24)

v And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sigh, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul

o The verse is just an eschatological (end time) reality for Spafford. He knows and understands that the clouds will roll back, the trumpet will sound, and Christ will come back for his bride, the church. This peace that Spafford should be a reality for us on this earth. His understanding of this earth passing and being with Christ for an eternity was his delight and comfort. Revelations 22:20 says “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

I see this song in a few emotional stages. Verse one you see him embracing his daughters death by writing the first verse using the waters as an analogy. Embracing also that whatever life may bring, it will always be "Well with my soul". Verse 2 is a reality of this is the life that he will live forever. Satan will buffet and trials will come but my peace, but my assurance, comes from Christ that has shed his blood for my soul, so I must also share with him, as heirs, his suffering. The next verse is the full grace shown through the gospel; showing that I cannot even complain and drag out my issues and trials. We have a Jesus that put all of my sin on his back and laid on the cross for my wretched soul. The last verse is his eschatological view and peace that Spafford lived in while still on this earth. Christ will come back and the trumpet will sound and Jesus will come back for his bride. After he embraced his reality of his loss, and how he will continue with trials, he outlined Jesus in every single verse.

This should be our reality! Outline Jesus in every verse of our life. We worship during struggle, we worship before struggle, and we worship after struggle. Why? Because he is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in the time of trouble. Be encouraged today in your struggle! When sorrows like sea billows roll, be encouraged by the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection of our king, and look forward to his return!

Resources Used:
http://bethusminded.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/hymn-history-it-is-well-with-my-soul/
http://www.faithclipart.com/guide/Christian-Music/hymns-the-songs-and-the-stories/it-is-well-with-my-soul-the-song-and-the-story.html
http://www.thechicagofire.com/

Series on "Worship & Suffering"

2011-12-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon all! I appreciate you coming to this blog to look into and talk about worship.

This upcoming series for the next week or so will be a series on this aspect of worship and suffering. Later today I will post my first article based on a hymn, "It is well with my soul". Stay tuned and tell a friend. Grace and Peace

Based off the book “Unceasing Worship” by Harold Best...Chapter 1- Nobody Does Not Worship

2011-12-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

Part One-Defining Worship

Worship “is about something that is quite simple but wrapped in a mystery. It is about God himself who has but one face and whose face has been clearly shown in the person and work of his only begotten Son.”

Worship “is also about Satan, dressed as an angel of light, disarmingly attractive yet inherently false…”

In this chapter, Best talks about this aspect of worship. We often times look at the 4 or 5 songs that we do on Sunday morning as worship but Best clearly says that this is incorrect. “we are, everyone of us, unceasing worshippers and will remain so forever, for eternity is an infinite extrapolation of one of two conditions: a surrender to the sinfulness of sin unto infinite loss OR the commitment of personal righteousness unto infinite gain.” Best talks about us as ALWAYS worshipping. Worship comes in two aspect; either we are being intentional in repentance or we are falling back into our personal righteousness, thinking that we are good based on our doings.

Defining true repentance: turning from and (re)turning to; Hebrews 6:1 “Therefore let s leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation a foundation of repentance from dead work and of faith toward God,” Here you see a few things that stick out about basic Christian living, but for the topic of repentance you see how Paul calls us to Christian conversion through repentance from works that connot save and through faith in God. This idea of Repentance (Greek word metanoeo/metanoia, is the joining of meta meaning ‘after’ with noeo meaning ‘to perceive, think’ which is all related to nous meaning ‘mind’. Through this basic understanding we can see metanoeo as ‘to perceive afterwards’ having the implication of change mind (Charles C Bing, p 67). This is a deliberate change of mind resulting in a change of direction. You see this commandment of Repent in various passages (Matt 4:17, Mark 1:15, 6:12, Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30, 20:21, 26:20, Romans 2:4 Luke 24:47, 2cor 7:10, 2 peter 3:9…) and God is continuously calling us to REPENT, laying down our arms of rebellion and hoist the white flag of surrender to enter the Kingdom of God. All this is done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Best gives us a working definition of for worship, “Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do, and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god”

To break down his definition, we stumble over a few thoughts and ideas;

1. The definition includes the entire human race. It’s not just us as believers, but every human has a lifestyle of worship. All people are going to worship and be submissive to whatever masters them

2. “The definition stresses the reality and foundational importance of continuousness That is worship does not stop and start despite our notions to the contrary. Once we place emphasis on specific times, places and methods, we misunderstand worships biblical meaning. When we sin, worship does not stop. It changes directions and reverts back to what it once was, even if only for an instant. Repentance if the only solution”

a. This idea just says that we are always, continuously worshipping and that this idea of worship does not stop based on our feeling or emotion, but it just gets redirected. If we are living a life in full repentance, intentional seeking after God, throwing out our idols, we are living a life that is worshipful to God, but as soon as we redirect that worship to honor our passions more then God, then we redirect our worship to those things.

3. The word ‘continuous’ is very intentional in this definition. This word implies relentlessness. He used the example ‘I continue to breathe until I die, I continue to eat until I am full, in continue to compose a piece of music until I think I have finished’…God is continually and unchangeably the IAM THAT I AM; his word abides forever, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever; “and so, over and above our physicality and temporality, we have been created to enter into God’s side of continuousness…At the end of all these we face a continuity of eternal life or eternal death”

a. Best understands this reality that there are a few things that will be eternal and continuous. He renders this explanation of continuousness

4. Lastly, he uses the word ‘outpouring’ this is just to describe the kind of God that we have. Outpouring implies lavishness and generosity. When you pour something out in drops, there is space in-between, not getting a lot, as if trying to get the last drops of syrup out of the jar on your pancakes. BUT POURING expresses the consistent, ever flowing, lavish, to save NONE pour. This pour is shown perfectly at the cross! JESUS POURED OUT HIMSELF FOR US ON THAT DOG ON CROSS FOR OUR SINS. When we think of pouring, let us not forget the blood that was graciously poured out for us on that cross.

Draw Nigh, Draw Nigh, Emmanuel

2011-12-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

In light of that Christmas holiday, I would like to share with you a song for the season...O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

For a brief history, this song was known to be a song of the “Great Antiphons”. Originally written in Latin, it was translated by John M. Neale, translated as ‘Draw Nigh, Draw Nigh, Emmanuel. The original version was sang on the last 7 octaves, or days, before Christmas, singing one verse per day (December 17-23 with Christmas eve being the final day). The verses were to paint a series of biblical prophesies that were continually fulfilled when Christ was born.

In the first verse, you see Isaiah 7:14 as well as Matthew 1:23 mirrored in this verse. This verse defines the idea of Emmanuel, God with us, and showing Israel being held captive, awaiting their Messiah.

In verse two you see the wisdom of God adored. In verse three, you see the mirror of Isaiah 11, talking about the righteous reign of the branch, and this rod is a representation of Christ. In this chapter, as mirrored through verse 3 of the song, it shows that Christ is the ruler, and He is the only one that can defeat Satan and grant eternal life. The next verse you see shadowed in Malachi 4:2, “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings…” Just as the sun comes and brings daylight to night darkness, so will the Son come that we may not be left in darkness and gloom, but bring us to his eternal light. We move to the next verse, speaking of the Key of David, tying with Isaiah 22:22. “And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and non shall shut, and he shall shut, and non shall open.” This verse exclaims that this Messiah holds the key to the Kingdom and no one can access it but through Him. In singing these verses, we see the multiple prophecies that were fulfilled! Each verse is another fulfilled prophesy!

In conclusion, the song was taken, as mentioned earlier, from “O Antiphons” also known as “The 7 O’s”. Again, this song was sung the 7 days before Christmas Eve. Here are the 7 O’s, with Latin word with them:

· WISDOM, (Sapientia)

· LORD (Adonai) AND RULER

· ROOT (Radix) OF JESSE,

· KEY (Clavis) OF DAVID,

· DAWN/LIGHT FROM THE EAST (Oriens),

· KING (Rex) OF THE GENTILES

· EMMANUEL, (Emmanuel)

In taking the first letter of each word backwards, it spells “ERO CRAS”, meaning in Latin, “TOMORROW I WILL COME”. I beg of you now family, rejoice, rejoice, for our Emmanuel has come! He is our wisdom, our Lord and Ruler, the Root of Jesse, the Key of David, the light from the east, the King of the Gentiles, He is God with us! On this Christmas Eve, let us rejoice in these truths, in these prophesies that were fulfilled through his birth, and the truth that remains and stands solid today.

Merry Christmas

Here are the Lyrics

1. O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

2. O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who orderest all things mightily; To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

3. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny; From depths of hell Thy people save, And give them victory over the grave.

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4. O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

5. O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.

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6. O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree, An ensign of Thy people be; Before Thee rulers silent fall; All peoples on Thy mercy call.

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6. O come, O come, great Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height In ancient times once gave the law In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain