When WE Worship

Have you ever been sitting in the break room at work or somewhere during lunchtime with your friend or coworker, and begin to eat your lunch that you brought from home? Your friend or coworkers lunch is made from homemade fluffly bread, that’s a two-hander meal, stacked with fresh lettuce, chopped tomatoes, a slice of cheddar cheese with a dill pickle on the side... Not to mention the side items of a small dish of macaroni salad or chopped fruit, topped with a slice of cake wrapped in cellophane. While yours is just a couple of pieces of flattened bread with bologna and cheese and a smear of mayo, a stale bag of chips that has been hiding in the back of your pantry, and a coagulated plastic dish of pharmaceutically sealed jello pudding. As you look at their lunch, and discretely wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth, you let out a silent sigh, and munch down on your quick-grab lunch. Many times when we come to church, we just slap ourselves together and come to church to expect something to wow us, just as you were "wowed" with your co-workers carefully prepared lunch. We need to do more than just the "grab n' go" when it comes to worshipping our God.

Friends, we do not just come to church, we come to worship, and I will tell you that there is great importance in remembering that.

The Christian Faith is a Community Faith

The Christian walk is one that is best in community. In fact, the Bible is a community book; most of the 66 books were written to groups of Christians or churches. In fact, Psalms- where our Scripture is pulled from this morning- was originally a cooperate worship book.

Never forget, church, there is both a "me and Jesus” and a “we and Jesus” element to our faith. Which is one of the reasons why being part of a congregation is such a vital part of the Christian faith.. When people say “you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian” there is an element of truth. No, you do not have to go to church to be saved- being saved is by believing in the work of Christ on the cross- but being a “Christian” means to be Christ-like and one of the best ways to develop Christ-likeness is to be in a community of faIth to serve, learn, worship, and practice accountability.

And so week after week we join in this place as a community of faith. For generations Christians have been a part of the practice of faith, gathering in the name of Jesus for cooperate worship. But have you ever wondered why? Why is church important

Worshipping in Community helps prevent a “I don’t feel like it” Attitude

I love the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 I’ll recap it for you. Elijah is having a bit of a pity party because he is convinced that he is the only faithful person left in Israel so he goes into a cave and complains to God about how horrible his situation is- and God basically speaks to Elijah and says- go anoint Jehu King and anoint Elisha to take your place and see the 7,000 other people who are serving me, you are not the only one Elijah!

Let’s face it, we can all be Elijah. We can become so focused on ourselves that faith can be complicated. Elijah ends up in a cave complaining about how messed up everyone else is, and really does not feel like “doing church” anymore and God basically says- stop sulking Elijah get up and do what I asked you to do.

Friends. Worshipping God is not a feeling, it is a choice. We are called to choose to worship God even when our feelings do not line up with truth.

Worshipping in Community reminds us of God’s bigger story

We live in a world that encourages us to see ourselves as the center of the universe. Do what you want; do what makes you feel good; embrace your truth…etc.

All of these ideas are toxic for the Christian life that is based on following Christ and his will for our lives.

Coming to church reminds us that we are not the center of the universe. There are times when we all struggle to see what God is up to in our lives. We wonder if God is even there- but we can come to church and see him at work in the community, in the lives of those in the congregation, and be reminded that God is bigger than what we might personally feel in the moment.

How do I know the faithfulness of God? Not just because what he has done for me, but also because I have seen what he does for others. I have seen his hand in your lives, in the lives of those gathered in this place.

When we worship together we place our story inside the larger story of faith.

Worshipping in Community give us a venue to give, not just receive.

There are a lot of resources out there for Christians. There are books and podcasts, TV stations, YouTube Channels. I bet a person could consume something from Christian culture every day for the rest of their lives and never have to set foot inside a church building again.

But is worship merely consuming a product?

If the point of worship is to have someone pray for me, or preach to me, or sing over me, then maybe....but is that the point?

But worship is more than receiving. Worship is a full body, full participatory action. Romans 12:1 “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.” We worship by bringing our whole selves into the equation, part of worship is being in community- serving and giving of ourselves to the things of our faith.

Even things like cleaning the church, telling children’s story, and being an acolyte are worship. Paying tithes, praying over joys and concerns, coming to church clean up days are acts of worship- acts that we will never get to experience if we only see church as something we consume.

So why do this anyway?

Psalm 136 ESV

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.