Glad to be in Church (Indy 2017)

I was reading the other day of a couple who took their son to see a Matisse exhibit, called "The Cut-Outs" That was in Detroit. As Kenny a young boy of five stood their looking at all of the interesting shapes and colors of cut out paper in one of the large displays. He looked confused and deep in thought.

Then with his hands clasped behind his back, he said, "Well, he tried his best."

Well I hope that when I finish tonight, you can at least say, "he tried his best."

I want to talk just a while tonight from Psalm 122

I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord

How did you come to church today? Before you respond with a quick, "In a car" or "I drove" or "I walked" or something like that, I'd like you to think about that question on a little deeper level.

Going to church is something some of us do about three times a week. Most of you like me have gone most of your life to church.

Tony Payne wrote recently in a book titled, "How Do You Walk Into Church"

"I suppose it must have happened upwards of 2000 times by now.

I exit the car, usually with a wife and various kids in tow, and amble in the front door, tossing off a quick greeting to whomever is handing out the folded sheets of paper that in church-speak are called ‘bulletins’.

After a quick scan of the seating situation—who has already parked themselves where, who I might want to avoid and so on—I choose a spot not too near the front and sidle into the chosen row, smiling feebly at the person sitting on the other side of the seat that I’ve politely left vacant between us.

And there it is. I’ve walked into church.

Not exactly a taxing or impressive feat, …

But things are rarely as simple as they seem.

No, things are rarely that simple. Many of the mundane and repetitive tasks that fill our lives have outsized importance: Walking into your home at the end of a long day’s work, saying goodnight to your children, participating in family devotions—these are little things but significant things, just like walking into church. After all,

How you walk into church will be determined by what you think church is, and what you think you’re doing there.

If you think church is a bit like going to the movies, you might walk in expecting to be entertained or inspired.

If you think church is an opportunity for personal devotion and worship, you’ll probably walk in not wanting to interact too much with anyone else.

If you think church is something you have to do in order to ‘do the right thing’ or stay on God’s good side, you’ll walk in with a determination to do what needs to be done (and then leave as soon as possible)."

Payne, Tony. How to Walk Into Church (Kindle Locations 22-26). Matthias Media. Kindle Edition

This Psalm of David is a Pilgrim Song probably to be sung as the people of Israel walked into Jerusalem from their long journey to gather together for one of their holy feasts. Can you imagine it taking days or weeks to get to church and then getting there and say you were glad when you heard it was time to go to the house of the Lord?

Sometimes its hard for us to go the fifteen or twenty minutes to church and feel glad about it.

I know what it is like for everything to go backwards right at church time. One Sunday morning as we were getting ready for church running a couple minutes late as normal. We had just got everyone dressed. Mom, Dad, Travis, and the baby (Corey was still a newborn at the time.) We were having some over for lunch after church. My wife had just prepared a fresh pitcher of sweet tea and had set it on the table. In the confusion of getting out the door, somehow the boy grabbed the pitcher and dumped it on the floor all over him, the baby and Momma. Now we were not only late, but stressed.

You don't always feel like going to church because of circumstances and physical conditions.

Now my intent tonight is not to scold or guilt. I want to challenge us, God is here we often sense God's presence in our services. But I know that there is so much more God wants to do for us. Our attitude and actions prior to and upon coming into the house of the Lord can affect not only our worship, but the worship of others.

This Psalm tells us that David was glad, happy, excited, enthusiastic, joyful when they told him it was time to go to the house of the Lord.

Now I know we don't go by feelings but I want to ask us tonight, how did you feel when you knew it was church time?

Now David knew how to worship God. He knew what it was to win a victory by God's power and see the enemy flee away. He knew what it was to have Goliath fall at his feet. He knew what it was to have to go somewhere else to visit the Ark of the Covenant. He knew what it was to bring God's presence back. He knew what it was for the instruments to play, and God's presence to be so near. No wonder he would write something like this.

He knew when he went to church or the house of the Lord that there would be a few things;

Worship - Worship is so important in our walk with God. Did you know there are right ways and wrong ways to worship?

There were severe consequences of false worship.

Cain’s sacrifice was rejected by God because it was false worship (Genesis 4:5). Three thousand people died in one day because of the false worship of the golden calf fashioned by Aaron (Exodus 32). The kingdom of Israel was divided because of the idolatry and false worship of the nation (1 Kings 11:31-33). The fall of Jerusalem was directly attributable to the apostasy and false worship of the nation (Jeremiah 1:16; 16:11; 22:9). Misdirected worship was the cause of untold hardship and suffering in the Old Testament. In the first chapter of Romans, Paul wrote that God was justified in condemning man because he worshiped in error: For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (Romans 1:25). Satan fell from heaven because he sought worship for himself rather than submission to his Creator. Satan today seeks those who will worship and serve him (cf. Matt. 4:9). The Bible indicates there are some rules to worship and while we may not suffer so much in our focus of worship, sometimes I'm afraid we suffer from sloppy worship.

David was glad to go to church because he knew there would be wonderful worship.

Song leader had prayed and sought God for the songs to sing in order to lift the service

I want to encourage our song-leaders tonight.

Just by show of hands how many have ever led singing in a church service before? It is sometimes a thankless job, but it is an integral part of a worship service.

It's not even as important if you sing the Old Songs or a new Praise and Worship chorus - don't fall off of me here.

I was reading an old book recently by an old holiness preacher from back in the early 1900's and he wrote in there of visiting a church in London, and how they sang like they used to. Today we hear that often to, and I love the old hymns but throw in a new chorus or a new song every once in a while spice things up. It is an amazing responsibility to lead singing for a worship service. You are there to lead people to God through the words and music of the song. How you conduct yourself, your attitude during and even prior to the time can affect the rest of the service. It is said of Lucas Shrout when he was the music teacher for Penn View Bible School that he told those "preacher boys" that he as the music director, worship leader or song leader could make or break their service. I would have loved to have been in one of those meetings where Brother David came to the front with his harp and began to lead the people in singing and into the presence of God.

Maybe he'd start with -

Psalm 103:1-5 (KJV)

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Special singer came prepared and ready to sing the glory down (Often no doubt David was the one.) - We don't often have a special song on Wednessday evening but we try to in both services on Sunday. A Solo or trio or even a choir have a way of lifting the service higher into the presence of Jesus.

Maybe he would get up and sing - The Lord is My Shepherd I shall not want…. Maybe talk about tonight's special. Heart was lifted by the words of music and song Testifiers lifted up Christ and what he had done for them or others

In reality whatever your part in the church service is do it with your best.

If you are Sunday School Superintendent - Do the best superintending you can do. If you are a teacher - teach with all your might If you don't feel talented to preach, or sing, or play a musical instrument - then pray, and care, and love, and help. Three of the greatest things anyone can do in a church service. Prayer was going to be uplifting and answerable.

If you look at Old Testament worship is was not slap happy, thrown together spontaneous worship. I know God works and I've seen God work in the spur of the moment, but I've far more often seen Him work in the thought about, prayed about, planned out worship. The person who got alone with God and found God's will for their part in the service. Brother Cravens at Heart for the Shepherd Seminar said at their church they have a policy, every participant in the service is to lift the service higher than the last person. Wow if everyone did that and tried to do that willingly and joyfully our worship would be greatly enhanced and might be a different story. There is no need for church to be a drudgery, humdrum, dull thing. We are worshipping the God of the Ages. We are celebrating the atoning work of Jesus Christ, the salvation from Sin, so much to worship and so little time to express it.

Encouragement

The people came not just to get but to give (It was a safe place, one could share their struggles and problems and not worry about being judged they knew they were loved) The minister had a WORD from God (This is so important and a huge responsibility on my shoulders. Fellowship

They came in unity and expressed love for each one there It was more than a just a social gathering, it was a family reunion. Brothers and Sisters in the Lord getting together again. They left refreshed and glad they had come to church I used to belong to a business networking group. We would meet once a week for about 90 minutes. Have a great time meeting and greeting each other, Share some food, and pass business referral to one another. One person who was also a pastor in another denomination once said to me, "this is just like church." And I remember thinking, I feel sorry for you if your church is just like this. I had seen the I'll do business with you if you do business with me, attitude that was prevalent. And the idea that the small fry companies were not near as important as the those who brought in more money. Those meetings were on Wednesday afternoon. I would leave there and then that evening go to our church at Wichita, which by the way, I might add is the best church in our movement. And it was a completely different feeling. Oh we would meet and greet and have a great time talking sometimes laughing, but there was a sincerity, and a warmth that was missing in the other meeting. Service would start and sure some nights were a struggle, but there were also times as we would sing the songs of Zion, that God would come, or while some one stood to their feet and testified of how God had given them victory over a battle that week, or when I opened the scriptures that suddenly I realized I wasn't on the platform by myself, but a heavenly visitor had joined me. It was like a family. We care for one another, we love one another, we appreciate one another, but not just us and no more, I've seen them when I've brought in some pretty scary people how they welcomed them and loved on them. Now I don't know how you walked into church tonight. But I trust you have felt as I did when I stepped through those door, We are more like family, the family of God. No other fellowship, like the fellowship of brothers and sisters in the Lord.

How did you walk into church tonight?

Stressed, exhausted, in pain:

No matter how you came, we are all human and will all have those days, but my prayer is that you will leave, glad that you came, with an expectation to come back, because God has met us here.

Let us stand.

And I'm going to ask the song leader to come and lead us in that song - "The Family of God"

Or if Duane & Angie would sing - "A Part of the Family"

We are going to close out here tonight as we sing, I would like to ask you as part of the fellowship in tonight's worship service to try to go to at least five people who:

Are in a different section of the tabernacle than you Who you have not talked to today And especially if they have children, are visiting, or are bashful or nervous Either shake their hand or hug them and let them know you are glad they are at church tonight.

Let's begin.

I don't know about you but…

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God. You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here, It's because we're a family and these are so near; When one has a heartache, we all share the tears, And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear. I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God. From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast, a new song I sing; From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong! I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God

Clipped from: http://www.hymnlyrics.org/newlyrics_f/family_of_god.php