WORSHIP
Reverent devotion and
allegiance pledged to God; the rituals or ceremonies by which this reverence is
expressed. The English word worship comes from the Old English
word worthship,
a word which denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or
devotion.
In Old Testament times Abraham built altars to the Lord and called on His name (Gen
12:8; 13:18). This worship of God required no elaborate
priesthood or ritual.
After God's appearance to Moses and the deliverance of the Israelites from
slavery in Egypt, the foundations of Israelite ritual were laid. This worship
took place in the light of history, especially the Exodus of the Hebrew people
from Egypt. Through Moses, God established the form and principles of Israelite
worship (Ex 25-31; 35:1-40:38).
After the occupation of the Promised Land, Israel's exposure to Canaanite
worship affected the nation's own worship. The Old Testament reveals clearly
that Israel adopted some of the practices of the pagan people around them. At
various times God's people lapsed into idolatry. Some idols were placed on
pedestals and sometimes they were adorned or fastened with silver chains (Isa
40:19) or fastened with pegs lest they totter and fall (Isa
41:7). Shrines and altars were sometimes erected to these pagan
gods. But such idolatry was condemned by God and His special spokesmen, the
PROPHETS of the Old Testament.
New Testament worship was characterized by a joy and thanksgiving because of
God's gracious redemption in Christ. This early Christian worship focused on
God's saving work in Jesus Christ. True worship was that which occurred under
the inspiration of God's Spirit (John 4:23-24; Phil
3:3).
The Jewish Sabbath was quickly replaced by the first day of the week as the time
for weekly public worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2);
it was called the Lord's Day (Rev 1:10).
This was the occasion for celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, since He
arose on the first day of the week (Mark 16:2).
At first worship services were conducted in private houses. Possibly for a time
the first Christians worshiped in the synagogues as well as private homes. Some
scholars believe the Jewish Christians would go to the synagogues on Saturday
and to their own meeting on Sunday.
Many early Christians of Jewish background continued to follow the law and
customs of their people. They observed the Sabbath and the Jewish holy days,
such as the great annual festivals. However, the apostle Paul held himself free
from any obligation to these and never laid an obligation to observe them on his
converts (Col 2:16). The New
Testament itself contains no references to any yearly Christian festivals. The
KJV mention of Easter (Acts 12:4) is
a mistranslation; the NKJV has Passover.
Although the New Testament does not instruct worshipers in a specific procedure
to follow in their services, several elements appear regularly in the worship
practices of the early church.
Prayer apparently had a leading place in Christian worship. The letters of Paul
regularly open with references to prayer for fellow-Christians who are
instructed to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17).
Praise, either by individuals or in hymns sung in common, reflects the frequent
use of psalms in the synagogue. Also, possible fragments of Christian hymns
appear scattered through the New Testament (Acts
4:24-30; Eph 5:14; 1 Tim 3:16; Rev 4:8,11; 5:9-10,12-13).
Lessons from the Bible to be read and studied were another part of the worship
procedure of the New Testament church. Emphasis was probably given to the
messianic prophecies which had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His teachings
also received a primary place.
Prophecy, inspired preaching by one filled with the Holy Spirit, helped build up
the church, the body of Christ (Eph. 12:6).
Contributions were also collected on the first day of each week (1 Cor
16:2). Other details about the worship procedures of the early
Christians in the New Testament times are spotty. But these elements must have
been regularly included in the weekly worship service.
