Orderly Worship

Devotions for June 5, 2007

Proverbs 5
1 Corinthians 14

Scripture
"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." (1 Corinthians 14:40)

Observation
The disunity that Paul was writing about earlier in the letter now comes out again in the context of worship. The followers of Jesus were using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to promote themselves instead of God. They were lifting up speaking in tongues as a way of proving they were more spiritually mature than others who could not.

The focus of their worship became all about what they could do. It was causing division among believers and it was causing unbelievers to think they were crazy. Paul teaches that it's all about God and helping people to follow him. Therefore, preaching in a way that everyone could understand was much better than speaking in tongues. As Paul is teaching about the disruption of the worship service due to speaking in tongues, he also turns to women and tells them to remain silent. Paul concludes the chapter writing that all that he has given them is so that their worship may honor God.

Application
I wonder what the unbelievers thought about the worship services at Corinth? It was obvious that their worship wasn't about God or pointing people toward a relationship with God through Jesus (which Paul says is the point). It makes me wonder about our worship services. What do unbelievers think when they come in and experience worship at Charter Oak Church?

The point of this chapter seems to be that Paul wants to make sure that the focus of worship is upon God and helping unbelievers hear about who God is so they can follow him. Paul wants to remove any barriers to that focus. So he wants the emphasis to be on preaching and not on speaking in tongues. He wants the focus to be on God and not on those who think they are spiritually mature.

Then Paul brings up women in worship. This has caused some major problems for people. If we read this in context it seems obvious to me that Paul is continuing to address distractions in worship and he is not teaching about women's role in churches. Paul is addressing specific issues within the Corinthian church so he must be doing that here as well. There must have been something that was occurring within the context of worship that was disrupting the worship and he wanted it to stop. It shouldn't matter who it is that is causing the disruption of worship, they should be told about it.

The point of our worship must be God and pointing people to a relationship with God through Jesus.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we take the focus of our worship off of you and place it on ourselves or anything else. Help us to create worship gatherings that honor you and place you on the throne of our lives. Send those who do not believe to us so that we may point them to you. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.