New Testament Worship
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Table of Contents
Worship through the Lords’ Supper. 5
Worship through Christians Contribution from the Book. 6
The Magnificence of Worship. 7
Introduction
The purpose of this article is to help Bible students how to understand the meaning of the word “Worship.” The study starts with a historical background study of the word “worship” in the English language, the Greek Language and Hebrew languages in which the Bible was written. The English word “Worship” can be tracked back through its respective process of change.”Worship” is from Middle English worship and derived from old English worship a combination of wealth which used to mean “worth” and scipe that means “Ship.””Ship” means a state, condition, quality as it is found in friendship, fellowship, and relationship. Both the Old Testament and new Testament demanded that worship of Divine and condemned any worship that was directed on other beliefs. However words that are used in both Hebrew and Greek language as define activities that are entailed in worship[1].
The Hebrew Shaha is the most usually translated the world in the Old Testament for worship as it means “ability to prostate oneself”. The Hebrew verb an evil means to serve and also Greek verb Laredo that is found in Acts 7:7; 21:14.Besides that, the noun forms that is translated to service is found in Romans 12:1 of the Bible. This is the most used word in the New Testament to denote worship as it is outlined in Matthew 4:10, Luke 24:52 and John 4:20 and 21.The Greek philosopher by name Plato argued that gods affected by the worship of man otherwise these were disregarded[2].
The theme of this paper is to outline how various types of were practiced in New Testament and reflects them to the modern church and society and at individual levels. As it is stated in I Peter 2:5, worship entails expressing and sharing with God in ways that are always acceptable to hip. There are many instances of worship as the bible phrases them. The Israelites worshiped when they were a pillar of cloud. This is extracted from Exodus 33:10.Acts 24:11 reads that the apostle Paul had gone to Jerusalem to worship. From the Bible, worship is composed of multiple instances. One of them is Glorifying God as expressed in Isaiah 60:21.Thanking God: Psalm, 7;17, Praising God as in Isaiah 42:8-10 and Rejoicing God as stated in Psalm 35:9.According to Jesus, the true worshippers are supposed to worship God in Spirit and truth[3].
Worship through Prayers
This is based on expressions of Christian’s personal feelings, and the bearing of the soul takes place in a given player. Philippians 4:6 states that a prayer is a form of communication to God that entails everything from the most mundane to the most critical concepts of our respective lives. Another instance of worship through prayers is found in Mathew 7:7 whereby God invited people into his presence through prayers.
The aspect of religion through prayers is portrayed when Jesus prayed for his Baptism as it is illustrated in the book of Luke 3:21.Mathew 6:5-6 states that we should be able to communicate our private prayers to God in quiet and straightforward manner. In the book of Acts 13.3, the prayers were said before sending Paul and Barnabas to their initial missionary journey. In modern church ministry, this method of worship is exhibited. In churches, pastors usually lead the congregations in praying for different needs from God. At the society level, senior citizens in many communities lead their members of families in praying for various requests from God. Also, at individual levels, people usually pray to repent their sins and to Ask God to satisfy their various requests they might be asking.
Worship through the Lords’ Supper
The Lord’s last supper is a central place in the Christians worship since Jesus instituted it for the purpose of bringing Christians together and being at a position to remember their sins. During the instance of Lord’s last supper, Jesus and his disciples prayed and sang. Jesus was explicit regarding the components of the Lords supper. These were the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. The two elements usually remind Christians that Jesus was human and also divine. It is during Lord’s Supper that we can remember what Jesus has done and his coming back. The Lords supper is usually referred in the New Testaments with different names such as the sharing or communion as stated in I Corinthians 11:20.The book of Acts 2:46 notes that this term is further used to imply to regular meals. Also, the book of Acts puts that the Lords supper was kept, and it was observed on Sunday at the first day of the week[4].
From the readings from New Testament, Christians express the Lords Last Supper as a method of worship. For example, many Christians attend church services on Sundays to pray and share what they have. This is a way of worship since God outlined Thanksgiving and sharing are some aspects of worship. As a result, the modern church expresses the Lords supper by attending to church every Sunday and sharing what they have with their members. About society and individual levels, this is reflected as people tend to share and help others which were the main provisions of the Lords Last Supper[5].
Worship through Christians Contribution from the Book
The purpose of this excerpt is to focus more on the worship through Christian contributions. Despite the fact that giving money is not one of the key themes found in the New Testament, there are more giving and aspect of stewardship in general. Jesus is seen having much say regarding the proper attitude towards material possesses. Jesus lays more emphasis regarding physical care the Christians should put his or her trust in their father’s care. In modern day, many Christians have got that believe that the proper amount of contribution is giving out the ten percent. This is called tithing. Tithing was a form of God requirement in the Old Testament and under the Mosaic Law so as to support the tribe of Levi who was in turn to pay a Tithe of the tithe given to them so a supply priests with different performances and care of the temple tasks[6].
On method of prayer through contribution, Jesus taught that giving the need should be done privately without any public display. This is according to the book of Mathew 6-14.Also, the book of Galatians 6:10 puts that Christians congregations should be at all times be ready to help their members and do good to all men. The members of the first-century church as illustrated by Acts 2:45,4:35 and 36-37 gave to other members who became impoverished. A few days after the church began, many of them began to sell their possessions and shared them with those Christians who were in need[7].
However, the book of Acts 12:12 shows that these people did not sell their homes. The goal of these Christians was not communism, but it was solely for offering to the needy people. The members of the first-century church were given the rulings to govern their giving. As per 1 Cor 16:2, the members were to give regularly on the initial day of the week. Worship using contribution is evident as from the readings from the second Corinthians 9:6, the Christian steward is one who manages his or her financial affairs to contribute abundantly to the Lord. The giving of one-tenth is initially found in when Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek that was equal to one-tenth the spoils that were taken in battle in when there was that invasion of the Kings from the east as noted in Genesis 14:20[8].The expressing of this method of worship in the current church ministry is when Christians contribute tithe in church and offer other forms of help to the needy as a way of expressing worship. In the society and individual levels, the worship using contribution is evident whereby society offer sacrifices and contribute towards the needy with them expecting God to bless them in turn and satisfy their needs. In conclusion, it is clear that New Testament outlines three modes of worship which are worship through prayers, worship through contribution and worship through Lords Supper as the primary types of worship that are taught in the New Testament and practiced in the modern Christian society[9].
The Magnificence of Worship
With regard to Magnificence of worship, drawing insights from the book, the worship by means of prayers the book of Romans 8:26-27 emphasis more on prayers and communication with God. This makes Christians in modern ministry to use prayers to communicate with God.Furhtermore, the individuals and society further applies the same concept to believe in prayers as means of worshipping God[10].
Secondly, the worship through lords supper as it is stated in the book of Corinthians 11 verse 20 states that this form of worship is also regarded as sharing.Hence,it makes Christians to have the ability to share as they express their worship to God[11].
Lastly, worship through contribution as it is stated in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 6-11,it is seen God urging his children that he will return to them as per their ability to give. As a result, Christians normally expresses this by giving to the needy and helping the modern ministry to grow and able to spread gospel[12].
Bales, James D. Instrumental Music and New Testament Worship. Searcy, Ark.: the author, 2013.
Clark, Kenneth W. “Worship In The Jerusalem Temple After A.D. 70”. New Testament Studies 6, no. 04 (2009): 269.
Cook, Michael J. and Benedict Thomas Viviano. “Study As Worship: Aboth And The New Testament”. Journal of Biblical Literature 99, no. 4 (2014): 636.
Moule, C. F. D. Worship In The New Testament. Richmond: John Knox Press, 2013.
Williams, C. (2010). The Magnificence of Worship. Boston: Oxford.
[1] James D Bales, Instrumental Music And New Testament Worship (Searcy, Ark.: the author, 2013).
[2] Kenneth W. Clark, “Worship In The Jerusalem Temple After A.D. 70”, New Testament Studies 6, no. 04 (2009): 269.
[3] Michael J. Cook and Benedict Thomas Viviano, “Study As Worship: Aboth And The New Testament”, Journal of Biblical Literature 99, no. 4 (2014): 636.
[4] Michael J. Cook and Benedict Thomas Viviano, “Study As Worship: Aboth And The New Testament”, Journal of Biblical Literature 99, no. 4 (2014): 636.
[5]Michael J. Cook and Benedict Thomas Viviano, “Study As Worship: Aboth And The New Testament”, Journal of Biblical Literature 99, no. 4 (2014): 636.
[6] C. F. D Moule, Worship In The New Testament (Richmond: John Knox Press, 2013).
[7] C. F. D Moule, Worship In The New Testament (Richmond: John Knox Press, 2013).
[8] C. F. D Moule, Worship In The New Testament (Richmond: John Knox Press, 2013).
[9] C. F. D Moule, Worship In The New Testament (Richmond: John Knox Press, 2013).
[10] Williams, C. (2010). The Magnificence of Worship. Boston: Oxford.
[11] Williams, C. (2010). The Magnificence of Worship. Boston: Oxford.
[12] Williams, C. (2010). The Magnificence of Worship. Boston: Oxford.