’tis The Season To Worship Series

INTRO.- Man is worshiping being. We all worship something or someone.

ILL. - Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes recently bought a new home in California. One day they were have a heated argument about family finances. (I don’t know why, however)

Tom said, "If it weren’t for my money, this house wouldn’t be here!" Katie Holmes replied, "My dear, if it weren’t for your money, I wouldn’t be here."

ILL.- Recently I was talking to an elder from IL and he asked me, “Have you seen the new movie ‘Unstoppable’ with Denzel Washington?" I told him that Elaine and I had seen it. Excellent and exciting. And I’m sure many people love Denzel Washington’s acting. Actors and actresses have almost become gods to many people. They are in the news constantly, either making good news or bad news. Nevertheless, for better or worse, people love to love celebrities.

But, as some have said, “They still put their pants on one leg at a time.” They are still human. And humans should rightfully not be worshiped. No human being should be worshiped. Nor should THINGS be worshiped.

ILL.- I asked my high school Sunday School class in one church many years ago, “What do you have that you just can’t live without?” One girl said, “My clothes.” One boy said, “My music.” Another boy said, “My truck.” And I forget what else was stated.

What do you have that you feel like you just couldn’t live without, materially speaking? Material things are just things, but sometimes we forget this.

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU TREASURE MOST IN LIFE? Whatever that thing is or person is, that is where your heart is! And that is what you worship most of all!

Now obviously, we should worship the Christ most of all. It’s ok to like things and love people, but we must not worship them. WE MUST WORSHIP CHRIST. To worship is to honor, to revere, to adore, to love, etc.

And as it’s been said, “Wise men still worship Christ.” Just as the wise men of old did. Tis the season to worship Christ.

PROP.- I want us to consider several scriptures in regard to worshiping Christ.

1- In worship we give back to Christ

2- In worship we serve Christ

3- In worship we draw near to God

I. IN WORSHIP WE GIVE BACK TO CHRIST

Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

The wise men of old bowed in worship. When was the last time you bowed in worship? I know that you bow your head when you pray or when someone leads us in prayer. We were taught to bow before our God and Father. Amen. So be it.

ILL.- I have often joked with kids, telling them here is how to pray before they eat their food: Rub a, dub, dub. Thanks for the grub. Yeah God.”

Now you know I don’t pray that way before I eat and I don’t really encourage kids to pray that way. I’m just teasing them to see how they will respond. But I do want kids to learn to bow their heads any time they pray or prayer is offered.

My little three year old granddaughter, Hayden Santasiere, offered the prayer when we ate (back in April) and would pray this way: “Thank you God for the food in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.”

Daily and perhaps hourly, we need to bow our heads in prayer and give thanks for our blessings, whatever they are, large or small.

ILL.- E. M. Bounds in his book on prayer said that Stonewall Jackson (Confederate general during the American Civil War) was a man of prayer. Jackson said, “I have so fixed the habit of prayer in my mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without asking God’s blessing, never seal a letter without putting a word of prayer under the seal, never take a letter from the post office without a brief sending of my thoughts heavenward, never change my classes in the lecture-room without a minute’s petition for the cadets who go out and for those who come in.”

That’s good and that’s worship! That’s worship to give thanks to for a cup of water or whatever the blessing!