Worship
I. Introduction
Some things are complex and complicated. People's choice in music (Bob Dylan). The cloud (all this stuff up there somewhere and somehow we can access at will). Commitment to soap operas and reality shows. Oklahoma weather.
However, faith was never supposed to be complex or confusing. Man has this propensity to make things harder than they should be. When Jesus arrives on the scene man had severely complicated matters. So, we have been trying to get back to the simple things Jesus called us to do. I have been asking you to wrestle with whether you are really a disciple. We said disciples are disciples because they choose to obey. A local local church has properly defined “disciple” in what may be one of the best and most succinct ways. They say a disciple is a “fully devoted follower of Christ.” I think they are right. But my question is what then is a disciple fully devoted to? What are the simple things these first followers did? Fortunately for us we are told.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I talked about disciples being devoted to study. We mentioned fellowship, and last week prayer. These men and women gave their lives to these things. The final thing I want to see in the simple approach the disciples had was that devoted . . .
Disciples worship.
You will remember that last week I said that we when we hear someone talk about prayer we tend to check out because we have heard about it so much. It that is true regarding prayer it is true a thousand times more in regards to worship. We are in a moment of history that may be the most saturated with worship resources than at any other era. And yet it is my contention that we have a few issues in spite of the availability of worship.
1. We have turned worship into a spectator sport. We watch other people worship and we say we have worshipped. Never open our mouth or sing a song but because we listened to them sing we treat worship like we treat football/basketball teams . . . they played but we won.
2. We are apt to get caught up in worship of worship. So that it becomes about style and preference rather than the object of the worship.
So, if we want to become fully devoted disciples we must learn some things about how disciples worship!
Disciples are holistic in worship!
I thought about how to say this and I could have just as easily said, "the disciples worship as a lifestyle." But we are too familiar with worship as a lifestyle statement without actually embracing it. So, I chose the word holistic which means " characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole."
Worship was a part of their everyday experience and life. It wasn't reserved for just Sundays. Nor was it confined to involving music. Notice in our text there is no mention of their praise being connected to music. It simply says they praised God.
You know I have no issue with music. That isn't the point. The point is their worship wasn't defined or determined by accompaniment. There are times you have no band. No worship team. No sound track. Paul and Silas worshipped in the dungeon and their weren't recessed Bose speakers in the ceiling cranking out Bethel Worship or Tye Tribbett. Yet the silence didn't drown out their worship.
There are basically two types of worship that the disciples involved themselves as worship became holistic in nature. Paul addresses these two types of worship in
In Colossians 3:16-17 . . .
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Paul addressed corporate worship . . .
Paul knew that is as worship becomes a part of our daily experience that we lose the need to be coerced/prodded to worship. Worship becomes second nature or natural and it also becomes essential to our growth. In fact, Paul says that corporate worship is necessary because we teach and encourage each other as we worship. We need to worship together! There is instruction on how and when to worship. There is strength and courage that comes when we worship together!
However, Paul also addresses the personal daily worship . . .
Our view and understanding of worship must expand until we simply see our entire, our whole life as worship.
“Cause every task of your day to be a sacred ministry to the Lord. However mundane your duties, for you they are a sacrament.” — Richard Foster
Foster is simply reiterating or restating what Paul taught! Your daily life is the real platform of worship. In fact, I believe it is as we learn to worship in the daily routines of life that we are prepared and positioned to come together and not only minister to the Father but to one another.
Church members worship on Sunday. Disciples live a worship lifestyle that bleeds over to Sunday!
How much worship do you do outside of Sunday morning? I didn't say singing. I said worship. As disciples we must devote ourselves to giving affection and attention to the One we are following.
Disciples are persistent in worship.
If you were here last week, then you may say wait you repeated what you said about prayer. I know. On purpose. Because the record indicates that the disciples learned to worship in spite of rather than when it was comfortable or convenient. Just as too many of us give up in prayer too many have allowed the convenience of worship to whittle away at our ability to persevere worship. By being unable/unwilling to worship in the tough times of life we elevate what we are facing (at least in our minds/spirits) into a higher place of power and attention worthiness than God! What was true about their prayer life was equally accurate in regards to their worship life.
We like the lesson that God is sovereign and turns setbacks to triumphs. However, we must also learn the lesson that if He doesn't turn things around His praise worthiness is unaffected and undiminished. Our devotion to worship is based on who we worship not what we face! If God can only be worshipped when things are going perfectly, then you have a God who is no longer sovereign and in control! Or you have a God you are trying to manipulate and hold hostage! I will only worship you when you do what I want!
Stop just a minute and think about what the disciples were facing while they developing this commitment to worship . . .
While they worship they were being persecuted, tortured, imprisoned, rejected, stoned scattered and excommunicated. What they faced deepened their worship. They had learned the worship toughness of Job. Job was blessed. Rich. Prosperous. Fine family. Full bank account. Then he lost it all. Kids killed. Livelyhood lost. Sickness rather than strength. His response . . . "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” God is to be praised when He gives me everything my heart desires. But as a disciple I will be persistent in worship even when He takes away. His praise worthiness isn't effected by Him giving or taking.
We must learn to make what the writer of Hebrews calls "a sacrifice of praise!" That is more than just when it isn't convenient, or when they didn't sing my song. I will make a sacrifice and worship anyway! That is petty. A sacrifice is a sacrifice when it costs us something! A sacrifice of praise means worship when it makes no sense, when I would rather be bitter, when I would rather blame, when I don't have time, when I don't have the strength, when I am sick, when I am broken, when I am down, when it didn't turn out like I wanted. But I am a disciple and disciples worship!
How devoted to worship are you? How devoted are you to personal moments of praise? How devoted are you to spending time at His feet? How devoted to corporate worship are you? Does any excuse keep you away. Is it a priority or an option?
I want to mention this. We haven't paid any attention the last verse. As a direct response to the disciples being devoted to study, fellowship, prayer and worship God added to the church daily. May I point out the obvious just so we don't miss what is right under our nose? Growth was granted when the disciples were simply devoted to what was important. Perhaps if disciples are distracted on the trivial, mundane, complicated, even good things but not these things, then growth is not only missing but unlikely! It is these things that set them apart and caused others to want to be a part.
