“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38 (Read also Matt. 10:1ff; Luke 10:1ff.)

When our Lord Jesus saw the multitudes of people wandering aimlessly through life, not knowing their sinful and lost condition or Him as their Savior, He was moved with compassion and told His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would send out laborers into His harvest.

Jesus recognized that He by Himself, in His state of humiliation, could not reach all the people (not even in Israel) with the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Therefore He urged His disciples to pray for more workers in the kingdom, and He sent out the Twelve and then the Seventy (Matt. 10:1ff.; Luke 10:1ff.) to preach the Gospel to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Is our day any different? All around us are multitudes of people wandering aimlessly through life. They do not recognize their sinful and lost condition, nor do they know Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal salvation which He has won for them by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death on the cross. They are unwittingly headed for the eternal torments of hell.

Can a Christian pastor, doing the work of an evangelist, reach them all? If our Lord Jesus needed to send out the Twelve, and then also the Seventy, should we not also pray to the Lord of the harvest that He send forth laborers into His harvest?

And should we not also make the task of “discipling the nations” a congregational endeavor? Cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Eph. 4:10-16; Acts 8:4; etc.

What would Jesus have us do? What would Jesus have you do?

O Dearest Jesus, thank You for bearing upon the cross the guilt and punishment for our sins, and for causing us to hear and believe the saving Gospel of Your kingdom. Move us to pray for more workers in Your kingdom and to be willing to serve You and share with others around us the good news of forgiveness of sins and life eternal through faith in Your name. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Many Christians continue to debate over the question of which form of worship is best: traditional or contemporary. Of course, what is traditional today may once have been considered contemporary when compared to some of the worship forms described in the Bible.

If we truly wish to speak of traditional worship, what better place to look than to the worship described in the Bible. And, if we look at the hymnal of the Old Testament Church, the Book of Psalms, we see directives for singing the psalms, accompanied by music played on a variety of instruments.

Psalm 33:1-3 says: “Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.”

Psalm 4 includes instructions for the psalm to be sung with “Neginoth,” thought to be stringed instruments. Psalm 5 was to be played with “Nehiloth,” thought to be a flute or flutes; and Psalm 6 was to be accompanied by “Neginoth” (stringed instruments) and “Sheminith,” a deep instrument or possibly an eight-stringed harp. Psalms 8, 81, and 84 were to be played on “Gittith” (thought to be an instrument of Gath, a pagan city in Philistia – I can just imagine how some might have complained about the use of such a “pagan” instrument in Israel’s worship).

Old Testament worship included choirs and singers, as well as those who played stringed instruments, harps and cymbals (cf. 1 Chronicles 25:1ff.).

2 Chronicles 5:11-14 describes Israel’s worship at the temple: “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) it came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.”

We read of worship in Israel under King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29:25-30: “And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.”

Psalm 150 speaks of praising the Lord with trumpet, lute, harp, timbrel, dance, flutes (translated as organs in the King James Version but not referring to a pipe organ with multiple pipes but to a flute-type of an instrument), loud cymbals and high-sounding cymbals.

In fact, Psalm 150 reveals much about the worship of Old Testament Israel: “Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”

And so we see that traditional worship in Old Testament times included the singing of the psalms and a variety of songs of praise accompanied by a wide array of musical instruments and musicians – all to give glory to the Lord God for His mercy and goodness shown to His people.

And what about New Testament worship?

Again, no pipe organs or specific liturgical forms are commanded. In fact, the first Christians continued to worship and teach God’s Word at the temple, with the Lord’s Supper (or the breaking of bread) observed from house to house. Acts 2:42 and 46-47 (following the baptism of 3,000 souls on Pentecost) tell us: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. … And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

And where did the Apostle Paul go first to preach that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior who had died for the sins of all and risen again? He went to the synagogues and preached there until the Gospel was rejected (read of his missionary travels in the Book of Acts).

And we see from the New Testament that the churches were often organized in much the same way as the Jewish synagogues, with the reading of Scriptures, teaching from the Scriptures, prophecies, prayers and psalms of praise. Elders were appointed to teach God’s Word and to oversee what others taught and shared in the services (cf. Tit. 1:5ff.; 1 Tim. 3:1ff.; Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1ff.; Heb. 13:17).

Perhaps the most detailed description of church meetings in the New Testament is provided in St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 14:26 says: “When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (Read all of 1 Corinthians 14.)

While the pastor or elders certainly read the Scriptures and taught the people from the Word (cf. 2 Tim. 4:1-2; Tit. 1:9), it was also clear that other men were allowed to share with the congregation of believers truths and applications of God’s Word and psalms of praise. In fact, Christians are commanded: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). We also find instructions for the observance of the Lord’s Supper and for the gathering of offerings in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) describes the Christian worship service in his First Apology, saying that on Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection, Christians gathered together, the writings of the apostles and prophets were read, the president of the assembly gave instruction and exhorted the believers to live in accord with the Scriptures just read, all rose and prayed together and, when the prayers were complete, the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist was observed and administered to those who believed the truths confessed and taught in the church and who were baptized, and offerings were gathered to care for those who were orphans or widows or sick or in need for other cause.

Until Constantine, in the early 300s, Christianity was subject to persecution and worship was restricted and probably less formal. Following Constantine’s conversion to Christianity, a number of liturgies began to emerge, leading up to the more formalized liturgies used by the churches in both the East and the West for centuries, and some of these are still used today in many liturgical churches.

There is certainly a richness in the ancient liturgies that should not be overlooked or discarded. The liturgies include elements of Old and New Testament worship at the temple, in the synagogues, and in homes and emphasize man’s sinfulness and unworthiness before God and God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ – Biblical truths often overlooked in more contemporary styles. And, if a person takes the time to truly consider what is said and proclaimed in the liturgies, they are rich in worshipful theology.

At the same time, those who are quick to condemn all modern forms of worship and the use of instruments and styles different from what is now called traditional ought to consider that stringed instruments, flutes, horns, and even drums and cymbals were used in Old Testament worship, along with the singing of the psalms. The pipe organ commonly used in traditional worship today was once also considered by many a pagan instrument and unfit for Christian worship because of its roots in Greek and Roman culture.

So, which is the right way to worship? While some would argue for the use of the liturgies used in the churches for centuries and others would argue for the more contemporary styles of our day, the real answer to the question goes back to Jesus’ words in John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

True worship is not the mere repetition or recitation of certain orders or forms (Matt. 6:7). It is, rather, faithful expressions of the truths taught in Holy Scripture and believed by the hearts of those who trust in Christ Jesus as their Savior. True worship is the sincere expression of those raised from spiritual darkness and death to life and light by the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit through God’s Word.

Therefore, if worship is in accord with Scripture – the words and message being in agreement with the Bible’s teaching – and is genuine worship prompted by the Spirit of God, it is true worship whether offered up in an ancient liturgy accompanied by a pipe organ, a new song accompanied by a praise band, or songs of praise sung a capella. But, at the same time, if Scriptural words of praise do not flow sincerely from a heart that trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, they become empty words, vain repetitions, and a misuse of God’s holy name.

God has not, in the Bible, prescribed a specific form of worship; but He desires our sincere worship and praise and gives us the freedom to choose how best to express our thanks and praise for all He has done and continues to do for us for Jesus’ sake.

Therefore, the only answer I can give is to let your praise be Scriptural, Christ-centered, genuine and true!

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

There’s a concept in the Bible that many modern-day Christians fail to grasp and understand, and it’s found throughout the Bible, from beginning to end. That concept is covenant or testament and, particularly, those covenants or testaments established by God for the benefit of mankind.

Unless one studies law, he may rarely even hear the word covenant today. Another word often used interchangeably and with a similar meaning is testament. The usual Hebrew and Greek words behind covenant and testament are “berith” and “diatheke.” Basically, a covenant or testament is a binding agreement and promise made sure by certain pledges and guarantees – sometimes by property but, in the Bible, covenants often included an oath and, in many cases, the shedding of blood (thus, the expression to cut a covenant).

There are many covenants in the Bible. Most notable are God’s covenant after Adam and Eve fell into sin (Gen. 3:15); His covenant after the flood (Gen. 9:8-17); His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:15-18; 28:12-15); His covenant renewed at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:3-6; 24:1-8) and the new covenant or new testament promised in the Old Testament Scriptures (Jer. 31:31-34) and put into effect by the death of God’s own dear Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6-13).

And these covenants and promises of God were connected to the shedding of blood. Animal sacrifice began immediately after the fall into sin (Gen. 3:21; 4:4; 8:20) and continued through the Old Testament period, pointing ahead to the promised sacrifice of God’s Son.

As the covenant maker, God Himself passed between the animal pieces in Genesis 15. He, Himself, provided a substitute ram for Isaac in Genesis 22 and promised in Isaiah 53, Psalm 130, Psalm 22 and elsewhere a substitute who would, by the shedding of His blood, make atonement for the sins of all mankind and establish a new covenant or testament – that covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 and explained in great detail in the New Testament – especially in the Book of Hebrews.

And there was a sign and mark that a person was made a part and recipient of God’s covenants. The rainbow was a sign of God’s covenant with all mankind not to again destroy the entire world and all living creatures by a flood (Gen. 9:8-17). Circumcision was a sign and mark that Abraham and his descendants were God’s own people and recipients of God’s covenant blessings and promises together with Abraham. God promised to bless them, give them the land of promise and, through Abraham’s Seed, to bless all the peoples of this world (cf. Gen. 12, 15, 17 and 22).

There was a covenant meal that assured recipients of the blessings promised in the covenant. The people ate the Passover lamb whose blood was shed and put upon the lintel and doorposts of their houses that they might be spared God’s judgment upon the Egyptians and be God’s covenant people (cf. Ex. 12). The people partook of their sacrifices under the old covenant worship laws and, in Exodus 24, were even sprinkled with the blood of their sacrifices.

As promised throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, God kept His promise to send the Seed of the woman, the Seed of Abraham, His only-begotten Son in human flesh, the virgin-born God-man Savior, to fulfill all righteousness in the place of fallen mankind and then to bear on the cross the full and just punishment for the sins of all the world (cf. Gal. 4:4-5; Isa. 53:6).

By dying for the sins of the world and rising again on the third day as our substitute, Jesus has put into effect a new covenant of God with man, a covenant which no longer requires continual sacrifice of animals for sin because Jesus by His one sacrifice has paid the debt of all sin for all time. This is a covenant in which God forgives all our sins for Jesus’ sake and remembers them no more (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ps. 103:12; and Heb. 8:1ff.), a covenant in which He again writes His laws upon our hearts and will one day restore all things to perfection.

And as circumcision was a mark and sign that a person was a child of God under the old covenant, baptism in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is the way God has appointed to bring us into this new covenant He has made with man through the shedding of Christ’s blood.

That’s why baptism is called the circumcision made without hands (Col. 2:11ff.) and why making disciples of all people in this world is done through baptizing in the name of the Triune God and teaching them all that Christ taught and commanded (Matt. 28:18-20). It is why all of us who have been baptized into Christ are called children of God and heirs with Abraham of God’s eternal promises (Gal. 3:26ff.). It is why the apostle Paul, after his conversion on the road to Damascus, was commanded by Ananias: “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). When He was baptized and brought into the new covenant established by Jesus’ blood, all His sins were washed away and held against him no more.

And the same remains true today. Baptism is not some insignificant thing we do in obedience to God’s command. It is what God does in us, bringing us into His new covenant in Jesus’ blood and washing away all our sins! Why would people put off baptism or deny its benefits to their children? Indeed, why would anyone wish to delay becoming a covenant child of God through Jesus’ sacrifice?

And yes, Jesus has established a new covenant meal in which we are given to partake of the very sacrifice for sin that made this covenant possible! As God’s people under the old covenant continued to partake of the Passover lamb each year in remembrance of that first Passover sacrifice and God’s saving of His people, so we are invited by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to partake often of the body He gave into death when He died for our sins, and of the blood He shed when He established this new covenant in which we have forgiveness of sins, life in fellowship with our God, and eternal salvation. In the Lord’s Supper, we remember Christ’s atoning sacrifice for all sins and are given to partake of Christ’s one sacrifice that we might receive and be assured of God’s covenant promises.

That is why Jesus says, in each of the four Lord’s Supper accounts: “This is My body. … This is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:26,28; cf. Mark 14; Luke 22, 1 Cor. 11). When Christians partake of the bread and the wine in the Lord’s Supper, they are also given to partake of the sacrificial Lamb of God who was sacrificed on the cross to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and of the covenant-establishing blood He shed on the cross for the sins of all. And why is this so important? Because this is a means God has appointed in order to offer, give and assure to us the blessings of this new covenant; namely, the forgiveness of all our sins and life eternal as a child of God in His kingdom.

Some might ask how God could bring us into this new covenant through the waters of baptism or how he could give us to partake of Christ’s body and covenant-establishing blood in the Lord’s Supper. No, I can’t explain it, but I certainly am not going to question the words or the wisdom of the One who created all things by simply saying, “Let there be …” Why would I doubt or try to explain away His Word?

And what is the benefit of considering what it means to be a covenant child of God? Let me speak personally. It means that though I am a sinner, God has graciously brought me into a covenant or testament (a binding agreement and promise) He established through the shedding of Jesus’ blood to not remember or hold my sins against me but to forgive and accept me as His own dear child. It means I have the promise of an eternal inheritance in heaven and can live, and die, in the confidence that I will not be condemned for my sins and failures but have forgiveness and the certain hope of life everlasting for Jesus’ sake.

God gave His word on it! It is His covenant – sealed with Christ’s blood shed on the cross for the sins of the world – which promises and guarantees to me forgiveness for all my sins and everlasting life with Him in heaven through faith in Christ Jesus, my Savior. There’s nothing more sure than that!

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12 (Read all of Psalm 51)

We sing these words in the Offertory (which follows the sermon on Sunday mornings), but what do they mean and why do we sing them?

The words are a part of David’s penitential psalm – Psalm 51 – written after his sin with Bathsheba. Though David sinned against Bathsheba by committing adultery with her, and though David sinned against Uriah by taking his wife and then arranging his death in battle to cover up his sin, against whom had David really sinned?

As David confessed in verse 4 of Psalm 51, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

And was David in danger of being cast away and having the Holy Spirit taken from him? Most certainly, for he hid and covered up his sin and remained impenitent for months (perhaps more than a year) before he finally acknowledged his sin and turned to the LORD God for mercy and forgiveness! Bathsheba had given birth to his son before Nathan the prophet went to David and confronted him regarding his sin (2 Sam. 11-12).

And, if the LORD had cast David off and taken the Holy Spirit from him, David would have remained impenitent and would have been lost forever. But God reached out to David in mercy and, through the prophet’s admonition, brought him to acknowledge and confess his sin to the LORD God and seek God’s mercy! Cf. Psalm 32.

Do we deserve that God would cast us off and take His Holy Spirit from us? Most certainly, for we, like David, are guilty before the LORD! Each of us fails to love the LORD God with all our being. We fail to love our neighbors as ourselves. We break God’s commandments in our thoughts, words and deeds. And, if God would deal with us as we deserve, we would be left to our ways, remain impenitent and become hardened in our unbelief and sin.

But God, through His Word, admonishes us and reveals our sins and failings. He shows us our guilt and the punishment we justly deserve. And then He does an amazing thing! When we see and acknowledge our sinfulness, He comforts us with His mercy. He assures us that Christ atoned for our sins by His sacrifice on the cross and that in Him there is forgiveness for all our sins and a place in God’s family and kingdom!

Instead of taking His Holy Spirit from us, the Spirit reveals our sins and then works faith in our hearts which trusts in God’s mercy, receives His forgiveness, and moves us to amend our ways and live for our God and Savior!

With David, we sinners pray: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Ps. 51:10-12).

We pray that God would, for Christ Jesus’ sake, have mercy upon us and blot out our transgressions. We pray that He would restore to us the joy of His salvation and uphold us by His gracious Holy Spirit.

And God, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, does move us to repent. He cleanses our hearts in the shed blood of Christ Jesus. He restores to us the joy of His salvation. He upholds us with His free Spirit (v.12). And, as we tell others of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus, other sinners are converted too and come to faith in our Lord Jesus (v.13).

Have mercy upon me, O God, and by Your Spirit, grant me repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, my Savior. Do not cast me away or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Uphold and keep me by Your free Spirit. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12 (Deut. 5:16)

This commandment of the LORD requires us to honor our parents as our God-given representatives. Children are to obey their parents; and parents – especially fathers – are to bring up their children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:1-4; Col. 3:20-21; Deut. 6:4-9).

And notice that this commandment contains a reason to obey – a promise: “that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Eph. 6:3).

What does it mean? Well, to disobey and dishonor our parents brings us all sorts of trouble and usually leads to disobeying our teachers in school, our pastors at church, and our government leaders, resulting in a troubled life and often spiritual and eternal death. And, God punishes those who disrespect and disobey their parents and promises blessing and long life to those who obey and respect their parents and others in authority over them (cf. Prov. 30:17; Rom. 13:2).

This command, too, extends to others whom God has placed over us in civil government, the church, and at work and in school.

The Bible tells us: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Rom. 13:1); and, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17; cf. 1 Pet. 2:17ff.; Eph. 6:5ff.; Col. 3:18ff.).

The only exception to God’s command to honor and obey parents is that “we ought to obey God rather than men” when there exists a conflict between the will of parents and other authorities and the will of God Himself (Acts 5:29).

And this commandment does not end when we are grown because the Bible also commands us to honor and care for our parents in their old age.

1 Timothy 5:4 says to grown children: “Let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.”

Children sin against God when they disobey their parents and do not show them the honor and respect which God requires. Parents, too, are guilty of sin when they do not bring up their children to know the LORD and His ways. All of us are guilty when we do not submit to our government and its laws in all matters except where they contradict God’s Word. And, we are guilty when we do not heed the admonitions of our pastors and spiritual leaders when they rightly apply God’s Word to our lives.

How thankful we can be that Jesus Christ kept this commandment perfectly for us, not only in deed but in word and desire! The Scriptures tell us that He submitted Himself to His parents and honored them (Luke 2:51; cf. John 19:25-27). And, how thankful we can be that Jesus also bore upon the cross the just punishment for our sin (1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 John 2:1ff.)! Through faith in Him, we sinners find pardon and forgiveness. In Him, we find strength and guidance to amend our ways and live in accord with God’s will and command.

Dear Lord Jesus, Son of God and our Savior, forgive our sins against the perfect will of You, our God and Maker, and give us the desire to live our lives for You in accord with Your holy Word. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]