Worship Together
Notes
Transcript
Over the last few weeks we have continued our journey of worship. I hope you are applying the scriptures in your life and living an active life of worship. We have dealt with much of how we live outside of the church in worship. Today we will discuss how we live inside the church in lives of Worship. God has equipped the church to live and thrive together. Living in worship inside of the church is just as important as learning to live worship in our daily lives. Living worship inside the church is a little different than how we live in the world. This is because God has gifted each and every believer with gifts that are meant to build up and edify the church. The fact is that you are a very important part of worship at our church. You may be sitting in your seat this morning and saying to yourself that you are not important and I am telling you that you are so very important that God has you here for a purpose with gifts that He specifically gave you.
Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had met one another in school when the armless Mr. Kaspryzak had guided the blind Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books which the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the individual deficiency of each was compensated for by the other. After their graduation, they planned to practice law together.
We are called to build each other up and to support each other. This morning we will explore the Scripture in 1 Peter 4:8-11
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
In this scripture we will explore 3 aspects of the scripture this morning. First is that we are called first to love. Second, you were given gifts. Third, we are to glorify the gift giver. Living worship inside the church is to utilize the gifts that God has given you to build the body of believers. Many people go to church for what church can do for them but the fact is that God has brought you to be a part of a family of believers and gifted you to build that family of believers using the gifts that He freely poured out on you.
We are first called to Love
We are first called to Love
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Peters letter to the church was written with a purpose to encourage them to continue in their faith and to love one another even through the persecution they were facing. During this time of struggling Peter wanted the church to understand that they were the ones who needed to lift each other up, to support the weak in their church, to be the hands and feet of Jesus inside of the church as well as living out their faith in their world. It is so important that we remember that we are called to love each other. The church has become such a buffet style service that people forget that God has blessed us with the fellowship of believers and it is not all about us. We forget that there is a giving part of ourselves and not always about receiving. I hear as a pastor horror stories of how a church did not provide this or that and because of this or that people left their church. Many times when I hear these stories they are about what the church was not doing for that person or how the church would not do what that person wanted them to do. Don’t get me wrong if you are not being taught Biblical truth or being engaged spiritually its probably time to find another church. Aside from Truth and Growth you should be looking for ways that you can invest in the church. I am not talking about the physical building. That we should take care of because God has blessed us with a beautiful building and its a gift. I am talking though about the people of the church. We are called to love one another and to serve one another. The Church is called to exemplify that selfless love that Jesus himself exemplified. Are you remembering the selfless love we are all called to live in?
There are four main bones in every organization. The wish-bones: Wishing somebody would do something about the problem. The jaw-bones: Doing all the talking but very little else. The knuckle-bones: Those who knock everything. The back-bones: Those who carry the brunt of the load and do most of the work.
Do you view the church as something you get? Something built for you? If so you may need to consider that Jesus did not ask anyone to serve Him while He walked the earth and He served all those around Him. We are here to love one another and to serve one another. We do not come to church for what we can get. The music makes me feel good, the preaching is OK, the Sunday school makes me feel at home. What are you doing to be a productive member of this family. The saying is that 4 percent of the church does 96% of the work. We need to flip this around. I want to see our church know for our love for one another and for our service. I don’t care about the music, I don't care about the preaching or how pretty your pastor is, if we do not love and serve we are worthless. If we are not using our gifts to serve each other in church and others outside of church then we are not meeting the standard of living for which we have been called. What about you? Do you love your church or are you looking only for a church that loves you. You will get a church that loves you at Highlands Baptist Church but the question is will you love the people and serve the people God has put you in church with? What does the Bible say about serving one another?
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
Your obligation in the family of God is first to love. To understand that you do not go to church for what you want to get out of it but to serve others. The greatest part about it is when the devil is on top of you and you are type of person who has loved and served others, guess what they do? That’s right they serve you when you need it. The Bible says that the World will know that we are His because of the love we have for each other.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Are you coming to church to serve or be served? If you are not serving there are plenty of opportunities and the ones who have been so committed and working hard would love to share the great responsibility. First we must love, Second we must understand that our gifts are given to us.
We must understand our gifts are given to us
We must understand our gifts are given to us
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
Every person in here has been given gifts by God. These are not the type of gifts that you get on your birthday or at Christmas. These are gifts, talents that God has given you to use to serve the body of Christ. Some of you have been given the gift of encouragement and you use it, others of you have not used the gift of encouragement. Some of you are great with children and you are serving in our children's department but others of you simply show up and leave without being a part of what God is doing in our young peoples lives. Some of you are blessed financially and you are giving to the things God has called you to give in, yet others of you are not being faithful. You must understand that you are given gifts and talents and blessings. These are not things you earn or deserve, these are not things you are born with. Many people in churches believe that their gifts and talents are things that they did for themselves. They created what they have, they have worked on their talents. The fact is that every thing you have was given to you by God. Whatever gifts and talents you have that are to be used to build up the body of Christ were given to you freely. The gifts God gives us are not intended to be used by us for our selfishness.
One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I'm burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it's a wonderful burden--it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!" Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, "I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He 'daily loads us with benefits.'"
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah
Do you see your gifts and talents as having been given by God? Do you understand that with those gifts and talents comes an obligation to used them to serve those around you and to build up the family of God? Are you engaged in the church using your gifts and talents for the kingdom of God. You are needed. You are needed in the family you are in, the workplace you are in, the neighborhood you are in. How are you using what God has blessed you with for others? You are needed in our church. You will never have enough energy until you serve, you will never feel skilled enough until you start serving. It is in actively using the blessings of God that they find their true fulfilment. It is in being used by God that you find your true fulfilment. What are you doing with the things God has blessed you with? What are your talents and gifts and how will you start using them? We worship together when we use our gifts to bless and build the body of Christ. The scripture is clear that all good things we have and talents and gifts we have are from God.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
I cannot use this scripture without finishing the connections here in this scripture. Without faith it is impossible to please Him, Faith without works is dead, God rewards those who seek Him with gifts to use in our faith. This is not about being “rewarded” it is about learning to use all that we have been given for others and for God. We live worship together in the church when we Love, when we understand that we came into this world with nothing and have provided for ourselves nothing. All good things that we have are from God. Lastly we are to glorify the gift giver.
We are to glorify the gift giver
We are to glorify the gift giver
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The living of true worship together in the church will result in the Father being glorified. The living of true worship in you life away from church will result in the Father being glorified. We do all things for the glory of God. It seems such a simple phrase “ for the glory of God.” but it carries some real weight to it. Our gifts and blessings are given to us by God to be used to bless others so that God might be glorified. Why are you serving? Is it so that others will see you and think you are a good person? Is it because you want to do the “right thing”? The right thing to do is to do all things for the glory of God because He is the one who blesses us with the ability to be the blessing to others in our world and in our church. The purpose of all we do should be to bring glory to God. Isn’t it funny the way we do things?
It would be like throwing a party for someone and getting all the stuff together and wanting the person to have a great time. You get all the food prepared, you get the candles ready, the pinata. You get the caterers, you get the band, you send the invites and really put all this together. Then once everyone is there you begin to tell everyone how much you did to put the party together and how much you had to work to make the party possible and before you know it no one even knows who’s birthday it is because you have made everything about you.
None of us would do that so why do we do it to our Father? Why is it that He provides all we have and can imagine and yet we act like it is all about us? By time we are done explaining how great we are to people they never even hear from us how great our God is. Worship takes place when the church is not interested in being the greatest church in town and the best looking and sounding church. It takes place when a church serves God and points to the greatness of our Father. When we serve others and try to hide what we did because we ultimately know that we are just the vessels of that blessing and it was truly provided by God.
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
The church is called to live true worship together. Building up the church through serving one another and trying to quietly bless others and to be the hands and feet of God simply marked by a desire for others to see God in all things. Are you worshiping together or are you worshiping yourself? If you are coming to church for what you can get out of it or how you can be served it is time to ask for a different heart. If you are not humble and believe that anything you have was yours, is yours, and is because of you it is time for you to have a repentant and thankful heart. We are called to worship in our lives daily and also to worship together in the church understanding that we are called to love each other using the gifts that were given to us by God so that the result of our good works is that others glorify our Father in Heaven.