Sunday, May 23, 2010

Let the Worshipers Arise

3^rd in a Series

Exaltation

The first Psalm in scripture declares the worshiper’s reason for exalting God:

The Lord is my strength

Psalm 21:13

Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

Psalm 30:1

I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

The Lord gives me a reason to sing

Psalm 34:3

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 40:16

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The Lord be exalted!”

The Lord saved me

Psalm 18:46

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!

Psalm 70:4

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”

When I exalt God:

I acknowledge God has always been over all.

Psalm 57:5

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:11

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 97:9

For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

Psalm 99:2

Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.

Psalm 108:5

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 113:4

The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.

I declare God to always be the most important thing in my life.

Psalm 118:28

You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Psalm 138:2

I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

Psalm 145:1

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.

I call all who hear me to join in his praise.

Psalm 107:32

Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

Psalm 148:13

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Psalm 34:3

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

His rightful place in my life

…gives me right perspective.

…removes my pride. (Luke 18:10-14)

…gives me purpose.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Let the Worshipers Arise

2^nd in a Series

Presence

If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

(Moses to God in Exodus 33:15, NIV)

The most awesome experience of life is being in the presence of God.

God’s presence with His people is completely sustaining.

Worship is the response to the awareness of God’s presence.

Awakening our awareness of God’s presence:

Aspects of God’s presence:

1. God’s omni- presence

a. This is sometimes called God’s “Awesome” presence

b. God in Job 38:2-7, He is the God who was before, was in, and is in everything.

c. Paul in Acts 17:24-28

d. Hebrews 4:13

2. God’s abiding presence

a. Or God’s “residing” or “indwelling” presence

b. This is the presence that Moses wouldn’t leave without; it’s personal

c. It’s David’s sense of God’s presence in Ps 139:7-12

d. This is the Holy Spirit living in each Christian!

e. Jesus promises this presence to all who come to him: John 15:4-5

f. Paul in Col 1:27

3. God’s manifest presence

a. God’s specific and actual intervention in the world at a point in time

b. In scripture it was often miraculous in nature (Acts 4)

c. It is God’s response to the prayers and cries of his people in a certain situation

d. Most vividly displayed in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14)

e. This is most observed in the church today in the form of Spiritual Gifts (I Cor 12:7-11)

Arena’s for practicing the awareness of God’s presence:

1. In my thoughts:

a. This is the most fought over arena for many Christians. It is why Paul commands us to be intentional with how we worship God in our thoughts: Philippians 4:8

2. In my words : Colossians 3:17

3. In my actions: Philippians 4:9

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Let the Worshipers Arise

1^st in a Series

Offering

Two elements used in early (patriarchal) worship to God…

…an offering and an altar.

What made gifts offered acceptable and pleasing to God was…

Gen 4:2(b) – 7

1) the condition of the heart of the worshiper reflected through obedience, (Heb 11:4)(Matt 5:23-24)

Gen 12:7,8; 22:1-14 (1^st use of word “worship” in scripture)

2) the worshipers reliance on God’s promises, direction, and provision, (Lk 21:1-4)

3) and the cost of the gift to the worshiper.

(Cheap (costless) gifts demonstrate self-reliance and lack of faith in God.) (2 Sam 24:24)

1 Peter 2:5 (4-10)

What are pleasing gifts (sacrificial offerings) to God now?

Heb 13:15-16 –

1) Lips that openly acknowledge his name

2) Sharing resources with others as they have need

3) Financial support for the ministry of God’s word

4) Our lives

WHY IS GOD PLEASED BY OUR GIFTS? They (our offerings) demonstrate our love for him. They (our offerings) are our loving him.

Isn’t God giving gifts to us his demonstration of love for us. Isn’t the gift of Jesus Christ the act of God loving us? (John 3:16; James 1:17; Matt 7:11; 2 Cor 9:13-15; Eph 2:8)

So doesn’t it follow that the loved by God love him back by the same means he has loved us?

We are made in his image, he gives to what he loves, and we are made to give to what we love. (The best of all we have…that’s all we are capable of, we can never give to God something that he needs or that sustains him) The act of giving to what we love is “worship”.

WHY IS GOD PLEASED BY OUR GIFTS? They (our offerings) demonstrate our love for him. They (our offerings) are our loving him.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

HOPE

“Response to Hope”

5^th in a Series

Teaching Pastor Barry Wingfield

A believer’s response to the resurrection HOPE found in Christ is worship and the making and teaching of other worshippers.

Matt 28:16-20 : “they worshipped”; Jesus gave the great commission
Mark 16:15-20: Jesus gave the great commission, the apostles followed it
Luke 24:45-52: Jesus commissions them as his witnesses; they worshipped and continually praised God
Acts 1: Reaffirms the witness commission, tells of their obedience.

Notice the two aspects of this RESPONSE:
It is both spontaneous and intentional.

Our spontaneous RESPONSE to the hope we have been given in Christ is motivated by (or comes from) faith in the resurrection, love for God, and joy in salvation.

Our intentional RESPONSE to the hope we have been given in Christ is expressed in obedient and holy living, love for others, and sharing the good news with others.

And it's all WORSHIP!