Introduction

Good morning, church family. We gather here today in the presence of God, in the fellowship of saints, and under the banner of love. We are here, not because we are perfect, but because we are loved. We are here because we have been called by the One who made us, who knows us, and who longs to be known by us.

We are here to worship. But what does that mean? What does it mean to worship God? How does it affect our lives, our relationships, our hopes, and our fears? These are the questions we will be answering today as we turn our hearts and minds to the Word of God.

In the words of the esteemed C.S. Lewis, "A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." So, let us not be like the lunatic, scribbling in vain. Instead, let us be like the wise, who understand that our worship does not add to God's glory, but it positions us to see, to understand, and to participate in it.

Our Scripture passage for today is found in Luke 12:12-23, "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Then someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Harvesting Hope through Worship

The first thing we need to understand is that worship is not just about singing songs or attending church services. It's about our whole life. Every thought, every word, every action can be an act of worship if it's done with the right attitude and motivation. When we live our lives in this way, we start to see hope springing up in places we never expected.

Let's think about a farmer for a moment. A farmer doesn't just plant seeds and then sit back and wait for the harvest. He has to tend the soil, water the plants, and protect them from pests and diseases. It's hard work, but it's worth it when he sees the fruits of his labor.

In the same way, when we worship God with our whole lives, we are planting seeds of hope. We are tending the soil of our hearts, watering it with the Word of God, and protecting it from the pests and diseases of sin and doubt. And just like the farmer, we will see the fruits of our labor. We will see hope springing up in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Now, let's look at the parable of the rich man in our Scripture passage. This man had an abundant harvest, but instead of using it to bless others, he decided to store it all for himself. He thought he was securing his future, but in reality, he was missing out on the true riches of life.

When we focus on accumulating wealth and possessions, we are missing the point. True riches are not found in what we have, but in who we are in Christ. When we understand this, we start to see our lives from a different perspective. We start to see that every blessing we have is not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others.

This leads us to another important aspect of worship. Worship is not just about receiving from God, but also about giving to others. When we worship God with our whole lives, we are not just receiving His blessings, but we are also becoming a blessing to others. We are becoming channels of His love, His grace, and His hope to a world in desperate need.

And this is where the real power of worship lies. When we live our lives as an act of worship, we become a beacon of hope in a world filled with darkness. We become a source of encouragement to those who are discouraged, a source of comfort to those who are hurting, and a source of strength to those who are weak.

Harnessing Holiness in Worship

We continue to be drawn to the rich man's preoccupation with his possessions ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO