They were ministering to God.
The Greek word translated “worshipping” or “ministering” in Acts 13:2 is leitourgeo. This is the verb form of the word, “liturgy”. The Greek Old Testament uses this word nearly a hundred times. It refers to the sacred rites and services offered to God in His sanctuary.
In Shiloh, for example, young Samuel ministered (leitourgeo) to the Lord without ceasing. Three times it says that Samuel was “ministering to” or “before” the Lord (1 Samuel 2:11; 2:18; 3:1). This was when the official priesthood had lapsed into immorality under Eli and the Word of the Lord was rare. But when Samuel ministered to God, the Word of the Lord came to him — and through him to all Israel (1 Samuel 4:1).
‘Liturgy’ refers to the sacred rites and services offered to God in His sanctuary.
This is an important biblical pattern. It’s repeated in Acts 13: First, the Antioch church leaders ministered to God. They had no need of stage presence or special effects. Nor were they trying to impress a crowd. Nor was it formless and aimless waiting. Definite forms were used.
Based on what we know about the Early Church and how they borrowed from the synagogue, they probably sang hymns, chanted Psalms, and read from the Law and the Prophets. And they fasted. They ministered to God, the Audience of One. Second, God ministered to them through the prophetic word, as in the case of Samuel. And third, God ministered to the world through them — through their prayers and fasting and missionary work.
So what’s the takeaway?
First, if you want God to minister to you, minister to Him. If you don’t feel ministered to in your church, don’t blame the pastor or the worship team. And if there’s an Eli around, don’t blame him either. And don’t go shopping for a swanky new church with gimmicks and gadgets. Stay put and minister to God, the Audience of One. Take your place as a priest before the Lord. Offer Him worship in His holy place. He will minister to you so that you can minister to others.
If you want God to minister to you, minister to Him.
Second, don’t forget that little word, “liturgy”. It’s not a four-letter word. Nowadays it has become cool to reject all things old like hymns and liturgy. But the Early Church blended old and new (1 Corinthians 14:26–33). In Antioch, the Holy Spirit spoke in a liturgical service. And the world has never been the same.
Fast and pray
God was pleased to make worship and prayer and fasting the launching pad for a mission that would change the course of world history. Is there not a lesson there for us? It had happened before and it would happen again and again in history (John Piper). All things are possible when we are hungry enough to fast and desperate enough to centre down and seek God with desperate, holy longing (Thomas Kelly).
- It’s easy to fall into the performance trap. Many have, especially hardworking pastors and leaders in Singapore. After all, Asians rank as the hardest workers in the world. Singapore tops the chart, surpassing South Korea and Japan. We can get so driven running the church and meeting needs that we fail to centre down and live the spiritual life hidden with Christ, in quietness and in trust. Behind all the burnouts and scandals is this basic failure to guard our sacred space with God.
May our first devotion be to the Lord, then to the work to which He has called us. May we live for Christ, warm and close to the Centre (Thomas Kelly).
- It’s easy to fall into the busy trap. Many have, especially Christians in the marketplace. This is the enemy’s scheme of distracting us from the greater work of prayer. Refuse to conform to the spirit of this age.
Renounce the tyranny of the urgent. Resist the hustle and haste that make you feel so important and indispensable. Reject the lie that busyness is a virtue and a badge of honour. Turn away. Turn aside. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Linger in His presence, where there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). From this holy centre, from the spillover of joy, you will minister to others in His strength. You will be stirred to be the means of their awakening (Thomas Kelly). You will achieve wonders in His name. Pray also for your circle of friends. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:6).
- Of all things, worship has become a bone of contention in the Church today. Congregations have split over it and pastors have resigned. So what’s all the fuss about? One, the elevation of style over substance, technique over theology. Two, the commercialisation of worship where singer becomes entertainer and congregation becomes spectator.
Ask God to spare the Singapore Church from such craze and compromise. Pray that we will not discard the rich heritage of the Church in favour of all things contemporary — in the name of relevance. May we be Kingdom disciples who bring out of our treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52). May we practise a culture of honour, uniting the generations and diverse streams, both charismatic and conservative. Pray for an Antioch environment in which worship is centred in Christ, founded on the Word and Spirit-breathed. May our worship be so acceptable to God that He will be pleased to rend the heavens and come down, and saturate our lives, our churches and our city with His awesome presence!
Read the devotional from Day 2: The Antioch five here.
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