Challenges To/For Public Worship-6 Series

CHALLENGES To/For PUBLIC WORSHIP-VI—John 2:12-25

OR

Some Dynamics Of Public Worship

Attention:

Describe the outward physical ‘trappings’ of worship.

What do each of these(& more) say to others?

Public worship can & does present definite challenges!

The Church can be tempted toward many directions regarding the manner & message of its Public Worship. There are real Challenges to bringing about Public Worship!...There are dynamics which, if we deny, will keep our church & the public from being able to fully worship in s(S)pirit & truth!

Jesus made it plain that the temple worship had become tainted with improprieties.

Public Worship is to be free from impropriety.

OR

There is to be consonance(harmony/agreeability with God) in public worship.

When is public worship consonant(agreeable/harmonious)?

Some Challenges to (consonant/harmonious/agreeable)public worship.

Previously we have found a Challenge to (harmonious)public worship is its...

1. OCCASION(:13)

2. INVITATION(:13-14)

3. PROTECTION(:15)

4. RESONATION(:16-17)

5. AUTHORIZATION(:18-19)

6. REPLACEMENT, RESTORATION & FOCUS(:19)

7. IMPLICATION(:20)

AND If there is IMPLICATION in Public Worship, there is also...

8—A challenge to (harmonious)public worship is its...

REALIZATIONs(:21-22)

Explanation:(:21-22)

:21—“But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”

Jesus’ statement was never intended to be limited to the rebuilding of Herod’s temple. Unbeknownst to the Jews, Jesus was referring, not to the stone structure of the temple at all, but to “the temple of His body.” The human body is a temple which is intended for sanctification entirely for God’s use.

The challenge is to make the reality a realization in others!

What is a “temple”?

It is a place for sacred worship. A place within which the god of your choosing is honored, made welcome & invited in.

1)The bodies of Christians are individual temples of the Holy Spirit(1Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22;1Pet. 2:4-5).

2)Collectively, the Church is the body of Christ(1Pet. 4-5). We are therefore, make up or compose & comprise, together, a temple to the Lord. Thus we are to offer our bodies to God as instruments of sacrifice & worship (Rom. 12:1-2), not being conformed to this world but rather transformed to God’s pleasure(Rom. 12:3).

3)Isa. 8:14 says that the LORD Himself is a “sanctuary”(vdqm from vdq meaning consecrated/sanctified/sacred/holy) to those who fear Him.

1Cor. 3:16-17—“Do you not know that you are the temple of God & that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

1Cor. 6:19—Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, & you are not your own?”

2Cor. 6:15-18—“And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them[Ez. 37:26-27] And walk among them[Isa. 52:11]. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons & daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

Eph. 2:19-22—“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers & foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints & members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles & prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

1Pet. 2:4-6—“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God & precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Col. 2:9—“For in Him[Jesus] all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

1Kings 8:27—““But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven & the highest heaven cannot contain Thee, how much less this house which I have built!”

Thus, the temple, lodged in Jesus, is carried out in & among those who are His disciples.

A “temple” can be Profaned—thru feigned sacrifice, Defiled—thru trafficking in unholy things, ‘going thru the motions,’...Made impervious to God’s will thru misdirected/sin driven/ human will.

“Speaking”—legw—1) To say, to speak—1a) Affirm over, maintain, 1b) To teach, 1c) To exhort, advise, to command, direct, 1d) To point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, 1e) To call by name, to call, name, 1f) To speak out, speak of, mention. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To “lay” forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate(in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epw & fhmi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rew is properly-To break silence merely, & lalew means --An extended or random harangue]); by implication--To mean.