Sermon Central
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Two Kinds Of Worship Series
Contributed by Jun Suyat on Apr 25, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: When we stand before our Lord let us look at ourselves not seeing others. Simon the Pharisee saw the sin of the woman but failed to see himself. The woman came to worship Jesus, while Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to look at his failures. If we come to
Two Kinds of Worship
FCF: Failure to Worship our Lord Jesus Christ in true reverence.
Prop: When we stand before our Lord let us look at ourselves not seeing others. Simon the Pharisee saw the sin of the woman but failed to see himself. The woman came to worship Jesus, while Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to look at his failures. If we come to worship Jesus Christ, we will reap forgiveness.
Relevant ? How should we worship the Lord and be forgiven?
Intro/ Illu
Henry Ward Beecher was one of the great preachers of the 19th Century. He was ill one Sunday, so a substitute pastor walked up to the pulpit as the worship service began. Seeing that Dr. Beecher would not be speaking that day, a number of people got up and headed for the door. The substitute preacher said, "All those who came to worship Dr. Beecher this morning may leave. All those who came to worship the Lord, may stay in their seats." Everyone sat back down.
Illu:
Chuck Swindoll, in his book, "Living Above the Level of Mediocrity," tells about a church in the Soviet Union a few years ago that was forced to meet secretly because the holding of house church services was illegal.
They tried to be as inconspicuous as possible as they gathered on Sunday to worship the Lord, so they came at different times & casually walked into the house until they had all arrived. Then they would close the doors, pull the curtains, & quietly worship the Lord.
But one Lord’s Day, right in the midst of their worship service, two soldiers broke into the room, & at gunpoint lined the Christians up against the wall. One shouted, "If you wish to renounce your faith in Jesus Christ, leave now!"
Two or three quickly left, then another, & then two more. Again the soldier spoke, "This is your last chance. Either leave now & renounce your faith in Christ, or stay & suffer the consequences." Another left, & then another, almost hiding their faces in shame as they went out.
But the rest stood their ground, children standing beside their parents, trembling, some even crying as their parents stood with their hands in the air, fully expecting to be gunned down or imprisoned.
After all had left who chose to flee, the other soldier closed the doors, looked back at those who stood against the wall & said, "Keep your hands up - but this time in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ. We, too, are Christians."
The two soldiers explained that some time earlier they had been sent to another house church to arrest the Christians there. But in the process, they had heard the gospel & had accepted Jesus as their Lord & Savior, too. But they explained, "We have learned that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted."
Sometimes believers come to worship in two distinct ways. Today we will find out how are these worship and how it will affect our lives and soul.
Prop: If we come to worship Jesus Christ, we will reap forgiveness.
Relevant ? How should we worship the Lord and be forgiven?
Read Luke 7:36-50
Synthesis:
We have before us this morning a record of the worship of woman who falls at the feet of Jesus in worship. We are never told her name. Luke does not record a single word spoken by the woman in her sacrificial act of worship. Wordless worship now there is a thought. But her worship was so profound that Jesus uses her as an example to a very proud religious leader.
The woman enters the house…
Relevant ? How should we worship the Lord and be forgiven?
I. If we come to worship Jesus Christ, we will see our sins and pour it to Jesus.(vv37-39)
The woman enters the house and saw Jesus. She went beside Him and cannot help to pour her guilt that even without speaking; you can see her sorrow by the tear that came from her eyes… She is pouring it to Jesus.
But Simon the host is there looking at would happen. He is looking for some things to criticize. He is looking some things that someday they would throw against Jesus.
“If this man were a prophet, he would know… she is a sinner.”
Illu:
A college girl visited the home of Beethoven. She slipped under the rope and began playing Beethoven’s piano. She said to the one in charge, "I suppose every musician who comes here wants to play this piano."
He explained to her that recently the great Paderewski was visiting there and someone asked him to play that piano. He replied, "No, I do not feel worthy to play the great master’s piano."
