Call to Worship
CALL TO WORSHIP: Author Bryan Chappell writes about the Call to Worship in his book Christ-Centered Worship: “The Call to Worship exhorts God’s people to turn from worldly distractions and to focus hearts, minds and actions on revering him.”
He goes to make 3 points concerning the Call to Worship:
1. God calls us to worship – We do not invite him, he invites us to “Come before him.” It would be very inappropriate to begin a worship service with “Here I Am to Worship”. God initiates, we respond.
2. God calls us to respond to his revelation – This pattern established by the Call to Worship shapes the rest of the worship service. When God speaks, it is our privilege to respond appropriately in praise, prayer, repentance, testimony, encouragement of others and service to what he declares about himself.
3. God Calls us to respond to his redemption – the Call to Worship necessarily and simultaneously commends God’s worthiness and consoles us in our unworthiness. We are already hearing the gospel in the first moments of the worship service. We are reminded that God in his grace initiated a relationship with us and in his grace “now compels our response of worship.”
Are you seeing the magnitude of what is going on here even with this short but all-important element of worship?
He goes to make 3 points concerning the Call to Worship:
1. God calls us to worship – We do not invite him, he invites us to “Come before him.” It would be very inappropriate to begin a worship service with “Here I Am to Worship”. God initiates, we respond.
2. God calls us to respond to his revelation – This pattern established by the Call to Worship shapes the rest of the worship service. When God speaks, it is our privilege to respond appropriately in praise, prayer, repentance, testimony, encouragement of others and service to what he declares about himself.
3. God Calls us to respond to his redemption – the Call to Worship necessarily and simultaneously commends God’s worthiness and consoles us in our unworthiness. We are already hearing the gospel in the first moments of the worship service. We are reminded that God in his grace initiated a relationship with us and in his grace “now compels our response of worship.”
Are you seeing the magnitude of what is going on here even with this short but all-important element of worship?
Gathering Hymn or Song
THE GATHERING HYMN OR SONG is a response of the people who have been called into worship by the Living God through his Word (Call to Worship). The acts of worship can be viewed or understood as a conversation between God and His people. And it is important to remember our role in this relationship. We are in submission to Him, not the other way around. So, our response to God when he calls us into His presence is joyful obedience. The gathering hymn is the picture in the liturgy of God’s people coming out of the world and into His Sanctuary.
The text is often general praise to the triune God or of joining the throng of worshippers around the throne of God. “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.” “Come, Christians, join to sing, Alleluia, Amen.” These are examples of songs that we sing in response to being called into worship.
The act of singing takes a lot of effort and a lot of energy. It takes work to learn a new song. It takes work to produce tone with your body. It takes work to sing and blend with your brothers and sisters around you. But this is an act of joyful obedience. Psalm 95 admonishes us, “Sing to the Lord. Shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.”
As we respond to God, as we are called into worship, may we heed the words of John Wesley: Sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim to please him more than yourself, or any other creature.
The text is often general praise to the triune God or of joining the throng of worshippers around the throne of God. “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.” “Come, Christians, join to sing, Alleluia, Amen.” These are examples of songs that we sing in response to being called into worship.
The act of singing takes a lot of effort and a lot of energy. It takes work to learn a new song. It takes work to produce tone with your body. It takes work to sing and blend with your brothers and sisters around you. But this is an act of joyful obedience. Psalm 95 admonishes us, “Sing to the Lord. Shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.”
As we respond to God, as we are called into worship, may we heed the words of John Wesley: Sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim to please him more than yourself, or any other creature.
God's Greeting
GOD’S GREETING: In the Gathering Hymn, we are asking for God’s help and trusting that His Spirit will work among his assembled people as he as promised. And then we receive yet another Word from him. We know this in our liturgy as God’s Greeting. In his book What Happens When We Worship, Jonathan Landry Cruise writes,
“The great thing with Christian worship is that we begin with the gospel. So we have cried out for help, and immediately God responds with a word of peace to us, a blessing, a word that says, ‘Everything is going to be okay. By my grace, I’m going to help you.’ This is the part of the service known as the greeting, in which the minister raises his hands and blesses the people. He does this as God’s representative, not as if he has power in and of himself to impart a divine blessing. Thus the words are not the minister’s either, but they are God’s.”
God does not forsake those who call on him. Our call for help is met with a warm greeting of grace and peace made possible by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Because of the cup of wrath poured out on him, we receive a cup of grace, mercy and peace. This is God keeping his covenant promise to his people even though we are covenant breakers. Michael Horton writes, “Jesus of Nazareth is the protector of his people and the keeper of the covenant…so we call on him to be present among us by his Spirit. The minister, acting in Christ’s name and by his authority, declares God’s goodwill toward the assembly.”
“The great thing with Christian worship is that we begin with the gospel. So we have cried out for help, and immediately God responds with a word of peace to us, a blessing, a word that says, ‘Everything is going to be okay. By my grace, I’m going to help you.’ This is the part of the service known as the greeting, in which the minister raises his hands and blesses the people. He does this as God’s representative, not as if he has power in and of himself to impart a divine blessing. Thus the words are not the minister’s either, but they are God’s.”
God does not forsake those who call on him. Our call for help is met with a warm greeting of grace and peace made possible by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Because of the cup of wrath poured out on him, we receive a cup of grace, mercy and peace. This is God keeping his covenant promise to his people even though we are covenant breakers. Michael Horton writes, “Jesus of Nazareth is the protector of his people and the keeper of the covenant…so we call on him to be present among us by his Spirit. The minister, acting in Christ’s name and by his authority, declares God’s goodwill toward the assembly.”
Song of Adoration
SONG OF ADORATION: After we are greeted by God and welcomed into His presence, we respond with praise and adoration. Psalm 34:3 puts it this way, “O magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt His name together.” There are many songs in our canon and song texts that proclaim a variety of themes and focuses. This particular song gives us the opportunity to praise and magnify the Lord. We praise God for who He is and the beauty of His attributes. We adore our Lord and Savior, for His perfect life and sacrifice for us, His people. We praise God for the work of His Spirit as He sanctifies us and does the work He was sent to do until the return of Christ.
So when we sing, we sing to the glory of God. He is the object of our praise and adoration. And as we sing, this song should remind us of the great chasm between God and his creation. Creation is but a glimpse of the glory of God. Creation is also fallen. So as we sing, our hearts are pierced with the reality that the God we worship is Holy, Holy, Holy. And we join the prophet Isaiah, as he stood at the throne of God, and said, “Woe is me. For I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people with unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5).” Our praise and adoration leads us then to confession.
So when we sing, we sing to the glory of God. He is the object of our praise and adoration. And as we sing, this song should remind us of the great chasm between God and his creation. Creation is but a glimpse of the glory of God. Creation is also fallen. So as we sing, our hearts are pierced with the reality that the God we worship is Holy, Holy, Holy. And we join the prophet Isaiah, as he stood at the throne of God, and said, “Woe is me. For I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people with unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5).” Our praise and adoration leads us then to confession.
Call to Confession
CALL TO CONFESSION: Being in God’s presence is a terrifying event! That is typically not something we advertise on our sign out front to describe our worship. However, this is true nonetheless. Moses asked to see God’s glory, and he was only allowed to see the back of God in the protection of the cleft of the rock. Isaiah’s response to God’s presence was, “Woe is me.” When was the last time you said these words when you came to worship? Yet, this is exactly what we are called to do in the Confession element of our worship service. In our Reformed tradition it is customary to read the Law during the service.
The law functions in two ways. First, it serves as a Call to Confession. Jonathan Cruse says it this way— “The law discovers and uncovers the sinful pollutions of our nature, heart and lives.” Second, the law functions to show us how to live. Cruise says, “It’s God’s rulebook for life. It’s a big rulebook too. The law is not merely the Ten Commandments, although that is a comprehensive summary of it. The law is really anything and everything in Scripture that commands.”
The law can come before the confession as the Call to Confession or after the assurance of pardon as our response to live lives of gratitude. So even though you might not hear the 10 Commandments read each week as a specific element, you are hearing the law in one of these contexts mentioned above.
The law functions in two ways. First, it serves as a Call to Confession. Jonathan Cruse says it this way— “The law discovers and uncovers the sinful pollutions of our nature, heart and lives.” Second, the law functions to show us how to live. Cruise says, “It’s God’s rulebook for life. It’s a big rulebook too. The law is not merely the Ten Commandments, although that is a comprehensive summary of it. The law is really anything and everything in Scripture that commands.”
The law can come before the confession as the Call to Confession or after the assurance of pardon as our response to live lives of gratitude. So even though you might not hear the 10 Commandments read each week as a specific element, you are hearing the law in one of these contexts mentioned above.
Prayer of Confession
PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Why are we called to confess our sins? The hymn writer puts it this way- “Prone to wander Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” The Heidelberg Catechism puts it another way- “I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor.” But why do we do this in the context of worship?
Author Marva J. Dawn writes these stunning words. “God’s Word, rightly read and heard, will shake us up. It will kill us, for God cannot bear our sin and wants to put to death our self-centeredness...Once worship kills us, we are born anew to worship God rightly.” Another author, Bryan Chappell reminds us that “it is impossible to know grace if we have no awareness of sin.”
This is the great lie– if you are good enough, you will go to heaven. Turn on the TV or listen to Hollywood. We are bombarded with the mantra “be a good person.” The problem is that scripture makes it clear that there are no good people. “There is no one righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10). We confess our sins to acknowledge that we have no merit of our own. The righteousness we possess is an alien righteousness. There was only one good person and his goodness and righteousness was imputed to us so that we can have righteous standing before God.
We stand before God not by saying “I’m a good person,” but by pointing to Jesus and shouting, “He’s the good person.” This is what we are doing when we confess our sins in worship.
Author Marva J. Dawn writes these stunning words. “God’s Word, rightly read and heard, will shake us up. It will kill us, for God cannot bear our sin and wants to put to death our self-centeredness...Once worship kills us, we are born anew to worship God rightly.” Another author, Bryan Chappell reminds us that “it is impossible to know grace if we have no awareness of sin.”
This is the great lie– if you are good enough, you will go to heaven. Turn on the TV or listen to Hollywood. We are bombarded with the mantra “be a good person.” The problem is that scripture makes it clear that there are no good people. “There is no one righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10). We confess our sins to acknowledge that we have no merit of our own. The righteousness we possess is an alien righteousness. There was only one good person and his goodness and righteousness was imputed to us so that we can have righteous standing before God.
We stand before God not by saying “I’m a good person,” but by pointing to Jesus and shouting, “He’s the good person.” This is what we are doing when we confess our sins in worship.
Assurance of Pardon
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Confession is our response to the Law in view of God’s holiness. But once again, God comes to us with Gospel words. Words that bring us life and hope. Bryan Chappell writes, “The Assurance of Pardon in a worship service announces God’s forgiveness.”
These are words of promise. This is done weekly because we are prone to forget. We have “spiritual amnesia” as Peter says. We forget who we are as adopted children of God and our standing before him at the throne of grace. If we are in Christ, it is a declaration of forgiveness. To be clear, the person giving these words is not forgiving anyone of sins which is the Roman Catholic notion. Jonathan Cruise reminds us, “All he [the minister] can do is assure the people of what God’s Word says. He makes this declaration in his role as the mouthpiece of God.” We need to change our thinking if we think that this part of the service is mundane, boring or even more serious- not that important. This section is just as much worship as the preaching, singing or offering. Cruise says, “We need to be cognizant of what is happening in this cleansing portion of the service. God has given us His law, revealed to us how horribly we have broken it, and then in grace declares that we have nothing to fear even though we are awful sinners.”
It is here that we stand before God as judge. We hear his law read and the standards that he has established for us as his creatures. We cry as Isaiah did, “WOE IS ME!” We have not even lived close to any of his standards. Cruise writes, “We stand condemned before his law. We are cosmic convicts!” And it is here in the Assurance that we hear the verdict, “Not Guilty!” What amazing grace!
These are words of promise. This is done weekly because we are prone to forget. We have “spiritual amnesia” as Peter says. We forget who we are as adopted children of God and our standing before him at the throne of grace. If we are in Christ, it is a declaration of forgiveness. To be clear, the person giving these words is not forgiving anyone of sins which is the Roman Catholic notion. Jonathan Cruise reminds us, “All he [the minister] can do is assure the people of what God’s Word says. He makes this declaration in his role as the mouthpiece of God.” We need to change our thinking if we think that this part of the service is mundane, boring or even more serious- not that important. This section is just as much worship as the preaching, singing or offering. Cruise says, “We need to be cognizant of what is happening in this cleansing portion of the service. God has given us His law, revealed to us how horribly we have broken it, and then in grace declares that we have nothing to fear even though we are awful sinners.”
It is here that we stand before God as judge. We hear his law read and the standards that he has established for us as his creatures. We cry as Isaiah did, “WOE IS ME!” We have not even lived close to any of his standards. Cruise writes, “We stand condemned before his law. We are cosmic convicts!” And it is here in the Assurance that we hear the verdict, “Not Guilty!” What amazing grace!
Song of Assurance
The SONG OF ASSURANCE is an important moment in the liturgy. We have just heard the good news of the Gospel that we are “not guilty” before God, our Righteous Judge. This demands a response from us! A response of love and gratitude for our God.
Singing has long been an avenue of praise and adoration. We see this all through the Scriptures as well as the whole of church history. Christians are a “singing people.” Singing is not reserved for those who have musical gifts and abilities. Singing is for everyone, especially in worship.
Two things are happening as we sing as God’s people. First, we are singing to God in the “assembly of the godly”
(Psalm 149:1). His praise is our chief aim especially after we have been declared righteous through no merit of our own. Second, we are singing words of encouragement to one another (Ephesians 5:19-21). This is an opportunity to speak to the entire congregation! Your voice, no matter how pleasant it sounds, is an instrument of praise and encouragement. This is true in all of the songs we sing, but it is especially true during the Song of Assurance.
There maybe times when you or your brothers and sisters are unable to sing for various reasons. This is your opportunity to love them and encourage them. Sing loud and sing heartily on their behalf. This moment in worship is a beautiful scene of all of the redeemed singing around the throne of our King. He is worthy of our praises and he has given us an instrument to praise him. Don’t allow the evil one to rob you of the opportunity to sing to your Lord and to his church for whatever reason he might try to distract and deceive you. Sing!!
Singing has long been an avenue of praise and adoration. We see this all through the Scriptures as well as the whole of church history. Christians are a “singing people.” Singing is not reserved for those who have musical gifts and abilities. Singing is for everyone, especially in worship.
Two things are happening as we sing as God’s people. First, we are singing to God in the “assembly of the godly”
(Psalm 149:1). His praise is our chief aim especially after we have been declared righteous through no merit of our own. Second, we are singing words of encouragement to one another (Ephesians 5:19-21). This is an opportunity to speak to the entire congregation! Your voice, no matter how pleasant it sounds, is an instrument of praise and encouragement. This is true in all of the songs we sing, but it is especially true during the Song of Assurance.
There maybe times when you or your brothers and sisters are unable to sing for various reasons. This is your opportunity to love them and encourage them. Sing loud and sing heartily on their behalf. This moment in worship is a beautiful scene of all of the redeemed singing around the throne of our King. He is worthy of our praises and he has given us an instrument to praise him. Don’t allow the evil one to rob you of the opportunity to sing to your Lord and to his church for whatever reason he might try to distract and deceive you. Sing!!
Pastoral Prayer
PASTORAL PRAYER: Following Confession and the Assurance of God’s grace, Calvin noted that the way is open for prayer. He writes, “We can go boldly into the holy of holies to intercede for others, as well as ourselves, with the confidence that our Father hears us and delights in satisfying us with good things. Instead of wavering or dreading his presence, we are now confident that we are accepted children and co-heirs with our Elder Brother who is at his right hand.”
In response to this, author Michael Horton says, “In the pastoral prayer, the minister intercedes on behalf of the church around the world, the secular rulers, and then on behalf of his own flock...Ministers intercede; they do not mediate. Like all believers, they have the privilege of bringing petitions before the covenant Lord through the only mediator, Jesus Christ.”
He goes on to point out that just as ministers represent God to the people as they proclaim Law and Gospel, they also represent the people to God as they pray. In other words, when the minister offers a prayer in public worship, it is as if he is speaking to God for the congregation. He is their representative. We are not listeners at this point, we are participating in agreement as he offers the prayer.
In response to this, author Michael Horton says, “In the pastoral prayer, the minister intercedes on behalf of the church around the world, the secular rulers, and then on behalf of his own flock...Ministers intercede; they do not mediate. Like all believers, they have the privilege of bringing petitions before the covenant Lord through the only mediator, Jesus Christ.”
He goes on to point out that just as ministers represent God to the people as they proclaim Law and Gospel, they also represent the people to God as they pray. In other words, when the minister offers a prayer in public worship, it is as if he is speaking to God for the congregation. He is their representative. We are not listeners at this point, we are participating in agreement as he offers the prayer.
Offering
OFFERING: In our liturgy, we have placed the offering before the sermon. In historic liturgies, it is usually placed after the Lord’s Supper which happens after the sermon. This is done so that the offering serves as a response, but it also has some theological significance as well. In his book A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of Christ-centered Worship, author Michael Horton explains,
“We do not offer a sacrifice for sin but a sacrifice of thanksgiving for sins forgiven in the one complete sacrifice of Jesus once offered on the cross. It is a “thank” offering that we bring. After a general prayer of thanksgiving, offered on behalf of the congregation, the minister invites offerings for the poor and the widows. Not only does the covenant meal signify and seal to us the union that we have in Christ but also the union that we have with the whole church in him. At this table, the rich and the poor come as needy beggars- - needy not only of God’s aid but of each others’. The poor need the aid of the wealthy, but the wealthy also need the poor so that they may minister to Christ (Matthew 25:31-46).”
Now it is important to point out that Word and Table have always been married throughout church history. It was during the Reformation that we see different branches of believers coming to different conclusions about the Lord’s Supper and its frequency in Lord’s Day worship. So it was very intentional that the offering followed the Lord’s Supper because the Supper was a weekly element in the liturgy. Now…here we are centuries later and in our church we only have the Lord’s Supper once a month. I think the Deacons would take issue if we only had 12 offerings a year. So we place the offering…still as a response…following the Assurance of Pardon. So that it functions, as Horton points out, as a sacrifice of Thanksgiving. You will notice that the theme of the music played during the offering is praise or thanksgiving focused signifying our act of giving in gratitude in response to the gospel that was proclaimed to us in the Assurance of Pardon.
“We do not offer a sacrifice for sin but a sacrifice of thanksgiving for sins forgiven in the one complete sacrifice of Jesus once offered on the cross. It is a “thank” offering that we bring. After a general prayer of thanksgiving, offered on behalf of the congregation, the minister invites offerings for the poor and the widows. Not only does the covenant meal signify and seal to us the union that we have in Christ but also the union that we have with the whole church in him. At this table, the rich and the poor come as needy beggars- - needy not only of God’s aid but of each others’. The poor need the aid of the wealthy, but the wealthy also need the poor so that they may minister to Christ (Matthew 25:31-46).”
Now it is important to point out that Word and Table have always been married throughout church history. It was during the Reformation that we see different branches of believers coming to different conclusions about the Lord’s Supper and its frequency in Lord’s Day worship. So it was very intentional that the offering followed the Lord’s Supper because the Supper was a weekly element in the liturgy. Now…here we are centuries later and in our church we only have the Lord’s Supper once a month. I think the Deacons would take issue if we only had 12 offerings a year. So we place the offering…still as a response…following the Assurance of Pardon. So that it functions, as Horton points out, as a sacrifice of Thanksgiving. You will notice that the theme of the music played during the offering is praise or thanksgiving focused signifying our act of giving in gratitude in response to the gospel that was proclaimed to us in the Assurance of Pardon.
Preaching
PREACHING is God’s idea not ours. Scripture says faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. Author Jonathan Landry Cruise describes what is happening during a sermon: “By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus speaks through His ordained servant, saving sinners by the spoken word to the glory of God.” The Second Helvetic Confession claims “the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God.” It is as if God himself is speaking. God, the all-powerful creator, redeemer and sustainer of the universe, who spoke the universe into existence, speaks directly through his word to his people through the vessel of a pastor. What an awesome thought! It has been said, “If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read it out loud.” That is what is happening when the Word of God is preached. God is speaking directly to us! If we advertised to our congregation that God incarnate would be coming and preaching at our church next Sunday, there would probably not be a seat to be found. Yet, in a sense, that is exactly what is happening.
However, human wisdom rejects ordinary preaching. Yet, preaching, as author Michael Horton says, is the chief means of grace. It is the highpoint of worship. “It’s a supernatural moment where God raises dead people from the grave.” May God give us the grace to understand this every time we listen to a sermon from a faithful minister and may we make use of this chief means of grace at every opportunity given us.
However, human wisdom rejects ordinary preaching. Yet, preaching, as author Michael Horton says, is the chief means of grace. It is the highpoint of worship. “It’s a supernatural moment where God raises dead people from the grave.” May God give us the grace to understand this every time we listen to a sermon from a faithful minister and may we make use of this chief means of grace at every opportunity given us.
Song of Response
SONG OF RESPONSE: As we have seen in this series of articles, the worship service is a meeting with God where we see a pattern of God speaking and God’s people responding. Our practice following the sermon or the Lord’s Supper is to respond in song. This song evokes what has been spoken in the sermon and what we are to do generally in response. Remember, that this is a corporate gathering and we respond as a people. There should be an individual response to the sermon, but this obedience is done in our lives as we scatter.
When we respond as a body there may be some way we need to obey corporately, and this is often conveyed in the song of response. For example, in the hymn “May the mind of Christ my Savior” the hymn writer penned “May the mind of Christ my Savior live in me from day to day.” This applies to all of us. “By his love and power controlling all I do and say.” This line most likely has as many different applications as there are people present. One person may need to repent and obey in an area totally different than the person sitting next to him or her. So, we need to remember that application can be corporate and individual and God’s Word will result in many different responses – praise, thanksgiving, repentance and so on. So, as we approach this element in the service week after week, may God give us the grace to repent of sin and submit to his will for our lives.
When we respond as a body there may be some way we need to obey corporately, and this is often conveyed in the song of response. For example, in the hymn “May the mind of Christ my Savior” the hymn writer penned “May the mind of Christ my Savior live in me from day to day.” This applies to all of us. “By his love and power controlling all I do and say.” This line most likely has as many different applications as there are people present. One person may need to repent and obey in an area totally different than the person sitting next to him or her. So, we need to remember that application can be corporate and individual and God’s Word will result in many different responses – praise, thanksgiving, repentance and so on. So, as we approach this element in the service week after week, may God give us the grace to repent of sin and submit to his will for our lives.
Parting Words
PARTING WORDS: As the worship service closes, we have one more opportunity to respond. Having gathered in God’s presence and been welcomed by him with words of grace, mercy and peace, having heard his call to confess our sins and receiving his words of good news, having heard his words to us through the preaching of the Word and been fed at the table, having been blessed by him and given his name, what is our response? Doxology! Praise to the triune God for all that He has done to us and for us in this time of worship. The doxology is always Trinitarian because all three persons of the God-head have been at work in the worship of his people. What a glorious gift that God has given us in worship. May we worship him the way He desires, and may we be faithful in offering our whole selves (mind, body and spirit) before him every time the church gathers!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Communion
THE LORD’S SUPPER: Throughout the history of the Christian church, Word and Sacrament have been wed together in the gathering of God’s people. We see this in Acts 2:42. When speaking about the Lord’s Supper, Michael Horton reminds us,
“When received in faith, the Supper’s benefits are, in substance, the same as those communicated through preaching and baptism: Christ and all his benefits. The person and work of Christ are received and enjoyed.”
We will never reach a point in the Christian life where we have arrived and do not need Christ and all his benefits. Just as we regularly hear the preached Word and receive it by faith on a regular basis, we also partake of the Supper on a regular basis. This is our “spiritual food.” Horton explains,
“If baptism is a means of initiating grace, the Supper is a means of preserving grace– not because it gives us an additional ingredient or a power not present in preaching or baptism, but because it is a perpetual ratification of God’s peace treaty with his people.”
It has been said that frequent communion will cause the Supper to lose its meaning. On the contrary, frequent communion is the means that God uses to communicate his love and grace to his people. This is God condescending to our human nature. Just as food nourishes and strengthens the body, God uses these everyday elements (bread and wine) to nourish and strengthen our spiritual lives. We receive these elements by faith trusting that our God will do what he says he will do through these means that he has given to his Church.
“When received in faith, the Supper’s benefits are, in substance, the same as those communicated through preaching and baptism: Christ and all his benefits. The person and work of Christ are received and enjoyed.”
We will never reach a point in the Christian life where we have arrived and do not need Christ and all his benefits. Just as we regularly hear the preached Word and receive it by faith on a regular basis, we also partake of the Supper on a regular basis. This is our “spiritual food.” Horton explains,
“If baptism is a means of initiating grace, the Supper is a means of preserving grace– not because it gives us an additional ingredient or a power not present in preaching or baptism, but because it is a perpetual ratification of God’s peace treaty with his people.”
It has been said that frequent communion will cause the Supper to lose its meaning. On the contrary, frequent communion is the means that God uses to communicate his love and grace to his people. This is God condescending to our human nature. Just as food nourishes and strengthens the body, God uses these everyday elements (bread and wine) to nourish and strengthen our spiritual lives. We receive these elements by faith trusting that our God will do what he says he will do through these means that he has given to his Church.