Communion: Different from all other nights (John 13:16)

DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER NIGHTS (John 13:16)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

We are here to re-create, in abbreviated form, the events of an evening two thousand years ago, when Jesus and a small band of his followers met to observe the LORD's Passover in obedience to God's command through Moses.

Exod 12:14 This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.

As the disciples gather with Jesus to celebrate the Passover seder, they know that this night is different from all other nights. The liturgy reviews God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The participants eat bitter herbs to remind them of the bitterness of bondage and matzah (unleavened bread) to recall the haste of Israel's departure. It is not a somber occasion, though, for the evening has a festive atmosphere, with four cups of wine representing different aspects of divine intervention. The participants recite the exodus story, sing psalms, pray, and discuss the significance of God's grace.

 

On this particular Passover, though, Jesus will do things a little differently. He will take the matzah and the third cup of wine, and he will give them an additional significance that points to God's deliverance from another kind of bondage. At every Passover thereafter, his disciples will remember their physical redemption from slavery and their spiritual redemption from sin. This night is different from all other nights, even from other Passovers.

 

Nevertheless, Jesus must prepare them in at least one more way for what lies ahead. The apostles have heard his instruction first hand and have witnessed his numerous miracles. After his death, people will look to them for guidance. They will no longer just be disciples but teachers in their own right, responsible for many more people than ever took part in Jesus' earthly ministry. The temptation to capitalize on that role and to abuse their responsibility will be significant.

 

They have already exhibited an interest in position and power and, on several occasions, Jesus has had to adjust their priorities.

Matt 18:4 ...whoever humbles himself like [a] child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 20:26b ...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant[.]
Matt 23:12b ...whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Earlier this same evening "a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest" (Luke 22:24). So here, at his last seder before the crucifixion, Jesus addresses the issue one more time.

John 13:4 ...he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Communion: What's good about Good Friday? (Luke 23:54)

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY? (Luke 23:54)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2000

Christian tradition calls the Friday before Easter "Good Friday." The gospel writers make no such identification. Luke, for example, says that...

Luke 23:54 It was [the] Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

That common designation would apply to any Friday. Why does the church assign special, positive significance to this Friday? What's Good about Good Friday?

• On that day almost two thousand years ago, God's people were subject to Rome and could not govern themselves.
• The High Priest was a political appointee and not from the lineage God had chosen.
• Three men were executed that day and, while two of them deserved their punishment, one clearly did not.

He was in the prime of life, a successful and popular servant of God who modeled the pious and peaceful existence to which he called others. Nevertheless, jealousy and fear compelled religious leaders to conspire against him.

• After one of his own followers betrayed him, they seized him, gave him a mockery of a trial, and turned him over to Pilate, the local representative of their oppressor.
• When Pilate could see no reason to hold him, they pressured the Roman governor to release a convicted thief and murderer rather than the innocent man and then incited a mob to cry for his crucifixion.
• There was no appeal, no last-minute pardon, and in the horrified presence of family and friends, the man suffered a prolonged and excruciating death.

Such a travesty of justice is certainly not good. So, why do Christians call this Good Friday?

 

Even given what we know of the man—that he was God incarnate—does not mitigate the horror of this day. In some ways, it only makes matters worse. During his entire life on earth, he had enjoyed uninterrupted fellowship with his Father in heaven, but on the cross that union came to a sudden and painful end as he cried out: "Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?" (Aramaic; Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). Then he

died—God the Son died! This was very bad, and God the Father responded with prophetic portents of doom. Luke records that...

Luke 23:44b ...darkness came over the whole land... 45a for the sun stopped shining.

 Matthew states:

Matt 27:51b The earth shook and the rocks split.

Communion: The curtain torn (Mark 15:38)

THE CURTAIN TORN (Mark 15:38)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2001

Our attention during Passion Week is usually on the final experience of our Lord, especially his trial and execution. The gospel writers point us in that direction, describing Jesus' last hours in great detail. In the course of their narrative, they make other observations as well, including the reactions of various witnesses at his crucifixion: the crowd who mocked him (Luke 23:35-36), the criminal who appealed to him (v. 42), the women who mourned him (v. 48), the centurion who acknowledged him as the Son of God (Mark 15:39). There is another reaction, as well, one that is less obvious because the writers present it as more of a miraculous event and mention no particular individual with it. That event is The Curtain Torn, which we will examine briefly as we continue our Meditations from Mark.

Mark's gospel is the shortest of the four, only 16 chapters to Matthew's 28, Luke's 24, and John's 21. Mark says nothing about Jesus' birth and early years (as Matthew and Luke do) but begins immediately with his baptism. He does not record the Sermon on the Mount (as Matthew and Luke do) or the Upper Room Discourse (as John does). He includes only eight parables (versus 26 in Matthew and in Luke). Hence, it is interesting to note what he does include, especially when it seems to be an obscure detail that does not appear crucial to his narrative.

One such example is in the description of Jesus' crucifixion, where Mark records in...

Mark 15:38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

This is not a unique observation; Matthew (27:51a) and Luke (23:45b) both mention it as well. Nevertheless, no one at Jesus' crucifixion would have seen it, and Mark's account would flow quite smoothly without it. Look at the verses before and after.

Mark 15:37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.... 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

Communion: The Bowl of Betrayal (Matt 26:20-25)

THE BOWL OF BETRAYAL (Matt 26:20-25)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

What Christians observe in the Lord's Supper is a highly abbreviated form of the Passover seder that Jesus and his disciples kept annually. The morsel of bread and the thimble of juice represent two elements of a much more elaborate meal. The church's brief review of Jesus' words about his body and blood is a small part of the conversation he had with the disciples. Much more took place that evening.

 

The Passover is a festive time, an opportunity to look back and to celebrate the miraculous deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. It is a happy occasion when family and friends gather to enjoy a meal and to reflect on God's great goodness to His people. That is how Jesus and the disciples probably celebrated it during their first and second years together. The third year should not be much different, and the disciples are likely expecting the holiday to be much the same as it was before. What they do not realize is that one of their number has been planning something quite despicable, and his plot will set in motion a very different set of events than in holidays past.

 

The Passover meal has several symbolic elements, representing different aspects of the Israelites' condition before God delivered them.

• The bitter herbs recall the bitterness of Israel's bondage as Pharaoh forced the people to serve him.
• The unleavened bread, also called the "bread of poverty," reminds participants that Israel was poor in Egypt, and that the people had to leave quickly, before their bread could rise.
• The lamb reviews the Israelites utter dependence on God in believing that the sacrifice they made, whose blood they applied to the doorposts, would cause the angel of death to spare their homes.

As these elements appeared at each annual observance of the Passover, they reminded the people of what the Lord had done for them in the past and inspired their hope in His good plan for their future. On this, Jesus' last Passover, one of the elements, the bitter herbs, would again have a negative association.

Matt 26:20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?" 23 Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl [of bitter herbs] with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."

Communion: The Bread of Affliction (Matt 26:26)

THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION (Matt 26:26)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2003

The gospel writers have preserved for us a good portion of Jesus' life and ministry. Luke opens his book, saying,

Luke 1:1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you... 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Nevertheless, "an orderly account" does not mean an exhaustive account. There is a limit to what these authors could record and, of necessity, they omitted many things, John closes his gospel with that admission.

John 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Some omissions are obvious. There is little about Jesus' early years, particularly his adolescence. Other omissions are less evident, especially to the modern reader, who may not be familiar with the cultural background of the period. For instance, none of the gospel writers explain the significance of the heavenly voice the disciples hear at Jesus' transfiguration. Being able to fill in these details does not change what we believe, but they can add dimension and texture to what we read, enhancing our appreciation of what took place some 2000 years ago. Such is the case with The Bread of Affliction.

 

When Jesus met with his disciples in the upper room, he was observing a tradition God had instituted 1500 years earlier, upon delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt. At that time, God said to Moses,

Exod 12:14 This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance. 15a For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast.... 17 Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.... 20b Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.

The reason for this memorial was to recall the haste with which Israel had to leave Egypt. Pharaoh's refusal to free God's people elicited God's wrath in a series of plagues that culminated with the death of all firstborn in Egypt. At that point,

Exod 12:33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" 34 So the people [of Israel] took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing.

Communion: The Cup of Redemption (Matt:26:27-29)

THE CUP OF REDEMPTION (Matt 26:27-29)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2004

Much of what we read in the New Testament is fairly transparent. That is, we get the gist of what the author is saying from the context. Because we are not the original recipients, though, and are, in fact, considerably removed from them by history, culture, and language; there are details we miss. To overcome our deficiencies in this regard, we investigate those areas of difference to gain insight beyond what is apparent on the surface. The communion service we observe is part of the more extensive Passover seder (service) that God commanded Israel to keep. Jesus and his disciples, in obedience to that command, met together for the seder just before his arrest. During the service, Jesus referred to the elements in a different way, and though we have some understanding of the significance of that event, by digging a little deeper, we may grasp more clearly what it meant to the disciples and increase our appreciation of its implications for us.

 

The Passover seder that God instructed the Israelites to keep consisted of three essential elements: the Passover sacrifice, "along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast" (Exod 12:8). With time, other elements became customary as well, such as the four cups of wine each participant drank. As a symbol of joy, wine was part of every festival, including the weekly Sabbath. Why Passover should have four cups, while other festivals had only one, is uncertain. Was it because that holiday, celebrating as it did God's deliverance, was the most important of the feasts, or because the lengthy recounting of the story and the singing of so many psalms made the celebrants thirsty? We do not know. According to tradition (j Pes 10:1; 37b-c), the four cups (two before the meal and two after) represent the four acts of God in Exod 6:6-7.

Exod 6:6 "...say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you  with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7a I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God."

Each cup has a different designation in the Passover liturgy that corresponds to what God accomplished in the exodus.

• From the phrase "I will bring you out" comes the Cup of Sanctification, because by removing Israel, God initiated the separation (or sanctification) of His people from the Egyptians and from all other nations.
• From the phrase "I will free you" comes the Cup of Praise, because by delivering Israel, God did so much more for His people than ease their bondage that they can never cease to praise Him.
• From the phrase "I will redeem you" comes the Cup of Redemption, because by purchasing Israel's freedom, God acquired servants, though with an unusual intent (which I shall explain in a moment).
• From the phrase "I will take you" comes the Cup of Acceptance, because by receiving Israel as His own, God demonstrated His boundless love (cf. Ps 136 ir )
  

Communion: A hymn of thanksgiving (Matt 26:30)

A HYMN OF THANKSGIVING (Matt 26:30)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2005

Scripture and song are important parts of our devotional expression. They focus our thoughts and convey our feelings. We enjoy especially reading biblical passages we know almost by heart or singing old hymns. We do not have to struggle to understand them—we have already done that—we can simply confirm their message. The familiar gives us a sense of comfort and continuity. It brings order, even if only briefly, when everything else around us seems in chaos. Liturgy reminds us that some things do not change, that it is good they do not. Familiar forms give us an opportunity to take stock of our situation and help us to pull some of the disparate elements of life back together. So it was for Jesus and the disciples prior to his arrest, for we read in....

Matt 26:30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The feast days of Israel serve this same purpose. Passover, for example, recalls the people's slavery in Egypt and God's miraculous deliverance. Every year on the same day, they gather to rehearse the wonder of that moment in history. To help in this review, God commanded the people to include in their celebration a retelling of the exodus and reference to certain symbols of the exodus. The specifics of implementing these instructions—how the Israelites would tell the story, what other foods they could eat, the additional customs they might develop to enhance the commemoration—these He left to them.

 

As time passed, certain practices became common-place, such as the four cups of wine and the ceremonial hand washings, so no matter where God's people might be—in the land of Israel or in the Diaspora—no matter what their condition—free from outside interference or under foreign rule—the regularity of this religious observance, conducted year after year in much the same way, reminded them that the great God they serve does not change and that His commitment to them abides forever.

 

In Jesus' day, the Passover seder (service) included chanting a section of the Psalter entitled the Hallel, so named because the same call to worship appears several times: Hallelujah! This collection, Pss 113-118, extols the greatness of God and His compassion for Israel and is particularly suited to the celebration of God's deliverance. The melodies varied from community to community, but they were common tunes learned from childhood that linked participants with seders past.

Communion: The Garden of Agony (Matt 26:36-46)

THE GARDEN OF AGONY (Matt 26:36-46)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2006

There are probably times, perhaps several times, when you wish that you could predict the future.

• Will I get that job I want?
• Whom will I marry?
• What are the next winning lottery numbers?

There are other times when you are just as content not to know what lies ahead.

• Will I have a car accident this year?
• What medical problem will I face next?
• When will I die?

Prescience, knowing what the future holds, is not necessarily a good thing.

When Jesus left heaven to take on human form, he left behind many of his divine prerogatives and took upon himself many of our human frailties. Paul writes that Jesus...

Phil 2:6 ...being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be [retained], 7 but made himself nothing...being made in human likeness.

As a result, he experienced...

• Temptation
• Hunger
• Fatigue
• Thirst
• Loneliness

One of the divine attributes Jesus surrendered, at least in part, was his prescience, his knowledge of things future. For example, when his disciples asked when the messiah would reign, Jesus said...

Mark 13:32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Still, there were events Jesus was able to predict. What was especially clear to him was his own destiny. He explained repeatedly to the disciples...

Mark 16:21 ...that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things...and that he must be killed....

Knowing such an ordeal lay ahead of him must not have been easy for Jesus and, as the time draws near, his inner turmoil becomes evident in The Garden of Agony. Matthew provides the fullest version of that struggle in chapter 26, beginning with Jesus' reluctance, his desire to avoid the cross.

Communion: Who killed Jesus? (Matt 27:1-10)

WHO KILLED JESUS? (Matt 27:1-10)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2009

After an accident or a tragedy of some sort, there is often an inquiry to determine the cause or the responsible party. The death of the messiah elicited this same question: Who killed Jesus? The church Fathers had their own answer—the Jews killed Jesus—and that, unfortunately, was the common if not official Christian position for centuries. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ raised concern in the Jewish community that the film might revive this view. It is ridiculous, however, to make such a sweeping judgment against an entire nation...and in perpetuum. Religious leaders in Jerusalem were by no means united in their opinion of the Galilean rabbi. Some opposed him, but others supported him, and still others were neutral toward him. Furthermore, most Jews lived in the Diaspora and probably never even heard of Jesus until after his death, if at all. No, "the Jews" did not kill Jesus.

 

A more accurate assessment, one that is gaining popularity (again) in Christian circles, is that the Romans killed Jesus, specifically the local representatives of Rome in Jerusalem. No matter what the Jewish Sanhedrin ruled, only a Roman court had the authority to prosecute capital crimes. It was a Roman governor who sentenced Jesus and Roman troops who crucified Jesus.

 

Nevertheless, while this second explanation is more precise, it deals only with the legal and final cause of Jesus' death. A more measured and comprehensive analysis must include a multitude of contributing factors, from the first plot against him to the last blow of a soldier's hammer. Matthew, who describes events after Jesus' arrest and arraignment before the Sanhedrin, offers two additions in this mix of responsible parties: the religious authorities and a trusted disciple.

Matt 27:1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."

Communion: A spiritual chain reaction (Rom 5:1-2)

A SPIRITUAL CHAIN REACTION (Rom 5:1-2)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2011

When one event precipitates another, which then precipitates another, we describe that series variously as a chain reaction (nuclear physics), as a cascade (chemical engineering), domino (political theory), or a snowball effect. These are all terms for events that occur in science, politics, or nature, that is, in the physical realm. What we do not often consider is that a similar process occurs in another realm as a result of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf—A Spiritual Chain Reaction. The apostle Paul describes this series in his letter to the church at Rome. In Rom 5, the apostle lists four consequences of Jesus' death, four ways that believers benefit from what others might regard solely as a tragic event.

Rom 5:1 ...since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

While the rabbi's crucifixion was, indeed, an excruciating experience and a travesty of human justice, it made possible for us what would have been impossible otherwise. As we prepare for communion, it is appropriate to consider these four accomplishments and, perhaps, to enhance our appreciation for the fullness of our salvation. To help in our reflection, I will also include excerpts from four hymns that show how others have considered these accomplishments as well.

 

Because of our sin, the penalty of death hung over us. We were destined for hell's punishment, to face eternity in suffering and separation, and there was nothing we could do to change that.... Graciously, God did something by sending His son to bear the punishment we deserved. So the first consequence of Jesus' death is that we have...

• Justification before God

The penalty of sin no longer threatens you. Jesus endured the punishment you deserved, and God has wiped your slate clean. As Elvina Hall wrote (1865),

Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.

One of the decidedly negative affects of our sin is that it put us at odds with God. We were not simply neutral, minding our own business and going our own way. We opposed Him at every point His agenda differed from ours. That placed us in the enemy camp. In fact, Paul says later, in v. 10, "we were God's enemies." That is how God viewed us, and that is how He planned to treat us (and we know how that would have ended). Thankfully, He made it possible for us to change our status, and the second consequence of Jesus' death is that we now have...

• Peace with God

You have been reconciled to Him. No longer His enemy, you are now His friend. More than that, you are also His child. As Charles Wesley wrote in Arise, My Soul, Arise (1742),

My God is reconciled; his pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear.

Communion: At the right time (Rom 5:6,8)

AT THE RIGHT TIME (Rom 5:6,8)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2007

We live in a time-conscious society, where much of life runs on a schedule. We have to be here or there at a certain time in order to get this or that accomplished before we move to the next appointed task. Some things are flexible, in that it matters little if we are early or late (e.g., doctor appointments). Other things, though, are on a strict timetable, and to deviate even a little would cause a problem. How would you feel...

• If the airplane you booked left fifteen minutes before you arrived at the gate?
• If your dinner guests came thirty minutes after the meal was out of the oven and on the table?
• If the electricity went off while you were watching the season finale of your favorite T.V. program?

The Greek poet Hesiod (c. 700 BCE) said, "right timing is in all things the most important factor" (The Theogony I. 694, quoted in Bartlett 1992:55), which has entered modern parlance in the abridged version, "timing is everything."

 

God is also concerned about timing, and His timing is impeccable. That is, when He decides to do something, it is never too early or too late but always "at just the right time." Because God does not necessarily explain His actions to us, much of what He does or why He does it remains a mystery. There is one event, though, that the apostle Paul explains in his letter to the church at Rome, an event

whose timing was crucial to its success and critical to our salvation. He says in...

Rom 5:6 ...at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.... 8b ...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We do not normally regard a person's death as timely, because the end of life signals the end of a person's productivity. When he has "shuffled off this mortal coil" (Shakespeare, Hamlet III, I, 56; quoted in Bartlett 1992:196), sometimes prematurely, before reaching his "threescore years and ten" (Ps 90:10). Then, especially, we regard such a person's death as untimely. Many in Jesus' day probably viewed his death that way, as untimely. Killed in his early thirties when his career had only just begun—it was the tragic loss of a promising figure. What made Jesus' death different, though, was that it was not about him, about what he lost; it was about us, about what we gained.

Communion: Total recall (Rom 5:6,8,10)

COMMUNION: TOTAL RECALL (Rom 5:6,8,10)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2008

I am a fan of science fiction, a genre of film and literature that looks to the future and speculates about what could be. One such movie (1990) explores the potential of technology that can record a person's memories and allow other people to share his experiences vicariously, in a virtual reality. The plot is about a variation on that theme, whereby a person's memories are erased and replaced with new ones. He has a new identity, completely different from his former life, about which he remembers nothing. When the star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, discovers that his friends, his job, even his wife are not the originals but replacements to conceal this procedure, the story follows his attempt to recover his true past, his quest for Total Recall.

 

While you have not had your memory erased, as time goes by, your recollection of the past does fade. If enough time passes, you may forget many things. For those who have been Christians for several years, especially if you accepted Christ while in your teens and have been involved in the church your entire adult life, your memory of what it was like before you knew God has probably dimmed considerably. One thing you may have forgotten or may never even have known, is the seriousness of your situation before the course of your life changed. At this point now, you are looking forward not backward, anticipating what God has in store for you in this world and the next. What purpose could there be in dredging up the past? All that matters is that God has forgiven you. Right?

 

Please turn to Romans 5, where Paul concludes a discussion of salvation with a retrospective on what life was like for his readers before they turned to God in repentance and faith. He wants them to apprehend the disastrous nature of their previous condition, so they can appreciate the glorious nature of their present condition. He reviews their former situation—and he includes himself in the description—using three increasingly dire terms. This is what it was like for them and, in case you have forgotten, for you as well. In v. 6, he says...

• We were...helpless.

This is not the image we like to project. We want people to see us as capable and in control. At that time, though, whatever face we showed in public did not represent what was underneath. We were weak, perhaps not physically but morally (so "ungodly"). We were "incapable' of working out any righteousness for ourselves." In that state, we had nothing to offer anyone in exchange for aid—certainly nothing God might want. We were helpless...and it got worse, because in v. 8, Paul says...

• We were...sinners.

The worship service

TEN YEARS OF WORSHIP

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2008

Pastor Manuel served the German Seventh Day Baptist Church in Salemville. Pennsylvania.  In 2008 he published this summary for the congregation of their worship experience over that time. The appendices (available on this pdf) contain many resources for worship.

Over the past ten years, we have held more than 500 services in obedience to the oft-repeated command in scripture to worship God.¹ Most of those services have been thematic, focusing on the many divine attributes and actions that call forth our praise. Through those various themes, I hope that you have come to know better the One we serve² and that you have been able to draw closer to Him. Because any increase in your understanding of God should also increase your devotion to God, I hope you have seen growth in your relationship with Him as well, growth that is manifest by a greater desire to please Him in what you say and do. Moreover, worshiping God now prepares you to meet God later, when you will see Him face to face.³ Hence, in addition to focusing what we do on Sabbath morning, these services have been part of your orientation for that heavenly appointment.

What follows is a summary, reviewing some of the manifold reasons we have employed to worship God. They are certainly not exhaustive, but they are illustrative of why He is worthy of our constant devotion. There are many reasons the LORD deserves our worship, far more than we could list.⁴ Some of these service themes we have used more than once, which is appropriate of course, given the greatness of the God we serve. Ultimately, however, the fact that He is God is sufficient reason to worship Him.

Each service begins with a meditation passage and a meditation hymn (which is also the closing hymn) that introduces the theme and allows people to prepare for their time of adoration before God. What follows is a biblical passage that calls the congregation to worship, an invocation in prayer, and three more sections of scripture and hymns that explicate the theme. In most cases, this constitutes the worship service before the sermon. Depending on the time for preliminary matters (e.g., announcements, offering, children’s message, prayer concerns) and the length of the sermon itself (average 20-30 minutes), the whole session together should be about one hour. Although it is certainly possible to abbreviate the service by shortening the biblical passages or singing fewer verses of the hymns, most often the pressures of time constraints arise because we give more attention to our interests than we give to God’s interests, more attention to what we have to say than to listening for what God has said, more attention to satisfying us than to seeking God. Of all that we do on Sabbath morning, however important those other activities may be, by far the most important activity is what prepares us for what we will be doing for all eternity: worshiping God.

The Appendices contain a selection (50+) of the thematic services we have used at the German Seventh Day Baptist Church. The NIV is the Bible translation throughout, unless noted otherwise. The congregation has two hymnals: Favorite Hymns of Praise (FHP) and The Worshiping Church (WCh).⁵ The verse portion in italics below the hymn selection is what connects the hymn to the preceding scripture. All service themes begin with, “We worship God because He….”

A suffering God?

DIVINE SUFFERING—AN IMPROPER WORSHIP THEME

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2004

God’s attributes and actions offer many reasons to worship Him. Those occasions do not, however, include the supposition that we worship God because He suffers or (at some point) suffered for us. While Jesus in his incarnation certainly suffered, God the Father, the proper object of worship, did not, and assertions to the contrary anthropomorphize God beyond what the scriptures support. Passages that allegedly buttress such a claim actually indicate a different divine attitude, one an English translation (e.g., NIV) does not always represent. As in all such cases, context controls meaning.

About God the Father…

1. It is not true that He suffered because of us.

Gen 6:5-6 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved [regretted] that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain [annoyed].

N be sorry, console oneself; LXX = ponder

HtD (2x, also Gen 34:7) provoke, annoy; LXX = consider (Gen 34:7 = strike, stun)

1 Sam 15:10-11a [T]he word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I am grieved [regret] that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”

N be sorry, console oneself; LXX = call > (be) comforted

Ps 78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved [annoyed] him in the wasteland!

H (1x) cause pain or grief; LXX = provoke to anger

Isa 63:9b-10 In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Yet they rebelled and grieved [annoyed] his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

The focus of our devotion

WHO IS THE PROPER OBJECT OF WORSHIP?
An excerpt from yesterday's "What Does It Mean to Worship?"

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2011

Contrary to the character of most hymns,¹ the focus of our devotion should be on God the Father,² rather than on Jesus³ or on the Holy Spirit (i.e., theocentric not christocentric or pneumocentric).⁴ This is the clear and consistent teaching of scripture, where “[t]he normal manner [is to worship] the Father, on the merits of the Son, in or through the Holy Spirit” (Thiessen 1979:304).⁵ As Paul says,⁶

Eph 2:18 …through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Eph 5:18b …be filled with the Spirit…. 20 …giving thanks to God the Father…in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This order does not negate the deity of Jesus or of the Holy Spirit; it simply recognizes the hierarchy and respective responsibility that exists in the Godhead, that each member (though equal to the others) has a different role, and that it is the role of God the Father to receive worship.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.

How should we worship?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WORSHIP?
Examining the Biblical Model for Expressing Devotion to God

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2011

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)

Contents

Introduction

I. The People Involved in Worship

A. Who worships?
B. Whom do we worship?

Clarification: Who is the proper object of worship?

II. The Purpose and Content of Worship

A. Why do we worship?
B. What is worship?

Query: Does God help us to worship?

III. The Time and Place of Worship

A. When should we worship?
B. Where should we worship?

IV. The Method Involved in Worship

A. How should we worship?

Query: Should there be a fear of God in the worship of God?

B. How do we worship?

Chart: The Development of the Worship Service

Conclusion: Erroneous Assumptions and Essential Attitudes about Worship

Postscript
Handout: Using the Psalms to Worship
Bibliography
Endnotes

Introduction

The Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”¹ Indeed, worship is the most important thing we do, individually and collectively.² In this study, we will consider what it means to worship. As a way of organizing our discussion, I have chosen the reporter’s traditional inquiries using the five W’s—who, what, when, where, and why, with the addition of how.

Perhaps more than any other subject, it is essential that we apply what we learn about worship to worship, particularly to what we do collectively. Toward the end of each session, we will discuss specific ways that we can use what we have studied to improve our worship. According to the OAD (Ehrlich 1980:803-804)…

• As a noun, worship means…

• Reverence and respect paid to God or a god
• Acts or ceremonies displaying this

• As a verb, worship means…

• To honor as a deity; to pay respect to
• To take part in an act of worship
• To idolize; to treat with adoration

We will enlarge and refine our understanding of worship beyond this definition, but it provides us with an initial idea and a point of departure for our study. The first question pertains to…

Because of its length (84 pages) the complete study isn't available online. "What Does It Mean to Worship" along with its Bibliography and Endnotes, can be downloaded as a pdf here.