God Truly Among Us

Text: 1 Cor 14:1, 26, Title: God Truly Among Us, Date/Place: NRBC, 2/12/12, AM

Opening illustration:
Background to passage: this chapter covers a number of specific things about prophesy and tongues, but we have dealt with them as spiritual gifts in previous messages, so if you are interested in them specifically, check out the website. This also passage deals with the use of these and other principles of corporate worship. And uses these gifts and the rest of the gifts to talk about them. We also get a glimpse into the early church in Corinth, and how they gathered.
Main thought: So this morning I want us to think about a couple of these principles that we take for granted or that we never think about much...or that many of us think about each time we enter the worship service.


Worship Should Be Intelligible (v. 23-25)
Read verses 3-5, 12, 17, speak about the main purpose of spiritual gifts, and one of the main goals in corporate worship – edification. The service must be understood by saints and aints in order for it to profit them. This shows us that the gatherings of the early church were times of the people of God getting feed, exhorted, strengthened, and taught. All through the first 25 verses of this chapter, he argues that if we are to be built up, we must understand. He culminates with the result of intelligibility is that when unbelievers come they testify that “God is truly among us.” We come to worship to both give and get. There is no shame in coming to “get something” out of the service, as long as the main thing that you are striving to get is God!
Argumentation
Illustration: one of the recommendations from Everett was a sign in the parking lot telling where the nursery was for visiting young families,
There are some simple, practical, almost common sense kinds of things that flow from this. Bulletins: sometimes the target of those that want a less “contained” service, but helpful for people to know what is going on. Words to songs in the book or on the wall. Sound systems and microphones for people to hear clearly. Bibles in the pews. Language that communicates (both the right dialect and level).
But let’s think a little deeper. What do you come here to do? Ease conscience? Please a family member? See friends? Hear a sermon? Sing your favorite songs? What happens in your heart when those ends are not achieved? What things do you come here to get?
I want you to take this home. There are two things in this message that if you forget everything else, remember these: 1) the essence of worship is not about external forms or styles or buildings or places or clothing choices or outward expressions. See quote below. At the core of NT worship, the essence of what we are to do here, the foundation goal, the non-negotiable heart of the NT is inward gladness and satisfaction in God; in seeing and savoring Him; in rejoicing in all that He is and is to you. I made a statement the other night in our worship service about singing all the songs (which I still stand by as an expression of love and worship in that sense), but I want to clarify that although singing is normative in NT and OT worship, guilting you into singing all the songs, and you doing it without an inner gladness and