3-31-19 Worship - one young mom’s perspective

Scripture  Romans 12:3-21

              Notice what the rest of Romans 12 shows us about living out our spiritual act of worship:

1)  Being an integral part of a local church is not an option for a Christian.

2)  Every person in a church has equal value in that church.

3)  Christians and Churches never finish changing, rather always improving our spiritual act of worship.

   

Romans 12:3-21

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

WHY ATTENDING CHURCH NO LONGER MAKES SENSE

By Carey Nieuwhof

The trend is practically universal: fewer people are attending church every year.

You might have even asked the question yourself. Why bother?

There are many reasons why that’s happening, but I think it’s increasingly evident that it no longer makes sense to attend church.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of the church. But I get why more and more people have simply stopped attending. Let me explain. In the fall of 2015, I transitioned out of the lead pastor role at our church and into a Teaching Pastor role. I still carry about 30 Sundays a year of teaching, but that leaves me much freer than I’ve ever been on a Sunday morning which means I’m often an attender. So, I feel what the culture is feeling more than ever before.

And on those Sundays when I have no official role, I’m plagued with the question “Why go to church?”

After all, our church streams our services live online. I could literally watch live on any device I own anywhere. Plus we share the services on demand, so I could watch or listen any time during the week via our website or podcast.

If your church doesn’t have an online experience, no worries, about a million others do. Which brings us back to the question: Why attend church?

Increasingly, I’m convinced there’s no point to merely attending. You drive all the way in to connect with three or four songs, hear the message and then head home. All of that you could almost do by yourself in a much more convenient way. Slip on Spotify and grab the message via podcast or on demand and boom, you’re covered.

DROWNING IN OPTIONS

       I wonder if in large measure that’s why the era of attending church is dying. Think about it.

Generations ago, the church was a social and cultural hub as well as a missional hub. In addition to faith reasons, people loved going to church because it was one of a handful of options available in a community as well as the main way (other than personal devotions) you connect with God.

We now live in a culture that’s drowning in options and has 24/7 access to anything Christian.

In fact, I can think of only two compelling reasons to go to church anymore.

# 1 YOU DON’T ATTEND CHURCH. YOU ARE THE CHURCH

The main reason I gather with the church is because I am the church. Merely attending church doesn’t make you much of a church because sitting in a pew consuming church doesn’t make you very good at being the church.

I think being the church has something to do with living your life for Christ, demonstrating God’s love by serving others and sharing your faith with people. That’s very different than consuming church in a back row, which you can just as easily do on your back deck.

The reason you would go to church today is that you’ve moved from being a consumer to being a contributor. You don’t just go to be served, you go to serve. There’s something deeply scriptural about that.

And before you think that you can do whatever you need to do as a Christian in the world without other Christians or without the church, here are couple of reasons I would disagree.

First, gathering together was Jesus’ idea, not ours.

Second, listen to what this young mom had to say about her experience when she started skipping church because of the demands of parenting. (LATER)

          You are the church. Remember that. And the church is at its best when we engage in the mission God has given us.

# 2 AN EXPERIENCE FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE NOT YET IN THE ROOM

The second compelling reason to attend a Sunday morning gathering is that you’re bringing a friend with you or because you yourself are exploring Christianity.

I love being part of a church that is constantly designing experiences with those who are not yet in the room in mind.

One of the most exciting things about many growing churches today is they’ve become great at hosting experiences that unchurched people can access and ultimately love to attend. That’s what our church does well, and I love both bringing friends into it for the first time and being there to connect with other people who bring their friends.

Spiritual maturity, after all, isn’t about how much you know. It’s about how much you love. And love that doesn’t flow out into the lives of other people isn’t love.

A DIVIDING LINE

So that’s it. Two good reasons to keep attending church.

First, you are the church, which means you’re engaged in the mission in some meaningful way.

And second, you’re creating space where everybody (regardless of their background) can hear and experience the news of Christ’s love for them.

          But that also means we live in an age where attending church for attendance’s sake is dying. Fast. Maybe that’s what we see happening around us. People who aren’t engaged in the mission are leaving the mission. And while that’s sad, you can’t build the future of the church on passionless, disengaged people. Nor can you build it on consumers. The future will be built on Christians who want to serve, share and engage the mission of the local church.

STOP PANDERING TO THE CONSUMERS

As a church leader, what do you do in the midst of this?

Well first, stop pandering to the consumers—those who merely attend and won’t engage. Too many leaders spend their time trying to please people who complain much and contribute little.

They have enough options. And you will never be able to please everyone. So, stop trying.

As my friend Reggie Joiner says, focus on who you want to reach, not who you want to keep.

RAISE THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT

Second, focus on engaging people in the mission of the church. Nothing is more exciting. Nothing will change the world more powerfully than the love of Christ shared with a world that so desperately needs it.

KEEP UNCHURCHED PEOPLE FRONT AND CENTER

That means everything you do needs to work in a way unchurched people can access. The best churches assume that every Sunday is someone’s first Sunday. One good way to check whether your church is ready to reach the unchurched is to see if teenagers love your church services. Not your alternative service. Your main-open-the-doors-wide service. If teenagers hate your church service, so will unchurched people.

Maybe it’s not a bad thing in the end that the era of attending church is dying. Please hear me, we need more churches. We need more, healthy churches. And we need churches that are doing a fantastic job at reaching people. What we don’t need more of, are churches where people merely attend and never engage.

Sarah Piercy, is a wife and young mom

I thought missing a Sunday morning service wasn’t a big deal.

I have worked at Connexus Church for 8 years and would only miss a Sunday because I was away on vacation.  Quite honestly, I didn’t think missing a Sunday was a big deal. It’s not a sin. It’s not earth-shattering. No one notices (or do they?).  Right? Then I had a baby and went on maternity leave. And everything changed.

Because, when I miss a Sunday service, I miss way more than I ever thought.

From birthday parties to a sick baby, a variety of reasons had kept me from participating on Sunday mornings. I would watch online. And online is great to keep me connected when I can’t be there in person. Or to share with friends and neighbors who are curious about church but not ready to come. So easy!

But – given the choice – attending on Sunday morning trumps all else. Every time.

Why?

When I skip Sunday morning…

# 1 I MISS UNINTERRUPTED TIME TO LISTEN FOR GOD’S WISDOM

Sunday’s practical teaching translates into godly wisdom that I can apply daily life – it is so valuable.   Sure, you can hear great teaching in a variety of ways. But listening online is different than listening in the service.

I don’t know about you, but when I listen at home I have a long to-do list. A child that loves attention. A phone that rings. Floors to sweep. Laundry to fold. Neighbors’ dogs barking. I almost never absorb the message in the same way as I do when physically present on Sunday.

When I’m in the service, I have uninterrupted time. Time to focus on what God is teaching me and reflect on how He wants me to grow. My child is being cared for, my phone is on silent, and there are no chores waiting for me.

I can focus. I can engage my heart and mind.

Listening online is different than listening in the service. Online, you’re often distracted.

# 2 I MISS THE VALUE OF WORSHIPING GOD THROUGH MUSIC WITH OTHERS

This one is interesting.  And might even be surprising to you.

There’s something intangible that happens when we worship God – out loud – with other people who share faith in Jesus.

Sundays are an irreplaceable opportunity to take a step back from the busy day-to-day and directly praise the God that loves me and is incredibly worthy of my worship.

Music roots my heart and mind in the truth of who God is. It remembers and celebrates powerful scripture. It leads me to humble myself before God’s majesty in a way that doesn’t always happen when music is playing in the car or in the background while I do the dishes. Worshiping God through music on Sunday’s – with other people – grounds and fuels my faith.

It inspires me to keep worshiping, keep believing, keep serving, keep loving. There’s something intangible that happens when we worship God—out loud.

# 3 I MISS THE POWER AND MOVEMENT OF THE CHURCH

The Church has a mission and purpose.  And every believer is part of it.  We get to spread the amazing news that Jesus Christ loves you, died to forgive you, and he is alive, bringing new life to all who believe in him.

          We can be a Christian and not actively participate in the local Church.  Our salvation is not dependent on that. It’s dependent on Jesus.

But there’s more at stake than that…

Imagine this:

Your life is a babbling brook. It twists and turns and bubbles and splashes. It’s beautiful.  But has little strength.

But, what happens when you cross paths with another brook. And another. And another?

Something bigger starts to happen. Something one babbling brook can’t do on its own.

Momentum happens.

Then power happens.

Then Niagara falls happens! (Note: did you know Niagara falls generates enough energy to power almost 4 million homes? No babbling brook does that.)

In the same way, dozens, 100s (or 1000s) of people moving in the same God-given direction is POWERFUL.  And it doesn’t happen when we are disengaged.

Moving in the same God-given direction is POWERFUL. It doesn’t happen when we are disengaged.

When I miss Sunday mornings, I miss how God is moving our church community to action. When I miss the welcome, connecting opportunities and the stories of God at work, I miss getting to be part of it because I don’t know how.

I don’t want to miss being part of the power and movement of God’s Church.

Plus, if I’m not there, then how can I bring anyone with me?

So – I do everything I can to attend a Sunday morning service.

Because when I miss a Sunday, I miss way more than I ever thought.

Matt 18:18-20

"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

3-24-19 How to use the Format Painter in ‘word’

Scripture Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Do you know what God’s will is?

What is God’s will? Look in the rear-view mirror and you might see God’s will.  But this says:

12:2c You will be able to test and approve what God's will is —

his good, pleasing and perfect will.

12:2a Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

12:2b but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

                                                                                  

Ps 105:4

          Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

Ps 105:1-4

          Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders.  Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

          In the chin you see the nativity with the star of Bethlehem above on his nose. Up the right you see an angel announcing the birth of Christ and another who would tend to Jesus in his times of need. On the forehead you see Jesus kneeling and praying in Gethsemane and down the left side you see Jesus being crucified on the cross. There is one subtle thing left that you only see by careful study. The Bethlehem star on the nose is also the cross of Christ in the center of the other two crosses seen in his eyes.

          As I was working on this message I was experiencing dryness. I knew Romans 12:2 was where we should look but nothing seemed to be sparking life - there was no spirit in my spiritual act of worship. I simply prayed for the Holy Spirit to be engaged in the process and in prayer I looked up and saw that picture on my wall and immediately knew what God wanted this message to be. The only way to become a Romans 12:1 person of people is to also become Romans 12:2 people as well.

          The first part is easily understood yet hard to carry out: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. What is the pattern of this world? Simply stated - it is anything that is contrary to the kingdom of God. OK that is seeing it in the negative and still doesn’t say what it is.

Quote: Tim LaHaye in His book, The Battle for the Mind writes, “Humanism assumes that man is innately good and capable of solving his problems independently of any Supreme being”. “Today’s philosophy of education is obsessed with self-actualization, self-image, self-love, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, self-satisfaction-self, self, self”.

The apostle Paul also knew that the Roman world with its human centered -unspiritual, godless and idolatrous thinking would lead to self-destruction. Paul might have reflected on what David wrote in Psalms 1:1-3 which says: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

          We live by the pattern of this world when that is all we see. The only way to change that is by renewing our mind when we focus our attention on the face and person of Jesus.

The Maters’ Face

Leslie Dunkin told about a dog he had when he was a boy. His father would occasionally test the dog's obedience. He would place a tempting piece of meat on the floor and give the command, "No!" The dog, who must have had a strong urge to go for the meat, was placed in a most difficult situation—to obey or disobey his master's command.

Dunkin said, "The dog never looked at the meat. He seemed to feel that if he did, the temptation to disobey would be too great. So, he looked steadily at my father's face." Dunkin then made this spiritual application: "There is a lesson for us all. Always look up to the Master's face."

          When we look consistently into the face of Jesus (the reason our Milestone #1 is 40 Days of worship - to get us to look consistently at Jesus, we become more like him. It is like using Format painter in word. How many know what I mean by that?

VIDEO

FORMAT PAINTER

Colossians 1:15-20

      He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

1 Timothy 1:15-17

                Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

CONCLUSION

          That is how you use the format painter in Microsoft word. Actually, we can do the same in our spiritual life. Click somewhere in the face of Jesus - click on God’s format painter icon in his Word, then drag that icon over the bad pattern in your life to be transformed to have a new pattern that is the same as that of Christ Jesus.

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?

There's light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace

Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace

ALTAR CALL - “Take me to your sanctuary”

How does renewing the mind connect us to worship?

BREATHE ON ME

Speak to me, voice of God

Soft and still, inside my heart

Speak to me, word of God

Comfort, heal, restore with light

Teach my heart and heal my soul

Speak the mind that in Christ we know

Take me to Your sanctuary

3-17-19 All the world’s a stage!

Scripture  Romans 12:1

          Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.

          Most musicals have 2 acts and plays are typically 1, 2 or 3 acts.

As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII [All the world’s a stage]

William Shakespeare, 1564 - 1616   Jaques to Duke Senior

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;

they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts,

his acts being seven ages.

1- At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.

2- Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school.

3- And then the lover, sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress’ eyebrow. 4- Then a soldier, full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon’s mouth.

5- And then the justice, in fair round belly with good capon lined, with eyes severe and beard of formal cut, full of wise saws and modern instances; and so he plays his part.

6- The sixth age shifts into the lean and slippered pantaloon, with spectacles on nose and pouch on side; his youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide for his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble, pipes and whistles in his sound.

7- Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Shakespeare gives this magnificent view of a person’s life in 7 acts.

However, there is only one act that truly matters and that act begins the moment you put your trust in Jesus and does not end…ever!  That act is the act of worship.  I will say that one act does have two scenes - the first scene is your worship of Jesus Christ while on earth and the second scene of your worship of Jesus Christ is in heaven. In any good play or musical, scene one is merely setting up what will take place in scene two.  Therefore, our worship now is preparation, is beginning the story, is introducing the characters, is staging the plot, is a prelude to the worship that will be our forever scene 2. Romans 12:1 “This is your spiritual ACT of worship” is only concerned with the here and now - your worship of Jesus Christ in this life.

   

Hebrews 13:15-16

          Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise (corporate worship) — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good (Mon.-Sat. worship)and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Sunday morning worship is an essential part to living out Romans 12:1. None of us will live every part of the scriptures well - first because we do not know them well enough to live them, secondly, because we lack the devotion and third because there is way too much to get right in this life. What if you worked on just a few key verses to live by. It is like taking the fruit of the spirit - you can’t perfect all 9 in the next 6 months but you could work on one or two. The same principle applies to the whole of scripture. What if we just spent out life trying to at least get Romans 12:1 right? What if we became people, more than any other congregation who really offered our bodies as living sacrifices as our spiritual act of worship? What would it be like to be part of  church of people who knew more than most about worship - who practiced worship well and who lived out worship Mon-Sat not just Sun morning? Who would want to be part of a church like that? I would. If you would also; then I have to do my best to educate and inspire. Becky and her teams have to do their best to uplift and lead. And you have to do your part to not only be here consistently but also participate in worship (example - I should not have to ask for people to stand up and recite one verse of scripture from memory, I should tell you that you will have to wait two months because so many others have already offered - that is a sign of participation / responding to the altar call is a way to participate - be an example to others to come forward and ask for prayer / become and engaged singer - take notes on the YouVersion bible app during the sermon) there are many ways to participate in worship other than sing in the choir.

However, like our Scene 1 earthly worship is our launching pad for our Scene 2 eternal worship, so too, our Sunday corporate worship is a launching pad for living out our worship Mon-Sat.

Where do you spend most of your time the rest of the week? At your work! That work may be as a fulltime student at school - that work may be as a retired person at home or involved in various activities or that work may be your job. The video you are about to see primarily describes work as your job but allow it to apply to your life no matter what your weekly work may be. VIDEO: WORK AS WORSHIP

We “come” to worship together so that we can go to worship “apart”. You can check off that you have been here on our Milestone #1 40 Days of worship challenge, but you can’t check off living out Romans 12:1 because you have been here today.

          Offering your body as a living sacrifice - which is your spiritual act of worship does not end with the benediction in corporate worship. Having said that, it does begin with the call to corporate worship. We NEED corporate worship, so we can be built up, strengthened, taught, challenged, forgiven, inspired, and made ready to offer our bodies as living sacrifices at school, work, home and in every activity of life Monday through Saturday.

          If there is no connection between what we do here on Sunday and how you live the rest of the week, then you have missed the point of corporate worship. It is not an end in itself, it is the beginning of a week of worshipping God - bringing Him honor and glory in what you do the rest of the week. It is hard enough to do that with our coming together - it is impossible to do that without coming together. SLIDE: 7 days without corporate worship makes one weak. Therefore, coming to worship does not please God near as much as when you leave here to continue worshipping him through offering your body in all that you do.

What does that mean? What does offering your body as an act of worship look like?

How do you speak to other classmates or employees? How do you speak about people behind their backs - or on their facebook or Instagram page?   1 Thess 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

What kind of language comes out of your mouth?     Col 3:8-10   But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge (where? In corporate worship) in the image of its Creator.

Is your life sexually pure?        Heb 13:4   Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.  The Bachelor - Virgin

Are you obsessed with (have a love of) money?     Heb 13:5   Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Are you the employee your boss is thrilled that they hired? Are you working for a paycheck only or are you working to make the place you work the best it can be?     Col 3:22-24  Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

SLIDE: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

Corporate and daily worship is recognizing who God is then living in such a way that God is honored by what you say and do - this is your spiritual act of worship - and it begins each week when we come together to be forgiven and strengthen in Jesus name.

George Mueller read the Bible through over 100 times. He also wrote over 30,000 letters per year for 40 years. He had nine assistants working in a dozen languages. He pastored 1200 believers, had the oversight of five large orphanages and a huge publishing house, printed and distributed millions of books, tracts, and Bibles. He said, “I never think of going to my work without first having a good season of time with God and my Bible.”

3-10-19 Holy Toledo!

Scripture  Romans 12:1

          Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.

Holy Toledo! Holy Cow! Holy Mackerel! Holy Smoke! --- Holy Spirit!

Set Apart

Holy first of all means “set apart”. Something that is set apart form everything else. To say God is ‘holy’ means to say God is set apart form everything else. God is not what all other things are, God is different from all other things.  As such, anything else is only holy, in that it is related or connected to God. When Moses was tending his sheep in the wilderness he was walking on ordinary dirt - until he came before God who spoke to him from a bush that was on fire but was not being burnt up. From that bush, God said to Moses -  Exodus 3:5-6  "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (also in Acts 7)

                

1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

   The audience of 1 Peter are people in what is modern day Turkey, then it was the Roman provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Socially, the people were below citizens, and above slaves. They were strangers and aliens. They were Gentiles who likely had some connection to Judaism before coming to faith in Christ. They were socially homeless people who had found a family in Christianity. In Christ, they became full citizens of a new kingdom and Peter even uses language that the people he is writing too are the new Israel - the new chosen people of God. They are people who have become “set apart” holy and pleasing to God.

Peter answers a question that was asked in their cultural situation that is no different than the questions we ask today. In light of our cultural context, how should we live? Should we retreat? Should we hide? Should we attack? Should we engage our culture? As Christians, how should we live? The answer he gave them is 100% applicable today, just as it was then - live lives that are holy and pleasing to God. Were Christians oppressed and excluded from society then? Yes! Are we today? Absolutely! Peter tells us how to live in light of that - holy and pleasing to God.

Hear this clearly - Peter does not say we should live holy lives to please God. We live holy lives in response to God’s salvation. We have now become His children who will live forever, and as any child looks, acts and behaves like their parent, so too should we, with God as our father - who is holy - we ought to be holy too - this becomes pleasing to God. Ethical and moral behavior are not designed to get you closer to God, but - because in Christ you are closer to God - you should look more like Him = for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

     Lev 11:44 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

          Lev 19:1-2   The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord  your God, am holy.”

          Lev 20:7-8   “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord , who makes you holy.”

ABRAHAM

Genesis chapter 22 (Heb. 11:17-19). Abraham made Isaac Holy to the Lord - set apart.

Similarly, Romans 12:1-2 tells us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, set apart and pleasing to him.

TATTERED UMBREALA

Queen Mary made it her practice to visit Scotland every year. She was so loved by the people there that she often mingled with them freely without a protective escort. One afternoon while walking with some children, she went out farther than she’d planned. Dark clouds came up unexpectedly, so she stopped at a nearby house to borrow an umbrella. “If you will lend me one,” she said to the lady who answered the door, “I will send it back to you tomorrow.” The woman didn’t recognize the Queen and was reluctant to give this stranger her best umbrella. So she handed her one that she intended to throw away. The fabric was torn in several places and one of the ribs was broken.

The next day another knock was heard at the door. When the lady opened it, she was greeted by a royal guard, who was holding in her hand her old, tattered umbrella. “The Queen sent me,” he said. “She asked me to thank you for loaning her this.” For a moment the woman was stunned, then, she burst into tears. “Oh, what an opportunity I missed,” she cried. “I didn’t give the Queen my very best!”

FILL IN THE BLANK

“Will you please tell me in a word,” said a Christian woman to a minister, “what your idea of holiness is?” Holding out a blank sheet of paper the pastor replied, “It is to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet, and to let God fill it in as He will.”

          So far I have not said anything that would compel anyone to live a life more holy and pleasing to God. It’s not by trying - it’s by Jesus dying - his Holy Spirit living in you.

4 Object lessons about the HOLY Spirit

1                Hole through hand (paper tube)

2                You need the holy spirit like a glove needs a hand

3        Filling of the spirit dark water in glass replaced by light liquid

4        Needle thru balloon - to resist the devil.

King David through Solomon built the Temple

1 Chronicles 29:1-5

In my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God.

You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit

1 Cor 6:19-20   Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. Paul could not say that we all were baptized by one Spirit and all given one Spirit to drink if not all of the Corinthian believers possessed the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation” (Ephesians 1:13-14) if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior.

This discussion is controversial because the ministries of the Holy Spirit are often confused. The receiving/indwelling of the Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the Christian life.

In conclusion, how do we receive the Holy Spirit? We receive the Holy Spirit by simply receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:5-16). When do we receive the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit becomes our permanent possession the moment we believe.

The same power of the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, is at work in you - but do not quench the spirit - recognize his presence and be available to be used by him and you will become holy and pleasing to God as your spiritual act of worship!

Roamans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

3-3-19 Body Image

Scripture  Romans 12:1

          Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.

Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.

Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.

Offering vs Sacrifice

the word "offering" include both grain and animal offerings.

"Sacrifice" only refers to animal offerings.

The sacrifice meant the animal of the sacrifice (who had no choice in the matter) was giving its life - blood shed, death, parts eaten.

What is your body image? What is the image that comes to mind if your body were in the best shape possible - realistic but unlikely you will get there? What are the barriers to having your body look like that image? What would you have to stop doing AND what would you have to start doing to have that body you imagine is possible though difficult to achieve?

The question for each of us is - why don’t we have the body we imagine is possible? The answer is simple - ice cream is way better than sliced cucumbers; sitting is far better than walking; lazy is so much better than exerting energy.  Think about this: We went from playing outside running around to sitting in front of a tv but at least having to get up to adjust the channel or volume or rabbit ears to using a push button remote control and now we don’t even don’t even have to exercise our fingers and just say alexis watch my favorite tv show and the tv goes to that show. Soon it will be even more like the Jetsons, Alexis bring me my lunch, Alexis go to work for me, Alexis, kiss my wife good night without ever leaving the…it is called this for a reason…lazyboy recliner!

You have two body images - how your body is now (that image may or may not be correct) and you an image of what your body could become if you did what you should do. Let me add a 3^rd body image to your mental file. What will your body look like 5 years from now if you keep living like you are today?  Oh my, that image probably got a little worse than the first.

Let’s apply all this to the church. What is your image of the Ashland church body today (your image may or may not be correct) What is the image that comes to mind if our church body were in the best shape possible - realistic but unlikely we will get there?

What are the barriers to having our church body look like that image? What would we have to stop doing AND what would we have to start doing to have that church body you imagine is possible, though difficult to achieve?

SING “If we are the body?”

What is your body image of the biblical Jesus who walked the earth 2000+ years ago? Your image is certainly not correct because no one knows what he looked like. He took no selfies, there was no portrait done. Stop and think about that for a moment. Consider how many people have gone through this world and there is no image of them to be found anywhere. There are very few pictures of me as a child - in part because I was the third child of a woman who became a single mother but also because polaroid’s or shoot and develop picture were expensive. Compare that to my grandchildren who we have had 1000’s if not 10,000s pictures taken of them already.

Jesus was not blond hair and blue eyes, he was middle eastern and a Jew. But that is not enough of a description.     

Isa 53:1-6     The MSG

          Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God 's saving power would look like this? The servant grew up before God — a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried — our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him — our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God  has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.

Communion with Remembrance Communion song

A NEW BODY IMAGE FOR JESUS

Eph 1:18-23

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

SONG: Revelation Song: Worthy is the lamb that was slain - holy, holy is He!