Today's encouragement comes from Acts 24:14, which finds Paul saying this:
"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets." (ESV)This is a pretty bold statement made here by the former super-strict pharisee, regarding the comprehensive primacy of the New Covenant church's worship and life. Whatever Paul may have still (provisionally) performed—in reference to the old temple and the old forms—it was done, not out of the vitals of true worship, but as a civil nod to a passe, eclipsed system. He viewed New Cov-enant church worship as the genuine fulfillment of "the Law and the Proph-ets."
May we do the same; and have Paul's attitude and perspective. To lose God's worship through Jesus Christ, is to lose our souls.
[Puritan quote of the day: "God calls upon us from time to time in HIs Word. He is calling us by His written Word and by His preached Word from Sabbath to Sabbath.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "It is Well for us that God is Not as we are"]
