1. Have you been watching and listening for God's direction this week?
2. WORSHIP FROM THE HEART
A little boy asked his father what was the highest number he had ever counted. Replying that he didn't know, the father asked his son his highest number. It was 973.
"Why did you stop there?" wondered the father.
"Because church was over."
We all have probably sat through worship services where our minds were focused on something just as trivial rather than on God. It's easy to let the mind wander. "I can't wait to see the ball game this afternoon." "I wonder what we're having for lunch." "I've never noticed before that the carpet down there is starting to unravel a bit." Is it any wonder that we so often leave the worship assembly with the feeling that it wasn't very meaningful?
Worship should be a time when we are confronted with the majesty and glory of God. As we reflect on God's power, we realize how much we need Him in our times of weakness. As we reflect on God's wisdom, we realize how much we need Him in our times of indecision. As we reflect on God's holiness, we are made aware of our own sinfulness and the need for forgiveness. As we reflect on God's love, we realize the effort God has gone to make that forgiveness available.
It's not a ritual we go through every week. It is an opportunity to express our praise to the One who means more to us than all the earth. As we truly worship and praise God from the heart, we become more aware of how much we want to live close to Him. We leave with the challenge to "be holy as He is holy."
3. Why did you come to worship services today? Most to experience the presence of God and worship Him; to experience His Power and glory
4. What brings His presence and glory to us? Whole-hearted worship. [Emptiness of Ecclesiastes 3.11
5. John 4.22-24
a. Samaritan Woman -- a surprise conversation
b. Issue was not interracial marriage (Moses and Cushite; Boaz and Ruth, the Moabite)
c. Inter-Faith Issue -- (days of Ezra and Nehemiah)
d. Focus on worship -- among all nations of people
I. The Place of Worship
A. Definitions and Descriptions
1. Pulling affections from our idols and putting onto God -- ascribing worth (worth-ship)
2. To bow or prostrate before someone -- John with Jesus and the 24 elders before the throne in Revelation
3. Kiss toward; adoration
4. Psalm 29.2 -- Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
B. Detours from Worship [Family Feud
Top Five Answers for: What can Christians worship above God?
#5 -- Family/Children
* My family is my most important thing
* I come to church to have a better family
o It is true that doing what God says improves us, but He needs to be in the midst
o We need HIS presence to sustain us
#4 -- My Possessions
* Having wealth and things is not sinful [FYI -- $44-45K = top 1% of the world
* The problem is not having things, it is when things have us -- what things can you live without for 1 day? 1 week?
Psalm 62.2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
What happens when the tornado/earthquake comes and all we have is in a pile of rubble?
#3 -- A Famous Person
What happens when we put celebrities before God?
#2 -- My Career
* It is a privilege to work -- Ecclesiastes 9.10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,
* As important as it is, it is not our god
[Test -- Suppose Jesus made a personal appearance at this place tonight at 10 PM and determined to stay 24 hours; would you come? What would you do about your job?
* Even our Ministry Opportunities -- GOD is first in our lives, then Ministry
#1 -- ME
* God wants me to be happy, so I will do what I want to be happy
* Church can become a Christianized means of selfishness:
* I come to church because I want to be happy and pleased; if it doesn't please me, I am leaving; I will complain
[O Brother, Where Art Thou story -- One Sunday our worship leader led a song from O Brother (Down to the River to Pray); the next day a woman in the congregation told him she objected to that song and he was not to ever lead it again; a few weeks later the song fit the service so he led it; the next day she was in his office saying, "I told you to never lead that song again. . . ."
* We are not here to please you -- we are here to please God and we need to stop widening home plate to make people happy
* We are not here to be blessed, we are here to bless GOD and our blessings from God are a by-product
II. The Potential in Worship
A. God Seeks Worshipers -- John 4.23
1. HE takes initiative -- John 3.16; Abram; Moses; Israel; US
2. Not ego -- jealous concern for us
3. He has our best in mind -- we become like what we worship -- Hosea 9.10c
But they came to Baal-peor
and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame,
and became detestable like the thing they loved.
a. Destructive -- like Baal
b. Productive -- like God
B. God Empowers Worshipers -- Romans 12.1-2
1. Not Limited to Time and Place -- John 4.21-22
2. It's about Relationship with God -- John 4.23
* Sing TO the LORD, not just about Him
3. It is about complete worship -- Spirit AND Truth
a. Intellect and Emotion
b. "Heart" -- the place to Love God
1. We worship together as a community -- a means of encouraging one another
2. Not to forsake this assembly -- Hebrews 10.25
a. If the One we are seeking (the One who sought us) is in our midst -- we won't want to miss
b. If we are bored with church either WE are off target or HE is absent
c. True worship invites His presence
d. All Out/Don't Hold Back
3. Don't Hold Back
Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, but it was already obvious that he was enormously gifted. Bertoldo was wise enough to realize that gifted people are often tempted to coast rather than grow, and therefore he kept trying to pressure his young prodigy to work seriously at his art. One day he came into the studio to find Michelangelo toying with a piece of sculpture far beneath his abilities. Bertoldo grabbed a hammer, stomped across the room, and smashed the work into tiny pieces, shouting this unforgettable message, "Michelangelo, talent is cheap; dedication is costly!" (Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence) Too often Christians are just like Michelangelo in that we simply coast through worship service by simply going through the motions. Going through the motions of singing songs and taking notes is cheap; dedication to true worship is costly.
Football players have a saying -- "leave it all on the field." It means that during the game they don't hold anything back.
