BBC Sermon Cast Brackenhurst Baptist Church

How the church behaves in corporate worship communicates something about the nature and character of God. This was Paul’s concern as he addresses the Corinthian church about their exercise of the gifts of tongues and prophesy. This is a major theme in this passage which we will study under two headings: (1) Mindful Worship (vv. 20–25) and (2) Meaningful Worship (vv. 26–33).

To call upon the Lord’s name is the essence of prayer. As we, in Christ, call upon his name, we stand upon the eternal majesty of his perfect person and work and by him alone are granted access to have communion and pray to our God. Yet for all that God has done in Christ, men are not prayerful.

It has been said of John 1:1 that it “deserves to be written in golden letters in every Christian church.” In our fallenness, we are prone to think of our sin as a small thing. When we see how John magnifies Christ in this short verse, we are reminded of its true cost. We consider four things:

1. Our sin must be big because Jesus is revealer
2. Our sin must be big because Jesus is eternal
3. Our sin must be big because Jesus is the Son
4. Our sin must be big because Jesus is God

Psalm 32 is a Psalm of David, which rejoices in the blessedness of those who have repented and embraced God’s forgiveness. As we study this Psalm together, we will consider the wonderful reality that joy comes to those who are forgiven (vv. 1–2), confessing (vv. 3–5), and prayerful (vv. 6–11).

Spiritual maturity requires biblical corporate worship, unlike the kind experienced by the church in Corinth. Lots of people wanted to speak, but what they had to say was, for the most part, unhelpful. In chapter 14, Paul aims to set the matter right and, in doing so, helps us to see the best way to use our tongues in corporate worship. We will look at this under three headings:

1. Corporate worship must be informed
2. Corporate worship must be intentional
3. Corporate worship must be intelligible

Paul unlocks the secret to being content, no matter his circumstances. Through our study, I trust we will be encouraged, as the church at Philippi was. As G. K. Chesterton once said this: “Christians ought not to be better than other people ought to be. But they ought to be better than other people are.” Why? Because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We consider three truths from Philippians 4:13:

1. Suffering Saints
2. Suffering Saviour
3. Suffering’s Secret