Part 1 of Awakening - Invitation to Sing -- My message today at NRN

 

 

Pt. 1 An Invitation to SING

 

Intro: It seems that very few Christians know much about true worship. Charles Stanley once said that he believed that most Christians in most churches have never worshiped God. We go to church, but we don’t worship. We sing songs, but we don’t worship. We listen to sermons, but we don’t worship. All of these things are elements of worship but they are not worship in and of themselves which means that you can do all of them and yet have failed to truly worship God. We Christians often mistake the means of worship for worship itself.

A man told a story about the time his son’s sixth birthday was approaching. He had mentioned he wouldn’t mind a party, and as his son usually was very specific about the kind of presents he liked so the dad asked him what he could get him. Bill expected a well-planned reply, such as “I’d like a baseball glove; you can find it at Toys-R-Us, aisle 6, below the batting helmets, or a Parcheesi board; the games are in alphabetical order in aisle 1; it’s between the Pac Man and Pay Day.” But his son’s request was a bit different. He said, “Dad, I’d like a ball to play with for my birthday.” Bill said, “Great, what kind of ball?” “Oh, I don’t know, either a football or a soccer ball.” “Well, which would you want more?” He said, “Well, and thought about it. Then he said, “If you have some time to play ball with me this year, I’d really like a football so we could throw it back and forth in the back yard.  But if you’re gonna be real busy this year, maybe you just better get me a soccer ball, because I can play soccer with the rest of the kids in the neighborhood.” The dad thought about this and said, “Let me surprise you. How does that sound?” And the little boy smiled and said, “Oh that would be great Dad. I really love you.” Then Bill went in and shared this little encounter with his wife and together they agreed, their son was not so much interested in the gift. He was interested in the giver.

 True worship is not interested in the created but the Creator.  

I understand that there is power in ritual. This is comfort – an anchor we can count on – But I am concerned that we have lost our sense of the AWE of the God we worship. We live days, maybe even weeks, without wonder and amazement. We walk through the situations and locations of our daily lives without an overwhelming sense of gratitude. We don't notice the glory display that is all around us that points us to the one glory that is truly glorious; the glory of God. We follow a simple routine and find ourselves in church today.  Some ask questions like -- Did I like the sermon /service/ music? I submit these are the wrong kind of questions. The right question is: Did God like it?   The goal of this series if to regain the AWE of the god we worship.  Each week will have a foundational passage to draw us into authentic worship.   Today we turn to Psalm 147.

 Praise the Lord!

How good it is to sing praises to our God!

    How pleasant and right it is to praise him!

² The Lord builds up Jerusalem.

    He gathers the scattered people of Israel.

³ He heals those who have broken hearts.

    He takes care of their wounds.

⁴ He decides how many stars there should be.
    He gives each one of them a name.
⁵ Great is our Lord. His power is mighty.
    There is no limit to his understanding.
⁷ Sing to the Lord and give him grateful praise.
    Make music to our God on the harp.

¹¹ The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him. They put their hope in his faithful love.  

 

20 Praise the Lord!                                   Psalm 147

 

Praise the Lord!   The word: Hallelujah

a.   “halle -  BOAST     VALUE

b.  “lujah” - (YAH) YAHWEH   JEHOVAH  “LORD” – strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, “Lord.” The revelation of the name is first given to Moses “I Am who I Am”.

This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance, forgiveness and guidance.

c.  We are to BOAST   in THE  LORD !

The Lord says,

“Do not let wise people brag about how wise they are.
 Do not let strong people boast about how strong they are.

Do not let rich people brag about how rich they are.                                                         Jeremiah 9:23

 When we sing – we Hallelujah!  God didn't call us to lead music or to perform worship services for the people's enjoyment. God called us to engage people in the experience of expressing their worship and praise to God.   Why don’t we sing more hymns”?  A hymn is a song that expresses praise to God.  I think what people are asking me is really – Why can’t we sing familiar songs – songs I remember from my early Christian walk – songs that we used to sing in MY church. Most denominational hymnal contains about 600 songs with most churches selecting their favorite 100-150 songs.  A core value in worship at NRN is to sing to the Lord songs that are celebrative and relevant. I encourage you to sing along with our songs that they may become familiar to you.

Check my blog each Saturday to prepare for our time together and listen to each song in advance.  We will never be able to sing ALL YOUR list of familiar songs, so we attempt to sing songs that are celebrative and relevant. Even in The Revelation of John – when we gather around the throne of God we will sing a “New Song”.

 The Lamb was surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes. The eyes stand for the seven spirits of God, which are sent out into all the earth. ⁷ The Lamb went and took the scroll. He took it from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. ⁸ Then the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down in front of the Lamb. Each one had a harp. They were holding golden bowls full of incense. They stand for the prayers of God’s people. ⁹ Here is the new song they sang.

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and break open its seals.
You are worthy because you were put to death.
    With your blood you bought people for God.
    They come from every tribe, people and nation,
    no matter what language they speak.
¹⁰ You have made them members of a royal family.
    You have made them priests to serve our God.
    They will rule on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of millions and millions of angels. They surrounded the throne. They surrounded the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying,

“The Lamb, who was put to death, is worthy!
    He is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength!
    He is worthy to receive honor and glory and praise!”

¹³ All creatures in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea were speaking. The whole creation was speaking. I heard all of them say,

“Praise and honor belong
    to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!
Glory and power belong to God for ever and ever!”

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.                                          Revelation 5: 6-14

 The great heresy of the church today is that we think we’re in the entertainment business. A.W. Tozer believed this to be true back in the 1950s and 60s. Church members “want to be entertained while they are edified.” He said that in 1962. Tozer grieved, even then, that it was “scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction was God.”*

 What are we to Hallelujah? 

Ø  The BEAUTY  of God

I’m asking the Lord for only one thing.
    Here is what I want.
I want to live in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life.
I want to look at the beauty of the Lord.
    I want to worship him in his temple.
When I’m in trouble,
    he will keep me safe in his house.
He will hide me in the safety of his holy tent.
    He will put me on a rock that is very high.
Then I will win the battle
    over my enemies who are all around me.
At his holy tent I will offer my sacrifice with shouts of joy.
    I will sing and make music to the Lord. Psalm 27:4-6

 

Ø The STRENGTH  of God

The Lord gives strength to those who aren’t proud.
    But he throws evil people down to the ground.

He doesn’t take pleasure in the strength of horses.
    He doesn’t take delight in the strong legs of warriors.
 The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him.
    They put their hope in his faithful love.      

                                                             Psalm 147:6, 10-11

 

Ø The FAITHFULNESS  of God

 The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him.
    They put their hope in his faithful love.    Psalm 147:11

 

        God has said, “I will never leave you.
            I will never desert you.” Hebrews13:5 (Deuteronomy 31:6)


Let us stand and proclaim our Halluejah in song to the Lord!   Let us worship the Lord in the Spirit of Holiness :