7/05/2020

there are

good questions. We ask ourselves as pastors during pandemic sand and they revolve around what does it mean to be in worship? What does it mean to worship? What components are essential for worship together?

When is prayer? corporate prayer the prayers of the people

1 the reading of scripture another is the the sermon. No guarantee on the quality content. And the other is singing.

We sing.

And it informs our theology. when we sing we sing songs, but share with us and remind us what we believe right? Just raise your hand if you know at least a couple verses of Amazing Grace. Okay. I want to come to the scripture raise your hand if you kind of know the 23rd song.

Raise your hand if you if you find a know the Lord's Prayer. Okay, these things are important components of Christian education. When I put the kids down at bed for the night, we we say the Lord's Prayer.

and then over over time they begin to remember it as well. They can recite it. We don't really realize this but when we say things corporately it can kind of help us out if we forget a little bit of the words. I've been a pastor for 11 years. Is it Kingdom Glory or is it glory and then Kingdom?

see I know. Because I follow you guys. But we're not doing for free right now. So you're going to find out if I know it or not. And I knew what the first time cuz there was a lot of prayer before hand. but part of what we do in singing Is it's a way for us to remember? We got to put things that to Tunes. To remember them, right? righty tighty lefty Loosey kind of got a a Cadence to it good better best never let it rest until the good is better until the butter is best. We can maybe some of y'all haven't heard that. or I There's some others as well. And when things get tough we can rely.

On the singing to remind us of God. The scripture for this morning, by the way, we we follow the revised common lectionary.

and so they for this sermon series we did and so it was already set for today, July 5th 2020.

For those of you who are heavy laden. Who are burden down?

You think they had the foresight to know how burden down we be?

Do you think they knew how weary we would feel?

Do you think they knew? How much does the world would burden us with and we would just need something to do with it? My professor in seminary leads worship Christopher Grundy. He made a song. and it's Maya come to me all who are weary and all who are burdened down and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is so light come to me come to me and I will give you rest. Is countless times in my life when I've been in my darkest of days where I remembered that. It's reminded me.

Sometimes just give things to God. You're just too heavy. Leadership during a during a pandemic. They didn't teach that class in seminary and they didn't teach it in whatever College you went to either.

the reality of our world is it we need reminded that God is someone whom can take all of our burden and all of our care? If we just give them to God. Have you ever been so frustrated you just give them to Jesus?

Sometimes parents get to get to get to that point and he's like I just give up I give it to Jesus. What does that mean? Well, it means that we acknowledge that we're not in control of the outcome.

We can give all of our frustrations to God. And God can give us back something and that's something that God gives us back. Is a way of life refers to what is a yoke. My yoke is easy and my burden is so light.

Sometimes the most Carefree people in the world have been through the toughest of times. And they're just decided to give it to God.

I want to encourage you.

When you feel overwhelmed. When you feel tired exacerbated frustrated hopeless.

Turn to Jesus. And not in some way that's easy.

But in the ways that are real. Do the study of scripture?

through prayer

May you give to God all that encompasses your heart. Anytime you think that you can't do it. You might be right. You can't buy yourself do it.

When we looked at coming back, I have to say the first time I was questioned whether we were coming back was probably a month in.

one month in and then in there I had to say.

What do we hope for what we wanted to look like? How how can we guarantee that people are safe?

In the church began to me. The leadership of the church that okay. What can we do here? They can help people feel safe if they're comfortable to come worship together cuz there's something about worship that we missed. You won't know what it is. You don't know you've been missing. These last 3 months.

family you miss your church family. Can't give it to you online. You missed a corporate worship together all of the fellowship and socializing that in five minutes. I'm going to tell you we're not supposed to do. missing each other's faces

You missed checking up and in on one knee and one anothering and those things have been happening this entire time, but there's something about being together that stirs in us a call to live out the gospel. So that others might be invited in as well.

so the components of worship that were able to have the singing

The Listening to praise music

we can sing in our hearts. the prayer

the scripture and the sermon

that's all important aspects of worship, but it's not the entirety of the church.

Church's U-Haul Uber here and who you here in spirit Living out your lies and discipleship together learning from one another challenging one another loving one another.

So I don't. I don't know how long we're going to be able to meet in person like this for right now, right? Like if it is the things they we have to go back to a different way will do that for a little bit. at the heart of Who We Are Family at the heart of who our church is. the church family

when we as a people feel burdened down. We as a body can also give things to God.

When we as people who are called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

recalled also to pray for one another called also to the hold one another accountable.

It's a love and care for one another.

Why?

Because God cares for you because Christ cares for you. And because we love our neighbor as ourselves.

the church

As this opportunity to share the love of God with others. without having to worry about providing all the answers. We just have to invite people. to ask the questions and be okay with other sitting with them saying I don't know. But I know I love you and care for you. We're in this together.

May God remind you when you feel like it's all about you that you were not enough that you're not strong enough that you're not able to carry these loads of life. But Jesus says my yoke is easy. And my burden is so light. Come to me. Answer me. And I will give you rest.