One Sunday a woman came to the pastor and thanked him for the sermon he had preached. He said, "Don't thank me, thank God." She said, "Well, I thought of that, but it wasn't quite that good."
Too often we approach the worship service with our eyes on the preacher, the worship leader, the choir, or one another. If the preacher, worship leader, choir or fellow worshipers please us, we think we've worshipped. But real worship is experienced only when we come away with a fresh awareness of the greatness of God. And that happens only when He is the One on whom we are focused when we gather.
That was Isaiah's experience. His awareness of God's greatness was heightened as a result of experience of Real Worship. Real Worship that he experienced because he can with a desire to seek God.
Likewise, Real Worship can change our lives by giving us a fresh awareness of God's greatness. But it will only be used of God to do that if we gather with God's people to worship with our focus being on God.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek mewith all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
When we gather focused on God, we experience Real Worship which will bring to us . . .
1. A renewed awareness of God's presence - v. 1
When we read about heroes of faith in the Bible, what strengthened and sustained them? Take Moses. What sustained him during his difficult years as leader of the nation of Israel? It was a promise:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
When Joshua took over, God gave him the same sustaining promise:
"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Joshua l:5 (NIV)
Moses needed the promise to carry burdens and Joshua, to fight battles! We too have burdens to carry & battles to fight; and the same promise:
"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" - Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Our Lord's last words to His disciples were "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," (Matthew 28:20 NIV).
Christians are never alone. No matter what burdens we must carry or battles we must fight, God is at our side.
But sometimes, we have difficulty recognizing His presence. It's then that we need to come away, lift our eyes toward His throne, and recognize afresh that He is with us! That's what worship with God's people is designed to do for us.
"I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from GOD, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep. GOD’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you - Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. GOD guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always." - Psalm 121:1-8 (The Message)
"We need to recover today in our evangelical, Bible-believing churches the sense of reverence that ought to characterize those who gather in the holy presence of the living God. In many churches the fellowship is warm and the Bible teaching is faithful. But each week the people file in and out of what is labeled a “worship service”
without ever coming close to sensing the holy presence of God. It’s easy to fall into the disease of “playing church,” of going through the motions of worship without encountering God. But worship should be a reverent response to God’s holy presence." - Pastor Steven J. Cole
Real Worship requires concentration. As I focus on God, I'm reminded of and refreshed by His presence. And I will be able to look past the allurements, troubles, and distractions of this world to recognize and be sustained by His presence daily. As I focus on God's presence when we gather, I'll be better able to recognize God presence when we scatter! To experience Real Worship, we must concentrate on God's presence.
But an experience of Real Worship will also bring . . .
2. A renewed awareness of God's power - v. 4
Isaiah gained a fresh realization of God's power through this experience of worship and so should we. Real Worship requires contemplation. Contemplation of God's power.
"Come and see what the Lord has done . . . He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD Almighty is with us . . ." - Psalm 46:8a; 10-11a (NIV)
In Acts, chapters 3 and 4, we are told about how Peter and John, at the beautiful Gate of the Temple, had been the human instruments through whom a helpless man had been healed. The people who knew this man, "were filled with wonder and amazement." The authorities were stirred, and after a night in jail the two Apostles were called to answer for this miracle. As they boldly declared the power of "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," those who heard "took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
You and I need to lean on God daily. We must rely on His power. It has been said that "too many Christians have enough faith to make them decent, but not enough to make them dynamic." Where do we find the faith in God's power that makes us a dynamic witness for Christ? The same place Peter and John found it - by being with Jesus.
One of the primary helps in learning to lean on God's power daily is gathering with God's people for worship. As we gather together to contemplate the power of our God, we will be enabled to lean on His power in our daily lives to live like Jesus and point others to Him.
It's been said that the Christian life is an impossible life to live. But only impossible by our power and strength. Jesus Himself told us:
"What is impossible for people is possible with God." - Luke 18:27 (NLT)
By the power of the person present with us, we can live a dynamic Christian life, a life of victory, not defeat, a life of purpose, not mediocrity, a life of power, not weakness; and as I focus on God's power when we gather, I'll be better able to rely on God's power when we scatter! To experience Real Worship, we must contemplate on God's power.
An experience of Real Worship will also bring . . .
3. A renewed awareness of God's pre-eminence - vs. 1-3
Isaiah realized anew that God is above all; over all; and deserving of all. That's why he said what he did in verse 8! Which illustrates this truth about Real Worship: Real Worship requires consecration. Consecration to God's pre-eminence.
As I gather with God's people to focus on Him, I'll be equipped to look for God in my daily life; encouraged to lean on God in my daily life; and inspired to live for God in my daily life!
Jesus didn't call us to be admirers, but disciples. If I am more interested in singing about Christ or hearing sermons about Christ than I am in fully surrendering to Christ, then I will never experience Real Worship.
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." - D.L. Moody
Could it be that you receive nothing from worship because your heart is full of selfish desires rather than a desire to hear from God?
"Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy." - Matthew 7:6a (NLT)
If, however, you come with a desire to hear from God, concentrating on His presence, and contemplating His power; then you will receive whatever you need to further consecrate yourself to His pre-eminence in your life, and as a result, your daily life will be lived to the full! As I focus on God's pre-eminence when we gather, I'll be better able to acknowledge His pre-eminence in my life when we scatter!
Conclusion: God can use Real Worship to change your life! You life can be changed as you learn how to live, looking for His presence, leaning on His power, and living for His pre-eminence!
"At home, in my own house, there is no warmth or vigor in me, but in the church when the multitude is gathered together, a fire is kindled in my heart and it breaks its way through." - Martin Luther
"(Change) can happen 'on the spot' as we sit under gospel preaching and engage in corporate worship. There are times - may God make them many - when the Holy Spirit takes the Scripture read, the prayer spoken, the chorus sung, or the truth preached and presses it right to the point of our need, and not merely informs our Christian walk, but heals us in that moment. When we join in corporate worship, God loves not only to change our minds, but irrevocably change our hearts 'on the spot.'" - Tim Keller
But for the worship experience to do that for you, you must come with a desire to concentrate on His presence, contemplate on His power, and consecrate yourself to His pre-eminence!
