5. The Word of God is central to true worship

• God’s aim is to be known by his creatures, and enjoyed by his saints
• Affections are only in response to the Truth. Otherwise we have the form of Godliness but deny its power (see also Matt 15:8-9)
• God has ordained that the pursuit of satisfaction in Christ is not constantly and routinely stirred up in the heart of God’s people apart from the use of the ordinary means of grace.
  • Preaching is normative in the pattern of Biblical corporate worship (Neh. 8:6-8, Luke 4:16-21, Acts 13:14-16, 15:21, Romans 1:15, Col. 1:28)
  • We don’t come to worship services filled to the overflowing with a joy in God. Why?
    • Our sin (that which remains in me) is primary
    • God has designed us in such a way that we need daily bread, and we must remain in the light to walk.
    • The corporate exposure to this light is via preaching and teaching, producing faith by the Word of Christ. (Romans 10)
• Seeing and savoring God comes only by means of his self-revelation to us, the Word taught by the Holy Spirit. Our worship must be Bible-based and Bible saturated.
• We continually need to be fed. This involves a fresh declaration of Truth about God, and a fresh demonstration of our affection for Him which flows from this declaration. And these are not separate entities. They are best when joined together – teaching with passionate affection, and affection expressed in passionate declaration of truth.