Tag: church

Update Letter from the Lynn Family, Missionaries to Ethiopia

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in The Church. Leave a Comment

In the book of Acts, we see the church sending out missionaries to take the gospel to the world. This was to obey Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:9. Paul was one of those missionaries. In fact, he took three missionary journeys during the course of his ministry, planting churches along the way. As he wrote letters to the churches, some of which are recorded in the New Testament, he would often include updates on his journeys or send someone to give an update. Paul never left his supporting churches in the dark.

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. – Ephesians 6:21–22

Every so often, we receive an update from our ministry partners. We read them in our Sunday gatherings as a reminder to pray for those who have been called by God to gov over seas to share the gospel and as a reminder that we too are missionaries exactly where we are here in the United States.

To read the most recent update letter from the Lynn Family in Ethiopia, click here.

Commit to praying for them frequently and be intentional in sharing the gospel with someone today.

An Introduction to Church History

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in church history. Leave a Comment

History is a funny and yet profound subject. Every second that passes moves into the category of history. You began reading this blog post in the past. As the seconds turn to days, soon history becomes long periods of time that we study. The profoundness of history turns to irony when we repeat the things we’ve already failed. 

As the saying goes, History tends to repeat itself. 

Church history has much to teach us and the more we learn from our brothers and sisters in Christ centuries before us, the more we will learn to persevere in persecution and fight against false teaching. 

And that’s why I want to spend some time looking at moments throughout church history that will help us today. We won’t cover everything and we won’t dive as deep as we could into the events. My desire is to whet your appetite when it comes to church history. 

Before we dive into these moments, let’s lay the foundation by defining a few terms.

History is the study of human achievement. All of history is a part of God’s story. When we learn about history, we learn about topics such as the Vikings and World War Ii and how our country was founded. We can concentrate on one area of history such as the history of the automobile or the history of warfare. Church History is one area of concentration.

Church history is the study of the Christian church in every age since the time of Jesus. When we learn about church history, we are learning about what Christians have done in different parts of the world and events that are directly related to the spread of Christianity. Often our view of the church is shaped by western eyes but there is much to learn from the church in Africa, Asia, and everywhere in between. 

We’re going to learn more about different subjects like the Council of Nicea, the Protestant Reformation, the English Bible, and so much more! We’re going to visit Rome and Jerusalem and China and Germany and so many other places where God has done some really incredible things! But most importantly, the biggest lesson we will learn is this:

God is always faithful to His people.

Hebrews 12:1–2 states,  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

What’s the very first word in verse 1? Therefore! Every time we see the word “therefore” in the Bible, we need to stop and go back to what the Bible says before. In this case, we look to Hebrews 11. 

Hebrews 11 is what many people have called the “Hall of Faith”. We see stories of Noah and Abraham and Rahab and so many more. Hebrews 11 gives us examples of how to live faithfully to the God who is always faithful to us. Hebrews 12:1 then shows how there are so many more people throughout history who can testify to God’s faithfulness. 

Church history tells us the names of some of those men and women. But the story of Hebrews 11 and the stories of the great cloud of witnesses is not about the men and women, it’s about God. Church History teaches us that God is always faithful to His people.

To understand church history, we need to know how it fits in God’s big story.

What’s your favorite fictional story? Mine is the story of Batman. To properly tell Batman’s story, you need time to read about the murder of his parents, his desire for justice, and of course, his immense wealth. Those are major plot points within the character arc of Batman. To know the story of Batman, you need to know the plot.

The plot is the main events of a particular story. Most every book, every movie, every tv show has a plot. The plot of every story has a beginning, middle, and end, all of which flow together. 

The Bible is the same way. The Bible was written to tell us who God is and how He was on a mission to save sinners. The Bible is the story of Redemption, covering roughly 6,000 years of history and points us to the future as well. “Every page, every story,” as Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of “The Jesus Storybook Bible”, says “whispers His (Jesus) name”. All of the Bible points to the One who came to redeem sinners from their sin.

God’s story of redemption contains for story lines:

Creation: God made everything perfect and for His glory. (Genesis 1-2)

The story of God does not start with us, it starts with God! God created the world and everything in it and it was good. When God created humans they were made in God’s image and God said they were VERY Good! The Earth was full of God’s shalom, which means peace. The kind of peace in which everything works according to God’s intention. The world was made for human flourishing, there we could live in joy in the presence of God as God’s co-workers caring for this very good creation.

The Fall: Mankind corrupted God’s perfect creation and has fallen short of the glory of God. (Genesis 3)

Humans rejected God’s rule and leadership. They deliberately went away from God’s commands and their actions declared they believed they were wiser than their creator. This resulted in sin and brokenness entering God’s good creation and disrupting everything. Every inch of the earth was touched by the brokenness that swept in. This rebellion results in physical and spiritual death for humanity.

But there is a glimmer of hope in Genesis 3. In Genesis 3:15, God intervenes. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 

God’s plan and design cannot be overcome. He graciously covers the sin of Adam and Eve. “Even as he executes sentences against them, he still loves them and cares for them, but their Creator wraps them in clothes of animal skins before they do. For God to love and protect Adam and Eve in that way, something had to die.” (DeYoung) Ultimately, it would be God’s Son Jesus, the offspring of Genesis 3:15 to die for the sins of mankind. Remember, this is a story of redemption.

Redemption: God has delivered mankind from sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Genesis 4 – Revelation 20)

Rightfully the Creator is angry towards the sin and brokenness, but thankfully He so deeply loves humanity and creation that He is determined to redeem the evil and suffering from the disruptive force of brokenness. Redemption is God’s Deliverance from Sin through Jesus.

This movement shows God implementing a master plan for redeeming the world God loves, rescuing the broken humans, and healing the broken world. We see God lay out a plan to redeem His people all throughout the Old Testament, but His people could not uphold their end of the bargain.

The most climactic part of this plot movement is when through the Person of Jesus Christ, God comes to renew the world and restore God’s people. The death and resurrection of Jesus inaugurate and unlock the power of the Kingdom of God and humans are invited to join in the mission of redemption. (Colossians 1:13–14 )

Restoration: God promises to make all things new through Jesus Christ (Revelation 21-22)

The story doesn’t end with redemption, but rather it continues with hope! God has promised to renew the whole world, and the Bible gives us a peak into this glorious future. The restoration of all things will take place when Jesus returns to defeat sin and evil, and He will usher in righteousness and justice. All the wrong things will be made right and all the sad things will become untrue. God’s perfect shalom/peace will cover the earth and God will purge this world of evil once and for all.

Now, where are we in this story? We are recipients of grace living in our Redemption as we await for the day of restoration. Yes, we are still living in a fallen world, but we await a Savior! A Savior who will come and restore all things! We won’t live in a fallen state anymore, because, as Paul writes,

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20–21)

Church history teaches us that God is always faithful to His people. He’s always faithful because He said He is. Our brothers and sisters before us believed Him and we believe Him today. And we trust and we are “sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”. (Philippians 1:6)

The Process, Audience, and Goal of Preaching within the Local Church

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in The Church. Leave a Comment

* This post is part 4 of a series on Expository Preaching in the Local Church, where we are taking a look at the meaning of “Expository Preaching”, its Biblical precedence, and the importance of Expository Preaching in the life of our church.  Read part one here. Read part two here. Read part three here.

Scottish Pastor John Knox (1514-1572) once said, “I have never once feared the devil, but I tremble every time I enter the pulpit.”

There is no greater joy than to stand before the gathered church and proclaim God’s Word. I look forward to it every week, and the weeks I’m not preaching, I miss it. I love preaching God’s Word to God’s people! But every week I’m reminded of the weighty task of preaching. 

As we close out this four-part series on Expository Preaching in the Local Church, I want to end by taking a look at preaching at our local church, Grace Life Church. While the typical Sunday sermon at Grace Life is roughly 45 minutes, there is a lot that goes into the Preaching Ministry of our church. Below, we will look at 1) the sermon writing process, 2) the sermon audience, and 3) the sermon goal.

The Sermon Writing Process

It’s Sunday afternoon. The sermon has been delivered. I’ve eaten lunch and I’m likely on the couch preparing for a nap. The Sunday afternoon nap resets the week for me. Before I fall asleep, I walk through the sermon. I note the portions that appeared to be helpful, I think through the illustrations to see if they were clear, and I pray the Lord’s words read that morning will have a lasting impact on those who hear it. When I wake up from my nap. It will be time to prepare for the next sermon.

It’s Sunday Evening. I already know what I’m preaching in less than a week and the internal countdown timer is rapidly dwindling in the back of my mind. I’ve looked at my schedule for the week and I block out time to work on my sermon. At some point before I head to bed, I will read the next portion of Scripture that I will preach. 

It’s Monday. After I complete my typical Monday administrative responsibilities, I spend time praying and reading through the text several times. I underline key words, circle words that I need to know more about, draw lines to connect the text to what was said before and after; all of which is to determine the one true intended meaning of the text. By the end of the day on Monday, I know I can summarize the text.

It’s Tuesday. Today, I’ll spend time in commentaries and other research materials, seeking to know more about the text. I’ll dig deeper into phrases and words that aren’t necessarily easy to understand. I’ll cross reference other portions of Scripture. I’ll spend time reading on the main topic of the text. By the end of the day on Tuesday, I’ll have completed the bulk of the study and will prepare to write the outline of the sermon on Wednesday.

It’s Wednesday. Today, I’m taking everything I know about the text and will begin preparing to preach it on Sunday. I want to avoid sermons that are just running commentaries of the text. I want to bridge the text of Scripture to everyday life. Today, I prayerfully work through my introductions, illustrations, sermon points, and main applications. By the end of the day, I will be ready to write my sermon manuscript. 

It’s Thursday. Today I rest from working on the sermon.

It’s Friday. Today, I will take my sermon outline notes and begin turning them into my sermon manuscript. I prayerfully write my sermon manuscripts word for word as if I were preaching them in front of an audience. This helps me work on transitions, illustrations, and the flow of the entire sermon. My goal today is to make the sermon as clear as possible. I want new believers to understand the text. I want children to understand the text. I want mature believers to love the text more. Writing the sermon manuscript helps me bring clarity to the sermon. By the end of the day, I will have completed the writing of the sermon. I know I can stand and preach what is written.

It’s Saturday. Today will be spent with my family doing the things we love. We catch up on necessary responsibilities and we rest. But the sermon timer is still running in the back of my head. I’m thinking through illustrations that may be clunky or going over portions of the text that are difficult to grasp. 

It’s Saturday Evening. The kids are in bed and I’m on the couch. I get my laptop out and I take my sermon manuscript and I turn it into my sermon notes: a page of paper that will fit right inside my Bible. I trim out material that is unnecessary to the content of the sermon. This may mean removing illustrations or extra passages of Scripture. I check once again that everything appears to be clear. I pray as I lay my head down on my pillow, already feeling the weight of preaching.

It’s Sunday Morning. I wake up and begin preaching the sermon. I want to go through the entire sermon, aloud in the car or quietly in my head, before I actually preach it. I don’t want to be tied to my notes the whole time, but rather I want to know the text. I want to be able to preach the sermon even if my notes are lost. 

As the timer gets closer to 10:20 am, I remind myself that this is God’s Word and the people in front of me desperately need the Jesus of the Bible. I remind myself that the Holy Spirit is working in me and these words are to be honoring to the Lord. I remind myself that my identity is not in how great a preacher I am, but rather my identity is in Jesus Christ. I remind myself that the sermon is never finished, even after I close my Bible. I know God’s Word never returns void and that the Lord may use the sermon for years to come. 

And I hold to those reminders until my nap comes and it’s time to begin another week of sermon writing in the midst of other pastoral responsibilities.

The Sermon Audience

The main Sunday morning audience at Grace Life Church is made up of the people of Grace Life Church. These are the people I know I will be preaching to week in and week out. I’m not preaching to another church or an audience made up of a certain political party or an audience mainly of lost people. I’m preaching to the redeemed people of God who make up Grace Life Church. However, I know that not everyone in the chairs in front of me belongs to our church, and therefore, I know I must point sinners to the Savior.

The central theme of the Scripture is to bring sinful mankind to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to the Messiah. The New Testament is written to point sinners, Gentiles and Jews, to this same Messiah. So if the purpose of the Bible is to bring sinners to repentance, should that not be the preacher’s main purpose as well? Paul discusses this very topic in Romans 10:13-15. Paul states that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from their sins. This of course is the message that God wants all humans to hear. Romans 10:15:  “How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?” 

In order for someone to hear the gospel of Christ, it must first be proclaimed to them. Unbelievers will never hear about the one who loves them and died for their sins until someone tells them about this Divine love. The central theme of the Bible is the redemptive story of Christ and His forgiveness of sins and in order for this theme to reach the hearts of the lost, it must be preached. Therefore, at some point in the sermon, I am going to call sinners to repentance, just as Jesus did (Matthew 4:17).

Once the message of forgiveness through Christ has found its way into the heart of the sinner, this transformed individual begins a long journey in an ever growing relationship with Jesus. This is sanctification. Along the way, there will be setbacks, victories, joy, and sadness. How can these new believers and every one of their brothers and sisters in Christ overcome the struggles they will face in their walk with God? It comes back to the preaching of God’s Word. 

In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, he tells Timothy how to help these believers. Simply, give them the Word.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”  A few verses later, in chapter 4:2, Paul instructs Timothy to preach the Word. This preaching should consist of reproving, rebuking, and exhorting. These three things are what make the Bible useful according to Paul’s precious statement in 3:16-17. 

The preacher’s message should consist of reaching the lost for Christ as well as helping and encouraging believers. God’s word convicts (reproof), it corrects the sinner, and it instructs the reader on how to live a righteous life. This must be done through the preaching of the Word of God. 

The Sermon Goal

Every passage was written to bring glory to God by addressing some aspect(s) of our fallen condition. By correction, warning, diagnosis, and/or healing of this fallenness, a text reveals God’s means for enabling his people to glorify him and to know his grace both in the passage’s original context and in the present situation.

There is nothing more powerful than God’s Word and it is powerful and effective in the life of every soul because it is inspired by a Holy and Mighty God. A powerful, life changing Word must be preached because man’s fallen sinful nature must be addressed. The goal of every sermon is to draw the hearts of the people to God. 

One of the greatest responsibilities in the world is the one that the preacher holds. He is responsible for relaying what God has intended for believers to hear. Every message is unique in the way the preacher delivers it, but each message should draw the listener to God the Father. The Bible clearly states that preaching is extremely important for the lost to be found and for the sheep to be shepherd.  Jay Adam’s states in his book Preaching with Purpose: 

“The purpose of preaching , then, is to effect changes among the members of God’s church that build them up individually and that build up the body as a whole. Individually, good pastoral preaching helps each person in the congregation to grow in his faith, conforming his life more and more to Biblical standards. Corporately, such preaching builds up the church as a body in the relationship of the parts as a whole, and the whole to God and to the world.”

Because of the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word, I know that everytime the Word is rightly proclaimed, then I know that I have done my job. The Holy Spirit will do the rest of the work. He will be the one to take those words and pierce the heart of the listener. He will be the one to strengthen their faith. He will be the one to transform their hearts.

And that is my prayer behind every sermon I preach. I pray that the Holy Spirit will use the inspired Words of Scripture to change your heart and to make you more like Jesus.

By His Grace,

Pastor Matt

Introducing The New Middleburg Liturgy

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in The Church. Leave a Comment

Read Time: 20 minutes

Prefer listening rather than reading? Listen to this post on our podcast channel HERE!

 

In 1570, Puritan Thomas Cartwright was serving as a professor at Cambridge University when he was fired and removed for teaching against the Church of England. Upon his firing, he moved around to different locations, leaving each time due to his teachings from Scripture. He was committed to the teachings of Scripture and to the message of the gospel. As a puritan, he sought to live a life holy, separate from the world, pleasing to the Lord. 

In one of his writings, he stated (updated to English):

“Is there anything like our God? Nothing in comparison, and therefore the Prophet (Isaiah 40:17) says that all nations before Him are nothing, yes to Him less than nothing: and if men be nothing for whom the world was made, how much more are all other creatures in heaven and earth nothing before Him, and to Him less than nothing?”

In 1582, after avoiding arrest in several places, he began pastoring a congregation made up of merchants working for a trading company. When the company was relocated, he went with them and they settled in the capital of the Dutch province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, tucked up near the North Sea. In 1586, using primarily the liturgy of John Knox that Knox had given to the Church of Scotland, Cartwright drew up a new Liturgy intended to deepen the congregation’s love for the God of the Bible. We have this incredible liturgy from this congregation during a time of great reformation. This congregation’s liturgy was named after their city in the Netherlands, the Middleburg Liturgy.

As I read through the history of the Middleburg Liturgy, I can’t help but think of our church in Middleburg, Florida almost 500 years later. A little town nestled somewhere between Gainesville and Jacksonville that most people have not heard of. A little town in the Netherlands that most people have not heard of. Two towns that were traditionally filled with people who grew up there until an influx of outsiders came due to work and living conditions. The comparisons are quite interesting.

When I first read about The Middleburg Liturgy, I was of course excited about the name. It’s not often you read about a Middleburg in Church History! But the more I read, the more I saw similarities to the congregations. We have a deep love and desire to know the God of the Bible and to help others do the same. That was the sole purpose of the Middleburg Liturgy and the intent behind what I’m calling, The New Middleburg Liturgy.

Let me explain.

A liturgy in simple terms is an order to the gathering of a church. Depending on the church, most liturgies are based on the tradition of the denomination. Every church practices a liturgy, whether they call it a liturgy or not. There is something, like tradition or an “experience” that directs the structure of the gathering that helps the flow of the gathering or helps stay with the theme for the Lord’s Day gathering. The liturgy includes praying, singing, offerings, preaching, and participation in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Our liturgy, The New Middleburg Liturgy, serves two purposes: to guide and base our gathering on the Word of God and to guide and base our family worship on the Word of God. We believe our gatherings on Sunday can be modeled in our homes, connecting the truth that all of life is intended to worship the Lord our God. This is why we changed the look of our Sunday program. You can leave it in your Bible and use it throughout the week.

Our typical Sunday gathering will look very similar to this liturgy from January 29th, 2023. 

CALL TO WORSHIP – Psalm 22:3-5

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (ESV)

SONG OF PRAISE

Your Mercy – Austin Stone Worship

PRAYER OF GRATITUDE AND CONFESSION 

CONGREGATIONAL READING OF SCRIPTURE – Jeremiah 17:7  

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. (ESV)

SONGS OF REJOICING

Your Glory/Nothing But the Blood – All Sons & Daughters

Come Thou Fount – Shane and Shane

PRAYER OF THANKS 

CONFESSION OF FAITH – The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH – See Back of Program

Welcome to new guests, dismissal of kids, announcements, and giving.

PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION (making our requests known to God)

A SERMON FROM GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE – Matthew 4:8-11

SONG OF RESPONSE

Behold Our God  – Sovereign Grace Music

DISMISSAL

Let’s work through the various elements and how they apply to both our church gathering and our family worship.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Church Gathering: Scripture commands: You shall worship the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 6:13; Matthew 4:10). This is a call to worship. This is why we start our gatherings with a call to worship, specifically a reminder of who God is from God’s Word. We are not gathering to be entertained. We are not gathering to have our ears itched (2 Timothy 4:3) with relevant ted talks that are void of Scripture. We are not gathering to have a mystical experience with God. We gather to worship the Lord our God! 

Family Worship: Whether it is in the morning or the evening, it’s important to take 5-10 minutes to have a time of family worship. Each week, begin your family worship time by reading the call to worship from the previous church gathering. Your children hopefully will remember this being read at the beginning of the gathering.

SONG OF PRAISE: 

Church Gathering: This is a song intended to direct our attention to the reason we are gathering: to praise the Lord! Howie Butler, our Praise Team leader, does a great job working with myself and those who are preaching to put together songs that go hand in hand with that Sunday’s sermon text. 

Family Worship: There are three songs your children will sing before they are dismissed to KidLife. For your family worship time, choose one of the songs, rather, let your kids decide which song to sing each day of the week. Again, this is a song they have just sung in our Sunday gathering. Search for the song on YouTube that has the lyrics with the video and sing along.

PRAYER OF GRATITUDE AND CONFESSION

Church Gathering: Prayer in our Sunday gathering is not a transitional element, but a moment we humbly go to the King of Heaven. With confidence we come to his throne (Hebrews 4:16)! This time of prayer is to praise the Lord for who He is and for all He has done and then to take time to confess where we have sinned against God, knowing that He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). As Pastor Ben or Howie pray during the gathering, take the time to pray from your seat as well.

Family Worship: At the end of your family worship time, ask each member of the family what they would like to pray for. Ask if any sins need to be confessed and what they are thankful for. Then ask a member of the family to close in prayer. Teach your children the power of prayer and when someone has a prayer request answered, thank the Lord for it!

CONGREGATIONAL READING OF SCRIPTURE

Church Gathering: For 4-6 weeks, we will read the same verse of Scripture aloud together. This is the same verse our kids are memorizing in KidLife. This is intentional because with a family integrated worship model, we are learning the truths of God’s Word together. Everyone can memorize these verses, and reading them aloud together not only helps in our memorization, but it unites us around God’s Word.

Family Worship: This verse is very familiar to your kids if they are actively attending KidLife. Read it together and even ask them to recite it to you when they have it memorized. Use the very helpful hand motions (created by one of our KidLife teachers, Tristan Tyler) found in the KidLife section on the App.

SONGS OF REJOICING

Church Gathering: These songs are intended to express our joy in the Lord. They are songs we sing about God to God that also help us meditate and think about the goodness of God. Again, these are songs that are selected because they connect to the theme of the sermon. Have you noticed the box surrounding a Scripture reference above the lyrics as we sing? That’s because we selected songs that go hand in hand with Scripture and that Scripture reference is the truth in which we sing.

Family Worship: See the Songs of Praise section above.

PRAYER OF THANKS

Church Gathering: This prayer is a simple “Thank You God” for all that he has done for us. We know we sing because of Him and Him alone! Again, take the time at your seat to thank the Lord for all that He has done for you. 

Family Worship: See the Prayer of Adoration and Confession section above.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED:

Church Gathering: As we read the Apostles’ Creed together, we will briefly learn about the different statements that it contains while proclaiming the truths behind what each one of us must believe for ourselves. Read more about why we are reading the Apostles’ Creed Together on Sundays from this previous Blog Post.

Family Worship: It takes one minute (if that) to read through the Apostles’ Creed. This is instilling truths of Scripture into your children, whom we pray will one day proclaim these truths for themselves. It’s written in a way to easily understand and memorize.

CLARITY: There are two portions of the Apostles’ Creed that we have slightly changed due to the change of meaning of words over time. 

The initial Apostles’ Creed stated that Jesus descended into hell. The Bible does not teach this, nor was this the intent of the original writers of the Creed. They were referring to Jesus’ death into the grave, intentionally confirming that Jesus actually died and was not just in a coma or deep sleep. Thus, we have modified the Creed to state “He descended to the dead”.

The initial Apostles’ Creed referred to the global Christian church as the “Holy Catholic Church”. Of course, we read the word “Catholic” and immediately think of the denomination. But the word originally referred to the church as a whole, not the denomination. There is much the present day Catholic church does and believes that is completely against the teachings of Scripture. For clarity’s sake, we have modified the Creed to state “the holy Christian Church” to refer to believers from all times and all places since the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

Church Gathering: This portion of our liturgy is to serve as a reminder of how we, as members of Grace Life Church, can participate in the life and ministry of the church. This includes giving, serving, and gathering outside of our Sunday morning gathering. And let’s be honest, church announcements can become mundane if we fail to see the importance of the local church in the life of every believer! Use this time in the gathering to write your check, give online or through our app, and to register for upcoming events.

Family Worship: While you don’t need to labor on all that is going on in the church during your family worship time, it is good to take a moment and pray for the people of Grace Life Church. Pray for the Elders and leaders, pray for friends, and pray for the Lord to build His church. This is a great addition to your Saturday family worship as you prepare to gather with the church the next day.

PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION

Church Gathering: A prayer of supplication is making our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6). During this moment of prayer, we are asking the Lord to open our eyes to His Word (Psalm 119:8) and to bless the gifts we have generously and cheerfully given to the gospel mission of our church (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Family Worship: See the Prayer of Adoration and Confession section above.

A SERMON FROM GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE

Church Gathering: The preaching of God’s Word is the central focus of the gathering of God’s people. We gather to hear from God by studying what He has said in His Word. We do not gather to hear from a mere man and his opinion or to hear a relevant message that intentionally celebrates self. We gather to hear the words of God! This is why we are committed to Expository Preaching. Read more about Expository Preaching in this previous blog post. 

Family Worship: Use this time in your family worship to read from a passage of Scripture. It doesn’t have to be the sermon text, you can just begin in the book of Matthew and read a few verses. This is what my family is currently doing. We read roughly 10-20 verses every evening. It will take us two months to read through Matthew’s Gospel account, but this allows for pasuses to answer questions or to refer back to what we read the night before. 

Each week, we include the upcoming sermon text so you can read ahead of time. Come each Sunday having already read the sermon text!

SONG OF RESPONSE

Church Gathering: This song is intended to sing in response to what we have just heard from God’s Word. We are singing the truth of the Scripture we just worked through. This is also a time for you to respond to the Holy Spirit’s work in your heart. Maybe you need to confess a sin that the Holy Spirit convicted you of during the sermon. Maybe you need to take a next step in your walk with the Lord. Maybe you need to pray with someone in the church. This is the time to respond to the Holy Spirit.

Family Worship: See the Prayer of Adoration and Confession section above.

DISMISSAL:

Church Gathering: As we close out our gathering, Pastor Ben will remind us one last time of why we gather and what we have just learned. The dismissal is a reminder that we will gather again next Sunday, as long as the Lord has not called us home. It serves as a reminder that our worship does not end, but continues throughout the week! We live each day for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Family Worship: As you close out your family worship time, remind your family to worship the Lord your God and serve Him only. Remind them of how much you love them and how much Jesus loves them! Remind them that all of life is worship.

The intention behind The New Middleburg Liturgy is to focus our hearts on our God. To see Him and known Him. To worship Him in all things. This is my heart for you and I pray you will behold the greatness of our God!

Let me close by praying this prayer over our church family from Colossians 1:9-14:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 

By His Grace,

Pastor Matt

What is Expository Preaching?

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in The Church. 2 Comments

*For the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at the meaning of “Expository Preaching”, its Biblical precedence, and the importance of Expository Preaching in the life of our church. 

Before the first words came out of his mouth, John the Baptist was destined to preach (Mk 1:1-4). His sole purpose in life was to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah. As a blood relative of Jesus, John could have easily developed anger towards his cousin (or jealousy for that matter). But he strived to prepare the hearts of the people of Israel to hear and see their Messiah. Dressed in camel’s skin and probably in need of a bath, John proclaimed God’s message to anyone who was in hearing distance. Though John’s ministry was short lived, he was constantly preaching, and what he was preaching is still the same message today: Jesus Christ. Preachers of the Word of God can learn from John the Baptist and see the need to bring people to Christ. The “Prince of Preachers” Charles Spurgeon understood this:

“The motto of all true servants of God must be, ‘We preach Christ; and him crucified.’  A sermon without Christ in it is like a loaf of bread without any flour in it. No Christ in your sermon, sir? Then go home, and never preach again until you have something worth preaching.” 

Charles Spurgeon understood the importance of preaching and the importance of Christ in the sermon. Many pastors today have forgotten what preaching is all about. The desire for their sermons is that they be presented creatively and for entertainment. Like Spurgeon states, these men should just go home. Their desire to help the people of God has turned into a hindrance in their congregation’s spiritual walk with the Lord. This is because they have forgotten, or possibly never understood, what preaching is all about. 

One of my biggest concerns is the growing problem of Bible illiteracy in our country. We have professing Christians that haven’t opened up the Bible in years, and we have politicians misquoting Scripture to fit their political agenda and Christians applauding how their politicians love the Bible. 

This is why we preach the Bible here at Grace Life Church. We preach God’s Word to God’s people because the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to help us know God and the power of the gospel. We do not need to be entertained, but rather fed from the Word of God. My heart for you is to see Christ formed in you. To see you grow in holiness. To see you grow in Christlikeness. And to see this happen, I know you need to know how to study God’s Word on your own.

Preaching as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “to urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action”. Haddon Robinson states that preaching was God speaking “through the personality and message of a preacher to confront men and women and bring them to Himself”. Preaching is not simply standing in front of a congregation and delivering a creative sermon, it is proclaiming the message from the True God to people who need Him and need to walk closer with Him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5,

[1] And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (ESV)

It is the preaching of God’s Word that leads us to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. This is my heart for you. And this is why we are committed to expository preaching. Let’s define what expository preaching is:

Expository Preaching is taking a specific text of Scripture and proclaiming the truth of the text through intentional study of the geographical, historical, and redemptive context, exposing the one intended meaning of the text and then applying it to modern day listeners within the church for the glory of God.

Expository preaching brings our attention to the Word of God. It begins with the text, stays in the text, and drives us to the text. And when we look at the text, we see that the whole of Scripture is not about us but rather the glory and splendor of a redeeming God. 

Allistar Begg states, “Since expository preaching begins with the text of Scripture, it starts with God and is in itself an act of worship, for it is a declaration of the mighty acts of God. It establishes the focus of the people upon God and His glory before any consideration of man and his need.”

Mark Dever goes on to say, “The first mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow… If you get the priority of the Word established, then you have in place the single most important aspect of the church’s life, and growing health is virtually assured, because God has decided to act by His Spirit through His Word… The congregation’s commitment to the centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.”

The preaching of God’s Word is a vital ministry within the church. No church can function Biblically without it. The preaching of God’s Word must bring attention to Jesus Christ and the listener’s need for Him. The goal and desire of every preacher must be to preach Jesus and Him crucified.

And as we’ll see next week, the Old Testament and New Testament have much to say about the proclamation of God’s Word to God’s people.

 

By His Grace,

Pastor Matt

Why We Are Reading The Apostles’ Creed Together On Sundays

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in church history, The Church. 1 Comment

On Sunday, I introduced to you the Apostles’ Creed, a statement of faith that I hope will strengthen our theological framework and deepen our affections for the Lord. I want to take a moment and give a brief overview of the Apostle’s Creed and why we will be reading it together when we gather as a church on Sundays. First, here is the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

A creed is a statement of what we believe and teach.

The Apostles’ Creed does not come from the apostles, but its doctrines or teachings are rooted in the doctrines and teaching of the apostles found in the Holy Scriptures. Written sometime around the 3rd century, local churches around the world have recited this confession of faith and have made it their own. 

The Apostles’ Creed gives a very clear and Biblical summary of the doctrines we hold dear to our hearts. It speaks to the Trinity, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, it speaks to the church, and it even speaks to what will happen in the end. It’s really a summary of God’s redemptive mission through the message of the Gospel.

In his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin stated that the Creed “furnishes us with a full and every way complete summary of faith, containing nothing but what has been derived from the infallible word of God”

Church history shows us that Christians have used the Apostles’ Creed as a guard against heretical teachings. In fact, that is likely why it was written in the first place and one of the reasons why we will read it together as a church in the 21st century.

WHY WE ARE READING IT TOGETHER

When it comes to memorization, one of the most helpful tools we can implement is consistent repetition. The Apostles’ Creed was written in a way to be easily read, understood, and memorized. The more we repeat something, the more we will know it. This is the case with the Apostle’s Creed. The more we recite it, the more we will know it and the more we will be able to teach it. 

It’s also a great tool to read with during your family worship time. As you gather at home to read the Bible, sing to the Lord, and pray together, you can implement the reading of the Apostle’s Creed with your children and then teach them the different elements of the creed that come from God’s Word.

It’s important for us to be frequently reminded of what we believe about the God of the Bible. If we do not, then we will be tossed around by every wind of doctrine and likely give in to the demands of the culture. Knowing what we believe is not only a defense against heresy, but is solid ground in a wicked culture. Theological formation is one of the biggest needs within the church today. We need to know what we believe and by faith, believe it to be true!

As we read it together on Sundays, we will take the time to give a brief description from Scripture to explain the contents of the Apostle’s Creed. I pray that as we learn this confession of faith that has been read and recited numerous times throughout history by our brothers and sisters in Christ, our love for the Lord will be greatly enriched.

 

By His Grace,

Pastor Matt

 

Additional Resources:

 

The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic in an Age of Counterfeits by Albert Mohler Jr.

The Apostles’ Creed by R.C.Sproul

Taking the Gospel to the Neighborhoods Around Us

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in Evangelism. Leave a Comment

If you’ve been around Grace Life for any extended period of time, you know that one of the rhythms we try to maintain is to do prayer walks around the communities that we live in and are surrounded by.  But what is a prayer walk, why do we do them, and how can you participate?  Although there is no specific biblical precedent for the term “prayer walk”, we see throughout the Scriptures that the mentality of this continual conversation between us and God (as we learned this past Sunday) happens not only in the quiet corners of our lives but also in the active parts of our daily routines.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

From the onset of God’s chosen people, we see a clear command to be in constant conversation about God and what He reveals to us about Him from His word. The depiction of daily recognition of God in all aspects of our life is where a life filled with prayer leads us. We can and should pray individually (certainly Jesus was constantly getting away to pray!) but we also pray together with one another and for one another.  These prayer walks are intended to simply be a time of literally praying as we walk about.  Life is full of distractions, and so prayer walking is not some magical ritual, but instead an intentional opportunity to focus on praying for the lost in our communities, to remind ourselves of the mission set before us in Matthew 28:18-20, and potentially open up the opportunity to have Gospel conversations.

Why do we do these prayer walks? Because it is not only an opportunity to get to know our communities, but also an opportunity to rub shoulders with other brothers and sisters. In both Mark 6:7 and Luke 10:1, we see Jesus sending out his disciples in sets of two. Prayer walking is not an activity that we engage in alone, but we partner together and share in this activity, increasing our confidence and speaking with joy the love of Christ for all people. We also know that we are called to proclaim the Gospel to all people.

Colossians 4:3-4 “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

Unlike Paul here in Colossians, we are not stuck in prison- we have the chance to actively seek open doors! And even when we are rejected, which the first disciples also experienced, we know that God hears our prayers and knows the needs of the people we interact with. None of our labor is in vain when we are doing it for the Lord.

So how can you be involved?  This Saturday, November 12th, at 9:45AM  we will gather together in the church building to get our hearts and minds focused, and then we will go on foot into a neighborhood nearby and simply walk, pass out cards with information about our church, and engage with anyone who is willing to talk or be prayed over.  For those who physically may not be able to walk, you can gather with us and pray, drive and give out water bottles, or even just take the time at home around 10 AM to stop and pray that gospel seeds will be planted and watered. We will do another walk in the morning on December 10th, so you can mark your calendars for that as well.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. This is a great opportunity to learn what it means to be in constant prayer through means of setting our minds on God as we take our hands and feet to task. Don’t miss the opportunity for this great blessing both for you and our community.

Love in Christ,


Pastor Ben

Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in Membership. Leave a Comment

I’ve (Pastor Matt) been struck recently by one of the incredible truths we’ve learned from Romans 8: we belong to God. The gospel brings us salvation from sin and God’s wrath and it brings us into God’s family. The Holy Spirit testifies that we belong to God. We are His sons and daughters! Which also means, for those who are in Christ, we belong to a family filled with brothers and sisters. 

The New Testament writers frequently referred to their readers as “brothers and sisters” (example seen Galatians 1:11). It’s a phrase that portrays intimacy, closeness, and unity. We are brothers and sisters not by human blood, but by the blood of which purchased our freedom redeemed us from all sin. 

This is what makes a local church so remarkably incredible. People from all different walks of life, of different ages and ethnicities, different career paths and family dynamics, different personalities and passions, brought near to one another by Jesus Christ. Because of who we are together in Christ Jesus, we should see the local church, Grace Life Church, as a people to belong to, a people to live with, not people we occasionally see. 

Church Membership is the invitation to officially belong to a local body of believers. Church membership is putting the needs of the church ahead of our own personal preferences and desires. It’s being faithful to the Lord by being faithful to one another while staying vigilant against division and fighting for unity. We’ve written more about the importance of church membership here.

Being a church member comes with important responsibility, one of which is attending Member meetings when they are scheduled. The next member meeting is this coming Sunday evening. The term “meeting” implies that business will be conducted, which is true. We will consider and vote upon our upcoming 2023 budget as well as vote in new members to our church. While participating in the business of the church is important, we will intentionally take time Sunday evening to worship, pray, celebrate, and look forward to the upcoming year and what we will do as a church to proclaim the name of Jesus to the nations.

Church membership is important and if you are a member of Grace Life, we expect you to be there Sunday evening, Lord willing. If you haven’t made the steps to becoming a member of our church, then do so today. We’d love for you to come and be a part of our family. Start that process by attending our upcoming Intro to Grace Life on November 13th.

The Lord has been so faithful to us. Let’s gather together, as members of the church, and celebrate His faithfulness.

 

By His Grace,

Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben

Why the Reformation Matters Today

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in church history. Leave a Comment

This coming Monday is Halloween, ending the second largest retail season of the year, only behind the Christmas season. While many people will celebrate with candy and costumes, for Christians, today represents a significant moment in church history. On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic Monk, nailed his 95 theses to the door of his church. Luther wrote these words out of a deep concern with the Roman Catholic Church’s view on several issues that Luther deemed unBiblical. His efforts lead to what is now referred to as the Protestant Reformation.

I don’t want to spend this entire post recounting the historical moments that both preceded and succeeded Luther’s actions on this day. If you want to read more about Reformation Day, I’ll provide a few links at the bottom. You can also read more from this blog post.

What I want to write about is how the Reformation impacts us today. Though they were flawed men and women, the stance taken by the Reformers 500 plus years ago is a model for us today. 

We must take a stand for the Gospel.

After Luther posted his 95 theses, he knew he would have to defend his claims. So he stood before the Emperor of Rome and, knowing he may very well lose his life, stated, “Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me, God.”

What Luther was standing for was the Gospel. While the church he served under said salvation can be earned or paid for or you can pay your relatives out of purgatory,  Luther read from the Scriptures that our righteousness was like filthy rags and the only hope for salvation is through Jesus Christ. After years of hating what he was reading in the Scriptures, he fell in love with the righteousness of God. Christ died for our sins and it is his righteousness that is placed on us.

This, among other doctrinal concerns, led Luther to take a stand against the Roman Catholic’s idea of the Gospel. His influence then is an example for us today. In the midst of so many false gospels, we must take a stand for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ; that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The church in Luther’s day wanted to make sinners look good, but as Luther put it: “Sinners are attractive because they are loved; they are not loved because they are attractive.”

While we take a stand for the gospel, it also means we take a stand against false gospels taught by churches. Whether it’s the deceitful prosperity Gospel or a works-based gospel, we must take a stand for the Gospel. Taking a stand for the Gospel has never been popular, but if we fail to take a stand, then who will? The apostle Paul took a stand for Gospel priority by calling out those who abandoned the Gospel of Jesus:

[6] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—[7] not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. [9] As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. [10] For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6–10)

We must take a stand for the Scriptures.

Luther’s conflict with the church began when the church’s teachings collided with his understanding of the Scripture. He was a Scholar and when he realized that the church was teaching something contrary to the Word of God, he spoke up. He saw God’s Word as authoritative and should be available to all people.

God’s Word must be the authority in our lives. It’s how we learn about God, his grace, and his forgiveness through Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit uses Scripture to convict us daily. To limit its authority is a dangerous step towards apostasy. The church must teach and disciple believers on how to read and study the scriptures.  

We also must make sure that all we do within the church is founded on the teachings of the Bible. Our traditions, our theology, and our individual and corporate practice must be grounded in the Word of God. Luther stood up for the authority of the Scriptures during a time when the Catholic church claimed to hold all authority.

We must take a stand for God’s Glory.

It may sound odd, but the church today needs Jesus. While Luther’s church may have said “Jesus!”, everything else said other-wise. It was about the church, it was about the Pope, it was about money. It was about everything other than Jesus. Unfortunately, too many churches have become about other ideas other than Jesus.

If programs, methods, or anything else becomes more important than Jesus, then we’ve missed it. If we give over to more lights or more buildings or more “attractiveness” and set Jesus to the side, then it’s necessary to evaluate our churches. The Reformers understood that it was through Christ alone and it was for God’s glory alone. They weren’t out to make a name for themselves or for their church, they only desired to make a name for Jesus. 

Here are a few indicators that a reformation may be needed within a church:

  • If the worship is about how well done and entertaining the music is and not about who God is, then a reformation is needed.
  • If the preaching becomes about the speaker’s giftedness or focuses on relative topics and opinions and not about the teaching of God’s Word, then a reformation is needed.
  • If the church becomes inwardly focused and not focused on the spreading of the gospel to people outside the church, then a reformation is needed.

It’s never been about us; it must always be about God’s glory.

So much more could be said about the influence of the Reformers. Their impact 500 years ago should influence us to take a stand for Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, and to the Glory of God Alone. May we all be reformers in our churches.

Happy Reformation Day.

****

ARTICLES

What is Reformation Day? – ligonier.com

3 Things Every Christian Should Know About the Reformation. – thegospelcoalition.com

Here We Stood (a brief history of Martin Luther) – desiringgod.org

The Reformation and your Church – 9marks.org (This is a Fall Journal loaded with great articles on the reformation. Save this link and read/watch/listen to everything that is included.

DOCUMENTARIES AND PODCASTS

Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer – Watch this documentary in its entirety to discover the events God used in Martin Luther’s life that led him to rediscover the gospel of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Luther in Real Time – It’s 1520. Martin Luther has been declared a heretic by Pope Leo X, and his books are being burned. How much longer before Luther himself is thrown into the fire?

Enter the German Reformer’s dramatic story with Luther: In Real Time. First released 500 years after the events described, this podcast allows you to walk in Martin Luther’s footsteps from his heresy charges to his famous stand for the authority of God’s Word at the Diet of Worms. Share this podcast with people of all ages so they can hear—in Luther’s own words—what Protestants are protesting and why it still matters today.

The Importance of Congregational Singing

Written by MattMacNaughton on . Posted in Worship. Leave a Comment

Throughout church history, one of the primary elements of the gathered church has been to worship through music. Whether led by an organ, a piano, a band, or a cantor, to go to a Sunday gathering of the church and not participate in music in some form would be quite strange. Some point to handwritten collections of songs from the Middle Ages as the earliest types of hymnals, but these people forget an even earlier source: the book of Psalms! In fact, certain editions of the Bible make it clear that it’s actually a collection of five sets of songs (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150). So why have these included in the Bible? What’s the big deal about singing?

We are commanded to sing.

Psalm 96:1-2 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!  Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

The word sing appears in the scriptures over 400 times and at least 50 are commands. Singing is a uniquely human activity, and it connects our breath and body to the outside world in a way nothing else can. It does not matter how good we believe our voice is. Much like faith, it is the object of our singing, not the quality of the voice, that matters. Singing and music allows us to express something beyond just words. And imagine this scene from after the last supper:

Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The disciples are not professionally trained musicians. But under the leadership of Jesus, they sang together as an act of worship. So if we are to follow Christ’s example, then this practice of singing with His disciples is further proof of obedience to a command. We also know that singing will be part of our eternal lives, as shown in Revelation 5:11-13.

When we sing, we connect our hearts to deep theological truths.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

It is no accident that singing is found in this list that begins with “let the word of Christ dwell in your richly.” Singing brings an aspect of memory that can help us align our hearts if those lyrics come out of the Bible (or at least Biblical truths). As we jump into the Romans 8 series, we are intentionally singing some songs that are Scripture passages set to music. How powerful to have these tunes playing in our heads and hearts as we go through the week!

When we sing, we connect to those we are singing with.

Ephesians 5:15-21 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Both this passage and the one from Colossians 3 have an important phrase- they both have an element of “one another.” Singing in a group is powerful, because it reminds us that we are not alone, and helps to draw our attention to God as the aim of our praises or pleas. There is value in music used for personal worship time, but the encouragement from the church raising voices together gives gusto to the soul and gladdens the heart. The passage here contrasts the goodness of music to the deceitful “pleasures” or the world. A heart brimming with joy for the Lord cannot help but express itself.

When we sing, we outwardly proclaim the truth of God’s Word.

Acts 16:25  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Singing hymns and spiritual songs are a witness not only to the church but also to the outside world.  When our lives are filled with music that points us to Jesus, then when others enter into our lives, they cannot help but see how different and unselfish the music liturgy of the church is to most other music available. That doesn’t mean that we must go around and sing aloud in all of our daily tasks. But if we allow the music of God’s people to permeate our consciousness, then it will not be a surprise when you find yourself humming or singing quietly a song that orients your heart towards Jesus.

This is why we make singing a priority in our Sunday morning gatherings. We don’t pretend to be the best, but we bring our best in pointing to THE best, Jesus, our Lord and Savior. And when we consider His sacrifice for us, His love, His patience, His grace and mercy, how can we help ourselves but to sing? No matter how bad you may think your voice is, it is more encouraging to hear an authentic cry of praise than the most beautiful singing without knowing Jesus. Remember that our singing is not ultimately about us, but about God and how we can connect to Him and His people. So, sing! Sing to God! Sing to one another!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Ben

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