https://www.bible.com/events/49405668

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus

Beyond The Song: A life of worship Part 3

Take your everyday, ordinary life, and place it before the Lord as an offering.

Today we are continuing in our 4-part teaching series called Beyond the Song: A life of worship.

Throughout this series, we want to be challenged to re-frame our thinking on worship. That we would not only think of worship as somewhere we go on Sunday mornings, or a certain song we sing, but that we would see all of our lives as an opportunity to worship the Lord.

Today we are going to focus in on the idea that worship is all about offering or giving our very Best to the Lord.

According to Romans 12, Worship is all about giving.

Giving your life, you might sing songs to him, you might give your time to serve at the church or in the community, you give your talents to help provide for others, you give of yourself, to comfort loved ones and support them.

John 12:1-3

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Mary’s worship through giving was motivated by love. This act of worship was an act of love and adoration for Jesus.

1 Corinthians 13:3 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

We also see that Mary’s worship was intentional. Mary planned to worship. She planned to give her best. She gave careful and intentional consideration of how she would worship the Lord.

Mary worshipped without reservations.

She gave her best and she gave all of it.

Jesus doesn’t uphold Mary’s gift as an example for future generations. No, he upholds her example of worship for future generations.

To show future generations what true worship looks like. A life of worship is giving your best and giving all of yourself to the Lord.

That’s worship beyond the song, that’s a life of worship.

Mark 12:41-44

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Then this poor widow comes in, drops in two of the smallest known coins in the money system. And Jesus sees her.

He is moved by her worship. Not because she gave a lot, but she gave her best, she gave her all.

He turns round and says to his disciples- Boys, this right here is how it’s done. This is how you worship.

You might be here today and following along feeling like you are left out because you don’t have much money to give, or a nice car to donate, or whatever.

Look, it’s not about that. This is not even a message about our money, it’s about worship. You already have your best, and you are already giving it to something or someone.

What we are desiring to see today is that true worship, our true response in loving and serving Jesus is that HE gets our best.

Will you give the Lord your best?

http://bible.com/events/49403060

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg Campus

Beyond The Song: A Life of Worship Part 2

Take your everyday, ordinary life, and place it before the Lord as an offering.

Today we are continuing in our 4-part teaching series called Beyond the Song: A Life of Worship.

Throughout this series, we want to be challenged to re-frame our thinking on worship. That we would not only think of worship as somewhere we go on Sunday mornings, or a certain song we sing, but that we would see all of our lives as an opportunity to worship the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

The definition of worship we are working with in this series is behaviors in a believer that reflect the awesome majesty and worth (“worth-ship”) of Almighty and Holy God.

So, the question is, what does a life full of those behaviors look like, especially away from the church building on Sunday morning?

Pastor Kevin’s definition of Worship in Week 1:

EXPRESSING OUR LOVE AND GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS, WHAT HE’S DONE, WHAT HE’S SAID, AND WHAT HE’S PROMISED TO DO.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Quick review of all the mercies of God Paul has explained to us thus far in chapters 1-11:

· Justification from the guilt and penalty of sin.

· Adoption in Jesus and identification with Christ.

· Placed under grace, not law.

· Giving the Holy Spirit to live within.

· Promise of help in all affliction.

· Confidence of coming glory.

· Confidence of no separation from the love of God.

· Confidence in God’s continued faithfulness.

Susanna Wesley (defining sin)

Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.

Dallas Willard

You can live opposite of what you profess, but you cannot live opposite of what you believe.

Pastor Bill Lakey

What is worship? It is living your life – your everyday, fold the laundry, go to work, pay the bills life – before the face of God. It is realizing who God is, who you are, that he is the most important thing in the world, and living your life in response to that truth. It is the freedom to focus on him instead of getting caught on the treadmill of religious do’s and don’ts. It’s living the life you were designed to live.

Colossians 3:1-2

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

WE ARE NEVER NOT WORSHIPPING

Romans 12:1-2

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Richard Foster

This way of living is not confined to people in religious orders or those who have special skills in spiritual matters. No, this life is also for ordinary people. People who work in high-pressure jobs of information tech and finance. People who are constantly dealing with the stresses of raising children and balancing the family budget. People who teach school and work in hospitals and provide social services and so much more. In short, people just like you and me.

Extras scripture + quotes for further reflection/worship

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Colossians 3:23

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

1 Corinthians 10:31-33

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Dallas Willard

We don’t believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true.

Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline)

The divine priority is worship first, service second. Our lives are to be punctuated with praise, thanksgiving, and adoration. Service flows out of worship. Service as a substitute for worship is idolatry. Activity is the enemy of adoration.

Brother Lawrence

The best method of going to God is that of simply doing our everyday work without any view of pleasing men. Rather, as far as we are capable, we should do even our daily tasks purely for the love of God.

https://www.bible.com/events/49401981

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus

Beyond The Song: A life of worship Part 2

Take your everyday, ordinary life, and place it before the Lord as an offering.

Today we are continuing in our 4-part teaching series called Beyond the Song: A life of worship.

Throughout this series, we want to be challenged to re-frame our thinking on worship. That we would not only think of worship as somewhere we go on Sunday mornings, or a certain song we sing, but that we would see all of our lives as an opportunity to worship the Lord.

Worship- if you look it up in the dictionary, you will find definitions like:

-to honor or show reverence for a divine being or supernatural power

-to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion

Worship is action or response ascribing value to someone or something.

For us, that someone and something is the Lord.

When we worship, we are expressing how much God means to us, how much we value and honor him.

Today we are continuing to explore a life of worship asking questions like:

How should we approach worship Monday through Saturday? How should we think about it?

Is there a right way and a wrong way to express worship throughout the week? What should we look out for?

These are necessary questions to consider as we continue to explore worship Monday-Saturday because as we will see, a decision about worship is at the heart of nearly every temptation we face.

Matthew 4:8-11

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

If you look back in this chapter, the devils first temptation is that Jesus would turn stones into bread. He was trying to get Jesus to use his power to meet is needs, in his own way, rather than trusting the Father’s plan.

The second temptation was that he would leap from the pinnacle of the temple and allow God’s angels to rescue him. The temptation seems to be that Jesus would take for granted, for his own purposes, the protection of the father. By taking that leap, he wouldn’t have to endure the cross. Again, using what was available to him to meet his own desires and needs, rather than the will of God.

At the core of these first two temptations is the matter of loyalty and devotion.

Who is Jesus going to live his life for? Will he take matters into his own hands, use his power to make things easier for himself? Or will he stick fast to the plans of the heavenly father?

And Here in this third and final temptation in verse 8-9, the devil offers Jesus everything this world has to offer, all the power, al the wealth, all the glory- all the goods, if only he will worship him. What has been implied in each temptation before, is explicitly brought forward here.

It’s a matter of worship.

Who are you ultimately going to worship? The Lord? or the devil?

And Friends, this is the heart of the matter of your life, and mine. Who are we going to worship? Who are we going to obey?

What we give our lives to is critical. As we think about Monday through Saturday worship- It’s not just about K-Love on the radio or even saying prayer before a meal. It’s the very core decision we make every day. Who am I living for today? What am I worshipping?

It’s a question that’s the very essence of our relationship with the Lord.

A conscious surrender to living out his plans for our lives.

Romans 12:1 MSG

So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

John 4:19-24

“Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?” “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”

Within Jesus’ description of worship, we see a few key truths that I believe will help us as we seek to reframe our thinking on worship.

– True worship flows from a place of relationship with The Father.

– Jesus says true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.

– True worshippers will worship the father in Spirit AND Truth.

– Finally, the Father is seeking worshippers like this.

Will he find one in you?

WORSHIP ISN’T

· CONFINED TO A SUNDAY MORNING EXPERIENCE

· SINGING ONLY-SINGING IS AN ACT/FORM WORSHIP

· ABOUT YOU- ITS ABOUT GOD- WHAT HE RECEIVES

· COMPARTMENTALIZED-IT’S A LIFESTYLE

· CLOSED FISTED- ITS OPEN HANDED

· CONFINED TO CERTAIN SPACES

· WHAT YOU DO-IT’S WHO YOU ARE

Worship

Expressing our love and gratitude to God, for who He is, what He’s done, what He’s said, and what He’s promised to do.

 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

ROMANS 12:1-2 THE WORSHIP LIFE

1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it.

Matthew 14:22-33

“MANY SPIRIT FILLED AUTHORS HAVE EXHAUSTED THE THESAURUS IN ORDER TO DESCRIBE GOD WITH THE GLORY HE DESERVES, HIS PERFECT HOLINESS, BY DEFINITION ASSURES US THAT OUR WORDS CAN’T CONTAIN. ISN’T IT A COMFORT TO WORSHIP A GOD WE CANNOT EXAGGERATE? FRANCIS CHAN

LUKE 17:11

11. “NOW ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM, JESUS TRAVELED ALONG THE BORDER BETWEEN SAMARIA AND GALILEE. AS HE WAS GOING INTO THE VILLAGE, TEN MEN WHO HAD LEPROSY MET HIM. THEY STOOD AT A DISTANCE AND CALLED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, “JESUS, MASTER HAVE PITY ON US!’

LUKE 17:14

14. “WHEN HE SAW THEM, HE SAID, “GO SHOW YOURSELVES TO THE PRIESTS.” AND AS THEY WENT, THEY WERE CLEANSED. ONE OF THEM, WHEN HE SAW HE WAS HEALED, CAME BACK PRAISING GOD IN A LOUD VOICE.

LUKE 17:16

16. HE THREW HIMSELF AT JESUS’ FEET AND THANKED HIM AND HE WAS A SAMARITAN. JESUS ASKED, “WERE NOT ALL TEN CLEANSED? WHERE ARE THE OTHER NINE?

HAS NO ONE RETURNED TO PRAISE GOD EXCEPT THIS FOREIGNER?’ THEN HE SAID TO HIM, “RISE AND GO; YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL.

2 JESUS MIRACLES: 2 VERY DIFFERENT RESPONSES

· FIRST STORY-DISCIPLES EVEN INITIALLY AFRAID

· THEY WORSHIP JESUS

· SECOND STORY- ONLY 1 COMES BACK?

· AND A SAMARITAN TO BOOT? WOW

· 1 GROUP WORSHIPS JESUS WHAT HE CAN DO

· THE OTHER GROUP WORSHIPS FOR WHO HE IS

HEBREW TERMS FOR WORSHIP

SHACHAH: TO BOW DOWN (ANGELS APPEARED)

BARAK: BEND AT WAIST-SPECIAL AUTHORITY

TODAH: YADAH- THANKSGIVING/A THANK OFFERING

ZAMAR: MAKE MUSIC IN PRAISE OF GOD (DAVIDS LYRE)

HALAL: TO GIVE FOOLISH GLORY-SHINE/CELEBRATE

WORD IN VERSE 17 THANKED MEANS (GIVING THANKS)

EUCHARIST

PSALM 47:1

1. “CLAP YOUR HANDS, ALL YOU NATIONS; SHOUT TO GOD WITH CRIES OF JOY.

PSALM 47:1

1. “CLAP YOUR HANDS, ALL YOU NATIONS; SHOUT TO GOD WITH CRIES OF JOY.

ROMANS 12:1-2 THE WORSHIP LIFE

1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best

thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it.

STORY FROM LUKE 17

ONE OF THEM CAME BACK TO JESUS PRAISING HIM IN A LOUD VOICE.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADMIRATION AND WORSHIP AND FANDOM

REVELATION 4

https://www.bible.com/events/49398704

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus

Beyond The Song: A life of worship Part 1

Take your everyday, ordinary life, and place it before the Lord as an offering.

Today we are starting a 4-part teaching series called Beyond the Song: A life of worship.

Throughout this series, we want to be challenged to re-frame our thinking on worship. That we would not only think of worship as somewhere we go on Sunday mornings, or a certain song we sing, but that we would see all of our lives as an opportunity to worship the Lord.

Worship- if you look it up in the dictionary, you will find definitions like:

-to honor or show reverence for a divine being or supernatural power

-to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion

Worship is action or response ascribing value to someone or something.

For us, that someone and something is the Lord.

When we worship, we are expressing how much God means to us, how much we value and honor him.

That’s worship.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul addresses the WHY of worship. He says “In view of God’s MERCY”…

The reason we are called to worship is because of who God is, and all that he has done.

We worship God because he is Holy, Righteous, and perfect in all of his ways.

We worship him first for who he is. Sovereign creator and sustainer of all the earth.

Paul said earlier in Romans “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us”. God’s mercy is on perhaps its fullest display in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

It’s a love that demands a response, that’s what worship is. An expression our thanks and gratitude, our great debt as sinful people for salvation and life in Christ.

Paul calls us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him.

The word here in Romans 12 for worship is closely related to the idea of service.

Actions directed at or motivated by a love or reverence for another. In this case, the Lord.

In it’s most basic form you could say worship is worth-ship. We are ascribing, giving, expressing worth and value to God.

When we commit to doing life God’s way, that’s living worship.

When we love our enemies, when we turn the other cheek. When we love our neighbors and help the poor. When we say NO to the desires of our flesh or of our temper, and YES to the will of God for our lives. When we use the talents and gifts that God has given us to meet the needs of others, to help provide a service, to make a living for our family.

That’s worship.

When we make prepare a meal and take it to someone who is recovering from surgery or lost a loved one. That’s worship.

When we serve in Kids City or Nursery neighborhood, teaching future generations about Jesus- That’s worship. That’s offering your life to the Lord. That’s worship.

That’s your true and proper response to who God is. Worship beyond the song.

Romans 12:1

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.