The Christian Priest

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10 … In the book These Things are Written by speaker, instructor, and writer Jack Lewis – received as a gift from a good friend – there was this statement about the role of the Priest as the “man who represents the people to God. He is a cult official who serves …

Giving As Worship

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 … Sometimes the question arises about our giving and if it is worship. Some do not see it as such. Foy E. Wallace, Jr. in The Gospel for Today recognizes that giving is a part of the “simple ordinances of worship prescribed by the Lord,” but … “Giving should be regarded …

Is Talent Enough?

Read Rom. 12:3-8 … One of the better known parables told by Jesus is the parable of the Talents. A similar version of this parable occurs in both Matthew and Luke with the major differences being the number of servants and the amount of money given to each. In Luke there are 10 servants each …

Worthy to be Praised

Read Isaiah 43:8-13 …. It might not have been the definition of a hostile environment, but when Paul went into Athens and saw the idolatry present “his spirit was provoked within him” (Acts 17:16). Not surprising since scattered around the city were altars to the various gods worshiped by the Athenians, there was even an …

Nadab and Abihu

Read Leviticus 10:1-7 … There is an episode in the Old Testament that has played a part in the examination of authority for quite a while. This story is still used to highlight the need of the individual to bend their will to the Will of God. The story of Nadab and Abihu has become …

A Brother in Service

Read 1 Timothy 2:8-10 … Recently the question was asked, “What are the criteria for calling on a Brother in the Worship Service?” It is actually a very relevant question and suggests a couple of points about not only who we are as Christians but also about one’s relationship to God. The first thing to …

Musical Instruments … Again

Read Ephesians 5:15-21… It seems to be the perennial question, persistent and recurrent, “Why not musical instruments (MI) in the worship of the Church.” It just never seems to stop. There have been numerous books, articles, papers, essays, and blogs written about the subject over the years, and likely more are waiting in the wings …

As Often As

Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 … Often a question comes up about when an individual should take the Lord’s Supper. The typical, and likely the most traditional view, has been a weekly observance on Sundays during a worship period. Thru the years this typical timing has taken on new directions expanding by some to other days …

Examples and Authority

Read 1 Corinthians 11:1 … Often one hears about the “traditional hermeneutic” used among those in the Church. That hermeneutic, or method by which the Scriptures are understood and perceived as authoritative, can be summarized by the mnemonic CENI which expresses the three primary parts. The first letter, “C,” stands for command. When one comes …

Sometimes, A Tree is Just a Tree

Read Jeremiah 10:1-5 … The children of Israel were unique, in several ways really, but specifically in that unlike the nations and tribes around them, they only worshiped one God. Not only one God, but a God that forbid them to make idols to worship. This was the first and second of the 10 Commandments …