0528 INSTRUCTIONS ON WORSHIP

INSTRUCTIONS ON WORSHIP

 

In this chapter, Paul gives what we might see as instructions on what to do during an assembly. Instructions for worship, we might say. Some of these are so essential, and yet so neglected, that it may come across as controversial, but I’m going to try to simply line out what Paul is saying about what to do and not do when we gather. 

 

What to do: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”

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This one sentence summarizes both chapters 12 (prophecy) and 13 (love). But notice the ending of the sentence: eagerly desire prophecy. He will go into much more detail about that simple call, but rather than repeat the same thing, let me try to define what the word “prophecy” might mean.

 

To prophesy is NOT simply to foretell the future, however. We have come to use the word that way often, but it is not limited to declared predictions. To “prophesy” (notice the “s” in the word, which makes it a verb instead of a noun, and is pronounced like “sigh”) is to speak before (pro), or to tell out. To speak before people, not to speak before it happens. In an of itself, it is not necessarily even a spiritual word (we have “professors” and “predictions” and other similar words). But when it is a gift of the Spirit, you might say it is supernatural. Even so, we might better define prophecy as authoritative teaching in the Spirit. Saying what God has given in front of people. How’s that?

 

So the most important thing that can happen in the assembly is to prophesy. And Paul contrasts prophecy with speaking in tongues, saying that prophecy is better because everyone can understand it.

 

“But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”

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Three great outcomes or purposes of prophecy: strengthen, encourage and comfort people. Paul is about to say that everything we do is to edify or build up the church. It starts with and centers around prophecy.

 

I guess I haven’t really defined prophecy yet. Let me try again. Some people take what I would call a “hard” definition of prophecy and consider it to be spiritual revelation from God, as in the Old Testament prophets of God. Such a “hard” definition would require that the prophecy is held to biblical standards, which means if it does not come true then we must stone the prophet. A more “soft” definition of prophecy would say that it is sincere and might be some direct revelation from the Holy Spirit to the person who prophesies, but that it could be wrong. For example, when Agabus came and prophesied about Paul being bound if he went to Jerusalem, and how everyone then urged him not to go. What Agabus said was accurate, but the application from everyone in the room was not. So we must be careful to avoid what I call prophetic abuse, which is overstepping your authority and declaring something as revelation when you have not actually had a direct word from the Lord. Anyway, we must move on with the other elements. I’ll go quickly through the rest.

 

The second point from Paul is this: Let everything be done to edify the church. He says it several times, such as “So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.” 

 

The importance of this instruction from Paul is that I think many churches have focused their Sunday gatherings more on evangelism and outreach than on having literally everything focus on building up the church. If in doubt, ask yourself if it is edifying the saints. If not, cut it out.

 

Here is another important instruction from Paul: “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”

 

Sing with your spirit, but also with your understanding. Paul is in the midst of talking about tongues again, but let me bypass that and get to the singing part. Let’s call “with your spirit” to be the equivalent of singing with emotional sincerity and authentic zeal. It’s great to be zealous, to be sure. But if you have an emotional connection but not intellectually grasp what it is you are saying, then you are only halfway there. As a songleader, I try to explain lyrics or in some way highlight the meaning and context of the words, so that people are singing emotionally connected but also with understanding.

 

While Paul is talking about prophecy vs tongues again, a little comment also slips through that would be easy to miss. But this is another aspect of an effective gathering: “But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!””

 

This point is so essential, and yet so subtle. Paul has said that everything we do is to be done toward the edification of the believers. Yet now he is talking about an unbeliever or someone who does not understand (idiotes in Greek) being among us. And he says that the very thing that does the most good for building up the believers (prophecy) is also the very best evangelism tool! This unchurched person comes in and everyone is prophesying, and they are convicted of sin, brought under judgment, the secrets of their heart is laid bare. Then notice that they fall down and worship! Worship and evangelism are put together in the right order here. If only everyone would prophesy, what a powerful impact that would have!

 

How do we all prophesy? How about during congregational singing? What if everyone around the newcomer is being wholly engaged and sincere, clearly singing with the spirit and with understanding, declaring the great things of God? The person looks around and sees the deepest intensity in every person’s expressions. Wouldn’t that be convicting? What if everyone, from the parking lot to the front door to the greeting time in every moment was speaking sincere, authoritative and Spirit-directed words? Asking questions and saying sincere things that cut through the veneer and speak directly to the heart. Praying with insight and effectiveness for the person. Wouldn’t that be amazingly powerful? May it be true for us.

 

We aren’t quite done yet. Here is another important point that Paul has to make about the assembly: “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.”

 

The last sentence we have heard already. But the application that Paul suggests is a powerful vision of what the assembly could be like. Now, when you picture all of these points, you would do well to imagine it in the context of a house church, with perhaps 40 people there in someone’s home. There is another house church just a few blocks away. But the dynamics of the gathering are a bit more like a large small group than like a crowd sitting in straight rows looking ahead at a stage with lighting. That kind of dynamic is what Paul is describing. Everyone has come with a hymn (the actual Greek word is “psalm”), and each person is ready to start leading out as the song overflows from their heart. Then everyone joins in to support and enhance the song of that individual. That is how we love one another. Likewise, someone has been thinking about something and has an insight that they think would build up others. So they share and the others listen and weigh it carefully, adding to it as seems right. 

 

Then Paul talks about limits to the free-for-all that could easily poison the group dynamic: he says in any given gathering, two or three prophets should speak. Not 36 or 37 of the large group are speaking, but just 2 or 3. It keeps the meeting moving, and it avoids having too many “lessons” to try to remember. Note, however, that it is not limited to just one long sermon, either.

 

What’s more, if someone else starts in, interrupting the first persons who is prophesying, Paul says that the first one should yield the floor and sit down to let the other person talk. After all, the spirit of prophets is subject to the control of prophets. That is very important to know. Just because you have an insight from God doesn’t mean that you have to say it today. Surrender the mic and let the Spirit continue with the flow from someone else.

 

Just another one or two mentions. First, he says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”

 

It’s good to know that this practice is not instruction into gathering in chaos, with a free-for-all that features multiple people talking over the top of one another and sounds like disorder. No, that would go against the nature of God himself, for he is a God not of disorder, but of peace. In a few verses later, he says it this way, “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” Amen

 

Lastly comes this controversial comment from Paul, but it seems as clear as all the others, so I should mention it: “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”

 

Oh, look at the time! I can’t stay to talk about this one. Sorry! 

 

No, I must at least mention it for the same reason as I just mentioned a minute ago. But this is practical, in spite of going against the grain of our contemporary culture. When a husband is speaking authoritatively in the Spirit, and his wife interrupts him to make a comment or ask a question, can you see how it undermines the authority of her husband’s prophecy? She corrects her husband, and he yields to his wife. But the spiritual moment is derailed as people are dragged into a little tense moment between husband and wife. I’m just saying that I have seen these moments happen, and that perhaps that is what Paul is describing and instructing about. 

 

To take this further might be crossing a line that has more to do with culture than was meant to be universally applied. There are three possible reasons for Paul to include it: It is corrective, meant to fix a problem, such as I described above. Secondly, it could be cultural. In that Jewish-influenced culture, women wore head coverings to show their absolute submission to their husband, but this is a different, more egalitarian, culture, and the instructions can be applied more freely and less strictly. Or, this could be universal and meant for all time, which means that our current culture is simply wrong in the matter, and we need to obey what is written regardless. I’ll let you decide which makes the most sense to you.

 

These are 9 or 10 instructions on what the guidelines for church gatherings are to be. May we all wisely apply what is from the Lord here. Amen.