Clearly Clary

Lakeside Church of Christ

Springfield, Illinois

Clearly Clary

    WHY DO I NEED TO ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES?

Q: Why do I need to attend church services when I can worship God at home?

            Many people in our society state that they believe in Jesus, but do not want to be a part of organized religion. They want a relationship with Christ but not with a church.

            It is clear that organized religion and the church are not necessarily the same. One can be a member of the church and only follow the Bible. There are no headquarters for the Lord’s church other than heaven. Each congregation is autonomous (self-governing) and so no organization is found beyond the local body.

            The Bible is filled with admonitions regarding attendance and faithfulness to God. The Hebrew writer tells the audience not to forsake the assembling together as is the custom or manner of some (Hebrews10:25). It is when Christians gather with each other that they jointly worship God and are edified or fed. This corporate action cannot be met by remaining at home or worshiping in a field, by a stream or on a mountain.

            The writer of Hebrews tells the audience that we need to encourage one another to love and good works. This is done by being positive and affirming the worth of each person. The Lakeside Church of Christ works very, very hard with regard to this teaching.

            When we attend services it tells others of our commitment to God. It tells others that we love them and look forward to being with them and give us an opportunity to encourage and be encouraged. Attending services is not a work, but a blessing. God is the spectator and each of us are participants. This is why all at Lakeside sing together, pray together, partake of the Lord’s Supper together, give together and listen to His word together.

In Christian love,

Bill Clary, Minister

Lakeside Church of Christ                                                     February 2010



YOU “U” ARE IMPORTANT!

            Have you ever considered the fact that God made you and that He does not make mistakes. We commit mistakes and sin, but we are not a mistake. If we approach life with regard to this attitude it will be much more meaningful for us.

            You are important to God and His church. Consider the value of one in the church of our Lord. The letter “U” will indicate the need for each person to be involved.

            “U” are needed in Bible st_dy to make it as helpful as possible. If each of us comes and contributes comments and insights we will all grow and benefit.

            “U” are needed in _nity as we should not have any division among us. If each of us strives for unity we will be pleasing to God and His word.

“U” are needed in d_ty as all of us are responsible to make the world a better place and live in such a way that God is glorified.

“U” are needed in b_ilding as we must encourage and lift each other up and not tear down the accomplishments of others. If each of us becomes an encourager we will see far more growth and good done.

            “U” are need in ch_rch and without “U” we cannot be complete. This is the loving message of the Lakeside church of Christ. Come and be a part of us. If we can answer any questions or assist you in any way, please call 217-585-1803 217-585-1803 or email us at lakesidechurch@att.net.

You are loved,

Bill Clary, Minister                                                                                                        February 2010

Why Don't You Have Music in Your Church?

It is a rather curious thing, is it not? The Churches of Christ sing acappella in their worship assemblies, that is, they sing without instrumental accompaniment. While this makes us appear rather odd or eccentric, it actually reflects the most ancient practice of Christians because the first Christians did not use instrumental music either.

In the first century musical instruments were inexpensive, portable, easy to play and widely used. They were used by the Levitical band during the offering of sacrifices to God at the temple in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 29:20-31) and during the time of Jesus. The pagan temples and banquet filled with the sounds of musical instruments. Both Jewish and pagan religious festivals celebrated with songs accompanied by harps, lyres, and other instruments. Instrumental music was a regular feature of Jewish and pagan worship assemblies.

But the worship assemblies of New Testament Christians did not use musical instruments, and the church continued that practice until the tenth century. For almost 1,000 years after the death of Christ, Christians worshipped God without instrumental music. Church music, was known as acappella music, that is, music according to the chapel or ecclesiastical music. This was music that only used the human voice in the praise of God.

Why did early Christians only sing when playing an instrument was part of their own religious heritage? Ephesians 5:18-20 helps us answer this question:

Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:18 reflects a Spirit-oriented understanding of worship by the imperative: be filled with the Spirit. We are to be filled with the Spirit as we speak to one anther, as we sing and make melody, as we give thanks, as we submit to each other. Our worship in song and thanksgiving is an expression of the fullness of God's Spirit within us. The Holy Spirit is the one by whom worship is offered to God by the people of God. Worship is spiritual, that is, worship is offered to God through his Spirit (Phillipians 3:3).

In contrast to whether one should worship on the Samaritan mountain or on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, Jesus announces that worship in the new age will not be associated with a place, but with a person. Worship will be according to the nature of God himself. Since God is Spirit, everyone who worships him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:20-24). This worship focuses on the personal relationship between God and his people which surpasses the temple. Jesus himself is the new temple (John 2:19-21).

Now the people of God will worship God through his Holy Spirit and through Jesus Christ (who is the truth, John 14:6). The worship of God will no longer focuses on sensual elements such as holy cities, sacrifice, incense, special priests and temples. Now the worship of God will arise from the fountain of living water that wells up inside the people God through the Holy Spirit (cf. John 4:13-14, 7:37-39) on the ground of Jesus Christ who is God's Truth (his glorification in John 7:39). We worship the personal God who is present to us through his Holy Spirit and in the truth of his Son's grace. The law (type) was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). We no longer worship by the typological shadows of the old covenant, but we worship in the reality of God's truth through his Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:19 also contains a phrase which may reflect a typological understanding of music. Paul links together two verbs, singing and making melody, found in the Psalms concerning temple worship. They allude to the Levitical choir and band (cf. Psalms 68:25). They sang and played on harps to the Lord (Psalms 33:3; 144:9; cf. Psalms 21:13, 27:6, 56:8, 104:33; 105:2; 108:1). Israel made melody to the Lord on harps in the temple (Psalms 33:2,3; 71:22; 98:5; 144:9; 147:7, 149:3). Paul's language stands in explicit contrast with the language of the Psalms. While the Psalms envision a temple service with a Levitical choir and band, Paul envisions singing which arises out of the playing of the heart rather than the harp. In contrast to playing the strings of a harp, we are to be filled with the Spirit by praising God with the strings of our hearts. Instead of sing and play an instrument to the Lord as it appears in the Psalms, Paul writes sing and play your heart to the Lord

Early Christians believed that the harps in the Psalms were typological of the heart in new covenant worship. While the temple worship played on the harp and used instrumental voices, Christians play the heart and use living voices. When we remember how integral the musical instruments were to temple worship, along with incense and animal sacrifices, it is most likely that Christians did not use instrumental music because of its association with the temple.

We no longer pray to a holy place like the temple (cf. 1 Kings 8:33, 35, 41, 48) because we worship God anywhere through the Spirit. We no longer offer animal sacrifices because Christ is our sacrifice. We no longer offer incense to aid our prayers because our prayers are our incense. We no longer play with the harp to aid our singing because our living voices are our praise to God. It may be that early Christians would no more return to instrumental music than they would return to animal sacrifices and the offering of incense.

In contrast to temple sanctuaries, Christian worship is rooted in the indwelling Spirit through who we have access to the Father by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:18-22). We are the temple of God. We are living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2). We offer the sacrifice of praise with our lips (Hebrews 13:15). Anything detracting from this central idea or diverts our attention violates the fundamental principal of Christian worship; we worship God by the Spirit of God who lives in our hearts. Our worship must arise out of our hearts and be offered with our lips as we offer God our bodies as a living sacrifice. Given this understanding of Christian worship and the typological character of temple music, instrumental music is fundamentally out of character with the nature of Christian worship, just like holy places (a temple), a priestly tribe, animal sacrifices, election by physical birth , and incense are out of place. Instrumental music has the kind of typological meaning that incense, holy places, and animal sacrifices have. Just as we no longer offer incense to help our prayers, and we no longer pray toward a special holy place (like Jerusalem), neither do we any longer worship with mechanical instruments.

                                                                                                                  June 2009


LEARN TO WAIT
LEARN TO WAIT

We will wait upon the Lord and do His will. Waiting for good things to happen is very, very difficult for everyone. We recently finished a time when all, especially children, had a very hard time waiting for the day to come to open presents.

The following is a great example of leaning to wait and how we should react. We can learn much from the animal world.

Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. Now that the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink.

Now this may be severe but when you are on the trackless desert of Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have a trained obedient horse. We must accept God's training and obey Him.

Consider these words found in Isaiah 40:31

But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint. (NKJV)

In the Old Testament we read of those who refused to wait upon God and the troubles they faced. We read of Saul disobeying God and his kingdom taken from him due to this, 1 Samuel 15 is the location of this incident.

We read of Sarah not waiting upon God to give her and Abraham a child and Hagar becomes the surrogate mother for her. This caused a division that still exists today between the offspring of Isaac and Ishmael. We can learn more about this by reading Genesis 16.

In the New Testament we read of those who have gone on before us saying, “How long?” when wondering about vindication from the evil ones. A good example of this is found in Revelation 6:10.

God will right all wrongs in His time and He will be fair and just in His treatment. We need to trust in Him and wait for God to act.

If we can assist you on your journey toward heaven, we would be happy to help. Please call us at 217-585-1803 or contact us via email at lakesidechurch@att.net

You are loved,

Bill Clary, Minister

June 2009

THREE TYPES OF FORGIVENESS EQUAL JOY

Forgiveness is a wonderful blessing. It has been defined in this way: the act of forgiving, i.e., “allowing room for error or weakness.” This is the best definition man can give to this important matter. All of us need forgiveness due to sinning against God and each other.

The first part of forgiveness that brings about joy comes from Jesus. We realize that He died for our sins and due to our disobedience we became separated from God. By returning to Him and putting Him on in baptism, we receive forgiveness of our sins and are again in a proper relationship. This divine forgiveness is something that none of us deserve, but all of us need.

The second part of forgiveness is from others. We offend people either intentionally or unintentionally and a schism is formed. By approaching the other person and acknowledging error on our part, forgiveness may be extended and the relationship restored. Both sides have to act in a positive way to bring about forgiveness, however.

The third part of forgiveness, and a very difficult part for many, is forgiving self. It is easy to forgive others and realize that Jesus has forgiven us, but we seem to have a hard time forgiving self. Paul stated in Philippians 3:13: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, (New King James Version). We must forget past mistakes, when they have properly been corrected, and move forward.

Forgiveness then comes from: Jesus, Others, You. This will bring true joy.

If we can help you in your quest to find forgiveness, please contact us by phone at: 217-585-1803 or via email wvclary@sbcglobal.net.

You are loved,

Bill Clary, Minister

Lakeside Church of Christ

65 Rita Rd.

Springfield, IL 62712-9539