Why Do We Worship Together?

Why Do We Worship Together? Psalms 122:1-122:9

Today every one of us got out of bed and got ready and came to this church

• We did this with the intention of spending our morning singing hymns and songs,

• We came to pray together, to listen to God’s word,

• And we also came to share fellowship with one another.

• And the really cool things is that this is happening right now in churches all across the country, its happening all across the continent,

• And its happening all across the world.

• More people get together on Sundays to worship

• Than to engage in any other activity.

But At the same time we’ve all met people that,

• When they’re invited to come to church,

• Have a whole laundry list of reasons why they cant go

• “It’s the only day of the week I can sleep in.”

• “I don’t have to go to church to worship God.”

• “I have to work on Sunday mornings and there’s no way I can get out of it.”

• “I’m spiritual, but I’m not religious.”

• “Everyone who goes to that church is a hypocrite. There’s no way I would go there.”

And the list of excuses goes on and on it

• If you try and Counter one excuse

• They come at you with another

• There’s not much a person can do to convince someone else to come to church.

But maybe even more interesting,

• Are the reasons people have for attending church.

• I mean, think about this for a minute.

• No one is forced to attend church / to come / worship!

• It’s completely voluntary.

• To the best of my knowledge nobody handcuffed any of us and drug us here today

• But they say that a good test of someone’s values

• Is what they do with their spare time,

• What they do when they don’t have anything to do.

So let me ask you this: why are you here this morning?

• What inspired you to get up, get dressed and walk through those doors?

• I mean, I get paid to be here! But What’s your reason?

• But seriously, is there any other place that you would rather be right now?

When you come here on Sunday morning, is the time you spend here inspiring?

• Are you truly glad to be here?

• Does your heart leap with joy at the thought of being able to go to church?

• Does it encourage you in your walk with Christ?

• Does it move you to share your faith in Christ with your neighbours?

• What happens when youwalk back out these doors?

• What do you take with you?

Today we are going to look atPsalm 122

• And this is the song of someone who decides to go to church

• They decided to go to church and worship God.

Ps 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Ps 122:2 And now we are standing here inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

Ps 122:3 Jerusalem is a well-built city, knit together as a single unit.

Ps 122:4 All the people of Israel—the LORD’s people— make their pilgrimage here.

They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD as the law requires.

Ps 122:5 Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David. Ps 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.

Ps 122:7 O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. Ps 122:8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be with you.”

Ps 122:9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

I love how this psalm begins.

• Verse one begins with an invitation to worship:

• I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”

• From the very beginning the psalmist is excited

• He’s excited about getting together with his people to worship God.

When was the last time you invited someone to church and they had that reaction!

When was the last time you were that excited to go to church?

I began today by asking why some people decide to stay home from church

• Then I went on to ask, why would someone go to church?

• Psalm 122 gives us at least three reasons to go to church and worship God together as a congregation.

• It also tells us what we take with us when we leave