Why Sunday Starts On Monday

potential outline

Jehoshaphat

2 Chron 20

Forces of God going against assyirians

worshippers in front

When it comes to the big heavy battles that you Need to win. Who would you rather fighting for you? You or God (so what are the battles that are God’s?)

Worship is kind of a big deal. And we alll know it is is. We’ve done it for centuries. We’ve agreed and disagreed with different children of God on what is appropriate and what is not. But there are times where it is harder to get into the worship. And we’ve all had ideas and thoughts on what would be most helpful. i know I have. If there was

d

Phrase to say: There’s a sure way to enhance your worship experience

what would make worship most meaningful and powerful on Sunday morning?

we, every single one of us, all have had or do have opinions. If only this would happen. …but let’s be honest. First and foremost in everyones mind… If only Kent was preaching and not John T.. worship could be better. I could be excited. i might even turn my brain on

“If you want the most powerful, meaningful worship….worship on Monday”

…and we might fall into different camps. Maybe you’ve found yourself in one of these

Worship would be most meaningful and powerful for me When:

The music moves me

the right songs. It needs to flow. it needs to sound right. For goodness sake let’s use words that we actually use in English.

we need more repitition in our songs. We need less

I want more poetic language. Or i need the songs to be less flowerdy so i can connect to them

If only we had videos to bring in the power and remind us of God’s excellent qualities

If only everyone was a trained singer, it would sound amazing and i could definitely get into that. Or, where’s that acoustic guitar, maybe some light drums

im only happy when I calp. Clapping makes me unhappy cause i feel stupid

When the atmosphere is right

sitting by the right people

the lights are low, so no one is able to fully see me worshiping

also, can we get some fog machines in here

and what if it could just sound awesome and so powerful

When the sermon is on point

you thought they were going one way with it, and then we get that surprise truth to the face. Like the veil is torn… again, and you are sitting face to face before All-Mighty God filled with: awe, thankfulness, hope, repentance

We have likely all thought something similar, but is that truly what makes the worship of God most meaningful; most powerful; most life infusing?

It’s not that these cannot be great tools to help us engage in the truth…

but is it possible to have any or all of these things, even have a great worship experience…believe it or not, there is nothing to complain about…which might feel wierd…so maybe we complain that there was nothing to complain about…but still not be anything more than an experience. A nice adrenaline shot in the arm that will soon lose it’s potency in our bloodstream.

where we think it is meaningful…but just meaningful enough to help us say something surface like “oh, i really liked that worship service”. “the song selection was excellent”. etc….

we spend time describing elements of the worship service and not the wonders of God. We spend time thinking on the about how well we did and not Everything God’s done. (MORE)

Is it possible to have all the right things and still miss the power of worship? If it were up to us, to do something; change something, that would enhance our experience in worship, what would it be?

If we had the greatest music, with the most excellent song selection, with the most delicate balance between too much repitition and not enough

choir, band

Worship

Intro:

finally fall. Like it feels like it. Love it!

anyone stood outside for a little bit, maybe at a football game…and thought oh shoot, should have brought a jacket. Or, this midrift shirt just aint working no more…Dennis? , i need to go inside, find a jacket. The smell and everything that comes with it. Just feels right, the way it’s supposed to be

Things that ought to be…Worship. Love it

Worship: If you could change anything about worship on Sunday to make it more effective, encouraging for you, what would it be?

I love to worship in song and in the reading of scripture. Anybody else?

been brought to the throne of God and like i could touch the hem of his garment. The healing in his wings

times worship penetrated my heart in a way a sermon never could

god arrow of the spirit punching me right in my heart-feels

The Power of Worship:

2nd Chron 20:15-19

Worship songs

puts great words on our lips

helps us draw near to God in awe and wonder

Re-centers us on what is truest and good—funny thing

Worship is for

the hurting, the joyful, the mom tired at homeraising her kids, the discouraged Father trying to keep his life and family together, the teen navigating the social pressures of life, the child without a care in the world…the one with ALL the cares int he world , the down and out, the hungry, the full,

ME/WE

But there are times when we gather together that Sunday just doesnt seem to be coming together for us. The encouragement we wanted/needed is nowhere is playing hide and go seek…and you are the worst seeker ever…..and maybe we think… “I set my alarm so i could come to this?!”. Or, we ruminate on what food going to eat after service.

Maybe I’m not alone having been at a worship service on Sunday and felt that way

If you Could Tweak Something. To make worship Best

Gear Shift: Anyone have any favorite Life Hacks/Tweaks?

putting Everything in google calendar. I forget everything

Relationships: “ I feel vs you always/never”

there are some hacks/tweaks that enhance our lives. Help us handle it best.

so worship together is important…but we arent always encouraged or engaged in service.

So let’s talk about it.

If there is something you could tweak in worship, what would it be

there are things we can do to help us desire to be together and spend time worshipping in song, reflecting on God’s truth, what would it be?

So let’s have a conversation: if there was something we could do about our worship to help it be more engaging, satisfying, moving. What would it be. “Worship is best when:”

Truth is: many camps here. Continue to address a few

Camp 1: Songs

So what would move me?

A little instrumentation?  

Acappella with well trained singers

The right songs

the right worship leader

Words that we actually use

More repitition.  Less repitition.

More verses

More flowerdy language.  Less flowerdy

Powerful videos

Atmosphere

That’s important right? That’s why we pay crazy amounts of money for coffee, or GO on dates (the house just aint cutting it). Atmosphere does change things

Zenith

Lights/Fogs—Fill in those windows

nobody looking at me. Feels heavenly

Sermon

Exposition. Topical and engageingt

oratory skills of a poet dripping with rhetoric that forces you to face your decrepid self and change. Or really think hard. Or have one more greek word in your vocabulary

Not bad

I want worship to be more meaninful…every time right? Don’t you? Why can’t people get with the program and make it work right?

Like you’d lead worship with the best songs…but you don’t really sing. So someone that is leadfing worship needs to pick newer songs. Better songs. more songs less songs

You’d fill in these windows and get good ambiance lighting

You’d preach but…Kent hasnt asked you yet

These are all great ideas, thanks for sharing ;)

These can all be great tools in our worship

We’re going to pump our breaks a little, cause for the most part, we have listed what others can do to change the worship experience. That leaves us kind of powerless right?

Question: Possible to have the most amazing worship service and we even feel moved because _______________

God’s version of best

Isaiah 29:13 “13 The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service, yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.”

Is it possible to have the most amazing worship service, yet God is not honored? (If ears to hear, let him hear. What does this convict you of)

Worship is about the heart, not just the ritual

Sunday Starts on Monday

Worship should never be about creating an experience, but an outpouring of experience towards God

Psalm 71:23

When are times we are compelled to shout. Not shout cause someone said to

but it’s like this involuntary movement from within that convulses our vocal chords into a frenzy. You can’t help it. It has to come out.

ever been to a sports game?

ever done something so hard, that when done, when the last ounce of your strength has been spent and all is accomplished, you unleash that guteral growl of victory

ever been so spent in thankfulness. Where you were in the pit…at the darkest, where you had no reason to hold on to hope, and the most beautiful deliverance came through.

When we are at these moments, they arent just moments, they are movements; ones that propel us forward That propel our beings to do more than just regurgitate some words

and you’re not

But there are times when it is hard to get into worship. When it just feels off. Not as powerful, meaningful…and we might think at some point, there are some tweaks. If only we did….this (motion to something), I could get into it, it could get better.

The other things are just tools we can use, but are not where worship comes from.

Worship comes from a life that is in the trenches of following Jesus

imagine a world

If you want the best worship, worship on Monday

Psalm 34:1–9 CSB

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. 3 Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him! 9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing.