What Happens When We Worship | Week 7

It's good to see you guys today. I hope that you're having a good

morning. It is the Lord's day and so it's

good to be in this house with you.

All you're visiting today. My name is Kyle serve as the

lead Pastor here and I want to say thank you for being with us.

If you would go ahead and grab your bible, open it to the Book

of Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes, senior Old Testament, just after

the book of Psalms and proverbs And then we're going to be in

chapter 5 this morning, so I'll give you a second to find that.

As you're looking, I'll kind of catch you up on where we're at

in this series, that we've called what happens when we

worship where we're just examining what happens when we

come together we can and week out to worship God what happens

in the service and so when we say worship, you know worship

has a Turn if you will connotation of singing, Only or

music only, we talk about worship music a lot.

But when we talk about, when we talk about, worshiping God

specifically in a worship service, we're not referring to

the singing portion only. And so each week, I just want to

remind us of that, that what we're talking about when we say

what happens when we worship. We're talking about the service

all together from beginning, to from the call, to worship to the

final prayer before we go home today.

What's taking place in all of those things?

Does it matter. Why does it matter?

And so on so forth. So last week, we talked about

how week in and week out what we're doing in worship, if it's

done right? Is we're rehearsing God's

covenant faithfulness toward us and so were rehearsing the way

that God comes to us over and over again.

In his kindness in his goodness, we've been unfaithful to his

Covenant. Israel was unfaithful to his

Covenant people of God have Always been unfaithful to the

Covenant and so God comes to us. Now in Christ Christ is a

mediator of a New Covenant Hebrew since this is a Covenant

of Grace. It's a covenant that's built on

the faithfulness of God. It's where our unfaithfulness is

covered by the righteousness of Christ.

And so now, we enter in to worship week in week out with

confidence. A confidently entering into

worship is relatively New Concept.

This wasn't something that Old Testament believers.

Had much of it and get to enter in with a lot of confidence

because people died a lot entering into Worship in the

wrong ways. But here we enter in by grace.

And so this week, I want to talk to you about how God sets the

agenda for worship, just because there's Grace doesn't mean

there's not law. Just because there's, Grace

doesn't mean there aren't rules. We should follow, when we

worship God. It doesn't mean that it's void

of his commands or if his prescriptions for what happens

in worship, those things are absolutely presence.

And so I want to lay before you write this down.

If you're taking notes kids you got guides.

Now I want you to take notes with us.

Will be things back here that you can write down.

First thing, I want you to write down this worship that pleases

God hangs on knowing and submitting to his agenda worship

that pleases. God hangs on knowing and

submitting to his agenda. Now hopefully you found a queasy

acids chapter 5 by now. So let's read verses 1 and 2,

would you stand to your feet together when I'm finished

reading? I'll say this is the word of the

Lord and I would ask that you reply.

Thanks, be to God. Amen.

All right. Ecclesiastes 5, verse 1 and 2.

Ecclesiastes 5:1

Guard your steps. When you go to the house of God,

to draw near to listen, is better than to offer the

sacrifice of fools for. They do not know that they are

doing evil, be not rash, with your mouth, nor let your heart

be Hasty to utter a word before God.

For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth.

Therefore, let your Words Be Few.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

We pray for us, before you sit Heavenly Father, we thank you

for your word. We approach it now and humility.

We ask Lord for you to teach us Lord help us, not to come with

preconceptions with ideas of our own making or ideas that have

been passed to us for men. That would be wrong.

But Lord help us to bring those things to you to lay them on the

Altar and Allow you to burn them up as necessary or to fortify

them where it's good and right to do.

So Lord, we thank you for your word.

We thank you that we have it to train us.

It's it equips us for every good work.

It teaches us, Lord, that we might rightly know the God, we

worship. We might rightly know in this

case today, how to worship. Lord that we might rightly know

how to live for you day in and day out and so Lord, would you

open our hearts and Minds to receive it today?

Lord help us to be that that ground that is made up of good

soil, receptive to the seed of your word receptive, to the

watering of that seed, that it might grow and us and bear

fruits. Lord, we are helpless for this

endeavor, on our own and we are dependent now upon your spirits.

So we ask that he Enlighten us Did he bring to bear your word

on our lives that we might live it out?

Lord, in all of this is meant for the glory of God and not our

own glory. And so we ask these things in

the Name of Christ. Amen.

Amen. You may be seated.

Queasy astiz 5 verse 1 says guard your steps.

When you go to the house of God, the preacher here in

Ecclesiastes is laying out. Instruction.

And he's telling you do not be Hasty and worship but guard your

steps. Do not draw near as those who

offer sacrifice. I offer the sacrifice of fools

for they do not know that they were doing evil but draw near as

one who is ready to listen to God.

And so I ask you when you read something like that comes to the

question comes have have I given thought have you given thought

to what we're doing week in and week out as We Worship the Lord

together, we already established that we come to meet with God.

We've talked about that and weeks previous.

We talked about it more last week.

We're going to talk about it some more today, we have come to

meet with God. Nothing less than that is true,

really nothing more than that is true.

So we've established that we meet with God week in and week

out. We've established it meeting

with God would be terrifying. This is what we talked about

last week as we talked about the renewal or the reminder of this

Covenant week in and week out, it would be a terrifying thing

to meet with God. Apart from the mediator Christ

Jesus. And so, if it weren't for his

son, if it weren't for a mediator, if it weren't for

being able to come in and say I'm covered by the blood of the

Lamb. And coming in would be

terrifying and it should be because apart from being covered

by the Lamb of God, apart from being covered by your faith.

In Christ by the blood of Christ.

Apart from that, you would be coming and nothing but your sin.

You would be bringing your sin to the Lord.

You would be bringing your presumptions to the Lord.

You would be bringing your own confidence.

And yourself before the Lord. And so, you would stand naked

and ashamed before God. But as it stands, now, if you

come in Christ, you come clothed in the righteousness.

That is not your own, but is now your own You stand closed as

one. Who is Unworthy of such clothing

of such a robe. But nevertheless, you've been

given the road? Because, well, his Mercy is

more, amen. And so when man encounters God

in the Bible, we see it over and over again.

When man encounters got in the Bible, several things happen.

But some of which are has to hide.

His eyes is to Shield himself, he boughs, and he cannot look

upon that which he beholds in other instances, the men of God,

who encounter God, are they refer to themselves as being

undone before the Lord? They're brought to the what that

means is they're brought to the ends of themselves to be.

Undone means to stand naked and ashamed.

Before the Lord, It's to recognize that I've brought

nothing to him on my own. Which makes me worthy to stand

before such a holy God. We see other instances of fear.

We see fear when people encounter not necessarily God

himself but Angels From The Lord, there's great fear in

them. Why?

Because the Holiness of God is terrifyingly powerful.

Bless you. The Holiness of God is?

It's all what holding this means is that he's altogether set

apart from us. And when we say is all together,

set apart from us, we mean that he is altogether.

Perfect. He's altogether righteous.

That he's altogether, able to judge sin.

And is the only one able. And so there's great benefit in

having Christ as our mediator because it's by Christ that we

are able to enter in with confidence.

As I said, a moment ago it's by Christ that we draw near to God

without any fear, but it's easy to take for granted the benefits

of coming before. God, who is omnipotent, that

means that he's all-powerful It's easy to take for granted

that we get to come before an all-powerful God.

And walk away unscathed by it. As we stand in Christ.

But not only do we know, not only did we walk away unscathed.

We we walk away blessed by it. We walk away with the ability to

become more like what we've seen because of Christ.

But because we can lose sight of it because we can lose sight of

what it means to come before an all-powerful God.

It's easy to begin to treat God as though.

He's you know a stuffed animal that a child might sleep with

and we can cuddle up next to him and we can do with him whatever

we want to do. Because he's tame and he's safe

and there's nothing about him. That is threatening to us.

But I'm reminded again, I think I've mentioned this a few times,

but it's worth mentioning again. When Christ will did his power

as he stands in the boat. And the storm is Raging he

stands there with his disciples and he Wills his power for

peace. And he says, peace be still in

the storms were calm down. What we read There is that his

disciples were afraid once they were afraid of what was outside

the boat storm, the Raging Waters, the water coming into

the boat, the fear of drowning, But now in the midst of Peace.

Everything's calm. Everything's perfect.

That they recognize that the man in the boat is altogether

different than they are. And it says that they feared him

and ask themselves what kind of man is this that even the wind

and the waves obey his voice? Wow.

You see there's a fear there of the Lord.

Why? Because he's powerful.

He willed his power for, they're good, but they're afraid.

They're afraid. They understand that.

He controls all things. Anybody read CS Lewis's.

The Chronicles of Narnia. Raise your hand kids.

Yeah. All right.

If you haven't kids, read it. You say, well, I can't read yet.

Make your Mom and Dad read it to you.

It's wonderful. All right, it's fantastic.

In CS Lewis's, The Chronicles of Narnia.

In one of the early books, actually the line, which in the

wardrobe book, Lucy, little girl, there learns that Aslan,

she's just hearing about it for the first time she learns that

Aslan, the king of Narnia is a lion And fear At first, she was

excited to meet Aslan, but now, fear Creeps in and she asked mr.

And mrs. Beaver.

She says, then he isn't safe to, which means mr.

Beaver gets really exciting. It was safe.

Don't you hear what? Mrs. Beaver tells you who said

anything about safe course he isn't safe.

But he's good. He's the king I tell you.

And the preacher of Ecclesiastes, says guard your

steps. When you go to the house of God

isn't warning, worshippers not to go to the house of God as he

is, not saying don't go. He he's warning worshippers not

to waltz into Worship in differently, not to go in a

pathetically. Not to go in as the fools do.

He says, who make all their utterances before the Lord and

Proclaim. All their things before God and

are not concerned with orderly worship.

This is don't go in that way. He says guard your steps, in

other words. Remember when you go to meet

with almighty God, remember that, as you go in, you are

first of all, meeting with almighty God and so therefore

worship and the way that he ordains And so I tell you,

Brothers, the sisters meeting with God isn't safe so to speak.

But it is altogether. Good, it's good for your soul.

It's good for your life. It's good for your marriage has.

It's good for your children. It's good for your home.

It's good for the whole man. Mind soul body, everything about

it is good for you. It's good.

And so God commands us through the preacher here in

Ecclesiastes, 5 guard your steps.

Now, to rightly guard, your steps to put a fence around

something to guard. Something means there's

parameters, right? There's things that must be

observed things. We must either do or listen to

or not, do or not, listen to write that.

So the fence keeps out, but it also keeps in.

And so to rightly guard ourselves, we must Bay, God's

commands for worship. This is how we guard our steps.

We can't, we can't just guard, we can't guard steps.

If we don't know what guarding it even means, right?

But God teaches us what it means to guard your steps.

And if you'll guard your steps, the meeting with God, over and

over week in, and week out in worship is eternally good for

you. It's eternally, good for you.

And so worship that pleases God again, hangs on knowing and

submitting to his agenda. Then the question comes in.

Do I have to? Ecclesiastes. 5, to be, not

rash, with your mouth, nor let your heart, be Hasty to utter a

word before God. For God, is in heaven, and you

are on earth. Therefore, let your Words Be

Few. You've likely heard it many

times. Do I have to Dad?

Do I have to Mom? It's the Cry of a nun.

Submissive heart. Let's not fool ourselves into

thinking that such a heart only belongs to little children.

Everyone is found guilty of a nun.

Submissive heart, we live in a society that is about self

first, it's all about unsubmitted sadness.

It's all about, Paving your own way.

It's all about making your own path.

Preaching speaking believing your own truth.

It's all about being on submissive.

In other words, it's all about rebellion.

A quick study of people's New Year's resolutions reveals.

This for us they were your social media was likely as

flooded as my noise of people saying this year, I'm putting

myself first my physical health, my mental health, my emotional

health, and my initial thought, is, well, good luck.

Looking more at yourself, hoping to make yourself better.

It don't work that way. Like, the comedian said, why

would I do that? Myself?

Is the one who got me in this mess to begin with, right?

However, it doesn't stop us from approaching weekly worship with

the same mentality, rather than looking into God's word.

Jonathan Cruz says this in his book rather than looking into

God's word, to see how we ought to worship him, we come up with

our own methods based on personal preferences.

We decide this is the thing I like and so worship becomes like

a matter of taste rather than a matter of God's commands.

I like their worship team. I like the songs they sing

better. I like that style of preaching

better, I like this length of service over that length of

service that church has better carpet and lighting, right?

I mean, you name it. People leave and join churches

for all sorts of foolish reasons, things that God has not

laid out. But his worship really just a

matter of preference. Do we really get to just come in

on a Sunday morning and say, this is what we like have.

We orchestrated a worship service on Sunday mornings just

because we think this is what's best Just because we came up

with this idea and it's like, well, you know, it's pretty

similar to what all the other churches are doing.

Let's just do that. Or do you think there was more

thought? Into it.

I don't think it's up to sinful worshipers to tell God how we

worship. I don't think it's up to us to

say, this is what we're going to do today, I think he dictates

the terms, I believe that if we're meeting with God each week

and we are then it is best for us to submit to God's agenda for

worship. Not our own, he is God after

all, amen. And so this is the preachers

argument here in Ecclesiastes, because God is in heaven.

He says, and you are on earth, we come to hear from him.

He says, therefore, let your Words Be Few.

Think about it this way, if you show up at work tomorrow morning

and you walk in and your boss comes to you and he says, I need

you to come into my office. I've got to meet with you.

Chances are real high. That you're not going to walk in

bust into his office like Kramer you know, plop down in a chair,

throw your feet up on his desk and say what's good boss man?

Right, you're not doing that. You're going to walk in somber,

probably, because of the boss says I've got to meet with you.

That may not be a good thing. You're going to close the door

behind you because you like I ain't letting nobody hear this.

You're going to find your seat. You're going to wait on him, to

begin the conversation. Why?

Because your Superior has requested a meeting with you.

And the right? Response is appropriate and so

you're going to respond appropriately.

You recognize what that means. Well, the same should be true

when God calls us to meet with him.

He is far superior to us. We are dust and Ashes to him.

And when he calls us to meet with him, he sets the agenda.

We wait on him. We cannot do whatever.

We please must do. What he commands.

And so again, Ecclesiastes 51 guard your steps when you go to

the house of God, it's important.

The idea of guarding your steps means to walk prudently to look

around at your surroundings. As you go, it's to avoid the

cracks and the crevices. The holes that others are

falling into you regarding your steps.

You're being careful in how you worship.

God cares. How we worship.

And if we do not worship Him according to his agenda, then we

are placing ourselves in danger. Attempted to balk at this idea

that we're in any kind of danger for worshipping, God and

appropriately. I think it's because worship is

personal, or at least it is personal.

And so, we think that personal preference drives the worship,

but it doesn't, we think surely God doesn't care how we worship.

He only cares that we worship. But there's arrogance in that.

There's arrogance and saying, surely God doesn't care, how

worship he only cares that I worship.

What does that do it places you and your preference above God?

And his commands. Again, Jonathan Cruz is helpful.

Here he illustrates this a lot of thought.

Well, by saying this, he says I'm so great and important that

God should be thrilled at the prospect of getting any of my

attention. What a privilege for him that I

would worship Him. Surely he's so attention-starved

that he will take whatever I give him.

Hers goes on to add but that's not the case.

God doesn't need us doesn't need or worse but if we were going to

worship, we better do it properly.

And so worship that pleases God hangs on knowing And submitting

to his agenda. Just a couple of stories in the

Old Testament about brothers. In Genesis chapter 4, we have

Genesis 4 · chapter mention

the story of Cain and Abel, raise your hand, you've heard of

Cain and Abel. All right, all right, boys and

girls. Good job Cain and Abel.

Right? One got mad at the other one and

took his life. Basically the story.

Correct. But why, what happens?

Well, they bring their offerings to the Lord ones.

Receive the other is rejected and so the one who had his

offering rejected gets mad. And murders his brother, he's

jealous. Genesis 4 3 through 5.

It says in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord and

offering and I'm not here to debate these things, but I do

want you to notice a couple words and offering of the fruit

of the ground, that's what Cain, brought an offering of the fruit

of the ground and Abel also brought what of the firstborn of

his flock and of their fat portions.

So cable brings a piece of the pie.

A cane. That's a cable.

Anybody, anybody have a brain that moves faster than your

mouth can move sometimes? Right?

Not cable cane but You know, so Cain brings an offer Abel,

brings the best, the best of what the Lord's given him.

He says I'm giving the Lord the first fruits of this and so it

says there in verse 4 that the Lord had regard for Abel and his

offering, that means he accepted Abel and his offerings but for

Cain and his offering, so both Cain and his offering the Lord

had no regard. He rejected Cain, and Cain's

offering. So Cain was very angry and his

face fell. Now, later in the story, The

Lord comes to cane and he says, listen sin is crouching at your

door. It seeks to devour you turn now.

Essentially he warns him and Cain doubles down murders.

His brother rest is as we say, history.

God has regard for one form of worship and not another.

That's what this teaches us. The point here is, there's a

form of worship that is acceptable to God and a form of

worship. That is not acceptable.

There's a form of offering that's acceptable and there's a

form of offering that is not acceptable.

So we must be careful how we worship.

If we're going to worship in a way that displeases God, then we

should beware. It might not only be our worship

that gets rejected but we may be soon rejected as well.

If worship is merely up to us and we're going to create

something. We like something that makes

sense to us. This is what they did in Exodus,

when they created a golden calf and said This is Our God that

led us out of Egypt. And I mean, anybody looking at

the golden calf says, I don't look a lot like all the things

we saw Shirley but no many were guilty of such foolish Worship

in that moment. And so we don't want to make any

golden caps. We don't want to create worship

that appeals to us. We won't worship that is

pleasing to the Lord. And so doing, if we do that, if

we make worship that appeals to us, we will end up worshiping

ourselves rather than God because we are sinful creatures.

The best we can do is a bigger and better version of ourselves.

That's it. It's the best we can do on our

own but God is altogether different from us.

He is Holy he's not a bitter bigger and better version of us.

He is just simply bigger and better.

He is God and he determines what is acceptable and worship and

what is not? I told you there were two

stories of two brothers are another set of brothers nadab

and a by Hugh, there were priests in Israel.

They found out the hard way that God cares, how we worship?

They offered what was called at the time, Strange Fire To The

Lord and did worship their own way.

And in Leviticus 10:3. The Lord says among those who

Leviticus 10:3

are near me, I will be Sanctified, that means I will be

regarded as holy and before. All the people, I will be

glorified. Naida Banda by who found out the

hard way that it matters how we worship.

They were consumed by the fire of God.

Jonathan Cruz says this in his book he says God will be

regarded as holy among the people who draw near to him and

worship either by faith or by fire from heaven.

But you can rest assure, everyone's going to know who's

in charge. You know, if we were to sum this

part of the message up? We might say this worship will

either be people centered or god-centered, but it cannot be

both worship. Can't be what I want and what

God wants. So what we must do, so, to have

our to ensure rather than our worship is God centered.

Is we must have services that are saturated with the Bible.

Saturated with the Bible services in which the songs

prayers, the readings, the sermons are full of scripture.

Such a service will be full of God himself.

Worship that pleases God again, hangs on knowing and submitting

to his agenda. And so far what we've seen is

that God cares about how we worship and that we are

worshipping in a way that is pleasing to him when we worship

according to his word. Again, as a reminder, let me

read these verses guard your steps.

When you go to the house of God, to draw near is to list, sorry

to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of

fools for they did not. They do not know that they are

doing evil. Be not rash, with your mouth,

nor let your heart, be Hasty to utter a word before God.

For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth.

Therefore, let your Words Be Few.

Now if we regard our steps and worship and we need to know the

proper steps to take. What does the Bible say about

worship? What does it command?

What is it prescribed for us? What does it forbid after all?

I don't know about you, but I don't want to face the consuming

fire of God is native and the by Hugh heads to, nor do I want to

drop dead as ananias and his wife Sapphira did in Acts 5,

after lying to The Holy Spirits, Finally, we see in First

Corinthians 11, that Paul warns the Corinthians that some of

their own. They're within the church.

Have faced sickness and death because they have failed to

obey, God's commands for receiving the Lord's Supper.

So those things that the Bible clearly prescribes and commands

are called elements Elements. The elements of worship are the

non-negotiables. They are the scripturally

mandated parts of what it means to publicly assemble and

worship. God, it's cruises Definition for

elements with a funnel. So helpful, Now some of the

foundational elements include weekly gathering for preaching

praying and partaking of the Lord's supper and baptism in the

earliest days of the Christian Church of the Christian church.

We read this in Acts 2:42 right after the 3000 or brought to the

Acts 2:42

Lord not including women and children.

It says this, it says, and they devoted themselves to the

apostles teaching and the fellowship to the breaking of

bread. And the prayers, we read further

there they didn't neglect to meet together in homes, but also

in the temple from week, the week.

And this is the process that you see throughout the New

Testament. We read in Acts, you read the

letters that are written to the churches, their meeting together

on the first day of the week for what worship.

Other elements include reading scripture.

We see this in Colossians 4. First Timothy 4 for Cecil

audience, 5, Second Thessalonians 3.

I can give all these later. If anybody wants to know, but

singing is a part of as one of the elements of worship.

First Corinthians 14 Ephesians 5 Colossians 3 again, giving gifts

for the needs of the church and to the needy X6 Romans 12 8 and

13, Second Corinthians 8 and 9. Public confession of Faith,

verse Timothy 6. Second Timothy 1, second

Thessalonians, 2 confession of sin.

First, John one, It's just some of the elements.

There's some debate as to what are elements of water or not but

largely those are ones that everyone agrees on as well as

the sacraments which I mentioned earlier.

In addition to elements though, there are circumstances which

must be decided upon. Again, Cruz has a definition for

circumstances of thought was helpful.

They are those things not mandated in scripture and so it

requires wisdom to implement them in the right and

appropriate worship of God. Some examples of circumstances.

What time do we begin each week? What will the preacher wear

today? I am dressed as though.

I'm either. Going to deliver your mail or

deliver a sermon. You don't know which, right?

It's still well by now you might have figured it out.

Will we use song books or a projector?

Now it's important for God's people, but especially the

church Elders to Clara lie. To clearly distinguish between

elements and circumstances because people want to muddy the

waters on what's an element, what's the circumstance?

And we can't have the body, the waters, muddied, or we'll be in

trouble but we can only clearly distinguish those according to

God's word and it's important that we don't get them mixed up.

So again, why because worship that pleases God hangs on

knowing and submitting to his agenda.

We've got to know what his agenda is. now, one other

important part of worship to consider is what do we do with

the elements? What shape does the service take

in the coming weeks, we're going to look at that further.

But for today I want to I want us to Rally around this one

thought here is that the order of worship must have a gospel

shape to it which is what we talked about last week is we

talk about how we're rehearsing the Covenant week in and week

out and so when we say it needs to have a gospel Covenant we're

just saying this. We want to Adorn the greatness

of God willing to confess our sinfulness.

We want to hear a forgiveness in Christ.

We want to be built up into Christ, through preaching prayer

and the sacraments as we saw last week.

It is God's goal for worship that we be reminded over and

over again of the work that he does for us in the Gospel of

Jesus Christ. Now, it's true that when you

come in to worship, God's people are at work.

But the primary work of worship is done by God himself. the

primary work that is taking place in a worship service is

not from the hard, work of the worship team, though, we

appreciate them, and then You know 10 or 15 do Alan.

Okay just kidding we all did. It's not the hard work and

sermon preparation. It goes on during the week to

get up and deliver a sermon, it's part of it was not the bulk

of its not the hard work and praying prayers together or

organizing greeters for doors or pushers who are going to pass

out the elements for the Lord's. Supper here in a moment.

Those are all works and their good works.

They're things that God has given to us but the greatest

work that's taking place in worship is from God himself

toward his people. We're not passive and worship

were active in worship, but when we come together for worship, we

are meeting to have something done to.

And for us, we are gathering for the purpose of spiritual

transformation. What we're saying when we walk

into a worship service or at least the posture of our hearts

should be that Heavenly Father, You Are The Potter and I'm the

clay. This is your Workshop.

You have the tools to mold me how you see fit.

If you're coming to worship that way worship, then is a gift from

God, Almighty for the molding of his people, the shaping of his

people week in and week out in. So what?

Corinthians makes it abundantly clear that were being molded and

shaped into the image of the invisible.

Son of God that were being molded and shaped to bear his

glory in the Earth. But by the spirit of God alive

in us, we are being transformed from the inside out, as we offer

our bodies, as living sacrifices, we are being renewed

by the spirit of God. In our minds to know, what is

the good and acceptable and pleasing will of God.

Is Romans 12:1 and 2 tells us? It's important.

Romans 12:1

For us to understand that corporate worship is one of the

major ways that God graciously serves us is serving us is in

sanctification. And he equips us to serve and

glorify him throughout the week and worship.

As crew says, we were merely responding to what God is doing

24 in and through us. It's important for us to

recognize how much God does for us, compared to how little we

offer to him, and weekly worship this enable.

Our hearts to gladly submit to God and his agenda for us all

Worship that pleases God hangs on knowing and submitting to his

agenda. But again, that this is not easy

for us. Be not rash, with your mouth and

let your heart be Hasty to utter a word before God.

For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth.

Therefore, let your Words Be Few.

If you're a parent in here, it happens very early in the

parenting process, that a parent observes, the N8 difficulty of

submission within their child. Amen.

It, can sometimes seem as if the good, right commands of a

parent. Only heightened the desire to

Rebel within the child. Amen.

There are few things more frustrating as a parent than to

give your child a command have them.

Look, you dead in the eye and you see the wheels turning

right? It's like, no, don't do that

anymore and they're like and then what do they do?

Exactly what you just warned them not to do and then they

can't figure out why they get a spanking for it.

Why? Because submission doesn't come

naturally for us. It doesn't this is a result of

the fall of Man the Temptation from Satan to Eve and Adam was

that they could be their own God.

And so what do they do? They rebelled against God and

attempt to be God themselves. And we still battle this today,

we want to break free from The Establishment.

We want to rebel against Authority.

Now granted, this isn't always a bad thing.

When it comes to God and his commands, it is.

Most certainly always bad. Most Christians would agree on

submission to God's commands for us in life.

But if we are to obey God throughout the week, that

submission must start on the first day of the week in the

Lord's Day, worship service and weekly corporate worship God's

people assembled together. God, reminds us of the

all-important reality that what he is King.

We are his subjects. He is Lord.

We are his servants. He is Shepherd.

We are his sheep, he is God. God, and we are his creatures.

He is in heaven, and we are on Earth.

Comes from Cruz's book. Submission doesn't come

naturally for us. So we get a much-needed

reminder, every Sunday morning during worship that we are

called to submit to God. Worship is primary and our

training as Disciples of Christ. Because in worship were learning

how to trust. We're learning how to be

obedience, we're learning how to submit in.

Other words in worship, we are growing in faith.

Crews painted a really great picture, he said the

god-centered worship Services, the Garden in which faith is

planted grown and cultivated. Amen.

And so, therefore, brothers and sisters, we must surrender.

Our wants must surrender our preferences.

We must recognize that whatever God says is most important, that

is what we're going to do. And so we submit ourselves to

his agenda and in so doing we reflect the heart of Christ.

Jesus Christ, the son of God, God In the Flesh, told the

crowds and his disciples on many occasions that he did nothing

apart from the will of his father.

He did nothing apart from the commands of his father.

He was perfectly submissive to the will of his father.

And so too we must be Worship that pleases God hangs on

knowing and submitting to his agenda.

But it's important for you to remember that.

That's true. But it's not true because God is

needy. Whether it is true because God

loves us. It's true because God serves US

during worship. Giving us precisely what we need

to be his faithful followers and preserving worshippers until the

day that we are with him in heaven forever.

And worship he works in us his own Eternal good crew, says his

intention is to pour out his grace and to abundantly bless

us. I asked, why would we reject

that? Why would we not submit to that?

But that's exactly what we're trying to do.

If we try to come up with new ways to worship him that go

against the commands, or the elements that he's prescribed

for us in worship to do, that is rebellion, but we must be found

as those who submit to God. Amen.

We must be found as those who submit to his agenda for weekly

worship. If we also want to be found as

those who are blessed by God on the final day, To obey, God's

commands is to know. And to be filled with the very

Joy of Christ. And so, let's not trade that

opportunity for even one milliseconds.

Of worshiping the golden calf of her own creation.

Amen. Let me pray for you.

Heavenly Father, we adore you. We adore your greatness.

We adore your Grandeur. We adore the fact, Lord, that

you have drawn us to yourself today.

And Lord, we praise you for the opportunity.

We have now to worship your name to come in week in and week out

to submit to your agenda. That you might.

Literally figuratively, even spiritually for sure.

Stoop down from heaven and serve your people just as Christ.

Grabbed a rag and a basin of water and wash the disciples

feet. But Lord, You're serving us is

not because we are Mighty, heaven forbid.

We think that you're serving us is not because you need us.

At your empty without our worship.

It's none of those things. It's merely that you love your

people. That you Delight any quipping

your people to walk as those who carry your glory in the Earth?

You're equipping us for good works.

You're strengthening our hearts. You're helping us walk through

fire. You're helping us endure

hardship and tragedy. You're granting to us in a

worship service Joy. Where there was once sorrow?

You're filling us Lord with everything we need from Heaven

on high. Heaven forbid, we come in here.

Lord and try to set the agenda. Help us to be men and women and

boys and girls. I praise you father.

That you have transformed our hearts and Minds through the

years, to have boys and girls in here with us learning these

truths, so early fortified in their mind as well.

Lord. That the weekly worship

Services. Essential For them.

For their discipleship, for their following you week, in and

week out. Lord the way you've ordained

things as we heard about in Sunday school.

This morning is the second chapter of Judges reminds us

that the generations after the faithful Generations.

Forgot God. Why did they forget?

Father, we know it's because they were not taught.

So Lord help us to be men and women.

Who teach seriousness of worship.

That it is essential to our Christian faith.

That we need every single week. So that in practice and in

teaching the children here, observe it in us as well.

Lord, we love you. We praise you.

We thank you for your word today.

We ask that you would help us to grasp the truth.

And to seek your face each week, it's in the Name of Christ.

I pray. Amen.