THE HEART OF WORSHIP

#1 · January 10, 2006, 11:05 am

Quote from Forum Archives on January 10, 2006, 11:05 am
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
THE HEART OF WORSHIP

January 8, 2006

Text: Romans 12:1-3

In so many areas of our lives, January is a month for new beginnings. In finances, for instance, last years books are closed out, and the accounts for the new year are opened. Companies publish target goals for the new year. The old year is history; the new year is history to be made.

As a pastor, I, too, take the opportunity afforded in January to consider those things that will help us get a new year off on the right foot. I was working in 2 Peter last week for future Bible study lessons and noted that throughout his letter, Peter wrote that his letter was a reminder to his recipients. For instance, we read in 2 Peter 1:12, So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. And in 3:1, Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. Clearly, it does us all well to be reminded of the basics of our Christian faith.

One of the primary missions of the church is to worship God. Of course, church here does not refer to a building and facilities, but to the people who gather at a facility to fellowship, learn, serve, and, of course, worship. Even before being established in a permanent land, the Hebrew people would pause to worship God. Quite often, a location would be designated and an altar built for the purpose of worship. After being settled into the Promised Land and securing their borders, the site and instructions for the building of a permanent place of worship, the Temple, were given. Specific instructions for the rituals of different worship services were likewise given throughout their history.

It stands to reason, then, that worship retains a central place in the new covenant of Christ. Humans want to worship. People healed by Jesus took the time to worship him, and he received their worship. Sometimes, a person healed by a disciple began to worship him, but the disciple would rightfully direct the worshiper to Jesus. In spite of how rebellious we can be, most humans like to express thanksgiving to others who have done something to benefit us. The rightful object of Christian worship is God who has revealed Himself in Jesus.

Paul writes, Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship. Paul was writing to the church in Rome, and it is a church hearing his letter read this morning. Both the church in Rome and the church in Bunker Hill know that worship is a vital part of our response to God. It does us good to be reminded what our spiritual worship is supposed to be.

We must first recognize that worship is all about God. In our worship service, we do not have performers on a stage - the pastor, choir, song leaders, deacon - entertaining an audience - the congregation. In worship, God is the audience and everyone here directs his and her worship to God. Every born again believer who gathers to be the church is an active worshiper. No one comes to be the audience; that role is reserved for God. Worship is not a function of pleasing our tastes in musical style or seeking compliments for our dress or trying to impress anyone that you are attending church. Worship is not about us. Worship is all about God.

Throughout our entire time of worship, we are to be actively offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. We do not intend to dictate to the Holy Spirit how He will lead us in worship from one moment to the next, but we do gather with our will set to worship. In other words, worship is an act of our will. We willfully make the time both physically and mentally to give God our worship. We are to remind ourselves that worship is more than a feeling.

So does this mean that we are being dishonest if we go to a worship service when we do not feel like it? I would say that that depends on our actions at the time. After all, who has not gone to work at some point when he doesnt feel like it? Does that mean that our work is invalid if we still go when we do not feel like it? Well, if you go and purposely fail to live up to your responsibility, then, yes, your work is probably invalid. But if you go and contribute honestly in spite of not feeling like being at work, then your work is valid.

There are similarities in worship, then. If you overcome feelings of not wanting to attend and allow the Holy Spirit to use what you offer Him, then I suspect that your worship is not dishonest or invalid. I remember seeing a humorous sign several places entitled rules for the workplace. Rule #1, the boss is always right. Rule #2, if the boss is wrong, see rule #1. So I refer you to our rule #1: worship is all about God. If you come to worship feeling like you dont want to worship, see rule #1. Worship is an act of our will because God is worthy of our worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. A worship service is very public. We are gathered on a morning like this in front of everyone else. At the same time, worship is very personal. No one else can worship for us. At every worship service, we should aim to worship the Lord with all our passion and prayer and intelligence and energy. We want to know God intimately, to love Christ supremely, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit completely.

Being transformed by the renewing of our mind means to die to the things that distract us and get in the way of our worship. Reflect on Scripture such as Psalm 139:23-24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. It takes unique discipline for a person to be able to work through distractions. Many illustrations from sports come naturally when we think of discipline. When a player from an opposing team is attempting a free throw, what do we do? Shout, stomp our feet, wave our hands or other objects in order to distract him and make him nervous and maybe miss. The good players are able to ignore the distractions, though. How do they do this? Through discipline developed through practice and experience. They work hard at staying focused on the goal at hand. Making the free throw or the field goal or the base hit is the goal requiring the fullest attention when in the midst of thousands of people trying to distract you and get you to think about something else.

Satan would love Gods people to become distracted and forget to focus on the goal of worship. Christians who fail to meet God in worship become easier targets for satans distractions. If satan can distract a Christian at a worship service, how much easier will that make it for him to distract the Christian at other times during the week when not in a worship service? The Christian, then, develops the discipline to focus on the goal to worship God. How? Like the Psalmist, by asking God to search our hearts and thoughts. Like Paul, by being transformed by the renewing of our mind. Dont forget rule #1: worship is all about God.

Like Peter wrote in his second letter, we need to be reminded frequently of the basics of this faith that God has given us. Why do we schedule a specific time for worship and attend week after week? This is very basic to the practice of our faith. We gather in worship in order to meet God every Sunday. This is a holy expectancy we should adopt in our worship lives. Paul has written, For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given to you. Therefore, dont worry about what others are doing or not doing in a worship service. Yes, respect other worshipers by not making a lot of distracting noise or loud talk or anything else that detracts from an environment of worship. But we are not coming to worship to be irritated by someone elses inappropriate behavior; we are coming to worship to be drawn into an encounter with the true and living God. That is why were here this and every other Sunday morning.

God loves us so much that He provides the way for our salvation. God wants our thankful worship, both private and public, in return. So we gather on Sunday mornings to do just that. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship. And do not forget rule #1 of the heart of worship: worship is all about God.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
  --  To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org  

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

January 8, 2006

Text: Romans 12:1-3

In so many areas of our lives, January is a month for new beginnings. In finances, for instance, last years books are closed out, and the accounts for the new year are opened. Companies publish target goals for the new year. The old year is history; the new year is history to be made.

As a pastor, I, too, take the opportunity afforded in January to consider those things that will help us get a new year off on the right foot. I was working in 2 Peter last week for future Bible study lessons and noted that throughout his letter, Peter wrote that his letter was a reminder to his recipients. For instance, we read in 2 Peter 1:12, So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. And in 3:1, Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. Clearly, it does us all well to be reminded of the basics of our Christian faith.

One of the primary missions of the church is to worship God. Of course, church here does not refer to a building and facilities, but to the people who gather at a facility to fellowship, learn, serve, and, of course, worship. Even before being established in a permanent land, the Hebrew people would pause to worship God. Quite often, a location would be designated and an altar built for the purpose of worship. After being settled into the Promised Land and securing their borders, the site and instructions for the building of a permanent place of worship, the Temple, were given. Specific instructions for the rituals of different worship services were likewise given throughout their history.

It stands to reason, then, that worship retains a central place in the new covenant of Christ. Humans want to worship. People healed by Jesus took the time to worship him, and he received their worship. Sometimes, a person healed by a disciple began to worship him, but the disciple would rightfully direct the worshiper to Jesus. In spite of how rebellious we can be, most humans like to express thanksgiving to others who have done something to benefit us. The rightful object of Christian worship is God who has revealed Himself in Jesus.

Paul writes, Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship. Paul was writing to the church in Rome, and it is a church hearing his letter read this morning. Both the church in Rome and the church in Bunker Hill know that worship is a vital part of our response to God. It does us good to be reminded what our spiritual worship is supposed to be.

We must first recognize that worship is all about God. In our worship service, we do not have performers on a stage - the pastor, choir, song leaders, deacon - entertaining an audience - the congregation. In worship, God is the audience and everyone here directs his and her worship to God. Every born again believer who gathers to be the church is an active worshiper. No one comes to be the audience; that role is reserved for God. Worship is not a function of pleasing our tastes in musical style or seeking compliments for our dress or trying to impress anyone that you are attending church. Worship is not about us. Worship is all about God.

Throughout our entire time of worship, we are to be actively offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. We do not intend to dictate to the Holy Spirit how He will lead us in worship from one moment to the next, but we do gather with our will set to worship. In other words, worship is an act of our will. We willfully make the time both physically and mentally to give God our worship. We are to remind ourselves that worship is more than a feeling.

So does this mean that we are being dishonest if we go to a worship service when we do not feel like it? I would say that that depends on our actions at the time. After all, who has not gone to work at some point when he doesnt feel like it? Does that mean that our work is invalid if we still go when we do not feel like it? Well, if you go and purposely fail to live up to your responsibility, then, yes, your work is probably invalid. But if you go and contribute honestly in spite of not feeling like being at work, then your work is valid.

There are similarities in worship, then. If you overcome feelings of not wanting to attend and allow the Holy Spirit to use what you offer Him, then I suspect that your worship is not dishonest or invalid. I remember seeing a humorous sign several places entitled rules for the workplace. Rule #1, the boss is always right. Rule #2, if the boss is wrong, see rule #1. So I refer you to our rule #1: worship is all about God. If you come to worship feeling like you dont want to worship, see rule #1. Worship is an act of our will because God is worthy of our worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. A worship service is very public. We are gathered on a morning like this in front of everyone else. At the same time, worship is very personal. No one else can worship for us. At every worship service, we should aim to worship the Lord with all our passion and prayer and intelligence and energy. We want to know God intimately, to love Christ supremely, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit completely.

Being transformed by the renewing of our mind means to die to the things that distract us and get in the way of our worship. Reflect on Scripture such as Psalm 139:23-24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. It takes unique discipline for a person to be able to work through distractions. Many illustrations from sports come naturally when we think of discipline. When a player from an opposing team is attempting a free throw, what do we do? Shout, stomp our feet, wave our hands or other objects in order to distract him and make him nervous and maybe miss. The good players are able to ignore the distractions, though. How do they do this? Through discipline developed through practice and experience. They work hard at staying focused on the goal at hand. Making the free throw or the field goal or the base hit is the goal requiring the fullest attention when in the midst of thousands of people trying to distract you and get you to think about something else.

Satan would love Gods people to become distracted and forget to focus on the goal of worship. Christians who fail to meet God in worship become easier targets for satans distractions. If satan can distract a Christian at a worship service, how much easier will that make it for him to distract the Christian at other times during the week when not in a worship service? The Christian, then, develops the discipline to focus on the goal to worship God. How? Like the Psalmist, by asking God to search our hearts and thoughts. Like Paul, by being transformed by the renewing of our mind. Dont forget rule #1: worship is all about God.

Like Peter wrote in his second letter, we need to be reminded frequently of the basics of this faith that God has given us. Why do we schedule a specific time for worship and attend week after week? This is very basic to the practice of our faith. We gather in worship in order to meet God every Sunday. This is a holy expectancy we should adopt in our worship lives. Paul has written, For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given to you. Therefore, dont worry about what others are doing or not doing in a worship service. Yes, respect other worshipers by not making a lot of distracting noise or loud talk or anything else that detracts from an environment of worship. But we are not coming to worship to be irritated by someone elses inappropriate behavior; we are coming to worship to be drawn into an encounter with the true and living God. That is why were here this and every other Sunday morning.

God loves us so much that He provides the way for our salvation. God wants our thankful worship, both private and public, in return. So we gather on Sunday mornings to do just that. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship. And do not forget rule #1 of the heart of worship: worship is all about God.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

  --  To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org