WHAT’S UP WITH WORSHIP
INTRODUCTION: TRADITIONALLY, EVERY SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH OUR FAMILY OUT TO DINNER. THIS EVENT HAS BECOME HABITUAL; IT IS EXPECTED. IN FACT THERE IS ALMOST A MUTINY IF THERE IS EVEN THE HINT OF NOT GOING OUT. THE PLACE IS NOT IMPORTANT, THE EVENT IS IMPORTANT.
SOMETIMES, JUST LIKE WE SAW IN THE VIDEO, CHURCH GETS TO BE THE SAME WAY. WE COME BECAUSE IT’S A HABIT. WE COME BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. THE END RESULT IS THAT THE EVENT IS IMPORTANT, NOT WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE EVENT. SO, WE SLOWLY AND INCREMENTALLY SLIP INTO A “GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS” KIND OF ACTION. RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS REDUCES DOWN TO RITUAL WITH JESUS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS IS DEALING WITH IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY, THE SLIDE FROM TRUE DEVOTION AND WORSHIP INTO RITUAL AND EVEN DENIAL.
SO, IN OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT TWO THINGS THIS YOUTH SUNDAY – THE PROBLEM WITH WORSHIP TODAY AND THE NEED FOR WORSHIP TODAY
I. THE PROBLEM WITH WORSHIP
a. IT IS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM
i. WAS A PROBLEM IN THE TIME OF JESUS
ii. HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH – THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SEEN REVIVAL SWEEP THROUGH THE CHURCH AND IN A MIGHTY FASHION USHER IN A WHOLE NEW ASPECT OF FOLLOWING CHRIST
iii. IT IS A PROBLEM TODAY.
1. WORSHIP IS DEAD OR DYING IN MANY CHURCHES
2. THERE HAS BEEN A RESISTANCE TO FIND ANY COMMON GROUND BETWEEN GENERATIONS IN WORSHIP
3. EACH THINKS THAT THEY HAVE A LOCK ON WORSHIP
4. THE RESULTS ARE DISASTROUS
b. IT IS A HYPOCRITICAL PROBLEM
i. JESUS ACKNOWLEDGED THE AUTHORITY AND CORRECTNESS OF THE TEACHING OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF HIS DAY
1. “SIT IN MOSES’ SEAT”
2. OBEY THEM AND DO EVERYTHING THEY TELL YOU
ii. JESUS ALSO SAID THAT WE WERE NOT TO FOLLOW WHAT THOSE SAME LEADERS WERE DOING
1. THEIR PRACTICE DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR TEACHING
2. THEY WERE VISIBLY HYPOCRITICAL PEOPLE
IN CASE YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING UNDER A ROCK, THE CHARGE OF BEING HYPOCRITES HAS BEEN LEVELED AT BELIEVERS AND THE CHURCH ON A CONSTANT BASIS. WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT HERE IS THAT THE HEAD OF THE BODY – JESUS IS CALLING OUT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF HIS DAY ON THEIR HYPOCRISY!
3. WHETHER YOUNG OR OLD, WE HATE HYPOCRISY, AND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH IT, WE WILL SIMPLY REMOVE OURSELVES FROM IT.
WE WONDER WHY OUR CHURCHES ARE IN TROUBLE – THE ISSUE OF HYPOCRISY IS PROBABLY AT THE FOREFRONT. IT WAS THE PROBLEM IN JESUS’ DAY, AND IT IS A PROBLEM IN OURS.
ONE THING ABOUT HYPOCRISY IS THAT THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE ISSUE THE LESS YOU SEE IT.
THE PHARISEES COULD NOT SEE IT. IN FACT THEY WERE DILIGENT EVANGELISTS FOR THEIR CAUSE, YET JESUS WOULD TELL THEM THAT THE RESULT OF THEIR EFFORTS WAS TO MAKE A CONVERT TWICE AS BAD AS THEY WERE – Matt 23:15
Matthew 23:15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO A SPIRITUAL POINT OF NO RETURN?
c. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RITUAL WORSHIP
i. OBVIOUSLY HYPOCRISY – MATT 23:3
ii. INDIFFERENCE – 23:4
1. INDIFFERENCE TO THE BURDEN THEY PLACE ON OTHERS
2. IN THE CHURCH SETTING BURDENS SEEM TO TAKE THE FORM OF DO THIS AND DO NOT DO THIS.
3. BURDEN WITH “RULES” THAT HAVE NO BIBLICAL BASIS. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF JESUS’ DAY WERE FAMOUS FOR REDUCING SPIRITUALITY AN WORSHIP DOWN TO A LIST!
iii. PRIDE – 23:5
1. EVERYTHING DONE FOR MEN TO SEE
2. LOOK MORE SPIRITUAL THAN THEY REALLY ARE
3. AS I SAID ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, WE ARE BIBLICALLY EDUCATED FAR BEYOND OUR LEVEL OF BIBLICAL OBEDIENCE
d. THE ROOT PROBLEM OF RITUAL/FALSE WORSHIP
i. TOO MUCH ATTENTION IS PAID TO THE EXTERNAL DEMONSTRATION AT THE LOSS OF INWARD SPIRITUALITY AND WORSHIP.
ii. AN EGG CAN WITHSTAND TREMENDOUS PRESSURE WHEN APPLIED EQUALLY AROUND THE SHELL.
iii. THAT SAME EGG, WITH THE INSIDE REMOVED WILL CRUMBLE AT THE LEAST BIT OF PRESSURE
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT GOD SEES AND MAN DOES NOT IS READY TO TAKE THE PRESSURE THIS WORLD, OUR FRIENDS, ETC. EXERT ON US.
WHEN I BECOME OVER CONCERNED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF WORSHIP I END UP HINDERING REAL WORSHIP.
IMAGE SHOULD NEVER TRUMP CHARACTER!
THE PROBLEM WITH WORSHIP TODAY IS THAT IT DOES NOT COME FROM OUR HEART, IT COMES FROM OUR SELVES!
WORSHIP IS LESS ABOUT GOD AND MORE ABOUT ME
THIS PROBLEM IS NO RESPECTER OF AGE. WE ALL THINK WE HAVE A LOCK ON WORSHIP, WHEN IN REALITY ALL WE HAVE A LOCK ON IS OUR SELFISH DESIRE.
II. THE NEED FOR WORSHIP – WHAT DOES WORSHIP NEED IN ORDER TO BE BIBLICAL?
a. WORSHIP NEEDS CHARACTER
i. ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION – HAS GOD REALLY CHANGED ME OR HAVE I RESISTED HIM?
ii. NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES AND ASK IF WE HAVE THE SAME PASSION FOR CHRIST THAT WE HAD WHEN WE WERE SAVED – CAUSE GOD DID NOT CHANGE!
b. WORSHIP NEEDS INTEGRITY
i. REAL WORSHIPPERS SEEK TO PRAISE GOD, NOT FOLLOW RULES.
1. THINK FOR A MOMENT, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT CAME TO YOU WHEN YOU REALIZED A TRUTH, OR STUMBLED ON SOMETHING BY YOURSELF.
2. WHEN WE EMBRACE A TRUTH, THE THINGS THAT FOLLOW ARE NATURAL, REAL, AND VIABLE IN OUR LIVES.
3. ON THE CONTRARY, WHEN WE ARE PUSHED IN A DIRECTION, WE REBEL AND RESIST. WE MAY COME ALONG ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT THE INSIDE IS GOING NOWHERE NEAR IT!
c. WORSHIP NEEDS UNDERSTANDING
i. JESUS TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS TO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN NAMES – “RABBI” AND “FATHER”
ii. THESE WERE ALL NAMES OF RESPECT THAT PEOPLE RELISHED TO BE CALLED
iii. “GREAT TEACHER” “HONORED/RESPECTED”
iv. ONCE WE UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS (AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT BY WORSHIP – WORSHIP IN STUDY, PRAYER, ETC) WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT GREAT.
SO THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, …
HAS MY ATTITUDE OR ACTION HINDERED SOMEONE ELSE FROM GROWING IN CHRIST THROUGH WORSHIP?
WOULD I BE ABLE TO WORSHIP IF THINGS WERE NOT DONE LIKE I EXPECT THEM TO BE DONE?
AM I MORE CONCERNED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF MY WORSHIP RATHER THAN SEEKING GOD?
AM I HERE FOR THE RIGHT REASONS?
HAVE I TAUGHT THE RIGHT THING, YET NOT PRACTICED THEM
