Most of us have never been to Nisswa, Minnesota, but I, for one, would like to go there someday. And when I go, I need to plan to stay over for Wednesday night. Not that I want to go to church there (Sorry about that, Chief!). No, the reason I want to visit Nisswa is for the Turtle Races. Every Wednesday in the summer people come from Nisswa and the surrounding communities to particiapte in Turtle races.
Bif, the announcer, calls the turtles to their mark, gives them the "GO!" and the crowd goes wild! People stand, jump, and wave their hands in the air, imploring their turtles to do what is most unturtle-like. The excitement grows and finanally reaches a boiling point as the preliminary winners line up for the final heat. Amid unrestrained shouts and cheers, the first turtle across the line wins its trainer the award of $5.00 and a turtle necklace.
And some people get upset win Christians get a little excited in church!
I heard about a couple who thought that ALPHA and OMEGA had come in their "Planned Parenthood", until the Lord added a PLUS sign to their family. They named their last child "Chairman", and he lived up to his name. Of course, as with most children who are born out of time, Chairman became rather spoiled. So much so that when Chairman cried to Grandma about something he wanted, Grandma was dutifully obedient to fulfill Chairman’s wish.
Grandma bought Chairman what every parent wishs Grandma would never buy a child - a dime-store turtle! My, how Chairman loved that turtle! He took his turtle to school for show and tell, taught his turtle little turtle tricks, took his turtle to church to show the preacher. Everything you can imagine could be done with one of those little turtles, Chairman did.
Well, naturally, the turtle got sick. And not surprizingly, Chairman got sick. He loved his turtle and begged his daddy to take the turtle to the Vet.
What would you do? Well, if you were Chairman’s daddy, you would have taken the turtle to the Vet, too!
Daddy sat Chairman on his lap as he gave him the prognosis. He said, "Son, the Vetranarian said that your turtle was, without a doubt, the most talented, the finest turtle he had ever examined! (It was the only turtle he had ever examined!) But, Chairman, they are calling your turtle from that big turtleland in the sky and he won’t be with us much longer."
Chairman started bawling!
But his daddy said, "Now wait a minute, son. Realizing as I do that we have had in our home one of the greatest turtles that ever crawled on the earth, I have decided that when he dies, we will get all your friends over here and pull all the pots and pans out from under the sink. We’ll get some of those noise makers and horns and we’ll march up and down the streets of the neighborhood with a parade to celebrate the homegoing of the greatest turtle who ever walked the face of the earth!"
Chairman’s eyes widened and he said, "Daddy, can we kill him now?"
Maybe we would worship better if we killed off some turtles who have slowed us down for too long!
Matthew 21:1-11
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, ’See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’"
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"
11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
(NIV)
Don’t you just love a PARADE?
A PARADE
is a time of celebration!
WORSHIP
is a time of celebration!
Psalm 100:1-5
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
(NIV)
John 4:24
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
(NIV)
True worship requires
PREPARATION!
Matthew 21:1-8
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, ’See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’"
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. (NIV)
True worship recognizes
WHO JESUS IS!
Matthew 21:7-11
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"
11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
(NIV)
True worship revolves around
PRAISE!
Matthew 21:9
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
(NIV)
There is coming a day when witnessing will cease; preaching will cease; in fact, praying will cease. But worship will never cease! The one thing you will take to Heaven with you is worship!
True worship re-enforces
WHO WE ARE!
Matthew 21:9
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
(NIV)
The word "Hosanna", did not begin as a word of praise. It means, "Save us!" When we truly worship, we see who we really are: helpless souls in need of a Savior!
Is Jesus your Savior today?
