基督徒为什么要参加每周日敬拜聚会(十二)

worship12-150-x-108十二:因为知道神是那位高高在上

何人?何处?何时?为何?我们时常问很多问题才会了解某一个状况,某一件事情。我们可用这个方法理解一个专题,那就是“敬拜神”这个题目。无论您是不是基督徒,我想您很喜欢对“敬拜神”稍微清楚一点。譬如,谁要敬拜神?在哪里敬拜神?什么时候敬拜神?为什么敬拜神?

谁要敬拜神呢?简单的答案是基督徒都要敬拜神。比较完整的答案是全世界上的人都要敬拜神。所有被造之物都要赞美、敬拜神。圣经诗篇写道:“愿天和地都赞美他,愿海洋和海中一切生物都赞美他”(诗篇69:34)。又说:“应当充满感恩进入他的殿门,满口赞美进入他的院子;要感谢他,称颂他的名”(诗篇100:4)。

基督徒都要敬拜神。耶稣基督受到撒旦魔鬼的试探时,耶稣引用圣经旧约的话说:“撒但,走开!经上记着:‘当拜主你的 神,单要事奉他’”(马太福音4:10:请参看申命记6:13)。几年之后,第一世纪的基督徒听到这句话:“我们不可放弃聚会,好像有些人的习惯一样;却要互相劝勉。你们既然知道那日子临近,就更应该这样”(希伯来书10:25)。人人都要敬拜神!

在哪里敬拜神?神是无所不在的,所以神不受时间和空间限制。因此,任何地点都可以作为敬拜神之地。基督徒时常在家里面敬拜神。基督徒有时候在公园或野地敬拜神。第一世纪的基督徒,因为受社会上一些人的逼迫,所以,他们甚至在山洞和墓窖里敬拜神。新约基督徒马可的母亲,马利亚,有一群人在她的家里聚会,祷告、敬拜神。新约书信中提到一对夫妻名叫百基拉和亚居拉。他们曾经住过罗马和哥林多,而在两个地方都有家庭教会。新约圣经并不把基督徒敬拜聚会或其他的活动局限于教堂。事实上,第一世纪根本没有教堂这回事。今天,您也可以在家里、在公园、在餐厅、在教堂里、在差不多任何地方都可以敬拜天上的天父,创造我们的神。

另外一个问题是何时敬拜神?回答这个问,我们要把它分为两个答案。1)一般来说,随时都可以敬拜神。白天、晚上,中午、半夜;周日、周三,时时刻刻都可以敬拜神。2)但是,如果要领用主餐,在新约圣经里这种聚会局限于星期天。从使徒行传我们得知第一世纪的教会是在“七日的第一日、我们聚会擘饼的时候” (使徒行传20:7和合本)。因此今天的基督徒也应当每一个星期天吃主餐,纪念主耶稣。圣经把星期天称为“主日”之所以是因为耶稣基督复活的日子就是星期天(启示录1:10)。因此,每周日基督徒举行主日敬拜神聚会。唱诗、祷告、读经、听道、奉献、领用主餐都包括在内。请随时随地敬拜天上之父!

最后一个问题是为什么要敬拜神?这个问题也有几个答案。1)神创造了我们,神每时刻与我们同在,所以我们敬拜称颂感谢他。2)耶稣基督用他的宝血拯救了我们,所以我们敬拜感谢他。3)我们内心深处空虚无力,需要向神表达信心,从神获得能力。4)我们本来就应该敬拜神。

敬拜他是对唯一创造宇宙万物之神当有的反应;世人应该敬拜神。荣耀神的名字是世人最高级的目的和动作。基督徒要“…使[神]恩典的荣耀得着颂赞”(以弗所书1:6)。以赛亚描述他敬拜神的经历;他说:“我看见主坐在高高的宝座上…”。就在那时候以赛亚把自己看透;他说:“我有祸了,我灭亡了!因为我是个嘴唇不洁的人…,又因为我亲眼看见了大君王万军之耶和华”(参看以赛亚书6:1-13)。

我们敬拜神时我们也看见那位高高在上者,同时也把自己看透,承认我们嘴唇不圣洁,心里肮脏,双手犯了罪。在神的面前我们悔改,求神赦免。这就是敬拜神的真谛。

每当主日,请您与当地的基督徒一块做礼拜,赞美主,敬拜神。或者,自己在家中开始家庭聚会,家庭敬拜,把亲朋好友请来,“用心灵按真理敬拜他[神]” 。


Why Christians Attend Worship Every Sunday
12: The Who, Where, When and Why of Worship
By Edward Short

Who? When? Where? Why? We ask questions in order to understand a thing or situation. We can also use this same method to understand a subject—in this case, the subject of worship. Regardless whether you’re a Christian or not, I believe you’d like to know a little more about Christian worship. For example, Who should worship God? Where God should be worshiped? When should God be worshiped? Why is God worshiped?

Who should worship God? The short and simple answer is that all Christians should worship God. A more complete answer is that everyone throughout the world should worship God! All of creation should praise and worship God. It’s written in the Bible, in the book of Psalms, “Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them” (Psalms 69:34). Again it’s written, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).

All Christians should worship God. When Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan, Jesus quoted from the Old Testament portion of the Bible; he said, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’” (Matthew 4:10; see also Deuteronomy 6:13). Years later, Christians in the first century heard this statement, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Everyone should worship God!

Where should God be worshiped? God is omni-present, so he’s not bound by time and space, thus God may be worshiped anywhere and at any time. Christians often worship God in their homes. Sometimes Christians go to parks or other scenic areas to worship God. During the first centuries, because they were persecuted, Christians worshiped God in caves and catacombs. The New Testament records that a group of Christians assembled, worshiped and prayed in the home of Mary, the mother of Mark. The New Testament also tells about Aquila and his wife Priscilla. This couple first lived in Rome and later in Corinth, but in both places, churches met in their home. The New Testament doesn’t limit Christian worship or other Christian activities to church buildings. The fact is that church buildings were unknown in the first century. Today, our mutual Father in heaven may be worshiped in homes, parks, restaurants, church buildings or practically any other place.

Another question is when should God be worshiped? The answer to this question has two parts. 1) In general, God can be worshiped at any time. Daytime, nighttime, noon, midnight, Sunday, Wednesday; God may be worshiped anytime. 2) However, if the Lord’s supper is included as part of the worship experience, in the New Testament such an assembly is limited to Sunday. We see in the book of Acts that in the first century the church worshiped on Sundays and ate the Lord’s supper as part of that assembly: “on the first day of the week, when we met together to break bread…” (Acts 20:7). Hence, Christians today should partake of the Lord’s supper in memory of the Lord every Sunday. The New Testament calls Sunday “the Lord’s day” because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on Sunday (Revelation 1:10). Consequently, each Sunday Christians assemble together and worship God. This assembly includes singing, prayer, Bible reading and study (or preaching), contribution, and the eating of the Lord’s supper. Otherwise, worship God anytime!

Finally, the question, Why should people worship God? This question also has several answers. 1) God created us, and God is always present in our lives, so we worship, praise and thank him. 2) Jesus Christ shed his blood to save us, so we worship and express our gratitude. 3) Deep down within ourselves we’re empty and weak, thus we need to express to God our faith in him, and to receive strength from him. 4) Finally, worshiping God is simply the right thing to do.

Worship is the correct response to the God who created the universe and all things; all people should worship God. Praising God is the highest goal and greatest thing that mankind can do. Christians live “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6). Isaiah described the experience he had when he worshiped God. He said, “…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty…” Then Isaiah saw himself as he really was, and said, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips… yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:1ff).
Whenever we worship God, we too see God for what he really is, the high and lofty one in heaven, and we see ourselves for what we really are. We confess that our lips are unclean, our hearts are filthy, and our hands are sinful, and we ask God to forgive us. This is true worship.

You are invited to assemble for worship with the Christians in your area each Lord’s day, and worship and praise God. Otherwise, begin a worship service in your own home, and invite your friends and relatives to worship God “in spirit and truth” with you and your family.

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