WORSHIP: Location, Location, Location

Psalm 122:1 CSB

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”

INTRO—

Returning to the woman at the well talking with Jesus…

John 4.19-20 ““Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.””

…and then to branch off in another direction...

It’s not about geographic location, as though one ‘site’ is more significant than another—meaning God is more available to us at [Falls Creek, Independence, or Nashville] than he is in [Claycomo, etc.].

IT IS, however, about our Lord’s provision for and expectation of our worship of him—gathered together or on our own.

TOGETHER [Psalm 122.1]

Psalm 122.1 “I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.””

Why can/should we look forward to ‘worship together?’

Psalm 22.22 “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the assembly.” [To encourage others…(AND, what can we conclude about the fact that we all come ready to encourage our brothers and sisters?...we should pretty much be ready to be encouraged!]

Psalm 40.9-10 “I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed— as you know, Lord. I did not hide your righteousness in my heart; I spoke about your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your constant love and truth from the great assembly.” [I LOVE this!]

Colossians 3.16 “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

[[Ephesians 5.18-20 “And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”]]

A WORD ABOUT “TOGETHER”

Hebrews 10.19-25 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)—and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. (24)And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

We must ‘consider one another.’ DO WE?

We must ‘gather together.’ ARE WE READY?

We must be ‘encouraging each other.’ WILL WE?

***TRANSITION— Psalm 123 “[[A song of ascents.]] I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in heaven. Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until he shows us favor. Show us favor, Lord, show us favor, for we’ve had more than enough contempt. We’ve had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.”

TRULY a song we could all sing as we prepare for worship each Sunday!!!

…but we don’t need to—in fact, we must not—wait for Sunday to ‘get our worship on’ (as the kids today say).

Question: All electric vehicles are becoming more popular these days…So, where can you charge these cars??? [At home…and at HyVee…and at…and… MOST FREQUENTLY—these vehicles get charged at home]

PERSONAL [Psalm 139.1-18]

Think about this, as Don Whitney puts it...

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Worship Is … Expected Both Publicly and Privately

Think of it: The Lord Jesus Christ is willing to meet with you privately for as long as you want, and He is willing—even eager—to meet with you every day!

…how amazingly cool is this?!?!!! [Think of this of the wonderful privilege of personal worship!]

The precedent for personal worship:

Deuteronomy 6.4-9 ““Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. (7)Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.”

The promise of personal worship:

Who is always there when you get where you are going? [YOU!!…OK, & God…which kinda gets to the point here.]

Revelation 1.9-10 “I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet”

The preciousness of personal worship:

Psalm 139.13-14 “For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.”

Psalm 139.17-18 “God, how precious your thoughts are to me; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.”

CONCL—

Psalm 8.1a…9 (NIV) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 139:17–18 CSB

God, how precious your thoughts are to me; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.