Reading Scripture Together

Weekly Update – October 7th, 2021

Over the last few weeks, we have been asking different questions about who we are and what it is that we do as a church. So far we have asked, “Why Gather?”, “Why Preach?”, and “Why Pray?” All of these questions are meant to fit under the larger question of “Why Church?” Now we won’t be able to ask every single question, because if we did, our series would extend way beyond 12 weeks. Therefore, I want to, from time to time, try to answer other lingering questions about why it is that we do what we do.

There are many aspects within our worship service that seem almost obvious for us as the church to include.  We have announcements, singing, prayer, and the sermon. Occasionally we will also have baptisms and celebrate the Lord’s Supper too.  But something else that we also include in many areas of our service is scripture reading.  Now I know that we read scripture during the sermon time, but perhaps you might wonder, why we feel the need to read God’s word in multiple areas of the service.  Why do we begin the service with scripture, then read another passage in between singing, and then close with a verse of scripture?  Well, listed below are three reasons why we read scripture all throughout our Sunday morning worship services. 

First, God’s word commands it.  Paul writes to his disciple in the faith, Timothy, and he says this in 1 Timothy 4:13, “…give attention to the public reading of Scripture…”  Not too many of us would argue against the need for Christians to read their Bible privately.  But many of us perhaps have never really considered the value that God places upon his church reading it publicly.  It is helpful to remember that the focus of God’s plan for his people is directly connected to the church.  We see in the New Testament that how we endure, how we grow, how we are encouraged, and how we serve are all placed within the context of the church as a whole.  Therefore it should be no surprise that we see a command for the church to give attention to reading the scriptures together as well.   

Second, it is a safeguard for us.  If you look at the context in which Paul gives this command to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13, you begin to see that the circumstances surrounding the church at that time were not too encouraging.  Just a few verses earlier Paul writes, “…in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons…” (4:1). In contrast to this trend, Paul called Timothy to build up the church by devoting himself to the public reading the scriptures.  In other words, one of the goals to publicly reading scripture before the gathered church was to have truth permeate through the congregation as a safeguard against the false teaching of the world.   We want to be a church who is steeped in the word of God so that we are not vulnerable to every wind of falsehood presented to us.  

Third, God’s word is transforming. When we read the scriptures we get the revelation of God himself.  But the scriptures are more than that.  When we encounter God’s word we encounter God himself. His word brings about his plans and purposes. God’s word and God’s Spirit go together, meaning that God’s word unfailingly accomplishes whatever purpose God has sent it out to achieve (Is. 55:10-11).  God’s word is living and active (Heb. 4:12) and sufficient for all matters of faith and life (2 Tim. 3:14-17).  When we hear it, our faith is formed and built, for faith comes from hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).   

All of the false idols mentioned in the scriptures are mute and have no authority or power.  But we have the Bible, which is God speaking directly to us, communicating to us about himself and sending his Spirit to bring power through his word to change and transform us.  Without it, we are like the Psalmist who lived in a dry and weary land without water (Ps. 63). As a church we ought to long to hear it and know it and have it ingrained in our hearts.  So then, to answer the question, why do we place priority upon God’s word being read publicly?  The answer is, because we need God.   

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson