Sermon Central
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How To Make Your Worship Genuine Series
Contributed by Darrell Stetler Ii on May 27, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: One day they were throwing down their coats, a couple days later, they spit in His face... not a good example of real worship! How can I make mine real? *HANDOUT INCLUDED*
For a CD of over 100 of sermons by Darrell Stetler II (most complete with handouts), please e-mail darrellstetler2@sbcglobal.net.
How to Make Your Worship Genuine
It was Palm Sunday, and the mother’s 3-year old son had to stay home from church because of strep throat. When the rest of the family carrying palm branches, the little boy asked what they were for. His mother explained, “People waved them to give praise to Jesus as he walked by.”
“Wouldn’t you know it,” the boy fumed. “The one Sunday I don’t go, and Jesus shows up.” (Found at www.PreachingPlus.com)
Well, Jesus is here today. He’s here every time we gather into this place. . . today, he wants to speak to you!
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:1-11
1. When they had approached Jerusalem... then Jesus sent two disciples,
2. saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me.
3. "If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ’The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them."
4. This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5. "...’BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY...
6. The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them,
7. and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats.
8. Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.
9. The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!"
10. When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?"
11. And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee."
Here’s the amazing thing about this story: A few days later, some of these same people were gathered into the courtyard at Jesus’ trial, and screamed “Crucify him!”
If these people had really been worshipping Jesus, really praising Him, do you think they would have been so quick to change?
Have you ever been amazed at someone who praised God in church on Sunday, and then during the week was totally different? I’ve seen people stand and praise God in church on Sunday, and get high on drugs on Monday. I’ve seen people say they were surrendering their life to God one week, and turn their back on God the next.
Maybe you’ve sensed that in yourself. Maybe you’ve looked inside your heart during a week, and said, “Where’s that attitude of thankfulness and praise and surrender to God that I had on Sunday?”
How can I make my worship REAL and not FAKE?
Let me give you THREE Characteristics of fake worship:
1. Saying “God is real” only when I see Him working.
“This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ’BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY...’” (Matthew 21:4-5)
These people were praising Jesus because there was a teaching in their religion that their KING, their Messiah, was going to come to Jerusalem, and that he was going to conquer all the world, and put an end to the oppression of the Romans.
In fact, the word “Hosanna” means “SAVE US!” They were meaning “save us from the Romans”, when Jesus was really there to save them from their SINS! In fact, it grieved Jesus so much that he cried: Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”
Jesus was more interested in saving them from their SINS than in saving them from their PROBLEMS.
Jesus is still interested in the same thing today: You can have problems, and still go to heaven. You can’t have sin and make it there.
They thought they saw it happening. . . IT’S HERE! Let’s all get on the bandwagon!
Then, Jesus didn’t do what they expected. He didn’t marshal an army. . . he went to a nearby town with his disciples, and spent the night there at a friend’s house.
All of a sudden, the people realized. . . he’s not doing what we thought he was going to!
Now, here’s the question for you and me: How do you react when you don’t see God working in your life?
If you want your worship to be genuine, you’ve got to be willing to TRUST Him! Praising Him only when you can see His hand working is not really that hard – real worship and real faith is believing Him and praising Him when you can’t see Him working like you think He should be!
