Relevant Worship Must Pertain to All

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:12-14

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!  She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.  Greet one another with a kiss of love.  Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

Insights:  Today is the last Thoughts by Scott that deals with the relevancy of worship in our lives.  The verses today are nothing more than a traditional closing to a letter in the first century.  Many names are mentioned and it is from those names I wish to present today’s thoughts.  I do not wish to focus on individual names from these verses, but rather to use them as a spring board to help us understand that relevant worship also incorporates the rest of the body of Christ.  Yes, there is an aspect of worship that is extremely personal and private, but there is another aspect that is very public and incorporating of the entire body of the church.  Just as salvation is offered to all people, so the natural bi-product of receiving Jesus’ gift is worship with everyone who is born again.  All of eternity, as we learned yesterday, is going to be centered on worship of Jesus.  A great deal of that time will be spent with the corporate body worshipping our Lord.  There is something powerful and impacting when we worship together.  Let me admonish you from the writer of Hebrews to not forsake the assembly of the brethren as some are in the habit of doing, but rather come with a longing heart to worship with your family (10:25).  May your worship and ours together truly be relevant for our daily lives in Jesus.

Questions:

1.  Have you come to recognize the importance of corporate worship?

2.  Has the Lord ever gripped you by His grace in the middle of a worship service?

Prayer: Father, I am not always ready to worship with my fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus.  Please forgive my sinful heart and grow me in Your grace to long for time with Your children.  Amen.