Category: Saturday Study

Serving in the Community 3.15.25

A Quick recap of “What is Service?”

Service is using your God-given gifts to sacrificially minister to and love others. As a Christian, your service is your ministry! The Greek word for ministry means “to attend upon someone.” God-honoring service is motivated by the sacrificial love of God. Selfishness causes me to only do what is good for me; selfish love causes me to only help people when, in the end, it is good for me. 

Serve Those Outside the Church, in the Community

Luke 6:31-36 (NIV) “Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Jesus has made His charge to us very clear: We are to love others!

Loving and serving others is the mission to which God has called us. It is the work of being outward and others-focused with the goal of expressing and sharing the love of Jesus. Jesus told His followers not to remove themselves from the world and create an isolated, Christian sub-culture. Rather, He taught His followers to be engaged in the world.

The church was not created for itself. It was created to worship God and to spread His love to others; we were each created for a missional purpose. Because of this mission, those of us in the church have to have hearts that break for those who have not yet experienced the love and grace of God and joy of knowing and following Jesus. We must not measure our success by our internal numbers, our professionalism, or our production. Instead, we must measure our success based on how we are being sanctified in discipleship unto sacrificial love for each other and the world, all for the glory of our great God.

In our first reading this week in Jeremiah 29, we read God’s instructions to His people while they were exile. While we are often guilty of pulling these commands for these people in this time out of their context and applying them to ourselves today, there is a general equity that we see in God’s heart for us, still today, that applies greatly. 

Jeremiah 29:7 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf …” 

Like the exiles then, we too are sent by God into this land as exiles to”go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20) and to go out into the local city, region, country, and world to be a witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). Because of this missional call to love and serve others, we in the church should have a heart for being involved in our local community and in activities that express the love of God outside of our internal church events. We want to see people and love people as Jesus did (Matthew 9:35-38).

Are you seeking the welfare of the city? Are you praying for the city in which you live? 

We cannot remain in our church or Christian “bubbles.” We must get out there and share the good news God has given us. We must sacrificially bind ourselves with the servant’s towel, just as Jesus did in order to serve those who rank less and desire nothing. We do this because Jesus modeled it for us, and He commanded us to do it. We do this because it is how the gospel will go out; it is an extension of the love and selfless life of the kingdom of which we are now members.

Look again at Matthew 5:38-42 with me.

Matthew 5:38-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

It is easy to misunderstand what Jesus is teaching us here when He says, “When someone slaps you on the cheek, turn to him the other also.” A lot of people have said, “Ah, Jesus is teaching you that you should never stop injustice, and no matter what somebody does to you, you should let them walk all over you.” That’s silly because Jesus doesn’t talk like that; Jesus is all about justice. So, what does He mean? First, you must realize that being slapped on the cheek does not mean somebody is trying to beat you up. You don’t slap somebody on the cheek when you’re trying to beat him up. You punch him in the mouth, or you hit him with a bat. That’s not what He is talking about here. 

A slap on the cheek is an insult—a response of disgust!

Jesus is very clearly saying, “When someone insults you, there must be no concern on your part to save face. There must be no more concern to deal with your honor or your dignity.” In opposition to saving face in man’s eyes, a Christian is somebody who is satisfied in his identity in Christ.He no longer receives his worth from man; therefore, a Christian is empowered to forgive, to show grace, and to invite restoration by opening up the other cheek. 

Why should we turn the other cheek, why should we give them our tunic, why should we go the second mile? Because Christ in us is empowering us to pursue the path of relationship restoration. 

To turn your other cheek means not to worry about the insult of man, but instead to invite them in and say, “Anytime you want to come back and kiss this one, I’m ready. Anytime you want to get this relationship back on the right level and on the right footing, I am ready.” A Christian is never condescending in light of insults but only compassionate, because a Christian sees that we both are utterly desperate for the Cross of Christ which means I am not better than you. 

You see, if you’re not grounded in Christ alone, you have to base your self-image on the idea that you’re different than “those people” or that you are better than the next guy. This is how the Pharisees lived. Without Jesus as your power, you can’t possibly say, “I am just like that person. I have the same ability to do what they do.” You can’t. Outside of Christ, you couldn’t admit it; it would utterly destroy your identity in self-righteousness. But a Christian’s self-image is based on the free grace of God and not his works. Therefore, we are able to look at even the worst people and have compassion on them and know, “You’re my neighbor and I realize it could be me right where you are if not for God’s grace at work in me”. We must engage the world God has us in with the love, grace, and new life we have found in Christ. Are you engaging the community around you—praying for it? Are you loving and serving the lost with your time and gifts?

I want to give you four ways that you can continually be loving and serving others in your community. 

First, here is the goal: Meet people’s needs in order to build authentic relationships, so we can share the gospel in word and deed.

1. Share your testimony: Take time to share your testimony and the good news of Jesus Christ with those God supernaturally puts in your path each day. 

2. Build relationships: Intentionally cultivate relationships with the non-believing people God has supernaturally put in your life that you interact with regularly—family, neighbors, friends, co-workers.

3. Look for practical ways to serve others: Use your God-given talents and resources to serve and love others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Volunteering to coach or tutor or just serve in secular organizations that give you the opportunity to share the gospel with the lost. 

4. Get involved in community projects: Participate in special projects or fundraisers aimed at loving others with gospel intentionality. 

May we be known for our compassion as well as our cling to truth. May we be active in giving our lives away for the good of those damned to hell and desperate for Christ alone. May our God be worshipped as a result of our sacrificial service. 

By His grace and for His glory, 

Joshua Kirstine
Pastor | Disciples Church

Bakersfield CA
DisciplesChurch.com

Serving in the Church 3.8.25

1- What is service?

Service is using your God-given gifts to sacrificially minister to and love others. As a Christian, your service is your ministry! The Greek word for ministry means to attend upon someone. 

John 13:34 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Service is sacrificial love. Selfishness causes me to only do what is good for me, and selfish love causes me to only help people when, in the end, it is good for me. Selfless or sacrificial love causes me to love others at a cost to me for their benefit. 

John 15:13  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Because we are naturally sinful and selfish, we are only able to love because of God at work in us!

1 John 4:7 (NIV) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God …

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

So, the question is: are we sharing the love God has shown us? This is the life other Christians played out in love for those outside the church and those inside the church. Over the next two weeks, we will look at what God’s love through us means for those both inside and outside the church. This week, we will focus on those inside the church. 

2- Serve those inside the church

What we first must understand is that ministry (serving others in God’s love) is not a rare vocation or a privileged office; therefore, it includes salesmen, pastors, health care workers, moms, managers, educators, cleaners, you name it. In ministry, we employ the “charismas” or “spiritual gifts” given to all Christians. They are given by God to His body to build up the church and promote unity, even though we are a diverse community. 

Ministry is about serving. The Greek word means to attend upon someone. The New Testament words for ministry are words of action and service.

Every Christian is called to serve! One of the major misunderstandings of our current generation is the phrase, “I have been called.” Too often I hear someone say, “I feel like I have been called to go into ministry!” Now what that person means is that vocationally,

God is placing it on his heart that he is to do ministry full time (for his vocation or job). But he was already called into ministry. Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to ministry! 

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ …

We are to use our gifts to serve one another. What I want you to see is that serving one another always costs you something. 

It costs you time, energy, privacy, comfort, money, and more. So, the clear question is: how are you doing this? What are you giving up to love and serve your brothers and sisters in the church? Each of us should have something we do to contribute.

In a country club, you pay dues so that you can access the facilities and enjoy the entertainment options provided there. This is much of what the modern church has become—a place of many options and services for people to come and utilize and enjoy and attend. To provide this kind of experience, the church has hired many professional staff members who provide the country clubs and the many services for the members to enjoy. But this is not the CHURCH. The church is a group of people saved by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus for the purposes and glory of God. The church is not a country club but is more like a team—not one that you come watch, but that you play on. The Bible says every one of God’s redeemed children have been entrusted with a gift. “Each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace,” We are to use the resources and abilities we have been entrusted to serve one another—to play our part on the team and to be a part of the mission God has called us to. 

When you decide you are too tired, too busy, too selfish, too lazy to be on the field playing with the team and instead decide to just go into the stands and watch, you need to realize you are not acting like a member of the church. Instead, you are acting like the heathens who are watching the church–those who are desperate for Jesus to change their hearts and privilege them with His effective call to save them and call them into the game. 

3- The church is one another!

Listen to Romans 12:3-6:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them …

Paul says, “Let us use them!” Are you using the gifts, the time, the abilities, the resources God has entrusted to you to steward for His purposes and His glory?

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

We must understand that God has removed our shackles from sin so that we are not bound to eternal death. Not so we can just run in freedom to whatever we want, but to embrace another life of slavery—a sweet and privileged slavery: slavery to righteousness. 

Romans 6:19 … For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Jesus says it again and again and again and again. All of this teaches that we are saved from hell, but not form the cross. We are to take up our cross and love, and serve, and give our lives away!

4- Every Christian is needed for ministry

1 Corinthians 12:4-7  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

There are different kinds of gifts and different kinds of service. We live in a consumer culture where the purpose of life is to get your needs met at a cost that is beneficial to you. It’s what makes everything go. Service is putting the needs of others ahead of your own and putting the needs of the community ahead of the individual. On any given Sunday, one of the most important reasons your attendance is so vital is not just for what you will get out of it, but instead what you bring to your church in your presence and your service.

1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 27  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body … Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

You must ask yourself if you are doing your part. Are you committed to not just consuming, but sharing what God has entrusted you with others—serving one another? 

I will leave you with a beautiful picture of this from the New Testament church:

Acts 2:44-47 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people …

May this be a picture of us as we contribute to the family God has adopted us into. May it be our joy to play our part until He takes us home and selfishness and laziness reigns in us no more!

By His grace and for His glory, 

Joshua Kirstine
Pastor | Disciples Church

Bakersfield CA
DisciplesChurch.com

The Spiritual Discipline of Evangelism  3.1.25

What is Evangelism?

2 Corinthians 4:1–2 (NIV) Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 

The ministry Paul speaks of here is the proclamation and testimony of the gospel. The word gospel comes from the Greek term “evangelion.” An “evangel” was news of a great historical event such as an important victory in war or the rise of a new king. It wasn’t just news you heard about and then forgot, but instead, it was news that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response after hearing it. 

So, the Christian gospel, also known as “the good news,” is the news of what God has done to reconcile us to Him.It is the good news proclaiming how Jesus lived the life we should live and paid the penalty we owe for the rebellious life we do live (Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:21). 

So, evangelism is the sharing or proclaiming of this “evangel”—this “good news.”

Evangelism is the proclamation and testimony of the gospel. 

The gospel we proclaim is from the word of God. This is an important clarity because, all too often, man has decided he can present a better gospel in order to attract people to Christianity. The problem with this is, in the end, they are not attracting people to Christianity but something else altogether. 

This is a perfect example of deception. I often hear sales pitches for heaven such as, “You don’t want to go to hell, right? To go to heaven, you must believe in Jesus.” Although it is true that if you truly repent and believe in Jesus you will be in heaven after you die, the good news being sold is, “Believe so you can have heaven,” instead of the truly good news which is, “Believe so you can have God!” 

2 Corinthians 4:3 & 5 (NIV) and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing … For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

The people of God practicing the discipline of evangelism is the vehicle by which God opens the eyes of the blind to see the truth and beauty and worth of Christ. 

Hear me clearly today: When we begin to truly understand the gospel and God’s intention for evangelism, it will feel less and less like a duty and more and more like an unbridled passion. 

It will become in us an excitement—like Andrew had when he came to faith.

John 1:40-42 (NLT) Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus …

Andrew didn’t just start thinking about how great his life was now that he was saved from sin and death. He didn’t keep Jesus to himself. He didn’t make excuses why he wasn’t equipped to tell others about Jesus.He immediately went and began to bring others to meet Jesus. 

Today’s discipline is a vital one! Evangelism is one of the main reasons why you and I are still here on earth and not called by God to heaven. He has ordained interactions in front of each of us that will mean the seed planting of faith, or the harvesting of new faith, in Christ. 

Why Should We Practice Evangelism?

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

Why should we practice evangelism?

1. Because darkness has mankind consumed unto death. 

Billions of people on this earth are desperate for the light of the gospel, and it is God’s design that those who are saved bring it to them.

Do you realize if we find the answer to life in Jesus and we come up with excuses as to why we don’t practice evangelism, we are essentially telling the rest of the world to go to hell?

We need to practice evangelism because of sin—because of death. There is no answer for sin or death other than Jesus Christ. 

And the church—the saved, the redeemed (you and I)—are the means by which God intends for a dead and dark world to hear the good news of Jesus which brings life! 

Why should we practice evangelism?

2. Because Jesus said to.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Let me ask you today: How have you been “going” lately? 

The Ultimate Goal of Evangelism

Look at the last verse of our 2 Corinthians passage. 

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 

What is the treasure of which Paul is speaking? In verse 4, this light is called the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

“… We have this treasure [this light of the gospel] in jars of clay …” 

“Jars of clay” is a reference to us. We are the jars of clay. That is to say that compared to the treasure that is in us, we are clay. 

We are not gold; the gospel is gold. We are not silver; the news about Christ is silver. We are not bronze; the power of Christ is bronze.

This means that if you feel average or below average in your fitness to share the gospel treasure, you are closer to the truth than someone who feels powerful, wise, and self-sufficient. 

Paul wants us to realize that we are clay pots—not gold or silver or crystal. He wants us to realize that from the most sophisticated to the most average, we are all clay pots when it comes to containing and sharing the gospel. 

The treasure is so valuable and so powerful that any thought of its container being something special is foolish.

Paul modeled this for us when he talked about himself and Apollos, the two most eloquent Christians in the first century!

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 

This passage is a great reminder to take the pressure of conversion off of yourself. It is not your job to get those in your life or path saved! God does the saving. 

So, what’s the point of being a clay pot? To answer this, we go back to:

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 

God’s aim is that His own power through the gospel be honored, not us. 

This means that if you feel average, or less than average, in your sense of fitness to tell the gospel, you are the person God is looking for—a clay pot who simply shares the treasure of the gospel—not the glitzy intellect, not the glitzy eloquence, not the glitzy beauty or strength or cultural cleverness. 

Then God will do His work through the gospel, and the surpassing power will belong to Him and not to us.

Be encouraged, ordinary Christian. You are appointed, precisely in your ordinariness, for the greatest work in the world—showing the treasure of Christ to a lost and dead world. 

By His grace and for His glory, 

Joshua Kirstine
Pastor | Disciples Church

Bakersfield CA
DisciplesChurch.com

Proverbs 2   2.22.25

The counsel given in the second chapter of Proverbs begins with the word “if”—if you do the following. So, before we can have or experience the following, we must first understand and apply the former. 

So what is it that we are to do?

1. Receive His words: It is one thing to have the wise counsel, and it is another to receive it, to take it in, to do it—to not be hearers only, but doers of the word (James 1:22).

2. Treasure up His commands: Do you highly value the commands of God? Are they more important to you than other things? The Psalmist says it well saying this of the Law of the Lord: “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). This is a view that says God’s word is more valuable than the most valuable things of our day. 

3. Make attentive you ear to wisdom: Are you making time to hear wise teaching? “Making attentive” is an action you must do. It is not something that just happens. Are you making time to listen to good preaching and hear the word of God? 

4. Incline your heart to understanding: Similar to the last, the action of inclining your heart to understanding is one you must do. You must lean your heart in—not just to hearing the truths of God and of the wise counsel of godly men but to understanding it.

5. Call out for insight: Do you ask for counsel? Do you invite others who are more mature in faith to speak into your life? This is a humble and needed practice for the follower of Christ. 

“If” you do these things; if you practice these things; if you value these things. Verse five brings the application by saying “then.” 

1. “Then you will understand the fear of the Lord”: The prize for these disciplines is a “right understanding of the fear of the Lord.” Why is this such a great prize? The answer is much bigger than we might first think. A right understanding of the fear of the Lord is essential for right living. A lack of understanding of the fear the Lord is to live arrogantly or pridefully. It means we struggle in sin by having too high a view of our ourselves and too low a view of God. We are desperate for a right and reverent view of God. If you think about the areas of life where you struggle in sin, it is likely linked to a lack of reverent fear of the Lord. 

We live and operate all too often with a flippant view of God as we do what we please. This is a reason a true understanding of the fear of the Lord is good and helpful for life and faith. 

2. Then you “will find the knowledge of God”: The second thing we are awarded is a finding of the knowledge of God. There is no greater knowledge. There is no higher insight that blesses the life of the believer than a true knowledge of God. See that the road to the knowledge of God is a study of, a valuing of, and a meditating on the truths of God and the counsel of the godly. 

In verses 6-8, we read that those who walk in His truths are not only given knowledge and understanding, but we are guarded and watched over. This is truly good news and a beautiful picture of the hand of God upon us. 

In verse 9, we are given the third “then”:

3. “Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path”: Insight into these things of God is a wonderful blessing. To know—even better—to understand righteousness, justice, and equity is to know the “right path,” the right way. This is good news. To know the right way is to have the light. 

Do you undervalue knowing the right way? Do you practice and invest in the things of God so you can grow in your understanding of God and the ways of God? Brother/Sister, this should be something we truly desire and chase after. 

Verses 10-22 go on to flesh out the life-change this brings to us. We will no longer walk in our evil or misguided ways, but we will walk upright, and we will honor God. We will turn from our former ways and inhabit the land of our God and remain in it. 

The entirety of Proverbs chapter 2 is making a much-needed point of clarity and emphasis that we need to practice learning, listening, seeking, adhering to, and acting on the commands of God and the counsel of the godly. This will lead us down the road of ongoing growth and maturity, as we move from sinful, selfish ways to the right fear of God and the knowledge of His ways and truths. 

Don’t let the simplicity of this counsel pass you by today. Be introspective about how you are doing about making these things a regular, normal part of life. 

Consider the following:

1. Are you studying the word of God, daily?
2. Are you weekly sitting under sound, biblical preaching?
3. Are you regularly reading solid books and listening to sermon audio to help you grow in your knowledge of God and His word?
4. Are you inviting mature, godly believers whom you trust to speak openly and regularly into your life and to give you good counsel as you go about life?

These simple practices can often be overlooked but are essential for maturing in the faith and living in the fullness of the things promised here in Proverbs 2. May this wisdom become practical and useful for us this week and beyond, as we continue in the Lord. 

By His grace and for His glory, 

Joshua Kirstine
Pastor | Disciples Church

Bakersfield CA
DisciplesChurch.com

The Spiritual Discipline of Corporate Worship (2-15-25)

The gathering of the saints for corporate worship is one of the most precious practices of our faith. The visual and audible reminder that we are adopted into a big family of God is a treasured and needed thing as we struggle through this life. There are so many blessings we receive from fellowship, worship, communion, sitting under our pastor’s teaching, and praying for one another. Corporate worship points to the glory of our eternity with God. We get a picture of this in Revelation 4 and 5. Take a moment and turn there and read about the throne room of God and the choir of His redeemed exalting His holy name. 

The Scriptures speak often about the value and importance of corporate worship. Today, I want us to read through some of these passages and look at how they apply to the importance of our corporate worship. 

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

All throughout God’s word we see testimony of the gathering of the saints to celebrate and honor the King. One of the most famous places is the collection of songs/poems called the Psalms. In chapter 150, we see this great crescendo of celebration for God. 

Psalm 150 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

So one of the things we are to do is to gather and sing—to celebrate and play instruments and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. We are to lift our voices in unison and praise Him for all that He is and all that He has done. Let’s look at another passage about gathering corporately to study, praise, and pray. 

Hebrews 10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

For many, it is all too tempting to satisfy the flesh and sleep in on Sundays because we are overworked, or because we stayed up too late on Saturday night. Or maybe we have a greater desire to stay home and watch the race or to make plans to be out of town too regularly. I encourage you to be attentive to the need to get away with your family on occasion, but I want to highlight this passage that calls for us not to neglect our meeting together. It needs to be a priority. 

Corporate worship should be the peak of our week as blood bought believers in Jesus Christ. Everything builds towards and flows out of Sunday worship at your local church. 

For too many, corporate Sunday worship is what you do when you have nothing else to do: when you don’t have to work, when you aren’t going out of town, when you don’t have a lot of household chores. The problem with this is what it says about your worship!  What is most important to you? God has designed into the life of His people a local church, local church shepherds to lead and feed that local church, and a unity of people by which we are not meant to do life without. 

I pray that instead of Sunday worship being the thing that you do when there is nothing else that it becomes the priority of your week. I pray that we teach our kids that Christians build their week in anticipation of the gathering of the saints to share testimony, sit under their shepherds’ teaching, and to rejoice together for all that God is and is doing in them. The true members of a local church are not haphazard participants; they are faithful, committed, plugged in, and excited to regularly meet and grow together.  

Let’s look at another scripture regarding corporate worship:

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

In Acts chapter 2, we see another aspect for why we are to value or devote ourselves to regularly meeting corporately, and that is “to devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching.” Here we see the local church thriving and growing in their early days. What was one of the big parts of their coming together? To sit under their shepherds’ teaching of the word. Sunday worship is the main vehicle in the modern church for our pastors to teach us. In John 21, Jesus commands Peter to “Feed my sheep.” At least 16 hours a week is invested into my Sunday sermon preparation. This is no small investment by the church to value what God’s word values, which is that God’s people are being rightly taught the word of God. 

What this means is that you need to highly value this instruction. As a committed member of your home church, you should never miss a sermon that is taught. Now, I don’t mean that there are not some Sundays you will miss due to sickness or a needed family vacation, but with modern technology and online sermon podcast, you don’t have to miss a sermon, ever. At any point later that day, week, or month, you can listen to it from just about anywhere in the world. 

Before we move on, don’t miss what else this verse in Acts 2:42 highlights: a devotion to fellowship, communion, and prayer. Read it with me again: 

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Communion is the corporate testimony of the saved, pronouncing what Christ has done on the cross and that He will return again one day. I don’t know about you, but I love to see all my brothers and sisters visually feasting together—testifying about what God has done for them, testifying that they are His and that He is coming back for them. 

Oh, how we need to fellowship, and we need to enjoy our time together. I want to ask you to make it a habit of showing up early and leaving late for Sunday church. Take time to get to know each other and visit and pray for each other. Make the most of this special, weekly corporate worship time. 

One of the things you must consider is not just whether or not “you” need to go to church that day but the fact that you play an important role in your home church family, and your absence impacts others more than you know, even if you don’t have an on stage or central role you play on Sunday. Just your presence, your words of affirmation and encouragement, your hugs and presence are a God-ordained part of your home church family. Don’t undervalue what you bring to others.

Practical Things to consider for Corporate Worship

– Make it a priority every week to attend. 

– Bring your Bible and take notes for further study.

– Be on time, come early.

– Never stop inviting, or even better, bringing those who don’t yet know Jesus as Lord and/or those needing a good church to be a part of.

– Get to bed early on Saturday night so you are rested and ready to worship Sunday morning. 

– Start looking for ways to help make Sunday worship happen (volunteer in kids, tech, security, hosting, set up, etc.).

One of the critical aspects of our corporate worship is our financial giving. This should be looked at as financial worship. This is the giving of our first financial fruits. Everything your local church needs financially to run is within the resources that God has entrusted to its local members. The question is, are the people of that flock all being faithful with the first fruits of what God has entrusted to them? More specifically, are you joyfully, regularly, generously, and faithfully making it a priority to give what is God’s to the work of God by worshiping Him in the giving of your first fruits of your income to your local church? God gives us direction for how He wants this done. It is not simply a pragmatic issue; it is a spiritual issue. 

We are to give joyfully:   

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

We are to give regularly: 

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NLT) Now about the money being collected for the Christians in Jerusalem: You should follow the same procedures I gave to the churches in Galatia. On every Lord’s Day, each of you should put aside some amount of money in relation to what you have earned and save it for this offering. 

We are to give generously: 

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 (NLT) Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 

If you have not been obedient to Scripture and faithful in practicing financial worship, I plead with you to begin today. Prayerfully commit to God what you will give, and then set your lifestyle with what is left—not the other way around. 

Each of us has a part to play in our local church body. Are you playing your part? Are you obedient to God in this area of your life? Is corporate worship a priority in your week? I pray it is like never before. May you not only be blessed, but may you be a blessing. 

By His grace and for His glory, 

Joshua Kirstine
Pastor | Disciples Church

Bakersfield CA
DisciplesChurch.com