4-28-19 How did Jesus worship?

Scripture   Luke 2:41-52

Romans 12:1

Worship is recognizing that there is something greater than you and paying honor or giving thanks and praise to that one who is greater.

          What did John the Baptist say about Jesus? When Jesus began his public ministry, he was teaching and baptizing people and many were coming to him. Some of John’s disciples were afraid that Jesus would become more popular than John. John 3:27-30 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

          Worship by definition means we agree the one to whom we give honor and praise is greater than us. This is why some people find it odd that we are a worshipping people. The world tries convincing us that we are God - that each of us is superior to all others. The bible makes it clear that God alone, greater than all created things, deserves our worship.

          Imagine a 12-year-old child trying to figure out who God is…who they are. That is the age when the mind begins to reason and seek personal identity separate from family and activities. Who am I and who is God. One particular 12-year-old boy 2000 years ago saw a great opportunity to answer both those questions in the only place that made sense to ask questions about his own identity and about the identity of God - the Temple in Jerusalem.

Luke 2:41-52

          Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. (EXPLAIN PASSOVER - how was it a time of worship?) 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, his family went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. How is it possible that parents could actually forget a child and leave him behind? VIDEO KEVIN) 44 Thinking Jesus was in their company(the entire town of Nazareth), Joseph and Mary traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days (what was Jesus doing during these 3 days?) they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."

49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"  But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2:49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 

          Jesus’ family had gone to Jerusalem at Passover to worship. The family was done but Jesus was just getting started and continued to worship daily at the Temple seeking and discussing the things of God. Jesus was not concerned about being lost or being left behind, he was concerned about knowing who God is and sharing who God is. In worship we are seeking God and in worship we are sharing who God is.

          Here is what I learned shortly after becoming a Christian - there are no professional worshippers - we are all amatuers and have to keep practicing it till one day we will get it right in glory. It doesn’t mater if you are old or young in the faith - if you are intelligent or not very smart - if you are good looking or feel you are quite average - if you are outgoing or an introvert.

Look at what Paul said to Timothy when he felt he wasn’t old enough: 1 Timothy 4:12-13 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (In other words - until I come, devote yourself to worship - just like Jesus did)

But what about Jesus as an adult?

3 times we find Jesus singing in worship

Mark 14:22-26

          While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of theb covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

    

The next two passages speak about Christ and singing.

Hebrews 2:10-12

          In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." (Ps 22:22).

Romans 15:8-9

          For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."

 JESUS WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE

Luke 4:16-21

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

WHO DID JESUS WORSHIP? THE SAME GOD WE WORSHIP THROUGH JESUS!

During the tenure of the great orator Henry Ward Beecher, a visiting minister (Beecher's brother) once substituted for the popular pastor. A large audience had already assembled to hear Beecher, and when the substitute pastor stepped into the pulpit, several disappointed listeners began to move toward the exits. That's when the minister stood and said loudly, "All who have come here today to worship Henry Ward Beecher may now withdraw from the church. All who have come to worship God keep your seats!"

Luke 2:49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

4-21-19 Do you have Resurrection Breath?

Scripture  Ezekiel 36:26-27a

Acts 17:22-34

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone — an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Adam receives the Breath of Life

Genesis 2:4-7

          This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord  God made the earth and the heavens —  and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord  God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground —  7 the Lord  God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Dry bones receive the Breath of Life

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord  was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord  and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign Lord , you alone know."

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord ! This is what the Sovereign Lord  says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord .'"

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord  says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord  says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord , when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord  have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord .'" 

God breathes into us an Eternal Breath

Illustrate how God raised Jesus form the dead - entering the sealed tomb, kneeling and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life - the ETERNAL BREATH OF LIFE!

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C. S. Lewis introduces us to four children who find their way into a wondrous land through the back of a wardrobe closet in an uncle's house. The children, two boys and two girls, enter this magical land called Narnia, with its rolling hills, towering mountains, and rich, deep forests populated by the most remarkable beasts—all of whom can speak. However, they find the land covered with snow, cursed by perpetual winter.

We're also introduced to a wicked queen. She is a usurper to the throne. She is also a witch who is empowered with extraordinary gifts. She is the one who holds Narnia under her spell for this curse of perpetual winter. Lastly we're introduced to a lion. He's a mysterious, wondrous beast who comes from beyond Narnia and from beyond time. He's spoken of in hushed, reverent terms. In fact, when one of the girls asked a beaver, "Is this lion safe?" the beaver responded, "Safe? Oh my, no. But he's good."

This lion, throughout the Chronicles of Narnia, is Christ. This lion lays down his life for Narnia, dies on a stone table, and then rises from the dead more glorious and majestic than ever. In his majestic risen state he proceeds to reverse the effects of the curse upon Narnia. Wherever he goes or leads his troops, the effects of the curse are reversed. You need not see him physically to know he is near. You know he is near because the trees begin to thaw and the crocuses bud and bloom, and the flowers begin to break through the surface of the snow.

Toward the end of the story, Aslan, this lion, leads a troop of liberators into the castle of the wicked queen and finds the courtyard strewn with stone statues. These statues were creatures that had been turned to stone by the curse of the wicked witch. One wonders, as Aslan strides into this castle, how he is going to free those who have been turned to stone. We find out immediately because the great beast strides to the first of these statues, lowers his regal head near it, and breathes upon it. As the breath of the lion touches the stone, the stone ripples into flesh. As his breath fills the lungs of those who were once stone, they awaken and begin to sing and dance and shout the glories of the one who freed them: Aslan, the great and mighty one.

Ezekiel 36:26-27a

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you.

4-14-19 Who is this?

Scripture          John 12:12-19, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44

I preached without any notes for the following message. To see the message on youtube and search for docofhterock1 or pastorjeffcooper then search by tile or date. (It is not uploaded yet but will be within the next month

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS

Zechariah 9:9

          Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation,

gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

John 12:1-11

    Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.

John 12:12-19

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

"Blessed is the King of Israel!"

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

                   

Matt 21:1-11

    As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"

The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

   

Mark 11:1-11

          As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Luke 19:29-44

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'"

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They replied, "The Lord needs it."

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

4-07-19 You’re Welcome!

Scripture   2 Peter 1:10-11 

Welcome Mr. President

Former US President Richard Nixon is infamous for his place at the center of  the Watergate scandal. He disgraced both the office of the President of the United States and the United States itself in the eyes of the world. When Hubert Humphrey, a former US vice-president died, Nixon attended his funeral. Dignitaries came from all over the country and the world, yet Nixon was made to feel decidedly unwelcome. People turned their eyes away and conversations ran dry around him. Nixon could feel the ostracism being ladled out to him.

Then Jimmy Carter, the serving US President, walked into the room. Carter was from a different political party to Nixon and well known for his honesty and integrity. As he moved to his seat President Carter noticed Nixon standing all alone. Carter immediately changed course, walked over to Nixon, held out his hand, and, smiling genuinely and broadly embraced Nixon and said “Welcome home, Mr. President! Welcome home!”

The incident was reported by Newsweek magazine, which wrote: “If there was a turning point in Nixon’s long ordeal in the wilderness, it was that moment and that gesture of love and compassion.”

Carter gifted Nixon with love and compassion. Nixon certainly had done nothing to deserve it. It was an act of pure grace on Carter’s part. When the bible speaks of God’s blessing it speaks in exactly the same way. Blessing is never a reward for good behavior. It’s a gift, a gift of pure, unadulterated grace.

Isn’t that how God is with us? God gives us a welcome even when we don’t deserve it.  Romans 5:8  God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How do you think God feels about people who reject what Jesus has done for them? Don’t you think then, that for those who do put their trust in Jesus for eternal life are going to be welcomed with great celebration and joy. Our entrance to heaven makes what Jesus did worthwhile which guarantees we will be greatly welcomed.

The Prodigal Son

Consider the story of the prodigal son (retell the story) The son in no way deserved to be welcomed but God welcomed him anyway.

Alabaster Welcome

Luke 7:36-48

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,d and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.   You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

          Which one of these is more like God? The woman with the alabaster jar and some tears or the Pharisee who showed no hospitality at all?

Welcome people in my name

Mark 9:35-41

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

There are two things going on today - we are seeing that Jesus Christ is a super extravagant welcoming God. One day we will be greatly welcomed into our eternal home. In the meantime, on Christ behalf, we are to be super extravagant in welcoming people to faith in Christ, to the worship of Jesus and to His great church.

          As ambassadors of Christ, we are called to welcome people like a king welcoming his subjects to his royal table, even if they have done nothing to deserve it.

  

The King Welcomes Mephibosheth

2 Sam 9:6-13

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.

David said, "Mephibosheth!"

"Your servant," he replied.

"Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David'sa table like one of the king's sons.

Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.

We will receive a Welcome into Eternity

2 Peter 1:10-11

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.