The Accomplishments of Worship
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Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a stop, a giant of a man - six feet four inches with bushy hair and a large mustache stepped from the train. Cameras flashed. City officials approached him with hands outstretched. Various people began telling him how honored they were to meet him.
The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads, asked if he could be excused for a moment. He quickly walked through the crowd until he reached the side of an elderly black woman who was struggling with two large suitcases. He picked up the bags and with a smile, escorted the woman to a bus. After helping her aboard, he wished her a safe journey. As he returned to the greeting party he apologized, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."
The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who had spent his life helping the poor in Africa. In response to Schweitzer’s action, one member of the reception committee said with great admiration to the reporter standing next to him, "That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking." (Credit: Jeff Strite).
I want you to think back to just a little while ago. You woke up, did your morning, ate breakfast, and made you way here. Most of us came here for a few primary reasons: 1.) We want to get something out of it to apply to our lives Monday through Saturday. This is an investment in our lives. 2.) We value the relationships with Jesus and our friends. 3.) We are committed to an act of service here. We help in the Cafe, serve on the worship or tech teams, we help with the kids. 4.) We came here because it is part of our faith walk with Christ.
All of these reasons are valid and good reasons to come to church and take part in the worship service. But they are not the most important reason. There is a purpose that should supersede all these reasons put together. What if the only reason you came to church was to offer worship to God? Your whole intent was to sacrifice your time, your treasure, your energy to be with God. How different would your Sunday look?
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)
We will come back to this Scripture at the end of this message. First, I want you to go to the Book of Genesis and we’re going to read the 22nd Chapter:
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now, I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself, I have sworn, declares the LORD because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. (Genesis 22:1-19)
There are 3 times in the account of Abraham and Isaac where Abraham says, “Here I am.” I want us to look at these quickly and then I’m going to tell you how this fits into our congregation today. Just like Abraham, we also should be responding “Here I am” in our lives these ways
I. Worship is a Response to God’s Call
By Abraham responding to God, he said to God: I’m listening, I’m available and I’m obedient. Worship begins with listening and listening starts with prayer. God’s voice and calling to Abraham wasn’t something foreign to him. Abraham knew God’s voice.
We’re not told what Abraham was doing when God called him, but I’m willing to bet it wasn’t at a time that was convenient to him. Worship is something that is based on God’s character, not our desire or when it is convenient.
What first we accomplish when we worship is we respond to God, His Character, His love for us, His sending Jesus, His provision for our life, our substance, and our being. When Abraham responded to God, it wasn’t because he owed something to God, it was because he knew he owed everything to God.
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (1 Peter 4:7)
We cannot experience God moving in our church and our community if we’re not first available to listening to our Savior’s & instructions & calling and that comes through prayer. And we must also tell God we are available. Responding to God is a choice we chose to make. God said to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac” and Abraham trusted God.
What are you willing to sacrifice in your life’s altar to see God’s plan be unfolded, not only in your life but for everyone around you. Are you hungry for people 40, 50 or more years from now, sitting where you are sitting, hearing the salvation message? That’s the kind of faith Abraham had.
Abraham didn’t want God’s blessing just for him, but also his children and grandchildren and all his ancestors. You are an ancestor of generations to come, should the Lord tarry. What kind of faith will you leave behind that will assure your children and grandchildren will know the love and grace of Jesus?
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (Mark 1:16-20)
II. Worship is Leadership
That leads me to my next point. Abraham and Isaac go up to the mountain. They prepare an altar. They prepare for a sacrifice. Isaac, being a smart young man, sees something is missing and so he asks his dad a question: “Father?” Abraham answers: “Here I am.”
Abraham is leading his son. Abraham sees a teachable moment. He’s showing his son and teaching his son how to be obedient to God and how to be a man of faith. He’s not making excuses. He’s being a Godly example. God’s plan comes first and it comes by faith.
“Dad, I see the fire and the wood, but what about the lamb?” “God will provide it” was Abraham’s response. It’s a legitimate question and Abraham provides a legitimate answer. He knew God’s promises. He already had the blessing. The question of the provision was clear. God will provide!
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1)
give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created (Revelation 4:11)
God will provide! We need to learn to be dependent upon God for everything and to teach our children that too! This was a teachable moment. Look for those teachable moments and seize them! Turn off the television, turn off the cell phones, and tune into God with your family. That doesn’t require a halo, it requires availability when your children call out to you, reply “Here I am.” Teach your children to pray. Teach your children to tithe. Teach your children the Scriptures. Teach your children to love one another as Jesus Christ first loved us. That doesn’t happen by dropping them off each Sunday. That comes by becoming a disciple yourself and discipling them as well.
When you worship it is for giving Glory to God first, and also the benefit of others. Did you realize that? There are others who come to church around you. They are spiritually dry. They are distant from God. Your worship encourages others to press in and press on.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)
There are many who show up on Sunday mornings who feel that is what worship is about, showing up on Sunday morning and going through the motions. Singing songs, Taking Communion, Listing to the sermon, etc. Worship is a privilege given to us by God. If all we do is go through the motions and never connect with the One who gave His life for us, we’ve squandered our time here for God.
We teach our kids a lifestyle of worship by what we do, not what we say. Worship is the normal and routine expression of believers who are developing a deeper, more personal relationship with the living God. What does this say for those who do not attend worship? I’ll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. Permit me, however, to share with you how absurd some of their excuses sound when applied to a completely different interest...shopping.
"Why I Don’t Go Shopping: (1) Whenever I go, people ask for money; (2) I shopped all day and only three people said anything to me; (3) The air conditioning is set too low; (4) Often I have to be there for hours; (5) Hey, You don’t have to go shopping to be a consumer; (6) My parents forced me to go when I was little; (7) Sorry, I have to
take my kid to church."
III. Worship is Sacrificial
Everyone wants to be showered with God’s blessing, but are you willing to live and worship sacrificially for God? For Abraham, taking Isaac to the mountain was a purposeful and worshipful act. Do you know how I am certain Abraham was going to do to Isaac what God asked him to do? Because it took God to come down and stop him!
Because Abraham was willing to be a man of faith, live as a man of faith, teach and demonstrate how to be a man of faith, God told Him he was going to bless his socks off. Do you want to see God’s blessings shower down in your life? Get the “Here I am” right. Listen to God’s calling and be ready to be obedient, no matter what the cost. Be willing to pay the price. You are the child of a King. You are an heir to the King of kings and Lord of lords. What is there to fear?
Billy Graham says that 95% of the Christians in America live defeated lives. The reason is that most of us haven’t learned to live as people of faith. We haven’t placed Paul, the Barnabas and the Timothy in our lives. God never meant for us to go through life alone. That’s why He gave us the church.
I believe this church is about to come to a pivotal moment where we must be ready to catch the moving of God’s Spirit, just like this moment in Scripture.
God told Abraham, that He would provide the Lamb. Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the Lamb and then Abraham found a ram in the thickets. Did you notice that it was a RAM in the thickets, not a lamb?
Four thousand years later God provided the perfect Lamb by giving His own Son. Except for this time when the knife came down, He didn’t stop and Jesus paid the price for your sins, my sins and the sins of the world
18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
He told us to go and make disciples. That is where we need to grow as a church: In making disciples. We don’t need to make more pew warmers. We don’t need to make more church attenders. We need more disciples. Do you want to change America? Start with making disciples and fulfilling the Great Commission. We’re going to talk more about that in the near future.
For now, who will answer the call? What are you willing to lay on life’s altar to see God’s plan happen? Who will have a burden and a heart for the lost? It could be for those on your street or for the people of Senegal. We’re going to sing this song together. Here I Am, Lord.”
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 1:12)
Take it to the Cross
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