1.21 blog

In a previous post, we looked at some biblical features of corporate worship from Revelation 5. In this post, we’ll take a look at another aspect of our worship that is commonly neglected: the communion of saints. As Christians, we confess the truths of the Apostles’ Creed, which near the end states: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” Two closely related ideas in the creed are the holy catholic church and the communion of saints.

By the catholic church, we mean the church of Jesus Christ as it has spanned geographic and generational distance. It is the union of all believers in Jesus across the world and throughout time. We here on earth are the church militant, while those who have left this life are now the church triumphant. And, as members of Christ, we are all members of one another (Romans 12.5). Our union with all who are united with Christ is referred to as “the communion of saints.” (See also Hebrews 11.1-12.1). With that background in mind, I want us to take another look at the church’s worship (especially in Revelation 5).

The Book of Revelation consists of a vision that John received “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day [i.e., Sunday]” (Revelation 1.10). And in that vision, John is caught up to the worship of heaven (Revelation 4ff.) The scene in Chapter 5 is the unfolding heavenly liturgy. Among the cast of characters in chapters 4-5 are twenty-four elders. As best as I can tell, these twenty-four elders represent the people of God throughout the ages, the holy catholic church (12 Tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles). Elders, after all, are one of the church offices established in Scripture. Which leads me to believe that in the normal Sunday worship of the church, believers take part in the worship of heaven, like John did in Revelation 4-5.

We see this playing out as well in Hebrews 12.18-29, and First Corinthians 5 (especially verse 4). Both passages work with the assumption that the gathered church is participating in something much larger than just their own gathering. They are united with worshipers in heaven and on the other side of the world by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is far more happening in our churches’ worship than we realize. If we could capture this wort of realization, I believe it would transform the way we approach Sunday mornings. It wouldn’t be a burdensome chore. It wouldn’t be blasé or commonplace. It would be shot through with importance, dignity, and joy. Here we are before our God, and joining us are countless other brothers and sisters whom we’ve never met, but nevertheless love, with whom we are bound together in ties that transcend our cultural/geographic distance, and with whom we will one day sit at the Wedding Feast.

As our church enters the Season of Lent (beginning Ash Wednesday), we will be begging God to show us our dependence on him, and his utter worthiness of our worship and adoration. Might I also suggest that we beg him to open our eyes to the communion of saints, adding new depth to our conception of worship, and giving us one more reason to praise his Name.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger