14 July 2013
I. Introduction
-- turn in
Bibles to Psalm 135:1-3
Psalm 135:1-3 (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him,
you servants of the LORD,
2 you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of
the house of our God.
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his
name, for that is pleasant.
-- when was
the last time you got excited about worship? -- when was the last time you
really got excited about coming to a worship service?
-- not too
long ago I learned about this Christian church in South Korea that is the
largest church in the world -- at the time this church had over 200,000 members
who met in a worship hall that could only seat about 20,000 people -- because
of this, the church had to have several back-to-back services each weekend to
accommodate everyone who wanted to worship with them
-- they
start real early in the morning, and they bring the people in one door at the
back of the church and then have them exit out another door at the front of the
church so they can keep things moving -- and the way they approach their
worship services is like nothing we have here
-- before the first service is
over, church members who are coming for the next service begin lining up in
front of the doors for church -- and when the doors finally open, they run as
fast as they can to the front of the church and start filling up the pews from
the front to the back -- and as soon as they get in their seats, they don't
start talking -- they don't start walking around greeting each other -- they
start praying -- they pray for God to touch them and to anoint the service with
His presence
-- if you have ever seen any photos
or videos of this, it is an amazing sight to see all of these people so excited
to be in the house of the Lord and so excited about praising and worshiping Him
-- and God is really blessing this church and all the churches in Korea
-- we pride ourselves here in
America on being a Christian nation -- we like to think that we are the heart
of Christianity -- doing more for God here than is happening anywhere else?
-- but, do you know what country
sends out more missionaries than any other? -- South Korea Korea Korea , but the continent of Africa
is coming in a close second
II. Excited about Football?
-- why is this? -- why don't we get
this excited about praising God in America
-- I was thinking about that this
week -- I was talking with a guy at work about college football and we were
getting excited because there was only fifty days -- seven more Saturdays --
until the first college football game rolled around
-- we were talking about getting
ready for it and how happy we were going to be to just sit down and watch that
first game, no matter who played -- seems like everyone is getting ready and
getting excited for college football -- we were in Academy Sports yesterday and
their shelves are literally full with college-related items -- from shirts to
mugs to stadium seats to those little flags that people put on their car on
game day -- people get so excited about going to a football game they literally
start preparing months in advance
-- and I was thinking about this
and thinking about how excited I am about football and how I'm getting ready
for it and I had to stop and ask myself, "Why don't I get as excited about
worshiping God as I do watching football?"
-- think about it -- as much as we
like the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers and, yes, even the Alabama
Crimson Tide -- what have they really done for us that deserves our praise? --
national championships are nice, but how does that compare to what God does for
us each and every day?
-- just this morning, God woke me
up -- put breath in my body -- provided food for me to eat -- made sure I made
it to church safe -- and brought me together with all of you -- through Christ I have been redeemed -- my
sins have been forgiven -- I have been seated in the heavenly realms and have
been blessed with every spiritual blessing possible -- and I have been given
the promise of eternal life and a spiritual inheritance as a child of God
-- so tell me this -- why do people
get more excited about a football game than about worshiping the Lord God
Almighty -- El Shaddai -- the Creator of this universe? -- I think we have
gotten our priorities somewhat shifted -- we need to be offering our praise and
worship to the One that is truly deserving of it, and we need to get excited
about being in the house of the Lord
-- last
week, as we looked at Paul's opening remarks in his letter to the church at
Colossae, we talked about the four ways Paul encourages us to live out God's
will for our lives: bearing fruit in every good work -- growing in the
knowledge of God -- demonstrating endurance and patience through the power of
God -- and thanking the God who has saved us and qualified us to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light
-- this
morning, I wanted us to continue on our discussion from last week by expanding
our thoughts on what it means to truly thank God in our lives -- as we talked
about, it is through our praise and worship that we express our thanks and
gratitude for who God is and what He has done and continues to do in our lives
-- so let's
spend a few minutes this morning talking about how we can get excited about
praising and worshiping God
III. Scripture Lesson: Psalm 135
-- if you would, let's look back at
Psalm 135 and see what we can learn about praising and worshiping God from
David's Psalm
-- verse 1-2
Psalm 135:1-2 (NIV) 1 Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD,
2 you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.
-- David opens this Psalm with a
call to praise -- and while this Psalm was originally written for the ancient
Israelites and refers here in these verses to the servants of the Lord who
minister in the house of the Lord -- the priests -- and those who minister in the
courts of the Lord -- the Levites -- this call to praise and worship God is for
all who name the name of Christ
-- in 1 Peter 2:9-10 we read that
we have been chosen by God, through Christ, to be His people -- a royal
priesthood -- a holy nation -- God's special possession -- to praise Him for
what He has done in our lives-- God wants us to praise Him -- He wants us to worship Him -- He wants us to get excited about who He is and what He has done for us
-- I think there's two reasons why
people don't get excited about worshiping God
-- first, I think it's because most
people tend to approach worship like the ancient Israelites -- they see worship
as something the professionals do -- as something only the priests and Levites
are supposed to do-- we've talked before about how our worship services here in America tend to be more passive -- more like entertainment -- than an interactive service -- the pastor and the worship team are generally elevated on a stage and the people sit in the congregation like an audience -- watching as the professionals lead the show and do the worship -- this is especially true in the larger churches, but look at us -- we've gravitated right back to that format even though we tried to change it up when we envisioned this ministry -- it's what we know -- it's what we expect, so it's what we see on Sunday mornings
-- but that's not the way it should
be -- just like we can't depend on others for our salvation, we can't depend on
others to do our praise and worship for us -- we have to be personally involved
-- as Jesus told the Samaritan woman by the well, we have to reach the point
where we are worshiping from the pews in spirit and in truth -- not just
sitting passively and singing words on a screen
-- somehow we've got to come up
with a way to invite personal worship in our services in such a way that
everyone is actively and excitedly participating
-- and the other reason why I think
people don't get excited about praising God is that we don't really understand
what the Bible means by praise and worship
-- do you know what the word
"worship" actually means? --
it means to give "worth" to something, to ascribe value to something-- when we worship God we are telling Him He is worthy of our praise and our adoration -- we are telling Him that He is our all in all -- we are telling Him He is valuable in our sight
-- Rick Warren said that when we worship God "we enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it not only brings Him joy, but it increases our joy"
-- anything that we do with God and for God is a means of worship and a means of strengthening our relationship with Him -- worship is more than just gathering on Sunday morning -- worship goes far beyond that
-- worship should be the daily recognition of God's presence in our lives and in all creation and the daily offering of praise and thanksgiving to God for His presence in our lives
-- worship should be a lifestyle -- where every moment of every day we bring glory to God by enjoying Him and expressing our enjoyment of Him -- by living our lives as He commanded -- and by giving Him all the honor and glory and praise for everything that goes on
-- when we get back to the heart of worship -- when we adopt a lifestyle of worship -- then we are truly starting to understand what the Bible means when it commands us to praise and worship God
-- look at verse 3-14
Psalm 135:3-14 (NIV)
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own,
5 I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
8 He struck down the firstborn of
9 He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, O
10 He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings--
11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan and all the kings of
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people
13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, through all generations.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
-- in these
verses David proclaims all the mighty acts that God has done on behalf of the
Israelites -- he reminds the people of Israel that God is a good and great God
-- that we should sing praises to His name because of His mighty acts He has
done
-- David
tells the people to praise God because He controls all of creation -- he tells
the people to praise God because of the way He has cared for and protected Israel
-- in the
same way we need to stop and think about who God is and what He has done for us
-- look back over your lives and see how God has guided you and led you -- the
paths He has brought you down -- the people He has placed in your lives -- the
blessings He has given, both in times of plenty and in times of famine-- think about God's redemption and the forgiveness of sins we have through Christ -- think about the promises we have in Him that are all "yes" -- an inheritance as children of God -- spiritual blessings -- eternal life
-- there's an old hymn that we used to sing in church growing up that didn't really mean much to me at the time, but now it means more as I have gotten older and can really see God's hand in my life -- it's called "Count Your Blessings" and the chorus goes like this:
-- "Count your blessings, name them one by one -- Count your blessings, see what God hath done -- Count your blessings, name them one by one -- and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done"
-- when we stop and count our blessings like David does here for the Israelites, you can't help but respond with praise and worship and thankfulness for who God is and what He has done and continues to do in your life
-- just look at what David writes in verse 14 -- he says the "Lord will vindicate His people" -- to vindicate someone means to clear them of blame or suspicion -- you remove their guilt -- you justify them -- you make them right -- David is talking here about the redemption we have through the blood of Jesus -- our justification through Christ's atoning death on the cross
-- if nothing else does it, this should make you excited -- this should make you want to praise and worship God and show Him your thanks for saving you for a life with Him
-- verse
15-18
Psalm 135:15-18 (NIV)
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the
hands of men. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see;
17 they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
-- David
reminds us of the many things that vie for our worship -- we may not be
worshiping statues and bowing down to the stars and sun, but if we are not
careful, we can certainly let idols come into our lives
-- anything
that you place a higher value on than God can become an idol -- your job --
your skills -- your family -- money -- prestige -- power -- even your football
team-- David reminds us that these idols are nothing -- they are created by man and not worthy of worship -- they have mouths but can't speak -- ears but cannot hear -- eyes but cannot see -- they are not real and have no lasting value -- don't worship them, he says, but worship God instead
-- one
thing that struck me as I read this is how we begin to resemble what we worship
-- if you worship an idol, you begin to take on that idol's appearance -- you
lose the ability to see and hear and know the truth
-- but when
we worship God, we begin to take on His appearance -- the more we worship Jesus
-- the more we walk in His paths -- the more we become like Him -- the more we
reflect His nature in our lives-- we become what we worship
-- Crawford
Lorritts points out that worship is a privilege -- it's something we should
take very seriously -- we need to worship God and God alone -- and we need to
worship Him with a pure and undistracted heart
-- verse
19-21
Psalm 135:19-21 (NIV)
19 O house of 20 O house of Levi, praise the LORD; you who fear him, praise the LORD.
21 Praise be to the LORD from
-- just in case you didn't get it, David wants you to understand the point of this Psalm -- Praise God -- this is not a suggestion -- this a command
-- everyone is to praise God -- the whole nation of Israel -- the priests who minister in the temple -- the Levites who serve in the house of God -- the people who gather together for worship -- everyone is to praise God and no one else
-- David is advocating for a lifestyle of worship -- where our worship is motivated by love and thanksgiving and delight -- not out of duty -- not out of tradition -- not done just because it's Sunday and that's what we do
-- worship should be a part of who we are -- it should reflect our thankfulness to God and it should come at all times and in all places
-- Steven
Curtis Chapman caught David's idea of lifestyle worship in his song, Moment
Made for Worshiping"
-- the song
says, "When I'm praying with my children -- as they're running off to
school -- when I kiss my wife good morning -- just to say I still love you-- "when I'm feeling loved and happy -- when I'm feeling all alone -- when I'm failing to remember -- all the love that I've been shown
-- "every beat of my heart is another new place to start -- this is a moment made for worshiping -- cause this is a moment I'm alive -- this is a moment I was made to sing -- a song of living sacrifice -- for every moment that I live and breath -- this is a moment made for worshiping"
--
"Praise God," David writes, "Praise God"
IV. Closing
-- I want
to close by sharing with you a story from Max Lucado that was in his book, "The
Applause of Heaven"
-- he tells the story of the
building of the Taj Mahal -- the reason the Taj Mahal was built was because the
favorite wife of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan died -- in grief, the emperor
began to build a temple around his wife's coffin -- he got obsessed by project
-- it kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger -- one day while he was looking
around and making plans to expand yet again, he saw an old box in the corner
that seemed out of place and ordered it removed -- it was his wife's coffin
-- The one the temple was intended
to honor was forgotten and cast away, but the temple was erected anyway
-- Lucado writes, and I'm quoting
here:
-- "Difficult to believe?
Perhaps -- But eerie nonetheless -- Could someone build a temple and forget
why? -- Could someone construct a palace, yet forget the king? -- Could someone
sculpt a tribute and forget the hero?
-- "You answer those questions
-- Answer them in a church -- The next time you enter an assembly of worship,
position yourself where you can see the people -- Then decide.-- "You can tell the ones who remember the slain one -- They're wide-eyed and expectant -- They're children watching the unwrapping of a gift -- They're servants standing still as a king passes -- You don't doze in the presence of royalty -- And you don't yawn while receiving a gift, especially when the giver is the king himself!
-- "You can also tell the ones who see only the temple -- Their eyes wander -- Their feet shuffle -- Their hands doodle, and their mouths open -- not to sing, but to yawn -- For no matter how hard they try to stay amazed, their eyes start to glaze over -- All temples, even the Taj Mahal, lose their luster after a while.
-- "The temple gazers don't mean to be bored -- They love the church -- They can cite its programs and praise its pastors -- They don't mean to grow stale -- They put on hats and hose and coats and ties and come every week -- But still, something is missing --The one they once planned to honor hasn't been seen in a while.
-- "But those who have seen him can't seem to forget him -- They find him, often in spite of the temple rather than because of it -- They brush the dust away and stand ever impressed before his tomb -- his empty tomb.
-- "The temple builders and the Savior seekers -- You'll find them both in the same church, on the same pew -- at times, even in the same suit.
-- "One sees the structure and says, "What a great church." -- The other sees the Savior and says, "What a great Christ!"
-- "Which do you see?"
-- let us pray
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