Wk 22 - The Holy Spirit and Worship

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Church Phone Number 217.583.1112

Sweet Heart Banquet - Feb. 16 at 6pm

Video from Winter Camp

Young Adults Retreat - March 13-15 at Camp Hickory

Regional Connect - Apr. 5 from 10a-3p

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sangamonvalley.net/ConnectCard and paper connect Card

Text keyword “ConnectCard” to 217-583-1112

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DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Our church family is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit, and we are missionaries.

Prayer for...

INTRODUCTION:

Review:

WHY?…

TODAY: The Holy Spirit and Sacraments

Opening Scripture:

What is worship?

Worship is response to who God is.

Psalm 99:5 “5 Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!”

Psalm 22:3 “3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

Implies a receptivity to God’s presence.

In Acts 2 The Holy Spirit is poured out and they SEE tongues of fire, HEAR the rushing wind, SPEAK with a new tongue.

Pentecost is a picture of receptivity to the presence of God as the experience of God moves from inside at the temple’s alter to outside.

What is sacrament?

Sacraments are to be a response to God. They are not a way to earn something or to just be traditional.

Definition of Sacrament:

Continuum Glossary of Religious Terms Sacrament

the main ways in which the presence of God manifests itself in the church

Incorrectly viewed by some as the means by which grace is received, and thus can become idolatry.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Sacraments are symbols…

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised C. Reformation

they enable believers, in the power of the Spirit, to grasp Christ and His promises with

The symbols/signs help us “locate [THE SPIRIT’S] presence in the here and now”

Renewal Worship: A Theology of Pentecostal Doxology (Dynamics of Christian Worship | DCW) Differentiating Evangelical, Sacramental, and Pentecostal Worship

The sacramental principle seeks to faithfully practice the rituals of worship described and authorized in Scripture.

Sacraments involve our senses:

HEARING God’s voice

SEEING what God’s sees

TOUCHING the resurrected Jesus

SMELLING the costly oil poured on Jesus

TASTING the goodness of God

Example 1: Baptism by Immersion (Hear, See, Touch, Smell, ?Taste?)

Example 2: The Lord’s Table (Hear, See, Touch, Smell, Taste)

Music as sacrament

Music involves our senses

Music is a response to who God is

There is warning for music too…Harold Best writes “Whenever we assume that art mediates God’s presence or causes him to be tangible, we have begun the trek into idol territory. Our present-day use of music as the major up-front device for worship is a case in point. We need to ask ourselves if we, as worship leaders, are giving the impression that we draw near to God through music or that God draws near because of it. Is music our golden calf?” (SOURCE: Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 166.)

Renewal Worship: A Theology of Pentecostal Doxology (Dynamics of Christian Worship | DCW) Music as Sacrament

History and experience have shown that music is perhaps the most affective liturgical element in Pentecostal worship, especially as it is utilized to

Psalm 96:1 “1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!”

Music that is sacramental is both participatory and experiential.

Music helps us tell our stories…helps us share our testimonies OF THE SPIRIT’S ABIDING PRESENCE.

Conclusion/Reflection:

The sacrament of communion

The TABLE that invites us to respond, commune, and be nourished.

Communion is a sign/symbol TO REMIND US of what God has done for us as well as an invitation to respond in obedience. (1 Cor. 11 “In remembrance of [Jesus]…”

Context: After the resurrection…Luke 24:30–31 “30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.”

“If you want to be Gospel-Centered, be Table-Centered”

The Table—the Lord’s Supper—is where the Gospel is not only proclaimed but also tangibly experienced. Communion is more than just a ritual; it is a sacrament that embodies the very heart of the Gospel: Christ’s sacrifice, His presence among us, and the hope of His return.

To be Gospel-centered is to continually return to the cross, remembering Christ’s body broken and His blood shed for us. To be Table-centered is to recognize that worship is not merely about words but about participation—

1) responding to Christ’s grace,

2) communing with His people, and

3) being nourished by His Spirit.

The Table reminds us that the Gospel is not just something we believe intellectually, but something we enter into and partake of. In communion, we experience the past (Christ’s death), the present (our unity in Him), and the future (the coming feast in His Kingdom). If we truly want to center our lives and worship on the Gospel, we must make the Table central to our faith and practice.

Talk It Over

How do the sacraments function as a means of experiencing God's presence?

How can you participate in worship that engages all your senses?

In what ways can you incorporate storytelling into your worship experience?