The Heart of Our Worship

(S1) — Flowering Tree

Flowering Almond/Look close/Hidden Treasure

(Series) The Whole Story of God—Through the Bible

Closer Look—Hidden treasure

(S2) — Davids Song of Praise

From shepherded boy to King; he was different than his brothers…His devotion to God and life of struggle, inspired some of the most splendid praise to God.

Walter Brueggeman—Rhythm of Life: Psalm of Orientation, Disorientation, Reorientation

16:8-36— {Psalm 105, 96, 106}

As you came to worship today, where are you right now? In a place of orientation, disorientation, reorientation?

The Israelite’s were a people on the move...an integral part of their relationship with God was central to the presence of God.

“When God moved they moved” Carolyn Moore

(S3) — The Ark of the Covenant

A treasure of their history...birth as a nation...which formed their traditions of worship. It brought both dread, mystery, and blessing...Uzzah struck down (13:9)

Wherever it was, God was—In his presence the people prospered

‎”For three months the ark remained in the house of Obed-edom. All men began to note that Obed’s house prospered most marvelously. The fact was everywhere discussed, and attributed to the presence of the ark. 2 Samuel 6:12

King David resolved that the ark and its accompanying prosperity must centre in Jerusalem (15)—with it brought a great ceremony of great celebration

15:16 “David ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals. 28 So all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.”

So exuberant the celebration...marriage problems for David

1 Chronicles 15:29 “as the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him.”

(S4)

Upon the arks return to Jerusalem, David pitches a tent—the people bring offerings before God...appoints Levite priests to minister and lead the people in worship before the Ark of the Lord

16:4...to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.

David is re-establishing their worship; Ancient/Modern—the value of tradition (ancient ceremonies) with a new, organized manner of praise

Worship Wars—Appliances (old/new, ancient/modern)

The Ark still had a place…but now God (Yawheh) was to be the center of their worship!

Davids song of praise to God…became the heart of their worship

36b …and all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Where is your heart when you worship?

For Christians, the cross becomes our new orientation…Jesus is the center of our worship, the presence of God with us

PRAY

(S5)

(7) David appoints a head musician, Asaph...to give praise in a certain manner...setting apart true worshippers of God

8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make his deeds known to all people! 9 Sing to God, sing praises to him; dwell on all his wondrous works! 10 Give praise to God's holy name! Let the hearts rejoice of all those seeking the LORD!

thanks/praise (yadah)—‘to praise in song’— ‘to confess in thanksgiving”

Four fundamentals of their worship

First, was a time of ORIENTATION and PRAISE...

(S6)

I. Tell of the WORKS of God

to dwell on all his wondrous works—‘speak enthusiastically’ of what God had done.

“12 Remember the wondrous works he has done, all his marvelous works, and the justice he declared—13 you who are the offspring of Israel, his servant, and the children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Certainly they had much to be thankful for..,Liberation/Freedom/Promised Land/Victories in Battle—God was with them orienting their life to him

John 5:17 “My Father is always working, and so am I.””

How do we know God is working today?...answered prayer

Ebeneezer Stone/Enthusiastic Praise

Does your worship point to the works of Jesus in your life? Do you speak enthusiastically of it?

(S7)

Next David recalls a time of DISORIENTATION and PROTECTION...

15 “God remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded to a thousand generations, 16 which he made with Abraham, the solemn pledge he swore to Isaac.

The ark was a remembrance of the covenant…but the word of God was everlasting…God’s promised passed on to generations

17-22

In their wilderness journey they would center their worship on God’s promise in the midst of their unfaithfulness (disorientation)—

In their worship they were to...

(S8)

II. Remember the WORD of God

God’s everlasting covenant...demanded their faithfulness to His word; their reason to give thanks

Bible knowledge is great but until we trust the word of God as true, we remain in a state of disorientation...

Ephesians 4:13–14 “This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.”

Certainly David recalls his own time of disorientation...Their worship was to tell of what God had done and to remember the word of God

Communion—A Time of Remembrance

(S9)

A Time of REORIENTATION and PROCLAMATION of the greatness of God

“24 Declare God's glory among the nations; declare his wondrous works among all people 25 because the LORD is great and so worthy of praise. He is awesome beyond all other gods

They lived in a pluralistic world…the wonders of the world could not match the wonders of God

26 because all the gods of the nations are just idols, but it is the LORD who created heaven! 27 Greatness and grandeur are in front of him; strength and joy are in his place.

In their worship, they were to..

(S10)

III. Praise the WONDER of God

They had a story to tell...cloud by day, fire by night...David had a story to tell...

Shepherds...think that had a story to tell?

If your looking, its hard to miss the wonder of God

Astronauts View of Outer space

They were to praise the wonder of God who deserves our praise?

28-33

A Time of REORIENTATION and PROCLAMATION of the greatness of God

How do you praise the wonder of God?

A time of NEW ORIENTATION and future HOPE

(S11)

34 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love endures forever. 35 Say: "Save us, God, our savior! Gather us! Deliver us from among the nations so we can give thanks to your holy name and rejoice in your praise."

God is good...why? God is Good...why? God is good...why?

Their new orientation was to...

(S12)

IV. Thank God who SAVES

Their promised future with God was binding in their worship of the God who saved...and would save...

“36 Bless the LORD, Israel's God, from forever in the past to forever always.

Telling of the WORKS, remembering the WORD of God, praising the WONDER of God, thanking the God who saves...all pointing to a new orientation in their relationaship with God.

Davids kingdom was founded on his and the peoples devotion to God, and it would have no end...a future king would usher in a new covenant, a new age of worship...a new salvation

No longer the Ark as central to our worship...no longer are we reliant on a place where God dwells...

(S13)

John 4:23 NLT

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

Jesus, who is God with us in Spirit—Jesus who came to do the WORK of God...Jesus who is the WORD of God in truth...Jesus who reveals the WONDER of God...Jesus who SAVES!

Its not about what we think worship should be...ancient/modern. Is jesus the center of our praise?

Treasurer within a treasure

3 fundamentals to center your worship on Jesus (3 key verses)

1. SEEK the Lord...

11 ...and his strength; seek his face always!

seek his strength...seek his face

Proverbs 8:17 ““I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.”

2. SING to the Lord...

23 ...all the earth! Share the news of his saving work every single day!

How are you using your VOICE in worship to God? Is the song you sing; the good news of Jesus?

(S14) — SEEK—SING—GIVE

3. GIVE to the Lord...

28 ...glory and power! 29 Give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts! Enter his presence! Bow down to the LORD in his holy splendor!

What is your SACRIFICE of praise in worship?

“The Local Church is not a landing place, but a launching pad to spread holiness of heart and life. The Great Lakes Conference gathers to be a movement of God’s people, living in relationship with God and others, to make strategic connections so that people will know the redeeming power of God’s love. G.L.C. Cultural Statement

Our praise is meant to always center on Jesus as a people on the move...and when it is others will seek and find Jesus

If you have met Jesus, you have a story: of new birth...of salvation...Jesus with you...every reason to praise and give thanks to God!

Is Jesus who is the work, word, and the wonder of God’s salvation, the center of your praise?

(S15)

And let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!