1 00:00:04,900 --> 00:00:07,400 It's good to see you guys today. I hope that you're having a good 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,900 morning. It is the Lord's day and so it's 3 00:00:09,900 --> 00:00:11,700 good to be in this house with you. 4 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:14,400 All you're visiting today. My name is Kyle serve as the 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,800 lead Pastor here and I want to say thank you for being with us. 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,200 If you would go ahead and grab your bible, open it to the Book 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:29,200 of Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes, senior Old Testament, just after 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:34,500 the book of Psalms and proverbs And then we're going to be in 9 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:38,600 chapter 5 this morning, so I'll give you a second to find that. 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:43,000 As you're looking, I'll kind of catch you up on where we're at 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,300 in this series, that we've called what happens when we 12 00:00:46,300 --> 00:00:49,700 worship where we're just examining what happens when we 13 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:55,700 come together we can and week out to worship God what happens 14 00:00:55,700 --> 00:01:01,100 in the service and so when we say worship, you know worship 15 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:06,600 has a Turn if you will connotation of singing, Only or 16 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,900 music only, we talk about worship music a lot. 17 00:01:10,300 --> 00:01:13,100 But when we talk about, when we talk about, worshiping God 18 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:15,500 specifically in a worship service, we're not referring to 19 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:17,900 the singing portion only. And so each week, I just want to 20 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,300 remind us of that, that what we're talking about when we say 21 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:23,100 what happens when we worship. We're talking about the service 22 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:26,400 all together from beginning, to from the call, to worship to the 23 00:01:26,408 --> 00:01:28,800 final prayer before we go home today. 24 00:01:29,100 --> 00:01:31,400 What's taking place in all of those things? 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,600 Does it matter. Why does it matter? 26 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:37,800 And so on so forth. So last week, we talked about 27 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:42,700 how week in and week out what we're doing in worship, if it's 28 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:46,000 done right? Is we're rehearsing God's 29 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,600 covenant faithfulness toward us and so were rehearsing the way 30 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,200 that God comes to us over and over again. 31 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,000 In his kindness in his goodness, we've been unfaithful to his 32 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,400 Covenant. Israel was unfaithful to his 33 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,800 Covenant people of God have Always been unfaithful to the 34 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,900 Covenant and so God comes to us. Now in Christ Christ is a 35 00:02:08,908 --> 00:02:12,600 mediator of a New Covenant Hebrew since this is a Covenant 36 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,000 of Grace. It's a covenant that's built on 37 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,700 the faithfulness of God. It's where our unfaithfulness is 38 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:22,100 covered by the righteousness of Christ. 39 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:27,100 And so now, we enter in to worship week in week out with 40 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:30,800 confidence. A confidently entering into 41 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,000 worship is relatively New Concept. 42 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:36,900 This wasn't something that Old Testament believers. 43 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:41,000 Had much of it and get to enter in with a lot of confidence 44 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,300 because people died a lot entering into Worship in the 45 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:48,500 wrong ways. But here we enter in by grace. 46 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:53,200 And so this week, I want to talk to you about how God sets the 47 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,300 agenda for worship, just because there's Grace doesn't mean 48 00:02:56,300 --> 00:02:59,500 there's not law. Just because there's, Grace 49 00:02:59,500 --> 00:03:02,400 doesn't mean there aren't rules. We should follow, when we 50 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,800 worship God. It doesn't mean that it's void 51 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,200 of his commands or if his prescriptions for what happens 52 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,300 in worship, those things are absolutely presence. 53 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,300 And so I want to lay before you write this down. 54 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:18,000 If you're taking notes kids you got guides. 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,500 Now I want you to take notes with us. 56 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:22,100 Will be things back here that you can write down. 57 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,700 First thing, I want you to write down this worship that pleases 58 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:34,500 God hangs on knowing and submitting to his agenda worship 59 00:03:34,500 --> 00:03:37,000 that pleases. God hangs on knowing and 60 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:43,500 submitting to his agenda. Now hopefully you found a queasy 61 00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:47,300 acids chapter 5 by now. So let's read verses 1 and 2, 62 00:03:47,300 --> 00:03:50,200 would you stand to your feet together when I'm finished 63 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,500 reading? I'll say this is the word of the 64 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:54,500 Lord and I would ask that you reply. 65 00:03:55,100 --> 00:03:56,800 Thanks, be to God. Amen. 66 00:03:57,100 --> 00:03:59,000 All right. Ecclesiastes 5, verse 1 and 2. 67 00:04:01,300 --> 00:04:05,500 Guard your steps. When you go to the house of God, 68 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,400 to draw near to listen, is better than to offer the 69 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,600 sacrifice of fools for. They do not know that they are 70 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:19,200 doing evil, be not rash, with your mouth, nor let your heart 71 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,500 be Hasty to utter a word before God. 72 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:26,700 For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth. 73 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:30,700 Therefore, let your Words Be Few. 74 00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:34,700 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 75 00:04:34,700 --> 00:04:37,700 We pray for us, before you sit Heavenly Father, we thank you 76 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:41,000 for your word. We approach it now and humility. 77 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:46,700 We ask Lord for you to teach us Lord help us, not to come with 78 00:04:46,900 --> 00:04:51,900 preconceptions with ideas of our own making or ideas that have 79 00:04:51,900 --> 00:04:55,500 been passed to us for men. That would be wrong. 80 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,800 But Lord help us to bring those things to you to lay them on the 81 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:04,200 Altar and Allow you to burn them up as necessary or to fortify 82 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,600 them where it's good and right to do. 83 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,100 So Lord, we thank you for your word. 84 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:11,000 We thank you that we have it to train us. 85 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:16,900 It's it equips us for every good work. 86 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,400 It teaches us, Lord, that we might rightly know the God, we 87 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,200 worship. We might rightly know in this 88 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,900 case today, how to worship. Lord that we might rightly know 89 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:33,600 how to live for you day in and day out and so Lord, would you 90 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,000 open our hearts and Minds to receive it today? 91 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:42,400 Lord help us to be that that ground that is made up of good 92 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:47,400 soil, receptive to the seed of your word receptive, to the 93 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,400 watering of that seed, that it might grow and us and bear 94 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,600 fruits. Lord, we are helpless for this 95 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,600 endeavor, on our own and we are dependent now upon your spirits. 96 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:07,600 So we ask that he Enlighten us Did he bring to bear your word 97 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,300 on our lives that we might live it out? 98 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,800 Lord, in all of this is meant for the glory of God and not our 99 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:15,800 own glory. And so we ask these things in 100 00:06:15,808 --> 00:06:18,100 the Name of Christ. Amen. 101 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:19,600 Amen. You may be seated. 102 00:06:23,700 --> 00:06:27,500 Queasy astiz 5 verse 1 says guard your steps. 103 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:32,000 When you go to the house of God, the preacher here in 104 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:36,900 Ecclesiastes is laying out. Instruction. 105 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:42,300 And he's telling you do not be Hasty and worship but guard your 106 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:46,800 steps. Do not draw near as those who 107 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,000 offer sacrifice. I offer the sacrifice of fools 108 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:53,200 for they do not know that they were doing evil but draw near as 109 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,800 one who is ready to listen to God. 110 00:06:57,300 --> 00:07:00,800 And so I ask you when you read something like that comes to the 111 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,700 question comes have have I given thought have you given thought 112 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:09,400 to what we're doing week in and week out as We Worship the Lord 113 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:14,900 together, we already established that we come to meet with God. 114 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,600 We've talked about that and weeks previous. 115 00:07:17,900 --> 00:07:19,300 We talked about it more last week. 116 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:21,900 We're going to talk about it some more today, we have come to 117 00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:24,500 meet with God. Nothing less than that is true, 118 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,600 really nothing more than that is true. 119 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,100 So we've established that we meet with God week in and week 120 00:07:31,100 --> 00:07:32,600 out. We've established it meeting 121 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,400 with God would be terrifying. This is what we talked about 122 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,400 last week as we talked about the renewal or the reminder of this 123 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,500 Covenant week in and week out, it would be a terrifying thing 124 00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:47,300 to meet with God. Apart from the mediator Christ 125 00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:50,200 Jesus. And so, if it weren't for his 126 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,300 son, if it weren't for a mediator, if it weren't for 127 00:07:53,300 --> 00:07:56,200 being able to come in and say I'm covered by the blood of the 128 00:07:56,207 --> 00:07:59,200 Lamb. And coming in would be 129 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,700 terrifying and it should be because apart from being covered 130 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:06,600 by the Lamb of God, apart from being covered by your faith. 131 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,200 In Christ by the blood of Christ. 132 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,000 Apart from that, you would be coming and nothing but your sin. 133 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,100 You would be bringing your sin to the Lord. 134 00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:17,600 You would be bringing your presumptions to the Lord. 135 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,400 You would be bringing your own confidence. 136 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:28,500 And yourself before the Lord. And so, you would stand naked 137 00:08:28,500 --> 00:08:32,500 and ashamed before God. But as it stands, now, if you 138 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:35,700 come in Christ, you come clothed in the righteousness. 139 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:40,600 That is not your own, but is now your own You stand closed as 140 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:43,600 one. Who is Unworthy of such clothing 141 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,300 of such a robe. But nevertheless, you've been 142 00:08:47,300 --> 00:08:50,500 given the road? Because, well, his Mercy is 143 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:57,000 more, amen. And so when man encounters God 144 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,500 in the Bible, we see it over and over again. 145 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:05,600 When man encounters got in the Bible, several things happen. 146 00:09:05,700 --> 00:09:07,700 But some of which are has to hide. 147 00:09:07,700 --> 00:09:12,200 His eyes is to Shield himself, he boughs, and he cannot look 148 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:17,900 upon that which he beholds in other instances, the men of God, 149 00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:21,800 who encounter God, are they refer to themselves as being 150 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,000 undone before the Lord? They're brought to the what that 151 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,800 means is they're brought to the ends of themselves to be. 152 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,500 Undone means to stand naked and ashamed. 153 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:35,400 Before the Lord, It's to recognize that I've brought 154 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:41,300 nothing to him on my own. Which makes me worthy to stand 155 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:47,400 before such a holy God. We see other instances of fear. 156 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,300 We see fear when people encounter not necessarily God 157 00:09:52,300 --> 00:09:56,100 himself but Angels From The Lord, there's great fear in 158 00:09:56,100 --> 00:09:59,100 them. Why? 159 00:10:00,300 --> 00:10:04,400 Because the Holiness of God is terrifyingly powerful. 160 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,000 Bless you. The Holiness of God is? 161 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,700 It's all what holding this means is that he's altogether set 162 00:10:14,700 --> 00:10:17,100 apart from us. And when we say is all together, 163 00:10:17,100 --> 00:10:19,800 set apart from us, we mean that he is altogether. 164 00:10:19,900 --> 00:10:24,000 Perfect. He's altogether righteous. 165 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,000 That he's altogether, able to judge sin. 166 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:34,600 And is the only one able. And so there's great benefit in 167 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,900 having Christ as our mediator because it's by Christ that we 168 00:10:38,900 --> 00:10:41,400 are able to enter in with confidence. 169 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,400 As I said, a moment ago it's by Christ that we draw near to God 170 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:49,200 without any fear, but it's easy to take for granted the benefits 171 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,400 of coming before. God, who is omnipotent, that 172 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,800 means that he's all-powerful It's easy to take for granted 173 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,800 that we get to come before an all-powerful God. 174 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:09,900 And walk away unscathed by it. As we stand in Christ. 175 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:12,700 But not only do we know, not only did we walk away unscathed. 176 00:11:12,700 --> 00:11:20,000 We we walk away blessed by it. We walk away with the ability to 177 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,600 become more like what we've seen because of Christ. 178 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:32,600 But because we can lose sight of it because we can lose sight of 179 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,100 what it means to come before an all-powerful God. 180 00:11:37,700 --> 00:11:39,900 It's easy to begin to treat God as though. 181 00:11:39,900 --> 00:11:44,500 He's you know a stuffed animal that a child might sleep with 182 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,700 and we can cuddle up next to him and we can do with him whatever 183 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:52,800 we want to do. Because he's tame and he's safe 184 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,600 and there's nothing about him. That is threatening to us. 185 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:02,700 But I'm reminded again, I think I've mentioned this a few times, 186 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:08,200 but it's worth mentioning again. When Christ will did his power 187 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:10,900 as he stands in the boat. And the storm is Raging he 188 00:12:10,900 --> 00:12:14,200 stands there with his disciples and he Wills his power for 189 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:19,100 peace. And he says, peace be still in 190 00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:25,200 the storms were calm down. What we read There is that his 191 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,800 disciples were afraid once they were afraid of what was outside 192 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:34,200 the boat storm, the Raging Waters, the water coming into 193 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:39,600 the boat, the fear of drowning, But now in the midst of Peace. 194 00:12:39,700 --> 00:12:42,700 Everything's calm. Everything's perfect. 195 00:12:44,700 --> 00:12:48,100 That they recognize that the man in the boat is altogether 196 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:51,100 different than they are. And it says that they feared him 197 00:12:51,100 --> 00:12:55,100 and ask themselves what kind of man is this that even the wind 198 00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:58,800 and the waves obey his voice? Wow. 199 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:02,700 You see there's a fear there of the Lord. 200 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,000 Why? Because he's powerful. 201 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,800 He willed his power for, they're good, but they're afraid. 202 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:13,600 They're afraid. They understand that. 203 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:18,900 He controls all things. Anybody read CS Lewis's. 204 00:13:18,900 --> 00:13:22,000 The Chronicles of Narnia. Raise your hand kids. 205 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,200 Yeah. All right. 206 00:13:23,900 --> 00:13:27,900 If you haven't kids, read it. You say, well, I can't read yet. 207 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:29,100 Make your Mom and Dad read it to you. 208 00:13:29,100 --> 00:13:32,000 It's wonderful. All right, it's fantastic. 209 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:36,600 In CS Lewis's, The Chronicles of Narnia. 210 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,700 In one of the early books, actually the line, which in the 211 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:47,700 wardrobe book, Lucy, little girl, there learns that Aslan, 212 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,500 she's just hearing about it for the first time she learns that 213 00:13:50,500 --> 00:13:58,700 Aslan, the king of Narnia is a lion And fear At first, she was 214 00:13:58,700 --> 00:14:02,900 excited to meet Aslan, but now, fear Creeps in and she asked mr. 215 00:14:02,900 --> 00:14:04,500 And mrs. Beaver. 216 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:10,100 She says, then he isn't safe to, which means mr. 217 00:14:10,100 --> 00:14:12,600 Beaver gets really exciting. It was safe. 218 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,700 Don't you hear what? Mrs. Beaver tells you who said 219 00:14:17,700 --> 00:14:20,600 anything about safe course he isn't safe. 220 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,400 But he's good. He's the king I tell you. 221 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,200 And the preacher of Ecclesiastes, says guard your 222 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,600 steps. When you go to the house of God 223 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:34,900 isn't warning, worshippers not to go to the house of God as he 224 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:42,500 is, not saying don't go. He he's warning worshippers not 225 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:46,200 to waltz into Worship in differently, not to go in a 226 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,800 pathetically. Not to go in as the fools do. 227 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:54,000 He says, who make all their utterances before the Lord and 228 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:56,300 Proclaim. All their things before God and 229 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:59,400 are not concerned with orderly worship. 230 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:05,800 This is don't go in that way. He says guard your steps, in 231 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,500 other words. Remember when you go to meet 232 00:15:07,500 --> 00:15:13,600 with almighty God, remember that, as you go in, you are 233 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,000 first of all, meeting with almighty God and so therefore 234 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:23,400 worship and the way that he ordains And so I tell you, 235 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:28,300 Brothers, the sisters meeting with God isn't safe so to speak. 236 00:15:29,900 --> 00:15:35,200 But it is altogether. Good, it's good for your soul. 237 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,000 It's good for your life. It's good for your marriage has. 238 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,000 It's good for your children. It's good for your home. 239 00:15:43,700 --> 00:15:51,500 It's good for the whole man. Mind soul body, everything about 240 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:55,600 it is good for you. It's good. 241 00:15:57,100 --> 00:16:01,000 And so God commands us through the preacher here in 242 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,600 Ecclesiastes, 5 guard your steps. 243 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,600 Now, to rightly guard, your steps to put a fence around 244 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,100 something to guard. Something means there's 245 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:13,200 parameters, right? There's things that must be 246 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:17,900 observed things. We must either do or listen to 247 00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:21,400 or not, do or not, listen to write that. 248 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,300 So the fence keeps out, but it also keeps in. 249 00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:27,800 And so to rightly guard ourselves, we must Bay, God's 250 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,200 commands for worship. This is how we guard our steps. 251 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,900 We can't, we can't just guard, we can't guard steps. 252 00:16:34,900 --> 00:16:37,100 If we don't know what guarding it even means, right? 253 00:16:37,100 --> 00:16:39,800 But God teaches us what it means to guard your steps. 254 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,800 And if you'll guard your steps, the meeting with God, over and 255 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:49,100 over week in, and week out in worship is eternally good for 256 00:16:49,100 --> 00:16:52,100 you. It's eternally, good for you. 257 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:56,400 And so worship that pleases God again, hangs on knowing and 258 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:02,400 submitting to his agenda. Then the question comes in. 259 00:17:02,700 --> 00:17:06,700 Do I have to? Ecclesiastes. 5, to be, not 260 00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:10,599 rash, with your mouth, nor let your heart, be Hasty to utter a 261 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:13,599 word before God. For God, is in heaven, and you 262 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:17,200 are on earth. Therefore, let your Words Be 263 00:17:17,500 --> 00:17:22,800 Few. You've likely heard it many 264 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:26,000 times. Do I have to Dad? 265 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:32,000 Do I have to Mom? It's the Cry of a nun. 266 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,100 Submissive heart. Let's not fool ourselves into 267 00:17:36,100 --> 00:17:39,700 thinking that such a heart only belongs to little children. 268 00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:42,900 Everyone is found guilty of a nun. 269 00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:47,900 Submissive heart, we live in a society that is about self 270 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:50,900 first, it's all about unsubmitted sadness. 271 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,800 It's all about, Paving your own way. 272 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,600 It's all about making your own path. 273 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,800 Preaching speaking believing your own truth. 274 00:18:01,900 --> 00:18:03,700 It's all about being on submissive. 275 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:05,700 In other words, it's all about rebellion. 276 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,500 A quick study of people's New Year's resolutions reveals. 277 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:12,300 This for us they were your social media was likely as 278 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:15,300 flooded as my noise of people saying this year, I'm putting 279 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:20,500 myself first my physical health, my mental health, my emotional 280 00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:25,200 health, and my initial thought, is, well, good luck. 281 00:18:27,300 --> 00:18:31,000 Looking more at yourself, hoping to make yourself better. 282 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,600 It don't work that way. Like, the comedian said, why 283 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:35,800 would I do that? Myself? 284 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,300 Is the one who got me in this mess to begin with, right? 285 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,900 However, it doesn't stop us from approaching weekly worship with 286 00:18:44,908 --> 00:18:48,800 the same mentality, rather than looking into God's word. 287 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,000 Jonathan Cruz says this in his book rather than looking into 288 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,700 God's word, to see how we ought to worship him, we come up with 289 00:18:55,700 --> 00:18:58,600 our own methods based on personal preferences. 290 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,700 We decide this is the thing I like and so worship becomes like 291 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:06,900 a matter of taste rather than a matter of God's commands. 292 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,200 I like their worship team. I like the songs they sing 293 00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:15,100 better. I like that style of preaching 294 00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:18,000 better, I like this length of service over that length of 295 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,200 service that church has better carpet and lighting, right? 296 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:25,300 I mean, you name it. People leave and join churches 297 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:29,600 for all sorts of foolish reasons, things that God has not 298 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,800 laid out. But his worship really just a 299 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,500 matter of preference. Do we really get to just come in 300 00:19:37,500 --> 00:19:39,800 on a Sunday morning and say, this is what we like have. 301 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,300 We orchestrated a worship service on Sunday mornings just 302 00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:48,100 because we think this is what's best Just because we came up 303 00:19:48,100 --> 00:19:50,500 with this idea and it's like, well, you know, it's pretty 304 00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:52,700 similar to what all the other churches are doing. 305 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:57,200 Let's just do that. Or do you think there was more 306 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,200 thought? Into it. 307 00:20:07,500 --> 00:20:12,700 I don't think it's up to sinful worshipers to tell God how we 308 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:16,500 worship. I don't think it's up to us to 309 00:20:16,500 --> 00:20:21,200 say, this is what we're going to do today, I think he dictates 310 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,700 the terms, I believe that if we're meeting with God each week 311 00:20:24,700 --> 00:20:28,900 and we are then it is best for us to submit to God's agenda for 312 00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:31,800 worship. Not our own, he is God after 313 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,600 all, amen. And so this is the preachers 314 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,400 argument here in Ecclesiastes, because God is in heaven. 315 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,000 He says, and you are on earth, we come to hear from him. 316 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,900 He says, therefore, let your Words Be Few. 317 00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:48,800 Think about it this way, if you show up at work tomorrow morning 318 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:52,500 and you walk in and your boss comes to you and he says, I need 319 00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:54,400 you to come into my office. I've got to meet with you. 320 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,400 Chances are real high. That you're not going to walk in 321 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:06,100 bust into his office like Kramer you know, plop down in a chair, 322 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,300 throw your feet up on his desk and say what's good boss man? 323 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:18,300 Right, you're not doing that. You're going to walk in somber, 324 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,600 probably, because of the boss says I've got to meet with you. 325 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,800 That may not be a good thing. You're going to close the door 326 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,300 behind you because you like I ain't letting nobody hear this. 327 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,000 You're going to find your seat. You're going to wait on him, to 328 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,600 begin the conversation. Why? 329 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:37,400 Because your Superior has requested a meeting with you. 330 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,200 And the right? Response is appropriate and so 331 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:42,900 you're going to respond appropriately. 332 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,700 You recognize what that means. Well, the same should be true 333 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,400 when God calls us to meet with him. 334 00:21:51,300 --> 00:21:56,400 He is far superior to us. We are dust and Ashes to him. 335 00:21:57,500 --> 00:22:01,200 And when he calls us to meet with him, he sets the agenda. 336 00:22:01,300 --> 00:22:04,000 We wait on him. We cannot do whatever. 337 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,900 We please must do. What he commands. 338 00:22:08,100 --> 00:22:11,600 And so again, Ecclesiastes 51 guard your steps when you go to 339 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,000 the house of God, it's important. 340 00:22:15,300 --> 00:22:18,700 The idea of guarding your steps means to walk prudently to look 341 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:24,100 around at your surroundings. As you go, it's to avoid the 342 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:26,700 cracks and the crevices. The holes that others are 343 00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:29,500 falling into you regarding your steps. 344 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,900 You're being careful in how you worship. 345 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:34,300 God cares. How we worship. 346 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:38,500 And if we do not worship Him according to his agenda, then we 347 00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:43,800 are placing ourselves in danger. Attempted to balk at this idea 348 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,200 that we're in any kind of danger for worshipping, God and 349 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,000 appropriately. I think it's because worship is 350 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,200 personal, or at least it is personal. 351 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:56,600 And so, we think that personal preference drives the worship, 352 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,800 but it doesn't, we think surely God doesn't care how we worship. 353 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:04,300 He only cares that we worship. But there's arrogance in that. 354 00:23:05,300 --> 00:23:07,800 There's arrogance and saying, surely God doesn't care, how 355 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:09,600 worship he only cares that I worship. 356 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,300 What does that do it places you and your preference above God? 357 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:17,400 And his commands. Again, Jonathan Cruz is helpful. 358 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:18,900 Here he illustrates this a lot of thought. 359 00:23:18,900 --> 00:23:22,600 Well, by saying this, he says I'm so great and important that 360 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,700 God should be thrilled at the prospect of getting any of my 361 00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:28,700 attention. What a privilege for him that I 362 00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:33,100 would worship Him. Surely he's so attention-starved 363 00:23:33,100 --> 00:23:36,700 that he will take whatever I give him. 364 00:23:38,700 --> 00:23:40,900 Hers goes on to add but that's not the case. 365 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:46,100 God doesn't need us doesn't need or worse but if we were going to 366 00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:48,800 worship, we better do it properly. 367 00:23:49,700 --> 00:23:56,000 And so worship that pleases God hangs on knowing And submitting 368 00:23:56,300 --> 00:24:01,600 to his agenda. Just a couple of stories in the 369 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,700 Old Testament about brothers. In Genesis chapter 4, we have 370 00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:08,100 the story of Cain and Abel, raise your hand, you've heard of 371 00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:09,900 Cain and Abel. All right, all right, boys and 372 00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:12,100 girls. Good job Cain and Abel. 373 00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:14,800 Right? One got mad at the other one and 374 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,400 took his life. Basically the story. 375 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,400 Correct. But why, what happens? 376 00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:22,900 Well, they bring their offerings to the Lord ones. 377 00:24:22,900 --> 00:24:26,800 Receive the other is rejected and so the one who had his 378 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:32,100 offering rejected gets mad. And murders his brother, he's 379 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:35,200 jealous. Genesis 4 3 through 5. 380 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,300 It says in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord and 381 00:24:39,300 --> 00:24:41,200 offering and I'm not here to debate these things, but I do 382 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,500 want you to notice a couple words and offering of the fruit 383 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:48,400 of the ground, that's what Cain, brought an offering of the fruit 384 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:53,300 of the ground and Abel also brought what of the firstborn of 385 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:55,900 his flock and of their fat portions. 386 00:24:56,500 --> 00:24:59,700 So cable brings a piece of the pie. 387 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,800 A cane. That's a cable. 388 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,300 Anybody, anybody have a brain that moves faster than your 389 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:15,000 mouth can move sometimes? Right? 390 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:24,300 Not cable cane but You know, so Cain brings an offer Abel, 391 00:25:24,500 --> 00:25:28,300 brings the best, the best of what the Lord's given him. 392 00:25:28,300 --> 00:25:33,200 He says I'm giving the Lord the first fruits of this and so it 393 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:37,000 says there in verse 4 that the Lord had regard for Abel and his 394 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,400 offering, that means he accepted Abel and his offerings but for 395 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:45,300 Cain and his offering, so both Cain and his offering the Lord 396 00:25:45,300 --> 00:25:50,000 had no regard. He rejected Cain, and Cain's 397 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:54,000 offering. So Cain was very angry and his 398 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,200 face fell. Now, later in the story, The 399 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,400 Lord comes to cane and he says, listen sin is crouching at your 400 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:04,200 door. It seeks to devour you turn now. 401 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,000 Essentially he warns him and Cain doubles down murders. 402 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,600 His brother rest is as we say, history. 403 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,300 God has regard for one form of worship and not another. 404 00:26:18,300 --> 00:26:21,400 That's what this teaches us. The point here is, there's a 405 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,500 form of worship that is acceptable to God and a form of 406 00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:26,000 worship. That is not acceptable. 407 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,100 There's a form of offering that's acceptable and there's a 408 00:26:28,108 --> 00:26:30,000 form of offering that is not acceptable. 409 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:32,900 So we must be careful how we worship. 410 00:26:32,900 --> 00:26:37,600 If we're going to worship in a way that displeases God, then we 411 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,900 should beware. It might not only be our worship 412 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:45,500 that gets rejected but we may be soon rejected as well. 413 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:50,000 If worship is merely up to us and we're going to create 414 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,600 something. We like something that makes 415 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,000 sense to us. This is what they did in Exodus, 416 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,600 when they created a golden calf and said This is Our God that 417 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,600 led us out of Egypt. And I mean, anybody looking at 418 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:07,900 the golden calf says, I don't look a lot like all the things 419 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:12,400 we saw Shirley but no many were guilty of such foolish Worship 420 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:17,500 in that moment. And so we don't want to make any 421 00:27:17,500 --> 00:27:21,000 golden caps. We don't want to create worship 422 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,300 that appeals to us. We won't worship that is 423 00:27:24,300 --> 00:27:28,000 pleasing to the Lord. And so doing, if we do that, if 424 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,800 we make worship that appeals to us, we will end up worshiping 425 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:36,000 ourselves rather than God because we are sinful creatures. 426 00:27:37,300 --> 00:27:40,800 The best we can do is a bigger and better version of ourselves. 427 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,200 That's it. It's the best we can do on our 428 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,100 own but God is altogether different from us. 429 00:27:46,100 --> 00:27:49,700 He is Holy he's not a bitter bigger and better version of us. 430 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:51,800 He is just simply bigger and better. 431 00:27:53,500 --> 00:27:58,200 He is God and he determines what is acceptable and worship and 432 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,600 what is not? I told you there were two 433 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:06,100 stories of two brothers are another set of brothers nadab 434 00:28:06,100 --> 00:28:08,500 and a by Hugh, there were priests in Israel. 435 00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:12,500 They found out the hard way that God cares, how we worship? 436 00:28:12,500 --> 00:28:16,500 They offered what was called at the time, Strange Fire To The 437 00:28:16,500 --> 00:28:19,400 Lord and did worship their own way. 438 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:25,100 And in Leviticus 10:3. The Lord says among those who 439 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:27,800 are near me, I will be Sanctified, that means I will be 440 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:32,700 regarded as holy and before. All the people, I will be 441 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:37,600 glorified. Naida Banda by who found out the 442 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,700 hard way that it matters how we worship. 443 00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:43,000 They were consumed by the fire of God. 444 00:28:46,900 --> 00:28:49,200 Jonathan Cruz says this in his book he says God will be 445 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,300 regarded as holy among the people who draw near to him and 446 00:28:52,300 --> 00:28:56,900 worship either by faith or by fire from heaven. 447 00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:00,000 But you can rest assure, everyone's going to know who's 448 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:04,400 in charge. You know, if we were to sum this 449 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,800 part of the message up? We might say this worship will 450 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,100 either be people centered or god-centered, but it cannot be 451 00:29:10,100 --> 00:29:14,000 both worship. Can't be what I want and what 452 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:19,200 God wants. So what we must do, so, to have 453 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,400 our to ensure rather than our worship is God centered. 454 00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:30,400 Is we must have services that are saturated with the Bible. 455 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:36,500 Saturated with the Bible services in which the songs 456 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:42,700 prayers, the readings, the sermons are full of scripture. 457 00:29:43,900 --> 00:29:47,000 Such a service will be full of God himself. 458 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,100 Worship that pleases God again, hangs on knowing and submitting 459 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:55,700 to his agenda. And so far what we've seen is 460 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:58,400 that God cares about how we worship and that we are 461 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:02,200 worshipping in a way that is pleasing to him when we worship 462 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:06,500 according to his word. Again, as a reminder, let me 463 00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:08,200 read these verses guard your steps. 464 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:12,600 When you go to the house of God, to draw near is to list, sorry 465 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:16,000 to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of 466 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,300 fools for they did not. They do not know that they are 467 00:30:19,308 --> 00:30:23,900 doing evil. Be not rash, with your mouth, 468 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:27,200 nor let your heart, be Hasty to utter a word before God. 469 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,200 For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth. 470 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:32,600 Therefore, let your Words Be Few. 471 00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:36,300 Now if we regard our steps and worship and we need to know the 472 00:30:36,300 --> 00:30:39,600 proper steps to take. What does the Bible say about 473 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,600 worship? What does it command? 474 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:47,300 What is it prescribed for us? What does it forbid after all? 475 00:30:47,500 --> 00:30:50,300 I don't know about you, but I don't want to face the consuming 476 00:30:50,300 --> 00:30:54,300 fire of God is native and the by Hugh heads to, nor do I want to 477 00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:57,800 drop dead as ananias and his wife Sapphira did in Acts 5, 478 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:03,200 after lying to The Holy Spirits, Finally, we see in First 479 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,500 Corinthians 11, that Paul warns the Corinthians that some of 480 00:31:06,500 --> 00:31:08,300 their own. They're within the church. 481 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:11,400 Have faced sickness and death because they have failed to 482 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,200 obey, God's commands for receiving the Lord's Supper. 483 00:31:15,500 --> 00:31:18,700 So those things that the Bible clearly prescribes and commands 484 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:25,100 are called elements Elements. The elements of worship are the 485 00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:27,900 non-negotiables. They are the scripturally 486 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:31,500 mandated parts of what it means to publicly assemble and 487 00:31:31,500 --> 00:31:34,000 worship. God, it's cruises Definition for 488 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,400 elements with a funnel. So helpful, Now some of the 489 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,200 foundational elements include weekly gathering for preaching 490 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:46,300 praying and partaking of the Lord's supper and baptism in the 491 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:48,400 earliest days of the Christian Church of the Christian church. 492 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,200 We read this in Acts 2:42 right after the 3000 or brought to the 493 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:53,800 Lord not including women and children. 494 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:57,100 It says this, it says, and they devoted themselves to the 495 00:31:57,100 --> 00:31:59,500 apostles teaching and the fellowship to the breaking of 496 00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:02,000 bread. And the prayers, we read further 497 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,800 there they didn't neglect to meet together in homes, but also 498 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,700 in the temple from week, the week. 499 00:32:08,300 --> 00:32:10,700 And this is the process that you see throughout the New 500 00:32:10,700 --> 00:32:12,800 Testament. We read in Acts, you read the 501 00:32:12,808 --> 00:32:15,300 letters that are written to the churches, their meeting together 502 00:32:15,300 --> 00:32:18,100 on the first day of the week for what worship. 503 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,400 Other elements include reading scripture. 504 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,500 We see this in Colossians 4. First Timothy 4 for Cecil 505 00:32:25,500 --> 00:32:27,600 audience, 5, Second Thessalonians 3. 506 00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:30,100 I can give all these later. If anybody wants to know, but 507 00:32:30,100 --> 00:32:33,600 singing is a part of as one of the elements of worship. 508 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:37,800 First Corinthians 14 Ephesians 5 Colossians 3 again, giving gifts 509 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:43,200 for the needs of the church and to the needy X6 Romans 12 8 and 510 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:50,000 13, Second Corinthians 8 and 9. Public confession of Faith, 511 00:32:50,500 --> 00:32:53,100 verse Timothy 6. Second Timothy 1, second 512 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:56,400 Thessalonians, 2 confession of sin. 513 00:32:56,500 --> 00:33:00,600 First, John one, It's just some of the elements. 514 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,700 There's some debate as to what are elements of water or not but 515 00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:08,400 largely those are ones that everyone agrees on as well as 516 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:09,900 the sacraments which I mentioned earlier. 517 00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:14,000 In addition to elements though, there are circumstances which 518 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,700 must be decided upon. Again, Cruz has a definition for 519 00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:18,100 circumstances of thought was helpful. 520 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:21,400 They are those things not mandated in scripture and so it 521 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,600 requires wisdom to implement them in the right and 522 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:28,600 appropriate worship of God. Some examples of circumstances. 523 00:33:30,500 --> 00:33:34,900 What time do we begin each week? What will the preacher wear 524 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:37,800 today? I am dressed as though. 525 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:39,400 I'm either. Going to deliver your mail or 526 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,800 deliver a sermon. You don't know which, right? 527 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,300 It's still well by now you might have figured it out. 528 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,100 Will we use song books or a projector? 529 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:59,400 Now it's important for God's people, but especially the 530 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:03,300 church Elders to Clara lie. To clearly distinguish between 531 00:34:03,300 --> 00:34:07,200 elements and circumstances because people want to muddy the 532 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,300 waters on what's an element, what's the circumstance? 533 00:34:09,300 --> 00:34:13,000 And we can't have the body, the waters, muddied, or we'll be in 534 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,400 trouble but we can only clearly distinguish those according to 535 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,100 God's word and it's important that we don't get them mixed up. 536 00:34:19,100 --> 00:34:23,000 So again, why because worship that pleases God hangs on 537 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:24,400 knowing and submitting to his agenda. 538 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:27,800 We've got to know what his agenda is. now, one other 539 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:32,400 important part of worship to consider is what do we do with 540 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:36,300 the elements? What shape does the service take 541 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:40,000 in the coming weeks, we're going to look at that further. 542 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:43,500 But for today I want to I want us to Rally around this one 543 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:48,300 thought here is that the order of worship must have a gospel 544 00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:50,699 shape to it which is what we talked about last week is we 545 00:34:50,699 --> 00:34:53,500 talk about how we're rehearsing the Covenant week in and week 546 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:56,699 out and so when we say it needs to have a gospel Covenant we're 547 00:34:56,699 --> 00:34:58,800 just saying this. We want to Adorn the greatness 548 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,300 of God willing to confess our sinfulness. 549 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:03,500 We want to hear a forgiveness in Christ. 550 00:35:03,500 --> 00:35:06,600 We want to be built up into Christ, through preaching prayer 551 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,400 and the sacraments as we saw last week. 552 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,800 It is God's goal for worship that we be reminded over and 553 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,000 over again of the work that he does for us in the Gospel of 554 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:22,600 Jesus Christ. Now, it's true that when you 555 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,100 come in to worship, God's people are at work. 556 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:33,100 But the primary work of worship is done by God himself. the 557 00:35:33,100 --> 00:35:36,600 primary work that is taking place in a worship service is 558 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,900 not from the hard, work of the worship team, though, we 559 00:35:38,900 --> 00:35:44,600 appreciate them, and then You know 10 or 15 do Alan. 560 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:50,200 Okay just kidding we all did. It's not the hard work and 561 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,400 sermon preparation. It goes on during the week to 562 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,700 get up and deliver a sermon, it's part of it was not the bulk 563 00:35:56,700 --> 00:35:59,700 of its not the hard work and praying prayers together or 564 00:35:59,700 --> 00:36:03,100 organizing greeters for doors or pushers who are going to pass 565 00:36:03,100 --> 00:36:05,400 out the elements for the Lord's. Supper here in a moment. 566 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,100 Those are all works and their good works. 567 00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:12,100 They're things that God has given to us but the greatest 568 00:36:12,100 --> 00:36:16,100 work that's taking place in worship is from God himself 569 00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:20,600 toward his people. We're not passive and worship 570 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,800 were active in worship, but when we come together for worship, we 571 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,600 are meeting to have something done to. 572 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:31,300 And for us, we are gathering for the purpose of spiritual 573 00:36:31,300 --> 00:36:35,400 transformation. What we're saying when we walk 574 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,300 into a worship service or at least the posture of our hearts 575 00:36:38,300 --> 00:36:43,500 should be that Heavenly Father, You Are The Potter and I'm the 576 00:36:43,500 --> 00:36:48,300 clay. This is your Workshop. 577 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:53,800 You have the tools to mold me how you see fit. 578 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,600 If you're coming to worship that way worship, then is a gift from 579 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:02,300 God, Almighty for the molding of his people, the shaping of his 580 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:05,700 people week in and week out in. So what? 581 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,100 Corinthians makes it abundantly clear that were being molded and 582 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:14,400 shaped into the image of the invisible. 583 00:37:14,700 --> 00:37:20,100 Son of God that were being molded and shaped to bear his 584 00:37:20,100 --> 00:37:24,600 glory in the Earth. But by the spirit of God alive 585 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,400 in us, we are being transformed from the inside out, as we offer 586 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,800 our bodies, as living sacrifices, we are being renewed 587 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,600 by the spirit of God. In our minds to know, what is 588 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:38,700 the good and acceptable and pleasing will of God. 589 00:37:39,900 --> 00:37:46,100 Is Romans 12:1 and 2 tells us? It's important. 590 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:51,000 For us to understand that corporate worship is one of the 591 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:57,900 major ways that God graciously serves us is serving us is in 592 00:37:58,100 --> 00:38:02,200 sanctification. And he equips us to serve and 593 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,400 glorify him throughout the week and worship. 594 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,500 As crew says, we were merely responding to what God is doing 595 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:15,800 24 in and through us. It's important for us to 596 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,300 recognize how much God does for us, compared to how little we 597 00:38:20,300 --> 00:38:23,700 offer to him, and weekly worship this enable. 598 00:38:23,700 --> 00:38:27,400 Our hearts to gladly submit to God and his agenda for us all 599 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:32,000 Worship that pleases God hangs on knowing and submitting to his 600 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:36,400 agenda. But again, that this is not easy 601 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,500 for us. Be not rash, with your mouth and 602 00:38:39,500 --> 00:38:42,700 let your heart be Hasty to utter a word before God. 603 00:38:42,700 --> 00:38:44,500 For God, is in heaven, and you are on earth. 604 00:38:44,500 --> 00:38:46,900 Therefore, let your Words Be Few. 605 00:38:48,700 --> 00:38:51,000 If you're a parent in here, it happens very early in the 606 00:38:51,008 --> 00:38:56,500 parenting process, that a parent observes, the N8 difficulty of 607 00:38:56,500 --> 00:38:58,600 submission within their child. Amen. 608 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:06,800 It, can sometimes seem as if the good, right commands of a 609 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:10,400 parent. Only heightened the desire to 610 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:12,800 Rebel within the child. Amen. 611 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,900 There are few things more frustrating as a parent than to 612 00:39:17,900 --> 00:39:19,900 give your child a command have them. 613 00:39:19,900 --> 00:39:23,300 Look, you dead in the eye and you see the wheels turning 614 00:39:23,300 --> 00:39:25,000 right? It's like, no, don't do that 615 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:29,800 anymore and they're like and then what do they do? 616 00:39:30,300 --> 00:39:35,000 Exactly what you just warned them not to do and then they 617 00:39:35,008 --> 00:39:37,600 can't figure out why they get a spanking for it. 618 00:39:39,300 --> 00:39:42,700 Why? Because submission doesn't come 619 00:39:42,700 --> 00:39:47,900 naturally for us. It doesn't this is a result of 620 00:39:47,900 --> 00:39:52,800 the fall of Man the Temptation from Satan to Eve and Adam was 621 00:39:53,100 --> 00:39:54,800 that they could be their own God. 622 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,100 And so what do they do? They rebelled against God and 623 00:39:57,100 --> 00:40:02,200 attempt to be God themselves. And we still battle this today, 624 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:04,800 we want to break free from The Establishment. 625 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:06,700 We want to rebel against Authority. 626 00:40:06,700 --> 00:40:08,400 Now granted, this isn't always a bad thing. 627 00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:11,400 When it comes to God and his commands, it is. 628 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:15,900 Most certainly always bad. Most Christians would agree on 629 00:40:15,900 --> 00:40:18,800 submission to God's commands for us in life. 630 00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:22,400 But if we are to obey God throughout the week, that 631 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:26,000 submission must start on the first day of the week in the 632 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:30,700 Lord's Day, worship service and weekly corporate worship God's 633 00:40:30,700 --> 00:40:34,100 people assembled together. God, reminds us of the 634 00:40:34,100 --> 00:40:36,900 all-important reality that what he is King. 635 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:38,900 We are his subjects. He is Lord. 636 00:40:38,900 --> 00:40:41,400 We are his servants. He is Shepherd. 637 00:40:41,500 --> 00:40:45,600 We are his sheep, he is God. God, and we are his creatures. 638 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,300 He is in heaven, and we are on Earth. 639 00:40:51,500 --> 00:40:54,600 Comes from Cruz's book. Submission doesn't come 640 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:58,600 naturally for us. So we get a much-needed 641 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,600 reminder, every Sunday morning during worship that we are 642 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:06,300 called to submit to God. Worship is primary and our 643 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:09,100 training as Disciples of Christ. Because in worship were learning 644 00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:11,800 how to trust. We're learning how to be 645 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,800 obedience, we're learning how to submit in. 646 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:18,800 Other words in worship, we are growing in faith. 647 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,300 Crews painted a really great picture, he said the 648 00:41:24,300 --> 00:41:27,200 god-centered worship Services, the Garden in which faith is 649 00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:30,600 planted grown and cultivated. Amen. 650 00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:34,100 And so, therefore, brothers and sisters, we must surrender. 651 00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:37,900 Our wants must surrender our preferences. 652 00:41:38,300 --> 00:41:42,400 We must recognize that whatever God says is most important, that 653 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:45,500 is what we're going to do. And so we submit ourselves to 654 00:41:45,500 --> 00:41:49,200 his agenda and in so doing we reflect the heart of Christ. 655 00:41:50,100 --> 00:41:54,700 Jesus Christ, the son of God, God In the Flesh, told the 656 00:41:54,707 --> 00:41:59,800 crowds and his disciples on many occasions that he did nothing 657 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:01,600 apart from the will of his father. 658 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,700 He did nothing apart from the commands of his father. 659 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,400 He was perfectly submissive to the will of his father. 660 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:13,600 And so too we must be Worship that pleases God hangs on 661 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,100 knowing and submitting to his agenda. 662 00:42:18,500 --> 00:42:19,900 But it's important for you to remember that. 663 00:42:19,900 --> 00:42:22,000 That's true. But it's not true because God is 664 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:26,000 needy. Whether it is true because God 665 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:30,700 loves us. It's true because God serves US 666 00:42:30,700 --> 00:42:33,700 during worship. Giving us precisely what we need 667 00:42:33,700 --> 00:42:37,700 to be his faithful followers and preserving worshippers until the 668 00:42:37,700 --> 00:42:41,000 day that we are with him in heaven forever. 669 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:49,500 And worship he works in us his own Eternal good crew, says his 670 00:42:49,500 --> 00:42:53,400 intention is to pour out his grace and to abundantly bless 671 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:58,200 us. I asked, why would we reject 672 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:03,600 that? Why would we not submit to that? 673 00:43:05,100 --> 00:43:06,500 But that's exactly what we're trying to do. 674 00:43:06,500 --> 00:43:09,700 If we try to come up with new ways to worship him that go 675 00:43:09,700 --> 00:43:14,300 against the commands, or the elements that he's prescribed 676 00:43:14,300 --> 00:43:20,300 for us in worship to do, that is rebellion, but we must be found 677 00:43:20,300 --> 00:43:22,800 as those who submit to God. Amen. 678 00:43:23,700 --> 00:43:27,200 We must be found as those who submit to his agenda for weekly 679 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:29,300 worship. If we also want to be found as 680 00:43:29,300 --> 00:43:34,200 those who are blessed by God on the final day, To obey, God's 681 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:38,000 commands is to know. And to be filled with the very 682 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:41,900 Joy of Christ. And so, let's not trade that 683 00:43:41,900 --> 00:43:46,000 opportunity for even one milliseconds. 684 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:50,900 Of worshiping the golden calf of her own creation. 685 00:43:51,100 --> 00:43:53,500 Amen. Let me pray for you. 686 00:43:55,100 --> 00:44:01,000 Heavenly Father, we adore you. We adore your greatness. 687 00:44:02,900 --> 00:44:05,800 We adore your Grandeur. We adore the fact, Lord, that 688 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:09,700 you have drawn us to yourself today. 689 00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:14,000 And Lord, we praise you for the opportunity. 690 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:21,400 We have now to worship your name to come in week in and week out 691 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:25,700 to submit to your agenda. That you might. 692 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:32,200 Literally figuratively, even spiritually for sure. 693 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:38,000 Stoop down from heaven and serve your people just as Christ. 694 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:44,100 Grabbed a rag and a basin of water and wash the disciples 695 00:44:44,100 --> 00:44:49,500 feet. But Lord, You're serving us is 696 00:44:49,500 --> 00:44:53,500 not because we are Mighty, heaven forbid. 697 00:44:53,500 --> 00:45:00,000 We think that you're serving us is not because you need us. 698 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:03,300 At your empty without our worship. 699 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:09,900 It's none of those things. It's merely that you love your 700 00:45:09,900 --> 00:45:12,900 people. That you Delight any quipping 701 00:45:12,900 --> 00:45:19,500 your people to walk as those who carry your glory in the Earth? 702 00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:24,000 You're equipping us for good works. 703 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:28,300 You're strengthening our hearts. You're helping us walk through 704 00:45:28,300 --> 00:45:30,600 fire. You're helping us endure 705 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:34,200 hardship and tragedy. You're granting to us in a 706 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:38,000 worship service Joy. Where there was once sorrow? 707 00:45:40,300 --> 00:45:43,200 You're filling us Lord with everything we need from Heaven 708 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:49,800 on high. Heaven forbid, we come in here. 709 00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:56,700 Lord and try to set the agenda. Help us to be men and women and 710 00:45:56,700 --> 00:45:59,000 boys and girls. I praise you father. 711 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:03,500 That you have transformed our hearts and Minds through the 712 00:46:03,508 --> 00:46:07,400 years, to have boys and girls in here with us learning these 713 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:11,100 truths, so early fortified in their mind as well. 714 00:46:11,100 --> 00:46:13,500 Lord. That the weekly worship 715 00:46:13,500 --> 00:46:17,100 Services. Essential For them. 716 00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:21,300 For their discipleship, for their following you week, in and 717 00:46:21,300 --> 00:46:24,600 week out. Lord the way you've ordained 718 00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:26,700 things as we heard about in Sunday school. 719 00:46:26,700 --> 00:46:29,700 This morning is the second chapter of Judges reminds us 720 00:46:29,700 --> 00:46:32,400 that the generations after the faithful Generations. 721 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:36,700 Forgot God. Why did they forget? 722 00:46:38,100 --> 00:46:40,300 Father, we know it's because they were not taught. 723 00:46:41,500 --> 00:46:43,300 So Lord help us to be men and women. 724 00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:48,100 Who teach seriousness of worship. 725 00:46:51,100 --> 00:46:53,500 That it is essential to our Christian faith. 726 00:46:54,700 --> 00:47:00,200 That we need every single week. So that in practice and in 727 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:03,800 teaching the children here, observe it in us as well. 728 00:47:07,300 --> 00:47:09,400 Lord, we love you. We praise you. 729 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:11,300 We thank you for your word today. 730 00:47:12,300 --> 00:47:14,700 We ask that you would help us to grasp the truth. 731 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:19,300 And to seek your face each week, it's in the Name of Christ. 732 00:47:19,300 --> 00:47:21,200 I pray. Amen.