[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title admin_label=”Fullwidth Post Title” title=”on” meta=”on” author=”off” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”off” featured_image=”on” featured_placement=”background” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”off” text_orientation=”center” text_color=”light” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”text-shadow: 0px 0px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);” title_font_size=”42px”] [\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” custom_width_px=”772px” use_custom_gutter=”off” padding_mobile=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles\u2019 doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. \u2013 Acts 2:42 NKJV<\/em><\/p>\n Have you ever asked yourself what is a hamburger without the meat?\u00a0 Sure, you can have the bread and toppings but without the meat you might was well just eat a salad.<\/p>\n This idea came to mind when I was thinking about a comment I heard awhile back.\u00a0 The individual was explaining a church service they attended when everything that normally occurred in their service was replaced with a concert.\u00a0\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t any sermon or message.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t even a Bible verse read directly from the Word although some verses were quoted by one of the singers.<\/p>\n They were so excited by the service and the large amount of people that attended \u2013 way more than normally find their way to the church on a Sunday morning.\u00a0 \u00a0As they explained to me, \u201cThat was a great service!\u201d\u00a0 Well maybe. \u00a0But I rather look at it as a hamburger without the meat.<\/p>\n It is the Word that proclaims God\u2019s message.\u00a0 Notice how the writer of Hebrews describes this:<\/p>\n For the word of God\u00a0is\u00a0living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. – \u00a0Hebrews 4:12<\/em><\/p>\n It is the Word in which we find God\u2019s counsel and hear His voice.\u00a0 It is His Word and the teaching of His Word which we should rally around and seek after.<\/p>\n Music is fine and Paul does tell us to \u201c\u2026admonish each other in psalms and hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts\u201d (Colossians 3:16).\u00a0 But he starts out that same verse with \u201cLet the Word of Christ dwell in you richly\u2026\u201d\u00a0 I have nothing against music.\u00a0 I deeply enjoy listening to and singing what we often call \u201cworship\u201d music.\u00a0 But it cannot replace the teaching of the Word.<\/p>\n Rather, music is like the toppings on a hamburger.\u00a0 It enhances the flavor making the experience even better.\u00a0 But without meat, you do not have a hamburger.\u00a0 Without the Word taught (you might prefer the term \u201cpreached\u201d) you really don\u2019t have a church service.<\/p>\n Here is the list of the activities the early church did when they gathered as described in Acts 2:42.<\/p>\n And they continued steadfastly in the apostles\u2019 doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.<\/em><\/p>\n Notice anything missing?\u00a0 Along with announcements, printed bulletins, ushers and a host of other things, music isn\u2019t mentioned.<\/p>\n I love music and it does serve a place in our services.\u00a0\u00a0 As I mentioned earlier, Paul encourages its use when a group of believers gather.\u00a0 But it cannot supersede or supplant the Word.\u00a0 \u00a0So, the next time you attend a service where it is more like a concert and the Word isn\u2019t preached, know you\u2019ve been short-changed.\u00a0 Your church sandwich was meatless.\u00a0 You may have enjoyed it, but you missed out on that \u201csharp two-edged sword\u201d that you need to have.<\/p>\n Blessings my Friends!<\/p>\n Jeff Millslagle<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Sidebar” orientation=”right” area=”sidebar-1″ background_layout=”light” remove_border=”off”] [\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" And they continued steadfastly in the apostles\u2019 doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. \u2013 Acts 2:42 NKJV Have you ever asked yourself what is a hamburger without the meat?\u00a0 Sure, you can have the bread and toppings but without the meat you might was well just eat a salad. This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=486"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cityonahilltc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}