Worship For Dummies: A Wiseman's Guide Series

TEXT: Matthew 2:10,11; 1 Corinthians 12:1,4-6

TITLE: WORSHIP FOR DUMMIES: A Wiseman’s guide for Worship!

TOPIC: THE PRAISING CHURCH!

OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church, February 17th, 2008

PROP.: Use the gift you’ve been given (spiritual gifts) as worship to God!

Good morning! Our Jr. Church age kids are dismissed for Jr. Worship. And would you please pass the attendance pad down the aisle you’re sitting in?

This morning, we are focusing on the topic of worship. I want to show you a movie clip to introduce things:

INTRODUCTION: SPIDER MAN 2: The Spiderman trilogy has quickly become one of my favorite series of movies. Spiderman 2 is probably the most interesting plot out of the three of them. Here is what it is about:

Peter Parker’s having a rough time. His double life as the super hero Spider-Man is having a devastating impact on his civilian life. Things are so bad he declares that he’s quitting and never putting on the suit again. However, he decides to use his gift / his power as he realizes that he is the only one who can stop the evil but brilliant scientist Dr. Otto Octavius who was transformed in an accident and becomes Dr. Octopus.

If you had Peter Parker’s gift….if you had THAT kind of power…would you use it to help others? What are you doing with your gift? Are you tired of using your gift?

The scripture I’ve chosen to introduce this morning’s message is a familiar one. I’ve chosen this text to introduce this morning’s message because it’s speaks so perfectly to us here at Burnside Christian Church. The month of February we are focusing on becoming the Praising Church! It’s our desire to worship God.

Definition of worship: My response of who God is and what God has done!

Keeping our definition of worship in mind, let’s turn to our introduction text:

Matthew 2:10,11

10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

LESSON LEARNED FROM THE WISEMEN: PRESENT YOUR GIFTS!!!!

You see, the Wisemen were simply responding to Who God was and What God has done! Their response was to worship with gifts!

If you’re tired and weary of using your gift to help others, remember why you are using your gift. You are using your gift to worship God!

That is what I want you to do commit to today: USE YOUR GIFT IN WORSHIP TO GOD!

I want to start by having you consider the two questions in your bulletin:

1. If you had no restrictions and were free to get involved in any spiritual activity

or task, what would you like to do?

2. What does my church need?

If you are having trouble answering these two questions, don’t answer them just yet. Take time to really consider these questions. Pray about it for a while. Just focus on soaking this morning’s message in.

Let’s turn to our main text. It comes to us from:

1st Corinthians 12:1,4-6

1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

T.S.: To clear up any misunderstanding, I (like Paul) want you to know three truths concerning gift(s)

If you are going to use your gifts to worship, it is vital to understand all there is to know about spiritual gifts! Let’s continue reading…

VERSE 4: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.”

TRUTH #1:

1. The Holy Spirit has given you your gift (vs. 4)

The Holy Spirit is the giver of each and every spiritual gift!

3 myths concerning gifts:

A. “I don’t have a gift!“

--The Bible tells us that each one has been given gifts! (1st Cor. 7:7)

1st Cor. 7:7 (ASK CECIL)

7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

--Paul states that there are different kinds of gifts! Amen to that!

There are three categories of spiritual gifts:

1. Supernatural spiritual gifts: healing, speaking in tongues, NO ONE TODAY

HAS THESE GIFTS…they were for a specific time and purpose (to validate

the message and the messenger)…these gifts are done! (1 Corinthians 13:8-

10)

2. Natural spiritual gifts: Discernment, knowledge, mercy, etc etc. These are

gifts that use your mind and heart in a special way.

3. Spiritual talent - I believe that the Holy Spirit also gives each of us talents and

abilities. But the problem is that these talents aren’t realized as spiritual gifts

because they aren’t used as worship! They are used as hobbies. Turn your

hobby into service!

Myth number 2: