Worship (more), 4 December 2011
06 12 11 Filed in: Sermons | Advent Conspiracy
Big Idea: one way to make this Christmas season different is to worship more.
Welcome to Advent Conspiracy! We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
If you’re like me, you want this Christmas to be different. You want to remember the reason for the season. You want to focus on being present more than buying presents.
Or maybe not!
Black Friday sales were up nearly 7% over the previous year, a huge increase in the retail world. Stores that used to open at 5 of 6 AM opened at 3 AM, 2 AM, midnight, or even 10 PM on Thanksgiving Day. For many, Black Friday is a bigger holiday than Thanksgiving.
What is wrong with this picture?
How do we recalibrate our souls?
Throughout this four-week series, we are going to focus on one word. Today’s word is worship. If we worship more, we are likely to gain a healthy perspective on Advent.
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
The law—the Torah—required an ancient rite after the birth of a child. Joseph and Mary took their son to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the LORD. This was about six miles from their home in Bethelehem.
According to Leviticus 12, they were to sacrifice a lamb and a pigeon or dove. They were obviously poor because if you were not able to afford a lamb and a pigeon, two pigeons or doves were acceptable (2 turtle doves!).
All firstborns—people and animals—were to be dedicated to the LORD (v. 23; Ex. 13:2-13).
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)
Simeon was promised by God that he would see the Messiah. He was an old man who waited his entire life for this moment.
Advent is all about waiting. For generations, people were waiting for the coming of Jesus. We are waiting for His second coming.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:27-32)
What was Simeon’s response to encountering Jesus?
He praised God! The Greek word is “eulogeo” which is where we get our word “eulogy.” It means to praise, give thanks, extol, bless, speak well of.
Simeon worships!
Others worshipped Jesus, too.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
They aren't Jews and yet they are more intent on finding the Messiah than any Jew (with the exception of Herod, who only wants to find him to kill him). Consider what they went through in their pursuit of the Messiah: a journey of maybe 1000 miles, or more, by camel that probably took months to complete. They asked people where to find him. They searched the Scriptures to learn about him. As a Christian, am I even willing to do that?
Second (Matt 2:2), they wanted to find a king and not just any king and not for their own sakes because they were already wealthy (judging by the gifts) and not for social status (according to Daniel 2:48 they were among the highest ranking officials in Babylon. "Historians tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king without mastering the scientific and religious disciplines of the magi and then being approved and crowned by them, and that this group also largely controlled judicial appointments - cf Esther 1:13" - from MacArthur Commentary on Matthew). The magi were looking for a king to worship.
Historical background on Herod.
1. Herod was a great builder who rebuilt the temple and made it larger and more efficient.
2. Herod was a ruthless leader who killed, through military might, to conquer the region of Judea.
3. Herod was a wealthy king who lived a life of luxury.
4. Herod was an insecure leader who killed his own family members when he felt his empire was threatened.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:3-6)
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
They do meet the king, fall down to worship, offer their gifts, and then they disperse heeding God's call and likely taking the message with them back to their home country.
The most important thing about knowing Jesus, is Jesus. Too often the message of Jesus is wrapped up in what He can do for us, but the magi weren't looking for that, the magi were looking for the Messiah so they could worship him because He is the King. You don't go to the king and say, "King, you are so great, can I have.../will you do something for me.../I need.../I want.../". When you meet Jesus you don't ask him for things; you fall down and worship him. The magi were willing to risk months, travel hundreds of miles, ask questions, and diligently search to find the King. What am I willing to do?
So what’s the big idea? Worship more!
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. Some worship money, celebrities, or the person in the mirror. Even atheists worship. They give their attention, devotion, time, energy, and resources to those things that they value.
The word “worship” actually means “worth-ship.” We worship things that we think are worthy.
Worship is more than just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle.
How do you spend your time? Your treasures? Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll show you what you value and worship.
Obviously we are to worship God. Why? Because He told us too! Yes, but there’s so much more to worship.
Why Worship?
- reminds us that it’s not about us
- puts things in perspective
- reveals that God is in control
How Should We Worship?
- together
- party (Leviticus 23)
- give thanks
- voice (e.g. singing)
- time
- money
- obedience
"It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful ‘in general.’ It’s a little like being married in general." -Cornelius Plantingua, Jr
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. (Psalm 71:24)
- how you love your spouse
- pay attention to your friends
- everything you say, do, think, feel!
- how you act when things don’t go your way
- giving money to help build wells to provide clean water
Romans 12 tells us that everything is worship!
When?
- in good times
- when you don’t feel like it!
It’s often hard to worship when life is hard, but it’s often the most important thing for us to do. Not only does it declare our faith and allegiance, it reminds us that our God is greater than our current suffering.
Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns
Perry Noble has these thoughts about worship:
#1 – Repentance - Where there is no repentance there may be an emotional experience, but it’s not worship! Worship does not become worship until it IMPACTS the WAY WE LIVE!
#2 – Intellectual – We’re called to worship the Lord with our minds by renewing it and fixing it on Him. (Colossians 3:1-2)
#3 – Emotional- Worship is overwhelming when we realize how deeply we were entrenched in sin, how helpless we were and how incredible it is that Jesus would rescue us. (The reality of Romans 5:8 BLOWS ME AWAY!)
#4 – Intentional- No one accidentally follows Christ…if we are going to worship Him, it will be done purposefully!
#5 – Relational – Worship impacts every relationship we have, it is impossible to be a fully devoted worshipper of Christ and be a jerk to your wife or try as often as possible to take advantage of the opposite sex.
#6 – Financial – Until following Christ has impacted our finances in a sacrificial way we are not followers of Christ. Would you like to see the primary object of your worship…look at your checkbook!
#7 – Unconditional – (and NOT situational!) Worship is consistent, 24/7, not just when I feel good or God is giving me all that I want. If we worship only when things are good, we do not worship God…we worship a genie!
What if this Christmas God invites us into a song that He has been playing since the foundations of the earth; recent findings indicate that sound waves shape the cosmos the way; one science journal said “the early universe rang with the sound of countless cosmic bells and those sound waves moved like ripples on the surface of a pond and that is how the planets and the stars are formed. And they’re still picking up echoes of those soundings today.“ God “spoke” (the ancient Hebrew sages say “sang”) the universe into existence.
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. This Christmas, let’s worship more! Let’s seek the King as we prepare for His arrival…because Christmas begins and ends with Christ Jesus.
Credits: special thanks to Cliff Richardson for research and input.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Welcome to Advent Conspiracy! We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
If you’re like me, you want this Christmas to be different. You want to remember the reason for the season. You want to focus on being present more than buying presents.
Or maybe not!
Black Friday sales were up nearly 7% over the previous year, a huge increase in the retail world. Stores that used to open at 5 of 6 AM opened at 3 AM, 2 AM, midnight, or even 10 PM on Thanksgiving Day. For many, Black Friday is a bigger holiday than Thanksgiving.
What is wrong with this picture?
How do we recalibrate our souls?
Throughout this four-week series, we are going to focus on one word. Today’s word is worship. If we worship more, we are likely to gain a healthy perspective on Advent.
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
The law—the Torah—required an ancient rite after the birth of a child. Joseph and Mary took their son to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the LORD. This was about six miles from their home in Bethelehem.
According to Leviticus 12, they were to sacrifice a lamb and a pigeon or dove. They were obviously poor because if you were not able to afford a lamb and a pigeon, two pigeons or doves were acceptable (2 turtle doves!).
All firstborns—people and animals—were to be dedicated to the LORD (v. 23; Ex. 13:2-13).
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)
Simeon was promised by God that he would see the Messiah. He was an old man who waited his entire life for this moment.
Advent is all about waiting. For generations, people were waiting for the coming of Jesus. We are waiting for His second coming.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:27-32)
What was Simeon’s response to encountering Jesus?
He praised God! The Greek word is “eulogeo” which is where we get our word “eulogy.” It means to praise, give thanks, extol, bless, speak well of.
Simeon worships!
Others worshipped Jesus, too.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
They aren't Jews and yet they are more intent on finding the Messiah than any Jew (with the exception of Herod, who only wants to find him to kill him). Consider what they went through in their pursuit of the Messiah: a journey of maybe 1000 miles, or more, by camel that probably took months to complete. They asked people where to find him. They searched the Scriptures to learn about him. As a Christian, am I even willing to do that?
Second (Matt 2:2), they wanted to find a king and not just any king and not for their own sakes because they were already wealthy (judging by the gifts) and not for social status (according to Daniel 2:48 they were among the highest ranking officials in Babylon. "Historians tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king without mastering the scientific and religious disciplines of the magi and then being approved and crowned by them, and that this group also largely controlled judicial appointments - cf Esther 1:13" - from MacArthur Commentary on Matthew). The magi were looking for a king to worship.
Historical background on Herod.
1. Herod was a great builder who rebuilt the temple and made it larger and more efficient.
2. Herod was a ruthless leader who killed, through military might, to conquer the region of Judea.
3. Herod was a wealthy king who lived a life of luxury.
4. Herod was an insecure leader who killed his own family members when he felt his empire was threatened.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:3-6)
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
They do meet the king, fall down to worship, offer their gifts, and then they disperse heeding God's call and likely taking the message with them back to their home country.
The most important thing about knowing Jesus, is Jesus. Too often the message of Jesus is wrapped up in what He can do for us, but the magi weren't looking for that, the magi were looking for the Messiah so they could worship him because He is the King. You don't go to the king and say, "King, you are so great, can I have.../will you do something for me.../I need.../I want.../". When you meet Jesus you don't ask him for things; you fall down and worship him. The magi were willing to risk months, travel hundreds of miles, ask questions, and diligently search to find the King. What am I willing to do?
So what’s the big idea? Worship more!
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. Some worship money, celebrities, or the person in the mirror. Even atheists worship. They give their attention, devotion, time, energy, and resources to those things that they value.
The word “worship” actually means “worth-ship.” We worship things that we think are worthy.
Worship is more than just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle.
How do you spend your time? Your treasures? Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll show you what you value and worship.
Obviously we are to worship God. Why? Because He told us too! Yes, but there’s so much more to worship.
Why Worship?
- reminds us that it’s not about us
- puts things in perspective
- reveals that God is in control
How Should We Worship?
- together
- party (Leviticus 23)
- give thanks
- voice (e.g. singing)
- time
- money
- obedience
"It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful ‘in general.’ It’s a little like being married in general." -Cornelius Plantingua, Jr
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. (Psalm 71:24)
- how you love your spouse
- pay attention to your friends
- everything you say, do, think, feel!
- how you act when things don’t go your way
- giving money to help build wells to provide clean water
Romans 12 tells us that everything is worship!
When?
- in good times
- when you don’t feel like it!
It’s often hard to worship when life is hard, but it’s often the most important thing for us to do. Not only does it declare our faith and allegiance, it reminds us that our God is greater than our current suffering.
Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns
Perry Noble has these thoughts about worship:
#1 – Repentance - Where there is no repentance there may be an emotional experience, but it’s not worship! Worship does not become worship until it IMPACTS the WAY WE LIVE!
#2 – Intellectual – We’re called to worship the Lord with our minds by renewing it and fixing it on Him. (Colossians 3:1-2)
#3 – Emotional- Worship is overwhelming when we realize how deeply we were entrenched in sin, how helpless we were and how incredible it is that Jesus would rescue us. (The reality of Romans 5:8 BLOWS ME AWAY!)
#4 – Intentional- No one accidentally follows Christ…if we are going to worship Him, it will be done purposefully!
#5 – Relational – Worship impacts every relationship we have, it is impossible to be a fully devoted worshipper of Christ and be a jerk to your wife or try as often as possible to take advantage of the opposite sex.
#6 – Financial – Until following Christ has impacted our finances in a sacrificial way we are not followers of Christ. Would you like to see the primary object of your worship…look at your checkbook!
#7 – Unconditional – (and NOT situational!) Worship is consistent, 24/7, not just when I feel good or God is giving me all that I want. If we worship only when things are good, we do not worship God…we worship a genie!
What if this Christmas God invites us into a song that He has been playing since the foundations of the earth; recent findings indicate that sound waves shape the cosmos the way; one science journal said “the early universe rang with the sound of countless cosmic bells and those sound waves moved like ripples on the surface of a pond and that is how the planets and the stars are formed. And they’re still picking up echoes of those soundings today.“ God “spoke” (the ancient Hebrew sages say “sang”) the universe into existence.
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. This Christmas, let’s worship more! Let’s seek the King as we prepare for His arrival…because Christmas begins and ends with Christ Jesus.
Credits: special thanks to Cliff Richardson for research and input.
You can listen to the podcast here.