Deuteronomy 26:1-11
John 4:7-24
Let's look up to the Lord in prayer.
It's good that we should understand our terms. I suppose that one who would seek to find an adequate definition of what worship is, or the explanation of it, finds that there are as many different ideas as there are books. So, I've chosen two that I felt were especially meaningful. One says that worship is the highest response of the believer's heart to the knowledge of God!. Another says that worship is the overflow of the heart by the Holy Spirit in praise for who God is and thanksgiving for what He has done. I like the second there because it brings out both the Person and the work of the Lord Jesus.
The Greek word that we're considering, the word for 'worship', really means 'to kiss toward'. In other words, it's an expression to mean 'turning toward and paying homage to one who is worthy'. It's a very strong sense of giving - giving or acknowledging worship, occupation with the worth of the one being worshipped.
That and what we have read in John 4 - where the Father seeks true worshippers to worship Him - combine to show us the difference between worship as that which goes out from the heart up to God, and ministry which comes down from God to His people. So both have their place. Both are very precious and necessary in the assembly of God's people. They're just different. Let's remember that in worship, it's the expression of our heart going up in thanksgiving to God; in ministry it is the Lord's word or whatever it is that comes down from Him as blessings and then flows out to saints. Those who serve are channels through which God's blessings flow. It isn't the servants, it's the source of the blessing - God is the source, the servant is the channel. So worship then goes up, and ministry comes down.
By the way most of the things that we do when we assemble together as Christians are for what we get. We get teaching, knowledge, fellowship, we're edified, we praise so that we'll get answers to prayer. So it's very refreshing then to have one particular time of the week that is set aside for giving. And worship has a very strong sense of giving.
The word 'worship' is found 115 time in the Old Testament; 77 times in the New Testament. The first time it's mentioned is in Genesis 22 - the story of Abraham offering up his son Isaac; and the last mention in Revelation 22. So you can see that this is a theme that stretches from one end of God's word to the other. It is interesting that the most frequent occurrence of the word 'worship' is in the book of Revelation. And if we really understand that book, as the heading of and the consummation of all the threads that run along through scripture, we'll see what it's all about - began way back before the world was even created. And that is the quest for who is going to be worshipped - who is to be worthy to be worshipped.
Finally, I might call to your attention three chapters in scripture that have the word 'worship' most. You may want to study them later. Daniel 3, John 4, and Revelation 13. Now I think it's very interesting these three chapters have the largest number of occurrences of this word. Daniel 3 is about the setting up of the image and the command that the 3 children of Israel worship the image. Nebuchadnezzar, the one responsible for setting up the image, is a picture or type of Antichrist. In John 4 we have the Lord Jesus speaking about true worship and true worshippers. Rev. 13 is the great passage on the Antichrist himself. So here we have three great scripture passages with the most occurrences of 'worship'. One, the Old Testament Antichrist; two, the New Testament Antichrist; and sandwiched between these two is the Lord Jesus Himself speaking about true worship and true worshippers.
Many Christians and churches do not seem clear on what constitutes worship - what it really is. This is apparent from the many things that they call worship. You probably have had the opportunity to sit in services in certain places where we're told at the top of the bulletin that it's the morning worship service and then they proceed to go through all sorts of things where they get sermons and pastoral prayer and offerings and collections and announcements and so forth. And one wonders in vain when are we going to come to a time of worship. And lo and behold the man who is officiating closes in prayer; and all go home and say, "That's a lovely worship service this morning."
Well, we're not here to criticize the way others do, but we do feel that education is important - we need to look into the word of God and see what worship really is. Our responsibility is to give teaching from the word of God. We're not here to buttonhole anyone or pressure or force them to conform in anyway. Once the teaching is given, it's between the person and the Lord. We feel very strongly that the assembly should be a place where each one can grow at his or her own speed, looking into the word of God and led by the Spirit of God. Of course, it goes without saying that there are many reasons why people here and in other places do not or may not observe certain principles. E.g. baptism - some have not been baptized who claim to be born-again Christians. There are many reasons for this. Possibly one is they're still searching the scriptures and in prayer as to a better understanding. Possibly there may be ignorance. The subject was not covered properly or someone not present. You know, in some groups there is ignorance in some things. I personally believe that worship is a subject of great ignorance in many groups. Perhaps this might be because of disobedience. And that's something between oneself and the Lord - to see what the motive is for not obeying what is written and taught in the scripture. Our responsibility here is simply to give teaching to the word of God; and from that point on it's between the believer and the Lord. Now of course we have elders and their responsibilities are to maintain order etc. so we can't carry that too far. But as much as possible we want everyone to feel free and to grow at their own speed as the Lord would lead. We want to make sure that no one would be ignorant. We want to give teachings that's firmly based on the word of God.
As we've read in John 4, God the Father is a proper object of worship. "They that worship the Father ..." said the Lord Jesus "must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
The Lord Jesus is also to be worshipped. In Heb. l when He brings the First-born into the world - speaking of the Lord Jesus - He commands that all the angels worship Him. You see many people in the New Testament who worship the Lord Jesus while He was here on earth.
As far as the Holy Spirit goes, we do not read in the scripture any place where the Spirit of God was worshipped. Nor do we read any command that we ought to worship the Holy Spirit. I think - because Scripture tells us - knowing the Holy Spirit's ministry is to draw attention to the Lord Jesus, it's better then to confine our worship to the Father and the Son. And to understand that the Holy Spirit's place is to provide us the power for worship.
Incidentally, PERSONALLY, that is one reason why I would never be satisfied to be known as a charismatic. Now I think I believe just as firmly in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as the next person. But to take upon myself the name that emphasizes and exalts the Holy Spirit, and His Person, His gifts - when the scripture expressly teaches that His ministry is to draw attention to the Lord Jesus, why, I think it's very unfortunate. I think if I can say that He will be grieved by that position. I do believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and I know most here certainly do - but as far as taking a name that would distinguish us as those who concentrate on that perhaps to the exclusion of much else we would not want to do that.
The power for worship is quite simply the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God working in the heart of the person, is able to work in his spirit and in his heart, and there comes forth from his heart in his life that fragrance - that adoration. Let's turn to Phil. 3:3, where Paul says, "for we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit (or by the spirit) and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh."
Notice very carefully that worshipping IN THE SPIRIT is placed over against having confidence in the flesh. And we need to be very careful and to understand that true worship is in spirit and in truth, i.e. it is based upon the truth as revealed in the word of God, and it is to go up from our hearts to God in the power of the Holy Spirit, i.e.. worship that starts or emanates from the flesh - be it emotions or whatever - is not acceptable, it's not true worship. And it certainly doesn't go up to the Lord. Emotions have their place and from time to time, the Holy Spirit may bring forth from our emotions expressions of joy or weeping or sorrow or whatever it may be suitable for the time. But if the source of our worship is our emotions or any other aspect of our flesh, we ought to understand that it is not Biblical worship.
In Col. 2:23 Paul mentions 'will-worship' i.e.. worship that proceeds from the will - another aspect of one's soul. And he speaks at the end of the verse " ... not in any honor ..." i.e.. these things don't contain real honor for either God or anyone else. They merely satisfy the flesh. So we will have to be very careful then.
Some people talk about worship, "Well, I don't get anything out of it." And we really need to understand that we're not coming here to receive. We're coming to give. And IF in order to receive some acceptable sort of experience or a sensation, we need to work our emotions into some kind of a fervor before we can have this religious experience, then I suggest that this is a real big way off from this sort of a worship. In fact, reading John 4, and meditating on that expression - 'those that worship the Father must worship in spirit and in truth', ...why "in truth"? Well, of course we need to depend on the word of God to tell us what is truth. And it occurred to me that many of the people in the New Testament who worshipped were worshipping in the sight of the Lord Jesus or seeing Him in a special way that corrected a mistake or an error that they had held. Now that's nothing satisfying about this to the flesh in being corrected or being found wrong. Remember Thomas' "Unless I have proof, I will not believe" and the Lord said, "Come here Thomas", and He gave him that demonstration that was so necessary -- and from Thomas' heart, not a long paragraph - just a simple phrase - "my Lord and my God". Remember Mary said, "They had taken his body, I don't know where they have put Him" and He said, "Mary" and she just used one word, "Master". And we remember John in Rev. 19 where he goes after the great things he's seen, falls down and worships the messenger and the messenger says, "No. See thou do it not. I'm just one of the servants of God. WORSHIP GOD." And so, we often in the New Testament then find that worship, far from being something satisfying to the flesh - being some sort of an emotional experience that makes one feel good - may be the need to acclaim God and see Him in a way that we have never seen Him before. And our simple acknowledgment that Christ is Lord may be coming from a heart that says, "In a certain area of my life I have not been granting Him Lord, and I've been wrong." Worship can come very well from that kind of spirit and that kind of heart.
The power for worship is the Spirit of God.
Upon what basis are we as human beings enabled to worship God in the first place? Let me suggest a few things.
First of all - the finished work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. If Christ was not risen, there would be no one that we could worship.
Secondly - the priesthood of the believer. We have access into His presence. We can bring our words of praise and worship to God because we have access. We are invited - "Draw near!", says the scripture.
But if you study the New Testament carefully, and look at all those places where worship is found, you will find - and I have found this - that the outstanding thing that seems to call forth worship from the heart of any person is a sight of the Lord. Now think of that. We come together on the Lord's Day morning, and different ones stand up and read different scriptures. And if we could interview them, they would say, "I'm trying to present Christ in order that His people may see Him, in order that we may worship." And that's of course exactly as it should be.
As the disciples saw the Lord, or the leper in Lk. 17, or the saints in heaven in Rev., etc. as they've never seen Him before, or as they really got a sight as to who He is, worship comes forth as a response from their hearts.
So, just a word of practical instruction then to all of us. We come together here on Sunday morning for a time of worship set aside in the local assembly. It's not a hymn-singing, it's not a time for sermons, it's not a time for someone's private devotionals to be shared with others, it's a time when we're able to worship. We're able to give to God that which is due to His great name. We're occupied with His worth. Now, from time to time, the saints are perhaps coming in out of the week of being busy and preoccupied with other things, and it's needful to have the Lord Jesus lifted and have the veil and dimness wiped away from our eyes, to put aside the world and all of its cares, and to see Him anew. And that can be very nicely done, as brothers read portions laid upon their hearts by the Holy Spirit, then in hymn and in prayer and many other expression, worship comes forth.
Certainly a wrong attitude is a hindrance. The attitude to get anything - we're not here really to get, we're here to give.
Another one would be unconfessed sin. And so Paul says, "Let a man examine himself and so let him eat."
Another one would be a critical spirit. Remember Judas - here Mary had just performed an act of beautiful worship, pouring out that incense on the Lord - and Judas with his narrow furrowed brows could only say, "Why this waste?" Well, we need to be careful not to be at the Lord's table with that attitude - "Why this waste?"
Another thing would be the unprepared heart. See Deut. 26. (below)
Another hindrance to worship can be ritual. We need to be very careful to remember that the Lord wants to hear from each of us individually as His children from our hearts. And He's not interested in having us mouth the empty words of some person who lived long ago whom we don't even know. He wants to hear our own words.
Another danger and hindrance to worship is the concept of clergy, which by now you all know is not found in the Bible. You don't need someone to organize your worship and present it on your behalf. You have the right and responsibility to go directly to God with your own words of worship however humble they may be.
So, as we continue in our fellowship and our life together in the assembly, let's try to make sure that we don't fall into hindrances that would quench the Spirit of God, and cancel any worship that might go up.
As you look as these passages, you might ask yourself what new concept or light or principles on the subject does each one of these contribute. We need all scripture together to get a whole picture.
In Gen. 22 there was certainly revelation - Abraham didn't think up this act; God revealed it to him, There was preparation. Abraham didn't go up to the mountain and then began to look around for wood and wonder what he would offer; there was a preparation of heart. And here was a sacrifice, or there's going to be a sacrifice of his son ... there finally was one in any case.
Exo. 25-30 - one of the most profound sections of the Old Testament scriptures, the tabernacle, the priesthood and the offerings. That great section gives us in type very much about the Lord Jesus.
Deut. 26 (see below)
The whole book of Psalms - that's a long passage, but how could we leave any part out? Read through Psalms and note specifically the sections that speak about worship.
Dan. 3 - that's not just a negative chapter, there's a lot of positive instruction there. For we notice some very interesting things about the holiness, the separation, the heart commitment of those three young men who would not engage in false worship - whose worship was only for God.
Deut. 26 - I would like to draw your attention to, even though in the Old Testament, a teaching for the nation of Israel, nevertheless a passage filled with principles for us in this age.
We read that
This instruction was given to the children of Israel BEFORE they set foot IN their inheritance. At this point they were still on the other side of Jordan. God, through Moses, was looking ahead to a day in which they would indeed receive their inheritance. They would inherit the land. They would have it. They would dwell in it. And he says, "When thou art come...", as if to say, "Not now." And we ask the question, "Why not now?" Well, if you go through the passage, you'll find that what was to be brought was the first- fruits of the new land. There couldn't be any sowing and reaping in the wilderness journey - if you did sow, nothing would grow, it was just desert sand; and if it did grow, you wouldn't be there to reap it because the cloud would move on and the tribe moved on. Nobody would be left to harvest it. Worship then, as far as offering the first fruits, was absolutely impossible for the people when they were in the wilderness.
I'm sure we can make an analogy there as believers how often we may come to the Lord's Supper and we come with a wilderness experience. We're wandering and we had not entered in and enjoyed the inheritance that God had given us. Oh yes the inheritance is ours, but we haven't entered. We haven't enjoyed it during the past week and therefore there's a sense in which as wilderness wanderers we had nothing in our baskets.
And it's the will of God that we cross the river, go into the rest of the new land, sow, plant, reap, and then have something to bring. Now you can picture the Israelite here as he puts his things in his basket, he would go round his farm, and he would choose the nicest, the first-fruits of the olives and the figs and the grapes etc. and he would bring them and set his basket before the Lord as an expression of his worship and his love for God. There could be no offering of first-fruits in the wilderness. None. And so the picture is certainly painted for us.
... and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.
The place of the name of God's choosing is absolutely essential. The Israelite couldn't say, "Now, look I live way up here near Galilee, why should I go way down to Jerusalem? Some people live in Jerusalem that would be all right for them. But I live way up here in the north part, why should I go way down there to Jerusalem just to put down my little basket? Why can't I save time and pick a spot up here, and I'll put it where I want to?" Well, maybe he would do so but he would just waste a basket of produce. That's all. It wouldn't be acceptable to God at all, because God had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem, and there's much rich teaching for us.
We do not go to a place - God has not put His name in a certain city or a building made with hands today. God has put His name, as far as Christian church goes, in people. And as we gather together in the assembly ... Paul brings it out in Cor. how that together we are God's holy temple, and it is growing. And so we get together then. I've heard Christians say things like, "Why should I go through the inconvenience to get all dressed up and drive the long distance to the assembly? I just go out and sit under a tree and worship the Lord there." Now, I don't want to imply that the only place where you can worship God is in the chapel in the assembly here. That's not true - worship should go up from our hearts very often. But certainly there is a place and there is a need to gather together as the people of God, and to give visible expression to that which we find here in the Old Testament and again was practiced in the New Testament.
"And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us."
And as the Israelite came, he was to profess or to confess something. He had it that he was to say something. And if you read through his profession, it really has four parts.
Deu 26:5 ... he was to look backward, and he says "A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:"
That shows us the past of the believer's life. We know that Egypt stands for the world. It's a picture of this world and Pharaoh is often in scripture a picture of the god of this world. And so the Israelite says, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt and he sojourned there." And we look back to the day in our life when we were in the world, and we sojourn there.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit a friend whom I had known for many years, but unfortunately he's an unbeliever. And he operates a sawmill up in the north part of the state, and I had to pick up a few boards that I had ordered a long time ago. And I went into see him. And there were 3 or 4 men - young men probably in their 30's or 40's - and they were completely drunk. I suppose that that was their way of celebrating the Easter weekend , and bad language, and coarse vulgar talk, and just nothing edifying or lovely at all. And I looked at them and thought, "Here's these young guys unable even to make sense in their words, staggering, falling, what a waste." And apparently, the oldest one was the father, and one was the son, and the father says, "You ought to be like me, son." And the son says, "I'd kill myself before I get to be like you." What a thing for a son to say to a father. I know that many of us did not come from that specific background, but as I stood, and watched them, and listened to them, I said, "My, what Egypt has to show !" Because that seems to be the worst manifestation - it's tragic what this world has to offer to human lives.
Deu 26:6 "And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:"
Remember when Jacob and his sons got down to Egypt, it seems like there's going to be plenty of grain and food and all the sustenance and it seems good at the first. But at the end, in v. 6, we read that the Egyptians "they had ill-treated us, and had afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage."
That's the bottom-line, isn't it? That's what the world has to offer at the last is hard bondage.
Deu 26:7 - "And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression.
We know that time in our life when that cry came forth from our own lips and whatever expression it took, God saved me, and whatever it was, just as it was back then, so it is today. God heard that cry and He looked on the affliction. You know, if they had said, "Lord we love it here in Egypt, but we'd also like it if you'd bring us to the promised land" - I wonder if He would have let them out. We never read that they loved it there in Egypt. They were suffering under the whips of the taskmaster etc. So when they cried, it was a cry from the heart.
And our cry to God for salvation ought to be a heart-felt one - one in sincerity and not one that's superficial.
Deu 26:8 - "And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:"
"My father went down but then later the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt - with a mighty hand, with outstretched arm, with all inspiring terror and with signs and with wonders."
This takes us back to our salvation when God delivered us from Egypt.
Now, as you go through the Old Testament, you'll notice from time to time the children of Israel cried, "Let us go back to Egypt; we miss Egypt." Haven't you ever felt that as a Christian? Remember the old days and the old life, the parties and the good times - "like to go back to Egypt for a while". And there is a pull there, and there is no question about that. But you never read the Lord say, "Okay, I'll open the sea again. Anybody want to go back - fine." He never did that. Once they went through the sea, God wasn't going to open it again. There was no way back into Egypt.
Deu 26:9 - "And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey."
"And He hath brought us into this place." God doesn't just deliver us from Egypt and then say, "Well now, wander around." God brought them out of Egypt that He might bring them into a favored land.
And God brought us out of the world that He might bring us into His body which is the church. And now we're in Christ - we're in a new place. Through Christ we have received the inheritance. And that constitutes the basis or the source of our worship. Just as the Israelite would go around the land, the farm, the plantation that he had, and pick those various fruits and grains and vegetables suitable to put into his basket and bring it and offer it to God, we as New Testament believers, are now occupied with our inheritance - not an earthly one, but a heavenly, spiritual one. We are in Christ, and we survey His Person and His work all week long so that we have that to offer Him when we come together.
Deu 26:10 "And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:"
(Deu 26:11 KJV) And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
Finally, "now, behold, ..." - this is the conclusion. This is what it all comes to ... "And now, behold, I have brought ..." "My father went down, the Lord brought us forth, the Lord brought us into, and now I have brought! - I have a part in this, I have a response to make, I have brought the first-fruits of the land which thou O Lord has given me."
Now that was to be his confession. That was to be his statement.
But you now when you come to the last phrase in v. 10 you don't read that God tells him what to say. He just says, "And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:"
And I can imagine that man who had made this confession and he sets that basket down on, and I wonder in the Old Testament what he said quietly in his heart - I wonder what he said. Well, some day perhaps we could ask them. The Lord may let us know. But I'm just convinced that there must be some among those people, those that grasped the things that were in their confession of faith, they must have grasped that God was at work here. God was painting a picture and they must have, in some way, the Spirit of God brought forth from their heart an expression of real worship to God.
Now, I think this is a very important picture for us as New Testament believers to meditate upon, because I think there's a temptation from time to time as we come together on Sunday morning to fall into a ritual, a routine. Well, you know we always start with a hymn, and usually it's hymn no. such-and-such (thankfully that's not here). And so as we come together then we need to remember that this is not some stereo-typed format we're going through. You'll never find our worship program printed in the bulletin - I hope you'll never do. This is the leading of the Spirit of God, and we're absolutely cast upon Him for what is going to be brought forth.
May I say that if there's no preparation of the heart during the week, how is there going to be anything in the basket on Sunday morning? And I'm sure it'll be very difficult to imagine an Israelite looking in the gutters along the wayside, as he went into Jerusalem thinking, "Well, I didn't get a chance to plant or harvest anything, I'll pick up something on the way." It wouldn't be very precious, would it?
Matt. 2 - the wise men bringing their gifts.
John 4 - the woman at the well.
John 12 - the pouring out of the ointment
The book of Hebrews, and here again I have to put in the old book, because so much of the book has to do with the great High Priest and our approach to Him.
Passages in the beginning and the end of the book of Revelation.
A Teaching Meeting Focuses on Truth Resulting in Learning.
A Fellowship Meeting Focuses on Other Believers Resulting in Joy and Edification.
A Breaking of Bread Meeting Focuses on Lord Jesus Resulting in Worship.
A Prayer Meeting Focuses on Needs Resulting in Answered Prayer.
Some have asked the question - why is it that there is no command in the New Testament that we must worship? Why are we not commanded to have a time to worship or are told what to say in our worship?
In thinking about that, and in thinking about the four things that are mentioned in Acts 2:42 - you'll recognize the left column - the local assembly feels it necessary to provide a meeting that is primarily orientated towards each of those four things.
So we have at this present hour - the teaching service. It's not a prayer meeting, it's not a worship meeting, it's not a breaking of bread meeting - it's a teaching time. We have fellowship times on Sunday nights, and I understand that there may be more to come in the mid-week. Breaking of bread is here every Sunday at 9:15 am - there's a time set aside for it. Then on Sunday nights, the elders have set aside a time primarily a prayer meeting.
Now in each one of these meetings or functions of the early church, and we trust of our church too, there is a primary focus. In the time of teaching, we are thinking about truth - we're focusing on the word of God. In the time of fellowship, we're thinking of one another and one another's needs. At the breaking of bread we focus on the Lord Jesus - as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death. He says, "This do in remembrance of me." In prayer, our needs - we're thinking about the things that we need, things that we would like to see God come in and answer and work.
So the far right had column gives us the results that we expect to see. We know that if we're faithful to focus on God's word, there'll eventually be learning. If we're faithful in our fellowship, there will be joy and edification. And if we focus on the Lord Jesus, worship will come forth. Finally if we're faithful to pray, answered prayer will result.
Let me tell you why I put this down in that form. I want to call attention to the fact that the things under 'result' are results. And as far as I can tell in scripture, God does not command us to have results. He tells us what we ought to do, and He knows that if we're faithful in that, results will follow. I don't know anywhere in scripture where we're commanded to have answered prayer. We are commanded to pray, and God knows that if we pray, we'll have answers. And so I think that it's out of place to suggest that worship is something that can be commanded. Certainly a time can be set aside - but as far as commanding worship from the heart of a believer, well I don't think so. I think that's a result that will follow as we focus on the Lord Jesus.
Finally, notice the second one - the two primary results of real Christian fellowship are joy and edification. Sometimes we wonder why we don't have the joy of the Lord that we wish we did. We might think more seriously about that. The local church needs to provide real fellowship - a time and an environment for real fellowship among believers. Now we certainly need to give special attention to this in our own lists - we must make time for fellowship with other Christians. And also edification - there we go back to Eph. 4 - and remember that as the body is ministering to itself, there comes forth growth in love, and that's what edification is.
So in closing I would suggest that the assembly is a place where time is set aside - we don't do as in the early church where we try to have all these four things in one meeting. Rather we have 3 or 4 different meetings. I think that's quite all right. But the spirit and the principle is still there - we need to set aside time and make time in order to do these things. And if we do, we're going to find, among other things, worship is going to be the result coming out from our hearts to the Lord.