Purpose #1: Worship Series

I Corinthians 11:17-34

Purpose #1: Worship - Our Expression of Love For God

Introduction

A. You know what is really sad?

B. When you think of the word Worship and instantly associate it with “Argument”

C. What a shame.

D. I have thought a lot about worship lately

E. I have come to this conclusion.

F. 99% of all arguments about worship occur over due to a poor understanding of worship

G. When we realize what worship is all about, arguments disappears

H. Last week we defined the word worship, a quick review

I. Worship is our Expression of Love For God

J. But what does that mean

K. Today we are going to dissect that definition in order to obtain a better understanding of what worship is

II. Our Expression

A. Explanation

1. God made us all different

2. Just look around at everyone here

3. There is no one who is the same as the other person

4. We are all different

5. Because we are different we have different ways of expressing ourselves

B. Illustration

1. For me to stand up hear and deliver this sermon is not that scary of a thought. For some of you to do this would scare you a great deal. Does that make me better? Does that make me more righteous? Does that make me a better Christian

2. NO

3. God had gifted me in this way; I can express things really easy this way.

4. However, I have not artistic ability

5. I can not express anything, through painting

6. There are many people out there who can express their thoughts through painting

7. I rarely even understand paintings. I don’t understand when people are looking these painting and say thing like I sense the author of this piece frustration and wanting to escape his situation.

8. Where do they get that? I am not wired that way to understand

C. Application

1. How does knowing we have different ways of expressing ourselves apply to our Church?

2. We have to get to the point were we are willing to accept other’s forms of expression

3. It makes me sick when we have Church’s split over the style of music

4. All music comes from God, There is not a more spiritual music, there is not more godly music, it is all from God

5. In the Bible it never gives us the way to worship

6. We all express in different ways, our worship then should be expressed in different ways

7. The one caution that I will give you though, is to make sure you know what you are saying, doing, or singing

8. In Christian circles, we almost have our own language. I want to encourage you to do a couple of things

9. When you are praying, avoid cliché’s. If you are about to use one, think about the meaning and say it in your own words.

10. If you are singing, don’t just sing, think about the words. Think about what you are singing

11. If you do not understand something we are singing, write it down, ask me to explain it to you.

12. I will do my best to explain it, If I find that it is really hard to understand, we might want to think about why we are singing it

13. In your life time there will be different styles of expression. Some you will like some you won’t. That does not make one right and one wrong

14. If God did not like variety, we would all be the same

III. Of Love

A. Illustration

1. How do you show your wife that you love her?

2. There is the simple way of saying “ I love You Heather”

3. However, is that the only way you show her?

4. I hope not, because if it is you are missing something

5. A simple act of caring in the groceries can show her your love

6. Doing the dishes

7. Checking the oil on her car

8. Giving her flowers for no apparent reason

9. Listen to her when she talks

B. Explanation

1. Now what if you only expressed loved with words?

2. What do you think would happen?

3. I Love You Honey, but I haven’t done anything you ask me to do.

4. Imagine if I would tell Heather I love Her, but refused to do anything else?

5. What if Heather would get home from shopping and I would say I love you, but would not help her carry the bags in?

6. What if I were to come home tell Heather I love Her and then as soon as she started talking, turn on the TV and started watching it and not listening to what she was saying?