The Winning Ways Of Worship

THE WINNING WAYS OF WORSHIP

MATTHEW 15:21-28

ON WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2005 SEVEN EMPLOYEES OF KAISER ANAHEIM KNOWN NOW AS THE LUCKY SEVEN MILLIONAIRES WOKE UP WITH NEW FOUND RICHES, AS THEY WERE THE WINNERS OF THE 315 MILLION DOLLAR MEGA LOTTO. AFTER TAXES, A THREE DOLLAR INVESTMENT WILL NET THEM A 20 MILLION DOLLAR RETURN. THE MOM AND POP OWNERS OF THE STORE WERE ALSO RECIPIENTS OF A ONE MILLION DOLLAR BONUS FOR HAVING SOLD THE WINNING TICKET. WITH SO MUCH TALK ABOUT WINNINGS, LIVING IN A SOCIETY THAT TEACHES COMING IN SECOND IS JUST A NICE WAY OF SAYING YOU LOST, LECTURES ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WINNER, I THOUGHT TODAY I WOULD REMIND EVEN THE PERSON WHO HAS NEVER WON A FOOT RACE, AN OFFICE RAFFLE, A SPELLING BEE, TIC-TAC-TOE . . . OR JUST A SODA FROM MC.D’S MONOPOLY, KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALREADY A WINNER IF YOU ARE A WORSHIPPER.

I SAY IF, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS CHURCH OR CRY LORD/LORD IS A TRUE WORSHIPPER. FAMOUS RESEARCHER, GEORGE BARNA SAID THIRTY-TWO PERCENT OF PEOPLE THAT ATTEND CHURCH HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED GOD’S PRESENCE IN WORSHIP, FORTY-TWO PERCENT HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED HIS PRESENCE IN THE LAST YEAR. HE CONTINUES, THE YOUNGER A PERSON, THE LESS LIKELY THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD’S PRESENCE. SADLY, HE STATES THAT ONLY ONE-THIRD OF CHURCH GOING ADULTS IDENTIFY WORSHIPING AS AN IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY OF A CHRISTIAN, AND LESS THAN HALF OF THEM DEFINE WORSHIP AS A TOP PRIORITY IN THEIR LIVES. BUT, WORSHIP IS IMPORTANT.

WORSHIP DERIVES FROM AN OLD ENGLISH COMBINATION OF TWO WORDS, WORTH AND SHIP. TO WORSHIP MEANS THAT WE DECLARE TO GOD HOW WORTHY HE IS.

TRUE WORSHIPPERS – PRAISE, EXALT, THANK GOD IRREGARDLESS OF WHAT HE’S DONE FOR THEM AND EVEN BEFORE GOD HAS DONE SOMETHING FOR THEM. WORSHIPPERS HAVE LEARNED TO MAGNIFY AND LIFT UP THE NAME OF GOD, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS AND NOT BECAUSE OF THE FAVOURABLE SITUATION THEY MAY BE IN.

ABRAM – GENESIS 22:5 - SACRIFICE – SON . . . WORSHIP – BECAUSE HE KNEW WHO GOD WAS.

ROBERT MASSEY – “TRUE WORSHIP BEGINS WITH KNOWING WHO GOD IS AND CONTINUES WITH HAVING A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.” HAVING A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD MEANS I APPROACH GOD WITH A RIGHT HEART.

DAVID – PSALM 24:3 USING THE HEBREW WORD ALAH (AW-LAW) WHICH MEANS TO GO UP AS TO MEET OR VISIT WITH, POSES THE QUESTION: WHO MAY CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD? WHO CAN MAQOWN (MAW-KOME) QODESH (KO-DESH)? WHO MAY STAND IN THE STANDING PLACE OF HOLINESS?

DAVID ANSWERS HIS OWN QUESTIONS, HE THAT HAS CLEAN HANDS/PURE HEART. WORSHIP, WHILE INVOLVING ACTIONS, IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A FUNCTION OF THE HEART. WE CAN SING UNTIL WE ARE BLUE IN THE FACE, WE CAN SHOUT UNTIL THE ROOF COLLAPSE, BUT IF WORSHIP IS NOT FROM THE HEART, IT IS NOT WORSHIP.

DAVID CONTINUES IN PSALM 24:5 “ . . . THEY WILL RECEIVE THE LORD’S BLESSING AND HAVE A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THEIR SAVIOUR. VERSE (6) – SUCH PEOPLE MAY SEEK YOU AND WORSHIP IN YOUR PRESENCE.” AND SO IT IS WITH A RIGHT HEART . . .

THIS CANAANITE WOMAN WAS NOT RAISED AS A JEW, DID NOT KNOW ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW OF MOSES . . . SHE WAS NOT WELL VERSED IN THE TRADITIONS OF THE DAY, BUT SHE HAD A NEED . . .

SHE LEFT HOME, SHE LEFT HER PROBLEM AT HOME IN SEARCH OF JESUS...

V. 22 – PROTOCOL, O LORD, SON OF DAVID . . .

V. 23 – JESUS IGNORED HER . . . LIPS/HEART . . .

V.23 – DISCIPLES . . . SEND HER AWAY, SHE IS BOTHERING US . . .

V. 24 – JESUS RESPONDED TO THE WOMAN . . .

JESUS TOLD HER, I’VE COME FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

V. 25 – ALMOST AS IF SHE IS NOW IGNORING JESUS, SHE FELL DOWN AND BEGAN TO WORSHIP JESUS.

V. 26 – JESUS TOLD HER, I CAN’T GIVE YOU WHAT BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE . . .

V. 27 - . . . I JUST WANT WHAT’S MINE . . .

V. 28 – GO HOME, IT’S DONE . . .

1. WORSHIP HELPS US EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF GOD

2. WORSHIP ELEVATES US ABOVE OUR PROBLEMS

a. NOT A DRUG – TEMPORARY RELIEF – HIGH – WEARS OFF . . .

b. CURE – REMEDY PROBLEMS. . .

c. DAVID – PSALM 27:5 “IN THE SECRET OF HIS TABERNACLE SHALL HE HIDE ME. HE SHALL SET ME UP UPON ON ROCK. HE SHALL SET ME UP (HEBREW – ROOM) . . . WHICH MEANS TO RISE, RISE UP, BE HIGH, BE LOFTY, BE EXALTED, TO BE LIFTED UP.

d. PSALM 61:2 “WHEN MY HEART IS OVERWHELMED, LEAD ME TO THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I.”. . .