THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN UNITY

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Virus 13​

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Ignorance of New Covenant Worship Updates IV

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“Ignorance”: ‘not knowing offerings, communion, and heart-worship under Christ’.

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Introduction

This virus makes believers miss three worship updates: offerings for brethren, communion as peace, and heart as altar. After giving our bodies to God (Rom. 12:1), we give our substance to meet one another’s needs (Heb. 13:1-2). We also break bread to remember Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:24). But God does not want ritual. He wants heart worship (John 4:23-24).

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If we turn these into law and ritual, we lose unity and power. Christ re-purchased our dominion (Gen. 1:26). Worship in His name keeps it (Col. 1:16-18). The heart is the altar (Prov. 4:23). What comes from the heart in worship either blesses or defiles (Mark 7:20).

 

Objectives

By the end of this virus, every Bible student will:

 

(1) Know the two offerings. Our body as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) and substance for brethren (Heb.13:1-2).

 

(2) See communion rightly. Not ritual, but peace and proclamation of Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

 

(3) Understand heart-worship. God rewards motives, not just acts (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

 

(4) Reject ritual without love. True religion is purity of heart and relief for the needy (Jam. 1:27).

 

Presentation

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1. Offerings Update: Body, Then Substance

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.” (Rom. 12:1-2)

That is a compulsory offering.

 

After body comes substance: “Keep on loving one another... Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.” (Heb. 13:1-2 (NIV))

 

A corporate offering should be ministered to those in real need (Acts 6:3-4). But if those in need have children or grandchildren, then the responsibility for caring for their elderly parent falls first to them (1 Tim. 5:3-8).

 

The Church leaders should stay free to preach, teach and pray as in the Jerusalem church: “We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4), and choose others within the assembly to minister to the needs of the poor.

 

2. Communion Update: Breaking of Bread  - Peace and Proclamation

“The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:15-17 (NIV))

 

The bread represents the body of Christ, broken for us. The wine represents the blood of Christ, shed for us. Communion is given to those who confess Christ as Lord.

 

Jesus inaugurated communion at Passover, which was itself a memorial of fleshly deliverance from Egypt. Now it reminds us of greater deliverance: soul from sin on Calvary.

 

2 Cor. 13:5 (NIV) says: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” 

 

Each of us should examine ourselves so that we do not eat or drink in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27). No man can “examine” another and deem him fit. Why? Because if you are allowed into the assembly to hear preaching and teaching, you should be allowed to do the “practical” of it.

 

Communion is about continuous union with God in Christ who is our peace (Eph. 2:14).

 

It is not about ritual, it is about love and unity.

 

3. Worship Update: The Heart Is The Altar, Motives Matter

 

Worship in spirit and truth. The Spirit is the source of blissful life now and forever.

 

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

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The heart is the altar. “Keep thy heart with all diligence.” (Prov. 4:23)

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God rewards intentions and motives of heart, not just acts: “…though I bestow all my goods... and have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1-3 (NIV)).

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Love answers the question “Why do it?”          

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“For Christ’s love compels us... that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him.” (2 Cor. 5:14-15 (NIV))

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That which comes out from the heart in worship blesses a man if it agrees with the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:13). But that which comes out from the heart can also defile (Mark 7:14-23, Matt. 15:7-9).

 

Christian faith can be summarised as purity of heart and relief for the needy:

 

Jam. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

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Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

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He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

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4. Freedom and Dominion Update

True worship is in spirit and truth everywhere. The worshipper is free, blessed and worships full-time. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all.” (Gal. 6:10)

 

Man had dominion (Gen. 1:26-28), but dominion was lost. Christ re-purchased it “that in all things he may have the pre-eminence” (Col. 1:18).

 

Worshipping in His name and authority sustains this dominion.

 

If we refuse to hallow God through Christ in thought and word and deed, we surrender authority to Satan and demons. Worship is a merger of humanity with divinity.  The sin-free leadership model of Christ guarantees divine acceptability. “He that cometh from heaven is above all.” (John 3:31)

 

5. Summary

We should offer our body (Rom. 12:1), then substance for brothers and strangers (Heb. 13:1-2). And break bread in love and unity to proclaim Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:26), not by way of ritual.

 

Worship from the heart, not just with the lips (Matt. 15:8), motivated by Christ’s love (2 Cor. 5:14). The result: peace, unity, and dominion restored (Col. 1:20).

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Evaluation Questions & Answers

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1. What are the two compulsory offerings under the New Covenant?

   • Our body as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2).

   • Our substance for the needs of our brethren and of strangers (Heb. 13:1-2).

2. What does the breaking of bread / communion mean?

   • 1 Cor. 11:24-26: communion “remembers Christ and proclaims His death till He comes”. The bread is the communion of His body; the wine is the communion of His blood (1 Cor. 10:16). It is practical preaching.

3. Who can “examine” another person before communion?

   • No one can examine anyone else. “Examine yourselves.” (2 Cor. 13:5)

   • If a person is allowed to hear preaching in the assembly, they should be allowed to partake of communion.

4. What does God reward most in worship?

   • The intentions and motives of the heart (1 Cor. 13:1-3). God watches the heart (Prov. 4:23). Christ’s love compels us (2 Cor. 5:14).

5. What is true religion according to James?

   • Jam. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

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Prayer

Father, we offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Teach us to give our substance in love, not by compulsion. Let breaking of bread be peace and proclamation of Christ’s death, not empty ritual. Search our hearts. Let Christ’s love compel every thought, word, and work. Restore our dominion as we worship You in spirit and truth. Keep us pure in heart and merciful to the needy, through Jesus Christ our High Priest, Amen.

 

Make us priests, workers, and co-workers with You. Let every thought, word, and deed be worship that attracts Your reward. Restore our dominion, so that we rule over sin and spirits through Christ.

 

We offer our bodies, our substance, our lives as living sacrifice. Receive our worship, O God, through Jesus Christ, Amen.

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