WORSHIP
I am sometimes ridiculed for insisting that assembly worship follow the example of the early church. But I make no apology – Jesus Himself says our worship “must be in spirit and in truth.” While I know there is some disagreement as to what that means, I hold to the traditional view that contextually the “in spirit” was directed towards the Jews who were generally lacking in that regard and the “in truth” was directed towards the Samaritans who were lacking in that area (See B. F. Westcott on John in Cook’s Commentary for more complete explanation). In view of this, what better means to discover the method of worshiping in truth is there than duplicating the worship that was introduced and taught by the apostles. Doing so I conclude that there were five elements involved: prayers, reading and exhortation, singing praise, communion and giving. Shortly after the death of the last apostles, around AD 150, Justin Martyr wrote in defense of the faith a description of early assembly worship. I believe it is significant to note that these same five elements are mentioned; whereas there is no mention of the exercise of any spiritual gifts, which had evidently faded from use by then. It is also significant that he points out that these things were those that Jesus taught his apostles to be passed on to the church. Here is what Justin wrote:
• Justin Martyr: “On the day called Sunday, all gather together and the memoirs of the apostles or the prophets are read, then the one presiding instructs and exhorts. Then we all pray. When our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the one presiding offers prayers and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. They who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected helps all who are in need. Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. Having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you.”
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Ed Boggess
Reply
Shirley are discussing. 
Shirley 8:56 am on May 12, 2012 Permalink |
Sunday is NOT the day Yeshua rose on. I just get so …frustrated.. when I see all these churches going along with the day Constantine changed from the true Sabbath to sunday worship. He rose right before the Sabbath ended (Right before the dawning of the next day sunday)..good friday means nothing because according to the Bible Yeshua himself said he would be in the ground 3 days and 3 nights. That means he had to be , and was, crucified on Wednesday (around 3 pm). Laid in the tomb Wednesday evening til Thursday evening, day one, Thursday evening to Friday evening, day two, Friday evening to Sabbath evening, day three. I find it so sad that so many preacher’s say read your Bibles but then change it around to try and make it say something altogether different! Even Billy Graham said he knew about the real Sabbath but he also said if he changed to the correct day he would lose his following. The almighty dollar reigns. How sad ..how very sad. I ..we, my husband and I have no church. We worship at our home with like minded folks that come and share the Gospel . Every church we have attended… all ..have doctrines included that the Bible does not teach. I pray YahuWaH will open the eyes of the ones that are teaching interpretations that do not follow the Bible. I can certainly understand how Yeshua felt that day in the Temple when He went after the money changer’s because of what they were doing. I also believe that if Isaiah 66:23 is that important to the Elohim than it certainly should be that important to us also. And yes,… I fully expect to be castigated by this,..but if even only one person will see the truth and understand, than I feel I will have pleased my Father. All praise to Elohim!!
Eugene Adkins 11:43 am on May 12, 2012 Permalink |
Hello Shirley,
Here are some scriptures that should clear up the confusion about what day Jesus rose on.
“…So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, TODAY is the THIRD DAY since these things happened.” (Luke 24:19-21)
Now, what “today” was the “third day” since those things that they were talking about happened??? Look at the beginning of the chapter and you’ll get your answer.
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning…” (Luke 24:1) The conversation on the road to Emmaus did not happen on Saturday – it happened on Sunday, the first day of the week, the third day since Jesus’ death and burial.
It doesn’t get any easier than that. Jesus rose on the first day of the week. Let God’s word give you the answer instead of relying on a “mathematical formula.” These verses are too simple and too plain to not understand unless someone is willingly misunderstanding them.
I wouldn’t call this a “castigation” but I would call it a “correction.” Thanks for visiting.
Shirley 12:52 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
> You might be interested in this site (http://www.biblestudymanuals.net/last_week_of_Jesus_life4.htm ). It explains it quite thoroughly. As to being “corrected” I beg to differ with you and or anyone else about this matter., I prefer to count days and nights the same as the Bible where it says a day is twelve hours and a night is twelve hours. And remember, most importantly, during that time the dawning of another day was at 6:30PM and sunset at 6:30 PM. Not AM time as we record it today. So, if Yeshua died at or around 3PM, counting 3 twenty four hour days brings us to late on the Sabbath. That is why when Mary went to the tomb He was already risen.
(In the New Testament, the expression “three days and three nights” The Greek words (Gr. τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, Gtr. treis hemeras kai treis nuktas) (Matthew 12:40) is in the accusative case, the accusative case denotes a complete period of time. It does not normally mean “a time during which”, that would be the genitive case, or “a point in that period of time”, that would have to be the dative case. The Greek is scriptural proof that Jesus was literally three days and three nights in the grave. So we can take this period of time to be at least 72 hours, counting 12 hours in each day (John 11:9), and 12 hours in each night. This is literally three periods of darkness, and three periods of light as we can see what God said in the beginning, “And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night.” (Genesis 1:5). This was not the time between his death and resurrection, but the time that he was “in the heart of the earth”, that is, the time between his burial in the tomb, and his resurrection.)
Have a Blessed Day!
Eugene Adkins 1:11 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
Hello again Shirley,
Jesus said he would rise again on the third day multiple times over. Luke 24 plainly teaches that the first day of the week was the third since Jesus’ trial, death and burial.
If you want to debate someone on what day Jesus died, then debate someone else – but there’s no debating what day Jesus rose on. Luke 24 is too plain. That’s why adventists don’t even try to argue that Jesus rose on the Sabbath because they know the scriptures plainly teach that Jesus arose on the first day like Luke 24 teaches.
If Jesus literally spent 72 hours in the grave then there’s no way that Jesus could have risen ON the the third day.
“and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.” (Matthew 20:19)
“and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” (Mark 10:34)
“They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” (Luke 18:33)
Even the angels at the tomb said, “‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” (Luke 24:47)
Do you understand? If Jesus literally stayed in the tomb for 72 hours then Jesus would have risen on the fourth day. 72 hours and one second would have meant the 4th day, but Jesus said, and everyone knew it including his enemies it, that he would arise on the third day.
Shirley 2:39 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
Lets not forget Matthew 12:40
Eugene Adkins 3:01 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
Who’s forgetting it? You must understand it in light of everything else that is said about Jesus’ resurrection.
I have just showed you with the scriptures why what you’re teaching and believing is wrong.
One: If Jesus was literally in the tomb for 72 hours then he could not have risen the third day like he said he was going to. Do the math…it’s impossible. Jesus did not say that he would rise the fourth day.
Two: Luke 24, plain as the third day he rose on, shows that he rose again on the first day of the week.
In light of your response I could easily say, lets not forget Luke 24:1, 19-21; Matthew 20:19; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:33.
Chose the whole of scripture or try to find a hole in scripture. It’s up to you.
God bless in your studies.
Shirley 3:45 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
I can’t help but chuckle a bit because I am not disagreeing with you at all. He did rise on the third day. Wednesday. He was put in tomb,,Wednesday to Thursday was the f
irst day and night, again Thursday to Friday, second day & night and that brings us to Friday into Saturday is the third day. If you add Sunday THAT makes it the fourth day. And thanks back at you. Good debate! Blessings…
Eugene Adkins 4:31 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink
I’ll reply one more time and leave it that.
Yes, Jesus rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4).
No, the third wasn’t the Sabbath. The third day was the first day of the week, and not the seventh.
““…So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, TODAY is the THIRD DAY since these things happened.” (Luke 24:19-21)
The third day that the disciples were talking about was the third day that began their day – the first day of the week (Luke 24:1).
Listen to what the scriptures plainly say about the day Jesus arose instead of trying to come up with something to make the scriptures say something that they don’t. If you must start with the day the scriptures give without a doubt and then move backwards instead of starting on a day you choose so you can end up on another day you choose.
This will be my last reply as I cannot, nor do the scriptures, put it plainer than what has been given. I will leave any other replies up to Ed. Take care, Shirley.