Perfect Worship

Sermon Notes: Worship In Truth—Perfect Worship Marion, OR 12/15/2018 Introduction: • Discussing worship this month as Jesus described it to the woman at the well: Joh 4:23  "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  • Described the Spirit of Worship—offering our whole selves as worship—24/7/365 • an inner transformation that can find expression in a great number of ways • But have you ever felt like something is holding you back from being all in? • From experiencing a close personal relationship with God? ◦ other people seem to be engaged in worship, but for you God seems distant? • What is required to experience deeper, greater, perfect worship? ◦ Part of the answer lies in what is meant by worshipping in Truth. ▪ Look at story in Matthew for insight into worshipping in Truth ▪ So that we may perfect our worship (is that even possible?) Prayer Body: Mat 19:16  And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?"  • Question contains an assumption—eternal life is something to be earned Mat 19:17  And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."  • 2 parts to worshipping in Truth ◦ First, there is only one way to bring an offering of worship to God ▪ Through faith in Jesus—clothed in His righteousness [i.e. Eph 2:8-9] • I have preached that sermon before, so will look at 2nd aspect of worship in truth Joh 14:6  Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.  2Co 5:21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Gal 3:27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  • If we can only approach God through Jesus, then why does Jesus say “if you wish to enter life, keep the commandments?”—[Note Jesus is affirming the commandments] Mat 19:18  Then he *said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS;  Mat 19:19  HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."  Mat 19:20  The young man *said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"  • This is the crux of the discussion. Like some of you, the young man still felt distant ◦ Something was impeding his worship. Mat 19:21  Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  • KJV--Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, • NIV (NKJV, NLT) Mat 19:21  Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, • Mar 10:21  Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  • One thing was impeding this young man from experiencing perfect or complete worship ◦ What Truth would make his worship complete, perfect, unimpeded? ▪ Jesus helped him see there was a rival in his heart for the love of God Mat 19:22  But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.  • Second Truth of worship: Only one God is worthy of our worship ◦ Tim touched on this last week—God is a jealous God who will suffer no rivals • This is hard for us to be comfortable with—makes God sound petty, egocentric ◦ Hope that you can see its with a heart of love that God works to remove all idolatry from our hearts • An idol is any functional God Replacement ◦ Jesus pointed the young man to recognize his idol ▪ Counting on money to do what God has said He would do ▪ Provide fulfillment, purpose, joy, peace, security, worth, hope, morality • We are worshipping beings. We were created to worship and we worship every day— ◦ always in pursuit of something • “Man's nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” ― John Calvin ◦ Are we in pursuit of God’s glory and presence, or something less? • How can I know if I am worshipping an idol? ◦ When I compromise God’s standards for fear of losing my job, ▪ I am trusting my job (money) to be my provider and my security ▪ My job (or salary) has become a functional God replacement, an idol ◦ Compromise God’s standards of sexuality to keep that boyfriend/girlfriend ▪ Decided they are more capable of giving me joy, belonging, than God • That relationship has become an idol ◦ When I exchange worship and service with the Body of Christ for entertainment ▪ Recreation has become more meaningful to me than God’s kingdom ◦ When I worship the symbol instead of the substance ▪ i.e. Israel with ark (1 Sam 4)—honor with lips but hearts (lifestyles) far ▪ When buildings, things, traditions become more important than people ◦ When I put my trust in the created more than the creator--Scientism • We are buying into the lie that we must choose between faith in God and science ◦ C.S. Lewis--Heart cannot rejoice in what the mind rejects as false Here are a few things science cannot explain but theism can: 1. The origin of the universe. (What made the big bang go bang?) 2. The origin of the fundamental laws of nature. (looking into mind of intelligent creator) 3. The fine-tuning of the universe.—(Dark Matter/Dark Energy—2/3 universe unknown) 4. The origin of life and consciousness. (DNA + self-awareness—not natural explanation) 5. The existence of moral laws (no explanation for since of morality, moral outrage) 6. Answers to my deepest questions and yearning: What is my purpose? Where do I belong? Where can I find worth? Is there meaning to this existence? Is there hope? ◦ It is a false, unquestioned premise that observational science of the material world is ultimate determiner of truth ◦ Undermining our faith which inhibits our worship Joh 4:24  "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."  • The revelation of God (spirit) is the ultimate definer of Truth ◦ The spiritual is more real than the physical, the greater source of truth ◦ That revelation of Spiritual Truth is contained in God’s inspired Word Conclusion: • Pastor Tim highlighted the commandment behind me last week: Exo 34:14  —for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— • God is jealous for our love—like a husband to a wife; see Eph 5--Unreturned love hurts! • God is protective of us as children—doesn’t want us trusting things that will let us down, leave us hurt, broken and separated from Him—see Isaiah 40 ◦ no other idol has our good as its priority like our God, ▪ (no person LOVES us like God!) ◦ no other master is as gracious, compassionate or patient our God ▪ No boss, career, certainly not fame or fortune ◦ No other entity has the capacity to accomplish good for us like our God ▪ Not even science can fulfill our deepest longings as human beings • Ask God to show you what one thing impedes your perfect worship • What rival to God keeps you from experiencing full, complete, perfect worship? • Jesus lovingly helped the young man see his functional God replacement ◦ The rival in his heart to unconditional love, faith and obedience to God ▪ The idol of money ▪ For me it has often been the desire to be in control—IDOL WAS ME! ◦ If you ask, Jesus will show you yours too ▪ The question is, when He does, will you give it up, • or will you walk away grieved—or even offended! • May we experience worship on Earth as it is described in Heaven (perfect worship): Rev 4:9  Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,  Rev 4:10  the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne … [symbols of surrender] • As it is in heaven, so may it be on earth in our hearts, in this church: Psa 95:6  Come [Marion church], let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker [and lay down all our functional God replacements, that our worship may be perfected]