{"id":1798,"date":"2017-05-10T16:01:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T20:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/?p=1798"},"modified":"2017-05-11T16:09:41","modified_gmt":"2017-05-11T20:09:41","slug":"true-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/true-worship\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018True Worship\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is sometimes said that\u00a0anyone who insists on a right understanding of God\u2019s Word can prevent the Holy Spirit from bringing about renewal and church unity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet the irony is that a right understanding of God\u2019s Word is essential for an effective gospel ministry and the unity of God\u2019s people. Jesus himself said it:\u00a0\u201cThose who worship him\u00a0<\/i>(God<\/i>)\u00a0must worship in Spirit and in truth\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 4:24).<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important we consider Jesus\u2019 words here for they are often misunderstood.\u00a0\u2018Spirit and truth\u2019 are not synonyms for sincerity of heart. Heartfelt worship as opposed to just outward form was always required of God\u2019s people. In Psalm 51:17 David says,\u00a0The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart\u2026<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 words are far-reaching and profound<\/b>:\u00a0\u201cBut the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him\u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 4:23).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Spirit\u2019 and \u2018truth\u2019 are key words<\/b>. Indeed, when we read John\u2019s Gospel carefully, we see that these two words are bound up with the very person and work of Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, in speaking of \u2018spirit\u2019 here, Jesus is not referring to God\u2019s non-material nature, but rather to the\u00a0new age<\/i><\/b>\u00a0that is dawning when\u00a0the\u00a0inner life<\/i>\u00a0of God<\/b>\u00a0will become available to men and women\u00a0through<\/i><\/b>\u00a0him (Jesus).<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, when Jesus speaks of \u2018truth\u2019 he is not speaking about sincerity. Rather, he speaking of\u00a0the\u00a0inner reality\u00a0<\/i>of God<\/b>\u00a0which, hidden in the past, is now revealed in Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus is saying it is\u00a0only when we receive the spiritual life and the spiritual reality of God that are bound up in his (Jesus\u2019) unique Person and work, that we can truly worship God<\/b>. He calls for a heart response, not to some vague, mystical view of God, but rather to himself.\u00a0\u201cI am the way, the truth and the life,\u201d<\/i>\u00a0he says,\u00a0\u201cNo-one comes to the Father except through me\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 14:6).<\/span><\/p>\n

Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the architect of the 16th century English Reformation, understood this. It is why he was committed to the systematic reading of the Scriptures in Church, together with the faithful preaching of God\u2019s Word.<\/span><\/p>\n

He also wanted to ensure that\u00a0the truth of God was clearly stated in the Prayer Book<\/b>\u00a0he crafted. As his first Prayer Book (1549) did not set out clearly and unambiguously the significance of Jesus\u2019 Person and Work \u2013 especially in the service of The Lord\u2019s Supper \u2013 he produced a second Book in 1552.\u00a0There he removed sections that were ambiguous and confusing in their theology.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, in in the service of The Lord\u2019s Supper, he removed any reference to the Spirit and the Word coming on the bread and wine (called an\u00a0epiclesis\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0– \u2018a calling down\u2019 of the Spirit). In 1549 he had left open the idea that we partake of Christ because he is physically or mystically present in the elements. Christ is physically in heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus Cranmer\u2019s calling down of the Spirit (epiclesis<\/i>)\u00a0<\/i>is at the beginning of the service where we pray:\u00a0Almighty God\u2026 cleanse the thoughts of our hearts through the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, so that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Further, Cranmer also took out any sense that we contribute to our salvation through our very participation in the Communion, or because we are in some way offering a good or meritorious work. Our salvation is through Christ alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the prayer immediately before the Communion, Cranmer\u2019s language is clear and unequivocal:\u00a0Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ<\/i>\u00a0to suffer death on the Cross for our redemption; who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world\u2026<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

How can we more effectively reach people who long to find the truth? How can we effectively hold out a gospel ministry that enables more and more people to worship God \u2018in spirit and in truth\u2019? Surely we will want to read, study, preach, and sing God\u2019s Word. We will also want to ensure that God\u2019s truth is consistently found in the Prayer Book of the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly I am only just touching on some very big questions. Yet so important are these matters that we are addressing them at the June Anglican Connection conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a link you may want to check out:\u00a0https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Effective_GospelCentered_Chuches_Invite.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/i><\/b>.<\/i>\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Almighty God, you alone can order the unruly wills and passions of sinful men and women. Help us so to love what you command and desire what you promise, that among the many and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys may be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.\u00a0\u00a0Amen.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>(BCP\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0Easter 4 – adapted)<\/span><\/p>\n

– – –<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, in in the service of The Lord\u2019s Supper, he removed any reference to the Spirit and the Word coming on the bread and wine (called an epiclesis – \u2018a calling down\u2019 of the Spirit). In 1549 he had left open the idea that we partake of Christ because he is physically or mystically present in the elements. Christ is physically in heaven.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[22,23,21],"class_list":["post-1798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-word-on-wednesday","tag-communion","tag-epiclesis","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"\nTrue Worship - Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, in in the service of The Lord\u2019s Supper, he removed any reference to the Spirit and the Word coming on the bread and wine.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/true-worship\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"True Worship - 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