Last week, I shared that I was going to spend a few weeks explaining in greater detail the aspects of our Sunday morning worship gathering. Sometimes things that happen during a church worship gathering may seem repetitive or boring, especially if you don't come from a background of being in church. However, understanding why something is done can help shape your perspective about what is being done. Our weekly Sunday gathering starts at 10AM with a Scripture reading or Call to Worship. Why do we read Scripture separate from the sermon? Quite simply, the answer is because the Bible shows us God's people doing this and the Bible tells us to do it.
Writing to a young pastor in 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul tells him to "devote [himself] to the public reading of Scripture." In Luke 4, Jesus comes into the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth, on the day of worship, and reads publicly from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. In Nehemiah 8, after completing the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, the scribe Ezra reads from the Book of the Law of Moses "from early morning to midday." So, why do we do this? Because, we believe that God has the power to change lives through the public reading of His Word. In Isaiah 55:11, God says that His Word will not come back to Him empty, that it will accomplish and succeed in the purpose for which He sent it. We believe, as Jesus says in John 15, that we are fruitful and effective for the Kingdom when we abide in the Word of God and when the Word of God abides in us. We believe that we are to be devoted to the Word of God, just as Acts 2:42 says that early Christians were devoted to the Apostles teachings of Jesus Christ. We read the Scripture aloud, because we truly believe Psalm 19:7-11 when it says that the Word of God revives, teaches, brings joy, enlightens, warns, and rewards.
We believe there could be no better way to enter into the worship of our Lord together than through focusing our attention on His Word. I pray that this act of worship in our church will encourage you in this act of worship in your private life as well! I'll see you Sunday!
Grace & Peace,
John
(You can reach Pastor John at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)