A Life Worth Leading†                          Pastor Sue Briner                                         Psalm 95:1-7a

Worship– The Power to Inspire                                                                               Romans 12:1-2

September 16, 2007                                                                                              Matthew 4:18-22

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Last week – Began “Life Worth Leading” --- God wants us to lead abundant lives, lives of purpose

·        Involves getting to know God  –

o  discover how to live lives of significance – part of God’s mission

o  discover He has power to overcome all obstacles

This week -- How do we begin to deepen our relationship? How do we get to know anyone?

·        Spend time with Him – How do we “find” God? Can be unclear out in the world sometimes.....

·        Begins where it has always begun:  with the People of God – group of believers gathered together on the first day of the week.

·        Begins with  worship– He finds us – He brought us here…..Holy Spirit within us – like a homing beacon

·        God gathers us in – love being up front watching people stream in the doors – young, old

o  All walks of life ,  all different stories

o  For some – great week – celebration

o  Others – just barely holding on – come --- seeking

o  Others – hoping for more than what they’ve experienced out in the world

o  Others – dragged here by spouse, parent.

·        We come for different reasons (comfort, healing, strengthening, xformation) – sometimes not sure why we came until we get here – ever had that?

·        Commonality: ALL are brought by God

·        God promises to be present:

o  Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name I am with them (Matt. 18:20)

o  Poured out His Spirit on the church at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11)

o  Spirit remains in the church (the gathered people of God (1Cor. 3:16) Paul says: “Do y’all not know that y’all are God's temple, and that God's Spirit dwells in y’all?”

o  Word of God – in the beginning the word was with God, and the word WAS God (John 1:1) Word comes from God –and word IS God – word we hear, word we sing, word we see

o  Meal – this is my body, given for you

What does Scripture tell us about worship?

·        Worship begins with  God– in worship we are reminded of Who God is & what He has done & continues to do for us

o  Psalm 95 – on inserts & on bookmark (take home & refer to this week) – what does it say about God? (v. 3, 7)

§ The Lord is a great God – great king above all kings

§ Creator

§ Holds all things in his hands

§ Our God -- & we’re his people!

o  Not only reminded of who God is, what He’s done in Scripture, but how else here in this place?

§ Cross, music, creed, windows, people, Font, Table

·        Worship is active, involves our whole body – what does Psalm 95 say?

o  Come, sing, make a joyful noise – give thanks,  bow down, kneel

o  Paul talks about it in 2^nd lesson – present your bodies as a living sacrifice

o  Lutherans look at worship as an aerobic workout! Up, down – etc.  

§ An aside – incredibly active from our waist down and neck up, but for some reason we’re afraid to use our hands much.

§ But I’m going to use my hands as a way for us to think about what happens to us in worship.

What happens to us in Worship?

·        We SURRENDER ourselves to God   (Hands up)

o  Psalm 51 – begin with confession

o  We confess that we have gotten off course throughout the week.

o  We have let things come in the way of our relationship with God

o  We have worshipped things other than God --

o  We have even played at being God, at thinking we know what’s best for ourselves

o  We have not been living lives worthy of the calling to which we’ve been called

o  We have let things come in the way of our relationships with others.

·        We RECEIVE  forgiveness, cleansing, healing.(Hands cupped together)

o  Hear it, then come to the table and taste it – and here’s where we’re not afraid to use our hands – coming up as beggars that we are.   

·        We are RE-FORMED  – (God shapes us)

o  Romans 12 says that as we present our bodies to God in worship He transforms us – by renewing our minds – reminding us

o  We are like unfired clay – go into the world and pulled, stretched, malformed –

o  Need to come back to our Father to be reshaped into the persons He wants us to be

o  Isaiah says it this way:  O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.(Isa. 64:8)

o  Reformed as vessels of God’s love.

o  Reformed as followers of Christ (out of worship flows discipleship) – gospel reading

·        We are RE-FILLED

o  Pours His life back into us; Paul speaks of this in Romans: “God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

·        We RESPOND

o  Praise and thanksgiving  (Hands up)

o  Giving ourselves, time & possessions back to God

o  The more we are aware of who God is and all that we receive from Him, the more we want to share with others. (Hands out)

o  As we go out those doors  -- give ourselves away as bread for the hungry (from post-communion prayer) – knowing that we will be refilled here each week. (Hands out)

Closing

·        Don’t leave Christ in here, but follow Him out the door and into the world, living your lives as worship & praise to the once who gives us everything we need, everything we have

·        Let the prayer on the front of this book mark be your daily prayer this week.

o  Daily prayer – help us receive what you have to give. Help us share what we receive.

·        Come back next week to be reformed and refilled again, to receive all that God wants to give you.