“Do I need organized religion?”

1. “Do I needorganized religion?” What is the local church, and why should I be a member?

2. Last week: Joining the local church • God adds me to the church when I am saved • I then join myself to a local church • Joining a church is not “choosing a religion” • Joining a church is not an means to salvation • Joining a church is not a process of popular vote • Joining a church is not simply attending • It does mean: associating through love with fellow Christians in the work assigned to us by a common head and Lord, Jesus Christ

3. Can I serve God outside the church? • Do the scriptures require “organized religion”? • Group worship, attendance • Common “creed” • Accountability • Treasury • Objections to working with a local church often revolve around one of these ideas • Not assembling at all with anyone • “Auditing” worship

4. The need for organized worship • How is worship defined? • shaha (to "bow down"), to prostrate oneself before another in order to do him honor and reverence Can refer to a literal bowing before (I Sam. 25:54) • Also has specific references to God or to idols, Gen. 22:5 • proskuneo, properly to "kiss the hand to (toward) one • Matt 15:9 “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” • Acts 18:7 –“And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.”

5. The need for organized worship • How is worship defined? • Therapeuo to "do service,” Acts 17:25, “nor is he served by human hands” • latreuo (to "serve") to render religious service or honor and in the strict sense to perform sacred services, to offer gifts, to worship God in the observance of the rites instituted for His worship • ethelothreskeia - "will-worship" (ethelo, "to will," threskeia, "worship"), voluntarily adopted "worship," whether unbidden or forbidden, not that which is imposed by others, but which one affects. • Col 2:23 –“These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion”

6. The need for organized worship • Is my worship simply a natural outgrowth of my life? • Rom 12:1 –“your spiritual service of worship.” • What makes my life worship? • Phil. 3:2-3 – an ongoing faith, relationship with God • 1 Cor 14:24-25 –“But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.” • Rev. 4:9-11 – What should worship entail?

7. The need for organized worship • Is my worship simply a natural outgrowth of my life? • Do I glorify God publicly? • Do I serve God by actively seeking His will? • Do I express devotion and submission to God by my life? • Does my life point people to God and reflect His authority?

8. The need for organized worship • God’s people have always understood the need for organized worship • Acts 8:27-28 –“…there was an Ethiopian eunuch, …had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.” • Worship was a defined act in a define place and time • Acts 18:12-13 –“…the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, "This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” • A right way and a wrong way to worship

9. The need for organized worship • God’s people have always understood the need for organized worship • John 4:19-24 • God’s worshippers recognized a specific location for worship • Jesus emphasizes the true nature of worship, “spirit and truth”– none excluded by location • Jesus does NOT change the idea of worship as a specific, designated act

10. The need for organized worship • We have examples suggesting we are to worship together • 1 Cor 14:26 –“What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” • The meeting of the saints is an interactive worship, with all participating in some way

11. The need for organized worship • We have examples suggesting we are to worship together • 1 Cor 5:1-5 • “When” you are assembled… • A common character required for the local church – v. 6 –“a little leaven” • A responsibility to worship only with God’s people • There would be no danger of influence in the church if Christians were not required to assemble, interact

12. The need for organized worship • We have examples suggesting we are to worship together • Heb 10:24-25 –“and let us consider how to stimulate oneanother to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” • The assembly ought to be for our benefit • We have a responsibility that we cannot fulfill if we do not assemble with our brethren

13. The need for organized worship • We accomplish in the assembly what we cannot do by ourselves • Teaching, edification • Admonishment, correction • Sharing in the Lord’s supper (Acts 20:7, I Cor. 11:20-34) • Providing for the needs of the saints locally (Acts 5:32) and in other areas of need (I Cor. 16:1-4) • Praising God with a single voice (Heb. 2:12) • Praying to God together (Acts 12:13) • Participate together in supporting the gospel (Acts 14:26-27) • I Peter 4:10 –“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

14. The need for organized worship • Why do I worship with the brethren? • I am commanded to worship and serve God • I want to worship God publicly, and assembling allows me to do so • Scripture shows examples that Christians assembled and worshipped regularly • Assembling allows me to fulfill obligations to my brethren • Assembling provides me with teaching and edification I can’t get from the world • Assembling unites me with my brethren • Do we look for reasons to worship with the saints, or to not worship?

15. Next week: Accountability in the local church Until then: “There is much to do, there is work on every hand!”