Sermon Brief
Date Written: April 5, 2013
Date Preached: April 7, 2013
Where Preached: OPBC (AM)
Sermon Details:
Series Title: The Five Functions of the Church
Sermon Title: What Does True Worship Look Like?
Sermon Text: Colossians 3:1-17 [ESV]
Introduction:
This morning I am beginning a five (5) week series on the FIVE (5) functions of the church. I will do this week and next week…THEN on April 21st Ben will preach week 3 and then I will finish out with the next 2weeks…
There are five (5) separate functions of the church and it is my belief that they fall in a particular order of importance!
Worship: A lifestyle of reverence toward God, all else is meaningless without the proper worship of our Savior!
Discipleship: We must make a firm commitment to growing in our faith
Evangelism: We must make a firm commitment to sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world around us… we are called to share and we MUST!
Mission/Ministry: After we are saved, we aer called to good works and reaching the lost around us… we are called to DO what God has called us to do
Fellowship: Christ desires and promotes UNITY in the church and the Christian fellowship of the believers is important…
These 5 “functions” are not just a list of programs that churches should be involved in... BUT what they represent is what the church must BE and how each believer should be living out their lives.
Let me explain what I mean: As Christians, we must stop thinking that church is a place to go--- People church is NOT where we go… church is WHO we are!
We ALSO have to stop comparing our fellowship with other fellowships! We have to stop focusing on what other fellowships have or what we DO NOT have!
The focus for our fellowship should be on these 5 functions… This is because these five (5) functions act as a mirror to help us to see our own individual calling as well as the calling of our fellowship!
So… IF we don’t GO to church but we ARE the church… then how are we -- AS THE CHURCH -- doing in living out each of these 5 functions for our fellowship?
WORSHIP:
Do we worship as we should?
Do we truly understand what worship is really about?
DISCIPLESHIP:
Do we disciple like we should?
Do we fully understand what discipleship is all about?
EVANGELISM:
Do we evangelize like we should?
Do we understand what evangelism is and why it is so important?
MISSIONS/MINISTRY:
Do we do missions and ministry like we should?
Do we truly understand missions/ministry and what it does for our witness for Christ and for us as believers?
FELLOWSHIP:
Finally, do we fellowship like we should?
Do we understand what fellowship is all about and why it is so important?
This morning, as we begin this series, I want us to take an in-depth look at the 1st element or function of the church… it is the element of WORSHIP!
Let me ask, have you ever thought about what it really means to ‘worship’? You hear people say that we going to have a ‘worship’ service?
BUT just what does it mean when we say that we are going to “worship” God? When you hear the word ‘worship’ what do you think about?
I know that I am like MANY people… I know that when I hear the word worship, in my mind I begin to think about SONGs and MUSIC…
When we think like that… we think that we have our ‘worship’ time with the hymns and the choir BUT then when the preacher steps into the pulpit, for many that is when the WORSHIP ends!
The word, “Worship” is defined as a reverence toward something usually a deity.
‘Worship’ as a verb… to treat somebody or something as divine. To show respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion or love.
Worship as a noun… the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity… the services thru which people show that adoration, devotion, and respect!
When we define Christian Worship we see that is an act of devotion directed towards the God of Creation… the God of the Bible.
The actual English word for worship is derived from the old English word “worth-scipe”, which refers to and expresses a sense of worthiness or you could actually pronounce it ‘worth-ship’
For the Christian this ‘worth-ship’ is directed toward the God of heaven! As believers, we offer God praise because we believe He is ‘worthy’ of adoration, devotion, and respect!
So when we ask the question, “What does TRUE Worship look like?” We need to go to the Bible for answers!
What is TRUE Worship of God? I want you to turn in your Bibles to Col 3 where we can find Paul describing how believers are called to live ‘In Christ’.
Basically what Paul is laying out in this part of the chapter actually reflects the true heart of WORSHIP! If we can live as Paul describes here, we can KNOW the TRUE HEART OF WORSHIP and we can know what TRUE Worship of God should look like!
In this passage Paul 6 general emphases for living a life that would glorify God! So what we can surmise here is that IF we apply these 6 general emphases to our lives then we are going to KNOW what TRUE WORSHIP of God will look like and we will be able to worship God as we are commanded… In Spirit AND in TRUTH!
True Worship emphasizes the great VICTORY we have in and because of Jesus! v1-3
1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
True, heartfelt worship can only begin when we realize what Jesus has done for us! When we come to the realization of the victory Christ has won for us… then worship will comes naturally and it WILL be from our hearts! I believe that when we realize where Jesus has brought us from… worship is easy!
Paul tells us just what a victory we have in Jesus as he wrote in Eph 2:1 “…you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” We were spiritually DEAD and hopelessly separated from God, and Jesus died for our sin & raised from the dead to conquer death! It is Jesus who has WON the victory and that victory is FOR US!
Jesus brought us from spiritual death TO spiritual life… it is because of Jesus that death no longer holds the power over us… [sing] O’Victory In Jesus – My Savior Forever!
Eph 2:6 tells us, “…[Jesus] raised us up with Him and seated us with him in the heavenly places…” We have been raised up with Him and because of Jesus we have a ‘reserved’ seat in heaven!
Jesus said in John 14:2-3 (ESV) “…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also…”
People Jesus has NOT only won victory over death and included us in that, but He is preparing our heavenly home RIGHT now and ONE DAY we will be with Him!
Now I don’t know about you but that is definitely something to WORSHIP about… can I get an Amen up in here?
TRUE WORSHIP emphasizes our victory we have IN Jesus!
Paul emphasizes we stay AWAY from the world! v5-9 [read verses here]
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, & covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
As an extension from our VICTORY in and thru Jesus, we can see Paul emphasizing WHAT we have been rescued FROM… and what we must steer clear of in living our lives!
What Paul is emphasizing here in these verse is…
There is an emphasis on taking our mind away from what FORMERLY enslaved us…[read v5 here]
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, & covetousness, which is idolatry.
Paul also emphasizes in v6-7 our mind away from the wrath of God… that we were ONCE going to face, but NOW in Christ we have been delivered!
6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
Where we ONCE walked in fear of God’s coming wrath, we NOW have victory in Jesus because of what He has done!
But finally in this section we find Paul focusing our minds away from the selfish and self-centered outlook on life that we ALL had before we met Jesus!
Let me explain what I mean… when we are outside of the body of Christ, the circumstances of life and our reactions TO those circumstances drive us and we reveal all of these emotions and actions that Paul mentioned!
But Paul says, now that you are IN CHRIST, these circumstances no longer have control over us but when we focus on Christ… we CAN ‘put to death’ things like immorality, impure passion and evil desire! Not because of who we are, but because of what Christ has done… and THAT is yet another way we can know TRUE WORSHIP…
TRUE WORSHIP emphasizes the victorious Christ and does NOT focus on the circumstances of this life!
True Worship also emphasizes how Jesus has changed us! v10-11
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, & in all.
What Paul is telling these new believers in Colossae is that their focus or the emphasis in their lives must realize that the OLD is gone and the NEW has come… Paul told the same thing to the church in Corinth [read 2 Cor 5:17 here]
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
We are born again by the power of Christ and our souls are whitewashed by His blood… and Christ takes that NEW whitewashed canvas of a soul and He begins to paint a great masterpiece for HIS glory and for HIS kingdom!
We are renewed in His knowledge and we have a new life… a new outlook… and new attitude! Because of Jesus and what He has done!
The emphasis of our lives now take on a new direction. We have new priorities! We NO longer see life and people as we did before… the walls of prejudice and separation are broken down and the and hangups we once had because of our selfish hearts are torn down and dissolved away! In Christ we are made NEW!
TRUE WORSHIP emphasizes that IN CHRIST we are changed and made NEW!
Paul emphasizes God’s path 4 our lives! v12-13
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
What we find here is that we are God’s CHOSEN and God’s beloved children! CHOSEN and BELOVED… this reveals God’s great love for us! This reveals God’s initiative in bringing us REDEMPTION and SALVATION!
But we can also see God’s chosen path for our lives put forward here in these verses… Christ is calling us to live lives that reflect the HIS heart of compassion, His kindness, His humility, His meekness, and His patience!
We are called to live Christ like lives… Jesus saves us and sets on a path of righteousness and He provides us with the strength to live as He has called us to live… to live in such a way that the world will sit up and take notice!
Finally we can see that Paul is emphasizing the great mercy and forgiveness of God… Christ calls us to NOT only live out our lives revealing Christ-like attributes, BUT we are called to ACT like Christ and be forgiving… as God has forgiven us!
People Christ has PROVED us with VICTORY, and a path to follow here in this life… TRUE WORSHIP focuses on God’s path/calling for our lives!
Paul emphasizes God’s love & our calling to love! v14-15
14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Paul states in v14 that we must set our focus on LOVE! That we must FOCUS on love ABOVE ALL ELSE! For the believer LOVE is the MOST important aspect of our faith!
It was God’s LOVE that brought His mercy, grace and forgiveness into our lives! It was God’s love that provided us with HIS Salvation! We must emphasize His love in ALL we do… when we live OUT His love, He is revealed to the world!
But we are also shown here that Paul was emphasizing unity within the church. Paul says here that love BINDS ALL THINGS! We are called to love… we are called to be IN community with each other! The fellowship of the believers is crucial to achieving God’s kingdom!
We also see Paul emphasizing the result of living a life of love and that is the peace of God reigning free in your heart and soul! This peace Paul emphasizes is the peace that only comes from Christ and through us living out our lives in unity and love for each other!
When we begin to fail to love one another…
When we begin to fail to be at ONE with each other…
THEN we will NOT be able to experience the peace that Paul speaks about in Phil 4… that ‘peace that passes all human understanding’
TRUE WORSHIP focuses on God’s love AND the unity and peace it brings…
Finally Paul emphasizes how our lives must be centered on Christ! V17
17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Here in this verse Paul reminds us that we are ambassadors for Christ in all we do…
Here in this verse Paul reminds us that our words and actions MUST reflect the Christ we proclaim…
Here in this verse Paul reminds us that we must be THANKFUL to Christ in ALL things…
TRUE WORSHIP Focuses on our life centered IN CHRIST!
So let me ask you the question one more time…
As a church… as a fellowship of Christ followers, can you answer What it means to TRULY WORSHIP God? Can we say that we truly know what TRUE WORSHIP looks like?
I believe we CAN… TRUE WORSHIP:
Focuses on the victory Jesus has won…
Focuses on how Christ has delivered us from our circumstances…
Focuses on how Christ has changed our lives…
Focuses on the path God has called us to walk…
Focuses on God’s love and the unity of our fellowship…
Finally, it focuses on our lives CENTERED on Christ
We CAN know true worship! But here is where I want to put my own emphasis ON this sermon! Paul has laid out what TRUE WORSHIP should reflect, but you cannot simply show up on Sunday mornings and expect to truly worship!
Our worship time on Sunday morning is only as good as our worship efforts are during the week! We must come fully prepared in our hearts to offer up worship to God, and if we are living out our lives as Paul has instructed us to live during the WEEK… then when we show up here on Sunday morning, we will have NO problems with worship!
That means that we will be able to worship in spirit and truth as we are called to do so…
That means that it won’t matter what hymns or songs we sing…
That means that it won’t matter if the choir was off key or hit a home run with their special…
That means that it won’t matter if the announcements seemed boring and too long…
That means it won’t matter how LONG the preacher preaches… WE WILL BE ABLE TO WORSHIP!
Are you ready for TRUE WORSHIP? If so, you have to begin to live out your lives as we are called to live… you must begin to seek the things above and live a holy life focusing on Christ like attributes and putting to death in your heart all the things that have enslaved you over your lifetime!
This morning you have heard how the believer can REALLY know what TRUE WORSHIP is… but if you don’t know Jesus, then I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to Him!
Give evangelistic invitation here…
