You are wired. Wired for worship. Lots of people are walking around our city day-after-day and don’t know it. Wired for worship.
Some of you are thinking, “Come on. A series on worship? Man, why do I need that? I’m a business person. I’m a teacher or homemaker or student or carpenter. Tell you what, I’ll bow out for this series and come back when you are talking about something more relevant for my life.”
This series can be the most important series you’ll experience this year. Worship can open up a whole new world for you. Your joy and peace and sense of satisfaction can go to a whole new level. This is the most important issue since you are planned for God’s pleasure. Worship pleases Him. Who you worship and how you worship are huge. Worship affects us in this life and the life to come.
When we bow the knee to the true God, priorities start to get in order. And life change takes place.
Let’s start with a working definition of worship. We’ll build on this in weeks to come.
Worship can be defined as…
– an intense passion for a person, place, or thing. (Who or what are you intensely passionate about?)
– our response to what we value most. (Who or what do you value most? Let me see your calendar and checkbook and I’ll tell you what you value most.)
When you think about worship this way, you understand that worship is not just something religious zealots do. All of us are worshippers. All of us are wired for worship. We might worship a career, a car, a new home. We might worship the idea of making a certain amount of money… or our kids’ success or our own comfort or our good health. We are going to worship.
The issue is not: Will you worship? We are wired for worship. The issue is: Who will we worship and how will we worship?
Our family just recently returned from a tournament in Cooperstown, NY. Our youngest son, Evan played baseball there this past week. 80 teams of 12 year olds plus their parents and some grandparents and brothers and sisters. Over three thousand people gathering every day. 18 fields. 72 games a day.
One day, I just sat up on a hill overlooking the field where our team was playing. I could see people standing and clapping. I could hear them chanting and cheering. When something good happened for their kid, they jumped to their feet. Sitting in the hot sun or the rain? Doesn’t matter. Forking over dollars to get to NY, to stay in NY, to buy memorabilia. Glad to do it. Think about it. Three thousand people worshipping with intense passion. Great worship. Wrong object. Great passion! Wrong person, wrong place, wrong priority.
You can watch people worship every Sunday in the fall… at Browns Stadium. You can watch people worship at the Gund when a major artist like U2 comes to town.
Is there a way to enjoy your kid playing ball without it becoming an intense passion because you value your kid’s success most? Sure. But there’s also a way to let that enjoyment become a cheap substitute for God.
There is a search engine in our spirit looking for something or someone beyond ourselves. And we are wired to get this desire quenched. When we bow the knee before anyone or anything other than God, we are wasting our worship.
Too many of us are wasting our worship. We have to learn what worship is and how to do it. Why?
Read Louis Giglio – The Air I Breathe, pp. 33-35.
“Hey, I worship God. And I worship Him here at Cuyahoga Valley. I’m cool.” Listen, talk is cheap.
Four possibilities: I can worship…
… the wrong God, the wrong way
… the wrong God, the right way.
… the right God, the wrong way.
… the right God, the right way.
God is looking for Q4 worship.
Look again at the possibilities. Which quadrant are you in? This series is designed to help you get to Q4. My guess is that most of us tend to live in Q3 – worshipping the right God the wrong way. That’s not OK. It’s a dangerous place to be. We’ve got to get to Q4.
So, that’s going to be our focus today. In the Bible is a story about what can happen when God’s people worship the right God the wrong way. Open your Bibles to…
II Samuel 6:1-9,
Since we are wired, there is power running through the wire. Whenever there is power, there must be caution. Today, we’ll meet a man who was wired wrongly. He worshipped the right God the wrong way. And it cost him. There are challenges here for us. Let’s read…
1 David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all.
David was Israel’s greatest king. And he’s putting together a worship service.
Worship is for women, right? No, David was a man’s man and was probably the most passionate worshipper in the Bible. As a young shepherd, he killed a lion and a bear to protect his flock. He defeated a Philistine enemy giant named Goliath and cut off his head. He was a man’s man… yet he is here organizing and paying for a worship service with 30,000 battle-hardened soldiers. Add women and children and you have a crowd the size of Jacob’s Field gathered for worship.
2 He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.
The ark was a box 2 x 2 x 4. Overlaid with gold. It was the symbol of God’s presence and power. Inside are three things – 1) some manna, which is a kind of bread God sent from heaven to feed His people in the wilderness; 2) the tablets containing the 10 commandments; and 3) the rod of Aaron – dead wood that blossomed with life. All three picture Jesus. He is the bread of heaven who fills us. He obeyed the law – the 10 commandments – perfectly in our place. And He was dead and came back to life. The ark pictured Christ. No wonder God said to treat the ark with holy care. It symbolized the presence and power of a holy God.
The ark was placed in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle – a portable worship center. One time, the people of Israel treated it like a good luck charm and used it in a battle against an enemy. God said, “You can’t treat me like a good luck charm.” And the enemy captured the Ark. But they didn’t keep it for long, because God brought discipline to that enemy nation. Troubles broke out for them. So, the enemies put the ark on a cart and sent it back to Israel. For several decades, it stayed in the house of Abinadab.
Now David wants to reestablish worship. He wants the presence and power of God for Himself and for His people. So, what we are seeing here are “Parade-ers of the Lost Ark.”
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.
God gave some very specific instructions on how to carry the ark. Put rings in the Ark and put poles through the rings. Then the priests can carry the ark with the poles. Why? God is holy. Since the ark represents His holiness, it was to be treated with the utmost care and respect. Unholy hands couldn’t touch it.
Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it.
These two men grew up with the ark in their home. Did they become over-familiar with holy things? Did they lose their awe and reverence? More pertinent… have you become over-familiar with holy things?
5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
Lyres. These are stringed instruments. Sistrums. These are percussion instruments with disks that make noise when you rattle them.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.
Picture it. The cart with the Ark is on a dirt road. The oxen stumble. The cart hits a bump. The Ark starts to tip. Uzzah stabilizes it. Good idea, right? “Way to go Uzzah! Don’t let that ark hit the dirt!”
7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
30,000 plus people are saying, “What just happened?” Some whispers, “That guy behind the ark. He touched it and he died!” Why? Look at the verse. Irreverence. Uzzah died because of Q3 worship. He got the discipline of God. Q3 worship – the right God, the wrong way – cost him his life.
8 Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
Maybe you’re feeling like David today as you think about this story. You’re angry with a God that would be so impulsive. He killed a guy for doing Him a favor. You’re thinking, “I don’t like this God very much.”
Read from Holiness of God. Pp. 140-141
In fact, we don’t just see God’s justice here. We also see God’s patience. He could have zapped the men who used their hands to put the Ark on the cart in the first place. They disobeyed God, too. But He didn’t. He showed mercy and patience, just like He does today. He puts up with Q3 worship form me and from you… a lot.
But this time, He said “Enough is enough. And He made an object lesson out of Uzzah. When might He say “Enough is enough” about you?
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?"
II Samuel 6:1-9 (ESV)
David is wondering, “How can I ever access the power and presence of God?” And if you’d like to access His power and presence for your life, you’ve got to know that it means you must move from Q1, Q2, Q3 to Q4 worship.
What is right way worship?
We’ll be seeking to answer this question throughout the series. But let’s get started today. Three concepts. God makes it clear in His Word how He wants to be worshipped.
1. I will worship from my heart.
God is seeking people who will worship from the heart. Heart-less worship is wrong way worship.
This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me…
Mark 7:6b-7 (ESV)
Is your heart far from Him? You show up at church, but when there’s a song to sung and a pray to be prayed and the word to be heard, you are just going through the motions. It’s all a big bore to you.
Maybe you’ve forgotten about how awesome God is. Or maybe you’re just used to it. You’ve been coming to church for so long that it’s no big deal.
Listen. Over-familiarity with what ought to produce awe is capable of producing contempt.
You’ve been coming to church for 5, 10, 15, 20 years. Maybe you were raised in the church by your mom and dad. And coming to worship services has become a duty rather than a delight to you. You’re heart isn’t in it. Why do you even come to worship? Maybe you think you can do a favor for God. Maybe you think you can get a favor from God. But it’s been a long, long time since anything about God has really moved you.
And you are wondering why you seem to be having so much trouble lately. Could it be that you’ve been touching holy things in ways that dishonor God? Could it be that He’s spared your life, but zapped your relationships or your career? Why? Wrong way worship! Your heart is far from Him.
Maybe He’s showing you mercy and giving you a chance to right your wrong way worship. He’s saying, “Give me your heart.”
Is your heart far from Him today?
What is right way worship? I will worship from my heart.
2. I will worship through my words.
Do you often tell God that you love Him? How often? Some of us are thinking, “Man, don’t ask me to get all mushy with God. I show God I love Him by being a good person – by living a good life.”
That’s good, but not good enough. Consider these words from Hebrews 13:
Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.
Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
I will worship through my words.
Question. What do you think Maryanne wants from me? That I vacuum the house or that I tell her that I love her? That I cook supper or write her a love note? That I wash and fold a load of clothes or hand her some flowers? What do you think she wants from me? Both! She wants both acts of love and words of love.
God’s the same. It pleases Him when we say, “I love You, Lord.” Worship isn’t something we watch. It’s something we do.
Let’s think about two ways we can use our words in worship.
Praying
Singing
Sometimes, I stand in the booth during services and just watch. I’m amazed at how many people don’t seem to be singing. I know that you may not have a nice voice or that you may not know the songs very well. But if it breaks my heart that you are not taking advantage of the opportunity to sing love songs to God, can you imagine what it does to His heart?
And you are wondering why you seem to be having so much trouble lately. Could it be that you’ve been touching holy things in ways that dishonor God? Could it be that He’s spared your life, but zapped your health or your joy of living? Why? Wrong way worship! Your lips rarely praise Him.
Maybe He’s showing you mercy and giving you a chance to right your wrong way worship. He’s saying, “Lift up your voice.”
Are you really praising God with the fruit of your lips?
What is right way worship? I will worship from my heart, through my words…
3. I will worship with my life.
I’ll ask that same question. What do you think Maryanne wants from me? That I pick up my socks or that I tell her that she’s the greatest woman on the planet? What do you think she wants from me? Both! She wants the words and the deeds.
Some of us are rally good at singing the songs and praying the prayers. But when we get to the office or when we engage with the family, people wonder if we really know the God we say we love. God says, “Worship Me with your life.”
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 12:1 (ESV)
Wherever we are whoever we’re with, worship should be going on. We can cry and lift our hands and kneel and sing to God, but if it does not translate into life-change, then it’s wrong way worship. We worship God in our lives… in marriages, in dating, at work, at school.
So, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you have a running dialogue with God, “Lord, this is for You. It’s all about You, not me. Help me live for you as a husband, wife, son, daughter, student, athlete, teacher, business person… Help me to worship with my life.”
Let me share with give a practical way to worship with your life. We are a church that cares about missionary work… a lot. We’ve sent teams to help plant churches in places like El Salvador and Ghana. Why? Worship. Lots of people aren’t yet worshipping the right God the right way. And we do missions to do something about that.
A new mission effort we are excited about is something called Mosaic. Tom and Joan Wright, members here at Cuyahoga Valley, are being called to plant a church in Cleveland’s Chinatown to reach Internationals and others. (Tom and Joan would you stand?) The goal is to unite diverse peoples in worship.
Tom and Joan are asking for help. They are looking for people who will make a 6 month commitment to help them get started. You can be trained to lead a community group, conduct surveys, serve as a bookkeeper or accountant, or lead outreach events. See Tom after the service to get a brochure and find out more.
By the way, if you are a Christ-follower and if you regularly attend Cuyahoga Valley’s worship services, then I ask you not to come to worship. See, you should come worshipping. Come here already worshipping. That means you need to be worshipping every day.
These services should be an overflow. These services are the whipped cream on the mocha.
Every pastor has heard these words, “Well, I’m just not getting fed over there.” Show me a person who says that and I’ll show you a person who is a walking billboard advertisement saying, “I don’t know how to feed myself.”
Listen, I like to eat more than once a week. Small meals – regular meals – are good. And once a week, we have a special meal here. But in between, we have to learn how to feed ourselves. Worship all week. Then, when you show up on weekends, things click.
Are you are wondering why you seem to be having so much trouble lately. Could it be that you’ve been touching holy things in ways that dishonor God? Could it be that He’s spared your life, but zapped your schoolwork or your finances? Why? Wrong way worship! Your life isn’t a 24/7 life of worship.
Maybe He’s showing you mercy and giving you a chance to right your wrong way worship. He’s saying, “Worship Me all week.”
Are you worshipping by the way you live your life all week long?
What is right way worship? I will worship from my heart, through my words, with my life.
A truth to take home: I must right any wrong way worship.
A verse to take in: “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28b-29).
A change to take on: How will I make time to be a Q4 worshipper this week?
There is a war for your worship. There will be a war for your worship this week.
In Matthew 4, Satan tempted Jesus three times. And on the third temptation, Satan raised the stakes. He took Jesus to a high mountain and said, “Check out the world. All can be Yours if you bow down and worship me.” And Jesus hit him with the word of God and said, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
I want you to declare war over your worship. Remove the idols from your life. Pray a high-risk prayer and say, “God I want to worship You and serve You only.” Your joy and peace and sense of satisfaction can go to a whole new level once you start doing what God designed you to do the way He designed you to do it. Discover the true meaning of being… wired to worship.
