Sermon Central
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Come Inside And See What Happens
Contributed by Art Good on Jul 26, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Maybe, there is someone listening to me right now, who walked into this building and you had a problem you couldn’t solve, you had a knot in your stomach you’ve been carrying around for days. And maybe, this morning, something has happened inside you. M
Come Inside and See What Happens
Illus. Last January our family went to Disney World. The kids loved it until we took them on one particular ride. Jordan was a little apprehensive when he read the name, “The Tower of Terror”. But I said to him, “Just go inside and see what happens.” He went inside and his attitude about Disney was forever changed! (describe ride) He was fearful, apprehensive, and didn’t trust anything I said for the rest of the trip!”
How many of you had a problem free week this past week? You never had a moment when something challenged you or stressed you out?
•Had more than enough money to pay all your bills.
•Everyone in your family was strong and healthy.
•This past week you realized your life is great, couldn’t be any better.
•In fact, when you walked into this place today with your life just as it should, be in every way, you thought to yourself, I am so together, I ought to be bringing the message this morning!
•Your life is perfect, and so are you. Anyone feel like that describes them this morning?
The Psalmist in Psalm 73 has a problem. He knows his life is not as it should be. In fact, he describes the severity of the problem like this, “My feet almost slipped. My steps nearly went astray.”
A problem in his life nearly caused Him to fall away from God. And he goes on the describe the problem.
“I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
How many of you had an envy free week this week? The thought of being jealous of someone else never entered your mind.
•Never occurred to you to think, “I wish I had that person’s job, status, marriage, personality, waistline, hairline, or bottom line.
•You are the picture of contentment, with the things of your life, the relationships in your life, pretty much everything about your life is just the way you want it to be.
Does this sound like anyone here this morning?
Or maybe, there is someone listening to me right now, who walked into this building and you had a problem you couldn’t solve, you had a knot in your stomach you’ve been carrying around for days.
And maybe, this morning, something has happened inside you. Maybe you felt a kind of hope well up inside of you here this morning. Maybe you started to think that this God the choir was singing about, and this God who is so great, could actually make things different in your life. Maybe someone remembered the words of Paul, who while in prison wrote, “I can face all things in Christ, who strengthens me.”
Just maybe the thought was birthed inside you, that the God who delivered Daniel from the lion’s den, and David from Goliath, could also deliver you from the problems that that are on your mind today.
And maybe the thought came to you that deliverance is going to come your way. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but now you believe it’s coming. And maybe all this has happened simply because you came into this place today!
You came to church today, and here’s what happened…you got ambushed by God! And you are not quite the same as you were just an hour ago.
That’s because when we worship, something happens!
When we come inside the house of God, and experience something of God, the love of His people, the sense of belonging, here’s what happens…
…Our hearts get full of joy!
…we become more grateful for what we have.
…We get filled up with confidence and hope because we’re reminded that God is mighty, and awesome, and amazing.
…And we’re humbled.
…and we get excited about others knowing this God whom we love and serve.
…and we start looking forward to that day when we’ll see Him with our own eyes. And will spend eternity in His presence.
When we worship all of that happens. BUT…
When we stay away from the house of God, and our mind is away from God Himself, then…
•we become anxious about tomorrow.
•we envy people who have what we don’t.
•we develop a sense of entitlement, “I ought to have this.”
•And it chokes off our gratitude.
•we become negative and judgmental towards other people.
•we get discouraged and easily defeated by setbacks.
That’s the none-worshipping mind.
I don’t think there is a clearer example in all of scripture that shows us the difference between the none-worshipping mind, heart and life and the worshipping mind, heart and life, than Psalm 73.
We’ve already seen the first 3 verses,
Verse 4… I don’t think most of us could honestly have that on our headstone. “He had an easy time, then he died.”
