Honor and Worship
Saints Sinners Soldiers
July 7, 2019
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Using 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, the sermon argues that right worship requires observing creation‑based roles—male headship and female modesty—expressed in practices like head coverings because these practices protect the honor of Christ, men, and the community.
Summary
Addressing Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 11:2–16), the preacher explains that questions about women praying with uncovered heads must be seen through a creation‑based, redeemed Christian framework rather than modern Western assumptions. Worship shapes community life, so men and women must worship in ways that honor their respective roles: 'head' denotes authority, and men should not cover their heads because they reflect God’s image, while women should not appear uncovered because that would dishonor their head and disrupt worship. The sermon insists the principle of male headship and female helpership is rooted in creation (not merely the fall), critiques contemporary immodesty and cultural forces that undermine these roles, and closes with a prayer asking God for mercy and renewal.
Key Points
- Paul’s text (1 Cor. 11:2–16) raises whether women should pray with uncovered heads.
- Much of Paul’s teaching may seem foreign to modern Western readers, but should be read within a creation‑based, redeemed Christian perspective.
- Worship affects the strength and unity of the church; proper practice builds up others rather than dishonors them.
- 'Head' functions as authority: men must not disgrace their head or Christ in worship (e.g., by covering their heads).
- There is a creation‑ordained pattern of male headship and female helpership that undergirds Paul’s instruction.
- Women appearing uncovered in worship bring shame on their 'head' and distract from worship; modesty is emphasized as a duty, not a consequence of the fall.
- The sermon criticizes cultural trends that promote immodesty and aim to make men irrelevant, calling Christians to embrace God‑given roles.
- The message concludes with a prayer for God’s mercy, restoration of pre‑fall relational order, and the Spirit’s filling.
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