“If God himself were to design worship, what would it look like?” This is the question that Dr R.C. Sproul asks and endeavors to answer in his book A Taste of Heaven: Worship in the Light of Eternity.
I think he did a pretty good job. The book is short (172 pages, 8″ x 5.5″) but don’t let the size make you think it is a paper weight. Consistent with his reputation, Sproul gives you a lot to chew on in small, managable bites. It’s good.
Sproul’s sounds as if he walked into a typical evangelical church’s pastoral meeting and asked, “Hey, have you guys ever thought about what God wants?” From there he is so thoughtful, compassionate, and refreshingly biblical.
Sproul’s strength is that he drives everything back to the Scripture. God rules his people through his word. Therefore, Christians love the Bible! This heart cry of the Reformation is the cry of the Bible and should be of every Christian.
He covers reoccuring principles and patterns throughout redemptive history. He shows how God has always employed our senses and minds in our worship of him. He takes us to a wandering nation out of Egypt. He takes us to Jerusalem. He takes us to Geneva. He takes us to Florida. And throughout this guided tour through biblical and church history, Sproul makes us think and interact with the Scriptures.
He also spends considerable time (3 chapters) talking about baptism. Of course Sproul is a Presbyterian and staunch advocate of paedo-baptism. I found this ironic when I noticed that he dedicated the book to John MacArthur (Sproul and MacArthur have publicaly debated infant baptism). If you disagree with Sproul, don’t get hung up on this; there is more than enough to help you in your appreciation of private and corporate worship.
The best thing I can say about the book is that it makes you anticipate and appreciate the Lord’s Day gathering of the church. It is a very helpful resource.
Discounted copies are available at Amazon (to include Kindle). Westminster Books also has it for a comparable price if that is your preference.
