Why we come to worship!
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
What is the difference between McDonald’s and the American Church?
Worship and the American Church
Barna Poll from July - Stats dealing with people who have changed churches, viewing multiple churches, on-line attendance, etc . . .
32% of those polled no longer go to church.
How many will return in this era of fear and uncertainty?
I think we do this because we no take church for granted. It is like a fast food restaurant.
Rather than treating church like we do a shopping mall, we should see the importance of the church.
We need to realize we need the church.
(1-2) Our souls thirsts for God
We were created to be in relationship with God
Something down inside is longing for this relationship to be restored
Worship represents in a small way being in the presence of God
“Appear before God?”
Now and not yet?
We long to have what Adam and Eve had in the garden
We get a glimpse of this when we come to worship
(3-4) God provides for us through worship
He remembers times of public worship
corporate and individual/private
App: As Christians we need to understand the importance of worship. It is an opportunity to be in the presence of God and to set our faith again on the future blessing of being in his presence. Forever.
We need to remember the works of God
(5-6) Refrain - Psalmists remembers God
ties these two Psalms together
Oscillating human nature we all share
times we feel God has abandoned us
We need to be reminded of the work of God
throughout History
Jordan and Hermon
22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
1 “Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 2 But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.’ 3 So the Lord our God gave into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people, and we struck him down until he had no survivor left. 4 And we took all his cities at that time—there was not a city that we did not take from them—sixty cities, the whole region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides very many unwalled villages. 6 And we devoted them to destruction, as we did to Sihon the king of Heshbon, devoting to destruction every city, men, women, and children. 7 But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as our plunder. 8 So we took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon 9 (the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, while the Amorites call it Senir),
God saved his people.
in our own life
be future oriented
“I shall again praise him”
“my salvation”
App: When we face the realities of this world, we need to be reminded of God’s wonderful work in this world:
His Word, Worship, World
We need to rest in the peace of God
(7-8) Once we remember who God is and what he is doing we can be overwhelmed with his peace
The soul’s response to God’s faithfulness
Described as a flood of emotions
We are emotional beings
It is a feeling of God’s love and his word reminds us of that
God’s peace comes when we seek him in prayer
Chapel and Individual Spiritual retreats
Spent time praying in the chapel for a long time. The personal turmoil I was in had been relieved by this flood of God’s peace.
We need to rejoice in our enemies taunts
(9-10) The Psalmist is being taunted by the ungodly
We are feeling this today in our world as America becomes less Christian
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James sees the value of trials as they produce a steadfast faith and perfection - completion (Salvation)
(11) Refrain - Psalmist remembers God’s truth
Amidst the turmoil and taunting we can lean on God’s truth
He is our savior and nothing can change that
Put your hope in His salvation
COVID - fear versus faith
Be smart, but live life with our faith an hope in the God of our salvation
We need to recognize God’s sovereignty
(43:1-2) Psalmist seeks God’s vindication
God is sovereign Lord over all justice
This is how we reconcile loving our enemies
God is in control we are not
He also struggles with God’s perceived abandonment
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
App: God is sovereign and in control of our vindication (a part of our salvation) Revenge is not ours, but God’s alone. And, just because we do not see justice in the world today does not mean he has left us, and that he will forsake us.
We need restore Jesus as the light of our life
(3-4) The Psalmist looks for God’s light
We know this is Jesus
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus is the one who provides salvation for the believer
He leads us to the worship of God on Sunday
He will do so when he returns to save his people and lead us into eternal worship
App: What other things do we look to save us instead of Jesus?
Conclusion
Conclusion
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
This is a reminder of the fact that as we face this life, all of its hardships, that we need to be reminded constantly of the work of Jesus and our salvation.
Means of grace offered in worship
These things remind us of God’s work
They point us to Jesus Christ
They help us look forward to the future blessings of being in God’s presence
App: Why do we seek other avenues for our troubled souls? The solution is right before us: It is in the church through Worship. It is through the common practices of Word & Sacrament, prayer, singing.
All of these things are established to remind us of who God is and how he is saving us through HIs Son Jesus Christ.
Why is it that the suicide rate has gone up during this shut down and isolation due to covid?
Could it be that we have already forgotten who God is and that he is our salvation?
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Brothers and Sister, wherever you are in your soul today, place your “Hope in God . . . for you shall again praise him, the God of your salvation and your God.”