(Show video - Be the Church)
Today, I want us to do just what that video challenges us to do - talk about how our church can become a church that makes a difference. Sadly, what the video reports as being true of America, is also true of Portales. We have more churches than we have gas stations, with a church on practically every corner. Yet, it seems we do a far better job moving folks from one church to the other than reaching the unreached. As the video puts it, we need to move beyond being church attenders to becoming world changers.
We’re going to think on the priorities we’ve adopted as a result of the Transformational Church process. Those priorities are worship,
community, and mission. Why these? Four reasons.
1) A pragmatic reason - Research, like the Transformational Church study conducted by Lifeway, shows that churches making a difference in their communities are focused on worship, community, and mission.
2) A biblical reason - This was the pattern of the early church.
“They worshiped together at the Temple each day (worship), met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity (community) - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved (mission).” - Acts 2:46-47 (NLT)
3) A logical reason - Our church is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). In Acts 2:46-47, we see what activities a disciple is involved in - worship, community, and mission. We can conclude that a disciple is a follower of Christ who lives life as worship, lives life in community, and lives life on mission. As our we give priority to this three-fold focus, it is logical that we will be more effective making disciples.
4) A personal reason - One who belongs to Christ is called to be His disciple. I should seek to live life as worship, in community, and on mission. So I should be part of a church where these are priorities. If they are priorities for my church, then my participation in that church will reinforce them as priorities in my life. So let’s think together about these three priorities of our church, beginning with worship.
(READ TEXT)
As we look to this passage that describes the worship experience had by the prophet Isaiah, I want us to make note of three things:
1. Worship is personal - “I saw the Lord” - v. 2
When Isaiah went to the temple, he went to a place of public worship and had a very personal encounter with God. We want the same to be true for every person who comes through the doors of our church. Yet, too often, people may come to the house of God, sing songs about God, hear messages about God, yet never really have an encounter with God.
What can you and I do to help prevent this from happening? How can we help insure that our worship services are meaningful and lead to those who join with us on Sunday experiencing a personal encounter with the living Christ?
A. We can seek to encourage others -
I read a story from a pastor who said that one Sunday morning, as he and his family were together at breakfast, his 3-year-old daughter said to him with all the innocence and honesty a 3-year-old can muster and said, “Daddy, when you get up to preach, can I go to sleep?” He said that her words were funny at first, but after a time their truth dawned on him. How many people come to the worship service to sit and “drop out” for an hour? What do you expect as you come to worship?
We need to come with a sense of expectation that is contagious! Which is one of the reasons we need to do a better job of welcoming everyone on Sunday, especially guests. As we greet one another and welcome guests, we can convey a sense of excitement and expectancy regarding the fact that we are going to have a personal encounter with God!
B. We can set an example to others -
“I loved Elvis. I followed him his whole career. I have every album he ever recorded. I’ve seen every movie that he ever made. I once even bought some boots when I was in junior high school that looked like his. My classmates made fun of them, but I didn’t care, they looked like Elvis. Later I got a face lift and a hair contour like his. I have won Elvis look alike contests and wanted him to notice so I would storm the stage during and after his concerts so he would notice me, I don’t think he ever saw me. I have ticket stubs from his concerts, Elvis clippings from programs all over the world, I even have some Elvis pillows from Japan. Yeah, Presley was my idol. My only regret was that I never really saw him. I mean really saw him. Sure, I went to his concerts, but there was no contact. I once even climbed the walls around Graceland to catch a glimpse of him. I think it might have been him that I saw walking through the house as I looked through my binoculars. But I never really saw him. It’s funny. All of the effort I put in following him and I never could seem to get close.” - Dennis Wise - Boston Globe
Unlike Elvis, our God is not seeking to “dodge” us. He wants to meet with us. But too many are like this man when it comes to worship. They go through the motions, yet never “see” the Lord in it all. Why? Because unlike the Elvis fan, there is no passion to see the Lord.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
Too many of us worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship. Oh, how we need more who set the example of the Psalmist:
“You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.” - Psalm 63:1 (CEV)
The key to experiencing personal worship is passion! To encourage each other in worship, our passion needs to be on display.
2. Worship is corporate - “the temple” - v. 1
Isaiah’s personal encounter with God was in a place of public worship. It is likely that he may have been surrounded by other worshippers. Which points out how God calls us to worship Him corporately. Why? Because there is an experience of God’s presence found in corporate worship that is not experienced in private worship.
“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” - Matthew 18:20 (NLT)
“In the establishment of one of our great goldsmiths is a vast iron safe of many locks, containing immense treasure. But no one person can open that chest; the keys are in the hands of many trustees, and only by their concurrence can the hidden wealth be made manifest. Thus it is in the natural and in the spiritual world, the wealth of the divine blessing can be reached only through the brotherhood of saints. ‘Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.’” - W. L. Watkinson
But how might we experience the kind of corporate worship where we sense the Lord’s presence among us? The key to experiencing
corporate worship is participation!
Spectating is the most popular sporting event in our nation. Hundreds of thousands of people gather each week to watch sporting events. Millions more watch on television. I have heard the point made in a positive sense that our worship needs to be more like sporting events in that we need to have more passion. I agree with that. But, unfortunately, our worship is more like sporting events in that it has become a spectator sport.
To encourage each other in worship, we each need to participate.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” - Mark 12:30 (NIV)
If worship is how we express our love for God to God, then I would think it would be impossible to do that without actively participating.
3. Worship is heavenly - vs. 1-3
From Isaiah 6, we learn this lesson: When I participate in corporate worship with a passion to experience personal worship; I will gain a perspective which results in heavenly worship.
In verse one, we are told that Isaiah had this experience in the year that king Uzziah died. At a time when the earthly throne was unoccupied, Isaiah was reminded through this worship experience that heaven’s throne was occupied. In his worship, he was transported, as it were, to heaven itself, as he joined in exalting the true king! Through his experience of worship, he gained a perspective that enabled him to go from discouragement to encouragement, from being defeated to being daring, to wanting to run and hide, to saying, “Here am I, send me!” As a result of worship, Isaiah was ready to change the world!
Conclusion: what does it mean for my church to make worship a priority? It means that I make worship a priority, because I am the church!
As I participate in worship with a passionate expectation that God will show up, then He WILL show up, and I will be reminded, along with everyone else, that he is on His throne and our victory is assured, no matter what the challenges of life may be. And I, along with my brothers and sisters in Christ will be part of a church that is ready to go forth in Jesus name and make a difference!
