THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

There was no pomp and no procession filled with mournful criers lamenting the death of a loved one. The crowds had diminished and returned to their homes. Three men hung on wooden trees of death with soldiers milling below with no concern. All the acquaintances of Jesus, the women who followed Him from Galilee including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons (Luke 23:48,49; Matthew 27:55,56) looked on with dispassionate despair. The screams of the two thieves whose legs had been broken to hasten death still linger in the air. The man in the middle hangs limp in death with his side pierced; blood and water staining his body.

Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Consent was given and Joseph, joined by Nicodemus (John 3:1-15; 7:45-52) went to Golgotha to retrieve the body of Jesus. Removing the nails from the feet, the body of Jesus was let down to the ground to remove the nails from his hands. The face of kindness, compassion and love was now stilled in the gray shadow of death. The soldiers removed the cross and the body was taken up to be prepared for burial.

How does one feel the emotions of sadness to carry the body of Jesus to a place of preparation? His hands lie still that once gave sight to the blind. His voice is silent that once taught the beatitudes of grace. The smile of compassion is faded to a mask of death. Eyes that once gazed into the lives of men are closed in silent repose. The body of the Son of God is bloody, dirty, filthy and bruised with the lashes of a terrible scourging and crucifixion.

The men lay Jesus down to wash his body. Are tears mixed with the careful love these men have to clean the body of Jesus? Do their voices tremble as they speak to one another in moving the body of Jesus? When they turn the body of Jesus over and see the ribbons of flesh remaining from the scourging, do their hearts break in despair? The washcloths are filled with blood. Their hands are stained with the stench and horror of death. Finally the body is cleaned.

A mixture of myrrh and aloes (about a hundred pounds – John 19:39) is used to cover the body of Jesus. The two men take the fine linen cloth and wrapping the body with the spices and cloth enclose his body (John 19:40). The scent of death is removed by the perfume of Jesus life filling the world by His sacrificial love. The preparation finished, the two men carrying the body to the tomb of Joseph. Entering they lay the body of Jesus in the new tomb. A handkerchief is placed around the head of Jesus. Leaving, Joseph rolls a stone against the entrance of the tomb. “Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid” (Luke 23:55).

The funeral is over. The friends pause for a moment to think of their Lord inside the tomb. They return home to prepare spices and perfumes for a proper burial later. They need not have bothered. When they return on the first day of the week, Jesus is risen - He lives - He reigns - He has conquered death. This lonely funeral brings hope to all men in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

True worship, extended in the proper manner and spirit, will edify us and intensify the hope of heaven. But when our worship is not taken seriously, our actions are impotent and our spirituality weakened.

Worshiping God is a serious matter which should not be taken lightly. When Christians assemble for worship, Jesus is with them in a special way. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst" (Matthew 18:20). Therefore, whatever is done at worship services is done openly before Him and whatever hinders His people from worshiping Him affects Him (remember the teaching of Matthew 25:31-46, i.e., what is done to his brothers is done to Him).

Historically, as a people, we have had behavior problems at services. There is noise before services and distractions during services (in and out of restrooms, note passing, talking, etc.).

What is at the heart of these problems? Is it a lack of love? For some it is especially young people. Some youngsters are only at services because their parents make them come. But for most this is not the reason. Is it a lack of desire? I do not think so. Most of those who are present desire to please God or they would not be there. The cause of these problems is a lack of appreciation for the sanctity of worship.

Too many people possess an attitude that is just too casual for proper worship. Some approach the worship services of the church with the same attitude they have in engaging in secular activities such as attending school, going to work or even going to the doctor. If problems with worship are going to be solved and people are ever going to worship properly, the attitudes with which they view worship must improve.

Misbehavior at services reveals a lack of respect for the speaker. The preacher or Bible class teacher deserves respect because of the word he is teaching. “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven’" (Hebrews 12:25-26). When people act improperly during preaching or in a Bible class, talking when the preacher or teacher is talking, interrupting in class, laughing and cutting up, etc., they have a disregard for both the messenger and the message. Too many, both young and old, view the speaker with the same attitude with which they view a secular teacher.

Misbehavior at services among the young shows a lack of respect for parents. Young people, your parents have often suffered to give you life, to care for you when you could not care for yourself, to clothe you, feed you, and stand by you. How do you think it makes them feel to learn you caused a disturbance during Bible classes or preaching? Consider Proverbs 15:5: "A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent."

Misbehavior at services shows a lack of respect for those sitting nearby. It is hard to teach and even harder to listen when there are distractions and disruptions all around you. All people, young and old, need to be considerate of those around them. Also, they need to remember their behavior impacts visitors. Visitors may be watching and judging the Lord's church by your actions. Just recently, I heard a visitor to our services comment to one of our members after services had ended that they had never seen so many people with weak bladders.

Misbehavior at services shows a lack of maturity. All young people are anxious to grow up and become adults. But when they, and those who are older, misbehave they are acting like children. Misbehavior at services demonstrates a lack of respect for God. It is one thing not to respect the preacher or teacher but it is another thing altogether to show disrespect to the all-mighty God of heaven. Ask yourself, are the things you do when misbehaving at services (talking, giggling, laughing, gazing about, punching each other, writing notes, playing with trading cards, interrupting, making rude remarks, etc.) worth losing your soul over? God takes it that seriously. We should have His same attitude.

Parents, begin training early. Do not just teach your children to be quiet. Teach them to reverence and respect God. Sit near the front where there are fewer distractions. Sit as a family. Do not let your children routinely go to the restroom. Do not let your children play. While toddlers may need something for entertainment, children of five or six years old and up can sit quietly and listen and participate. You will be amazed how soon they will learn the words of the songs and what they might glean from the lesson. Understand, it is not enough just to bring your children to services. They must be doing what is proper while they are here if they are to benefit from them and develop an interest in spiritual things.

Set a good example before your children. Show interest and attention. Do not sleep or engage in activities which are secular. Show the proper respect for the speaker or Bible class teacher. Speak highly of worship periods in front of your children. Pray for God's help.

Realize where you are and who is there. When you are assembled with His people, you are in the temple of the living God. “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Both the Father and the Son are present, so act accordingly. Follow the advice of 2 Corinthians 10:5 to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Worship is a blessed privilege that should be guarded with love, zeal and a realization of its worth and value. No one in his right mind should ever be guilty of misbehaving or acting inappropriately during worship services or Bible classes. All should act responsibly and properly before God.

Of the many problems that plague the church, a lack of reverence in worship is a particularly irritating one to those who desire to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). It is extremely offensive to them because there should be no reason for anyone, especially one who claims to be a child of God, to have an irreverent attitude when the saints assemble to worship God. Yet, no matter what congregation you assemble with, irreverent attitudes and actions are displayed over and over by a few. It should not be so! Just keeping a few facts in mind should help in the solution to this problem.

Reverence is honor or respect felt or shown. In worship that reverence is to be directed toward God. To Him belongs honor, because all honor and glory is due Him. “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). “So that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6).

Respect is due Him because of His love. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Respect is due Him because of His wrath. “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

Acting in an irreverent manner puts these people in the same dilemma in which Ananias and Sapphira found themselves (Acts 5:1–11). Even though they thought they were only lying to men, the apostle Peter told them that, in reality, they were lying to God. When people act up in or disrupt worship today, they are not just being disrespectful to those people around them, they are being disrespectful to God, an act just as evil as that of Ananias and Sapphira.

The reverence that is necessary for proper worship is not based on externals such as dimmed lights, etc. The proper reverent attitude that is to characterize every worshiper of God comes from within the individual. A person will only be reverent when he realizes the love of God is upon the obedient but that the wrath of God is upon the disobedient. While this attitude must come from the heart of each person, there are a few things that would aid worship and help develop the reverence needed. Here are a few suggestions to help us improve in our worship:

First, prepare your mind mentally for worship. Know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Read a passage from the Bible, look over some of the songs that are to be sung or pray a silent prayer for strength and focus.

Second, keep the use of the rest rooms by yourself and your children to a minimum prior to, but especially during, the worship period.

Third, be aware of toddlers to teens. They are never too young or too old to worship. Remember, attitudes learned while one is a youth are carried into adulthood.

Fourth, be as well rested as possible. You will then be physically and mentally alert.

Many other things could be suggested but if we use these guidelines and determine in our heart to offer worship that is well pleasing to God, it will reap great benefits for us in this life and the life to come. Let us all learn to truly serve our merciful Father in spirit and in truth.