Rev. David Holwick ZJ
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 4, 1990
1 Corinthians 14:26-31
|
I. The importance of worship.
A. Review sermon with Celeste, decide to redo it completely.
As I walk to my study at midnight, a car pulls in to parking lot.
"Pastor, I need someone to talk to."
We talk for an hour.
Near the end of our conversation, the person says offhand:
"I go to church to hear the sermon. The rest is just filler."
#1344
1) Performance anxiety.
[below not used]
Newspaper writer George Plangenz (play-guns) rates churches
with one to twelve stars.
Churches that are very unfriendly get panned. #106
The sermon is a major part of his rating.
2) People can't get close to God unless I have a hot sermon.
B. The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard described Christian worship
as a performance in which:
1) God is the audience.
2) The congregation is the performer.
3) Those who stand before the congregation are the prompters.
Most churches invert this - a professional is paid to perform
for pew warmers.
Hopefully, God gets his due in the end.
II. What is worship all about?
Robert Webber:
"Worship is not an experience we have in the presence of God,
but the act of offering God our best
when we are in his presence." #707
A. Spontaneous sharing in the early church. 14:26
1) "Everyone" took part and offered something. 14:26
2) Hymns, instruction, a message from God.
a) A varied format.
b) The sermon might be a minor part.
3) Very little structure.
a) No bulletins or hymn boards.
b) Sometimes verged on self-centered chaos.
B. Paul's principle: freedom, but order. 14:33,40
1) Limits to freedom:
a) People must take turns. 14:30
b) People must be under control. 14:32
1> No religious fanaticism.
2) Two overriding goals:
a) Instruct. 14:31
1> Understanding God's Word is the key to fulfillment
and happiness.
2> But instruction by itself leaves you spiritually dry.
b) Encourage. 14:31
1> Worship should build people up, not tear them down.
2> But a "feel-good" emphasis alone makes you shallow.
III. Everyone takes part - except women?? 14:33-34
A. Several noticed I have passed over these verses previously.
1) Hot issue.
2) Should women use their gifts like anyone else, or are they
limited?
B. Women have full rights in many denominations, esp. liberal ones.
1) One third of seminarians are women; soon will be 50%.
2) At least five women pastors in immediate area.
a) In light of this passage, is this right?
C. Women have the full right to take part in worship.
1) "Women must be silent" has to be interpreted from the
surrounding passages.
2) Even Paul assumes women can speak in services.
a) Women can prophesy. 11:5
b) They are called prophetesses. Acts 21:9
c) Men and women both have the Holy Spirit and gifts. Acts 2
3) "Silence" in 14:33-44 must concern a specific situation.
a) "Speak" is a word for talking, not preaching.
b) Probably refers to outbursts and disruptive questions.
1> "Inquire of husbands at home."
2> Note that women of time were poorly educated.
c) Paul's focus is on orderly worship.
4) Real issue is authority and leadership, not sharing in church.
a) (Deserves detailed treatment - later)
IV. Special place of women in the New Testament.
A. Society was anti-women.
1) Jews had restrictive morning prayer.
a) Thank you God, I am not a woman.
2) Romans.
3) Greeks somewhat more open.
B. Jesus was pro-women.
1) He reached out to them even when scandalous.
a) Samaritan woman.
b) Bleeding woman.
c) Other women who needed healing.
d) Woman who washed his feet with hair.
1> ("Doesn't he know what kind of woman she is?")
2) Women supplied his needs for ministry.
3) Women were last at the cross.
4) Women were first at the resurrection.
a) But their testimony was not believed.
C. Church should break down barriers.
1) Paul himself (some here think he's anti-women) states the
overriding principle - we are all one in Christ. Gal 3:28
2) In genuine worship, the powerful and the weak should be able
to make their contribution.
V. Application to our church.
A. Affirm gifts of all people, men & women.
B. More participation in worship.
C. Give our best to God.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Easily create CHM Help documents