Message 2: Communion with Christ in Worship

There are three major commitments that Christ is calling us to invest our lives in:
1. Communion – our deepening relationship with Jesus Christ
2. Community – our deepening relationship with Jesus’ people
3. Commission – our deepening relationship with Jesus’ world

Look at Acts 2:42ff:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

Last week we made our first commitment based upon the example of the early church:
WE ARE CALLED TO PASSIONATELY PURSUE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR MIDST.

WORSHIP is to be a major priority in any group of believers who earnestly desire to build their relationship with Christ.

Look again at Acts 2:46-47: Let’s do some sentence diagramming –

“Every day they continued to meet together…” – Apparently they sensed the importance of the gathered body of believers. There has always been ‘lone ranger’ Christians – but that is not what God desires. We need each other.

“in the Temple Courts.” – a very short term strategy, they were quickly kicked out of the Temple and Synagogues.

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…” – The house and the church meeting just seem to make sense. As does FOOD!

“praising God…” – This was their activity. This is what they did together. They worshipped. The Greek word for used here means: “To praise, to extol, to sing praises – all in honor to God”

“and enjoying the favor of all the people…” – There was a positive dynamic here that was very attractive to even non-believers! The energy, the love, the sharing and the worship all contributed to the people in the community being attracted to the church.

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” – Of course He did! They were focused in on doing the MAIN THING that He wanted them to do, and blessing was – and is – the result!

With all of that said – in order for us, as a group of believers to experience communion with Christ –
WE ARE CALLED TO PASSIONATELY WORSHIP IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!

Notice that I said “passionately” – God wants you to rediscover your heart – your true passion – and the best way to do so, is through focusing on something – or someone – that really matters.

God calls us to rediscover our hearts by getting lost in worship of Him.

Look at 2 Samuel 6.
For the Jews, the Ark of the Covenant represented the Presence of God in their midst. The Ark had been stolen and ended up in the hands of the Philistines. This meant that the people of God did not have the Presence of God – for nearly 70 years! When the armies of Israel defeated the Philistines, King David sought to return the Ark to Jerusalem and as He did so, He worshipped God with great passion…

Look at 2 Sam 6:12
“Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.” 2 Samuel 6:12

Now skip to verse 14:
“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.” 2 Samuel 6:14-16

This is an excellent picture of man rediscovering his heart! He passionately worshipped!

“danced before the LORD with all his might… with shouts and the sound of trumpets… leaping and dancing before the LORD…”

He didn’t give a rip what anyone thought – David was showing his passionate love for God! He was pouring out his heart! He was jumping, shouting, dancing and looking like a fool! All because he loved God! All because he was experiencing the Presence of God.

Now, it’s inevitable that when someone rediscovers his heart, that he will take some heat for it. Look at verse 20:
“When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would.” David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel--I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” 2 Samuel 6:20-22

Look at David’s response to the criticism: “It was before the LORD… I will become ever more undignified that this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes…”

This is an example of the proper attitude of worship!

David Crowder wrote a song about this:
I will dance, I will sing, To be mad, For my King Nothing Lord Is hindering This passion in my soul
And I'll become Even more undignified than this
Some may say It's foolishness But I'll become Even more undignified than this
Leave my pride By my side And I'll become Even more undignified than this

Passion for worship comes from the Presence of God in our lives.

Jesus issues a warning against complacency in Revelation 3:
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:14-16

Do you remember last week we read John 1:14…
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us...” John 1:14

We have His Presence available to us! David danced because of the Ark –how much more should we passionately worship because of Jesus? Through Jesus – we have what the Jews only dreamed of!

Furthermore, Paul reminds us that the Presence of Christ is in our very spirit!
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” 1 Cor. 3:16

SO, HOW ARE WE TO WORSHIP? Turn to Hebrews 12:28

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:28

Notice that the motivation for worship is that ‘we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken…” What God has done for us is irrevocable and final. Therefore, acceptable worship is to be characterized by thankfulness, reverence and awe!

• Reverence is an attitude.
• Awe is an emotion.

Reverence describes your desire and willingness to demonstrate honor, respect and exaltation of God while humbling yourself before Him!
Awe describes the emotional feeling of being in the Presence of greatness!

Worship is to combine proper attitude and emotion.

Now turn to John 4:23 – this is the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman. They began to discuss acceptable worship of God. And Jesus says:

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23, 24, .

Jesus says that worship that God finds acceptable is done in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

WORSHIP in Spirit – Ephesians 5:18-19
- A proper state of mind that is focused on Christ!
- Inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit!

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:18-20

Worship is a SPIRITUAL connection between us and the Almighty God. We must worship in the power of the Holy Spirit. Which requires that we are ‘filled with the Spirit.’ Which requires that we consciously make the choice to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the flesh!

And Jesus also says that we are worship in TRUTH
WORSHIP in Truth – Psalms 86:11
- Whole-hearted worship
“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalms 86:11

Worship that God finds acceptable comes from a heart that is focused and obedient to Christ! He is all that matters. You are passionate about Jesus.

CONCLUSION: Last week, we realized afresh that…
WE ARE CALLED TO PASSIONATELY PURSUE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR MIDST.

And today, He is reminding us that…
WE ARE CALLED TO PASSIONATELY WORSHIP IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!

We worship God through faith in Jesus. As Matt Redman wrote in the now familiar song “The Heart of Worship” – look on p. 4

I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about you, it’s all about you
Jesus, I’m sorry for the things I’ve made it When it’s all about you, it’s all about you, Jesus
King of endless worth, no one could express how much you deserve.
Though I’m weak and poor, all I have is yours, every single breath.

As we sing songs of worship – fulfill your calling. Worship with passion the One who helps you rediscover your heart.