Series: Walking in the Way of Jesus... 6 Values of Discipleship... "Worship"

 Sunday Sept. 23, 2012                               
Matt 4:1-11

 A congregation was excited about its new, young pastor. He was energetic, preached inspiring sermons and worked with the youth.

Then one night he was late for the church council meeting.

Another time, he failed to show up for a committee meeting.

He even started coming late to worship.

Then one Sunday, he failed to show up at all for worship.

The council voted to dismiss the pastor.

Then the council had the following message posted at the church entrance: “We have fired our pastor for acting like the rest of us.”

PRAYER:

 

We continue in our series; “Walking in the Way of Jesus… 6 Values of Discipleship/Followership”. These are fundamental values… the modus operandi… that every faith community should be about. These values are… Prayer… Worship… Learning… Serving… Relationship Building… and Generosity. Last week we reflected on the importance of Prayer and why the community needs to be speaking and listening to God thru prayer as it discerns God’s direction for ministry.

Today our focused value is “Worship”

Over the past 30-40 years worship has been anything but an experience of God in many churches. I’ve been part of churches when the conversation turns to adding to or making changes in worship is all but an all out war… so much so that you’d think the world was coming to an end. For many churches, worship has been a lightning-rod of conflict. The Style… Music… Forms have all caused conflicts in the church. I’ve often wondered why it is so difficult to get along when it comes to worship. Why so much divisiveness?... and the temptations for conflict are great. Worship is but one of a whole host of temptations that take our focus from God.

 

In our story today, Jesus is tempted to take his focus off of God by Satan. Satan is giving his best effort to shift Jesus’ focus.

Looking at our story… Jesus fasts… Satan tempts with food.

          Jesus is taken to the top of the temple… tempted with status.

          Jesus stands on the top of a mountain looking out over the world… Satan tempts with   

           power

                                    Jesus… you can have it all… tempted to focus & worship Satan.

Jesus says, NO!!! “Worship & Serve only God

What are you being tempted to worship?

Several years ago I interviewed in Appleton, Wisc. And was asked the preverbal question, “How Long are your Sermons?” I responded, “Why is this important to you?” The person said, “The Packers play at noon and I must be home at 11 to prepare.” Worship started at 10:00 and the person had a 15 minute drive home. I was told later that he always leaves early during football season. For this person… there wasn’t much worshipping and serving only God.

For much of the churches worship has often tended to reflect what we want or like… our traditions… our way of doing things, and what we get out of it. Rather than us giving our total inhibited devotion to God and thus experiencing God’s grace. Not our favorite sports team… or our children’s sports activities or whatever takes us away from God.

Rabi Abraham J. Heschel says,
Worship is more than paying homage. To worship is to join the cosmos in praising God. The whole cosmos, every living being sings, the Psalmists insist. Neither joy nor sorrow but song is the ground plan of being. It is the foundation of life. To praise is to call forth the promise and presence of the divine. We live for the sake of a song. We praise for the privilege of being. Worship is the climax of living. There is no knowledge without love, no truth without praise. At the beginning was the song, and praise is man's response to the never-ending beginning.

 Why is Worship such a Core Values?

Psalm 95... emphasis is Sing Joyful Songs… Praise God… Worship w/Thanksgiving… Bow Down & Worship… and Listen to God’s Voice.

Acts 2…

Meeting Together… Praying… Learning… Sharing … Selling Possessions… Breaking Bread… and Praising God.

Eph. 5: 19…

When you meet together, Sing Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Praise the Lord with all your Heart.

There are no prescribed orders of worship in the bible… Paul states that worship should be orderly, but there are no particular styles… types… or liturgical forms that we should follow. Luther states in the Book of Concord that worship must have 4 elements for worship to be God Honoring & Worshipful. Luther’s elements of Worship, Gather, Word, Sacrament, Sending.

What we do in between these elements, Luther called Adiaphora or Not Essential.. they might be good things to do, but they are not needed to grow in faith.

Our worship of God isn’t meant for us to hold on to the goods.

-       If our worship is not missional we are no longer a community of faith focused on God

-       In worship the spirit empowers us to share or God stories.

-       In worship the spirit stirs us to be compassionate.

-       In worship the spirit moves us tom be creative in our mission.

-       In worship the spirit engages us to look beyond this place to serve others in our community.

God doesn’t need our worship… God demands our worship not out of duty, but out of our gratitude for what we’ve been given. Our worship shouldn’t be what we get out it, but what I give so that others can experience the grace of God.

When our worship is focused on God worship will be Engaging… Relevant… Vibrant… Authentic… and opens us up to experience the Love & Grace of God.

 

See You Out On The Road