Getting more!
Notes
Transcript
Handout
What do you want more of?
What do you want more of?
(Assembly picture)
Today we start a new series on getting more. More sounds good doesn’t it? So let’s see what we can do together to get more in this life and from this life so to have a better life.
I think you can agree that the Christian assembly can vary greatly. From the hyped up with no sustenance (Word) to the dried up (all word and no Spirit). So, where do we find the balance, the balance that God wants us to have. Or does it matter if hyped up or dried up as long as we are together in the assembly?
Our new series “More please!” we are going to be looking at how to get more, more out of the assemblies. In general we will look at:
More from the assembly (in general)
More from our singing
More from our prayers
More from the Lord’s Supper
More from our offerings
More from the preaching
Finally, more from our bible studies (class)
David a man after God’s own heart (1Sam13:14; Act13:22) David, loved to worship and it was exampled
David was glad when asked to go to the house of the Lord (Ps122:1)
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
David called on others to serve the Lord with gladness (Ps100:2)
2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
It makes me think of this song (insert song 949 - I will enter His gates) if you know it, sing it, and do it with gladness for we have many things to be glad about, one of those things is the ability to study God’s Word together and to sing our songs of praise to him so join me.
If we are honest I think you would agree, maybe reluctantly, that many who go to the assembly don’t seem to enjoy it much, or do not get more out of the assembly.
Some sleep, and I know who you are, lol
Some seem disinterested and don’t seem to get much out of it
Some of it is my fault, maybe I’m not entertaining enough to keep everyone’s attention. Quote too much bible and not enough funny stories or jokes. But I will accept that fault, we are here to get more from the assembly so we can give more to the body and help to grow the body.
(insert Joy-3 picture here)
Maybe, it is the singing? Do we put our heart into it, do we sing with joy? Are we joy filled?
(Transition) - - - when we do any of these things others, guests, will notice, so what is the problem? How does the assembly get like that and loose the joy of the Lord and the joy in the Lord?
When we come to the assembly do we come because we are glad or because we feel obligated? This series is all about getting more out of the assembly, to help us to have the joy of the Lord in us and then displayed through us. What we do and how we do it in the assembly is what others will see when they walk through the door.
Now our focal passage for this series will be Ps100:1-5 and let give it to you in context
1 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.
David said “Shout” and do it joyfully (Ps100:1)
David said to serve and do it with gladness (Ps100:2)
David said come before Him with joyful singing (Ps100:2)
Shout joyfully, serve gladly, come joyfully in singing! It’s OK to say “amen” it’s OK to say “Hallelujah” when you are filled with joy and it just has to come out of your heart of joy. It’s good to sing with gladness and not a dirge but a song of praise and adoration.
So enter His courts with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! (Ps100:4)
(Transition) Why do these things, because God is God and God created us! He made us, we are His people and when we realize that, then we get more so we can give more, more praise, more adoration, more worship to Him who made us. More thanks to Him and bless His name.
(Together-1 picture inserted here)
God loves when we come together, together in family, together in assembly, together in worship, in songs of praise, in faithfulness of prayer, in study of His Word, in breaking of bread and yes in fellowship too, why for they all exalt Him!
Have you ever. . . ?
Have you ever been to a congregation, an assembly where they are:
present but not engaged or not really interested?
present but not expecting to encounter the Lord?
present but not engaged because of lack of zeal in songs and in preaching
Yes, guests will notice that.
Do people like this have a true understanding of who the Lord is and have a personal intimate relationship with the Lord? Do you not know who Jesus really is, what Jesus really did and because of that we have received the greatest gift ever - Salvation!
(Come expecting picture inserted here)
We need to come expecting to engage, expecting to encounter the Lord through His Word and His Spirit. To Expect to lift our voices, joyfully to the Lord in song and to pray faithfully.
So come expecting, draw near to listen when you go to the house of God (Ecc5:1)
1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
That is a pretty scary verse isn’t it? Instructions given then the reason for the instructions, guard your steps.
Draw near with confidence (Heb4:16)
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Notice the words use “us” and “we” - we need to do this together when we come together in the assembly
Draw near to Jesus who wants to save forever (Heb7:25)
25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Question: How does Jesus save forever?
By drawing near
By He making intercession for them.
(Transition): As we get into this new series “more please” it is my desire for each of us, and yes, including me, to get more out of the assembly so we can give more to others. So, may we start this morning at focusing on “Assembly”
As we assemble
As we assemble
Would you agree that church assembly is important? We have plenty of scripture to back up your assumed answer.
Church assembly is important, do not forsake assembling together (Heb10:25)
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
If you look at that verse, it is not the start of a sentence is it, there is more before and as simply Christians studying God’s Word we need to look in context
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
So, hold fast, without wavering, looking to stimulate one another (Heb10:23-24)
Some of the reasons we assemble
Study - Apostles Doctrine, Breaking of bread, Fellowship and prayers (Act2:42)
Encourage one another (Heb10:25)
Exhort one another (Heb3:13)
For mutual edification (Rom14:19)
So, it’s an important part of worship (Heb10:24-25)
May we consider another reason?
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
So you do not fall away because of unbelieving heart (Heb3:12-14)
There is a chance when we do not put touse what we have i Christ that our heart may become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. The solution is to put into place a time of mutual edification (you know the assembly)to help prevent that.
(something to think about picture inserted here)
Questions to consider: Who has become irregular in the assembly? Who used to sit next to you that is no longer there?
Challenge: Reach out to them, let them know you are thinking about them and miss them, be hospitable to them and inviting to them.
(Transition) Don’t let apostasy set in on anyone and a sign of that is irregular attendance in the assembly. that leads to our next point about the church assembly.
The assembly provides opportunities
The assembly provides opportunities
In Eph5:16 it says make the most of every opportunity, and the assembly is an opportunity and we should make the most of it each week.
The assembly follows a pattern in the New Testament of meeting on first day of the week (Act20:7; 1Cor16:1-2)
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
and then add another passage
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
The assembly creates opportunity with purpose (Act2:42; 2Tim2:2; 2Tim4:2)
We know Act2:42, we have already looked at that passage this morning, look at the pattern that Timothy was taught by Paul, and the instructions, command given
2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
What you have heard, entrust these things to faithful men, so they will be able to teach others. (2Tim4:2)
Now meeting together does not need to be limited to the assembly, we should be ready in all seasons, and at all times to reprove,rebuke, exhort with patience and instruction (2Tim4:2)
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
We have opportunities through small groups, discipleship groups, genre groups, we have fellowships in our homes, at the parks etc, all great opportunities to get more by giving more.
In the Timothy passage the preach the word is to proclaim the word, whenever, where ever you are. Sometimes the preaching needs to happen outside of the assembly.
(Transition) We know we have seen that for many the assembly is not a priority anymore. That means that they are not getting much out of the assembly, the assembly is no longer relevant no longer needed or necessary. But maybe, just maybe it’s us, the assembled. So may we now look at some way of getting more from the assembly.
Getting more from the assembly
Getting more from the assembly
Do you want to get more from the assembly? Maybe to get more there are some things we should do to be able to get more from the assembly.
Get more by being ready
How do you get ready for the day? I’ sure you have a pattern that you follow for the most part that prepares you for the day.
We prepare for work, we prepare for school, we should prepare for the assembly too.
Have you heard the term
“we get out of something what we put into it?”
You want to mature in Christ, grow to the fulness of Christ? Then be willing to put something into the assembly. This is no different than any other aspect of your life. you prepare you engage, do the same with the assembly.
Even the mundane, what sees to be boring can be interesting with the right preparation on the preachers part and on the listeners part. So, be prepared
Spend time in prayer and maybe even meditation before the assembly, to prepare you mind and your heart
Come early and greet and greet and meet people (well, maybe not right now because of social distancing).
(Transition) We need to have a heart for the word and application of the word. Jesus set an example of service as did the apostles so the next get more.
Get more by coming to serve and not just be served (Act20:35)
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
(transition) I don’t think I need to expand too much on that.
Get more by preparing
Preparation starts the night before
Commit to go
Get a good nights sleep
Get up and get ready with time to spare
If you have the scriptures that are going to be discussed, ready them and be prepared before coming to the assembly.
I think by now you know that we pre-publish the scriptures and make the outlines available prior to services so you can know, read, study if you chose what we will be looking at in the assembly.
Get more by being mindful (Jn13:35 1Cor14:15; Heb13:2)
Be mindful of who is present in the assembly, who is here, who may need some encouragement or edification
Be mindful and take time to socialize together before or after the assembly. - don’t rush in and rush out, for when we do guests may draw the conclusion that we are not a family that cares for one another.
We want guests to say we are a loving, caring group of disciples of Jesus Christ! We want them to say them came and experienced God by how we love on
and how the Spirit is within us.
15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
And hospitality, did I mention be hospitable before?
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
We can be hospitable in the assembly to lead to being hospitable in our homes or in restaurants
Get more by engaging more (Ps27:6; 2Chr29:30; Col3:16; Eph5:19)
Engage with your eyes, look, see, pay attention to the song leader, to the preacher or in our case the slides.
Use your ears to be attentive to what is being said.
Use your voice in singing and in edification of the body
Use your hands to serve one another.
I should give a few quick scriptures to back up those statements
In voice in singing
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
and I cant leave out
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
or
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
(Transition) worshipping is not a spectator sport; it requires active participation so lift up your voice, your prayers, your eyes, and your hands in serving one another
Get more by your location
Do you know where you sit can impact you getting more from the assembly?
Sitting closer to the front ensures you don’t miss anything being said
Sitting closer together and the singing will sound richer
And if you are like e, sitting closer and you will not be easily distracted by things happening around.
Get more by going more (1Tim4:7-8)
The more you go, the more you grow
The more you go, the more you show the love of Christ in you and through you.
The more you go, the more we are unified as one body
So prepare yourself with a personal discipline for godliness which is profitable for all things (1Tim4:7-8)
7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
(Transition) to grow spiritually, to grow as one body, to get more out of the assembly it takes spiritual discipline.
Get more so to grow more (1Jn3:16-19)
Who does not want to grow to the fulness of Christ, to be transformed into the likeness of the Son?
We do that by our love
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him
(transition) so as we get ready to close out in just a few, may we get more by:
Get more by coming expecting!
Expecting to experience and encounter God
To engage in worship through song, prayer, supper and the study of the apostles doctrine.
To edify and exhort the body of Christ and to welcome the guests and make them feel at home
(Transition) How we come to the assembly, including how often we come to the assembly, to include how we participate and serve in the assembly will help you to get more out of your personal relationship with Christ as well as we, as a body, growing together in maturity to Christ.
Get more coming with a joyful heart, with a joyful voice, ready to share that joy with others!
Come to the assembly
Come joyfully
Come expectantly
Come with a heart like David
(invitation/encouragement slide - I was glad - - - Ps 122:1 slide) invitation (invitation slide-2) (Song slide) song (Prayer slide) prayer (Exit slide)