Sermon Central
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Here I Am To Worship Series
Contributed by Rev Dr Randall M Deal Sr on Jun 7, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Part 8b of Series. WORSHIP IS OUR ALL-CONSUMING PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO GOD! CLAP YOUR HANDS! LIFT YOUR HANDS! BOW FACE DOWN! BE STILL BEFORE HIM! SHOUT FOR JOY! DANCE!
“HERE I AM TO WORSHIP!”
ROCK POINT CHURCH
June 10, 2007
VIDEO: “GIFT OF WORSHIP” (WWW.SERMONSPICE.COM)
Worship IS a huge thing!
And it’s NOT about us!
It IS all about giving our lives to the Lord!
‘Light of the World, You stepped down into darkness. Opened my eyes let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore You. Hope of a life spent with You.’
WORSHIP ALWAYS COMES OUT OF A RESPONSE TO A REVELATION!
Abraham had a REVELATION – God CAN DO what He says He CAN DO!
…he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving GLORY to God,
GAVE GLORY FIRST! THANKED HIM FIRST! IN ADVANCE!
ABRAHAM SAID…”HERE I AM TO WORSHIP!”…
…TRUSTING…BEFORE HE SAW GOD WORK!!!
HE TRUSTED THE PROMISE!
Giving GLORY TO GOD is easy once you’ve seen what the Lord HAS done….but do we give WORSHIP HIM trusting in His promises, BEFORE He works???
Richard Foster says, “Worship is our RESPONSE to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father”
When Jesus walked the earth, people RESPONDED to Him because in some way he’d touched them and REVEALED something of his heart for them.
• healing of a blind man
• the raising of the dead
• the loving of the unlovable
• or simply the offer of friendship
Jesus REVEALED His love and power to us on earth. For those who encountered Jesus and whose eyes had been opened, their RESPONSE was to ACKNOWLEDGE Him as Lord.
Even the centurion at the foot of the cross said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)
‘King of all days, Oh so highly exalted. Glorious in Heaven above.
Humbly You came to the earth You created. All for love’s sake became poor.’
Despite this however, sometimes it can be so EASY TO LOSE THE WONDER OF IT ALL. We can get so familiar with the story of the cross and the very fact that Jesus gave up everything to walk on the earth, that we LOSE THE MYSTERY!
G.K. Chesterton said, “Sometimes our religion is ‘more a theory than a love affair.’”
When we really think about it, the life of Jesus is totally amazing. He was in very nature God enjoying all the glory and splendor of Heaven. Yet so that we could receive His mercy and know eternal life, He humbled Himself and made Himself nothing. He even became obedient to death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-11) That is truly amazing!
So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down.
Here I am to say that You’re my God.
You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy.
Altogether wonderful to me.
When we take time to REALLY consider the sacrifice Jesus took upon himself for our sake, AND I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO DO THAT TODAY WHEN WE TAKE COMMUNION TOGETHER, and allow the mystery of it to sink in to our hearts, the RESPONSE WILL BE WORSHIP AND IT WILL SHOW ON THE OUTSIDE!!!! YOU WILL SAY, WITH YOUR ENTIRE BODY….HERE I AM TO WORSHIP!!!
Like the sinful lady who poured out a years wages worth of perfume over Jesus’ feet, because of the new hope she had of spending a life with Him in eternity, so too will we want to pour out our HEARTS IN WORSHIP!
We need to return once again to consider the cost of Jesus’ life and remind ourselves of the wonder of it all…
AND AGAIN, WE WILL TAKE THE TIME DO THAT TODAY AS WE COME AROUND THE LORD’S TABLE!
NOW GOD MADE US ALL UNIQUE!...we RESPOND differently to almost everthing, including our WORSHIP RESPONSES to God!
Not here to judge what’s going on in anyone’s heart by what’s going on in their outward appearance. But WITH THAT SAID….
THE BIBLE does have some things to say about HOW we should worship!
These PHYSICAL RESPONSES OF WORSHIP should SUPERCEDE all our personalities & preferences!
Here’s WHY…I don’t find these RESPONSES in Scripture as suggestions…but as COMMANDS!
AND THESE COMMANDS ARE FOR OUR EVERY DAY LIVES, NOT JUST WHAT WE DO HERE TOGETHER AT CHURCH!
WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE!
WORSHIP IS WHOLEHEARTED, PASSIONATE ADORATION OF OUR CREATOR & REDEEMER!
Let’s look at some of the ways we should RESPOND:
I. HERE I AM TO CLAP MY HANDS!
* Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy!
Psalm 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy!
CLAPPING YOUR HANDS is COMMANDED in the Bible! Shhhh….don’t tell anyone!
WE NEED TO SHOW GOD OUR APPRECIATION BY APPLAUDING HIM!
WE NEED TO SHOW OUR EXCITEMENT FOR WHAT HE IS DOING IN OUR LIVES!
Here’s your chance to APPLAUD GOD…ready for this YEAH GOD?...my son, Randy Jr. preached his first sermon last Sunday!…..to the Junior Highers!….and lead 3 of them into a personal relationshiop with Jesus Christ! THREE!!!
