Rev. Valentin Alpuche continues to make an impact in the Chicago Heights area holding Sunday evening Bible Studies for about 20 people, as well as the other work involved in church planting.  There are 3 faithful families that come regularly. Sunday evening Bible studies are held at 5:00pm at the facility in Chicago Heights.  We are also very excited about a ministry opportunity that we have in a weekly Sunday Morning radio broadcast.  Rev. Alpuche is now on WCFJ, AM 1470 from 11:00am-12:00 noon on Sunday mornings presenting a Bible study, currently on Galatians.   This has been a great opportunity to share the gospel as well as promote the ministry.  Lastly, there is a newly launched website with information about the ministry at www.elpactodegracia.org.  Please visit the site to learn more.  As always, keep this mission effort in your prayers.  – Mission Committee

Introduction

   Technically speaking, an official worship service doesn’t begin until the moment the minister calls God’s people to worship and the salutation is pronounced. However, one could easily argue that our worship of God should begin hours-even days-before the call is given and the salutation is pronounced.  

   Much like a lawyer focuses his mind in preparation for his opening statement to the jury, much like a professional tennis player prepares herself mentally and physically in the hours previous to her match, so too, as God’s people, we should prepare ourselves for worship well in advance of the moment we walk into our church and sit in the pew.

Israel’s Anticipation

   There’s Scriptural evidence to support this.  In Psalm 122:1 David writes, I rejoiced with those who said to me let us go to the house of the Lord. David is filled with a joyful and glorious anticipation of what’s to come. He rejoices at the very thought, at the very prospect of going to the house of the Lord for worship.

   In fact, Psalm 122 is just one of the many Psalms of Ascent we find in the Psalter (Psalms 120-134). These Psalms were known as Israel’s “traveling music.” The people sang these songs as they made their way from their lands and homes up to the city of Jerusalem, up to Zion the temple mount, up to the place where they would meet God (thus the term, songs of ascent).

   These songs were sung in anticipation of worship, so that with every step of the journey God’s people would not only grow physically closer to God, but spiritually closer as well.  Their minds, hearts, and souls would be set on worship, on meeting with their holy and awesome God!

Our Anticipation

   So when should we start rejoicing? When should we begin to joyfully anticipate worshipping with God in His temple, in His house? The answer may surprise you. In the very moments that we walk out of church on Sunday morning and/or evening, we should already be anticipating the next time we can return to God’s house and worship Him together.

   Thus to sing the hymn God be with you till we meet again . . . serves as a very beautiful and appropriate doxology for an evening service. It captures the sense of anticipation as the sweet and blessed hour of corporate worship comes to a close and we long for the moment when we will be reunited again “at Jesus’ feet” on the following Lord’s Day for worship.

   The words of that hymn ultimately point us forward to the blessed day when we saints will meet at Jesus feet in glory (either at our death or at Christ’s return); but remember, every Lord’s Day is a dress rehearsal for that very moment! Thus to sing when we meet is actually an anticipation of the very Day, of the very moment when we will never have to part ways again, but will always remain together in worship at Jesus’ feet.

   So we ought to anticipate worship the very moment we walk out of church on Sunday night; however, that sense of anticipation and the work of preparation for worship ought to gradually increase and intensify as the week rolls on and as the Lord’s Day draws near.

Building Our Sense of Anticipation

   Devotional Life: So what can we do by way of preparation as the week goes on? How can we build our sense of anticipation? There are several ways.  For one, we can structure a devotional schedule that coincides with the series which the minister is preaching. For our evening services, we are currently in the section of the Heidelberg Catechism which treats the articles of the Apostle’s Creed.

   A very practical way to prepare for worship during the week would be to read through one or two Scripture passages that correspond to that  particular article. As we make our way through the rest of the Lord’s Days in the Catechism you can read the Pauline Epistles or just follow the Scripture references footnoted below the Catechism’s answers and let that be your devotional guide.

   Prayer Life: Another practical way to prepare for worship, to build a sense of anticipation toward the Lord’s Day is to pray with a view toward Sunday. Pray that God might fill you with a sense of excitement and joy in your heart and soul as the day draws near. Pray that the awareness of the coming Lord’s Day (of going to meet your holy God) would keep your feet from stumbling into sin (Psalm 116:8; 56:13).

   You know, when it comes to our celebration of communion the pastor often calls God’s people to a week of “preparation”; in that week we’re supposed to examine ourselves and give special attention to our Christian walk, being sure that we’re walking in faith and repentance.

   But since we’re going into the presence of our Holy God every Lord’s Day, doesn’t it go without saying that every week is a period of self-examination? We should pray that every day God would show us our sin and purge and purify our hearts and minds more and more as the Lord’s Day draws near.

   We should also pray for those who are literally preparing for worship and participating in the worship service. Pray for the custodians as they work hard during the week cleaning and vacuuming and putting things back in order. Pray for them as they work on Sunday getting the sanctuary prepared: song numbers posted, sound system working, and cooling or heating the sanctuary for our comfort.

   Pray also for our musicians who put a lot of work into selecting appropriate music for prelude, offertory, postlude and choral anthems.  We easily take their talents for granted and forget that what we hear from the piano or organ on Sunday is the result of hours of practice.

   Pray for our bulletin secretary as she does the work of compiling bulletin announcements, checking nursery schedules, visitation, calendar of the week, and greeting schedules. It’s more work than we realize, and sometimes (to our own shame) the only thing we point out about the bulletin is when we see a mistake. Thank the Lord for those who work so hard for us.

   We can pray for the minister who is busy preparing sermons for the coming Lord’s Day.  The main days of sermon preparation and writing are Wednesday through Saturday. Your pastor would appreciate very much the prayers of the congregation on his behalf as He meditates on God’s Word and seeks to prepare sermons that are both glorifying to God and edifying to His saints.

   Personal Life: Finally, each household can prepare for worship by setting a reasonable curfew for everyone in the household (adults included!), so that the activities of Saturday night do not in any way obstruct, interfere with, or detract from our ability and our duty to worship God with attentive hearts and alert minds on Sunday.

   Perhaps this may also require us to re-evaluate what we presently permit our children and young people to do on a Saturday night.  The reason for setting a curfew is made all the more obvious when we consider that if Saturday night was a school night, we parents would want our children and young people at home and in bed at a reasonable hour.

   We know the wisdom of having our children (and ourselves) well rested and alert for the work and studies the next day. But the fact that we don’t show the same care and concern when it comes our children’s state of mind for worship shows an imbalance in our priorities.

   It’s not a pleasant sight to see junior high kids, young people, and young adults come to church bone-tired and crabby (and worse yet, even hung over) from the previous night’s activities.  Is this any way to present ourselves before God?  Is this the best we have to offer?   Will God be glorified by our less-than-energetic singing, by our dozing off during the congregational prayer, and by our lack of attention and focus during the sermon?

   I don’t think so. And remember this: we will only get out of worship what we put into it. If we come to worship unprepared, dragging our feet and hanging our head in weariness, then not only are we not going to be a blessing to God (which is our primary priority) but we are not going to be blessed either (which is our secondary priority).

   But if we make a sincere effort to prepare for worship, if we remember that preparation for worship begins long before we put on our Sunday clothes and drive to church, then we can expect to put much more into our worship and as a result, get much more out of it as well!  When we come prepared for worship in mind, heart, soul, and body that is when God is most glorified, and we His saints are most edified.

-Keith Davis