Congregational

Matthew 22:1–3

[1] And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, [2] “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, [3] and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. (ESV)

-God invites His people to worship Him corporately

I. Worship Together vv. 1-2

In our passage this morning, we are issued an invitation to worship

This is a corporate invitation, to gather as the people of God and worship Him in unity

What are some of the marks of this corporate activity?

It is joyful, marked with singing and exclamation

It comes from a heart filled with gratitude

It recognizes that we are in the presence of God

This ought to be something that we want to take part in:

To be in the presence of God

To be with His people

To be celebrating

Worship can take a lot of different forms:

Sometimes it is marked by sorrowful lament

Sometimes it is practiced privately

But when the people of God gather, filled with His joy and He is enthroned on the praises of His people, something beautiful takes place. It is a truly spiritual experience

We are a generation of experience seekers: We will ride the roller coaster, go on the hunt, climb the mountain, take the drug, or pursue relationships out of a desire for experience. All of those are shadows of a longing for something much greater and much deeper. Something that can only be found in our Lord.

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

II. Worship the Lord vv. 3-5

Next, we see the object of our worship, and we must be sure that this matters:

It is right to worship in Spirit

Yet, we also must worship in truth. We ought to know who we are worshipping and why He deserves it

He is:

The Lord- “I Am” and completely self-existent

A great God- He is powerful, Almighty even

A great King above all gods- He alone has sovereign authority over all Creation

Sustainer- All of creation is in His hands

Creator- It all comes from Him

This God is worthy of our praise and we offer it through the Son, Jesus: He has opened a door of reconciliation for us to be sons of God, not slaves only!

Colossians 1:15–20

[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV)

III. Worship Humbly vv. 6-7b

Third, the Psalmist shows us the attitude and posture of worship

To worship, is to “bow down” and to “kneel before God” it has both inward and outward expressions.

When you think about worship, postures truly do matter, because they frequently indicate what’s going on in our heart. What does yours say about you?

This kind of worship is humble, not humiliated, because it is born out of a relationship with God:

It is a deeply personal thing: we are His

We receive His tender care, as the relationship between sheep and shepherd

He knows us

He loves us

He protects us

He provides for us

We don’t deserve this, but we do receive it!

The French have a proverb, which states, “A good meal ought to begin with hunger.” It is hard to enjoy a meal when you are not yet hungry. But, when you are hungry, anything tastes good. In the same way, when you are not humble, it is impossible to enjoy worship!

IV. Worship Today vv. 7c-11

Finally, we the Psalmist gives us a time: today

Now is the time for us to worship God

It is the only time we can be responsible for, because someday it will be too late

There is a real danger that we need to be aware of:

There was a time when God’s people did not remember all that God had done for them or His gracious nature

Failure to remember became failure to obey; they were marked by grumbling and complaint rather than joy and thanksgiving

Everything about their actions was a reflection of what was in their hearts:

They were wayward and ignorant in the things that they thought and felt

They became wayward and rebellious in the way that they acted towards God

The cost was great!

That generation missed out on all that they could have enjoyed

They never quit being God’s people, but they never got to enjoy the blessing God intended for them

Some of us think we will be satisfied so long as we get to go to heaven one day, but what if I told you that you are missing the good thing that God has for you today?

There was a young boy whose mother, unknown to him, planned a surprise birthday party. After he got home, he went upstairs to his room. Then all his classmates and teachers gathered in the living room. When his mother went to his room to get him, he was gone. He had climbed down a tree outside his window and was hiding in a nearby park.

The rest of the children went on to enjoy a good time, but Johnny never turned up. When he came in for supper his mother asked where he had been; he had missed a wonderful time, planned just for him. He tearfully confessed he had heard her call but hid until suppertime because he thought she had a chore for him to do!

How sad – for him and for us if we make the same mistake. There is a party being prepared. The guest list is all inclusive. No matter how many parties we have missed in this world, we don't have to miss out on this party. The One who throws this party is all loving, all gracious, all generous. We are invited even though there is nothing in this world we can do to repay our host. All that is asked is that we accept the invitation.