Re-Calibrate Fix My Worship

RE-CALIBRATE – FIX MY WORSHIP

Scripture: John 4:23–24 (NKJV)

INTRODUCTION: My Saint Thomas Baptist family and friends. We have been walking through this sermon series entitled RE-CALIBRATE. To recalibrate means to adjust something so that it can function the way it was originally designed to function. When a GPS loses its direction, it recalibrates. When an instrument gets out of tune, it has to be recalibrated. When a scale begins giving inaccurate readings, it must be recalibrated. And there are seasons in our lives when we must ask God to recalibrate us.

We began this series by praying, “Fix My Heart.” Because if the heart is not right, everything that flows from it will eventually become contaminated.

Then we prayed, “Fix My Mind.” Because even when your heart loves God, your thoughts can still be controlled by fear, worry, insecurity, bitterness, and negativity.

Then we prayed, “Fix My Ways.” Because it is possible to feel the right things and think the right things but still walk in the wrong direction.

Then we prayed, “Fix My Relationships.” Because our relationship with God ought to change the way we relate to one another.

But today, there is another area of our lives that must be recalibrated. Today our prayer is: “Lord, fix my worship.” Because worship can become routine. Worship can become religious. Worship can become something we do outwardly without engaging inwardly. We can come to church, sing the songs, clap our hands, lift our voices, stand at the appropriate times, and still leave without having truly worshiped God.

We can know the words of the song without knowing the heart of the God we are singing about.

We can become more concerned about the style of worship than the substance of worship.

We can become more focused on who is leading the song than the One to whom the song is being sung.

We can critique the music, evaluate the choir, judge the praise team, complain about the tempo, and completely miss the presence of God. Some people say, “I cannot worship because they did not sing my song.” Some say, “I cannot worship because the music was too loud.” Others say, “I cannot worship because the service was too long.” But true worship is not controlled by a song, a musician, a choir, a preacher, or an atmosphere. True worship comes from a heart that recognizes who God is.

In John chapter 4, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. This woman came to the well carrying more than an empty water pot. She was carrying disappointment. She was carrying rejection. She was carrying relational brokenness. She was carrying shame. She had experienced five failed marriages, and the man she was presently living with was not her husband. She came to the well looking for natural water, but she encountered the One who could give her living water.

During their conversation, the woman attempted to move the discussion away from her personal condition and toward a religious argument. She said, in essence, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the proper place to worship.” She wanted to debate location. Jesus wanted to discuss transformation. She wanted to argue about where people worshiped. Jesus wanted her to understand how people should worship. Jesus told her that an hour was coming when worship would no longer be restricted to a mountain or a temple.

Then He declared: “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” This text teaches us that God is not merely looking for singers. God is not merely looking for musicians. God is not merely looking for preachers. God is not merely looking for church attendees. God is looking for worshipers.

BIG IDEA: The big idea of this message is this: True worship happens when our hearts, our lives, and our understanding of God are brought back into alignment with who God is. Worship is not merely what we do in church. Worship is the response of our entire lives to the greatness, goodness, holiness, mercy, and faithfulness of God.

Therefore, our prayer today must be: “Lord, if my worship has become routine, fix it. If my worship has become conditional, fix it. If my worship has become self-centered, fix it. If my worship has become disconnected from my lifestyle, fix it. Lord, recalibrate my worship.” So, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the real Preacher, Jesus Christ, I submit that if our worship is going to be recalibrated, there are three truths we must understand.

TRUE WORSHIP MUST COME FROM THE HEARTJesus said: “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit.”

To worship in spirit means that worship must come from the deepest part of who we are. True worship is not simply a physical activity. It is a spiritual response. It is possible for your hands to be lifted while your heart is far from God. It is possible for your mouth to be singing while your spirit is disengaged. It is possible for your body to be in the sanctuary while your mind is somewhere else.

Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 15:8 when He said: “This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.”

God is not impressed by outward activity that is disconnected from inward sincerity. He is not simply listening for the volume of your voice. He is looking at the condition of your heart. The person beside you may hear your song, but God hears your spirit. The congregation may see your hands raised, but God sees what is happening inside of you. The preacher may hear you say, “Amen,” but God knows whether your heart is surrendered.

That is why David prayed in Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

David understood that worship begins with the heart. You cannot hold bitterness in your heart and expect your worship to remain unaffected. You cannot harbour unforgiveness and expect your worship to remain pure. You cannot live in deliberate disobedience all week and believe that singing loudly on Sunday will compensate for an unsurrendered life.

Before God wants your song, He wants your heart. Before He wants your hands, He wants your heart. Before He wants your offering, He wants your heart. Before He wants your service, He wants your heart. Because when God has your heart, He has access to everything else.

True worship says: “God, I love You not only because of what You have done, but because of who You are.

I worship You when I understand You, and I worship You when I do not understand.

I worship You when doors are opening, and I worship You when doors are closing.

I worship You when my body feels strong, and I worship You when my strength feels weak.

I worship You when my family is doing well, and I worship You while I am praying for my family.

My worship is not based on my circumstances. My worship is rooted in my relationship with You.”

Anybody can praise God when everything is going well. But mature worship says, like Job: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

Mature worship says, like Habakkuk: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Mature worship says: “I may be hurting, but He is still holy. I may be grieving, but He is still good. I may be confused, but He is still sovereign. I may be waiting, but He is still worthy.” Lord, fix my worship so that it comes from my heart.

TRUE WORSHIP MUST BE GROUNDED IN TRUTH

Jesus said that true worshipers must worship the Father not only in spirit, but also in truth. Spirit without truth can become emotionalism. Truth without spirit can become cold religion. God desires both. He wants worship that is sincere, but He also wants worship that is biblically grounded. We cannot worship a God we have created in our own imagination. We must worship God as He has revealed Himself through His Word.

Truth teaches us who God is. God is holy. God is righteous. God is merciful. God is just. God is loving. God is faithful. God is eternal. God is all-knowing. God is all-powerful. God is present everywhere. God is not whoever we want Him to be. God is who He has declared Himself to be.

When worship is grounded in truth, we do not worship God merely for the blessings in His hand. We worship Him for the greatness of His character. Psalm 145:3 declares: “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is [so vast and profound as to be] unsearchable [incomprehensible to man].”

We worship Him because He is great. We worship Him because He is holy. We worship Him because He is faithful from generation to generation. We worship Him because He woke us up this morning. We worship Him because He kept our minds. We worship Him because He protected us from dangers seen and unseen. We worship Him because when we were unworthy, He still showed us mercy. We worship Him because when we were lost, He came looking for us. We worship Him because when sin had us bound, Jesus went to Calvary. True worship is centred on God, not centred on us.

Sometimes our worship becomes too focused on what we want God to do. “Lord, bless me. Lord, open the door. Lord, heal me. Lord, provide for me. Lord, promote me. Lord, fix my situation.” There is nothing wrong with bringing our requests before God. But worship moves beyond what God can give us and focuses on who God is.

True worship says: “Even if you do not give me another thing, you have already done enough. Even if you never open another door, you have already been better to me than I deserve. Even if you do not change the situation today, you are still worthy of all glory, honour, and praise.”

The truth is that Jesus Christ died for our sins. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. By His stripes we are healed. They hung Him high. They stretched Him wide. He dropped His head, and for our salvation, He died. But early Sunday morning, He got up from the grave with all power in His hands.

That truth ought to produce worship. When I think about Calvary, I worship. When I think about His blood, I worship. When I think about the empty tomb, I worship. When I think about how He saved me, kept me, forgave me, restored me, and gave me another chance, I worship. Lord, fix my worship by bringing me back to the truth.

TRUE WORSHIP MUST BE REFLECTED IN OUR LIVES

Worship is not only what happens during the Sunday morning service. Worship is how we live after the benediction has been given.

Romans 12:1 says: “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” Paul teaches us that worship involves presenting our entire lives to God. Our words should worship Him. Our choices should worship Him. Our relationships should worship Him. Our work should worship Him. Our finances should worship Him. Our private lives should worship Him. Our treatment of other people should worship Him. Worship is not merely a moment. Worship is a lifestyle.

We cannot worship God with our mouths and dishonour Him with our conduct. We cannot shout in the sanctuary and mistreat people in the parking lot. We cannot speak in tongues on Sunday and speak destructively about people on Monday. We cannot lift holy hands in church while using those same hands to hurt others. We cannot claim to love God, whom we have not seen, while refusing to love our brothers and sisters whom we see every day. True worship changes how we live.

When Isaiah encountered God in Isaiah chapter 6, he saw the Lord high and lifted up. The angels cried: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah’s first response was conviction. He said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips.” His second response was cleansing. The angel touched his lips with a live coal from the altar. Then his third response was commitment. When God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah answered: “Here am I! Send me.” Real worship leads to surrender. Real worship leads to service. Real worship leads to obedience.

You cannot truly encounter God and remain exactly the same. When you see His holiness, you recognize your sinfulness. When you receive His grace, you respond with gratitude. When you experience His presence, you become willing to serve His purpose. That is why worship is bigger than a Sunday morning song.

Worship is saying: “Lord, here is my life. Use my hands. Use my feet. Use my voice. Use my gifts. Use my testimony. Use my time. Use my resources. Use my pain. Use my past. Use everything I am for Your glory.”

Lord, fix my worship so that my Sunday worship and my Monday lifestyle are in agreement.

Fix my worship so that the life I live privately does not contradict the praise I offer publicly.

Fix my worship so that I do not merely have church, but church has me.

Fix my worship so that I do not simply attend service, but I live in service to You.

CONCLUSION: My brothers and sisters, God is seeking true worshipers. That means worship is not primarily about a place. It is not about whether you are on this mountain or in Jerusalem. It is not about whether you are sitting in a cathedral or standing in your kitchen. It is not about whether there is an organ, a keyboard, a drum, or a choir.

You can worship God in your car. You can worship God in your home. You can worship God in the hospital. You can worship God at your workplace. You can worship God while walking down the road. You can worship God in the midnight hour. You can worship God with tears in your eyes. You can worship God while your heart is heavy. You can worship God because wherever God is, worship is appropriate. And God is everywhere.

Maybe your worship has become routine. Maybe you sing because it is time to sing. Maybe you clap because everyone else is clapping. Maybe you stand because the worship leader told you to stand. But today God is calling us deeper. He is calling us beyond performance. He is calling us beyond tradition. He is calling us beyond emotionalism. He is calling us into spirit and truth.

The Samaritan woman came to the well carrying shame, but she left carrying a testimony. She came with an empty water pot, but she left with a full heart. She came avoiding people, but she left running toward people. She went back into the city and said: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

That is what happens when worship gets fixed. You stop hiding. You stop pretending. You stop allowing your past to silence your praise. You realize that the God who knows everything about you is still willing to meet you. He knows your failures. He knows your mistakes. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your secrets. He knows your history.

And yet He still came looking for you. The text says: “The Father is seeking such to worship Him.” Is there anybody grateful that when you were not looking for God, God came looking for you?

When you were lost, He sought you. When you were broken, He found you. When you were sinking, He reached for you. When you were guilty, He forgave you. When you were empty, He filled you. When you were wounded, He healed you. When you were confused, He guided you. When you were weak, He strengthened you.

So, today I have one prayer: Lord, fix my worship. Fix my heart so that my worship is sincere. Fix my mind so that my worship is focused. Fix my ways so that my worship is obedient. Fix my relationships so that my worship is not hindered. Fix my life so that everything I do brings glory to Your name.

CELEBRATORY CLOSE: Because when I think about the goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me, My soul cries out, “Hallelujah!” I praise God for saving me.

I worship Him because He has been good. I worship Him because He has been faithful.

I worship Him because He made a way out of no way. I worship Him because He opened doors that were closed in my face.

I worship Him because He kept me when I could not keep myself. I worship Him because He picked me up when I had fallen down.

I worship Him because He reached way down and lifted me up. I worship Him because I have been through the fire; But I do not smell like smoke.

I have been through the flood; But I did not drown. I have cried some tears; But I am still here.

I have had some heartbreak; But I am still standing. I have faced some trouble; But God has been faithful.

And when I look back over my life, and think things over, I can truly say that I have been blessed. I have a testimony!

Is there anybody in Saint Thomas who knows that He is worthy?

Worthy when I feel good. Worthy when I feel bad.

Worthy when I am up. Worthy when I am down.

Worthy in the morning. Worthy in the noonday.

Worthy in the midnight hour. Worthy when the sun is shining.

Worthy when the storm is raging. He is worthy!

For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His truth endures to all generations.

So, I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I will lift up my hands in the sanctuary. I will sing unto the Lord a new song.

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving. I will enter His courts with praise.

And as long as I have breath in my body, I will praise the Lord!

Lord, recalibrate me. Lord, restore me. Lord, realign me. Lord, renew me.

Lord, fix my heart. Fix my mind. Fix my ways. Fix my relationships. And Lord; Fix my worship!

So that my worship is real. So that my worship is sincere.

So that my worship is in spirit. So that my worship is in truth.

And so that my whole life declares: “To God be the glory for the great things He has done!”

Somebody shout: “Lord, fix my worship!” Amen.