Why We Worship, 23 September 2012
Big Idea: We worship God as we do life with God and realize He is worthy.
Two weeks ago we looked at our mission statement and said that we ultimately exist to glorify God. It’s about Him. It’s why we gather. It’s why we scatter. He created us to love Him and our neighbor and to make disciples. Every dollar we spend and every moment on the church calendar is about
so that God is glorified.
I want to focus on a simple question regarding glorifying God.
Why?
Sure, you could say it is because the elders put it in the mission statement, but seriously, why worship? Why glorify God?
Author Skye Jethani in his recent book With illustrates four ways we can approach God:
Life over God. This is life lived apart from God. We ignore Him and keep Him away. Science has control over the world and we don’t need God. Atheism is the most extreme view, but this could even be having a relationship with the Bible and its teachings but not a relationship with God.
Life under God. This is legalism. If we are good to God, He will be good to us. If we screw up, we’re in trouble. It’s all about what we do. Rituals and morality will result in God’s blessings. Go to church, be good, and God will bless you. You can control God by doing the right thing. It’s about controlling God predicated by fear.
Life from God. This is when we pursue God for what He can do for us. As consumers, we want God to be a cosmic genie, giving us everything we want, whether it is money or a spouse or even spiritual gifts. If we don’t get what we want, we assume He is dead or doesn’t love us and we try harder to appease Him. This is moralistic, therapeutic deism. Most USAmerican teenagers have this view of God, according to recent research. This view sees God as one-dimensional. God exists to serve me. This is the health-and-wealth gospel. God is a divine butler or a cosmic therapist. When He doesn’t serve their desires, they walk away. The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 doesn’t want a relationship with his father, but rather his father’s stuff. This is the epitome of consumer Christianity.
Life for God. This is where we reverse it. God doesn’t exist to serve you, you exist to serve God. You must live for the mission and purpose of God, which can be a good motive, but believe that God is disappointed with us when we struggle with sin. The way to avoid the fear of insignificance is to do more for God. The activist generation is good, but serving must be out of compassion, not searching for significance. Your value is not in what you accomplish.
The problem with all four approaches is that each includes fear and control.
The truth is, In the midst of your sin, God still loves you!
The other son in the Prodigal Son story is upset. He says, “I’ve served you all of these years but you never gave me a party, yet my playboy brother messes up his life and you celebrate.”
The father says that the most important thing was not the son’s obedience or his brother’s disobedience but his children’s presence.
Life for God, is a life lived for the mission, the life-purpose, rather than for the One who created your life. It is a life lived for the purpose and authentication provided by accomplishing the mission or goal, rather than remaining in relationship with God and letting Him provide our value.
There is a fifth way to view God.
Life with God. This is the essence of the Christian life.
Every other posture uses God. He is the how. Jesus taught that He is not just the Way but the Life. He is not just how to get the treasure. Jesus is the treasure.
John Piper has said that the gospel is not how people get to heaven; the gospel is how people get to God.
Do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and teaching and music and community is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself.
We can surrender to the perfect God who loves us and will never let us go.
Before we are called to something or somewhere we are called to someone.
Why do we worship? Why do we serve, share, send? Why do we sing? It should not be out of guilt or obligation or to win God’s favor, but rather it should be a natural response to knowing and loving Him.
John said so simply that
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
He made the first move. Actually He made the first moves.
First, He created this amazing planet—and universe—for us to enjoy.
Then He created us, male and female.
After we corrupted ourselves and the world with sin, He was not satisfied with our condition. At one point He wiped out nearly every person on earth with a flood, but spared all living creatures on the ark built by Noah.
After hundreds of years of waiting, the Father sent Jesus Christ to live, teach, and ultimately die for us to demonstrate His love for us. It was on the cross that our sins were cast upon Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
We worship as a response to who God is. He is God. He is Creator. He is King. He is the ultimate Artist. He is the definition of love. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the all-powerful One. He is the ever-present One. He is the all-knowing One.
We worship because He is worthy. He deserves it.
The tragedy is that so many people are clueless. They don’t give a thought about God. Maybe it is that they’re too busy to notice the beauty around them. Perhaps it is because they bought the lie that we’re all just an accident, the result of random chance. We know from Scripture that the enemy has blinded them.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Last month I took my son to Chicago for an overnight getaway. My to-do list included a baseball game and Giordano’s pizza. On the second day, we found ourselves downtown with a couple of hours to spare before the Megabus departed for Ann Arbor. Much to my surprise and delight, he asked me if we could go to the Art Institute.
They say that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are certainly some odd things in most any art museum, but there are other works that evoke awe and wonder.
When we walked by Grant Wood’s American Gothic, a guide was explaining patterns, colors, alignment, and other details that I never noticed. Sure, it is a picture of a farmer and his daughter, but there is far more if you take the time to look and study.
I have been told that the greatest scientific discoveries today are done at the micro and macro level. We are learning more each day about tiny things invisible to the naked eye such as DNA and sub-atomic particles. We are also discovering planets and stars and galaxies that we never knew existed, that the universe is greater than anyone imagined a generation ago.
Most of the artists that created the works we saw in Chicago have died, but if they were living and stood beside their painting, I could not possibly ignore them. I would praise them for their artistry. I might ask questions about their inspiration and process. When we experience beauty, it is difficult to not respond.
Why do we worship? It is a natural response to who He is. If you don’t know who He is, it’s hard to worship Him! This is why we study His Word. This is why we use photos and videos to display His art. This is why many of us are so captivated by a walk at Gallup Park, a trip to the beach, or even a visit to the zoo.
Earlier this year our family traveled to southern California and as we shared our favorite places, I don’t think anyone mentioned Hollywood or an amusement park. Instead, everyone talked about the beach, the zoo, and especially the wild seals at La Jolla. We were in awe of God’s creation.
It has been said that we offer praise and thanksgiving for the things that God has done, but we worship just because of who He is. God is God, regardless of your health, your wealth, your marital status, or your grade point average. He is worthy of worship on sunny days and in the midst of storms. He is deserving of glory when you feel like it and when you don’t.
Worship is reflecting the glory of God back to Him. The more you know Him, the more you do life with Him, the more you will respond in worship.
Worship is offering your world back to God.
The real question this morning is do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and healing and transforming the culture is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself. - Skye Jethani
The Heart of Worship
Perhaps your view and understanding of God and worship has shifted this morning. I know I have misunderstood worship. I’ve often made it about me. I’ve spent so much time worshiping myself—doing what I want, thinking about me—rather than pausing to get perspective on how great our God is and how weak and small and inadequate I am, yet also in awe of how much He loves a broken, sinful person like me. He invites us into His presence. He wants to be with us. He wants to live with us. He wants to know us. He wants to love us.
It’s all about Him.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Two weeks ago we looked at our mission statement and said that we ultimately exist to glorify God. It’s about Him. It’s why we gather. It’s why we scatter. He created us to love Him and our neighbor and to make disciples. Every dollar we spend and every moment on the church calendar is about
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
I want to focus on a simple question regarding glorifying God.
Why?
Sure, you could say it is because the elders put it in the mission statement, but seriously, why worship? Why glorify God?
Author Skye Jethani in his recent book With illustrates four ways we can approach God:
Life over God. This is life lived apart from God. We ignore Him and keep Him away. Science has control over the world and we don’t need God. Atheism is the most extreme view, but this could even be having a relationship with the Bible and its teachings but not a relationship with God.
Life under God. This is legalism. If we are good to God, He will be good to us. If we screw up, we’re in trouble. It’s all about what we do. Rituals and morality will result in God’s blessings. Go to church, be good, and God will bless you. You can control God by doing the right thing. It’s about controlling God predicated by fear.
Life from God. This is when we pursue God for what He can do for us. As consumers, we want God to be a cosmic genie, giving us everything we want, whether it is money or a spouse or even spiritual gifts. If we don’t get what we want, we assume He is dead or doesn’t love us and we try harder to appease Him. This is moralistic, therapeutic deism. Most USAmerican teenagers have this view of God, according to recent research. This view sees God as one-dimensional. God exists to serve me. This is the health-and-wealth gospel. God is a divine butler or a cosmic therapist. When He doesn’t serve their desires, they walk away. The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 doesn’t want a relationship with his father, but rather his father’s stuff. This is the epitome of consumer Christianity.
Life for God. This is where we reverse it. God doesn’t exist to serve you, you exist to serve God. You must live for the mission and purpose of God, which can be a good motive, but believe that God is disappointed with us when we struggle with sin. The way to avoid the fear of insignificance is to do more for God. The activist generation is good, but serving must be out of compassion, not searching for significance. Your value is not in what you accomplish.
The problem with all four approaches is that each includes fear and control.
The truth is, In the midst of your sin, God still loves you!
The other son in the Prodigal Son story is upset. He says, “I’ve served you all of these years but you never gave me a party, yet my playboy brother messes up his life and you celebrate.”
The father says that the most important thing was not the son’s obedience or his brother’s disobedience but his children’s presence.
Life for God, is a life lived for the mission, the life-purpose, rather than for the One who created your life. It is a life lived for the purpose and authentication provided by accomplishing the mission or goal, rather than remaining in relationship with God and letting Him provide our value.
There is a fifth way to view God.
Life with God. This is the essence of the Christian life.
Every other posture uses God. He is the how. Jesus taught that He is not just the Way but the Life. He is not just how to get the treasure. Jesus is the treasure.
John Piper has said that the gospel is not how people get to heaven; the gospel is how people get to God.
Do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and teaching and music and community is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself.
We can surrender to the perfect God who loves us and will never let us go.
Before we are called to something or somewhere we are called to someone.
Why do we worship? Why do we serve, share, send? Why do we sing? It should not be out of guilt or obligation or to win God’s favor, but rather it should be a natural response to knowing and loving Him.
John said so simply that
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
He made the first move. Actually He made the first moves.
First, He created this amazing planet—and universe—for us to enjoy.
Then He created us, male and female.
After we corrupted ourselves and the world with sin, He was not satisfied with our condition. At one point He wiped out nearly every person on earth with a flood, but spared all living creatures on the ark built by Noah.
After hundreds of years of waiting, the Father sent Jesus Christ to live, teach, and ultimately die for us to demonstrate His love for us. It was on the cross that our sins were cast upon Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
We worship as a response to who God is. He is God. He is Creator. He is King. He is the ultimate Artist. He is the definition of love. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the all-powerful One. He is the ever-present One. He is the all-knowing One.
We worship because He is worthy. He deserves it.
The tragedy is that so many people are clueless. They don’t give a thought about God. Maybe it is that they’re too busy to notice the beauty around them. Perhaps it is because they bought the lie that we’re all just an accident, the result of random chance. We know from Scripture that the enemy has blinded them.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Last month I took my son to Chicago for an overnight getaway. My to-do list included a baseball game and Giordano’s pizza. On the second day, we found ourselves downtown with a couple of hours to spare before the Megabus departed for Ann Arbor. Much to my surprise and delight, he asked me if we could go to the Art Institute.
They say that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are certainly some odd things in most any art museum, but there are other works that evoke awe and wonder.
When we walked by Grant Wood’s American Gothic, a guide was explaining patterns, colors, alignment, and other details that I never noticed. Sure, it is a picture of a farmer and his daughter, but there is far more if you take the time to look and study.
I have been told that the greatest scientific discoveries today are done at the micro and macro level. We are learning more each day about tiny things invisible to the naked eye such as DNA and sub-atomic particles. We are also discovering planets and stars and galaxies that we never knew existed, that the universe is greater than anyone imagined a generation ago.
Most of the artists that created the works we saw in Chicago have died, but if they were living and stood beside their painting, I could not possibly ignore them. I would praise them for their artistry. I might ask questions about their inspiration and process. When we experience beauty, it is difficult to not respond.
Why do we worship? It is a natural response to who He is. If you don’t know who He is, it’s hard to worship Him! This is why we study His Word. This is why we use photos and videos to display His art. This is why many of us are so captivated by a walk at Gallup Park, a trip to the beach, or even a visit to the zoo.
Earlier this year our family traveled to southern California and as we shared our favorite places, I don’t think anyone mentioned Hollywood or an amusement park. Instead, everyone talked about the beach, the zoo, and especially the wild seals at La Jolla. We were in awe of God’s creation.
It has been said that we offer praise and thanksgiving for the things that God has done, but we worship just because of who He is. God is God, regardless of your health, your wealth, your marital status, or your grade point average. He is worthy of worship on sunny days and in the midst of storms. He is deserving of glory when you feel like it and when you don’t.
Worship is reflecting the glory of God back to Him. The more you know Him, the more you do life with Him, the more you will respond in worship.
Worship is offering your world back to God.
The real question this morning is do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and healing and transforming the culture is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself. - Skye Jethani
The Heart of Worship
Perhaps your view and understanding of God and worship has shifted this morning. I know I have misunderstood worship. I’ve often made it about me. I’ve spent so much time worshiping myself—doing what I want, thinking about me—rather than pausing to get perspective on how great our God is and how weak and small and inadequate I am, yet also in awe of how much He loves a broken, sinful person like me. He invites us into His presence. He wants to be with us. He wants to live with us. He wants to know us. He wants to love us.
It’s all about Him.
You can listen to the podcast here.