The Amen: Patterns and Principles

Driving home: because all that pertains to the worship of God is serious business. Secondly, because of the confusion on participation in worship, which exists in our day.

Groshide's commentary is quoted to support the historical practice of congregational 'Amen' in synagogues and its transition to the Christian church, reinforcing the natural interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:16.

F. W. Groshide, commenting on this verse, writes in 1 Corinthians, Chronicles 16, 36, Nehemiah 5 and chapter 8, we find an early record of the congregation responding to a prayer by saying, The same custom prevailed in later times in the synagogue, and from the synagogue it came into the Christian church. To say amen only makes good sense if the hearer understands what is preached or prayed,

2:41 - 3:18 Read in full sermon

Driving home: because all that pertains to the worship of God is serious business. Secondly, because of the confusion on participation in worship, which exists in our day.

Hodge's commentary is quoted to further confirm the Jewish custom of audibly saying 'Amen' to prayers, signifying assent and participation, and its adoption by the Christian church, strengthening the argument for the 'Amen' as an assumed practice.

and then he develops the argument of the apostle again, assuming that this was a practice, in the Corinthian assembly. Likewise, Charles Hodge, in his time-proven commentary on 1 Corinthians, writes in the Jewish synagogue, it was the custom for the people to respond to the prayers by audibly saying amen, by which they signified their assent and participation in the petitions which had been offered. Great importance. It was attached by the Jews to the saying of the amen, and then he quotes from some of the rabbis.

3:19 - 4:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: because all that pertains to the worship of God is serious business. Secondly, because of the confusion on participation in worship, which exists in our day.

Justin Martyr, a 4th-century Christian figure, is cited to show that the custom of saying 'Amen' passed into the Christian church, providing historical evidence for the practice.

According to Justin Martyr, and he was a 4th century Christian figure, according to Justin Martyr, and he cites the place, the custom passed over into the Christian church. This seems also intimated in this passage, the expression is, say thee amen. That is, utter the familiar formula of assent. And so by introducing the subject with that text, I have not had a case to prove, and in desperation hunted for the semblance of a justification for that case,

4:03 - 4:46 Read in full sermon

Driving home: it is a divinely instituted two-syllable vocable, both in Hebrew and in Greek, which has as its overarching significance a divinely instituted expression of affirming hearty assent or consent to what has been said and do…

The strange ritual for a jealous husband in Numbers 5:22 is used as the first biblical instance of an individual saying 'Amen' to curses, illustrating its meaning of assent.

Meaning is not determined by etymology, but by usage, we then looked at the first usage of the Amen in the word of God, and we found it in that strange ritual that God had instituted on behalf of a jealous husband who was fearful that his wife had been unfaithful to him, and the incident is recorded, and the particular reference, Numbers chapter 5 and verse 22. Then we did...

6:26 - 6:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section continues to illustrate the 'Amen' as a response to God's Word, using Nehemiah 5 where the people affirm Nehemiah's condemnation of sin and call to repentance, and…

Nehemiah's response to the people's usury is used as an example of righteous anger, where he 'consulted with myself' before acting, illustrating the need for thoughtful, righteous expression of anger.

And this was righteous anger. Notice what he did. He didn't just pop off in the heat of the anger without thinking of a righteous channel by which to express that anger. Then I consulted with myself.

18:19 - 18:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section continues to illustrate the 'Amen' as a response to God's Word, using Nehemiah 5 where the people affirm Nehemiah's condemnation of sin and call to repentance, and…

Nehemiah shaking out his lap as a symbolic act of God shaking out those who break their promise is used to illustrate the solemnity of the curse pronounced and the people's corporate 'Amen' to it.

So will we do, even as you say. Then I called the priests and took an oath of them that they would do according to this promise. And I shook out my lap and said, so God shake out every man from his house and from his labor that performs not this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. And all.

19:56 - 20:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Affix the hearty assent of your inward being by the corporate, verbal 'Amen' when approaching God in prayer and praise, both in singing and being led in prayer.

A note from a sister in the congregation is shared, suggesting that instituting the 'Amen' helps keep minds closely following the prayer to avoid hypocrisy, illustrating the spiritual benefit of the practice.

Verbal amen I've had several very helpful notes and questions from some of you in the course of these studies one sister wrote already we that is we as a family are committed to a clear verbal amen after the corporate prayer parenthesis even in the nursing TV room and a parenthesis could one of God's many reasons for instituting the amen in worship be to keep our.

37:38 - 38:08 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first major biblical principle regulating the 'Amen' is the overarching goal of corporate affirmation. Martin argues that the 'Amen' should strive for an all-inclusive…

The difficulty of singing a long 'A' vowel is given as the reason why the 'Amen' is typically sung with an open 'a' (more akin to Hebrew pronunciation) rather than the pinched 'a' of English, explaining a cosmetic aspect of its use.

That in the singing. Most of us say amen. It's a lot easier than to hold a long note a. Try it sometime at home.

45:28 - 45:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second principle is the commitment to maximum corporate edification, which must not be undermined by the 'Amen.' Drawing heavily from 1 Corinthians 14, Martin explains that…

The example of crying babies in corporate worship is used to illustrate how distractions undermine edification, reinforcing the principle that all elements of worship must contribute to building up the body.

And then even the gender of those who speak. All of these things have one great end in view. And that is the edification of the body that is gathered. Now, why do we not tolerate crying babies?

48:52 - 49:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Restrain overly profuse, ill-timed, or overly loud individual 'Amens' that distract others or undermine corporate edification.

The example of a gurgling, burping drunk person in the assembly is used to illustrate how such behavior would undermine corporate edification, further emphasizing the principle of order and building up.

It's because it would undermine edification. The mind cannot follow the track of the prayers of those who lead us in prayer if it's distracted with the shrill whining cry of an infant. Why would we not tolerate a gurgling, burping drunk coming into the assembly? Why?

49:14 - 49:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Restrain overly profuse, ill-timed, or overly loud individual 'Amens' that distract others or undermine corporate edification.

The example of whispering teenagers in the assembly is used to illustrate how such behavior undermines corporate edification, reinforcing the need for focused participation.

Why do we not tolerate teenagers all sitting together and whispering and writing notes to one another? Well, not only because it's shameful and a disgrace to God, but it would undermine corporate edification. Well, you see, if we get hold of this principle when we gather, we do not gather here as so many individuals. We gather as a visible expression of the body of Christ.

49:43 - 50:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Teach your children the meaning and proper, spiritually intelligent use of the 'Amen' in family worship, so they understand its significance in corporate worship.

The analogy of children asking 'What meaneth this communion?' is used to suggest that children should also ask 'What meaneth this Amen?', illustrating how the practice can be a teaching opportunity for parents in family worship.

affirmation at the end of the prayers and praises of those who lead us, and at the end of the hymns and psalms that we sing to God, visitors who come among us will sense immediately that we are a participating congregation, that we are not passive listeners of the Word of God. We are not spectators. Hopefully, as with the communion, your children will ask, what meaneth this amen? And you'll be able to sit down with your Bibles and begin to show them why at family worship, when daddy or mommy is leading in prayer, or when one of the other children is praying, and they express what is in their h...

53:48 - 54:32 Read in full sermon