Practice: Worship 7.4 - March 28, 2010

Practice #7 – Worship
7.4 – The Living Sacrifice

Romans 11:36-12:2 (New International Version)
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

•    The parts of worship:  For the glory of the one worshipped
•    Something is offered or sacrificed or dedicated in worship
•    The things offered in worship belong to the one worshipped, not the worshipper.
Here is how we do it:1.    Know who God made you to be.Romans 12:3-8 (NIV)
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 you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

2.    Treat other people correctlyRomans 12:9-21 (NIV)
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Paul gives us a list of what this looks like:
•    Hate Evil
•    Focus on good things (Philippians 4:8)
•    Be devoted to one another and honor each other (Ephesians 4:32)
•    Never be lacking in zeal
•    Maintain hope, patience, prayer
•    Take care of those in need
•    Hang out with people
•    Be a blessing
•    Join people where they are – the easy ones and the hard ones
•    Get along with people
•    Be humble
•    Don’t be vindictive
•    Do what is right – even if it hurts
•    Don’t be vengeful.  God will take care of it
•    Be a blessing to those whom you do not like
•    Romans 13:1-7 – honor your government
•    Romans 13:8-14 – reinforcing loving your brother and sister
•    Romans 14 – how to handle people who do churchy things different than you

This is Paul’s definition of what worship is, and according to Paul is the only logical thing that we can do in view of how good God has been to us.

Practice: Worship 7.3 - March 21, 2010

Practice #7 – Worship
7.3 – When Life Gets In The Way

Matthew 13:1-9 (New International Version)
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."
 
Matthew 13:10-11 (New International Version)
The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Matthew 13:18-23 (New International Version)
Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

1.    Many people cannot understand why anyone would want to worship God.Psalm 53:1-3 (New International Version)
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

2.    Many People make all kinds of commitments when things are easy, but cannot stay the course.Philippians 3:10-14 (New International Version)
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

3.    Many People just let life get in the way.Revelation 3:15-17 (New International Version)
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Practice: Worship 7.2 - March 14, 2010

Practice #7 - Worship
7.2 – Entering In

Romans 11:36-12:2 (New Living Translation)
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.   Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

   •    Three Key Components of Worship…
      o    It brings glory to the one Worshipped.
      o    In Worship, the worshipper offers, presents, or dedicates something.
      o    That offering no longer belongs to the worshipper, it becomes a Sacrifice to that which is
               worshipped.

A Picture of the Temple
The Process:
1.    Teaching
Romans 10:14-15 (New International Version)
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

2.    Confession
James 5:15-16 (New International Version)
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
 
3.    Repentance
1 Kings 8:46-49 (New International Version)
When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, “We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly”; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
 
2 Chronicles 32:26 (New International Version)
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD's wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
 
Job 34:33 (New International Version)
Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent?
 
Revelation 3:2-3 (New International Version)
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
 
4.    ConsecrationExodus 19:21-22 (New International Version)
and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."
 
What is consecration?“To set apart as Holy; to devote to sacred or serious use.” 
This is the offering piece of Worship.  This is what Paul is talking about in Romans 12:1: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices” - in other words…Consecrate yourself to the LORD.
 
5.    AdorationLeviticus 16:34
This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.

Practice: Worship 7.1 - March 7, 2010

Practice # 7 - Worship
7.1 – The Worship Wheelhouse

Romans 11:36 - Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Some Simple Elements of Worship:
•    It is for the Glory of whatever is worshipped.
•    There is an Offering where the worshipper will Present or Dedicate something.
•    Whatever is dedicated or offered or presented to the thing worshipped becomes sacrificed – it                     belongs to the thing that is worshipped.

A View of Worship from Scripture:
Offering and Sacrifice:
•    Genesis 4:2b-5… Cain and Abel are offering sacrifices
•    Genesis 8:20-21… Noah builds an altar and makes sacrifices
•    Genesis 14:17-20…Abraham and Melchizedek
•    Genesis 22 – Abraham and Isaac – Abraham makes a Sacrifice
 
Acknowledging who God is and what He is doing:
•    Genesis 24:26-27 – Abraham’s Chief Servant finds Rachel for Isaac to marry.
•    Genesis 28:16-19… Jacob’s dream and reaction
•    Genesis 35… Jacob goes back to that spot and builds an altar to remember.
•    Exodus 15… Moses and Miriam Sing to God

Obedience to the Lord’s Commands:
•    Exodus 12… Hebrews obey God through the Passover
•    Exodus 19-20… Commitment from the People and a Commitment from God
From Exodus 21 – Matthew 3 everything takes on a defined process – the LAW…
Jesus called them back to a perspective that honors God…

John 4:23-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

•    The Question she asked was immediately about worship.
•    There is a place for the law, but it is not the observance of the law that pleases God.
 
Isaiah 1:11 (New International Version)
“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.”

2 Traps in Contemporary Worship:
1.    Religiosity – Truth without the Spirit
Galatians 3:2 (New International Version)
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

John 5:39-40 (New International Version)
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
•    How can I know if I have fallen too far on this side of the worship balance?
 
2.    Anarchy – Trying to Emphasize the Spirit without any truth.
Galatians 5:13 (New International Version)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Jeremiah 17:9 (New International Version)
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
•    How can I know if I have fallen too far on this side of Balanced Worship?

Conclusion:
When I Worship, is it in the wheelhouse of Spirit and Truth?
What did I offer in Worship today?  Whatever I offered, it is no longer mine.  If I offered nothing, I did not Worship.  What then did I do?  Is God okay with that?