Life of Worship
Encounter: A life of worship for a God of wonder • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 6 viewsThe life of worship is satisfied with Christ.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Our working definition of worship:
Worship is an encounter with Jesus that leaves us changed.
- and that change makes us more like Jesus - leads us to a life of worship that reflects the worth and glory of God
Worship = “worth-ship”
*as we saw last week, the place of worship has shifted from a physical location to spirit and truth. Christianity has no central geographical location.
As we peel the cultural forms of worship away, we find this core essence of a life of worship.
Esp
Life of Worship is radically Jesus-centered, ridiculously joyful, and the end in itself
- how to do to live is Christ
for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Background:
Background:
Paul is writing this.
First portion of Paul’s life was characterized by an external religious worship.
Jew of Jews
Pharisee
Persecutor
Church going, religious zealot
Then Paul had an encounter with Jesus that left him forever changed.
Persecutor became persecuted
endured beatings
shipwrecks
as we find him now he’s in prison waiting to be martyred
And yet, as we see in this passage Paul is settled, satisfied, even joyful.
Paul is writing this from prison.
Everything in his life has been shaken - he is now facing death and still joyful.
Paul went from a lifestyle of worship to a life of worship.
The life of worship is satisfied with Jesus.
Life of Worship is radically Jesus-centered, ridiculously joyful, and the end in itself
A life of worship is radically Jesus-centered.
A life of worship is radically Jesus-centered.
“If you cut Paul he’d bleed Jesus”
Nothing brings the satisfaction that Jesus brings
Not job, family, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, etc.
Paul had given up everything for Jesus:
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
12-14 Christ, not my freedom - others preaching at my example
Are you more concerned about reflecting the glory of God and gospel of Jesus than on where you go and what you do in life?
15-18 Christ, not my name - others preaching at my expense
Are you more concerned that people remember the name of Christ than your own after time spent with you?
The sacrifice was born and bred to expend it’s life for the purpose of worship
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
The sacrifice was born and bred to expend it’s life for the purpose of worship
Our lives were made to worship. (First message on worship)
What is that around which your life is centered? If moved, your life crumbles.
Jesus is our greatest pursuit
A life of worship is ridiculously joyful.
A life of worship is ridiculously joyful.
Notice I didn’t say “happiness.”
Paul had joy coming from somewhere other than his circumstances.
His joy was ridiculous because it is a joy the world cannot understand.
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
Piper - pursuit of Joy for the believer is not an option
If Jesus is not your highest joy in life, your life will disappoint.
‘Me greatest joy is . . .
my family
my work
my health
my time
How to gain joy:
Focus on Jesus
Fruit of the Spirit
Joy becomes the byproduct of a life of worship as opposed to the duty of a life of religion
Paul’s joy is found in the gospel’s advance, not that his comfort increased.
Jesus is our greatest affection / desire
A life of worship has worship as the end and not the means.
A life of worship has worship as the end and not the means.
Paul didn’t worship Jesus only when things were sunny. He didn’t worship Jesus so that things would be sunny. He worshipped Jesus.
Worship is not a means in our life to stave off religious guilt or gain religious pride or wash our moral worries.
Paul’s purpose for a Christ-centered life was not not gain but to serve - and in that he gained because his affections were on Jesus.
He has joy in the face of everything - even death - not happiness, but joy
The purpose of worship is not to find complete satisfaction in anything else, but Jesus alone.
This has radical implications on our lives as well as our mission:
Lives
The purpose of our corporate worship is to stir our minds and affections back so that we find satisfaction in Christ alone
ILLUST - The time that I spend alone with my wife (apart from the distractions, demands, and tugs on my affections to find satisfaction somewhere else) reminds me why I find the satisfaction of marriage in her only.
Mission
It’s a missional end not a personal means
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
The forms of worship (music, etc) are (should be) but expressions of a life of worship they are not the means by which we create a life of worship
You cannot have a life of worship without the expression; however, the expression of worship does not guarantee a life of worship
“ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
To live is Christ
This means every aspect of your life is Christ-centered and focused.
To die is gain
If death is not seen as gain than your life is not Christ.
Jesus is our ultimate gain / goal
Conclusion
Conclusion
I’d Rather Have Jesus
1 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand
Chorus:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
2 I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I'd rather be true to His holy name [Chorus]
3 He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs.
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead
If for you, to live is Christ, then your lifestyle will be one that displays Christ as your supreme treasure.
If Jesus is not your highest joy, life will disappoint. You may think
Question of the day: What are you living for? Will what you are living for continue after you do not?