#WORSHIPHOOD

Who here loves worship?

There is nothing like being immersed into the moment and feeling the spirit move.

And I don’t know about you guys but there was a point in time when I needed more, and more,and more! So much so that the hunger for worship made me want to not ever miss a service. At one point in my life all I did in church was consume what was given to me on a silver plate. But yet my Monday’s became more mundane.

I would be depressed and defeated before I even left the parking-lot because all I wanted was to be in a dark crowded room with music, blaring my eyes closed and to feel like I was the only one in the room standing at the feet of God. I didn’t come to church to “serve” I came to worship. I came to get away.

Then one day I was asked to play guitar on stage with the worship team. I was a teenager and thought technically I will be worshipping and I get to be a rock-star at the same time. Heck ya! Maybe this will give me brownie points with my small group leaders daughter. All I could do is win, win, win.

Then this weird thing started happening. My mundane Monday started to become become easier and easier. I wasn’t as depressed and defeated. eventually I went from serving as a guitar player to worship-leader.

Years later I am here today as Guest Services Ministry Coordinator. I seldom get to go into a dark crowded room and close my eyes. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am here today to help you change your “servanthood” into worshiphood.

All throughout the bible the word serve and worship have been translated in a way that they both can be interchangeable.

I am going to read you scripture from 2 current versions of the bible the ESV and the CSB.

But first I want to go all the way back to the KJV. When translated in 1611 the word worship and service where very close in how they were written.

75% of the Old Testament translation in the KJV worship and service are interchangeable.

Almost half of the New Testament in the KJV worship and service are interchangeable.

That’s how closely related they are.

So the first thing I want you guys to understand is,

Serving is a central part of worshiping God.

Exodus 3:12 ESV

He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 3:12 CSB

He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

Serving is the Heart of worshipping! And your family, your friend, this city, this state, this country, this world is your Egypt. You are put in someones life today that only you can help lead them back to God.

Serving them is worshipping Him.

Worship is doing, not watching!

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 ESV

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 CSB

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.

Heart in the bible ment whole personality or personhood.

Soul ment throat, neck, breath.

It doesn’t say or, its all your heart AND all your soul. When someone puts their heart and soul into something it means they give until nothing is left.

Trust me I know that is sometimes difficult to do, recently I had to learn the hard way. I backed out of something I had commited to do to “being tired”. I thought I have been doing all this work all week and I am just going to sit back and watch and relax. I bailed on something minutes before a service. It was something I could have pushed through if my focus would have been in the right direction. It came back to me that I let some people down, and I felt bad because I was doing it for them. My focus was on I was doing it for people and I became to tired to do it because I was relying on my strength to fulfill their need. I was trying to Worship God, and serve people. When I should have been Worshiping God, and SERVING Him. When worshiping and serving God is your first thought it gives you that extra boost to push and lean in.

Matthew 4:10 ESV

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

Matthew 4:10 CSB

Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”

I have heard people say, First God, then your spouse, then your kids, then your job, then this, then that, then this, but no where in scripture have I found that. All I see Is First God, then God, then God, then God, then God, then God. When worshiping and serving God is your first thought it gives you that extra boost and makes you lean in.

Even if you are cleaning out toilets, changing dippers, handing out cookies or singing on stage, if you put God first, second, third, last, you start doing more about what you see and your service becomes worship. All the mundane Mondays, become everyday Sundays.

Who here would like for everyday to be Sunday?

Prayer-

Dear God there is nothing more wonderful than waking up and knowing I get to serve a God that loves us in all our faults. Even if we are tired and beat down, you still love us. You are faithful when we are not, but we know that if we put you first everyday, then we can rise above all our failures. Putting you first turns everyday into Sunday. A day we all look forward too. We ask you give us a heart worship no matter where we are or what we do. We love you, in Jesus name, AMEN!