Worship

Intro:

Introduce myself

honor Pastor Jason and Brown family

Intro the message

Pastor Jason started a series for us last week entitled Train to Win

Over the course of this summer we’re going to be looking at 12 spiritual disciplines with this key scripture as our cornerstone: 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

today I get to talk about worship

and as I was studying it and looking at what it means in the context of a spiritual discipline

First is it okay if I share a story

I loved playing sports growing up

rather just one sport

I technically played two sports

multisport athlete

3rd grade soccer green team

but as I’ve shared before Lacrosse was my sport

And lacrosse shares the same season as baseball

at a school called Esperanza high

so there’s an off-season

Now in high school my dream was to be a division one lacrosse player

it was the best up until they expelled me

I wrote out every school that had a D1 lacrosse team and taped it above my bed

but that’s another story

We had practice fields

it was the first thing I saw when I woke up

and the last thing I saw when I went to bed

and so during my sophomore off-season I wanted to make this dream come true

and my parents wanted to invest and support me as well

so they got me a membership at an indoor sports specific training facility

it was sick

like this was where the anaheim angels trained

it had all of the olympic platforms

hundreds of yards of turf

stem

aquatics

therapies

it was rad

it was a place built for athletes

the only issue was that I was not very much an athlete

I thought I was

but listen I was a chunker of a kid

like I had not yet hit that stage in puberty where you suddenly get chiseled abs huge muscles and facial hair

I’m still waiting on that stage of puberty

but here’s the good news since I’ve been preaching my voice has been cracking way more

which means puberty is apparently still happening for me so there’s hope

so this training facility was rad and I genuinely thought I was an athlete

going anywhere to workout can be a little nerve racking right?

so I grabbed my favorite workout shirt

of course it had no sleeves

of course I had a terrible farmers tan

and I headed off to the first session with my momma dropping me off from her Jetta

super sick right

I go in and we get stretching and I’m feeling good you know

confident some might even say cocky

because I’m an athlete duh

this is where we belong

and to make things even worse

I see a girl in my grade who is like the crush of my grade

so now I have to be extra confident

the session gets started and the dude takes our little group that he’s coaching crush included to an area where the olympic lifts meet the turf track

and he actually grabs one of these (get the kettle bell)

ask for help on stage from pastor Danny to demonstrate the kettle bell swing

and he shows us how to do it and then tells us to perform them

so here I am

chubby unathletic kid

overly confident/cocky

trying to impress everyone especially this gal

and I’m about to perform an exercise I’ve never done before

with all these things taken into account

I grab the heaviest looking kettlebell in front of me

I waddle over to where I was supposed to be

facing the weights

with the kettle bell on the ground and seemingly everyone looking at me

with my farmer tanned forearms and pasty upper arms

and a huge ego

I grab the weight and swing it in between my legs

and suddenly I realize that I grabbed a far too heavy weight

as it was swinging forward this assumption was confirmed because the weight on the upswing

left my fingers

and I saw this kettle bell take flight

the whole-world went slowmo

and as it soared I

the coach sees this and has got this horrified look on his face

the girl looks shocked

and everyone in the weighted area looks over

as the kettle bells crashes into the other neatly organized row of dumbbells and kettle bells causing the loudest clang ever heard

and in the moment all of my confidence vanished and humiliation took over my face

You see I hadn’t trained that way before

I didn’t have the appropriate muscles nor knew the proper movement in lifting that kettle bell

there is a movement and there is muscle necessary in order to lift the kettlebell properly

As we study worship

in a similar way to a kettle bell

Worship is a movement as much as it is a muscle

lets take a look at the text

The New International Version Chapter 16

23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The New International Version Chapter 16

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Acts 16:23-30

Set up context

Paul is on his second missionary trip evangelizing to the gentiles those who aren’t Jews

Worship is a movement

but in following the Lord he and Silas encounter a girl who’s demon possessed and who’s owners are profitting off of this

but in following the Lord he and Silas encounter trouble

some events transpire and Paul casts the demon out of this girl

there’s a girl who’s been under the spell of a spirit a demon

and her owners hate it

and she had owners who were profitting off of this

and they get the townspeople to grab Paul and Silas beat them up terribly and flog them

and what she would do is yell truths about Paul and Silas saying these men are Gods servants listen to them

place them in stocks and put them in the deepest part of the prison

For what?

they were doing what the Lord wanted them to do

they were following the Lord

and advancing his Kingdom

and they were still thrown into prison and beaten

my first point

Worship is a movement

Worship is a movement

Worship is a movement

Worship is a movement

Worship is a technique

it’s an action

Over the course of this summer we’re going to be looking at 12 spiritual disciplines

and an action means it requires something

an action requires activity

there is an all encompassing way in which the believer worships

it’s not so much the physical outward activity as it is the posture of a heart

its called obediance

the primary way in which we worship is with obedience

an obedient heart is a willing heart in that its’s willing to do anything to bring glory to God

you know what an obedient heart looks like

A willing heart is one that see’s everything as an opportunity to worship

and it doesn’t just worship at the right opportunity

It doesn’t just wait for Sunday morning to worship

I mean that with no offense at all

it worships on Monday morning as you roll out of bed

it worships on tuesday night as you pick your kids up from practice

it worships on Friday night as you go out on a date with your spouse #datenightmatenight hello

I grew up w dogs

Worship is not a place nor a service

it’s a movement practic

pitbulls

worship is a state of mind and a perspective

in fact the first ever dog I had was an american pit with only three legs

one that sees everything as an opportunity to glorify God

Do you see your job as an opportunity to do your very best with the skills and talents he’s uniquely given you and in that you’re worshipping

If you play sports recreationally

then sprint as fast as you can, play as well as you can, lift weights to the best of your ability

and if you do it with a heart that

whom we named tre

students you just got out of school

anyway my parents trained dog

Do you have a mindset that sees that honoring your parents is a way to worship God

Your worship should be unique and creative because you were made by a unique and creative God

Hear me, this is not a message of do do do

because we can get caught up in hustling

but

if what you’re doing you’re doing to the best of your ability

with a heart turned towards God

seeking to glorify Him

then what you’re doing is an act of worship

and when this becomes the mindset of a believer

suddenly everything becomes important

suddenly all of the normal and route routine things that you used to suck life out of you

are becoming areas where you feel joy

where you feel His presence

and watch what happens and watch how the Lord responds to your acts of worship

he’ll show up

you know for me I had the privilege to serve as an intern

in our student ministry for roughly a year and half

before I was asked to be the middle school pastor

and serving as an intern here you do a lot of setting up fro Wednesday nights our big youth nights where we have roughly 250 students

by the way if you have a kid and they’re not coming on Wednesday nights they’re missing out

but I would set up every Wednesday by bringing out the basketball hoop

setting up the cones

setting up the checkin area

setting up soccer goals

bringing borders into the worship center

moving the ping pong table

every single Wednesday

and after awhile it got really annoying

Inwardly I got bitter towards what I was doing

People had spoken words over me

that I’m going to pastor

that I’m a preacher

that I’m called to lead

but I hadn’t been given an opportunity to preach or lead a large group yet

but I didn’t see how the destiny the Lord had laid out for me was coming to pass

You see I didn’t know how to worship in the everyday

I knew how to worship on Sunday morning and on Wednesday night

I knew how to worship when there was a message and a talented band

but I didn’t know how to worship in the everyday

and He had to get me to repent of my bitterness and he had to teach me through his word that whatever I do do it unto him

and my mindset changed

my perspective changed

I didn’t get a platform yet but I learned how to praise

I started to pray over the things while I set them up

and then I started looking for ways in which the Lord was using the things I had set up

how the boundaries in the worship center created a family atmosphere

I saw how the set up allows for kids to come into an awesome environment where they can encounter Jesus

where there’s laughter and fun

and how the basketball hoop can be an instrument Jesus uses to bring about his laughter and joy

I learned how to pray before the students play

and the set up became substantial

I’m willing to bet there’s someone in here who’s gotten a word from the Lord

a dream or vision that He’s given you

a prophetic word that somebodies spoken on His behalf

and you’ve been waiting for it to come to pass

and you’ve been holding on

and it’s been getting hard

and I wonder if the Lord is trying to get you to understand that you’re platform doesn’t determine your praise

that you don’t have to wait to start worshipping

that you can worship before the miracle

that you can worship before it comes to pass

because its not about when we worship its about who we worship

the who determines the when

and if who is the Lord

then when is all the time

if who is the Lord

then when is never ceasing

in everything I do

If worship is a movement meaning there’s a technique to it

its our hearts aligning with God and recieving His goodness

and so out of the overflow we worship

we don’t just sing songs to sing songs

we sing because we’re declaring from the overflow things about Him

you

Paul and Silas are on a missionary journey

there’s a proper way to do it

they have

that proper way is with an obedient heart

a willing heart

to see everything as long as it’s not sin as an opportunity to glorify God

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Worship is a Muscle

The New International Version Chapter 16

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

There’s not just a way to worship

there is a cause for worship

and its simply this

God is worthy of it

God is worthy of our worship

I love the thought that worship is a muscle

muscles give you strength

the more muscle you have the more weight you can carry

but in order for muscle to grow it has to break down

y’all know that’s what’s happening as you excercize right?

your muscle is literally breaking down and the fibers are tearing

and so when you recover afterwards your muscle begins to repair and it grows to accomadate a higher level of stress next time

This scripture says at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God

they’re in stocks in the middle of a prison

for what?

Doing what God had told them

the reason for your pain isn’t always because of disobedience

sometimes it’s because you’re being obedient

count it as a blessing that the Lord deems you worthy enough to suffer for his Gospel

to suffer just like His son did

that in it you might know him better

and

but yet they still chose to worship God

I love the thought that worship is a muscle

muscles give you strength

the more muscle you have the more weight you can carry

but in order for muscle to grow it has to break down

y’all know that’s what’s happening as you excercize right?

your muscle is literally breaking down and the fibers are tearing

and so when you recover afterwards your muscle begins to repair and it grows to accomadate a higher level of stress next time

Paul and Silas had seemingly every earthly reason to quit

to throw in the towel

to hate God

to turn their beaten, scourged, hurting backs on Him

but they chose to worship

you know midnight can feel more like a season than a time

midnight

when it’s darkest

the middle of the night

when you’re surrounded by darkness

I wonder if anyone feels like Paul and Silas in midnight

beaten, battered, bruised, hurting, you’re in pain

you lost your job

the prognosis came back

you’re doing everything you can to be faithful but life is just tearing you down

you’re doing everything you can to be faithful but life is just tearing you down

You feel like you’re breaking down

love the thought that worship is a muscle

love the thought that worship is a muscle

muscles give you strength

the more muscle you have the more weight you can carry

but in order for muscle to grow it has to break down

y’all know that’s what’s happening as you excercize right?

your muscle is literally breaking down and the fibers are tearing

and so when you recover afterwards your muscle begins to repair and it grows

that situation sounds an awful lot like muscle during excercise

the situation you’re in if you’re a Christ follower can’t destroy you

Christ has already won

even if you were to die

you win for eternity

the situation you’re in

the breakdown you’re in

life seemingly tearing you down

just a muscle needs to be torn down to grow

so too does our faith

is necessary for your faith to grow

is an opportunity for your faith to grow

for you to choose to worship

if your circumstance doesn’t declare God’s goodness can you

You see so many of think if we can admit it

its midnight in my life I’ll worship when it’s dawn

aww I’ll worship when it get’s better

when things start going my way

but its not that we wait til it gets better to worship

we worship and it gets better

maybe our situation doesn’t change

but your outlook can

and here’s the promise that God will show up

he might miraculously save you like he did with Paul and Silas

or he may just suffer with you in it

that’s what’s great about Jesus

is that he’s familiar with midnight

he’s familiar with obeying God

and everyone still hating

for anxiety still following him

he’s familiar with being in a dark place

for three days

in hell itself

but the victory is in His ressurection

which means our victory is in His ressurection

that he knows what its like to suffer

that he knows what its like to be in turmoil

to be neglected

the promise isn’t that we as beleivers wont face trouble in fact we are guaranteed it

the promise is that we won’t be alone in the trouble

yay though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me your rod and your staff they comfort me

you prepare a table for me in the midst of my enemies

which means if you want to eat at the table he’s set up for you if you want to reap the blessings he has for you

you’re going to have to sit in the midst of your enemies

Paul and Silas’ worship didn’t just free them from their chains

it free’d every prisoner

meaning that worship can change the trajectory of someone else’s life

that worship can change the atmosphere

I wholeheartedly believe that a huge part as to why we’ve seen 53 students begin trusting Jesus for the first in our MS ministry is because we have volunteer leaders who come up on Tuesday night a day before youth

and they worship and pray over this sanctuary, over every seat, seeking the Lords glory in this house

their worship sets the tone and the atmosphere

their expectancy for the Lord creates an environment for life change

Does your worship have atmospheric ramifications

do you worship on behalf of other people

as you drive through Boerne do you play worship music and pray over our city

as you drop your kids off do you pray over them and the school

are you waiting in this season actively

or are you waiting passively

Paul and Silas they worshipped at midnight

The proper way in which we worship is through obedience. And aligning your heart so that you see worship in everything we do.

The proper way in which we worship is through obedience. And aligning your heart so that you see worship in everything we do. The moment we relegate worship to lyrics on these screen or a certain type of music is the moment we limit Gods work in our life by putting him in a box and it’s the moment we limit Gods work in our community because we keep him in this box. Revival starts with how you worship. Awakening starts with how you worship.

The moment we relegate worship to lyrics on these screen or a certain type of music is the moment we limit Gods work in our life by putting him in a box and it’s the moment we limit Gods work in our community because we keep him in this box.

Revival starts with how you worship. Awakening starts with how you worship.

With how you worship in the dark

when you’re all alone and its just you and God

when life is seemingly tearing you apart

and you don’t know how to manage

when everything is going wrong can you worship

because when you choose to worship in the dark you’ll begin to see His light

its our hearts aligning with God and recieving His goodness

and so out of the overflow we worship

we don’t just sing songs to sing songs

we sing because we’re declaring from the overflow things about Him

you