TEXT: Exodus
TITLE: The Praising Church
TOPIC: The Praising Church
OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church, February 3rd, 2008
PROP.: Worship happens when God reveals Himself, We choose to remember, and then we respond.
INTRODUCTION: At this time we would like to dismiss our Jr. Church age kids ages 4 years old - 4th grade and if you would take the attendance pads and pass them down the pew you’re sitting in.
We are journeying together to become the church that Jesus desires. The text that is the model for us to follow comes to us from
Acts 2:42-47
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Today, and for the next 3 weeks in February, I want us to be PRAISING GOD!
God’s people have always worshipped Him! From the beginning of time where Cain and Abel offered up their sacrifices of worship, to the time Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice Him on the altar, God’s people have always offered up worship to Him!
To start this sermon series off right, let’s start with the Israelites (God’s chosen people) and how learn how worship works: Let’s start in Exodus 3:12.
You know where the Israelites are, right? They are in Egypt serving Pharaoh and being mistreated and abused! Moses fled Egypt and was living in Midian because he killed an Egyptian. And here our story begins…
Exodus 3:12
And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [ The Hebrew is plural. ] will worship God on this mountain."
Why did God want the Israelites free from persecution and slavery? Sure, he was upset about the treatment of His people…but God makes a promise to Moses and the Israelites: WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE FREE, THEY WILL WORSHIP ME!
Each and every time Moses visited Pharaoh, and before each plague hit, Moses told Pharaoh to let God’s people go so they could WORSHIP Him! And worship Him they did!
T.S.: WOSHIP HAPPENS WHEN….
I. REVELATION OCCURS:
1. When God shows Himself - When faced with the almighty, powerful God, you can’t help but worship Him!!
--The story of Moses
God showed up in the life of Moses in a special, powerful way. Moses was tending to Jethro’s flock and there, God grabs the attention of Moses. God shows Himself in the form of a burning bush that never becomes consumed! So Moses does what any of us would do in his position - He investigates closer. As Moses approached the bush, he heard a voice say to him: STOP! IT WAS THE VOICE OF GOD!
There at that burning bush, God maps out His plan. He told Moses in
Genesis 3:19-20
“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.”
But Moses was a little unsure about God’s plan…so what did God do for Moses? God shows Moses a little hint of His power:
1. The staff turning to a snake (4:2-4)
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘What Is that in your hand?’ “A staff,” Moses replied. The Lord said, ‘Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to Him, “reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.”
2. His healthy hand turned leprous and then back to a healthy hand (4:6,7)
Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. Now put it back in your cloak.” So Moses put his hand back into his cloak and when he took it out it was restored like the rest of his flesh.”
3. Turn the Nile into blood. (4:9)
“But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the dry ground.”
--The story of the Israelites -- Put yourself in the Israelite’s shoes…
God revealed Himself to the Israelites time and time again. The 10 plagues: The Israelites knew exactly who their God was. Not once…not twice…but 10 times, God showed what He is capable of!
--My story -- What’s your burning bush story?
How has God shown Himself to you? How have you discovered God’s character? His Power? His might? His holiness? His love?
Can I share with you three ways God has shown me who He is?
1. Through creation - Romans 1:18-20
Creation (in my thinking) is the greatest testimony of God’s love and power.
Romans 1:18-20
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
2. Through experience - The Israelites experienced God’s rescue and deliverance and they were able to worship God just as God told them they would! God’s promise was fulfilled in Exodus 24:1
Exodus 24:1
1 Then he said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance”
Time after I have experienced God’s power and wisdom. I have experienced God through answered prayers. I hope that you and your family have experienced God through answered prayer! I hope you are writing your own experiences down in your prayer journals!
3. Through others -
God has shown his love and mercy through others. I could tell you countless stories of how God’s people (BURNSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCH) has blessed Lindsay and myself in numerous ways!
When God’s character is revealed to you…WORSHIP IS INEVITABLE!
Not only does worship happen when God reveals Himself to us…but worship happens when…
II. I CHOOSE TO REMEMBER (praise)
--The problem with humans:
We humans are quick to forget. Or should I say, we’re quick to forget the good things in life! People aren’t so quick to forget if someone has does something to offend them! But that kind of remembering doesn’t produce praise; it produces bitterness!
If we remember the wrong things, remembering produces bitterness not praise.
So God has helped us remember the good things because God knows that when we remember good things, we praise!
--The Israelites
In the case of the Israelites, they had several things lined up so that they would not forget what God had done for them.
1. Stones of remembering.
Joshua 4:19-24 -
Crossing of Jordan
19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ’What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ’Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea [a] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
Joshua was told by God to command the people to take 12 stones from the Jordan river…and these 12 stones were placed in a pile so that God’s power, God’s provision, and God’s protection might be forever remembered by the Israelites and therefore, God would be worshipped!
2. Feast of the Passover -
The Israelites were also commanded to hold a feast designed to specifically to remember how God had freed them from Egypt!
This was a feast that commemorated the last plague (plague of the first born)…
Exodus 12:12,13
12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
And why did they celebrate this feast year after year? Well let’s read what Exodus 12:17 says:
Exodus 12:17
17 "Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
They celebrated this feast to REMEMBER what God had done for His people!
--You and Me
You and I have our own Passover service that we celebrate…only we don’t do it just once a year…we partake in this supper each and every Sunday…it’s called
The Lord’s supper
1st Corinthians 11:23-26
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Well not only does worship happen we God shows Himself, and when I choose to remember…but worship happens when…
III. I RESPOND
When I realize who God is and I remember what He’s done, then comes my response!
DEFINITION OF WORSHIP: My response to God after I realize who He is and what He’s done for me.
1. Our GROUP response
Our weekly meeting together consists of our response to who God is and what God has done! Each portion of our Sunday services is worship of God!
1. Sunday school - Teaching the future generations about God’s word is very much a part of worshipping our God!
2. Singing - This is probably the most common way that Christians think of
Worship. Singing is certainly a part of worship, but it’s so much more than
merely singing songs! I want you to realize how blessed we are to be living
in this area! You have 4 CHRISTIAN radio stations to choose from. Can I challenge you to listen to Christian music for this month? If you don’t have any Christian music and would like to make the commitment to listen to
Christian music, come see me.
The Christian Radio stations available are:
88.5 - WGCA (the mix) offers a good blend of Christian music and
Preaching
98.9 - KLUV Offers mainstream music
89.9 -
89.7
3. Preaching - I was given an article by Billy Johnson to read. It’s main premise
was interesting: The Preacher is a Worship Leader! When God’s word is
proclaimed, God is worshipped!
4. Praying - talking with God is pleasing to God!
5. Offering - giving a sacrifice to God has always been part of worship in regards to our God. Today’s sacrifice is money!
6. Communion - We’ve all ready talked about remembering what God has
done…worship happens whenever God is remembered!
Can include: SHOUTING, CLAPPING, BOWING, SILENCE, SPEAKING, SINGING, DANCING, PLAYING INSTRUMENTS, FELLOWSHIP
YOU CAN DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT IF IT’S NOT SINCERE, OR FROM THE HEART, IT’S NO GOOD! True worshippers worship in spirit & in truth!
2. Your INDIVIDUAL response
can include:
LIVING - making wise decisions. At school, at work, at home, at restaurants, online…CHOOSE to do the right thing! When you choose NOT to sin, that is worship to God! When the majority goes to the left, and you go to the right, God will be blessed!
GIVING - money, time, & talents to others for God’s GLORY!
SERVING- Every person is a minister! We’ll talk more about this in March!
CONCLUSION: “My favorite way to respond is. . .”
What is your favorite way to express your feelings for who God is and what God has done?
Exodus 3:12
And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [ The Hebrew is plural. ] will worship God on this mountain."
Why did God want the Israelites free from persecution and slavery? Sure, he was upset about the treatment of His people…but God makes a promise to Moses and the Israelites: WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE FREE, THEY WILL WORSHIP ME!
We are free people gathered here this morning and we are gathered here for one purpose: to worship!!!
This morning, we come to our time for YOU to make a decision. The challenge I want you to consider is this: IS WORSHIP OF GOD A DAILY PART OF MY EXISTENCE?
Next Sunday, we are going to be looking at worshiping God with our gifts!
