A Pattern for Worship
The church was born at the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ. It was at that time that Jesus “having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit” sent Him to his disciples and “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2: 4, 33). The Scriptures teach “they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). So began the church.
What followed that testifies to the fundamental activity of corporate worship from that time to our present day. “They continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). These four things – doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers – represent a simple yet enduring liturgy for the purpose of believers gathering in our Lord’s name.
We gather for doctrine, i.e. the teaching and preaching of God’s word. In the early church this doctrine was that revealed and taught by the Lord himself to his apostles. They in turn preached and proclaimed it throughout their ministry and, consequently, handed it down to us as our New Testament. We gather to learn and grow in our knowledge of God’s word and our obedience to it. The preaching and teaching of the Scriptures in their entirety is fundamental and essential to the worship of the saints. A church that has departed from this practice has lost its moorings.
We gather for fellowship. This fellowship is not the comradery that grows out of the usual common interests we have with others, e.g., sports, work, hobbies, etc. Rather, this fellowship emphasizes the one thing that we do not share with the world – our relationship to Jesus Christ through the forgiveness of sins. This fellowship is not achieved by staying at home and watching the service online.
The phrase “breaking of bread” has its primary fulfillment in remembering “the Lord’s death till he come” (I Corinthians 11:26). No doubt, other communal meals were contemplated when this was written. But the Lord’s supper, as it is called, is the focal point of this passage as it highlights one of the two ordinances committed to the church by Christ himself. (The other one is baptism.) The early church was a faithful practitioner of this celebration. We should be likewise.
Finally, the early church gathered for prayer. Corporate prayer seems to have gone much by the wayside in today’s modern worship. Yet prayer remains both the privilege and duty of the individual worshipper and the church collectively. We share our burdens one with another and pray one for another as we gather before the One who hears and answers our prayers.
What kind of church do you attend? Is it characterized by the preaching of God’s word? Is it known as a place where the saints of God fellowship with one another in the things of God? Does it uphold the ordinances left by our Lord and Savior? Is it a place where prayer is practiced and promoted? If these things are missing from your Sunday mornings, maybe it’s time to look for a new church.
Randy Livingston serves as a chaplain for a local police department. He writes devotionals for his ministry which also appear at his blog, From the Chaplain. We republish this post by permission.