The God Connection

40 Days of Purpose, Week 2, Worship

October 3, 2004 - John Wesley United Methodist Church, Falmouth, Massachusetts

2 Timothy 1:1-7 "Rekindle the faith that is in you" "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind."

Luke 17:5-10 "Increase our faith!"

THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS FOR TODAY connect powerfully with our "40 days of Purpose" emphasis. Paul tells his son in the faith "REKINDLE THE FAITH THAT IS IN YOU!" The apostles, God's chosen twelve, as Jesus: 'INCREASE OUR FAITH!" That is exactly what we are praying and striving to do with God's help as we march through these 40 days of purpose.

KINDLING faith that we already have- INCREASING faith that we hold precious– and FINDING FAITH IF WE AREN'T SURE– that is what these 40 days are all about.

LAST WEEK WE BEGAN by thinking about how much God loves YOU and ME! We were created for God's pleasure! We were made for fellowship with God– and God wants us to return his love. RETURNING GOD'S LOVE IS THE MOST WONDERFUL, SATISFYING THING HUMAN BEINGS CAN DO!

As we go through this study we will see that there are FIVE basic ways we can bring pleasure to God– and in so doing find utmost fulfillment for our own lives. Those five ways include FELLOWSHIP, and DISCIPLING (OR GROWING IN GOD'S GRACE), IN FINDING OUR MINISTRY OF SERVICE, AND FINALLY IN SHARING IN GOD'S MISSION FOR THIS WORLD. That is FOUR of the five– but the KEY to all the rest of what we do is what we're talking about this morning is: WORSHIP!

WORSHIP IS THE GOD-CONNECTION THAT MAKES ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE DO COME ALIVE!

That's what I'd like to focus on just now. As we learn to worship better–WE WILL STIR UP OUR FAITH! If we WORSHIP better OUR FAITH WILL INCREASE!

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

I can tell you some things that worship is not!

WORSHIP is NOT simply what is done in church. Not music. Not any performance. Worship IS very rewarding to us but (surprise, surprise!) THAT IS NOT WHAT WORSHIP IS REALLY ABOUT! It is about GOD– not US!

"WORSHIP" is derived in English from "Worth-ship" Ascribing WORTH– giving GLORY– telling GOD we love Him, and appreciate that He loves US WORSHIP IS NOT ONE DENOMINATION'S OR ONE brand of theology's 'WAY' OF COMING TO GOD.!

WORSHIP IS RETURNING LOVE TO GOD!

WORSHIP IS ... MORE THAN I CAN TELL YOU BUT LET ME TRY:

• "Worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God" - Archbishop William Temple
• "Worship is our human side of a mutual fellowship with the Almighty." - RFM
• Worship is being aware of God, and responding to that awareness in love and obedience with the totality of living, reflecting God's glory from every facet of the personality." - RFM

WORSHIP IS BEING WHO YOU REALLY ARE– AND GOD LOVES OUR DIFFERENCES:(Gary Thomas lists 9 ways people draw near to God:

• Naturalists - inspired by out-of-doors, nature
• Sensates - love God with their senses and appreciate beautiful worship and music and all the senses, not just hearing
• Traditionalists - appreciate liturgies, traditions, unchanging structures (that's me!)
• Ascetics - approach God in solitude and simplicity
• Activists - confront evil, battle injustice, work to make the world a better place
• Caregivers - approach God by meeting other people's needs, caring (Mabel!, others)
• Enthusiasts - want to celebrate! The more exciting the better!
• Contemplatives - love God through adoration
• Intellectuals - love God by studying with their minds

The best way I can describe what I understand WORSHIP to be is to say it is the highest, most fulfilling, most challenging kind of LOVE RELATIONSHIP you will ever know.

WORSHIP IS:

• It is a PERSONAL relationship. God is a Person. God loves YOU! Personally!
• It is a MYSTERIOUS relationship, because God is so great no one can ever comprehend Him.
• It is meant to be a SIMPLE relationship, even though it is at the same time very PROFOUND. It is a life-long quest. It is also a "blessed assurance." Before I completely muddy all the waters...

This LOVE is MORE than a feeling. Oh, there will be great feelings along the way. But this love goes deeper. Our worship is meant to encompass all we are.

• We worship God with our MINDS! "The Bible tells me so..."
• We worship God with our HEARTS AND SOULS! "We love Him because He first loved us!" 1 John 4:19
• We worship God with our OBEDIENCE! "I delight to do YOUR will, O my God!" Psalm 40:8

WE CAN GET AS CLOSE TO GOD AS WE WANT TO ! "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you!" James 4:8

QUESTIONS IN THE INSERT - Here is what we will discover this week as we study together:

• MY 1ST PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO WORSHIP GOD .
• WORSHIP IS MY RESPONSE TO GOD'S LOVE
• WORSHIP IS GIVING BACK TO GOD
• GOD WANTS ME TO LOVE HIM...
  • THOUGHTFULLY - "with my mind"
  • PASSIONATELY - "with my heart and soul"
  • PRACTICALLY - "with my strength"
• WORSHIP IS FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON GOD.
• WORSHIP IS EXPRESSING MY AFFECTION TO GOD.
• WORSHIP IS USING MY ABILITIES FOR GOD

Segue into COMMUNION

For ME, one of the facets of worship I enjoy the MOST is the Table of the Lord– Holy Communion.

Informal invitation

You can't RE-KINDLE faith unless you already HAVE faith. If you are not sure you have a covenant relationship with God, all you need to do is OPEN YOUR HEART AND LIFE TO GOD.

God is GOOD! God loves YOU! God has a purpose for everyone here– God has a GOOD PURPOSE FOR YOU!

Believe that!

Then simply INVITE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR LIFE! Pray with me an affirmation, JESUS, PLEASE COME INTO MY LIFE! FORGIVE MY SINS! BE MY LORD AND SAVIOR!

Invite Jesus in!

(Pray for wisdom-pray for me!)